SEC issues climate risk requirement in 3-2 vote

"The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday said companies must disclose to investors the physical impact that climate change has on assets and the consequences of regulations curbing greenhouse gas emissions.  The SEC public disclosure guidance on climate-related risks is seen as a major victory by an army of environmental groups and institutional investors that have pressed the issue since 2007."

More: http://ow.ly/11yQn

Thanks to everyone who helped develop this process and form. Now the rubber hits the road - please download, test and give feedback to the team who worked to bring your ideas to life. The form is linked below and the feedback should go to either GBC co-chairs. Thanks!
application_green_business_reader.pdf

It's too expensive for me to order, so I'll have to trust the summary.  According to the BBMG Conscious Consumer Report for 2009: Redefining Value In a New Economy http://www.bbmg.com/ (look under News & Insights) 77% of  Americans say they can make a difference by purchasing goods from social and environmentally responsible companies, but they want assurances that such claims are backed up with legitimate practices.

From Teresa Gleason, program manager at Omaha by Design  http://www.omahabydesign.org/

OMAHA – What can Omaha do to better conserve the resources it relies on for daily life in the metro?
    City officials and Omaha by Design are hosting a public meeting to begin addressing this issue Wednesday, Jan. 20. The event, which serves as the kickoff of the resource conservation component of Environment Omaha, will be held from 6:30 to 8:00pm at the Scott Conference Center, 6450 Pine St. It is free and open to the public.
    Environment Omaha, launched in November 2008, is a new policy development initiative that's creating an Environmental Element for the city's master plan. It's addressing five major content areas – the natural environment, urban form and transportation, building construction, resource conservation and community health.
    The guest speaker for the Jan. 20 event is Amy Malick, Midwest regional director for ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability. The organization, founded in 1990 as the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, is an international association of local, regional and national government organizations that have made a commitment to sustainable development.
    Malick opened the organization's Chicago office in 2007, which services its Midwest membership across 13 states. Prior to her arrival at ICLEI, she worked for the Chicago Transit Authority and the City of Seattle's Strategic Planning Office. She holds a Master of Urban Planning degree from the University of Washington at Seattle with specializations in environmental design and community development.
    Malick's presentation will be followed by an information open house. A series of information stations pertaining to water, air and climate, energy, materials and human resources will be set up. City staff and members of the Resource Conservation Advisory Committee will be available at each station to answer questions and record comments. The Resource Conservation Advisory Committee is chaired by Marcella Thompson, ConAgra Foods Inc.
    Funding for Environment Omaha, which is receiving significant city staff and resource support, is provided by grants from the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District, the Metropolitan Area Planning Agency and the City of Omaha's Stormwater Management Plan Program Grant from the Nebraska Department of Environmental Services.
    Parking for the meeting will be available in Lot 9 across the street from the Scott Conference Center. Carpooling, walking, cycling or taking the bus is also encouraged. Metro Area Transit Route 11 stops at The Peter Kiewit Institute. For more information on the bus schedule, visit www.metroareatransit.com.
    For members of the public unable to attend the meeting, it will be webcast live on www.environmentomaha.com. Questions and comments can be submitted to www.environmentomaha.com.
    For more information, contact Omaha by Design at 402.554.4010 or info@omahabydesign.org

EPA Resource Conservation Challenge Web Academy
Solid Waste Management and Recycling Education Series 2010
http://www.epa.gov/waste/rcc/web-academy/index.htm

February 18, 2010	Recycling Markets Update
March 18, 2010	Green Casinos/Venue Sustainability Practices
April 15, 2010	Rural Recycling—Bridging the Gaps
May 20, 2010	Social Marketing-Changing Behavior in Your Community
June 17, 2010	Multi-Family Dwellings Recycling
July 15, 2010	Recycling & Market Development of Unique Materials
August 19, 2010	Food Waste/Organics Reduction and Recycling
September 16, 2010	Greening University Campuses
October 21, 2010	Sustainable Materials Management

New this year, you will be able to receive Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) if you are a member of SWANA (Solid Waste Association of North America).  Just download the form on our Website and fax it to the SWANA contact listed on the form.

We look forward to your continued participation.  You can count on EPA's RCC Web Series to bring you the latest information offered by top experts in the field.

Cordially,

Janice Johnson,
RCC Web Academy Manager

At many companies, sustainability officers are placed in the upper echelons of companies, where they are highly visible. In some cases, the CEO has taken on the extra duty.
By Tiffany Hsu, The Los Angeles Times, December 30, 2009

As companies grapple with climate change, try to attract eco-conscious customers and develop alternative energy agendas while complying with regulations, a new kind of administrator is moving into the executive suite to help out. Sustainability officers and green supervisors, some say, are successors to the diversity managers and innovation specialists of the 1990s -- with their focus equal parts corporate responsibility, public relations and profit. "Our clients expect this," Pogue said. "A company of our size doesn't have the luxury any longer of not participating."

A good read from the LATimes, http://ow.ly/SH6z