EKOS Communications, Inc.

Building on the platform of microfinance, Professor Muhammad Yunus started the Social Business movement that has gained global attention over the past 2-5 years. But what is Social Business and how does it differ from Social Entrepreneurship? How does Social Business address Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in your company? How does Social Business differ from philanthropy? Does Social Business only address social issues in emerging countries-what about dealing with social issues closer to home? All these questions and more will be answered in a day-long training session presented by The Grameen Creative Lab-a joint venture between Professor Yunus and Hans Reitz. Who should attend? CSR professionals, individuals who want to know more about this movement for social change, and non-profit agencies seeking ways to become sustainable without grants or philanthropy. Session cost: $300 for profit, $200 non-profit and both include lunch. For more information about The Grameen Creative Lab, please go to http://www.grameencreativelab.com. To RSVP, please contact Eva Gomez at eva.gomez@csuci.edu or (805) 437-3271. Event information will be sent upon receipt of registration.

(Marketwire) -- 07/30/10 -- Green Mountain Power today asked the Vermont Public Service Board to authorize a 3.1 percent rate adjustment to go into effect on October 1, 2010, as part of its alternative regulation plan. The increase is primarily due to factors that affect all utilities in the region, such as the costs of reliability upgrades to the New England transmission grid. "Our goal is to provide premier service to our customers while operating effectively to keep rates as low as possible," said Mary Powell, Green Mountain Power President and Chief Executive Officer. "We have successfully controlled operating expenses under our direct control while significantly investing in projects to benefit customers in terms of reliability and generation without compromising our ability to provide services that our customers have come to expect. In fact, GMP operations and maintenance costs have remained about flat in two years while greatly expanding our system capabilities." More than half of the increase is due to reliability investments in the New England and Vermont transmission systems, and the rest is due to increases in taxes, depreciation and infrastructure investments. Green Mountain Power already operates very efficiently, with the most customers served per employee of any utility in the state, and meets or exceeds very high customer service standards, such as how quickly customers' calls are answered and the reliability of the electric service. To ensure system-wide reliability, every state pays a pro-rated share of all regional transmission reliability projects, based on its percentage of the total New England electric load. Vermont's four percent cost share requirement for the significant investments in the transmission infrastructure New England has made to meet reliability requirements contributes to this rate request. Other states, in turn, invest proportionately in Vermont transmission reliability upgrades. Green Mountain Power's overall average rates are the lowest of the large utilities in New England and Vermont's five largest utilities, based on the most recent data available. The rate advantage is due in large part to long term contracts with Vermont Yankee and Hydro Quebec, which make up three-quarters of the Company's power supply, and to the rest of New England's heavy use of fossil fuels, which are more volatile in cost. "We will continue to focus our efforts on delivering the most cost effective power to our customers," said Ms. Powell. "And as we work to replace expiring electric energy contracts, we are seeking the most cost competitive and reliable sources that are also low in carbon emissions and other air pollutants. This includes our preliminary agreement with Hydro Quebec, as well as our plans to purchase wind power from New Hampshire, to build a wind farm in Lowell, our investments in solar generation and upgrades to our hydro electric facilities." Green Mountain Power has operated under an alternative regulation plan since January 2007, which streamlines regulation while retaining appropriate regulatory review. It has been effective in significantly reducing regulatory costs while offering positive risk assurances to credit rating agencies. An updated alternative regulation plan has been approved by the Vermont Public Service Board and will be in effect until September 30, 2013. If the full rate request is approved, the monthly bill for an average residential customer using 600 kilowatt-hours would increase by $2.91 from $93.62 to $96.53. About Green Mountain Power Green Mountain Power (www.greenmountainpower.com) generates, transmits, distributes and sells electricity in the State of Vermont. It serves more than 175,000 people and businesses.

This is a Senior Level Conference is bringing together more than 150 leaders from the Biggest, Brightest and most revered Organizations from both the Public and Private Sectors from Fortune 1000 Companies to Major Organizations from the Public Sector. Not a tradeshow but a Senior Level Summit!!! The Green Initiatives Conference is the perfect forum for Senior Level Decision Makers to exchange ideas, benchmark, network and learn from each other best practices with regards to the latest trends in sustainability and how Smart Organizations are embedding sustainability into their organizational DNA and processes. This event is geared towards everyone involved in implementing and spearheading Green Initiatives for their respective Organizations from the CEO (City and Municipal Managers); Chief Sustainability Officers-(C.S.O), “Green Officers”, Organizational Strategists, Heads of Facilities Management and Procurement, CFOs, CIOs and last but not least, all line managers from different functional areas of an organization. The star line up of speakers includes

• Mindy Mahoney, Director Sustainability for the City of Atlanta
• Lynnette Young Executive Vice President, Sustainable Atlanta
• Amy Larkin, Greenpeace Solutions Group, Greenpeace
• Anda Ray, SVP of Environment & Technology, Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
• Jenny Cross, Global Director of Sustainability, Mohawk Industries
• Tim Bent, Director of Environment, Bridgestone
• Michelle Erikson, Initiative Director Sustainability & Research, Citigroup
• Pete Marte, CEO, Hannah Solar
• Will Sagar, Policy Director South East Recycling Development Council(SERDC)
• Zoe Antitich, Vice President and Head of the Carbon Disclosure Project, the worlds leading collector and disseminator of carbon data. Their data lies at the heart of thousands of corporations and government's policy and decision making.
• John Burgess, President and CEO-Coca-Cola Recycling, ranked #1 by Newsweek magazine as Americas Greenest Company for their environmental and sustainability initiatives.
• Garry Wygant, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development for Coca-Cola Recycling
• Ken Mitchell, Senior Climate Change Advisor, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Steve Leffin, Global Director of Sustainability, UPS
• Jody Wociewicz, Director of Sustainability for Yamaha USA
• Rochelle Routman, Chair of Sustainability Working Group, Georgia Power
• Mindy Mahoney, Director Sustainability for the City of Atlanta
• Claude Ouimet, SVP & GM, InterFaceFlor
• Jeff West, Director of Sustainability for Shaw Industries (A BerkshireHathaway Company).

Participants will learn how leading Public and Private Sector Organizations are forging ahead and moving their “Green Initiatives” from beyond just being a “cost center” to being a viable way to streamline their operations in a way that makes a huge impact not just on the environment but on their financial and social bottom lines as well. The conference will give a 360-degree view of the hurdles and opportunities surrounding the sustainability issue and then address the business case for going green across different functional areas.

