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GreenBiz 350 Podcast

Episode 172: How new packaging ideas bubble up at Sealed Air, talking green buildings

Plus, why Republican Bob Inglis, a former representative for South Carolina, has made it his mission to educate conservatives about the economics of climate change.

Week in Review

Tune in around 4:50 for commentary on this week's stories.

  1. How a ‘RepublicEN’ takes on the right flank on climate
  2. Virgin CEO Josh Bayliss: 'Every one of us should think hard about whether we need to take a flight'
  3. What Intel and VMware know about your data center

Features

Constructing a fresh story for green buildings (21:53)

In early April, the U.S. Green Building Council — the 25-year-old organization behind the widely used LEED green building certification program — released the first report as part of its Living Standard initiative, an ambitious new messaging and outreach campaign. The research, commissioned by ClearPath Strategies, broadly looks at American views on environmental issues as well as how they view the concept of green buildings. We spoke with Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO of USGBC, about why it’s important for the green building sector to think more about the people who will occupy the spaces they are creating.

New packaging ideas bubble up at Sealed Air (34:08)

Ron Cotterman is responsible for packaging company Sealed Air’s innovation strategy to solve customers’ most critical challenges. Cotterman, the company's vice president of corporate innovation and sustainability, takes the GreenBiz team to a Walmart supercenter in North Carolina for some show-and-tell and to discuss the variables that go into balancing the need to reduce waste while making sure food and other items live on shelves safely. 

* All music in this episode by Lee Rosevere: "I Bet You Wonder Why," "Start the Day," "Thinking It Over" and "Introducing the Pre-roll."

What's new at GreenBiz?

Packing up the future of circular packaging. Concerns about plastic waste and the blossoming of new materials are changing how manufacturers think about packaging. There's a revolution coming. Are you prepared? This webcast is moderated by GreenBiz Executive Editor Joel Makower. Topics include pressures driving companies and the growth of alternative materials and packaging styles. Register now for the live session at 1 p.m. EST May 21.

The shape of shipping. How can retailers and other e-commerce stakeholders appease consumer interest in instant gratification while meeting carbon emissions reduction goals? Register now to join GreenBiz Senior Writer and Transportation Analyst Katie Fehrenbacher for this interactive discussion at 1 p.m. EST June 11. Experts will explore various options to decarbonize shipping — including fleet electrification, moving to more efficient rail or buying carbon offsets. 

Do we have a newsletter for you! We produce five weekly newsletters: GreenBuzz by Executive Editor Joel Makower (Monday), Transport Weekly by Senior Writer and Analyst Katie Fehrenbacher (Tuesday), VERGE Weekly by Executive Director Shana Rappaport and Editorial Director Heather Clancy (Wednesday), Energy Weekly by Senior Energy Analyst Sarah Golden (Thursday) and Circular Weekly by Director and Senior Analyst Lauren Phipps (Friday). You must subscribe to each newsletter in order to receive it. Please visit this page to choose the newsletters you want to receive.

Check out our Center Stage podcast, which features the best of live interviews on sustainable business and clean technology, conducted on stage at GreenBiz and VERGE conferences.

The GreenBiz Intelligence Panel is the survey body we poll regularly throughout the year on key trends and developments in sustainability. To become part of the panel, click here. Enrolling is free and should take two minutes.

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