Measuring environmental performance at niagara mohawk power

A system for measuring environmental performance is important to the success of a company's environmental excellence program. In 1991, Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation (NMPC) unveiled a new corporate policy on protection of the environment. To measure and communicate progress in achieving the goals and objectives embodied in the new policy, an environmental performance index (EPI) was developed. In this article the author shows how the EPI utilizes a weight and rating scheme to reflect environmental performance in three categories: emissions/wastes, regulatory compliance, and environmental enhancements. Performance goals have been established for the period 1992–1995, and actual performance data has been compiled for 1992 and 1993. While the EPI is designed to measure changes in NMPC's environmental performance over time, it does not provide information on how the company's performance compares to that of other electric utilities. Accordingly, NMPC is developing an environmental benchmarking program with a group of Northeast electric utilities that will allow comparisons of environmental performance between utilities.     

Between environmental and ecological democracy: theory and practice at the democracy-environment nexus

ABSTRACT

Concepts of ecological and environmental democracy seek to reconcile two normative ideals: ensuring environmental sustainability while safeguarding democracy. These ideals are frequently conceived as being in conflict, as democracy is perceived as too slow and cumbersome to deliver the urgent large-scale collective action needed to tackle environmental problems. Theories addressing the democracy-environment nexus can be situated on a spectrum from theories of ecological democracy that are more critical of existing liberal democratic institutions to theories of environmental democracy that call for reforming rather than radically transforming or dismantling those institutions. This article reviews theoretical and empirical scholarship on the democracy-environment nexus. We find continued theoretical and empirical diversity in the field, as well as vibrant debates on democratising global environmental politics, local material practices, and non-human representation. We argue for stronger dialogue between environmental political theory and empirical, policy-oriented research on democracy and sustainability, as well as further exploration of complementarities between ecological and environmental democracy. We identify four main areas of challenge and opportunity for theory and practice: public participation and populism; technocracy and expertise; governance across scales; and ecological rights and limits.     

Modelling environmental concern: Theory and application

Summary Human concern for the quality and protection of the natural environment forms the basis of successful environmental conservation activities. The social sciences have considered this concern as an area of research activity. In the present paper environmental concern research is considered and emphasis is placed upon studies which have depicted it in multiple dimensions. The results are then presented from research which has attempted to ask What are the dimensions of this concern? These findings suggest that individuals perceive different environmental issues differentially using multiple concurrent dimensions of evaluation. In general, issues are ascribed to a series of different categories which embody evaluations of; type (or referent) of issue, issue scale, environmental importance and personal importance of the issue.Dr Paul Hackett was until recently a staff member in the Consumer Research Unit of the Department of commerce at the University of Birmingham Business School. He is now on the staff of the Department of General Practice, University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff.     

Business-oriented environmental performance metrics: Building consensus for environmental management systems

Today, environmental managers are learning new ways of adding value to their organizations. Before, the environmental department was an overhead expense—an indirect support group required for complying with burdensome regulations. Now, such departments add insights and value during strategic planning sessions, identify efficiency improvement opportunities, provide a superior return on investment, and—bottom line—improve profits. The primary approach to meeting the challenge is a new environmental management system (EMS) that identifies, measures, and manages a diverse set of internal and external customer needs. These needs include environmental cleanups, regulatory compliance, pollution prevention, and design for the environment—and each represents a potential improvement opportunity. Unfortunately, most organizations have so many such needs that all cannot be addressed at once, given the resource constraints of a competitive business climate. Thus, priority is a key concept of an effective EMS. This article describes an innovative application of consensus-building tools that quickly identify and set priorities for diverse environmental programs. The article also shows how appropriate performance measures will align these programs with corporate goals and objectives.     

Compliance,commitment, and competition: Improving environmental performance

A series of terms has been used to describe corporate environmental activities: waste management/waste minimization, pollution prevention, environmental excellence. Each has a different definition and comprises different activities, yet they represent a continuum of environmental response and improvement. This article considers the characteristics of each activity and the necessary balance among internal and external concerns that corporations seek as they progress toward environmental excellence in a competitive business climate.     

Designing a sustainable facility to improve energy and environmental performance at the women's humane society

Susan Maxman Architects was selected to design a new facility for the Women's Humane Society. The project, located on a disturbed site in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, presented an environmental challenge as a large part of the site is wetlands and the site is home to a large PECO power line. This case study describes the process of designing a facility that incorporates the concerns of environmental responsibility. It will show how the decisions in the design of the built environment can very much influence the well-being of the natural environment. It describes the ways in which the client was convinced that it was of great benefit to create a facility that was energy-efficient and environmentally sensitive. The article also explores the successes and failures of this process. It discusses barriers that exist in comprehensively incorporating sustainable design principles in these facilities and shows how it is applicable for the development of other facilities.     

Benchmarking: Survey profiles the who and what of environmental auditing practice

In late 1990, the Environmental Auditing Roundtable's Auditor Training and Qualification Work Group determined that it needed reliable information about those in industry currently doing health, safety, and environmental audits. The work group would use this information to develop appropriate standards for auditors. It was also felt that such information would be helpful to others establishing internal audit programs. The work group, under the leadership of Donald P. Duffy, developed and refined a survey questionnaire during 1991. This article details the results of this survey and provides companies with timely information to benchmark their TQEM auditing efforts.     

Where the rubber meets the road: Measuring the success of environmental programs

In order to integrate environmental, health, and safety (EHS) programs into mainstream business management, EHS managers must measure the success of their strategies. This article presents techniques and samples for both quantitative measurement (EHS results) and qualitative measurement (progress toward implementation). It also provides a case study of measurement at the Perkin-Elmer Corporation, which has achieved notable successes with straightforward measurement approaches. Performance measurement systems can make the difference between an EHS program that rewards stakeholders for hard work, and one that fades and frustrates.     

The link between 'green' and economic success: environmental management as the crucial trigger between environmental and economic performance

The link between environmental and economic performance has been widely debated in the literature for the last ten to fifteen years. One view is that improved environmental performance mainly causes extra costs for the firm and thus reduces profitability. However, also the opposite has been argued for: improved environmental performance would induce cost savings and increase sales and thus improve economic performance. Theoretical and empirical research have provided arguments for both positions and have not been conclusive so far. This article discusses reasons for the different views and the differences in empirical research and presents a theoretical framework to explain the coexistence of the conflicting views. It is argued that not merely the level of environmental performance, but mainly the kind of environmental management with which a certain level is achieved, influences the economic outcome. The model presented provides implications for both empirical research and company management in practice. Research and business practice should focus less on general correlations and more on causal relationships of eco-efficiency, i.e. the effect of different environmental management approaches on economic performance.     

农业循环经济的理论与实践

发展农业循环经济是解决我国"三农"问题的有效途径.本文首先从农业可持续发展观的形成、农业循环经济的理论基础、农业循环经济的主要内容三方面对农业循环经济的基本理论进行论述.然后,对秦皇岛市农业生产存在的问题进行了分析.最后,提出了秦皇岛市发展农业循环经济的对策.     

Theory in practice: the anatomy of a borough plan

This paper focuses on the development plan activities of the London Boroughs and simply seeks to explain the relatively limited progress that has been made in the preparation and adoption of statutory local plans, by showing how production was constrained as local planners were caught up in the shifting ground of contemporary planning theory. The author suggests that uncertainty about the acceptable scope and content of local plans, at a time when planners were being encouraged to extend the emphasis of their work beyond the purely physical, led to serious problems as planners began to experiment with new approaches to local planning but failed to appreciate the operational implications of each approach.