Search Climate Insights Directory

This 1998 report by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and the U.S. Department of Energy examines how energy-efficient building design—specifically improvements in lighting, heating, and cooling—can lead to significant increases in worker productivity, reduced absenteeism, and improved work quality. Through eight case studies of commercial and industrial facilities, the authors argue that the economic gains from productivity often far exceed the direct energy cost savings, making efficient design a highly cost-effective business strategy.

This case study examines the financial and accounting challenges faced by The Boeing Company after the City of Everett, Washington, required the company to pay over $50 million in environmental and social mitigation costs as a condition for expanding its aircraft production facility for the 777 jetliner. The document details the specific mitigation requirements, the legal framework of the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), and the internal conflict between Boeing's management accountants, tax group, and external auditors regarding whether these costs should be capitalized as assets or recorded as expenses.

This case study examines the integration of lean manufacturing principles with environmental management at Honda of America Manufacturing, Inc. (HAM), specifically focusing on its Ohio-based plants. It explores how Honda's 'localization' policy and lean philosophy—emphasizing waste reduction, employee empowerment, and continuous improvement—contribute to environmental performance and the company's pursuit of ISO 14000 certification, while comparing these practices to those of its competitor, Toyota.

This case study examines IKEA's integration of environmental sustainability into its global business model, specifically focusing on its partnership with The Natural Step (TNS) and the implementation of these principles within its North American operations during the 1990s.

This teaching note describes a case study on Honda of America Manufacturing, Inc., focusing on the tension between lean manufacturing goals—productivity and high quality—and environmental responsibility at its Ohio plants. It examines how Honda's localized management approach contrasts with Toyota's centralized global strategy and analyzes the complementarities and trade-offs between lean production and environmental performance.

This teaching note, prepared by Dr. Christine H. Stinson for the World Resources Institute, provides a framework for discussing corporate environmental accounting using the case of Specialty Glass, Inc. It focuses on how traditional cost accounting can distort the perceived cost of products that generate hazardous waste and the associated financial risks and liabilities.

This case study examines the implementation of a Total Quality Environmental Management (TQEM) matrix system within the Utilities Division of Eastman Kodak's Kodak Park facility in Rochester, New York, between 1993 and 1996. The initiative aimed to shift the division from reactive compliance to a proactive, prevention-based environmental management strategy to reduce costs and environmental incidents.

This 1997 case study by the World Resources Institute examines the history and strategic evolution of the Weyerhaeuser Company, focusing on its transition from a traditional timber harvester to a leader in High Yield Forestry (HYF) and sustainable forest stewardship.

This case study describes the business model of Distributor Inc., a major independent chemical distributor in the United States, and provides context on the environmental impact of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), specifically freon, which the company distributed.

This case study examines the impact of the federal Fluorocarbon Tax on Distributor Inc., a large independent chemical distributor in the United States. The document details how the tax on chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), intended to protect the stratospheric ozone layer, created accounting challenges and strained customer relationships as costs were passed through the supply chain.

This case study describes the founding and early operational challenges of Deja, Inc., an environmental footwear company established by Julie Lewis. The company aimed to create a sustainable business model by producing shoes from recycled materials, such as pre-consumer disposable diaper waste and plastic bottles, while targeting environmentally conscious consumers in the casual footwear market.

This case study describes a fictitious company, MultiPaint, Inc. (MPI), which faces a crisis when toxic contamination is discovered at its idle downtown manufacturing site. Despite a recent marketing campaign emphasizing environmental safety, the company must navigate legal, financial, and public relations challenges while evaluating five distinct options for the contaminated property.

This teaching note describes a case study on how Fred Schoeneborn, a coordinator at Mobil Corporation, successfully implemented the Green Lights lighting retrofit initiative across a large organization despite lacking direct authority over facilities managers.

This document is a bibliographic entry and a collection of brief feature snippets from the Stockholm Environment Institute website regarding an MSc thesis by Elisabeth Kvarnström and other related water resource perspectives in Nepal.

This 1994 case study by the World Resources Institute examines AT&T's transition toward proactive environmental and safety management, focusing on the application of Total Quality Management (TQM) to pollution prevention. It details the company's corporate goals to phase out ozone-depleting substances and reduce toxic emissions, specifically highlighting a project at the Columbus Works facility in Ohio to eliminate 1,1,1 trichloroethane (TCA) through process redesign and chemical substitution.

This case study from the World Resources Institute's Sustainable Enterprise Program examines the economic viability of using recycled polymers instead of virgin plastics in BMW vehicles, specifically focusing on the bumpers of the 3-series model.

This case study examines the conflict between the U.S. pulp and paper industry, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Greenpeace over the use of chlorine in bleaching processes. The central tension involves the production of toxic organochlorines, specifically dioxins, and the debate over whether the industry should move toward elemental chlorine-free (ECF) or totally chlorine-free (TCF) technologies. The document details the 'cluster rule' regulatory approach and the economic and environmental trade-offs associated with different bleaching standards.

This case study describes the Waste Reduction Always Pays (WRAP) program implemented by the Louisiana Division of the Dow Chemical Company. Originally evolving from an energy-saving contest in 1981, WRAP was formally announced in 1986 to reduce pollution and operating costs through employee-led innovation. The program utilizes a competitive submission process where projects are evaluated on technical viability and return on investment (ROI), rewarding winners with public recognition and project leadership roles rather than direct financial prizes.

This teaching note, prepared by Scott Barrett for the World Resources Institute's Sustainable Enterprise Program, provides a framework for a classroom negotiation exercise regarding a proposed European Union carbon tax. It combines negotiation theory with a case study on the economic and environmental challenges of implementing regional climate policies, specifically focusing on the risks of 'leakage' and loss of competitiveness.

This case study examines Platanera Rio Sixaola, S.A., a small independent banana plantation in Costa Rica founded by Volker Ribniger. Despite becoming the first banana plantation in the world to earn Eco-OK certification from the Rainforest Alliance, the company faced significant financial challenges in 1994, with production costs exceeding revenues. The document details the environmental impacts of traditional banana monoculture, the specific sustainable practices implemented by Platanera Rio Sixaola, and the market pressures exerted by the 'Big Three' multinationals and European Community import quotas.