Single-use, disposable plastic packaging has been making the news as an environmental and economic issue.  The impacts of which must be addressed by businesses and consumers.   There is a sustainable solution to reduce plastic packaging – molded pulp. PulpWorks is a design and manufacturing company that uses waste fibers from various plants to produce molded pulp packaging for consumer and industry needs. Co-Founder and CEO, Paul Tasner joins us to talk about how he started PulpWorks and how they are addressing business and environmental needs around the world. Paul goes through ear ..read more

On this week’s Business of Environment Podcast, we go over Environmental Gorillas and exactly what the term means.  Hint: when our focus is so strong on one issue or observation, and when we get such tunnel vision that we start to ignore details, there are things we can miss. We go over the original Harvard Gorilla Suit experiment that inspired this term, as well as: Familiarity blindness How addressing Invisible Environmental Gorillas prevents future liabilities  Rules for finding those Gorillas  Accounting for Murphy’s Law in your facility  Adding another set of eyes i ..read more

How can insurance mitigate environmental risks?   In this episode, I’m joined by Austin Printz, a senior risk consultant at Brown & Brown specializing in manufacturing, construction, and real estate.    Austin is here to break down environmental insurance and discuss: How he helps companies arrive at an acceptable level of risk Why environmental insurance is crucial How often a company should reevaluate levels of environmental risk The future of environmental insurance How regulations affect the environmental insurance industry And more ..read more

On this episode of the Business of Environment Podcast, I am once again in the hot seat to share advice in the environmental, health and safety field.  Today, we talk about what can go wrong in your EH&S practice and how being preventative and proactive is the best way to maintain your facility for the long term. Having a successful program ensures there are no surprises to your end results. There is lower stress, and a healthier, greener bottom line. I talk about ways to improve EH&S programs in general, as well as: Acknowledging EH&S as more than just sustainability  ..read more

Want to maximize your investment in an environmental consultant?   Whether you’ve hired an environmental consultant on a regular basis or to handle a crisis…   There are 4 questions you need to answer before you meet with them.   If you address these four questions, you’ll save significant time and money…   And maximize the consultant’s ability to tackle your biggest problems.   Listen to my conversation with Envision’s Senior Geologist, John Weakliem, and Senior Environmental Scientist, Mark DeGregory, to learn about these 4 questions and how you can prepare to work w ..read more

Not all green, sustainable investment strategies are created equally.   The current model of green investing has lost the trust of some investors wishing to put their money towards a future in which they want to live. Portfolios that operate more as charities than vehicles for growth, companies looking to greenwash their carbon reliant business models... dramatic changes are needed.   Zach Stein, Co-Founder of Carbon Collective, takes a different investment approach and is rebuilding trust with environmentally conscious investors. Zach talks pros and cons of ESG investing, Carbon Col ..read more

On this week’s episode of the Business of Environment Podcast, we speak with Rich Rivkin, President of Enviro-Disposal Group. Since 1991, Rich has managed well over 3000 projects involving the transportation and disposal of both hazardous and non-hazardous contaminated soils, dredge sediments, and other environmentally regulated materials. He specializes in the beneficial reuse and recycling of contaminated soils and historic fill.  Rich’s expertise involves a number of different areas, but the one that is of the most interest to me is his mission to identify the best available option fo ..read more

Do you know the most common sources of environmental issues in commercial facilities?   Do you know how costly cleanup can be? And how easily it can all be prevented?   In this episode, we continue our look at Invisible Environmental Gorillas, those often-overlooked causes of contamination in businesses.   The most difficult part of the process is identifying the areas where contamination can occur – the pathways spilled materials will take to reach the environment. Even minor releases of chemicals and liquids can add up to big cleanup costs over time. Be sure to listen in to le ..read more

A lot of people are working from home right now… many for the first time... due to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic.    The Envision Environmental team has 20 years of experience with a virtual office structure. And they have plenty of tips for staying productive.   Envision senior personnel discusses the benefits of working remotely and how to mitigate some of the drawbacks.    They also talk about why you or your company might continue a work from home policy after the current crisis is over – there are a lot of benefits, and lower overhead is just one of them. &nb ..read more

On this episode of the Business of Environment Podcast, we once again dive into the specifics of environmental issues that can be found at many different types of facilities. Today, we cover common environmental, health and safety issues that pop up on sites and lead to facilities calling in teams like Envision Environmental, Inc. – When you take a step back, and you boil it all down, there are similar issues at all these facilities across the board. The scale may be different, but it's still the same basic issue. We discuss these common issues and what can be seen as solutions to them, as w ..read more