Tag: 3BL

This article, Electrification 101: Getting the Grid Ready for an EV Revolution, was provided by RMI and authored by Liza Martin, Caitlin Odom, and Matt Miccioli. FedEx provided a grant to RMI for the development, pilot and launch of the GridUp tool.

As more and more electric cars and trucks hit the road, utilities need to prepare the infrastructure to charge them. That’s where planning tools like GridUp come in.

In the United States, transportation emits more carbon dioxide than any other sector, with cars and trucks making up 81 percent of sector emissions in 2021. The good news? Breakthroughs in electric vehicle (EV) technology and a rapidly growing EV market have already positioned the transportation sector on an economic and climate-aligned path of electrification. Incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) are accelerating EV adoption by removing cost barriers and economic bottlenecks. If the IRA clean vehicle credit is claimed in full, the total cost of ownership of an EV will be equal to or less than the cost of owning internal combustion engine vehicles by 2025 for passenger cars and by 2027 for medium- and heavy-duty trucks.

Beyond federal policies and programs, many states are signing on to the transportation electrification revolution. California is at the forefront with the Advanced Clean Cars II and the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) regulations, which set air quality standards and zero-emission vehicle sales requirements for manufacturers. Since California passed these regulations, 17 other states have taken steps to sign on to similar commitments, further bolstering the support for transportation electrification.

The momentum doesn’t stop with state and federal policies. Large corporations, such as FedEx, Amazon, AT&T, and others have made commitments to electrify their fleets. This alignment of market forces, corporate commitments, and government regulations establishes a clear path for transportation electrification in the United States.

Planning for a New Kind of Growth

The charging infrastructure required to power these forthcoming vehicles is expected to create unprecedented surges in electric load growth, and today’s grid is not equipped to meet this demand for power. To fully enable the EV revolution and abate emissions from this sector, we need faster and smarter grid planning.

Preparing the grid to accommodate load growth and charging infrastructure is easier said than done — and it presents emergent challenges for utilities and grid operators. Today, utilities build infrastructure in response to service requests, and some incorporate larger system growth planning using modest load growth projections. However, electric load from EVs is projected to reach as much as 1,500 terawatt-hours (TWh) annually by 2050 — roughly equivalent to the electricity consumption from the entire US residential sector in 2018. Most utility load forecasts and infrastructure plans do not currently account for this load growth.

Further, the unique characteristics of EV charging, such as the large and instantaneous power demand, especially for fast chargers, differentiate the load growth associated with transportation electrification from other load growth that utilities know how to accommodate. Utilities are used to building reactively, rather than proactively. For example, when providing service to a new apartment building, utilities have ample time to plan while the building is being built, and the subsequent load can easily be predicted and managed. But a rapidly growing EV market creates an entirely new need to deliver large supplies of power where they have not historically been necessary — and on much shorter lead times.

The EVs with the highest power demands, medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks (or class 3-6 and class 7-8 vehicles, respectively) have especially unique geographic and time-bound load characteristics. These vehicles will need to charge either in rural areas along highways, which are often not equipped to provide power at this scale, or in dense areas such as ports or cities, where infrastructure capacities are already strained, and costs are much higher. Moreover, charging depots for a fleet of trucks or a fast-charging hub can be commissioned for a logistics company in a few months, but connecting such a depot to utility service currently takes around five years.

To keep pace with accelerating EV adoption, utilities need to act quickly to prepare the grid for this new type of load. But traditional utility business models and regulations, which are well suited to reactive planning for new loads such as new apartment buildings, don’t currently allow for the proactive grid investments that EVs demand. The current lack of certainty regarding the specific charging needs EVs will have — when, where, how much — contrasts sharply with regulatory requirements for the prudency of investments, which are intended to keep ratepayer costs down. Utilities need assurance that if they build, the load will come — which requires knowing exactly where and when charging needs will arise.

Enter GridUp

In the near future, RMI’s GridUp tool will inform proactive grid infrastructure planning. The tool helps utilities and other stakeholders determine when, where, and in what quantities energy and power demands will materialize from vehicle electrification. To that end, GridUp will provide publicly-available data and insights on power and energy demand projections from transportation electrification. Decisionmakers can use GridUp to understand how oncoming EV load will fit into the existing demands on the grid and how to prepare accordingly while ensuring that grid planning accurately reflects the needs of all transportation customers. Utilities, fleet owners, policymakers, regulators, and others will be able to use this publicly available tool to proactively plan out the electricity grid that will power both today’s and tomorrow’s EVs.

