Sustainability Award Winners Revealed; Five NC Businesses Win for Sustainable Business Practices.RALEIGH, N.C. -- More than 300 business leaders, government officials, military personnel and sustainability advocates gathered to honor the winners of the 4th Annual Sustainability Awards on November 9th. Sustainable North Carolina North Carolina, state in the SE United States. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean (E), South Carolina and Georgia (S), Tennessee (W), and Virginia (N). Facts and Figures Area, 52,586 sq mi (136,198 sq km). Pop. , a nonprofit promoting business practices that optimize the state's economics, communities and natural systems, announced today the winners. The 2005 Sustainability Award Winners across the following five categories are: Pollution Prevention -- Projects that minimize waste and emissions from operations. WINNER: Naval Air Depot - Cherry Point www.nadepcp.navy.mil Air Depot (NADEP NADEP Naval Aviation Depot NADEP Naval Air Depot (NADEP North Island overhauls Navy aircraft) ) Cherry Point is one of eight Naval Air Systems Command The Naval Air Systems Command, or NAVAIR, is the part of the United States Navy which provides materiel support for naval aircraft and airborne weapon systems, such as guided missiles. NAVAIR was established in 1966 as the successor to the Navy's Bureau of Naval Weapons (BuWeps). sites that provide cost-wise readiness and maritime combat power for the Navy/Marine Corps. The depot occupies nearly 150 acres and has a workforce of more than 4000. NADEP Cherry Point has demonstrated its commitment to pollution prevention and waste reduction through aggressive and well-documented efforts. The depot received ISO (1) See ISO speed. (2) (International Organization for Standardization, Geneva, Switzerland, www.iso.ch) An organization that sets international standards, founded in 1946. The U.S. member body is ANSI. 14001 certification in 2003 and set a number of specific objectives to reduce hazardous materials. To date, all of the objectives have been exceeded, most by a factor of 3 and within a shorter time than projected. NADEP Cherry Point's EMS is a state-of-the-art system that focuses on continual improvement Continual Improvement (also called incremental improvement or staircase improvement) is a process or productivity improvement tool intended to have a stable and consistent growth and improvement of all the segments of a process or processes. and integrates a shared vision and commitment throughout the organization. Product Stewardship Product stewardship is a concept whereby environmental protection centers around the product itself, and everyone involved in the lifespan of the product is called upon to take up responsibility to reduce its environmental impact. -- Projects that lower product life cycle impact. WINNER: Shaw Contract Group www.shawcontractgroup.com Shaw Contract Group is the commercial division of Shaw Industries Shaw Industries is a flooring manufacturer headquartered in Dalton, Georgia. It agreed to be acquired by Berkshire Hathaway in 2000. As of 2006, it employed 32,000 people in the USA and Canada. It is considered the largest broadloom carpet maker in the world. , the world's largest manufacturer of carpeting, providing a significant portion of total carpet sales in North Carolina. Shaw's commitment to environmental stewardship The integration and application of environmental values into the military mission in order to sustain readiness, improve quality of life, strengthen civil relations, and preserve valuable natural resources. is reflected in the development of its two most recent backing systems, EcoWorx and EcoLogix. Shaw's Cradle to Cradle system, EcoWorx, along with EcoSolution Q face fiber, is designed to be returned to Shaw after its useful life. Both fiber and backing are sustainably recycled back into new face and backing material, eliminating the waste streams normally associated with traditional carpet. EcoLogix is the first high performance cushion system developed using consumer waste material. The EcoWorx product sold in North Carolina over just the past year is estimated to divert more than 330 tons of material from landfills. Clean Technology - Innovative technologies that build new competencies and infrastructure for a sustainable economy WINNER: Piedmont Biofuels www.biofuels.coop Piedmont Biofuels, now in its fourth year, is worker-member owned cooperative with over one hundred members throughout central North Carolina. Currently producing 200 to 400 gallons of biodiesel each week, the co-op is building a commercial scale plant in Pittsboro which will make use of local feedstocks to supply the region with a million gallons of fuel per year. In addition to providing a model for locally-based biodiesel production, Piedmont Biofuels is advancing interest and knowledge in alternative fuels with consulting services, technical assistance, internships and public outreach. The co-op maintains an open-source information sharing policy and is mentoring several nascent biodiesel production facilities both in and out of state. Global Sustainability - Projects that demonstrate the integration of all aspects of sustainability throughout the organization. WINNER: North Carolina Zoological Park www.nczoo.org To accomplish its mission "to encourage understanding of and commitment to the conservation of the world's wildlife and wild places through the recognition of the interdependence of people and nature," the North Carolina Zoo North Carolina Zoological Park is located in Asheboro, which is about 75 miles (120 km) west of Raleigh, North Carolina in the United States. At 535 acres (2.2 km²), it is the largest walk-through natural-habitat zoo. has made a well-coordinated effort to integrate sustainability into every facet of operations on site as well as its programs at the local, regional, state, national and international levels. Operational initiatives include composting, integrated pest management Integrated Pest Management (IPM), planned program that coordinates economically and environmentally acceptable methods of pest control with the judicious and minimal use of toxic pesticides. , water conservation, organic fertilizer, biodiesel and hybrid vehicles, constructed wetlands and solar energy. It is the only zoo in the US to be ISO 14001 EMS certified. The NC Zoo actively promotes biodiversity and sustainability through extensive educational outreach and involvement in dozens of efforts through North Carolina and the world. Innovative Initiatives - Early stage or general projects that incorporate sustainable principles. WINNER: SJF SJF Shortest Job First SJF Schweizer Jugend Forscht (German) SJF Sustainable Jobs Fund SJF Social Justice Fund SJF Single Jewish Female SJF Skopje Jazz Festival SJF San Jacinto Fault SJF Saint John Fisher Ventures/SJF Advisory Services advisory services advisory services provided to the public, in their capacity as owners and managers of animals, are an important part of veterinary science. They may be provided by government bureaux, by commercial companies who deal in pharmaceuticals or animals or animal www.sjfund.com SJF is a pioneer in using the tools of venture capital to support sustainable businesses that achieve the triple bottom line by generating profitability for investors, and environmental and job creation benefits for communities. SJF has funded 20 companies since its inception in 1999, and currently operates two venture capital funds Venture Capital Funds An investment fund that manages money from investors seeking private equity stakes in small and medium-size enterprises with strong growth potential. Notes: with $30 million under management. Small fast growing companies are responsible for the majority of job growth in this country and are therefore extremely important for North Carolina and other states facing severe economic dislocation. SJF believes that creating a critical mass of profitable sustainability-driven companies is essential to development of public policies that will support the development of more sustainable economies. The awards presentation program, hosted by Sustainable North Carolina at the Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh, included a panel discussion on "Is There a Future for Manufacturing in North Carolina? Making the Shift to the 21st Century Marketplace." It was moderated by Secretary of NC Commerce Jim Fain fain adv. 1. Happily; gladly: "I would fain improve every opportunity to wonder and worship, as a sunflower welcomes the light" Henry David Thoreau. 2. . Panelists for the discussion included: -Crandall Bowles, CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. Springs Industries -Tom Darden, CEO Cherokee Investment Partners -Travis Simpson, VP of NC Operations, Dell -Eric Davis, Sr VP, Wachovia Corporate Real Estate Division About Sustainable North Carolina (SNC SNC St Norbert College (De Pere, Wisconsin) SNC Sistema Nervioso Central SNC Société en Nom Collectif (French: Partnership) SNC Système Nerveux Central (French: central nervous system) ) Sustainable North Carolina (SNC) is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit that helps organizations realize the benefits of adopting sustainable practices that optimize economics, communities and natural systems. Founded in 1998 as Save Our State, the organization started as a moderate voice working with the business community, policymakers, farmers, environmentalists and concerned citizens to develop practical solutions to environmental issues. Today, SNC's mission is to accelerate the adoption of sustainable principles and practices by North Carolina businesses and communities with a positive solutions-oriented approach. |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion