Economically healthy businesses and industries with minimal environmental impact on communities should be encouraged. Communities should work to attract and support such industries and to reduce or eliminate negative impacts from existing industries. New approaches are explored in this section.
Related Resources | Related Reading | Case Studies Feedback | Search | To Linked Topic Areas Back to Growing a Sustainable Economy Gateway | Back to Home Page
(clicking on the links below will take you directly to the site)
Business and Sustainable Development (BSD), International Institute for Sustainable Development, 161 Portage Avenue East, 6th Floor, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3B OY4, Tel: 204.958.7700, Fax: 204.958.7710, Email: info@iisd.ca, Website: http://iisd.ca/business. This website, created by IISD, is intended to encourage business people to develop a vision of a sustainable company, translate that vision into a management action plan, and turn sustainability into a competitive advantage.
Business Ecology Network (BEN), 1189 Holly Avenue, PO Box 29, Shady Side, MD 20764, Tel: 410.867.3596, Fax: 410.867.7956, Email: abe@naturaledge.org, Website: http://www.naturaledge.org. BEN, dedicated to developing healthy linkages among businesses, communities and the environment, provides educational, technical and communication services to help people and organizations integrate economic, social and environmental goals.
Center for Environmental Economic Development (CEED), 1630 27th Street, Arcata, CA 95521, Tel: 707.822.8347, Fax: 707.822.4457, Email: ceed@ceedweb.org, Website: http://www.ceedweb.org. CEED's mission is to further the combined goals of environmental protection and social justice by improving the quality of community life throught the creation of environmentally-beneficial businesses and employment.
Center for Neighborhood Technology, 2125 W. North Avenue, Chicago, IL 60647, Tel: 773.278.4800, Fax: 773.278.3840, Website: http://www.cnt.org. The Center for Neighborhood Technology promotes public policies, new resources and accountable authority which support sustainable, just and vital urban communities.
Cornell Work and Environmental Initiative. Eco-Industrial Development. This web site contains a list of eco-industrial development literature, links, and sites. This resource can be found online at: http://www.cfe.cornell.edu/wei/EIDP/eid.html.
Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Great Printers Project (GPP), 1875 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 1016, Washington, DC 20009, Tel: 202.387.3500, Fax: 202.234.6049, Website: http://www.edf.org. GPP is working to increase the demand for environmentally-preferable printing in the Great Lakes Region by encouraging groups to design print jobs that use fewer resources and cost less money. To obtain a copy of their "Questions to Guide Your Printing Decisions," call EDF at: 202.387.3500.
Good Neighbor Project for Sustainable Industries, P.O. Box 79225, Waverly, MA 02179, Tel: 617.489.3686, Fax: 617.489.2482, Email: gnproject@earthlink.net, Website: http://www.envirolink.org/orgs/gnp. The Good Neighbor Project is a center for legal, technical and strategic support for community groups and community-workforce coalitions seeking accountability of local industries on environmental and economic issues.
GreenBiz.com, Website: http://www.GreenBiz.com. This web site, launched by the nonprofit Green Business Network, seeks to provide information, resources, and learning opportunities to help companies of all sizes and sectors integrate environmental responsibility into their operations in a manner that combines ecological sustainability with profitable business practices.
INFORM, Inc., 120 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005, Tel: 212.361.2400, Fax: 212.361.2412, Email: inform@inform.org, Website: http://www.informinc.org. INFORM examines business practices that harm our air, water and land resources and identifies specific ways to improve these practices, focusing on the development of state-of-the-art strategies to prevent waste and pollution at the source.
Institute of Clean Air Companies, 1660 L Street, Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20036, Tel: 202.457.0911, Fax: 202.331.1388, Website: http://www.icac.com. The Institute's website provides brief descriptions of air pollution monitoring and control technologies, case studies, and links to other resources.
Minnesota Environmental Initiative (MEI), 527 Marquette Avenue South, Suite 2420, Minneapolis, MN 55402, Tel: 612.334.3388, Fax: 612.334.3093, Email: mei@winternet.com MEI, a non-partisan, educational organization, brings diverse groups together in a collaborative, non-contentious forum to facilitate solutions to contemporary regional environmental issues. Its ultimate goal is to foster improved public policy which benefits Minnesota's environment as well as its economy.
The Natural Step (TNS), P.O. Box 29372, The Presidio, Thoreau Center for Sustainability, General Kennedy Avenue, Building 1007, Suite 225, San Francisco, CA 94129-0372, Tel: 415.561.3344, Fax: 415.561.3345, Email: TNS@naturalstep.org, Website: http://www.naturalstep.org/. The Natural Step trains business, government, educational, and community leaders in natural systems thinking and planning so that collective daily actions support the emergence of a sustainable economy in America and throughout the world.
