Setting the Example

Architect imagines carbon-storing skyscrapers made from wood
Architect Michael Charters has developed "Big Wood," a model for a large-scale timber skyscraper that could be built along the Chicago River in the city's South Loop. The mixed-use complex, with "acres of green roofs," would "serve as a sustainable alternative to standard building materials," writes Mark Boyer. "Similar to the rapid innovation in building technology that occurred in the early 1900s, 'Big Wood' is positioned to be a catalyst for a new renaissance in high-rise construction, changing forever the shape of our cities," Charters said. Inhabitat (3/16), Architizer.com (3/14)

Biofuel research may lead to greener concrete
The use of biodiesel byproducts instead of portland cement could help reduce carbon emissions from concrete production, two researchers contend. GreenOptimistic.com (3/15)

Creating Accountability

Water-related costs aren't just a drop in the ocean
Water has a low nominal cost, but tariffs, disposal charges, and pumping and heating can inflate water's cost as much as a hundredfold, according to a McKinsey analysts. "Companies may be able to identify substantial savings by focusing on the broader economic costs of water," they write. McKinsey Quarterly (free registration) (March 2013)

Green Marketing

Why companies should act more like kids
Green marketing isn't easy, but messaging is more likely to succeed if marketers act like children with new playmates, Jan Lee writes. That means listening, being yourself and showing respect. "Be heartfelt in your actions. ... You can never tell how they'll be perceived," Lee writes. TriplePundit.com (3/14)

The Responsible Leader

J&J managers go green without breaking the bank
Companies such as Johnson & Johnson are finding ways to align financial and environmental priorities, with managers focusing on "win-win" projects that reduce environmental impact while also cutting costs, write Samantha Putt del Pino and Alex Perera. "Now ... other companies must get on board and scale these approaches so that financial practices and environmental goals are better aligned," they write. GreenBiz.com (3/14)

Powering Tomorrow

BLM has sped up process time for wind, solar projects, GAO says
Since the passage of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the Bureau of Land Management has reduced the processing time for applications for wind and solar projects on public lands from about four years to about 1.5 years, according to a study by the Government Accountability Office. The GAO's analysis "is evidence that the current administration's energy strategy is moving our nation in a cleaner direction," said Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., who requested the report. SNL Financial (free content) (3/15)

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Leaders should worry about character, not how they're perceived

YouTube/John Baldoni

The true mark of a leader is character, not what others think of him or her, says John Baldoni. "A leader needs to think about his reputation, but it's ultimately his character that matters more," he says in this video. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Leadership (3/15)

SmartQuote

Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow." -- Abraham Lincoln, U.S. president, as quoted at SmartBlog on Leadership Share: