Tag: Waste Management

Closing the Loop: Unveiling the Potential of a Circular Economy with SAP’s Stephen Jamieson

In the continuous quest to spread the word about sustainability and inspire climate confidence, in today’s episode of the Climate Confident podcast I spoke with Stephen Jamieson, the Global Head of Circular Economy Solutions at SAP. We delved into the intriguing world of the circular economy, a concept that’s becoming increasingly crucial in our fight against climate change.

Stephen painted a vivid picture of our current global economy – one that is shockingly only 7.3% circular. To grasp the gravity of this, imagine that a staggering 93 gigatons of materials are extracted each year, most of which are mishandled, resulting in detrimental environmental impacts. From contributing to 90% of the world’s biodiversity loss to 45% of global greenhouse gas emissions, the way we manage materials today is cause for serious concern.

What stood out during our chat was the enormity of the problem, but also the potential solutions at our fingertips. It’s not just about waste reduction; it’s a broader climate change story. One significant revelation was that we’re ingesting a credit card size amount of plastic each week, which is an alarming testament to our current practices.

Stephen brought into focus the substantial role of businesses in promoting circularity, saying, “80% of sustainability impact is baked in at design time.” In essence, companies need to integrate sustainability from the design stage itself, and technologies can aid in streamlining this process. He shared an encouraging story about Henkel, a consumer goods company that swiftly adapted to Spain’s plastic packaging tax requirements, highlighting the power of digital transformation in the circular economy.

A significant part of our conversation centered around Extended Producer Responsibility regulations and the impact they have on shifting the cost of downstream waste management. Jamieson mentioned that the cost, which is currently shouldered by local authorities, would soon be handled by the production system, marking a considerable shift in incentive.

There’s a strong sense of urgency in our chat, but also a ray of hope. The circular economy holds the key to unlocking a sustainable future, and it’s evident that we are on the right track, but the journey has just begun.

Want to hear more about Stephen’s insights and why people often liken his voice to that a certain famous actor? Tune into this episode of the Climate Confident podcast and join the conversation. Let’s drive the change together!

You can listen to the full episode here. Your feedback and ideas are always appreciated, so feel free to drop a comment below. And remember, every small step towards sustainability counts!

Follow the podcast in your podcast app of choice, so you don’t miss any future episodes packed with insightful discussions on climate change, sustainability, and technology.

Finally, if you value receiving weekly actionable insights on sustainability and climate, you can always sign up to be a Supporter of the podcast for less than the cost of a cup of coffee.

And remember to stay #ClimateConfident!

Full disclosure – SAP sponsored this episode of the podcast

Asia’s Untold Renewable Energy Success Story: A Candid Conversation

Asia’s energy transition is a significant and often overlooked aspect of the global fight against climate change. In the latest episode of the Climate Confident podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Assaad Razzouk, CEO of renewable energy company Gurin Energy, host of The Angry Clean Energy Guy podcast, and author of the book Saving the Planet Without the Bullshit. Our conversation explored the ongoing transformation of the energy landscape in Asia and the positive impact it’s having on the environment.

Asia has long been seen as a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, with much of its power coming from coal-fired power plants. However, the tide is turning, and the region is witnessing a massive shift towards clean, renewable energy. Assaad Razzouk shared his extensive knowledge on this topic and provided valuable insights on Asia’s commitment to building a more sustainable future.

One of the episode’s highlights was our discussion about China’s impressive progress in the renewable energy sector. The country has become a global leader in solar power, with over 250 gigawatts of installed solar capacity. This is particularly evident in the rapid expansion of rooftop solar across China, which has benefited from strong government support and policies. China’s solar revolution is not only reducing its reliance on fossil fuels but also paving the way for other countries in the region to follow suit.

Another key takeaway from the episode was the importance of energy access in Asia’s developing countries. Assaad explained that access to electricity is crucial for lifting people out of poverty and improving their quality of life. Decentralized renewable energy solutions, such as rooftop solar and microgrids, are making it possible for remote communities to access clean, reliable power. This not only benefits the environment but also helps to address social and economic inequalities.

