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Three Innovative Sustainability Strategies
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Plisko Sustainable Solutions is engaged with multiple clients across the sustainability spectrum. Scroll down as we share three ways we are helping our clients take sustainability to the next level. Following suit, think about how you can set up similar programs at your organization! Here they are:
- Set up a green revolving fund
- Host a sustainable meeting
- Create a zero waste program
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Strategy: Set Up a Green Revolving Fund
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A green revolving fund (GRF) is a mechanism for institutions, such as a universities or hospitals, to invest in energy efficiency projects while simultaneously reducing energy consumption and reinvesting money saved into future projects.
That's right, institutions reinvest the money saved into future projects. In other words, as projects pull money from the fund, it is replenished by tracked savings from reduced energy consumption.
In May 2016, the Cleveland Clinic established the largest GRF in the healthcare industry at $7.5 million. “The establishment of this fund strengthens Cleveland Clinic’s commitment to reducing energy usage and serves as a catalyst for future projects to further reduce our impact on the environment,” said Jon Utech, Senior Director for Cleveland Clinic’s Office for a Healthy Environment.
According to the Sustainable Endowments Institute, which is a great resource on this topic (the website has toolkits, case studies, and articles) h
ere are some of the important steps necessary when preparing to implement a green revolving fund:
- Identify energy efficiency opportunities across the enterprise.
- Build buy-in amongst stakeholders including top management, finance, and facility management.
- Identify and secure seed capital.
- Establish an accounting model and financial pathways for the transfer and payment of funds.
- Develop a communication plan to engage and work with stakeholders.
- Launch the green revolving fund using a scaled approach or pilot project.
- Track, analyze, and assess the performance of each project and the fund overall.
- For continual improvement, get feedback from participants and update as needed.
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Integration: Host a Sustainable Meeting
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Organizations, large and small, such as conference and convention centers, hotels, and office buildings host meetings regularly. Some conferences post electronic agendas, promote the use of public transportation, and recycle paper. Here are a few suggestions to take your next meeting a few steps on your sustainability journey:
- Water offsets: In addition to promoting the use of tap water instead of bottled water, buy water offsets for the water footprint of the meeting. Similar to carbon offsets, water offsets are a great way to become a zero impact event.
- Donations: To promote community resiliency in the city where your meeting or conference is held, donate time of participants to a local program or project and/or donate unused materials to local organizations.
- Nutritious food: Promote health and nutrition to venue staff and meeting/conference attendees by providing local, organic, nutritious foods; and compost the food waste!
According to the Green Venue Report, published by Greenview, the venues with the best management sustainability programs incorporate the following practices in to their operations: have green teams, provide employees with green training, have one or more sustainability related certifications, donate food to local organizations, recycle multiple waste streams, and donate unused conference materials.
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Results: Create A Zero Waste Program
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One organization's waste is another organization's treasure!
According to the Zero Waste International Alliance, "zero waste means designing and managing products and processes to systematically avoid and eliminate the volume and toxicity of waste and materials, conserve and recover all resources, and not burn or bury them."
A great industry leader in this regard is General Motors (GM), who recycles 90 percent of its worldwide manufacturing waste and has 122 landfill-free facilities. When GM started its landfill-free program in the United States, it invested about $10 for every ton of waste reduced. Over time, it has reduced program costs 92 percent and total waste by over 62 percent.
General Motors is offering a downloadable blueprint that summarizes its process for making its plants and facilities landfill-free.
Still want more information? Connect with us by clicking HERE.
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About Plisko Sustainable Solutions
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Joan Plisko, PhD, President
Plisko Sustainable Solutions
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Plisko Sustainable Solutions (PSS) can help your company develop innovative strategies, optimize operations, and appraise performance related to environmental health, exposure assessment, and sustainability programs. The PSS team will provide expertise and guidance as you improve your company's economic, environmental, and social performance.
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