Sustainability and Success is the Focus at Clean and Green Power Meal
As pollen counts were at an all-time high, a small group of professionals gathered over complimentary lunch at The Clubhouse to discuss how to keep carbon emissions low.
Our Power Meal: Clean and Green Sustainability Social invited attendees with a wide array of sustainability knowledge to discuss the state of their specific industry to date:
Participants arrived at noon and immediately dove into breakoff discussions about current projects and opinions on new sustainability efforts while grabbing complimentary lunch. Soon after, host Alex Rhodeen, Supply Chain Catalyst at the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC), instructed everyone to take their seats so the conversation at hand could commence.
At the table were notepads for each member and guest, with the question “What do you predict will be the largest sustainability project or initiative in 2023, and why do you think it will have a significant impact on the environment and society?” written on it.
Alex leveraged this notion to start the dialogue, but put emphasis on exploring not only what we will see this year, but what we wish we would see. This led to a myriad of topics, each with profound insights and key takeaways:
ETHICAL SHOPPING
When discussing everyday actions that can be taken, many spoke about reusable shopping bags. Charging for single-use bags was another idea mentioned, though everyone agreed that if we want sustainable choices to be utilized, they need to be affordable and convenient for all.
Additionally, attendees discussed how significant of a change it is to shop locally, support farmers’ markets and local farmers, and to cook with the seasons. Foods being shipped across the country – or even from other countries – creates a massive (negative) impact on the environment that most people don't consider.
Individuals then weighed in on how they’re each doing their part to help. For instance, Ramtin’s wife is a private chef and she exclusively shops at the Freedom Farmers Market at the Carter Center.
Additionally, Frank is developing an app/web platform, eNZy, that gamifies sustainable shopping and rewards users for shopping at companies dedicated to making the marketplace greener. In fact, people can join the waitlist today in advance of the official launch!
Meanwhile, Caroline mentioned she often uses meal kit services, which ship pre-portioned or pre-cooked meals to your door, to help eliminate extra waste. Interestingly enough, this sparked a discovery that there are even more sustainable options for this as well, including meal kits that only distribute local produce or cosmetically unappealing produce that is perfectly fine to eat, but would typically be overlooked at the grocery store.
TAKEAWAY: There is no right answer, and shaming people for how they shop isn't the solution. Making it affordable, convenient, and accessible to shop sustainably and ethically is the most important step.
CITY SCAPING
In discussions around how green roofs have the potential to lower the carbon in our atmosphere, Joe mentioned the increase of white roofs in urban areas. It is well known that white roofs can lower building temperatures – but what does that do to the surrounding environment? According to this article, new research indicates that making surfaces more light-reflecting can have a significant impact on lowering extreme temperatures – not just in cities, but in rural areas as well.
Ramtin, Matt, and Jonathan also discussed how solar roofs are being used to produce electricity. For instance, solar roofs can sometimes produce more than a building needs and power companies will buy back the power. This initiative, as outlined in this article, is a great way to save money, help the environment, and directly support communities.
TAKEAWAY: Some sustainability projects take a bit of foresight, like how a building can benefit the community. There are many ways to do this, and some can be added after initial construction. Do research and find ways to help the planet, your budget, and your community directly!
CARBON NEUTRAL VS. NET ZERO
Being carbon neutral and net zero is not the same thing. Carbon neutral means that any CO2 released into the atmosphere from a company's activities is balanced by an equivalent amount being removed. Meanwhile, net zero means that an activity releases net-zero carbon emissions into the atmosphere. To help with these initiatives, companies can choose to put money into carbon sinks (forests, ocean restoration, etc.) to remove as much carbon as their supply chains produce, which would lead to carbon neutrality. The same process is true for companies attempting to reach net zero emissions, but they also focus on other greenhouse gasses, such as methane, nitrous oxide, and more. On top of that, other companies go above and beyond by removing more than they produce, which is known as being climate positive.
TAKEAWAY: You can strive for different levels of environmental impact, but ultimately making decisions that positively affect the world around you is what truly matters. You can start with a goal to be carbon neutral, and eventually push to be climate positive down the road!
SUPPLY CHAIN
We’ve all heard of supply chain issues as of late, but what about its sustainability efforts? Caroline shared how Wahsega’s factory is in Alpharetta and all supplies for their hardware is sourced in Georgia and the United States. Essentially, there is no outsourcing, which avoids large carbon emissions for transporting goods entirely. Not to mention, all of their visual communications boards are energy efficient, which saves even more energy – and money.
TAKEAWAY: Small choices in supply chain and business operations can make a huge impact on sustainability efforts.
MEASURING SUCCESS
In terms of metrics to track success, the consensus was everyone wants them, but there’s often a struggle when it comes to an easy-to-understand, measurable way to truly showcase the impact of a product, service, or effort – for both investors and consumers alike. Some, however, are more obvious and available than others. Take property management and construction, for instance. Gallons of water and wattage used can be easily monitored. For Joulea, it's measuring the amount of energy leaking from a building envelope. For TCpoly, it’s seeing a reduced energy bill. Similar topics with these same companies were addressed in our building efficiencies brunch we hosted back in June 2022.
TAKEAWAY: The success metrics solution isn't always so cut-and-dry, and it can take a long period of time to truly see the benefit from some of the concepts implemented.
Concluding the Power Meal, participants then answered a couple of questions, keeping in mind what they just learned or discussed:
What do you predict will be the largest sustainability project in 2023?
Building engineering sustainability and using electric vehicles to power buildings
Empty building space could be utilized more efficiently for things like verticle farming
Renewed interest in nuclear power, particularly battery technology
Energy storage/grid updates
Fixing EV charging stations
Attention! Everyone is in a battle for people's attention. It is a new currency. The climate crisis will in large part be solved by directing people's attention toward the importance and benefit of sustainability.
How does a growing population affect current sustainability challenges in Atlanta?
A push for net zero buildings with green roofs and siding
Food waste and shortages
Sustainability in apartment buildings
Energy deficiencies
Goods/materials will become difficult to source due to scarcity
We'll need to account for more cars on the road
An increase in gentrification and disparity
All in all, the conversations had were insightful, eye-opening, and inspiring. The topic of a clean and green environment brought many sustainability professionals, who otherwise would not have met, together for a chance to share their work, research, and thoughts with one another. It was truly a great way to connect and collaborate on important issues at hand.
What sustainability practices are you implementing? Let us know in the comments below.