GridUp will be complemented by a suite of additional solutions to prepare grid infrastructure for oncoming vehicle electrification. In this article series, we will explore an electrified future where grid planners can leverage vehicle-to-grid charging and demand response to allow EVs to support the grid even as load continues to grow. Regulatory incentives can further ensure utilities leverage available tools like GridUp to expand their load forecasting and streamline service connection processes with the goal of ensuring that the transportation sector can electrify at the pace needed to meet climate goals. As the EV revolution kicks into gear, it’s critical that utilities, regulators, policymakers, and fleet operators work together to ensure that grid infrastructure constraints don’t leave EVs unchargeable.

As a global leading supplier of adhesives, sealants and functional coatings Henkel is continuously driving sustainability across markets. To further improve its plastics footprint the company has started to relaunch its bonding and sealing portfolio for consumers and craftsmen in Europe. The new packaging concept helps to significantly reduce virgin plastic by using up to 95% of recycled plastic made from post-consumer recyclate (PCR).

Over the last 50 years the global production of plastics has increased by a factor of about 20. Today, the majority of consumers and customers expect sustainable solutions in product packaging across all categories. To underline its commitment for sustainable packaging Henkel has announced ambitious packaging targets for 2025, which among others include a fully recyclability and reusability as well as a total reduction of virgin plastics for its own product packages by 50%.

“Sustainability is an integral part of our strategy and the new packaging concept for our bonding and sealing portfolio is another strong proof point for executing against our ambitious packaging targets – without any compromise in the performance of our products,” explained Baptiste Chieze, Director Marketing, Digital and E-Commerce for consumer adhesives at Henkel Adhesive Technologies. “This is an important step to further reduce the use of virgin plastic and to increase the circularity of plastic waste by using PCRs. We have started the relaunch with a selected portfolio in Central Europe and France already in 2022 and we will further roll-out the new cartridges made from recycled plastics across a major part of our portfolio in other European countries step-by-step until end of 2024.”

With the new packaging concept for its bonding and sealing portfolio Henkel offers a sustainable alternative for consumers and craftsmen. The products marketed under well-known brands such as Pattex, Rubson, Sista, Ceresit and Unibond include a broad variety of construction adhesives and sealants. Depending on the product portfolio the new cartridges consist of minimum 80% and up to 95% recycled plastic made from PCR. Henkel has started the initiative with the relaunch of its Fix Construction Adhesives in Central Europe already in June 2022 and continuously rolls-out the new packaging concept among other product ranges across Europe step-by-step until end 2024.

Product of the year 2023 in France

The new packaging concept has already been recognized with a prestigious innovation award in France. The new recycled cartridge of the Pattex No More Nails product has received the recognition as ‘Product of the Year 2023’ by Poyfrance. The evaluation of this award is based on a perception study with 15,000 consumers and minimum 500 users of the product. A jury of experts validates the perception based on key criteria such as perceived innovation, attractivity, purchase intention and use tests. Finally, the award was granted for the product effectiveness combined with a more responsible packaging and thus the highest impact on the market.

In addition to the new packaging concept, Henkel aims to drive further progress towards a circular economy. In collaboration with Chile Global Ventures, the venture capital arm of Fundación Chile, the company last year had announced an innovation call for technology solutions enabling the recycling or reusing of the millions of silicone cartridges for adhesives and sealants applications marketed around the globe annually. The company CRDC Global Limited (CRDC) has been named as winner of the so-called ‘Seal the Cycle’ initiative. Henkel is now partnering with CRDC for the adaption of this technology with the focus on eliminating plastic waste caused by cartridges.

Food & Friends

Every Tuesday after Thanksgiving is designated as GivingTuesday, an annual celebration that encourages global generosity. The idea came to life in 2012 and has grown into a year-round global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.

Throughout the year, Maximus employees demonstrate their generosity in a variety of ways⁠⁠—whether it’s helping a neighbor, advocating for an issue, sharing a skill, or giving to causes, many across the U.S. donate their time, energy, and resources to give back to our local communities.

Join us in celebrating an inspiring story shared by our colleague and the meaningful cause they support.

Maximus staff at the District of Columbia Job Placement and Family Re-Housing Stabilization Program (FRSP), Washington, D.C.
Shared by: Tirhas Wubneh, Vice President, Workforce Services

The DC Job Placement and FRSP staff joined to participate in a community service activity at the Food & Friends Program. Food & Friends, a grant recipient of the Maximus Foundation, is the only community-based organization in the D.C. region providing home-delivered, medically tailored meals and medical nutrition therapy to families living with cancer, HIV/AIDS, and other serious illnesses. They serve more than 200 new clients monthly with over 3,800 daily deliveries.

