Latest news with #ClimatePledge
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Amazon's Latest Move to Reduce Waste Could Change Online Shopping
Amazon is taking a big step to reduce packaging waste amid rising criticism of its environmental practices. The e-commerce giant announced plans to install hundreds of automated box-making machines across European fulfillment centers by 2025, aiming to minimize excess packaging and cut carbon emissions. According to Amazon, these custom box-making machines use sensors to measure product dimensions and create made-to-fit boxes. Instead of relying on plastic padding, the machines pack items in recyclable paper, saving an average of 26 grams of packaging per shipment. The cool down reported that Pat Lindner, Amazon's vice president of mechatronics and sustainable packaging, called the move 'a significant step forward in reducing the environmental impact of deliveries for our European customers.' The initiative comes at a critical time. While Amazon has claimed it avoided 3 million metric tons of packaging since 2015 and co-founded The Climate Pledge in 2019 with a goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, environmental concerns persist. Recent reports highlighted Amazon's plans to invest $87 billion in data centers by 2030—projects that could generate an estimated 2.5 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions. In 2023, Business Insider revealed the environmental costs of Amazon's sprawling data center operations. Critics argue that the company's efforts to boost sustainability are undermined by its growing carbon footprint. Earlier this year, a class-action lawsuit accused Amazon of greenwashing, claiming that its paper products contribute to deforestation despite being labeled eco-friendly. Amazon's European packaging initiative is part of a broader push to balance customer demand with sustainability. The company plans to have 100,000 electric delivery vans on the road by the end of the decade and has ramped up its zero-emission transportation efforts. Whether these efforts are enough to offset the environmental impact of its vast logistics and data operations remains to be seen. But for now, Amazon's investment in automated packaging technology marks a clear shift toward a more sustainable model at least on Latest Move to Reduce Waste Could Change Online Shopping first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 1, 2025
Globe and Mail
01-04-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
EDP Renewables North America Adds 100 MW Amazon-backed Solar Park to Existing 1.6 GW Portfolio in Indiana with Completion of Riverstart III
The addition to the Riverstart Solar Park will provide 100 MW of renewable energy and economic growth to Randolph County , expanding the state's clean energy leadership. WINCHESTER, Ind. , April 1, 2025 /CNW/ -- EDP Renewables North America LLC ( EDPR NA) today celebrates the launch of the 100 megawatt (MW) Riverstart III Solar Park (Riverstart III) in Randolph County, Indiana . This newest third phase of the Riverstart Solar Park continues to enhance the county's energy resilience, reliability, and affordability while growing the local economy. Amazon has contracted for all 100 MW through a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA). The project is part of Amazon's Climate Pledge commitment to meet net-zero carbon emissions across its operations by 2040, as well as the company's efforts to match 100% of the electricity used by its operations with renewable energy. EDPR NA manages 11 phases of four projects in Indiana totaling 1,702 MW , a testament to the state's energy leadership. EDPR NA remains the largest owner and operator of renewable energy in Indiana , maintaining its standing as one of the top five renewable energy owners and operators in the United States. Riverstart III will generate electricity equivalent to the consumption of more than 19,200 Indiana homes. The economic boost over the lifetime of the project will benefit local initiatives such as schools, road maintenance, infrastructure, and other essential services. The project will provide an estimated $32.8 million to be paid to local governments in the form of tax payments, enabling county and local institutions to grow. Approximately $2.9 million will be spent locally on restaurants, shops, gas stations, and other retailers throughout the life of the project. Construction of the third phase of Riverstart created over 350 jobs, with multiple jobs to be created throughout its operation. Landowners and farmers within the project's footprint will be paid $28 million in land lease agreements, providing extra income to help maintain their land and ease financial burdens during challenging markets and weather affecting the US agricultural sector. In a nod to environmental stewardship, EDPR NA incorporated naturalized pollinator-friendly practices into the construction and maintenance of Riverstart III. EDPR NA projects in Indiana generate nearly 30% of all the wind, solar, and storage capacity in the state. These projects produce far more than energy for the region. The 11 phases of four projects developed by EDPR NA over the last 16 years have led to a total of $226.2 million in total economic impact to date. Since the first phase went online in 2009, the projects have paid a combined $35.3 