Welcome to myenvironmentplace

Getting greener every day.

Does your college deserve to be recognized for environmental efforts?

2009 Sustainable Solutions Award will award $2,500 to recognize efforts by students and faculty who are developing sustainable practices on campus. The deadline for applications in 2009 is November 6th. Apply and see examples of previous winners.

How is it possible for a textbook publisher to be green?

For this edition of Essential Environment, we upgraded from recycled paper to responsible paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) to reduce energy usage and our impact on forests, and limit the release of toxic chemicals into the environment.

Pearson aims to be the first carbon-neutral educational publishing company, starting in 2009. In April 2007, Pearson announced in its Annual Report a commitment to continue the process of becoming a carbon neutral company with a view to completing that globally by the end of 2009. Our plans, targets, and achievements include:

Reduce Energy Use: Two years ahead of target, in 2007, we achieved our goal to reduce energy use by 10% compared to our 2003 baseline. We introduced a stretch goal of a further 2% reduction for 2007 and achieved a 1.8% reduction over 2006 levels. Our three-year total reduction achievement stands at 11.03%.

Reduce Water Use: We have also exceeded our stretch goal to reduce water use by 10%, again two years ahead of target. Our three-year reduction stands at 12.28%.

Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions: We aim to reduce our Greenhouse Gas emissions by 100% by the end of 2009, from a baseline total of 216 tons of Carbon Dioxide (CO₂). To date, we've eliminated over 2,000 metric tons from our carbon footprint through lighting upgrades in our offices. We've partnered with the Nature Conservancy to plant 1.35 million trees and absorb over 10,500 metric tons of CO₂ per year.

Reduce Carbon Emissions: Working with WTA, our main shipping agent, we reduced the carbon emissions relating to the shipping of our printed books around the world by over 4%.

Reuse and Recycle: In 2007, our reuse/recycle rate for unsold books and newsprint was maintained at 99%. This was in excess of our target of 95%. We also aim to continue to minimize the environmental impact of packaging and distribution in our book companies.