Environmental Sustainability

Northeast Sustainable Energy Association is working to “advance the adoption of sustainable energy practices within the built environment.”

The America’s Cup Event Authority has chosen a Newport, R.I.-based organization, Sailors for the Sea, as its first partner in a new international program intended to better preserve and protect the oceans of the world.

The authority is now beginning pre-regatta activities before the next America’s Cup competition, set for 2013 in San Francisco, and a key component of the 34th America’s Cup legacy program is promoting sustainability of the ocean waters, organizers said in a prepared release.

Alcoa Foundation launched a two-year, $4 million initiative that funds 10 global sustainability research projects. The initiative will find answers to environmental issues that impact the quality of life and well-being of communities globally.

Researchers from 15 leading universities and nongovernmental organizations will investigate issues in natural resource management in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Europe, Russia and the U.S.

NHL Green, the National Hockey League’s sustainability initiative, unveiled the NHL Water Restoration Project, an unprecedented commitment to balancing the League’s water footprint that will make the 2011 Stanley Cup Final the first ever water-neutral series in League history.

Through the project, the NHL has pledged to restore at least one million gallons of water to Oregon’s Deschutes River, replenishing an important resource in a critically dewatered ecosystem. Total water used throughout Rogers Arena and TD Garden, from the faucets to the ice surface, will be tracked and its equivalent restored through Bonneville Environmental Foundation’s Water Restoration Certificates.

The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties is pleased to announce that five local nonprofit organizations are the winners of its 4th Annual Nonprofits Going Green Contest. Local organizations working to “go green” were honored during the 3rd Annual e4 Sustainability Summit held on April 16, 2011, at the Waterfront and City Commons in West Palm Beach. Winning nonprofits received special grant awards ranging from $1,650 to $7,500 for their efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Six professional sports teams from the Pacific Northwest on Monday announced the formation of a nonprofit organization intended to reduce the environmental impacts of pro teams. Participants in the Green Sports Alliance include the Seattle Mariners, Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Sounders FC, Seattle Storm, Portland Trail Blazers and Vancouver Canucks in cooperation with their venues.

The Green Sports Alliance has received endorsements from the commissioners of each of the respective sports leagues as well as the Environmental Protection Agency.

Quadriga Art, the nation’s leader in nonprofit mail and strategic fundraising services, is embracing the Direct Marketing Association’s Green 15 Pledge Program as an industry guide for how organizations can derive additional value from the greening of their mailing activities across a number of strategic areas in the mail marketing channel.

1% for the Planet said its environmental donations grew by 40%. The organization is a network of companies in 43 countries who pledge to give at least 1% of their revenue to environmental causes. In the last three years, more than one company a day has joined the 1% network..

Green America, a Washington nonprofit that wants the American economy to be dominated by environmentally friendly companies, has started a deal-of-the-day Web site called GreenDeals.

In partnership with Q4 Marketing, of Boston, Green America carefully screens businesses, allowing only those that it defines as environmentally friendly and socially responsible to offer discounted deals.

reen America says it’s on its way to raising $24,000 as part of the deal with Q4 Marketing, which is expected to make a bit less from the partnership.

A local nonprofit focused on bringing clean energy to developing countries is a finalist for a $1.5 million global environmental prize, competition officials announced today. E+Co, a small firm that has invested $40 million in developing countries like Costa Rica, Tanzania and China over the last 16 years, is among six finalists competing for the third-annual Zayed Future Energy Prize, based in Abu Dhabi.