million in taxes to local government, $90.6 million to landowners, with additional local spending representing approximately $100 million within the state. These projects collectively have created 1,820+ construction jobs and over 90 permanent jobs. "The continued growth of our portfolio in Indiana with the launch of this newest phase of Riverstart Solar is yet another example of the significant contribution that renewables and solar play to serve the Hoosier State's growing energy needs," stated Sandhya Ganapathy , CEO, EDP Renewables North America. "As the largest owner and operator of renewables in the state, we are grateful to Randolph County for our continued partnership focused on delivering economic and community benefits that have resulted in a positive track record." Since EDPR NA's first Randolph County project began operating in 2014, opportunities to positively contribute to the surrounding community have been sought out regularly, including sponsorship of local youth athletics teams including the M.C. Grizzlies, Winchester Pee Wee Cheerleading, and the Randolph Southern Schools Cheerleading program. The project team also supported livestock purchases and sponsorships of the annual Randolph County 4-H Fairs, as well as provided mentorship at local economic development "Shark Tank" events. Cornerstone contributions have included $100,000 for the Randolph County Fairgrounds Capital Campaign to support facility renovations and annual payments to the Utility Assistance Fund as part of Riverstart Solar's Economic Development Agreement. EDPR NA also assisted in establishing the Union Township Endowment Fund, which will fund local community-based projects within the Township over a 15-year period, totaling an investment of $360,000 . EDPR NA is a renewable energy leader in Indiana , operating clean energy projects totaling 1.7 GW of generating capacity. Projects include two phases of the 398 MW Headwaters Wind Farm, six phases of the 801 MW Meadow Lake Wind Farm, three phases of the 300 MW Riverstart Solar Park, and the 202 MW Sweet Acres Wind Farm. Multimedia resources include: About EDP Renewables North America EDP Renewables North America LLC (EDPR NA), its affiliates, and its subsidiaries develop, construct, own, and operate wind farms, solar parks, and energy storage systems throughout North America . Headquartered in Houston, Texas , with 61 wind farms, 26 solar parks, and eight regional offices across North America , EDPR NA has developed more than 12,000 megawatts (MW) and operates more than 11,400 MW of onshore utility-scale renewable energy projects. With more than 1,000 employees, EDPR NA's highly qualified team has a proven capacity to execute projects across the continent. For more information, visit and follow us on LinkedIn.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Excitement builds in businesses as they prepare for March Madness in Seattle
Eight teams, thousands of fans and millions of dollars will be coming to Seattle as the Emerald City plays host to the first and second rounds of the March Madness NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Oregon, Colorado State, Arizona, Grand Canyon, Memphis, Maryland, Liberty and Akron are the universities picked to play at Climate Pledge Arena on Friday and Sunday. 'March Madness is just the best time of year. It's my favorite sports competition in general,' Sam Jain said. 'It's really anyone's game, you can be a one seed or a 16 seed and you never know what's going to happen.' Sam and his friend Nick Smyrnov watched the selections roll in at Atlas Sports & Spirits, perusing Ticketmaster to punch their own tickets to the game. The two have their eyes on the second-round doubleheader next Sunday. 'It's what is motivating me to look for tickets for this game—the college atmosphere. I don't think you can get it anywhere else,' Smyrnov said. While Smyrnov and Jain are locals, though trying to get a group to pregame with them before the games next weekend, spending from the fans of teams coming into town has the potential to generate millions of dollars spent in Seattle during the weekend round of games. At the MarQueen Hotel, they watched their rooms fill up minutes after the selections were announced. 'We're hoping to sell out almost all of our rooms and in just the last hour we booked seven rooms which is like quite quick,' Kennady Brantley, with the MarQueen Hotel in Lower Queen Anne. Brantley says Climate Pledge events noticeably help their business. With a long weekend of events like this, it's several days of good vibes. 'It's just the best. The buzz in the air, the excitement, everyone is in a good mood it's wonderful,' Brantley said. In previous years, the Seattle Sports Commission reported as much as $6 million is spent by traveling fans when they are in town. Helping Seattle's case, teams like Colorado State, Arizona, Grand Canyon and especially Oregon have a relatively short way to go. 'Oregon being here I expect it's going to be pretty crazy, I'm looking forward to it,' said Marco Alvarado, owner of Atlas Sports Bar. It's Alvarado's first time open during a March Madness tournament, though he feels like he had a preview in December when Climate Pledge hosted Kentucky and Gonzaga in an overtime thriller. 'We were a Kentucky bar for the night. We didn't ask to be, but they didn't give us a choice and it was great.' Alvarado said.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Watch out for March Madness scams
