Tag: 3BL

30th Anniversary of Ray C. Anderson’s “Spear in the Chest” Speech

August 31, 2024 will mark the 30th Anniversary of Ray Anderson’s “Spear in the Chest” Speech. His life’s journey moved him from the football field and classrooms of Georgia Tech to performing on the world stage as a leading voice in industrial sustainability. In 1994, at the height of his success with Interface—a company he had built from a dream, grit and determination—he was challenged with a question that would define the rest of his life: “What is your company doing for the environment?” Read the speech.

MotionGlow Wins the Carbon Reduction Challenge

In the 2024 Carbon Reduction Challenge, organized by the Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business and Georgia Tech’s College of Sciences, students volunteered to propose ways to reduce carbon emissions and costs for partnering organizations. First prize was awarded to Team MotionGlow, led by Hyunjun Ryh, a second-year chemical engineering major, and Kevin Maranto, a fourth-year aerospace engineering major in the BS/MS Honors Program. Hyunjun and Kevin are resident assistants who share dedication to helping Georgia Tech reach its sustainability goals. The RAs noticed that people often neglect to turn off lights when they are no longer needed, thereby contributing to carbon emission, light pollution, migration hindrances, and global warming. The team partnered with Georgia Tech Housing to propose a plan to install motion sensors in the North Avenue Apartments to reduce electrical usage from lighting. They determined that sensors and installation would cost $75k, and that the Institute could save $67k and reduce 492k lbs. of carbon annually. Congratulations, Team MotionGlow!

Georgia Tech Faculty Receive Grants for Sustainability Infusion

The inaugural Educational Innovation Community received funding from the Georgia Tech’s Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business for completing infusions of sustainable business content and pedagogy in their courses across a range of disciplinary areas. The Center is pleased to share spotlights on four recipients: Tiffany Johnson, Robbie Moon, Florin Niculescu, and Eric Overby.

A Journey in Environmental Leadership in Georgia

As a participant in the year-long Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership, Inc. (IGEL) program, Allison Bridges explored and learned at numerous environmentally significant locations around the state. In words and images, Allison shares highlights of her journey – from the “tumbling waters” of North Georgia to the Southeast’s most sustainable building (in our own backyard). Allison is program manager for the Drawdown Georgia Business Compact. Read the article. 

IGEL is currently recruiting the Class of 2025. Apply here.

Drawdown Georgia Business Compact

The Drawdown Georgia Business Compact continues to extend its network and foster opportunities for collaboration. The Compact is pleased to share spotlights on several members. Discover how Retaaza is bridging gaps in the food supply chain: Its scaled solution simultaneously gets food from farmers to those who need it most and addresses the massive problem of food waste in Georgia agriculture. Also, learn how four members – Brightmark, Alternative Energy Southeast, Yamaha, and Ascend Elements – are making meaningful strides in sustainability in the state.

Spotlight on Drawdown Georgia Grantee: Community Farmers Markets

The Drawdown Georgia team spoke recently with representatives from Community Farmers Markets, a Climate Solutions & Equity grantee, about the work they are doing through their MARTA Markets program to scale climate solutions and improve access to fresh, healthy produce for Atlanta residents.

Read on to learn more about the exciting work this grant is funding, and how CFM is leveraging farmers markets to reduce emissions in multiple creative ways.

Climate Digest Series: Composting in Georgia with Khari Diop

Do you think of composting as something magical and majestic? If not, this conversation with expert community composter and urban farmer, Khari Diop, will change your mind.

In this interview in the Georgia Climate Digest video series, Eriqah Vincent of Drawdown Georgia speaks with Khari Diop about what inspired his 27-year career in community organizing, urban agriculture and composting.

Video Series Launching Soon: Pollinators on The Ray

Josh Weaver, Natural Capital Manager at The Ray, recently shared the successes of innovations in the Landscape Lab, an ongoing project of The Ray and Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT). A primary focus of this project is the pollinator gardens, which have succeeded in drawing in various pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, to native GA plants, measurably increasing visual appeal and biodiversity on The Ray Highway. 

Josh will be the star of an upcoming video series filmed on The Ray Highway at the Georgia Visitor Information Center as well as exits 6 and 14. This series demonstrates the effectiveness of the native plants’ ability to draw in pollinators, decrease maintenance, beautify the roadsides, and stabilize the slopes against natural factors such as erosion. Tune in to any of The Ray’s social media platforms in coming weeks to learn about Josh’s efforts and realize that “Natural Capital is Everybody’s Capital.”

