We are happy to inform you that our blog has been moved to our new and improved website.

You can visit the new site today and renew your subscription so that you won’t miss a post.

Visit us at www.eco-stream.com

The Nordson sister companies of Asymtek, March, and YESTech are committed to minimizing their impact on the environment.

Nordson ASYMTEK is a world leader in automated fluid dispensing, jetting and conformal coating. They design and manufacture a full line of equipment for semiconductor package assembly, printed circuit board assembly, LED assembly, FPD assembly, life science product assembly and other precision manufacturing.

Nordson MARCH is the global leader in plasma cleaning and treatment equipment, and plasma applications technology. The company has been engaged in the plasma equipment business for more than 25 years and has broad experience in the areas of advanced semiconductor packaging and assembly, wafer level packaging (WLP), printed circuit board manufacturing, life science & medical device assembly, and various large-scale industrial applications.

Nordson YESTech is a worldwide leader in the design, development and manufacture of advanced automated optical (AOI) and x-ray inspection (AXI) solutions for the PCBA and advanced semiconductor packaging industries.

Eco-Stream began working with the Nordson companies’ Green Team. They had already established a green team, a green policy, and targeted initiatives. It was time to have a review and develop next steps. Their green policy showed a commitment to:

• Designing for the Environment
• Eco-friendly Operations
• Conserving Natural Resources
• Waste Reduction and Recycling
• Employee Engagement
• Community Involvement
• Exceeding Environmental Regulation

Nordson already has a list of sustainability related accomplishments that include: starting a green team; a recycling program, re-lamping and installing motion sensor lighting to reduce energy demand; product enhancements to reduce waste; more sustainable packaging on shipments of equipment; and community & employee engagement.

They get a very high score for a great start, follow-through, and even reporting. It is so very important to track and measure the success and value of all these accomplishments. The Nordson companies here are tracking performance indicators in Energy, Water, and Waste & Recycling. There is enough historical data now to see trends and savings. With the energy efficiency lighting upgrades alone at the two Nordson buildings on Loker Ave West in Carlsbad, they have reduced their 2008 vs. 2009 Kilowatt hour per day usage by over 10 percent!

The structure of the green team is very organized. It is coordinated by the Director of Human Resources, and there is a good array of green team participants from various levels and departments. With about 15 active members they have focused so far on Energy, Water, Waste & Recycling.

There are some staff champions that have stepped up to the task of educating others about the recycling program and how it works. But with lower than desired participation levels, there is room for improvement. Key strategies are being developed in order to enhance participation in the recycling program and build awareness.

Engagement is a very important factor in the success of sustainability programs. And sometimes it is elusive. In order to improve participation in the recycling program there are plans developing for contests, better visual cues, champions, and custodial support. On Earth Day all employees received a branded reusable company cup as an engaging reminder to reduce waste. A well-structured Green Committee Newsletter to all staff offers regular updates on the companies’ initiatives, as well as employee suggestions and feedback.

Eco-Stream is working with these Nordson companies on recognition with applications for the Energy Star Challenge and the WRAP (Waste Reduction Awards Program). Besides fine-tuning a paper use reduction strategy, an energy management system for PCs, and an office supply reuse cart, next steps for the companys are to begin  to look up-stream, to their suppliers, for more sustainable products and services. It all starts with a simple conversation about sustainability.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Nordson ASYMTEK Features Easy Coat for Windows XP Software for Conformal Coating Applications at APEX Expo (eon.businesswire.com)
• Nordson Fulfill™ Retrofit System, Delivers Automatic Adhesive Filling Benefits to Existing ProBlue Melter Users (eon.businesswire.com)
• Nordson EFD Introduces New AFTM Piston System (eon.businesswire.com)
• Nordson EFD’s New BackPackTM Valve Actuator Improves Dispense Valve Speed and Accuracy (eon.businesswire.com)

The performance began with Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104, by Anton Dvorak, a 19th Century Bohemian composer. This cello concerto was composed toward the end of a 2 1/2 year period while Dvorak was teaching and performing in New York City. He added unconventional instrumentation to the composition by including more brass, woodwind, and percussion than was custom at the time.  It was amazing to hear the LA Philharmonic in this performance with 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 3 french horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, a tuba, timpani, triangle, strings, and solo cello.  Alisa Weilerstein, as one with her cello and with her renowned passion, added a complete additional layer of haunting and exhilarating musical sound and emotion to the piece.

