the environmentalist gives a round up of environment management news from companies including SABMiller, Apple, Microsoft, Nationwide and Future Energy Solutions
Beer and soft drinks business SABMiller has set new sustainability targets to achieve by 2020. These include a water-efficiency target of 3 litres per litre of beer and the extension of its watershed partnerships to every site that faces potential water shortages, securing the supplies it shares with local communities. It also aims to reduce the carbon footprint of its entire value chain, from grain to glass, by 25% per litre of beer, and an average of 50% across all its breweries.
Apple is to build a third large solar farm in North Carolina. The 17.5 MW facility in Claremont will help the company behind the iPad and iPhone to achieve its pledge to power all Apple corporate offices, retail stores and datacentres entirely with energy from renewable sources. Apple already has two solar panel farms in the region, which together produce 40 MW of solar power.
Microsoft, meanwhile, has signed a 20-year agreement to purchase wind energy in Illinois. Under the agreement with EDF Renewable Energy, Microsoft will buy up to 675GWh of renewable energy a year from the Pilot Hill wind project – a 175 MW facility 60 miles from Chicago.
Nationwide has become the first high street financial services business to receive the Carbon Trust triple standard. The building society was awarded the standard for its achievements in reducing carbon, water and waste. Over the past three years, the Nationwide has reduced its carbon emissions by 15%, cut water use by 20% and increased from 43% to 94% the amount of waste diverted from landfill.
Future Energy Solutions has installed 50,000 LEDs since it started work in January on the first phase of a project to install energy efficient lighting in 150 multi-storey car parks in the UK owned by NCP. The project is funded by a partnership between FES and the Green investment bank.
The UK government is providing £5 million to help drive the introduction of plug-in cars and vans across central government fleets. In the first wave of the ultra-low emission vehicle readiness project, more than 150 plug-in vehicles will be added to government fleets.