The Biomimicry Institute Announces 2024 Ray of Hope Accelerator Cohort

The Biomimicry Institute has announced the 10 startups selected to participate in the transformational Ray of Hope Accelerator. The six-month accelerator is designed to propel nature-inspired startups towards commercialization through robust training, networking, $15,000 in non-dilutive funding and over $50,000 of in-kind services. The Foundation is proud to be the keystone partner for this program. Read the full story.

Ray of Hope Alumni are Scaling their Companies

By investing in the Biomimicry Institute’s Accelerator Program, the Foundation is enabling them to vet high potential startups and enable them with the tools they need to scale post program. 

Over the past three months, five of the portfolio companies have secured funding, totaling over $27M being invested into impact oriented, nature-inspired startups!

Sudoc – $10M 
Anodyne Chemistries – $6M 
Cellugy – $4.9M 
Mycocycle – $3.6M 
Sparxell – $3.2M

Get to Know the 2023 Ray of Hope Finalists

The Biomimicry Institute is proud to highlight the 2023 Ray of Hope finalists, as they tell their stories via video. Be sure to follow the Institute’s YouTube page for new videos. Watch the latest example from Coral Vita here.

Originally published on DICK’S Sporting Goods Sideline Report

TOGETHER, WE CHANGE LIVES

Today we’re bringing you the latest quarterly giving series from The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation to highlight the great work being done in support of our mission to help inspire and enable youth sports participation.

In our second quarter of 2024, we:

Committed more than $1 million in Sports Matter Grants to support teammate-nominated youth sports organizations.Renewed meaningful partnerships to keep giving all kids the same access to play.Welcomed Special Olympics Pennsylvania athletes to House of Sport for a Field Day and a surprise Sports Matter Grant.

Read on to learn more.

Where Are They Now: Harlem Lacrosse

The DICK’S Foundation first visited Harlem Lacrosse in 2014. Dyjae Pearson and Jordany Baltazar were just teenagers looking for guidance. They found that structure in Harlem Lacrosse with Coach Joel Censer.

A decade later, Pearson and Baltazar returned to Harlem Lacrosse to present Coach Censer and the program with a $100,000 Sports Matter Grant in honor of The DICK’S Foundation’s 10th Anniversary. Watch the surprise here.

Giving Back with a Little Help from Our Teammates

In April, The DICK’S Foundation announced a $2 Million grant initiative to celebrate 10 years of Sports Matter. With that announcement, DICK’S Sporting Goods teammates (employees) had the opportunity to nominate a school sports team or youth sports organization that is making an impact in their community to receive a grant.

We approved 75 teammate submissions with at least one submission from each store region, the Customer Support Center and our community marketing managers. In total, The Foundation will commit $1,030,500 in Sports Matter Grants to these organizations!

Partnerships We Love

The DICK’S Foundation is proud to continue partnerships with Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and Project Play.

Through our partnership with LISC, we’re supporting a second year of the Game On-Community Places to Play Initiative! The initiative provides funding and technical assistance to community-rooted organizations creating and renovating multi-use youth sport spaces in under-resourced communities nationwide. Grant awards will range from $50,000 – $100,000 and will require 1:1 match funding. Interested and eligible organizations can apply through Sept. 5.

In working with Project Play, The DICK’S Foundation is now a 63×30 Partner Organization. The 63×30 initiative was brought to life after the federal government announced the national target for youth sports participation: 63% by 2030.

Having a Field Day

DICK’S Sporting Goods and On worked together to host a field day at the Ross Park House of Sport for Special Olympics Pennsylvania (SOPA). The athletes participated in Olympic-type activities and received head-to-toe gear from On.

SOPA was then surprised with a combined $60,000 Sports Matter Grant ($30,000 from The DICK’S Foundation and $30,000 from On) to expand their unified sports programming.

Adventures in Learning

That’s a wrap on the 2024 Summer Camp at McKeesport Area School District (MASD) near Pittsburgh. More than 480 K-8 students registered for this year’s camp. They spent four weeks participating in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) activities, crafts, field trips and more!

The school also partnered with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank to host several farmer’s markets over the summer for MASD students, families and community members to pick up fresh, local produce.

Read about The DICK’S Foundation’s partnership with MASD here.

THESE MOMENTS ARE MADE POSSIBLE BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SPORTS MATTER FUND. IF YOU’D LIKE TO DONATE, VISIT WWW.SPORTSMATTER.ORG.

Our working forests are carefully managed to ensure a reliable and renewable supply of wood for various purposes, including lumber, energy, paper, and countless everyday products. We are proud to provide the products our society needs, while also supporting wildlife habitat, clean air, clean water, and jobs.