After intermission we were delighted to a four movement piece by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky entitled Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74, “Pathetique”.  Again – amazing.  More brass and percussion were included in the instrumentation of this piece.  According to Tchaikovsky, “Music is not illusion, but revelation rather. Its triumphant power resides in the fact that it reveals to us beauties we find nowhere else.”

In his compositions, Tchaikovsky uses music to tell a story, to take us on a journey. There is much debate as to the journey this final masterpiece in his repertoire lays bare. “Pathetique”, or impassioned suffering, is something that is a part of the human journey for whatever reason brings it into each of our lives. Dudamel, conducting the talented musicians of the LA Philharmonic, demonstrated with orchestral intensity the power of these emotions.  He brought us to the depths of our despair and filled us with joy; but in the end, he left us in our own reality to bear in silence.

Bravo, Gustavo! Bravo!

According to one of the documents they gave to me at a community workshop on April 28^th in Carlsbad, “Smart Growth” for our region means this:

Smart growth is a compact, efficient, and environmentally-sensitive urban development pattern.  It focuses future growth and infill development close to jobs, services, and public facilities to maximize the use of existing infrastructure, preserve open space, and natural resources.

Smart growth is characterized by more compact, higher density development in key areas throughout the region that is walkable, near public transit, and promotes good community design.  Smart growth results in more housing and transportation choices for those who live and work in smart growth areas.

I really already believe in “smart growth”.  I have been anxiously awaiting the release of the US Green Building Council’s LEED ND (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development) certification and accreditation which was released this week.  In my work I have shared with many the concept of New Urbanism.  I myself wish I lived in a smaller, more compact home.  And although we are able to bike and walk from our neighborhood, I wish there were more transportation options for our daily activities and centers. I see the relevance and long-term value of lifestyle choices like these.  And herein lies my concern with the RTP for North County…

SANDAG is offering three options:

1. Transit Propensity
   1. Expanding Transit in the Most Urbanized Area
2. Commuter Point-to-Point
   1. Emphasizing Quick Access to Work
3. Many Centers
   1. Connects Smart Growth Areas and Activity Centers

Many Centers is the epitome of Smart Growth; that is what we all want.  We want to be able to have connections to where we work, do business, and play.  We all want this.  We don’t just want a quick way to get to work.  But it all has to be safe, well-placed, timely, and cost-effective.

Unfortunately, the way that our suburban communities have been designed in the past, we oftentimes have neither quick ways to work nor connections to any centers where we do business or play.  This is a very complicated issue.  And unfortunately, no matter how many maps or options SANDAG draws up, if the cities, who have control over land use, do not make strategic smart growth changes in zoning and planning, we will not be able to accomplish any comprehensive smart growth regional transportation plan except in small disparate pockets that are classified as our “smart growth” areas.

I look at the three maps presented at the workshop and I see nothing that will affect my north county transportation options.  I and my family will still spend hours in personal vehicles every day; I see no plan to make communities in North San Diego County have more access to daily activities.  And that is what a sustainable community, a smart growth area, is all about. Having access to  jobs 30 – 50 miles away does not really address the issue of successful sustainable communities, but rather gives us a continued ability to live and work and play at long distances, and in a way that is very disconnected from our individual communities.

Access to Many Centers is what we want for the region, for the entire region. We want a variety of options for housing, we want to protect open space and sensitive resource areas, and we want to feel connected to and a part of a community, and a region at large.

See also: SANDAG’s Smart Growth Concept Map

The average office worker discards more than 175 lbs. of high-grade paper per year.

I gave a presentation this week for the Technology Committee at the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce. The Technology Committee goes beyond discussions about emerging and particular technologies, and also explores how businesses actually use these technologies. It was a great group with much to offer.

My presentation was on Paper Use Reduction. We covered the basics, and that does not start with the high-tech technology bits.  It starts with evaluating your paper waste. You first need to know what you are wasting before you can find ways to reduce that waste.

The steps we discussed were these:  evaluating your paper waste; finding ways to reduce paper use; calculating the savings in dollars, time, and labor; purchasing responsibly; stopping  junk mail; using technology; engaging staff; and tracking success.