Sierra Business Council (SBC), P.O. Box 2428, Truckee, CA 96160, Tel: 530.582.4800, Fax: 530.582.1230, Email: info@sbcouncil.org, Website: http://tahoe.ceres.ca.gov/sbc. The SBC, an association of over 400 businesses, is working to define an economic vision for the Sierra region that is attractive, achievable, profitable, and ecologically sustainable. Its Sierra Nevada Wealth Index is a comprehensive assessment of the social, natural and financial capital which is the foundation of the Sierra Nevada economy.
Sustainable Business Database, Center of Excellence for Sustainable Development, U.S. Department of Energy, Website: http://www.sustainable.doe.gov/business/buintro.shtml. This section of the Center's Sustainable Development Resource database site provides links and information for companies and communities on waste reduction, energy efficiency, and pollution prevention.
Sustainable Business Network, Website: http://www.envirolink.org/pbn. This site is a focal point on the Web for the full range of environmental business sectors, from recycling to green building, from renewable energy to organic products, from social investing to certified forestry.
West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum, c/o West Michigan Environmental Action Council, 1514 Wealthy Street, S.E., Suite 280, Grand Rapids, MI 49506, Tel: 616.451.3051, Fax: 616.451.3054, Email: busforum@sustainable-busforum.org, Website: http://www.sustainable-busforum.org/intro.html. The goal of the Forum is to encourage the adoption and implementation of sustainable development business practices aimed at improving corporate profitability while enhancing the long term health of the environment. The web site contains information on best management practices and sustainable business publications, tools and resources.
Back to Top
Abe, Joseph M. et al. Business Ecology: Giving Your Organization the Natural Edge. (Boston, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann, 1998). This book articulates a values shift toward sustainability and helps integrate profitability, values-based management, stakeholder relations, life-cycle thinking, and environmental performance. To obtain this resource contact Butterworth-Heinemann Press; Tel: 800.366.2665; Fax: 781.933.6333; Email: sales@repp.com or bhusa.orders@repp.co.uk.
Anderson, Ray C. Mid-Course Correction. (Atlanta, GA: The Peregrinzilla Press, 1998). In this book Ray Anderson recounts his awakening to the importance of environmental issues and outlines the steps his company, Atlanta-based Interface, Inc., is taking to become a sustainable corporation.
Benyus, Janine M. Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature. (New York, NY: William Morrow & Co., 1998). This book describes biomimicry, a revolutionary new science that analyzes nature's best ideas and adapts them for human use.
Business for Social Responsibility. Creating Value and Sustaining Growth: How Leading Companies Are Using Sustainable Business Practices To Enhance Their Bottom Line. (October 1997). This briefing paper, prepared for the CEO Symposium on Sustainability at The Wingspread Center, October 28-29, 1997, provides information on sustainable business practices and the steps companies can take to launch sustainability initiatives. To obtain this resource contact Business for Social Responsibility, 609 Mission Street, 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105-3506; Tel: 415.537.0888; Fax: 415.537.0889.
Frankel, Carl. In Earth's Company: Business, Environment and the Challenge of Sustainability. (Gabriola Island, BC, Canada: New Society Publishers, 1998). This book assesses the progress industry has made in the journey toward sustainable development, identifies the course corrections required, and looks at the prospects for the future. To obtain this resource contact New Society Publishers, P.O. Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC, VORIXO, Canada; Tel: 800.333.9093; Fax: 604.247.7471.
Gardner, Gary and Payal Sampat. Mind Over Matter: Recasting the Role of Materials in Our Lives. Worldwatch Paper 144. (Washington, DC: Worldwatch Institute, 1998). This Worldwatch Paper examines the trend towards greater materials efficiency and the need for major reductions in materials use. To obtain this resource contact the Worldwatch Institute, 1776 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036; Tel: 800.555.2028; Fax: 202.296.7365; Email: wwpub@worldwatch.org.
Global Futures Foundation, Business for the Environment. Industrial Ecology: A How-To Manual 3090 Fite Circle #203, Sacramento, CA 95827, Tel: 916-368-5200, Fax: 916-368-5250.
Green Solutions. Business Recycling Cost Model. This computer program helps companies to calculate the net costs or savings of recycling and waste-reduction activities. To obtain this resource contact Green Solutions; Tel: 360.897.9533.
Groenewegen, Peter, ed., et al. The Greening of Industry Resource Guide and Bibliography. (Washington, DC: Island Press, 1995). This guide presents analysis and commentary drawn from a variety of sources that examine critical issues in industrial sustainability and provides a basis for effective policies, strategies, and actions for both business and policy leaders.
