November 16, 2007

Office Depot says that its bottom line is green. It aims to be an environmental steward among national retailers and does everything from recycle paper and ink cartridges to invest in renewable energy projects. Altogether, it has spent $20 million making its stores energy efficient while providing 4,000 in-store products that have recycled content.

Its latest forays, though, are less known. Office Depot is buying renewable energy credits to offset its energy use. Companies of all sizes have the ability to purchase blocks of green power -- energy that is then used to displace so-called brown or dirty fuels. While companies will never know what types of electrons are powering their facilities, they will know that they are guaranteeing the production of clean energy.

State and federal policymakers may be digging coal into a hole. In a first-ever, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment denied an air quality permit for two proposed coal generators based upon the expected level of carbon emissions. Meantime, a movement is afoot on Capitol Hill to limit heat-trapping emissions.

Together, the actions work to set a new tone - one that considers it vital to the nation's environmental and economic futures to regulate carbon dioxide (CO2). While not immediate, the United States is well on its way to enacting legislation that would control CO2 emissions, which most scientists say causes climate change.

November 05, 2007
Albuquerque Journal
By Jack King
Journal Staff Writer

New Mexico industries will be required to start reporting their greenhouse gas emissions, beginning in 2009, to the state Environment Department, under a rule recently ordered by the state Environment Improvement Board.

The rule, which includes oil and gas producers, mandates the most comprehensive reporting in the nation, said Jim Norton, director of the Environmental Protection Division of the Environment Department.

Wisconsin and New Jersey have greenhouse gas reporting rules, but they are narrower in scope. California has prepared a similar rule but has not yet adopted it, Norton said.

The rule requires industries that already report emissions of other air pollutants, such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, to include greenhouse gas emissions in their reports.

October 31, 2007

Despite the mortgage lending mess, many commercial and investment banks are exploring good clean, conservative investments in the renewable energy realm. By doing so, they are not just wrapping themselves in the green mantle but they are also serving shareholders and making profitable loans.

Overall, the national trend is one of supporting the policies necessary to clean the environment and to take steps to battle climate change. As a result, federal and state policies are integral to the effort with the former offering production tax credits and the latter - in the case of about 26 jurisdictions -- mandating renewable portfolio standards. The net effect of pro-environmental policies is that a properly structured deal can provide attractive long-term returns.