Food & Friends spends a lot of time preparing ingredients and packing the thousands of meals it delivers daily to its clients. To support their efforts, the Maximus team of volunteers assisted with various tasks, including food preparation and packing items for delivery. Outside of the kitchen, the Maximus team assisted Foods & Friends in addressing the social isolation clients experience by writing more than 100 lunchbox notes and words of encouragement to accompany the meals delivered to individuals. These lunchbox notes help mitigate social isolation due to a lack of relationships or little to no social support, which links to increased risk for heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, depression, anxiety, addiction, and self-harm.

The contribution of the Maximus team helped Food & Friends ensure that they continue to provide food and support for clients living with severe illnesses while working to brighten their day with a personal touch.

This is just one of the many examples of Maximus staff donating their time to others. We are pleased to take this opportunity on GivingTuesday to recognize their efforts to give back to their communities and the vital causes that serve those who need it most.

Giving back to the communities we serve

The Maximus Foundation is one of the ways Maximus employees are doing something greater together. Established by the Maximus Board of Directors in 2000, the Maximus Foundation is an independent, employee-led, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Employee donors pool their charitable contributions together through the Foundation, double their impact on the grantmaking program through Maximus’ dollar-for-dollar matching pledge, and make their voices heard by nominating and voting for future grantee partners. Though the Foundation focuses its giving strategy on grantmaking, it also helps coordinate corporate-wide humanitarian efforts and empowers employees to donate their time and skills to nonprofits. Their inspired giving and volunteerism help accelerate the missions of nonprofits on the frontlines of the communities we serve. Learn more at maximus.com/foundation.

Qualcomm products mentioned within this press release are offered by Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.

SPAIN, December 7, 2023 /3BL/ – Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. announces its collaboration with the Escola de Enxeñaría de Telecomunicación de la Universidade de Vigo to provide 5G training courses. Students will have access to the courses and will have the opportunity to receive certification for their training through the Qualcomm Academy program.

The program is designed to develop the 5G skills and knowledge of university students, as well as improve job prospects in the technology ecosystem. “As 5G expands across multiple fields and industries, there is a need for skilled professionals, so we are excited that students at the Escola de Enxeñaría de Telecomunicación de la Universidade de Vigo and throughout Spain, could receive training on the latest 5G technologies through the Qualcomm Academy,” said Enrico Salvatori, Senior Vice President, Qualcomm Europe, Inc. and President of Qualcomm Europe/MEA.

Qualcomm Technologies believes in training the next generation of innovators and technologists and providing opportunities to accelerate the digital transformation of Spain and Europe. “We are delighted to offer our 5G training and certification to students at the Universidade de Vigo through the Qualcomm Academy program,” said Vikram Malhotra, Senior Director of Program Management for Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and head of the Qualcomm Academy program. “We want them to be able to acquire the skills needed to help transform the wireless industry in Spain, and I believe our training can go a long way in helping.”

“The Escola de Enxeñaría de Telecomunicación de la Universidade de Vigo was the third university of its kind in Spain and continues to offer cutting-edge content in the field of telecommunications and information technologies. This agreement facilitates access to students at the university to current content created by one of the technological leaders that is pushing technologies such as 5G and its future successors,” said Felipe Gil, promoter of the agreement. The students at the Universidade de Vigo, thanks to this agreement, will be able to: 

Enroll in free 5G training: Expand your 5G knowledge and skills by enrolling in two free 5G courses taught by Qualcomm Technologies’ industry-leading engineers. The courses (5G Primer and Fundamentals of Cellular Communication & 5G) cover an overview of 5G, how it works and how it is transforming the way the world works.Receive an introductory level certification to 5G: After completing the free training portion of this program, students can enroll in QWA’s 5G introductory level 5G certification exam. This certification can be used to show employers that students understand the basics of 5G and how it works.

“For the Escola de Enxeñaría de Telecomunicación de la Universidade de Vigo this training agreement is a further step in the university’s close collaboration with the industrial fabric. The possibility that the students at the university can be trained in 5G with a reference entity such as Qualcomm Technologies is an opportunity that, in Spain, only three other universities currently have: the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, the Universidad de Málaga and the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia” says the director of the EET Rebeca Diaz.

Visit qwa.qualcomm.com for a complete list of 5G and other wireless courses and for more information on the Qualcomm Academy program, please visit: https://qwa.qualcomm.com/course-catalog/5G-University-Program.

About Qualcomm

Qualcomm is enabling a world where everyone and everything can be intelligently connected. Our one technology roadmap allows us to efficiently scale the technologies that launched the mobile revolution – including advanced connectivity, high-performance, low-power compute, on-device intelligence and more – to the next generation of connected smart devices across industries. Innovations from Qualcomm and our family of Snapdragon platforms will help enable cloud-edge convergence, transform industries, accelerate the digital economy, and revolutionize how we experience the world, for the greater good.