Hart, Stuart L. Beyond Greening: Strategies for a Sustainable World. Harvard Business Review. January 1997. (Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business Review, January 1997). In this article the author explains the imperative of sustainable development and provides a framework for identifying the business opportunities behind sustainability. To obtain this resource contact Harvard Business School Publishing; Website: http://www.hbsp/harvard.edu/hbsp/prod_detail.sap?97105.
Hawken, Paul. The Ecology of Commerce: a Declaration of Sustainability. (New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers, 1993).
Hawken, Paul, Amory Lovins and L. Hunter Lovins. Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution. (New York, NY: Little, Brown & Company, 1999). This book describes a future in which business and environmental interests increasingly overlap, and in which businesses can better satisfy their customers' needs, increase profits, and help solve environmental problems all at the same time. To obtain this resource contact RMI, 1739 Snowmass Creek Road, Snowmass, CO 81654-9199; Tel: 970.927.3851. Book excerpts and downloadable chapters are available on a companion website: http://www.naturalcapitalism.org.
Interface, Inc. Interface Sustainability. This website describes the role of sustainability in the manufacturing processes at Interface, Inc. This resource can be found online at: http://www.interfacesustainability.com.
L. C. Clark Publishing Co. Green@work. This bi-monthly magazine tells the stories of ecological pioneers, products and systems that are driving an important change in corporate and bureaucratic America, sharing success stories and profiling the individual. To obtain this resource contact L. C. Clark Publishing Co., 840 U.S. Highway One, Suite 330, North Palm Beach, FL 33408; Tel: 561.627.3393; Website: http://www.greenatworkmag.com.
Lewis, Sanford. The Good Neighbor Handbook: A Community-Based Strategy for Sustainable Industry. (Acton, MA: Good Neighbor Project for Sustainable Industries, 1991). To obtain this resource contact Apex Press, c/o Council on International & Public Affairs, 777 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY; Tel: 800.316.2739.
Materials for the Future Foundation. Manufacturing with Reused and Recycled Materials: 50 Business Opportunities. (San Francisco, CA: 1998). This guide is designed for the entrepreneur or community organization interested in starting a manufacturing business with recycled materials. To obtain this resource contact Materials for the Future Foundation, P.O. Box 29091, San Francisco, CA 94129-0091; Phone: 415.561.6530; Email: mff@igc.org.
McLenighan, Valijean, Sustainable Manufacturing: Saving Jobs, Saving the Environment, Center for Neighborhood Technology, 2125 W. North Avenue, Chicago, IL 60647, Center for Neighborhood Technology, 2125 W. North Avenue, Chicago, IL 60647.
Natural Resources Law Center, in cooperation with the Natural Heritage Institute, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College. Restoring the Waters. (Boulder, CO: Natural Resources Law Center, 1997). Twenty-three stories portray innovations in water use and management that have provided important environmental benefits. To obtain this resource contact Natural Resources Law Center, University of Colorado School of Law, Campus Box 401, Boulder, CO 80309-0401; Tel: 303.492.1288; Fax: 303.492.1297.
Nattrass, Brian and Mary Altomare. The Natural Step for Business: Wealth, Ecology and the Evolutionary Corporation. (Gabriola Island, BC: New Society Publishers, 1999). This book examines The Natural Step framework and illustrates how four companies are using it to help guide them to sustainability.
New Jersey Office of Sustainable Business. Greening the Garden State: a Report on Sustainable Business Actions in New Jersey. This report identifies and showcases more than 300 companies that are taking sustainable actions in New Jersey's energy, manufacturing, agricultural, and chemical sectors. To obtain this resource contact the NJ Office of Sustainable Business, NJ Commerce and Economic Growth Commission, 28 West State Street, PO Box 820, Trenton, NJ 08625-0820; Tel: 609.633.3674; Fax: 609.633.3675. This resource can be found online at: http://www.bgnj.org.
President's Council on Sustainable Development. Eco-Efficiency: Task Force Report. (Washington, DC: PCSD, 1996). To obtain this resource contact the President's Council on Sustainable Development Publications, 800.363.3732. This resource can be found online at: http://clinton2.nara.gov/PCSD/Publications/TF_Reports/eco-top.html.
President's Council on Sustainable Development. Eco-Industrial Park Workshop Proceedings Oct.17-18, 1996. (President's Council on Sustainable Development, February 1997). This publication contains fifteen eco-industrial park profiles. To obtain this resource contact the President's Council on Sustainable Development Publications, 800.363.3732. This resource can be found online at: http://clinton2.nara.gov/PCSD/Publications/Eco_Workshop.html.
