Emily DeMasi in Inspiring People 1 day ago

Ever wonder what you should be doing with your old computers, cell phones and televisions?  Bruce W. Fraser reveals the answer in the September 2010 issue of FA Green.  Ask Electronic Recyclers International (ERI), he says, the largest electronics recycler in the United States. Fraser reports that John Shegerian founded ERI “to remedy the problem… Read More…

Heidi Tolliver-Nigro in Corporate Social Responsibility 1 day ago

Recently, I’ve been posting about lessons learned in sustainable forestry during my trip to Finch Paper in upstate New York. But sustainable forestry is about more than selecting which trees to cut and who makes those decisions. It’s also about water quality. Erosion and sediment are the primary potential non-point source pollution problems associated with… Read More…

Emily DeMasi in Investing 2 days ago

Urban Partnership Bank, the reincarnation of pioneer CDFI ShoreBank Corp, cut its workforce by 20% last week.  Is this a necessary evil to continue a good banking mission? ShoreBank, the Chicago-based community bank that since 1973 was a leader in the Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) industry, was seized by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) on… Read More…

Lane Jost in Corporate Social Responsibility 2 days ago

The New York Times is reporting that major multinational banks are growing weary of delivering debt to industrial extraction projects, such as mountaintop removal coal mining in West Virginia. The piece looks at a recent policy shift by Wells Fargo in providing financing for coal projects: “In the most recent example, the banking giant Wells… Read More…

Keenan Shaw in Energy 3 days ago

Two decades have past since a solar thermal power plant has been approved in California and on Wednesday, the California Energy Commission approved a 250 mega-watt solar thermal plant. The Beacon Solar Energy Project will be a step forward for California coming closer to the law that was set out for investor-owned utility companies to… Read More…

Cindy Tickle in Humor 4 days ago

As the saying goes, “Laughter is the best medicine.” So with this little nugget in mind, every Sunday at The Inspired Economist, we will post a satirical cartoon or an item that’s just plain silly. Here’s to starting off your week with a provocative thought and a smile… Created by David Horsey, political cartoonist Let’s… Read More…

Lane Jost in Corporate Social Responsibility 4 days ago

With corporate hiring returning to a deep freeze and the Dow hanging north of 10,000 by its fingertips, CSR programs focused on eco-efficiencies — LED lighting in…um…the freezer section — remain priorities for the retail market. This is particularly the case when companies open or renovate new facilities. A Sunday Chicago Tribune Business feature by… Read More…

Heidi Tolliver-Nigro in Corporate Social Responsibility 6 days ago

When you’ve finished with EcoCradle packaging, you don’t throw it out. You compost it. That’s because it  is made from filamentous fungi (mushroom roots), which can be bonded into any shape. According to Ecovative Design, which grows the packaging (yes, I meant to say “grows”), EcoCradle provides the same cushioning, strength and protection as petrochemical… Read More…

Emily DeMasi in Conservation 6 days ago

If you have never had the chance to visit Lake Tahoe, please add it to your top 10 of U.S. sites that are a must see.  Lucky to have had a reason to visit this summer, I was shocked by just how blue Lake Tahoe really is!  But as it turns out, it’s not as… Read More…