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Sustainability
Sustainability looks at the consequences of economics through a social and ecological lens. In general, sustainability integrates public policy, urban planning and transport, quality of life and ethics; for corporations, it involves improvements to work practices and analysis of economic, environmental and social impact (the "triple bottom line") to ensure process, and ultimately financial, efficiency.
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What sustainable design means to the bottom line
Autodesk tools aim to help designers conceptualize projects on a computer before starting the costly (and energy-intense) construction process. Correspondent Sumi Das talks to the company's...
1 | April 7, 2009 10:57am
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Sustainable sleeves made from cork
One last idea for the last-minute shoppers and those Vegas-bound for CES. SmartPlanet's Sumi Das shares electronic sleeves made out of cork, because every iPad & iPhone cover should be certified...
1 | December 21, 2011 8:50am
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NASA's Sustainability Base: Bringing space-age technologies to earth
Steve Zornetzer, associate director of NASA Ames Research Center, talks about the space agency's plan to design eco-friendly buildings on earth using technologies developed for space exploration....
August 29, 2011 3:32pm
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Golf course managers take a swing at sustainability
Crystal Springs Golf Course in Burlingame, California is trying to change how golf courses are maintained by focusing on eco-friendly practices. SmartPlanet visits the golf course to take a look...
September 26, 2011 9:28am
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Modern, net-zero energy homes made more affordable with modular design
Prefabricated homes conjure up images of uninspired architecture, but Simpatico Homes is constructing sustainable houses out of factory-built modules that are beautifully designed. SmartPlanet's...
3 | January 23, 2012 8:21am
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Paper and plastic are upcycled to create a designer chair
Modern design takes a sustainable turn with Artek's Shigeru Ban 10-unit System Chair. SmartPlanet's Sumi Das explores the possible configurations of this modular system.
5 | January 19, 2012 8:24am
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Samsung outlines sustainability efforts
Samsung's David Steel talks about the company's progress to date in the area of sustainability, at a press event in San Francisco. Steel discusses how the electronics maker is going green in...
1 | October 11, 2010 4:17pm
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Racetrack takes the lead in green performance
Infineon Raceway in Northern California wants to be at the nexus of sustainability and performance by becoming a pioneer in green performance racing. SmartPlanet correspondent Priya David Clemens...
2 | October 17, 2011 8:30am
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LEED pioneer shows off his sustainable home
Founder of the U.S. Green Building Council, David Gottfried helped dream up rating system that eventually became LEED-otherwise known as the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design...
8 | August 10, 2010 8:47am
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Outdoor furniture company targets 'sustainability'
Marin Outdoor Living had a difficult 2009, but the retailer changed strategies and is now focusing on a popular line of sustainable outdoor furniture, Mama Green, and "staycation shoppers". Going...
8 | June 24, 2010 7:36am
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Green leases allow tenants to be sustainable
At the Green Legal Strategy panel in San Francisco, Louise Adamson, a partner at K&L Gates, explains the commercial interiors certification within the LEED program--tenants are able to certify...
October 29, 2008 2:24pm
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Silver Lake VCs: Time to anoint cleantech winners
At the Green Net conference in San Francisco, Silver Lake venture capitalists Adam Grosser and Cathy Zoi talk about a new clean-tech fund they are starting backed by billionaire investor George...
1 | April 22, 2011 9:58am
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Chegg: A 'green' alternative to buying college textbooks
Silicon Valley start-up Chegg.com rents textbooks to students for only the time they need them. The books are then returned via UPS free of charge. SmartPlanet correspondent Sumi Das talks to...
3 | April 11, 2011 1:09pm
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Passive House: A new metric for 'green' homes
Sonoma, Calif., homeowner Catherine O'Neill decided last year to "green" her home, so she called on Rick Milburn, owner of Solar Knights Construction, to look at Passive House--a sustainable...
7 | March 28, 2011 3:58pm
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Wine caves: Going green, by going underground
William Jarvis built his winery underground so he wouldn't pollute the natural environment with large winery tanks and buildings. Among the sustainable technologies his business relies on are...
2 | January 18, 2011 9:28am
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Smart coffee roaster burns 80% less carbon
Equator Coffees, a specialty coffee wholesaler, is going green throughout its business operations. The co-founders, Helen Russell and Brooke McDonnell are using sustainable farming practices to...
2 | January 27, 2010 8:34am
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Bon Appétit nourishes Silicon Valley cafeterias with locally-farmed food
SmartPlanet takes a tour of Yahoo's kitchen to see the sustainable options, food management company Bon Appétit has implemented. Innovations include locally farmed food options, a low...
January 15, 2010 1:40pm
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Soil science produces better tasting wine
What could make a more flavorful wine? The answer might be in composting food waste. Bob Shaffer is an agronomist who consults for Napa and Sonoma county vineyards. Through scientific soil...
6 | November 4, 2009 8:42am
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New ideas for making cities smarter
At the AlwaysOn GoingGreen Conference in Sausalito, Calif., executives talk about how to make cities more sustainable, focusing on innovative urban-planning and design projects such as ones being...
September 18, 2009 9:00am
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Is it enough to be 'green,' or does auto design matter?
At the AlwaysOn GoingGreen Conference in Sausalito, Calif., automakers and venture capitalists talk about whether sustainable design is enough to attract customers to their cars. The executives...
1 | September 16, 2009 3:55pm