Qualcomm Incorporated includes our licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of our patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of our engineering, research and development functions, and substantially all of our products and services businesses, including our QCT semiconductor business. Snapdragon and Qualcomm branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Qualcomm patented technologies are licensed by Qualcomm Incorporated. Qualcomm is a trademark or registered trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated.

As originally published by GoDaddy’s Venture Forward research initiative

The big fact: Investing in a website pays off for entrepreneurs. According to GoDaddy’s Venture Forward research initiative, the most popular way *microbusiness owners spend their first dollars is by creating a website (28%), and it pays off.  For instance, 70% of surveyed microbusiness owners said their website provides them with a source of income, with 18% of microbusiness owners responding that their website is the second-most common place to make a first sale.

How were the first dollars invested into the business?

Entire Sample (N=3,525)

Creating my website28%Obtaining Licenses/permits/taxes24%Developing new products/services14%Marketing my business online (social media, ads, promotions, etc.)12%Marketing my business using traditional media (print, radio, tv, promotions, etc.)7%Finding office/retail space6%Hiring employees2%Hiring a consultant1%

Source: GoDaddy Venture Forward US National Survey, August 2023 (N=3,525)

Jan Grieco, owner of Great North Woods Teas & Herbs participated in the Empower by GoDaddy program, where she learned how to build a website. Jan shared, “Now, every time I go to the farmer’s market, people say, ‘My friend told me about your web page, so I looked it up and had to come and find you!’ The fact that we’re gaining awareness for what we do because of our website is really good.”

First challenges: While microbusiness owners prioritize investment in developing a website to support their ventures, challenges still persist. According to Venture Forward research, the third most popular challenge microbusiness owners face when first starting is marketing their business online (42%), followed by getting access to financial capital (23%), and getting their business website online (22%).

Understanding these challenges can help advocates for small businesses provide entrepreneurs the necessary tools and resources they need for a more successful business. For example, Empower by GoDaddy, launched in 2017, is a global social impact program that partners locally with nonprofits and community organizations to understand the unique barriers entrepreneurs from underserved communities face and provide them with digital tools, training, networking and mentorship to accelerate their business journeys.

The research: GoDaddy’s Venture Forward research initiative analyzes more than 20 million online businesses with a digital presence (measured by a unique domain and an active website). Most of these businesses employ fewer than ten people, categorizing each as a microbusiness. While these *microbusinesses may be small, their impact on economies is outsized even though they are often too informal or too new to show up in traditional government statistics.

Since 2018, Venture Forward surveyed more than 30,000 small business owners with a digital presence, making it the source for microbusiness data and insights.

Charlotte, N.C., December 7, 2023 /3BL/ – GoldieBlox and Discovery Education today announced a new education initiative – Maker High. Maker High offers an immersive learning experience hosted on Roblox for educators to teach chemistry in middle and high school classrooms.

Maker High is a new experience on Roblox from the award-winning GoldieBlox team that leverages the power of gamified learning to deeply engage learners in chemistry. Maker High features Chem Lab Escape, a virtual escape room set in a chemistry lab where high school students explore core concepts of chemistry through dynamic gameplay. Chem Lab Escape empowers students to solve challenges such as combining elements and solutions to create chemical reactions and adding and removing heat energy to water to navigate an obstacle course. Accompanying student-driven activities and hands-on investigations are aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards and facilitate instruction around particle motion and the types of chemical reactions. Resources from Maker High, including the Chem Lab Escape, pair digital media with easy-to-follow instructions and are simple to incorporate into any lesson plan and learning environment.

“GoldieBlox has over a decade’s worth of experience making STEM fun and inclusive, especially for girls who have been traditionally excluded from STEM fields. Maker High empowers students to understand and master STEM concepts. Maker High makes learning fun by meeting students where they already are: on Roblox. Every detail of these resources are thoughtfully designed to strike that hard-to-reach balance of entertainment and academic rigor, all while delivering the learning content in an accessible, inclusive way,” said Debbie Sterling, CEO and Founder of GoldieBlox. “We hope teachers and students come back to play again and again to build upon their STEM skills.”

GoldieBlox is a Roblox Community Fund (RCF) grantee. Established in 2021, RCF offers grants to educational organizations and developers to enable the creation of innovative learning experiences and curriculum leveraging the platform in immersive and compelling ways.

Learn more about Maker High at makerhigh.discoveryeducation.com or within Discovery Education Experience, the award-winning K-12 learning platform. Connecting educators to a vast collection of high-quality, standards-aligned content, ready-to-use digital lessons, intuitive quiz and activity creation tools, and professional learning resources, Discovery Education provides educators with an enhanced learning platform that facilitates engaging, daily instruction.

