Month: May 2023

In honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and as a part of our ongoing perfumer series, we’re spotlighting renowned perfumer Chiaki Nomura. Chiaki created several iconic Bath & Body Works fragrances including Flannel, Spiced Cardamom, Blue Orchard Skies and Sea Salt and Palms. This month we’re offering these fragrances in a special time capsule collection in stores.

Bath & Body Works believes that it’s important to spotlight professionals from historically underrepresented groups in fragrance to raise awareness of their important contributions and stories while signaling what’s possible for the next generation of perfumers.

We’re proud to support the American Chemical Society Scholars Program which awards renewable scholarships to undergraduate students from historically underrepresented groups majoring in chemistry-related disciplines and careers.

In 2023, the Bath & Body Works Foundation is donating $200,000 to support both the ACS Scholars Program and the mission of the ACS Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Respect. This donation will help open doors for the next generation of leaders in chemistry-related fields, like perfumers, and more.

To learn more about this effort, visit https://www.bbwinc.com/people/community-engagement/foundation.

Originally published on March 28, 2023

WASHINGTON /3BL Media/ – LG Electronics has been named 2023 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year-Sustained Excellence by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy. This prestigious honor recognizes the company’s exemplary commitment to protecting the environment and tackling climate change through leadership in ENERGY STAR certified products and promotions. This is the 10th time since 2012 that LG has been named Partner of the Year.

“LG is 100-percent committed to its partnership with ENERGY STAR and the EPA to inspire change, improve efficiency and help create a clean energy future,” said Thomas Yoon, president and CEO, LG Electronics North America. “Consistent with LG’s global ESG mission of a ‘Better Life for All,’ we are proud to help American consumers make a difference with products that deliver energy savings without sacrificing high performance and outstanding design.”

With LG and ENERGY STAR, American consumers are taking climate action in impactful ways. American consumers purchased an ENERGY STAR certified LG product every six seconds in 2022. Over their product life, these millions of ENERGY STAR certified LG products will mean estimated CO2 reductions of more than 3.7 million tons – equivalent to removing the greenhouse gas emissions of 727,696 cars for an entire year or eliminating the emissions from every home in Washington, D.C. for two years.

The 2023 Partner of the Year award recognizes a number of key LG ENERGY STAR accomplishments last year. Some examples:

LG saw double-digit growth in the number of ENERGY STAR certified models in various categories: audio-video products, displays, laptop computers, refrigerator-freezers, central AC models and room air conditioners.ENERGY STAR certified LG clothes washers and dishwashers purchased by American consumers last year are expected to save more than 35 billion gallons of water over their product life, enough to fill 53,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.The estimated combined environmental impact of ENERGY STAR certified LG air purifiers, dehumidifiers, room air conditioners and mini-split AC systems purchased by Americans in 2022 is equivalent to carbon sequestered by 106,000 acres of U.S. forests.“ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2022” LG refrigerators, washers, dryers, room air conditioners and computer monitors are expected to save more than 482 million pounds of CO2 over the life of these products.

The EPA also recognized LG for its robust participation in various ENERGY STAR campaigns and promotions, helping to educate tens of millions of American consumers about greener living with LG and ENERGY STAR, driving more than 3 billion consumer impressions.

“As we accelerate historic efforts to address climate change, public-private partnerships will be essential to realizing the scale of our ambition,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan, who applauded LG and other ENERGY STAR award winners “for working with EPA to deliver a clean energy future that saves American consumers and businesses money and creates jobs.”

Each year, the ENERGY STAR program honors a select group of businesses and organizations that have made outstanding contributions in the transition to a clean energy economy. ENERGY STAR award winners lead their industries in the production, sale, and adoption of energy-efficient products, homes, buildings, services, and strategies. These efforts are essential to fighting the climate crisis, protecting public health, and creating a clean energy future for everyone.

To learn more about LG’s ENERGY STAR certified products, please visit LG.com.

About LG Electronics USA 

Ten-time ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a $68 billion global innovator in technology and manufacturing. In the United States, LG sells a wide range of innovative home appliances, home entertainment products, commercial displays, air conditioning systems, energy solutions and vehicle components. The company’s commitment to environmental sustainability and its “Life’s Good” marketing theme encompass how LG is dedicated to people’s happiness by exceeding expectations today and tomorrow. www.LG.com.

About ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR® is the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency, providing simple, credible, and unbiased information that consumers and businesses rely on to make well-informed decisions. Thousands of industrial, commercial, utility, state, and local organizations rely on their partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to deliver cost-saving energy efficiency solutions. Since 1992, ENERGY STAR and its partners helped American families and businesses avoid more than $500 billion in energy costs and achieve more than 4 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas reductions. More background information about ENERGY STAR’s impacts can be found at www.energystar.gov/impacts.

Media Contact:

LG Electronics USA

John I. Taylor
202 719 3490
john.taylor@lge.com

May 1, 2023 /3BL Media/ – The Ray announced it has been named an Environmental Partner with 1% for the Planet, an international organization that encourages sustainable, environmentally protective action through memberships and everyday choices. Environmental Partners work to advocate, conserve, steward, educate, and activate to create a healthy, vibrant future for our planet and include national and international nonprofits, as well as Georgia-based and community driven organizations. See here for a complete list of Environmental Partners.

1% for the Planet connects its Environmental Partners to 1% for the Planet Members who hold similar values. Member organizations are 1% for the Planet-approved businesses with similar sustainable goals and contribute at least one percent of their annual revenue to causes that protect the environment. International clothing manufacturer Patagonia was one of the founding business Members of the program, with other Members ranging from international cosmetic brands to regional, climate-focused investment banks. Participation in the Environmental Partner network positions The Ray to receive direct financial support from 1% for the Planet Members.