The U.S. is a global leader in modern forestry, practicing some of the highest standards for sustainable forest management in the world. Through implementation of our high standards, today the U.S. enjoys some of the most abundant and productive forest resources in the world.

In part two of this special 100th episode series of ESG Talk, we continue our conversation with Amalgamated Bank’s CEO, Priscilla Sims Brown, and CFO, Jason Darby, to discuss how they use technology to drive the company’s mission-driven business model and share actionable insights for other organizations.

Listen Now

Looking for more? Subscribe to the ESG Talk podcast on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube. 

ESG Talk is brought to you by Workiva, the world’s only unified platform for financial reporting, ESG, audit, and risk. Learn more at workiva.com.

Entergy New Orleans partnered with the New Orleans Women’s and Children’s Shelter for a back-to-school supply give away. The event brought families together for a fun-filled day of activities, learning and community connection. Students received backpacks filled with essential school supplies, including lunchboxes, notebooks, binders and more.

“It’s always a pleasure to see the smiles on the children’s faces during these events,” said Nyka Scott, Entergy New Orleans’ vice president of customer service. “We believe in giving back to the communities we serve, and events like this allow us to make a meaningful impact by ensuring our children have the tools and support they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond.”

The event helped the residents of the Women’s and Children’s Shelter prepare for the upcoming school year. The New Orleans Public Library was on-site signing up parents and children for library cards so they can access the wealth of resources available at local branches. Adding to the day’s excitement, Entergy New Orleans brought along a bucket truck and provided participants with a hands-on opportunity to explore the world of electrical engineering.

“This event means so much to our families,” said Dawn Bradley-Fletcher, CEO of the New Orleans Women & Children’s Shelter. “The support from the community and partners like Entergy New Orleans makes a huge difference in the lives of the women and children we serve. It’s not just about the school supplies; it’s about showing them that the community cares and that they are not alone.”

As we head into the new school year, we are reminded of the importance of community connection and the power of coming together. Entergy New Orleans looks forward to continuing our partnership with the New Orleans Women’s and Children’s Shelter and to giving back to the community we serve.

Covia is diligent in protecting the health of its employees through robust Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene programs, many of which rely on established external frameworks. For example, Covia rigorously follows the Hierarchy of Controls developed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to safeguard occupational health at all of its locations. Using the Hierarchy of Controls, Covia successfully lowered its all-incidence rate compared to the baseline established in 2021.

The Hierarchy of Controls provides a five-step process to help reduce the risk of harm to employees by:

Eliminating hazards when feasible;Substituting the material to reduce hazards when possible;Using engineering controls when hazards cannot be eliminated;Implementing administrative or work practice controls in addition to or in lieu of engineering control; andRelying on personal protective equipment (PPE) as a last line of defense.

Covia also uses the U.S. Department of Labor’s MSHA SLAM (Stop, Look, Analyze, and Manage) risk management process, and continues to require plant and operations managers to perform regular quality control assessments of completed SLAM risk checklists. In 2023, Covia achieved its goal of having plant and operations managers conduct five in-field SLAM evaluations per month.

To learn more about how Covia’s commitment to safety, health, and security extends beyond our own organization by visiting page 36 of Covia’s 2023 ESG report.

Acquisition increases LYB Circular and Low Carbon Solutions Business and diversification of innovative recycling technologiesTransaction encompasses existing assets and planned growth projects

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, August 22, 2024 /3BL/ – LyondellBasell (LYB) today announced it entered into an agreement to acquire full ownership of APK AG in Merseburg, Germany. Enabled by its technology, the acquisition positions LYB to grow and upgrade its Circular and Low Carbon Solutions business.

Closing of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions. LYB believes APK’s solvent-based recycling technology is a perfect fit with its already existing mechanical and advanced recycling technologies. Therefore, it already invested in the company in the past and made collaborative efforts on bringing the technology to scale. By acquiring APK, LYB secures the future of the company after it entered into insolvency at the end of May 2024.

“We see APK’s solvent based recycling technology as a vital addition and complementary to our existing and future mechanical and advanced recycling operations. This is an important further step toward reaching our goal to produce and market at least 2 million metric tons of recycled and renewable based polymers annually by 2030,” says Yvonne van der Laan, LyondellBasell Executive Vice President, Circular and Low Carbon Solutions. “The highly motivated culture of APK will be an excellent fit for LYB. We want to build on the excellent progress of APK and fully leverage its expertise of R&D, project engineering and operations teams, solidifying our position as an industry leader in sustainability.”

“We are very pleased that we entered into an agreement with LYB, securing the future of the company,” says Steve Döring, CEO of APK AG. “With its ambition to be a global leader in circular solutions and technologies, LYB is a perfect strategic fit that allows investments into growth opportunities ensuring that our unique solvent recycling technology can realize its full potential.”