We also touched on the issue of plastics in Asia, a complex and multifaceted problem. Thankfully, many Asian countries have taken strong measures to address this issue, banning or significantly reducing the use of single-use plastics. Assaad pointed out that countries like Indonesia have started implementing legislation to hold manufacturers accountable for their plastic waste, a step that is yet to be taken in other parts of the world, including the United States.

The conversation with Assaad Razzouk was both enlightening and inspiring, revealing the incredible progress Asia has made in its energy transition. This transformation is not only helping to combat climate change but also creating opportunities for economic growth, social development, and a brighter future for millions of people.

I encourage you to listen to the full episode of the Climate Confident podcast to hear our in-depth discussion with Assaad Razzouk and learn more about Asia’s inspiring energy transition. You can find the episode on your favorite podcast platform or visit the Climate Confident podcast website. Don’t forget to subscribe and share the episode with your friends and colleagues to spread the word about the positive impact of renewable energy in Asia.

Finally, if you value receiving weekly actionable insights on sustainability and climate, you can always sign up to be a Supporter of the podcast for less than the cost of a cup of coffee.

Stay climate confident, and let’s make a change together!

Photo credit UNDP Climate on Flickr

Friday Green Numbers round-up for Feb 18th 2011

Green Numbers
And here is a round-up of this week’s Green numbers…

  1. How La Poste Saves $7 Million a Year In IT Energy Costs

    France’s La Poste manages 180,000 PCs that sat mostly idle, yet still used as much electricity as if they were fully engaged in a difficult computing problem.

    “The AVOB solution does what other solutions do by automatically putting the PC into low energy mode when inactive after a specified amount of time,” Charpentier explained. “That saved La Poste 50 percent on average. What AVOB does differently is to also automatically adapt power consumption of the PC depending on the task to save an additional 10 to 20 percent on the …

  2. Joule on Pace to Produce Solar Fuels at Productivities Far Exceeding Those of All Known Biofuel Processes

    Joule Unlimited, pioneer of Liquid Fuel from the Sun™, today supported the high-productivity potential of its production process with the publication of a detailed analysis and model of its breakthrough solar-to-fuels platform.

    Published by Photosynthesis Research, the peer-reviewed article examines Joule’s critical advances in solar capture and conversion, direct product synthesis and continuous product secretion, which collectively form a platform for renewable fuel and chemical production with yields up to 50X greater than the maximum potential of any process requiring biomass. In addition, the analysis counters prior assumptions about …

  3. Waste Management Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2010 Earnings

    Waste Management, announced financial results for its fourth quarter and for the year ended December 31, 2010. Revenues for the fourth quarter of 2010 were $3.19 billion compared with $3.01 billion for the same 2009 period. Net income for the quarter was $281 million, or $0.59 per diluted share, compared with $315 million, or $0.64 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2009. The Company noted several items that impacted results in the 2010 and 2009 fourth quarters. Excluding these items, net income would have been $287 million, or $0.60 per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2010 compared with $257 million, or $0.52 per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2009, an increase in earnings per diluted share of over 15%.

    For the full year 2010, the Company reported revenues of $12.52 billion compared with $11.79 billion for 2009. Earnings per diluted share were $1.98 for the full year 2010 compared with …

  4. Exxon, Shell Both Essentially Admit Peak Oil Is Upon Us – Or Will Be Soon

    Two today on peak oil and how the big oil companies are finally publicly (if quietly) coming around to what peak oil researchers have been saying for a while: It’s here, or will be shortly.

    First, Wall Street Journal highlights how ExxonMobil is having a hard time finding new oil and has had a hard time for a while now. For the past 10 years for every 100 barrels it’s extracted it’s only been able to find 95 more. Natural gas exploration on the other hand has been very successful–enter, fracking.

    Second, Raw Story sums up a report by Shell that at best …

  5. Climate change doubled likelihood of devastating UK floods of 2000