Two Sides North America Welcomes Visual Media Alliance into the Growing Membership

UPS announced an agreement with Clean Energy Fuels Corp. to purchase 170 million gallon equivalents of renewable natural gas (RNG) through 2026. This is the largest commitment for use of RNG to date by any company in the United States, with a range of 22.5 - 25 million gallon equivalents per year. RNG is a key part of UPS’s strategy to increase alternative fuel consumption to be 40% of total ground fuel purchases by 2025, supporting the logistics leader’s efforts to reduce the absolute greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of its ground fleet 12% by 2025. “The world has a trash problem. And the world has an emissions problem. Renewable natural gas, produced naturally from bio sources such as landfills and dairy farms, not only turns trash to gas, but it turns it into clean gas,” said Mike Casteel, UPS director of fleet procurement. “Since RNG is supported by existing national infrastructure used to transport natural gas, it’s a winning solution that will help UPS to reach our ambitious sustainability goals. At the same time, we hope our unprecedented seven-year commitment serves as a catalyst for wider adoption of RNG by other companies.” Click "read more" below for additional information.

Walmart announced that it has reached an agreement with SunPower to have the commercial energy provider install solar systems at 19 stores and two distribution centers in Illinois. As part of the project, a mix of rooftop and ground-mount solar systems are expected to account for 23 megawatts, with start of construction targeted for the first half of 2019. This commitment moves Walmart closer to its 2025 goal of supplying its global operations with 50 percent renewable energy. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator, the amount of anticipated annual carbon offset by this initiative will be equal to the amount of carbon sequestered by over 24,000 acres of U.S. forest in one year – the size of Elgin, Ill. Walmart is financing the solar projects through a power purchase agreement (PPA) arranged by SunPower, allowing Walmart to buy power at competitive prices and hedge against future utility rate increases with no upfront capital costs. Click read more below for additional detail.

Print buyers from Ann Inc., REI and Starbucks will tell print suppliers where and why sustainability figures into print buying decisions during the Brands Talking Sustainability luncheon at the 2017 SGIA Expo (New Orleans, Oct. 10-12). The luncheon takes place Tuesday, Oct. 10, 12:00-2:00 p.m., and features speakers Libra Balian, senior director, marketing operations, Ann Inc., Suzanna Eversole, manager, print production, REI and Stephen White, print production manager, Starbucks Coffee Company. “In a retail setting, marketing materials very often can’t be reused or recycled. That matters to a growing number of brands like Ann Inc., REI and Starbucks. They’re looking for print providers who understand the importance of the sustainable journey,” says Marci Kinter, VP, Government & Business Affairs, Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA). “This luncheon will explore how print suppliers can help retailers meet their sustainability objectives.” Click Read More below for more of the story.