“Research shows that game-based learning proves an effective teaching tool in an educator’s toolbox. We’re proud to team up with GoldieBlox to bring chemistry to life through Maker High on Roblox,” said Amy Nakamoto, General Manager of Social Impact at Discovery Education.

For more information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources and professional learning solutions visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

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About GoldieBlox

GoldieBlox is a multimedia company on a mission to make Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fun and accessible for all youth, especially girls, who have been underrepresented in STEM fields. Founded by Stanford engineer Debbie Sterling, GoldieBlox is known for “disrupting the pink aisle” and challenging gender stereotypes with the world’s first girl engineer and coder characters in children’s toys. For the past decade, GoldieBlox has inspired millions of girls around the world with videos, animation, books, apps, curriculum, toys, and merchandise; the tools that empower girls to build their confidence, dreams and ultimately, their futures.

GoldieBlox has been recognized as a disruptive leader in educational entertainment and has reached billions of consumers through TV, radio and digital as the first startup company to win a free Super Bowl commercial and have a float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. GoldieBlox and its founder, Debbie Sterling, have won numerous awards, including the Toy Industry’s Educational Toy of the Year Award, Fast Company’s list of Most Innovative Companies, Fortune’s 40 Under 40, President Obama’s Ambassadorship for Global Entrepreneurship, and the National Women’s History Museum’s “Living Legacy” award for inspiring girls around the world.

About Discovery Education 
Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. Through its award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, innovative classroom tools, and social impact programs, Discovery Education helps educators deliver equitable learning experiences engaging all students and supporting higher academic achievement on a global scale. Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories. Inspired by the global media company Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and trusted organizations to empower teachers with leading edtech solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.

Contacts 
Grace Maliska 
Discovery Education 
Email: gmaliska@dicoveryed.com

Stephanie Glasbland 
GoldieBlox 
Email: stephanie@goldieblox.com

Originally published on U.S. Bank company blog

When you walk through the main doors at the Academy for Global Citizenship’s new building on Chicago’s southwest side, you know immediately it’s no ordinary school. The first room you enter has two-story windows, walls painted in shades of green and seedlings growing out of spaceship-looking planters.

You’ve entered the greenhouse.

Continue through the next set of doors and you’re greeted by what looks like a giant staircase spanning the first and second floors. But a closer look reveals it’s more than just oversized steps.

The multi-purpose space was designed to be a large seating and assembly area for students, and each level of the “stairs” contains a cubby space under the seat that doubles as a bookshelf. It’s the school’s creative way to include a library.

This is just a taste of the Academy for Global Citizenship’s new school and campus that opened this fall. The 72,000-square-foot building, designed with sustainability in mind, enabled the school to consolidate two other locations in the neighborhood.

The new location is more than just a school. It’s a community-designed and -centered hub, and the first phase of development at the former LeClaire Courts public housing site.

“We’ve grown to believe that schools can be more, as cornerstones and an opportunity to really think about reimaging the role that schools can play in communities as places where every member of our community can come and gather,” said Sarah Elizabeth Ippel, the Academy for Global Citizenship’s founder and executive director. The Chicago Public Charter School was founded in 2008 under Ippel’s vision and leadership.

“Places that can catalyze neighborhood investment, that can create jobs, that can cultivate wellbeing for multi-generational members of our community,” she said.

The new campus – also known as the Cultivate Hub – is designed to do all of that and more. In addition to housing the Academy for Global Citizenship, the building is home to a new early childhood development program and a community health center operated by Esperanza Health.

It includes space for a neighborhood fresh food marketplace and 3.5 acres of urban agriculture will soon be under development. Once complete, it will have neighborhood walking trails, aviaries, orchards and nature-focused learning spaces, as well as goats and chickens.

All of this has come together under the collaborative vision of community-led nonprofit Cultivate Collective, where Ippel is a founding board member. The campus was designed with four pillars in mind – cradle-to-career learning, sustainability, economic vitality, and health and wellness – with a goal to drive generational impact in the neighborhood.

U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance invested $12.6 million in New Markets Tax Credit equity, including its own allocation that it reserves for projects that support racial equity and help close the racial wealth gap. It also provided two low-interest loans totaling more than $28 million and provided a $75,000 grant to support the project.

“This project was a natural fit for us because of its focus on creating generational change in a historically disinvested neighborhood,” said Laura Vowell, managing director of Community Finance Solutions with U.S Bancorp Impact Finance. “We believe everyone deserves to live in a thriving community with access to opportunities. This project – with its wide range of services – will support students and adults alike.”