All this was good, but as one astute small business owner pointed out, it can be overwhelming. In a larger office with a number of departments it is completely different than for the smaller office with 1 -3 employees. What can the smaller office do to make an impact?

So let’s take a step back. In a smaller office or in a home office, it is still possible to make some changes that will influence your paper usage. Also keep in mind that by reducing paper use you can save money and time.  And, you can create a reduction in the trees, water, electricity, and oil used to manufacture and transport that paper.

Here are some simple Best Practices for the Smaller Business:

• Purchasing
  • Understand how much paper you actually purchase
  • Purchase at least 30% post-consumer recycled content paper
  • Purchase Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper
  • Purchase Processed Chlorine-Free (PCF) certified paper
• Reducing/Reusing/Recycling
  • When producing documents
    • Choose smaller margins
    • Choose smaller fonts
    • Use Track Changes and Print Preview for editing
    • Create documents as electronic forms when possible
  • When receiving/sharing documents
    • Only print when you really need a hard copy
    • Share electronically
    • Adjust View Options to enhance on-screen reading
    • Print on both sides of the page or use second side for drafts or notes
• Tracking & Reporting
  • Especially as a smaller business it makes good sense to track progress
    • Keep track of paper purchases
    • Create a policy (even if it is just for you) that encourages conservation
    • Quantify your efforts and celebrate success

There are some great programs out there that you can align yourself with; or you can create your own goals and metrics. Seek professional help when you need it. And remember to smile and have fun along the way. Life is a journey.

Do we start it slow and steady, creating a culture as we progress? Or do we target strategic high-level initiatives with demonstrated cost savings? This is a close race; and we are all just mapping the route, but from my perspective I believe that either way is fine. Better yet, do both. Develop strategic initiatives and integrate the reasoning behind them into training, education, and outreach.

A view of Pearl's Garden

Pearls have been prized for their beauty and rarity for more than four thousand years. Pearls are formed within oysters or mollusks when a foreign substance (like a grain of sand) invades the shell of the mollusk and enters the soft mantle tissue. In response to the irritation, the mantle’s epithelial cells form a sac which secretes a crystalline substance which builds up in layers around the irritant, forming a beautiful pearl.

A man named Pearl, Pearl Fryar, the son of a southern sharecropper, was a factory worker making aluminum cans in Bishopville, South Carolina when he set out to buy his first home. He bought a home for his family on the outskirts of Bishopville in a “Black” area. And soon thereafter Pearl set his sights on winning the local Garden Club’s prestigious Yard of the Month award; even though he was faced with those who had judged him by the color of his skin and had assumed he “wouldn’t keep up his yard.” According to Pearl, “for one time in my life, ignorance paid off.”

Pearl worked all day in the factory and when he returned home in the evenings he worked in his yard. According to those who know him, he has an uncanny energy, a respect for others, and an incredible faith in God. He has inspired and enhanced his entire community – and today thousands of people from all around the world visit his garden every year. I would like to visit his garden.

I saw an incredible film about this man and his garden this weekend: A Man Named Pearl.  It is a story about a gardener; but living up to his name, this is not the story of an ordinary gardener. This is the story of a genuine pearl. This is the story of a man who was not held back by other’s low expectations. This is the story of a man with a passion, an energy, and an open heart that allows him to create something about which others can only marvel. This film is an unexpected delight, and an inspiration to watch.

The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner rang true for me over this past week.  It was all about the water.  I attended the Zero Waste Business Conference in San Diego and once again heard the famous Captain Charles Moore speak about the “Great Pacific Garbage patch“, or what he now calls a “Sea of Simmering Synthetic Soup”.

I also viewed a screening of the movie Tapped at the La Paloma in Encinitas.  The theater was packed and filled with interest.  It was a bit of preaching to the choir, but even this choir had much to learn from the film.  I myself had considered many of the problem issues with bottled water: the extraction of oil and the water waste just to produce the bottles; the plastic waste after one-time use; the unregulated contamination of the water; and the high cost of purchasing the bottled water.  But one element I had not considered was the health and environmental costs that are paid by the people who live near the oil refineries that produce the plastic water bottles.  I had also not completely understood that there are three main companies that are extracting the water from our communities, water that should belong to all. And they are selling it back to us at an exponential cost to us, and at a great profit to themselves.

