Since January 1, 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has required large emitters of heat-trapping emissions to collect greenhouse gas (GHG) data under a new reporting system. This new program covers approximately 85 percent of the nation’s GHG emissions and applies to roughly 10,000 facilities. Are you compliant?

As a leading U.S. expert on greenhouse gas management for ISO Technical Committee 207, Subcommittee 7, Futurepast’s John Shideler is uniquely qualified for verifying your organization’s standards compliance, preparing your reporting, and implementing integrated GHG management systems. In short: We count carbon.

April 19th, 2010, by John Shideler

Biofuel Producers Reduce Compliance and Reputational Risks by Monitoring Feedstock Supply Chain Sustainability

Biofuels and bioenergy are poised for expansion as governments encourage their production to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and petroleum prices remain high. According to a report produced by the consulting firm McKinsey in August 2009, “growth in the demand for biomass of more than 8% a year is likely over the next decade.” [“Overview: Biomass, mobilizing a sustainable resource,” in Sustainable Bioenergy, London: Fulton Publishing, 2010, ISBN 978-0-9553720-4-9, p. 13.]

In the United States, a final rule published by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in February 2010 implements the changes in renewable fuel standards mandated by the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act. The new “RFS2” regulations extend renewable fuel obligations for the refining industry a decade beyond the 2012 date that was set in previous legislation. European governments also are seeking to increase the role that bioenergy plays in their countries, both by encouraging domestic producers and by seeking to increase imports of feedstocks. Motivations on bot…

continue
April 5th, 2010, by John Shideler

Two of the most successful International Standards of the last 25 years are ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. ISO 9001, a quality management system standard now used by more than one million organizations, first gave international prominence to the “systems approach” to management. It has become one of the all-time best-selling standards of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

Its success helped launch ISO 14001, an environmental management system based on the “plan-do-check-act” virtuous cycle of policy-driven planning, managing to meet objectives, establishing operational control, and monitoring and measuring progress towards meeting identified objectives and targets. Several hundred thousand organizations around the world have adopted ISO 14001, usually as an enhancement of a quality management system which has the goal of managing processes for delivering quality goods and services and satisfying customers.

Fundamental to an environmental management system is the identification of the environmental aspects of an orga…

continue