Niquenya Collins, who was born in LeClaire Courts and is president of Cultivate Collective, described what disinvestment looks like from a personal perspective.

She said it meant driving over 15 minutes to access critical medical care and taking two busses and two trains as a student to get to a school on the north side that offered gifted services to feed her brain.

It also meant having no access to workforce development programs or entrepreneurship classes, she said, resulting in a longer lead time to learn what she needed to know to eventually start her own business. 

“None of that was here when I was younger,” Collins said. “I am so excited to see this building erected and be more than a school, more than just education. This area has been disinvested for so long. To see – on this spot that has been vacant for almost two decades – it finally has the things that I longed for as a child, that my grandkids can now have access to. Words cannot even describe how emotional I am.”

The campus is unique for another reason: It’s on track to achieve the Living Building Challenge, an international sustainable building certification program that encourages the creation of regenerative-built environment. The challenge defines the highest measure of sustainability possible based on the best current thinking.

The campus is designed to be fossil fuel-free, and when finished it’s planned to have 550 kilowatts of solar power, 50 geothermal wells, onsite battery storage and other sustainability strategies that will make it net-positive energy producing.

“It’s our hope that this Cultivate Hub – this place for sustainability, for learning, for wellness – can serve as model not only for Chicago but for our country and our world,” Ippel said.

Originally published on bloomberg.com

By combining the Natural History Museum’s Biodiversity Intactness Index (BII) with Bloomberg’s physical assets linked to nearly 50,000 global companies, the two organizations will open up significant insight to the Financial MarketsA biodiversity tool will be built to allow companies to understand their proximity to highly intact ecosystems, as well as the scale of the impact on these ecosystems over time

The Natural History Museum, London, and Bloomberg announced a collaboration to make the Museum’s Biodiversity Intactness Index (BII) data available to the investment community for the first time through Bloomberg, a global leader in business and financial information, dedicated to delivering trusted data, news and insights that bring transparency, efficiency, and fairness to markets.

As part of this pioneering collaboration, Bloomberg will build a tool that combines the Natural History Museum’s geospatial BII data with Bloomberg’s data on 1 million+ physical assets linked to nearly 50,000 global companies. This will allow companies to see their proximity to intact ecosystems and the scale of their degradation to ecosystems near company operations over time. The BII will assist Bloomberg customers in making vital nature positive investment decisions at a time when the industry attempts to mitigate the financial and ethical impacts of nature loss.

The BII aims to simplify the complex realm of biodiversity data, offering a comprehensive assessment of ecosystem integrity. It categorizes nature on a user-friendly scale from 100% (the naturally present biodiversity remains intact), down to 0% (where none of the species remaining in the location were naturally found there), with the index representing the biodiversity makeup of a specific terrestrial area in comparison to a pristine area with minimal human interference.

Dr. Doug Gurr, Director of the Natural History Museum, London, said, “This ground-breaking collaboration heralds a new era in our efforts to safeguard the world’s biodiversity. Thanks to Bloomberg, we have been able to make our research available to support investment decision-making for the first time, with the aim of addressing the challenges faced by our planet. We’re hopeful that this innovation will be recognized as a watershed moment in advancing financial strategies to tackle the planetary emergency.”

The Natural History Museum is a world-leading science institution and one of the most visited attractions in the UK. Its 350 scientists represent one of the largest research groups finding solutions to the planetary emergency. The Museum’s BII provides scientifically rigorous biodiversity data to support the implementation of ‘net-positive biodiversity solutions.’ Using data on more than 58,000 plants, fungi, and animals from around the world, the BII shows how local terrestrial biodiversity is responding to human pressures such as land use change and intensification. Unlike other biodiversity indicators, users can project how biodiversity will change in response to future management decisions.

Nature contributes trillions of dollars to the global economy each year with over half the world’s total GDP being either moderately or highly dependent on nature and its ecosystem services. This makes the potential risk of nature loss to global markets significant. Leading financial institutions are now searching for datasets to help mitigate financial risks this brings to their portfolios.

Once built, the Bloomberg tool will allow investors to screen for companies that are operating in areas with intact ecosystems or in areas where the ecosystem integrity is diminishing. This will supplement Bloomberg’s existing biodiversity-related product offerings such as its deforestation supply chain and comprehensive collection of nature-related company-reported data, which is available today on the Bloomberg Terminal and via Bloomberg Data License.

Patricia Torres, Bloomberg’s Global Head of Sustainable Finance Solutions said, “At Bloomberg, we recognize the critical role data plays when making investment decisions. Despite Biodiversity emerging as one of the key areas for investment, the data available for investors remains inadequate. That’s why we are thrilled to be working with the Natural History Museum to help provide valuable information for investors pursuing biodiversity strategies aimed at preserving and protecting ecosystems.”