Have you seen those labels with mountain streams and proclamations of purity? Most of the bottled water sold in the US does not come from mountain streams, and it is largely unregulated by the FDA. The tap water from your home or office has more quality assurance and testing than bottled water.

We have been sold on the convenience and purity of bottled water over tap water, and in the process we have created a dangerous situation.  One which is run by three large companies: Pepsi, Coke, and Nestle. They are extracting and selling us back our water, our own water. Then, since in the U.S. we are only recycling 20% of all those disposable bottles, we are polluting our lands and waterways. According to Charles Moore, there are more bits of plastic in the ocean now than plankton.

About 70% of the earth’s surface is covered with water. Ninety-seven percent of the water on the earth is salt water. Salt water is filled with salt and other minerals, and humans cannot drink this water. Although the salt can be removed, it is a difficult and expensive process.

Less than 1% of all the water on earth is fresh water that we can actually use. We use this small amount of water for drinking, transportation, heating and cooling, industry, and many other purposes.

In our democracy we have a voice, and we need to use it. We need to vote with our dollars. We will not ever be able to clean up the plastic soup in the ocean until we stop buying those disposable bottles.  Our water tables will continue to decline if we continue to allow big business to treat water as a commodity, rather than a resource. Buy a reusable drinking canteen, preferably one made of stainless steel, and drink your own tap water. It is safer and cheaper. Municipalities that supply our water do not have the advertising budgets of companies like Coke, Pepsi, and Nestle. They cannot compete. It is up to us to support and protect our local water infrastructure and safely “take back the tap”!

Green Teams are making a difference across many sectors of business.  They have historically been formed as grass-roots movements from within the company; but are now more commonly created from the executive-level down with an integrative approach.  Empowering employees to evaluate and create “greening” programs, while linking these efforts to the Company Mission and Core Values, is now the key to successful Green Policy integration.

Even with leadership from above, the structure and make-up of the green team is very important.  Which departments, function areas, or business activities need to be represented?  Looking at a business from a bird’s eye view can help with this.  Executive management and facilities management representation is integral.  Then it depends on the type of business, but green team members could be from human resources, cafeteria and food service, purchasing and receiving, maintenance and housekeeping, general office, grounds workers, janitorial staff, client service, and sales. The point is to represent as many relevant areas as possible, and encourage cross-departmental relationships.

Green teams can serve to educate themselves as a group on sustainability issues, learning and taking action.  The excitement generated by this committed group of individuals can keep fueling the movement with unique content and opportunities.  The Personal Products Company Burt’s Bees really sums it up in this presentation by their CEO.  Calculating the impact of green team’s actions can also serve to justify and even fund future green initiatives which will continue to benefit the Triple Bottom Line of the business.

Green teams can be formed to work on a single initiative or continuing initiatives.  Today the greatest benefits seem to come by focusing on Energy, Water, Waste, and Transportation.  And an ever growing trend, and ever more important goal,  is to also focus outside the company and engage in efforts with the community.  But whatever the team’s initial issues or focus, it is important to always consider and measure the full value of actions and initiatives.

So why do employees become so engaged in sustainability efforts?  I have heard that the same parts of the brain that are stimulated by chocolate are also stimulated by quality engagement with others and the feeling of doing right within a society.  When queried about what matters most in life, respondents tend to agree that it is the interpersonal relationships and the feelings of doing good; it is not the making of money or building of corporations.  People really want to do good and feel good about it. We need to once again believe in the power of humanity… and when you really think about it, really, who doesn’t love chocolate?

Cheaper, Healthier, and Socially Sound.

Mark Bittman is a journalist.  He has traveled around the world tasting and writing about food.  He has written cook books, and hosts television programs about cooking.  In a recent book, Food Matters:  A Guide to Conscious Eating, Mark Bittman asserts that as long as we eat more vegetables and whole grains, the result will be better health for us and for the world in which we live.  Pretty simple, really.

Bittman asserts, “The destiny of the human race and that of the planet lay in our hands and in the choices—as individuals and as a society– that we make.”

We all make choices every day.  The quality of those choices, derived from a thoughtful decision-making process will inevitably be better.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Mark Bittman and His Part-Time Vegan Diet Good Food with Evan Kleiman (thekitchn.com)