The recycling technology is a unique solvent-based kind for low density polyethylene (LDPE). LYB aims to increase the recycling of hard-to-recycle flexible plastic waste materials – which today make up the majority of mixed plastic waste from the consumer sector. The technology separates the different polymers of hard to recycle, flexible plastic waste materials and produces recycled materials with a high degree of purity suitable for new flexible packaging of, for example, personal care products. The materials produced will be sold under the LYB Circulen portfolio.

In March 2023 LYB revealed its pivotal, new company strategy aiming at establishing LYB as an industry leader in sustainability. LYB has formulated ambitious plans to create access to best-in-class innovative and differentiated technologies, and as a key element of its new strategy formed a dedicated Circular & Low Carbon Solutions (CLCS) business. CLCS has started to make substantial investments upstream in plastic-waste sorting and recycling operations in Europe, the United States and Asia.

About LyondellBasell

We are LyondellBasell (NYSE: LYB) ― a leader in the global chemical industry creating solutions for everyday sustainable living. Through advanced technology and focused investments, we are enabling a circular and low carbon economy. Across all we do, we aim to unlock value for our customers, investors and society. As one of the world’s largest producers of polymers and a leader in polyolefin technologies, we develop, manufacture and market high-quality and innovative products for applications ranging from sustainable transportation and food safety to clean water and quality healthcare. For more information, please visit www.lyondellbasell.com or follow @LyondellBasell on LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

The statements in this release relating to matters that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially based on factors including, but not limited to, our ability to meet our sustainability goals, including the ability to increase production of recycled and renewable-based polymers to meet our targets and forecasts and our ability to procure feedstock to meet these goals. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the “Risk Factors” section of our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, which can be found at www.LyondellBasell.com on the Investor Relations page and on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at www.sec.gov. There is no assurance that any of the actions, events or results of the forward-looking statements will occur, or if any of them do, what impact they will have on our results of operations or financial condition. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they were made and are based on the estimates and opinions of management of LyondellBasell at the time the statements are made. LyondellBasell does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management’s estimates or opinions change, except as required by law.

SOURCE LyondellBasell

For further information: Media inquiries: LYB media relations, Phone: +1-713-309-4791, Email: nick.facchin@lyondellbasell.com Or: Robert Kleissen, external affairs Europe, Phone: +31-6-273-573-98, Email: robert.kleissen@lyondellbasell.com

CNH and its brand, CASE IH, have joined forces with the National University of Córdoba (UNC) to promote the training of new professionals.

With the aim of linking the local machinery and agricultural technology industry with students and professionals of agricultural sciences and related careers, CNH and its Case IH brand announced together with the National University of Córdoba (UNC) the formalization of an academic collaboration agreement.

One of the project’s proposals is to promote education, by implementing open innovation and leveraging the technologies and tools necessary for effective training.

A total of 400 students had the opportunity to visit and tour the CNH plant in Cordoba. Together with specialists in the area, they were able to learn about the Training Center, the manufacturing lines of national products, the Ecological Island and the Control Room.

On the campus of the University the “Week of the Harvester” was held – the first meeting organized by Máquinas del Centro, official Case IH dealer.

Read the full article here. 

Taking action on climate isn’t just about solar panels and EVs – some of the most impactful ways to reduce your carbon footprint include less visible actions, like improving the energy efficiency of your home. If you’re looking to get inspired to make efficient upgrades to your home, Mike Barcik of Southface Institute is here to help. 

In this interview in the Georgia Climate Digest video series, Eriqah Vincent of Drawdown Georgia speaks with Mike about his thoughts on climate and environmentalism, and what inspired his nearly 30-year career in HVAC, energy efficiency, and construction. Mike also shares helpful perspectives for Georgia families interested in improving the energy efficiency of their homes.

Watch the video here,  and be sure to follow Drawdown Georgia on YouTube for future episodes.

Taking action on climate isn’t just about solar panels and EVs – some of the most impactful ways to reduce your carbon footprint include less visible actions, like improving the energy efficiency of your home. If you’re looking to get inspired to make efficient upgrades to your home, Mike Barcik of Southface Institute is here to help. 

In this interview in the Georgia Climate Digest video series, Eriqah Vincent of Drawdown Georgia speaks with Mike about his thoughts on climate and environmentalism, and what inspired his nearly 30-year career in HVAC, energy efficiency, and construction. Mike also shares helpful perspectives for Georgia families interested in improving the energy efficiency of their homes.

Watch the video here,  and be sure to follow Drawdown Georgia on YouTube for future episodes.