Why You Should Check Out EDF’s Innovation Exchange

EDF.jpgThe goal of the Environmental Defense Fund (a Triple Pundit advertiser)’s Innovation Exchange is to “help companies of all shapes and sizes make green business the new business as usual.” Innovation Exchange accomplishes that goal by providing access to “valuable content, a suite of practical yet impactful tools and a dynamic online community of peers” which help companies improve their triple bottom line.
IE is a wealth of information about making a company more environmentally-friendly. Are you interested in reducing your company’s greenhouse gas emissions? IE suggests two ways to create a plan to reduce emissions: create an emissions inventory and set a reduction target. If you are interested in conserving energy, IE believes that “simple operational changes” will help, which include lighting, office equipment, and corporate fleets.

Whatever the industry, IE believes water should be used efficiently, and “must be significantly improved across the board.” What can a company to be more efficient with its water use? IE lists four tips:
1. Measure your water footprint.
2. Decrease water use in products and manufacturing.
3. Invest in water-related environmental services in order to improve the quality of available water
4. Work with regional governments to improve water management systems.
Are you concerned about your company’s paper usage? One way to use less paper is to avoid “all the impacts of paper throughout the lifecycle,” which has the added advantage of “saving money.” IE has a paper calculator in order to help you find ways to reduce your paper usage.
In addition to reducing paper usage, IE suggest using more recycled content. Recycled paper “extends the overall fiber supply” which reduces the demand for wood and is better for forests. Make sure that your supplier uses the “best forest management practices.”
Tips for every sector
IE suggests ways for business sectors to make their operations more environmentally-friendly. Whatever sector your company is in, there is a tip or two for you.
Financial companies:
Reduce the use of energy in the building and office
Reduce employee travel
Reduce paper use in the office and in customer communications
Invest in “promising” new clean and energy efficient technologies
Food and agriculture:
Eliminate or reduce antibiotics
Improve water quality
Protect habitats and species
Use energy efficiently and build green
Manage your sales fleet wisely
Manage risks of nanotechnology
Reduce packaging waste
Design for the environment
Mitigate toxics & nanotechnology risks
Reduce waste
Improve energy efficiency
Increase water efficiency
Retail and consumer goods:
Improve energy efficiency
Reduce waste
Improve products
Save fuel and reduce emissions
Educate your customers about sustainability activities
Telecom and information technology:
Improve product design
Energy efficiency
Develop e-waste programs
Transportation (measuring emissions and setting goals):
Understand your fleet’s current greenhouse gas emissions
Create a baseline
Develop a goal
Reduce emissions and increase fuel efficiency
Improve vehicle selection
Improve vehicle use
Incorporate new technology

Gina-Marie Cheeseman
