Month: May 2023

Leidos has a track record of leading innovative, impactful work to address climate change. As the effects of climate change accelerate, we continue to support mitigation and adaption efforts as well as assist our customers in setting science-based targets that reduce GHG emissions across their entire value chain.

Leidos environmental engineers, scientists, and program managers have worked with the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to help reduce GHG emissions, improve energy efficiency, reduce energy costs, and track and report emissions and the global costs of GHG emissions. DLA Energy helps provide the Department of Defense, the largest energy user in the federal government and one of the largest electricity purchasers in the country, and other government agencies with comprehensive energy sources.

The U.S. federal government consumes electricity almost exclusively from the power grid, where carbon pollution-free electricity made up about 40% of electricity generated in 2020. Federal agencies are looking to increase that 40%. The cost of carbon, nitrous oxide, and methane are estimates of the monetized damages associated with incremental increases in GHG emissions that are part of the global analysis Leidos provides. Along with GHG reporting and emission inventories, our experts evaluate air quality regulatory compliance and assess pollution prevention design, performance measurement, and evaluations.

Since 2008, Leidos has gathered data about air quality and GHG emissions at four DLA sites, sourcing data from electricity generation, stationary combustion, mobile output, wastewater treatment plants, refrigerant usage, and solid waste. The results feed our experts’ analysis and inform sustainability strategies to provide DLA leadership with facts for decision-making that are based on hard science and awareness of the latest technical options. These innovative strategies empower operational and maintenance changes that not only reduce GHG emissions, but also reduce energy usage and disposal costs. Long-term benefits include changes in net agricultural productivity, human health, reduced property damage from increased flood risk, and the value of ecosystem services.

DLA credits comprehensive energy audits and GHG reduction projects for their four host sites in reducing GHG emissions from all scopes by almost 135K tons of carbon dioxide between 2008 and 2021, resulting in savings the equivalent of more than 312K barrels of oil (per EPA GHG Equivalencies Calculator).

To learn more about this and other projects, please see the most recent version of our Corporate Responsibility Report.

May 18, 2023 /3BL Media/ – As we celebrate AAPI Heritage Month, three entrepreneurs from the SkysTheLimit.org community are pursuing their passions founding their own businesses.

Hailing from Georgia, Washington, and New York, these founders each offer fun ways for people to be part of new, interactive experiences and express themselves.

They are:

Alice Hong, based in Atlanta, GA, is the Founder of Luxardo Entertainment Group LLC, full-service provider that’s revolutionizing the live music and classical music experience through collaborations with artists, corporations, and other fields of expertise to create breathtaking immersive experiences.

“I want to make Atlanta a more musical place, starting with making chamber music experiences more accessible, available, and memorable through unique, curated immersive concert experiences,” said Alice.

As a violinist for Edgewood String Quartet, Alice knows first hand the power of such experiences and how the multi-sensory stimulation provides a sanctuary away from everyday stresses.

Read more about Alice here.

Joan Cristobol, based in Aberdeen, WA, is the Founder of jaDiCee UnLtD, helping 18+ to make their own custom designed clothing in the form of simple, comfortable apparel. As a self-made and self-funded entrepreneur, Joan has taught herself skills by watching social media and YouTube videos.

“I started a t-shirt side hustle and sold tees to friends. It was kind of a hobby because I like to make things. I decided to pursue this seeing the potential it can have. The looks on the customers’ faces when they see their orders! It makes me feel happy creating something that people are pleased with,” said Joan.

For entrepreneurs just starting out, she provided some insight based on her personal journey as a founder. “If there’s a will, there’s a way. When I started, I didn’t know anything, and I was working on a boat so I didn’t have all the resources I needed. I watched a lot of YouTube videos to learn everything I could,” said Joan.

Read more about Joan here.

Nicole Shim, based in Brooklyn, NY is the Founder of Volare Collection, an online jewelry shop with high quality, long lasting, waterproof, hypoallergenic, and handmade jewelry made accessible to everyone worldwide. It was created with the belief that every person is a unique work of art and its goal is to help bring out each individual’s inner masterpiece with its innovative jewelry collection.

“I started this brand because I wanted to showcase my creativity and help people feel good about themselves. My brand was founded with the intention of inspiring people to prioritize themselves and their loved ones through meaningful gifts. Mental health is a cause close to my heart, as I have personally struggled with depression and substance addiction in the past. This brand gave me a renewed sense of hope and excitement, and I’m committed to spreading awareness and giving back by donating 5% of our revenue to Mental Health America and AFSP (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention),” said Nicole.

Read more about Nicole here.

Sky’s the Limit offers opportunities for traditionally marginalized entrepreneurs – typically those who identify as LGBTQI+, BIPOC, women, veterans, disabled people, and people from low-income backgrounds – to connect with mentors to come together to foster, grow, and shape modern and future enterprise.

“The mentors that helped me have been giving me everything from resources, knowledge, and guidance to invoices, templates, organization of my business and processes,” said Joan.

For more information about how to get your company involved in mentoring, please visit skysthelimit.org/partnerships.

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About SkysThelimit.org: SkysTheLimit.org is a digital platform that connects young, historically excluded entrepreneurs with one-on-one support from experienced business advisors and mentors, entrepreneurship training, and community-voted startup grants. SkysTheLimit.org is a 501(c)3 nonprofit. 

Kimberly-Clark announced the 62 recipients of its 2023 Bright Futures Scholarships. The Bright Futures program is administered by the Kimberly-Clark Foundation and awards college scholarships to children of Kimberly-Clark employees throughout North America. Recipients are selected based on academic achievement, community service, extracurricular activities, and work experience.

“This year’s scholarship recipients have demonstrated an impressive commitment to academic excellence and community service, and we are inspired by their achievements,” said Jenny Lewis, Vice President of the Kimberly-Clark Foundation. “We are proud to support them as they pursue their goals in higher education and look forward to all they will achieve.”

Each Bright Futures scholarship is worth up to $20,000 ($5,000 per year for up to four years) for full-time students studying at accredited colleges and universities. This year, Kimberly-Clark awarded Bright Futures scholarships totaling $1,240,000 to 62 students in the U.S. and Canada. Since its inception, the program has granted more than $46 million in scholarships to more than 2,300 students for full-time study at accredited colleges and universities.

The average GPA for this year’s Bright Futures scholarship class is 3.97. Awardees will attend leading colleges and universities, including Columbia University, the Georgia Institute of Technology, Princeton University, and the University of California Los Angeles. Past scholarship recipients have gone on to pursue successful careers in medicine, education, the armed forces, and engineering.

Click here for more information on this year’s award recipients.