The BII summarizes the change in ecological communities in response to human pressures and is an estimated percentage of the original number of species that remain and their abundance in any given area, despite human impacts. Museum research shows that BII has dropped to an alarming 77% globally.

To find out more about the collaboration or the tool being built, please email biodiversity@bloomberg.net

Natural History Museum Press Office
Tel: +44 (0)20 7942 5654 / 07799690151
Email: press@nhm.ac.uk

About The Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is a world-leading science centre and one of the most visited attractions in the UK. A global source of curiosity, inspiration and joy. Our vision is to build a future in which both people and the planet thrive. We aim to be a catalyst for change, engaging advocates for the planet in everything that we do. Our 350 scientists are finding solutions to the planetary emergency in all aspects of life. Visit, join and support the Natural History Museum today. Protecting the planet. It’s in our nature.

Bloomberg Press Contacts
Global ESG Communications – Carina Uehara, cuehara2@bloomberg.net
EMEA Communications – Anna Schoeffler, aschoeffler1@bloomberg.net

About Bloomberg
Bloomberg is a global leader in business and financial information, delivering trusted data, news, and insights that bring transparency, efficiency, and fairness to markets. The company helps connect influential communities across the global financial ecosystem via reliable technology solutions that enable our customers to make more informed decisions and foster better collaboration.

For more information, visit Bloomberg.com/company or request a demo.

ORLANDO, Fla., December 7, 2023 /3BL/ – For two weeks in November, Fifth Third employees across northern Florida and the Bank’s footprint showed their love for local small businesses by entering them in a sweepstakes to win a $53,000 grant. The Bank is pleased to announce one of the winners is Delight Nails & Spa.

“I am so proud of how our local employees showed up big for small businesses this holiday season,” said Greg Dryden, Fifth Third’s Orlando city president. “Delight Nails & Spa is known for exceptional service, and I look forward to seeing how this grant can help them grow and thrive in the community.”

Fifth Third employees submitted nearly 2,200 entries in the sweepstakes by sharing photos and #love53 on social media. Visit Fifth Third’s Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn to see the entries or follow #love53.

Delight Nails & Spa is next door to Fifth Third’s Turkey Lake branch in Orlando. It is a full-service nail and waxing salon.

“I’m appreciative of our customers,” said Delight Nails & Spa co-owner, Oanhna Thi Chau. “Over the past 20 plus years, we have been able to grow our staff to serve both our longtime customers and new customers. This grant from Fifth Third will help us to purchase additional equipment to allow us to serve even more people.”

Fifth Third employee Robert Stewart, a financial center manager at the Turkey Lake branch, nominated Delight Nails & Spa by posting on his LinkedIn profile. Stewart said he submitted the sweepstakes entry for the salon because employees from the branch get their nails done there and speak very highly of their services.

About Fifth Third

Fifth Third is a bank that’s as long on innovation as it is on history. Since 1858, we’ve been helping individuals, families, businesses and communities grow through smart financial services that improve lives. Our list of firsts is extensive, and it’s one that continues to expand as we explore the intersection of tech-driven innovation, dedicated people and focused community impact. Fifth Third is one of the few U.S.-based banks to have been named among Ethisphere’s World’s Most Ethical Companies® for several years. With a commitment to taking care of our customers, employees, communities and shareholders, our goal is not only to be the nation’s highest performing regional bank, but to be the bank people most value and trust.

Fifth Third Bank, National Association, is a federally chartered institution. Fifth Third Bancorp is the indirect parent company of Fifth Third Bank, and its common stock is traded on the NASDAQ® Global Select Market under the symbol “FITB.” Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com.

FISHERS, Ind., December 7, 2023 /3BL/ – Land Betterment Corporation’s ekō Solutions, a leader in sustainable shipping container up-cycling, announces the addition of five luxury rental units to its Airbnb community in Athens, Alabama. Located at the Poplar Point Lakeside Campground, these 1 bedroom/1-bathroom ekō Outpost units offer a unique glamping experience, repurposing shipping containers homes from the 2021 Kentucky tornado relief efforts.

In June 2023, together with Block Experience Solutions and Poplar Point Lakeside Campgroud, ekō Solutions, launched the ekō Outpost community at Poplar Point. This unique rental community, now boasts a total of six units due to increased demand for glamping options. By the end of Q1 2024, ekō Solutions expects to have 12 units available for rent through Airbnb in Athens, Alabama.

“We’re thrilled with the demand for our rental units and are working with the state of Alabama to replicate this model in other locations throughout the state,” said Peter Rodriguez, President of ekō Solutions. “Poplar Point Lakeside Park offers a cottage town feel in an Alabama village, providing unique and sustainable stays.”