“I am so excited that our team has been asked to join a global community of like minded associates,” said Harriet Langford, founder of The Ray. “This partnership is a fantastic vehicle for The Ray to advance our goal of sustainable transportation.” See here for a complete list of Members.

The mission of The Ray is to reimagine how we connect our communities, our lives and the world in a way that is safer, more responsive to the climate, more regenerative to the environment, and more capable of generating economic opportunity through innovative ideas and technologies that will transform transportation infrastructure. To achieve these goals, The Ray works with more than three dozen public agencies across 27 states to promote, plan, execute and scale net-zero infrastructure projects that will produce safer, cleaner and smarter outcomes in the transportation and energy sectors.

“The Ray is honored to be an Environmental Partner with 1% for the Planet,” said Sarah Grizzle, The Ray’s director of communications. “We look forward to opportunities to collaborate with 1% for the Planet Members and other Environmental Partners on the road to net-zero.”

About 1% for the Planet

1% for the Planet is a global organization that exists to ensure the planet and future generations thrive. They inspire businesses and individuals to support environmental partners through membership and everyday actions. They make environmental giving easy and effective through partnership advising, impact storytelling and third-party certification.

Started in 2002 by Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, and Craig Mathews, founder of Blue Ribbon Flies, their business members and individual members have given hundreds of millions of dollars to approved environmental partners to date. Today, 1% for the Planet’s global network consists of thousands of businesses, individuals and environmental partners working toward a better future for all. Look for the logo to purchase for the planet, learn more and join at onepercentfortheplanet.org.

About The Ray

The Ray is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity and net-zero highway testbed, located on 18 miles of Interstate 85 between Lagrange, Georgia and the Georgia-Alabama state line. This stretch of interstate is named in memory of Ray C. Anderson (1934-2011), a Georgia native recognized as a leader in green business when he challenged his company, Interface, Inc., to pursue a zero environmental footprint. The Ray Highway testbed is paving the way for a zero carbon, zero waste, zero deaths highway system that will build a safer and more prosperous future for all. Learn more at www.TheRay.org.

MEDIA CONTACT

Sarah Grizzle, Director of Communications, The Ray
310.699.2054 | sgrizzle@theray.org | @therayhighway

By Dana Obrist

As part of our Earth Day celebration, Regions is highlighting ways that our associates, customers and community partners are making life better by helping to protect our environment.

From small fields powering local communities to large-scale acreage lighting up thousands of homes, businesses and communities are investing in a growing sustainable energy source.

Solar farms are cropping up in agricultural communities across the United States. And the future looks bright.

“Renewables have been growing at a double-digit rate for some time now although that growth rate slowed in 2022,” noted Jerry Wells, senior vice president and part of Regions Solar Tax Equity coverage team. “Since our team’s inception, we’ve financed more than 80 projects, creating an investment of $1.8 billion and growing.”

Regions Equipment Finance (REFCO) launched its specialty finance team focused on renewable energy and solar, closing the first project in 2016. Partnering with renewable power experts, this team provides tax equity financing to sponsors and developers of solar.

Renewables received a boost with the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act last year. Projects can be eligible for more in tax credits – historically, 30 percent, now up to 50 percent if the equipment is sourced domestically and in an energy community.

Jerry Wells, senior vice president and part of Regions Solar Tax Equity coverage team

“Renewables received a boost with the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act last year,” said Wells. “Projects can be eligible for more in tax credits – historically, 30 percent, now up to 50 percent if the equipment is sourced domestically and in an energy community.”

Wells noted that costs of building a solar farm have come down significantly, albeit inflation drove an increase in costs last year, while equipment efficiency has improved. States have been active in setting renewable portfolio standards with 10 states requiring 100 percent of power delivered required to come from renewable resources between 2030 and 2050.

“Public policy has driven the employment of renewable assets,” said Wells. “In addition to being better for the environment, it is now cost competitive with other sources of energy.”

Wells and the Solar Tax Equity coverage team partnered with Regions’ Energy and Natural Resources Group when the latter financed a construction loan to build a solar farm in 2018 with the tax equity team providing the permanent take-out financing. With a national mandate, Regions has a concentration of solar projects in the Southeastern United States but has projects on the West Coast and in the Northeast outside the company’s traditional footprint.

The solar development process takes several years from inception to installation.

“Our clients will work through their preliminary development phase over a 2–3-year period, which includes purchasing the land, project design, securing proper permitting and entitlements,” said Lee Hanna, vice president, Regions Energy and Natural Resources. “Once the preliminary development phase is complete, they will begin construction and installation. That process typically takes between six months and a year.”

A renewable source of power, solar energy plays a key role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions while improving air quality and reducing water use from energy production. These projects are part of a larger strategy in ESG working towards making life better in our local communities and throughout the country. This includes clients such as Silicon Ranch, a full-service solar and carbon solutions company with more than 160 projects across 15 states.

“Silicon Ranch is proud of the role we play in the energy transition, and what makes our work so rewarding is our ability to leverage that role as a driver of economic opportunity, providing significant investments in communities across the country, including Clay County and Early County, Georgia,” said Reagan Farr, Co-founder and CEO of Silicon Ranch. “This would not be possible without our neighbors welcoming us into their communities or without financial institutions including Regions Bank supporting our investments in the communities we serve and where we locate.”