As the challenges and opportunities of the new year loom imminent and pessimism abounds, we think this is the perfect time for a year-end sustainability recap on a positive note. Here are the highlights of 2011 as seen through the Green Edge Sustainability Lens.

January  

Federal Tax Benefits for Renewable Energy...

In January, we were delighted to report on a two-year extension of federal tax benefits for renewable energy. Take advantage of them now, who knows what 2012 will bring.

... and Reducing Your Tech Related Emissions

Also in January, we noted that opportunities to recycle e-waste are growing and becoming less onerous as opportunities to buy energy efficient IT products multiply and get less costly.

February  

Reducing Transportation's Global Footprint

In February, we observed that ground, sea and air transportation were beneficiaries of green progress and highlighted IKEA's rigorous green requirements for transportation vendors, enforced through mandatory compliance with the IWAY Code of Conduct.

March

The United States Postal Service Goes Green

In March and July, public sector transportation efforts caught our eye. The United States Postal Service is the only shipper to have earned the rigorous Cradle to Cradle certification for its shipping products and has deployed over 30,000 flex fuel vehicles, the equivalent of removing 200,000 vehicles from the road.

May 

The Real Estate Industry & Sustainability

In May, we reported on the greening of the built environment, having attended, chaired and spoken at local and national real estate conferences all over the United States. We noticed a keen awareness of the need for resource efficiency, recycling and greening the landlord-tenant relationship.

June  

More about the Built Environment

In our June newsletter, we highlighted how a regional shopping center owner was able to persuade its tenants to voluntarily contribute to the cost of green improvements at an Atlanta center and how a NYC-based office building owner is systematically reducing the footprint of its Class A office portfolio.

August  

Greening the Supply Chain Saves Billions

In August, we reported on manufacturer "take-back" programs that are not only enabling companies to save some of the $100B that is spent annually on disposing of discarded products, but also result in diverting waste from landfill, reducing emissions and significantly lowering the cost of "raw" materials.

In October, we announced the publication of two original Green Edge Research Reports. Green Ranking Systems: How They Really Work provides an in-depth analysis of seven green company ranking systems that differ significantly in their approach and results. Measuring the Sustainability of Real Estate Funds: A New Tool with Teeth is a primer on a recently developed tool for ranking the environmental stewardship of public and private real estate funds.

Looking Ahead to 2012

Looking ahead to 2012, we anticipate increasing efforts on the part of the private sector to manage and reduce emissions, resource consumption and waste creation and look forward to participating in that effort. Please let us know how we can help you and your company take advantage of the greatest business opportunity of our time: sustainability.