Rodriguez says all ekō Solutions units at ekō Outpost are “double recycled,” initially serving as temporary housing for survivors of the Western Kentucky tornadoes.

“Originally, we dispatched these dwellings to house victims impacted by the deadly December tornado outbreak in Western Kentucky in 2021,” said Rodriguez. “Now that many of these families have found permanent homes, these units are being re-used as sustainable, ecological and cool glamping dwellings.”

These 1 bedroom/1-bathroom units, accommodating up to four people, feature custom and fully equipped kitchenettes, while the bedroom area features a plush queen-sized bed with high-quality linens and pillows. The adjacent bathroom is modern, boasting a stylish shower, contemporary fixtures, and fluffy towels. Some units are rustic, some are glamorous, some have particular themes, but all have unique contemporary custom features unlike any rental.

“Our ekō Home is a cozy container home retreat, offering a stylish haven,” said Stetson Schaible, General Manager of ekō Solutions. “The contemporary design seamlessly blends with its surroundings, providing a spacious and modern interior.”

The nightly rate for ekō units averages $150, providing an affordable alternative to local hotels charging $200-$250 per night.

Three popular ekō Outpost units available for Airbnb rental located near Wheeler Lake include:

Cozy Rustic Blue Container CottageCozy Forest Container CottageCozy Container Home

As ekō Solutions rapidly expands, it continues to offer a range of sustainable and energy-efficient dwelling solutions, for commercial, recreational, residential and crisis recovery using customized up-cycled shipping containers. In addition to the Airbnb model at ekō Outpost, ekō Solutions offers an extensive line of shipping-container housing solutions to include mobile workstations, mobile bathrooms, mobile dog grooming, containerized food stands, ekō farms, hunting retreats and homes.

These sustainable and energy-efficient structures combine contemporary design with practicality.

For more information about ekō Solutions’ products, visit www.ekosolutionsllc.com.

About Block Experience Solutions

Block Experience Solutions specializes in modular structure ideation, planning, design and development. We are a specialized team of passionate and driven innovators committed to creating work that matters. To learn, unlearn and relearn, is to evolve. So, we’re constantly shedding our skin to grow a thicker one—because the only way to stay ahead is to lead. Because at Block, we’re not in the business of selling dreams, we make them a reality. To learn more about Block Experience Solutions visit our website www.blockcompany.us.

About ekō Solutions 

ekō Solutions, a division of Land Betterment Company a Certified B Corporation, is a sustainable development company utilizing innovative, low-cost, up-cycled shipping container structures to provide durable, high-end solutions to the building marketplace while also maintaining the ability to be utilized in a mobile environment. ekō Solutions uses innovative ecological structures to replace legacy inefficient and ineffective methods of living, growing and working. The sustainable craftsmanship of our up-cycled shipping container structures is what separates us from the alternatives. Our structures are suitable for residential, crisis recovery, commercial and recreation use. For more information visit ekosolutionsllc.com and connect with ekō Solutions on Facebook LinkedIn and X.

About Land Betterment Corporation 

Land Betterment Corporation, an Indiana Benefit Corporation and Certified B Corporation, is an environmental solutions company focused on fostering positive impact through up-cycling former coal mining and industrial sites to create sustainable community development and job creation. The Company utilizes a complete solution-based lifecycle program to restore and rehabilitate the environment and revitalize communities in need of change and opportunity. Land Betterment accomplishes this by identifying un-reclaimed, run-down and neglected coal mining sites, fixing the environment through reclamation and remediation, and then repurposing the land to support a sustainable business that serves the community. Land Betterment firmly believes that with real solutions it is possible for restoration of impacted areas to live side-by-side long term employment, while building sustainable and safe surroundings for communities and our planet. For more information visit landbetterment.com or connect with the Company on Facebook, X and LinkedIn.

Contacts: 

Mark LaVerghetta 
317.537.0492 ext. 0 
Chief Governance Officer, Corporate Finance 
info@landbetterment.com

Stephanie Conzelman 
207.205.0790 
Stakeholder Engagement Director 
info@landbetterment.com

Zak Owens 
Fleur de Lis Communications 
502.386.5704 
zak@fdlcomms.com

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other important factors that could cause the Company’s actual results, performance, or achievements or industry results to differ materially from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Land Betterment Corporation’s control. The words “believes”, “may”, “will”, “should”, “would”, “could”, “continue”, “seeks”, “anticipates”, “plans”, “expects”, “intends”, “estimates”, or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. Any forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date of this release. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. The Company cannot assure you that the projected results or events will be achieved.