In less than a week, Climate Pledge Arena will transform its ice rink into a basketball court as Seattle hosts thousands of fans for the first and second rounds of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Excitement for the tournament is building, but scammers are already hard at work. 'It's not that people are foolish or that they don't understand how to do things. This scamming is a professional business,' says cybersecurity expert, Paul Keener. In one of the largest scams, scammers sell tickets that look legitimate but aren't. Oftentimes, the buyers don't even know their ticket is fake until they arrive at the event and are turned away. For the NCAA tournament, a spokesperson for Climate Pledge tells KIRO 7, 'We strive for the best possible guest experience for all fans who come to Climate Pledge Arena, whether that be for a Kraken game, concert, or the upcoming March Madness games. We strongly encourage all fans to buy their tickets from the venue's primary ticket provider. For Climate Pledge Arena, this is NCAA Ticket Exchange on Ticketmaster is the official resale marketplace for the upcoming March Madness games.' 'Nobody wants to pay the service charges associated with all of these things,' says Keener. 'So you try to find a place like Facebook Marketplace or something like that.' He says if you do buy resale, use sites like Stub Hub, Vivid Seats, and Ticketmaster, which offer refund protections that Craigslist and Facebook don't have. His biggest coaching tip – use a credit card, so if you are scammed, you can dispute the charge and hopefully recoup the money. 'Maybe you're disappointed because you couldn't get in the game, but at least you didn't lose out $400 in tickets,' says Keener.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Google, Amazon, Meta join back tripling of global nuclear power by 2050
March 12 (UPI) -- A coalition of the world's biggest corporate energy users signed a pledge Wednesday in Houston to support a tripling of nuclear energy capacity by 2050. Founding signatories include tech giants Google, Amazon and Meta as well as Occidental, Dow, Allseas and OSGE. The World Nuclear Association brought the companies together to make the pledge to support the nuclear energy goal. It marks the first time companies outside the nuclear sector have come together across industries to push for concerted, robust nuclear power expansion to meet future global energy demand. The pledge initiative was led by Sama Bilbao y Leon, Director General of the World Nuclear Association. "The unprecedented support announced today by some of the world's most influential companies to at least triple global nuclear capacity by 2050 sends a clear signal to accelerate policy, finance and regulatory changes that enable the rapid expansion of nuclear power," he said. "Google will continue to work alongside our partners to accelerate the commercialization of advanced nuclear technologies that can provide the around-the-clock clean energy necessary to meet growing electricity demand around the world," Google's Lucia Tian said. Anti-nuclear power organizations like environmental activist group Greenpeace oppose the expansion of nuclear power, advocating sustainable solar and wind power instead. "Nuclear reactors are inherently unsafe. Meltdowns like the ones in Fukushima or Chernobyl released enormous amounts of radiation into the surrounding communities, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate. Many of them may never come back. If the industry's current track record is any indication, we can expect a major meltdown about once per decade," Greenpeace said in a statement. Greenpeace asserted that nuclear plants are not only more dangerous but are more expensive and take longer to build when what the world needs are fast, affordable and environmentally sustainable solutions. "As global economies expand, the need for a reliable, clean, and resilient energy supply is paramount. Nuclear energy, with its ability to provide continuous power, can help meet this rising demand," Meta's Urvi Parekh said. Amazon Web Services said in October it will invest $500 million in small nuclear reactors to generate electricity needed for expanding tech services, including artificial intelligence. It's part of Amazon's zero-carbon emissions effort. "Accelerating nuclear energy development will be critical to strengthening our nation's security, meeting future energy demands, and addressing climate change. Amazon supports the World Nuclear Association's pledge, and is proud to have invested more than $1 billion over the last year in nuclear energy projects and technologies, which is part of our broader Climate Pledge commitment to be net-zero carbon by 2040," AWS Head of Americas Energy and Water Brandon Oyer said. "It will be a lot harder to address environmental concerns while facilitating economic development in the world without the reliable, 24/7 base load power nuclear energy provides," Urenco Chief Commercial Officer Laurent Odeh said in a statement. "This support from large energy users is another sign for governments to enable new nuclear projects so we can accelerate construction and meet the energy needs of both industry and the public."