Rowledge, Lorinda R., Russell S. Barton, and Kevin S. Brady. Mapping the Journey: Case Studies in Strategy and Action toward Sustainable Development. (Aizlewood's Mill, Sheffield, UK: Greenleaf Publishing, 1999). This book presents a series of in-depth case studies from around the world based on numerous personal interviews with organizational leaders, focusing on their journey toward sustainability. It examines both public and private organizations including Sony Corporation, SC Johnson, Patagonia, Volvo, Interface, and the Dutch National Environmental Policy Plan. To obtain this resource contact Greenleaf Publishing Ltd, Aizlewood Business Centre, Aizlewood's Mill, Nursery Street, Sheffield S3 8GG, UK; Website: http://www.greenleaf-publishing.com.
Schlarb, Mary. Eco-Industrial Development: A Strategy for Building Sustainable Communities. (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University, 2001). This report reviews current literature on industrial ecology theory and practice. It discusses the concept of eco-industrial development, defining its meaning, function, and range of applications in the economic and community development context. This resource can be found online at: http://www.cfe.cornell.edu/wei/papers/EID_litreview.pdf.
The Good Neighbor Handbook: A Community-Based Strategy for Sustainable Industry, The Good Neighbor Project, 42 Davis Rd. Suite 3B, Acton, MA 0172.
Thomas, Margaret G. Reinvention - Strategies for Sustainable Economic Development. (Kansas City, MO: Midwest Research Institute, 1996). This publication introduces a new generation of economic development strategies with chapters on pollution prevention and waste minimization, recycling-based manufacturing, energy efficiency, renewable energy development, and green business and environmental technology development. To obtain this resource contact the Midwest Research Institute, 425 Volker Boulevard, Kansas City, MO 64110; Tel: 816.753.7600, ext. 1237; Email: mthomas@mriresearch.org.
Tilden Press. The Green Business Letter. (Washington, DC: Tilden Press). This is a monthly journal for companies, associations, universities, and others striving to integrate environmental thinking throughout their organizations in profitable ways. To obtain this resource contact Tilden Press, 1519 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 301, Washington, DC 20036; Tel: 202.332.1700; Fax: 202.332.3028, Email: gbl@enn.com. This resource can be found online at: http://www.greenbiz.com.
World Resources Institute. The Next Bottom Line: Agenda for the 21st Century. (Washington, DC: World Resources Institute, May 1999). This special advertising supplement describes strategies and managerial tools that deal with new technological and environmental challenges and illustrates how many leading corporations are already beginning to put these strategies into practice. To obtain this resource contact WRI, 10 G Street, NE, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20002; Tel: 202.729.7600. This resource can be found online at: http://www.wri.org/busiweek/index.html.
U.S. Interagency Working Group on Industrial Ecology, Material and Energy Flows. Materials. This report provides a brief history of materials, summarizes their use today, and illustrates a number of ways to use materials more effectively. It ends with a summary of activities the federal government can undertake, alone or in partnership with others, to facilitate a greater understanding of materials and more efficient approaches to their use. This resource can be found online at: http://www.oit.doe.gov/mining/materials.
Eco-Industrial Park (EIP) Workshop, Cape Charles, Va., October 17-18, 1996; Introduction to Case Studies
Brownsville Eco-Industrial Park, Brownsville, Texas Burnside Eco-Industrial Park, Nova Scotia (Canada) Civano Industrial Eco Park, Tucson, Arizona East Bay Eco-Industrial Park, San Francisco Bay, California Fairfield Ecological Industrial Park, Baltimore, MD Franklin County Eco-Industrial Park, Youngsvillet, North Carolina Green Institute, The, Minneapolis, Minnesota Plattsburgh Eco-Industrial Park, New York Port of Cape Charles Sustainable Technologies Industrial Park, Eastville, Northampton County, Va. Raymond Green Eco-Industrial Park, Raymond, WA Skagit County Environmental Industrial Park, Skagitt County, Washington Shady Side Eco-Business Park, Shady Side, Maryland Stonyfield Londonderry Eco-Industrial Park, Londonderry, New Hampshire Trenton Eco-Industrial Complex, Trenton, New Jersey Volunteer Site, The, Chattanooga, Tennessee
Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view the following files.
The Green Institute, The ReUse Center, 2216 E. Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN 55407, Tel: 612.874.1148
We will appreciate your comments on, and suggestions for, this area of the SCN!
Please provide your name and email address: Back to Top
LINKED TOPIC AREAS:
Agriculture & Food Systems Fisheries Forestry & Wood Products Manufacturing & Industry Small Business Technology Community Economics & Finance Urban/Rural Economic Ties
To SCN home page
URL: http://www.sustainable.org/
Sustainable Communities Network (SCN) Revised March 4, 2003