/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- A coalition of politicians, customer advocates and utility employees this week called for Congress to fully fund the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program in the next federal budget and expand the program so more money is available to help pay summer cooling bills. More than 70 advocates, including 10 Entergy employees, and a LIHEAP recipient made their plea during a Capitol Hill press conference and in meetings with members of congressional delegations from the four states served by Entergy utilities. Speakers asked Congress to continue funding LIHEAP at $5.1 billion in the next budget. The employees and advocates were taking part in the annual LIHEAP Washington Action Day event - organized by the National Fuel Funds Network, the Edison Electric Institute and the American Gas Association - to promote the program. LIHEAP is the primary government tool to help pay household energy bills of eligible low-income families, especially those with elderly, disabled or young children, facing one-time emergency situations or victims of catastrophes like south Louisiana residents affected by the Gulf oil spill. It is the first LIHEAP Action Day held in the summer, a move meant to spotlight the needs of at-risk Americans in warm-weather states. Nationwide, only about 10 percent of Entergy News Release LIHEAP funds are devoted to summer cooling programs. Even with an appropriation of $5.1 billion for fiscal year 2010, estimates are LIHEAP will only reach about one out of every five eligible American households. Speaking in support of strengthening the program were U.S. Reps. Gene Green and Sheila Jackson Lee, both Texas Democrats. During Wednesday's press conference, Conway, Ark., resident Jema Quintana told how LIHEAP helped her and her young daughter get their power restored after she lost one of the two part-time jobs she was working and a broken-down car left her in financial disarray and with no other place to turn for help. "It got so bad that my daughter and I had to use the coffee pot at the local convenience store to cook noodles so we had something to eat," Quintana said. "We were at home in the dark and I just remember feeling 'Oh my God, what in the world am I going to do?' My daughter asked why the house was dark, and I told her the lights were broken. What do you say to your kid in a situation like that? "The discomfort was more than physical," she said. "When you come home and the power is off, there is no white noise, there is no comfort. It's dead silence, and it's just not healthy. I got really depressed. You feel as if there is no hope. I couldn't see my way out." Quintana received help when a friend told her about LIHEAP. She now works for the agency where she first sought help. "I know what our clients are going through. I'm not just somebody telling them rules. I was a client. I know how frustrating it is being dropped off and not having all of the paper work you need to get help. I also know that the agency is doing its part. I can honestly tell people I do understand," she said. Along with the call for fully funding LIHEAP, speakers asked the Obama administration to release the remaining $100 million in the program's contingency fund to help those suffering through record heat waves across the nation and to provide aid to Louisiana residents affected by the oil spill. The number of people seeking help grows each day, said Lorie Zylicz, who oversees the LIHEAP program for the St. Bernard Parish government. So far this year, LIHEAP has served 6,000 people in St. Bernard Parish, double the number for all of 2009, she said. "We've all seen on TV the fishermen sitting idle, but the people you don't see are the owners and employees of small businesses throughout the parish and elsewhere who support the fishing industry. You don't see the owners of icehouses who used to supply the fishing boats. You don't see the employees of trucking companies who used to haul seafood all over the country," Zylicz said. "We are hurting and we need help." Linda Barnes, manager of low-income initiatives for Entergy, said, "We need Congress to fully fund LIHEAP so people in financial crises can get some help. "Extreme summer heat is the number one weather-related killer in the nation," Barnes said. "The typical low-income family can spend up to 40 percent of their monthly budget on energy costs. LIHEAP is targeted to help those most vulnerable to extreme temperatures -- the elderly, disabled and working families with young children." Entergy Corporation (NYSE: ETR) is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, and it is the second-largest nuclear generator in the United States. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.7 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of more than $10 billion and more than 15,000 employees. Entergy's online address is entergy.com

/PRNewswire/ -- Leveraging a $20,000 "Feeding Our Future®" grant from the Sodexo Foundation, St. Anthony Central Hospital, along with volunteers from Sodexo and the Food Bank of the Rockies, serves 12,400 summer lunches to Denver children at risk of hunger. Sodexo's Feeding Our Future program provides school children who rely on free and reduced-price meals during the academic year with nutritious lunches during the summer break. The Food Bank of the Rockies and volunteers from Sodexo today celebrate the successful summer program with a special barbeque for more than 300 area children. City Council member Paula Sandoval and officials from the offices of Senator Mark Udall and Senator Michael Bennet will be in attendance along with former Denver Nuggets players, Walter Davis and Ervin Johnson. Sodexo managers and staff volunteered to cook for the barbeque, while volunteers from St. Anthony Central Hospital coordinate logistics. Each child attending event the will receive a bicycle helmet and a food-filled backpack, donated by various local organizations. "With nearly one in four children living in households that find it increasingly difficult to put food on the table, there are bound to be additional challenges when the school doors close for the summer," said Stephen J. Brady, president of the Sodexo Foundation. "As the leading food service provider to public schools throughout this country, we understand the needs that exist and we are determined to make a positive impact that leads to the elimination of hunger in this country." Every day, an estimated 17 million U.S. children rely on school breakfast and lunch programs as their only guaranteed meals. When schools shut down for the summer, federal meal programs feed only about three million, leaving 13 million children at risk for hunger. To help bridge this gap, the Sodexo Foundation, the independent charitable organization of Sodexo, Inc., has provided free lunches to children through its summer feeding program, Feeding Our Future, since 1997. The Sodexo Foundation provides grants to local Sodexo accounts to purchase food for the meals and local Sodexo employees prepare the meals each day. In addition to Denver, Feeding Our Future will be providing more than 300,000 summer lunches in 19 other cities in the United States: Atlanta, Ga., Boston, Mass., Buffalo, N.Y., Camden, N.J., Chattanooga, Tenn., Chicago, Ill., Detroit, Mich., Fort Worth, Texas, Honolulu, Hawaii, Houston, Texas, Los Angeles, Calif., Miami, Fla., New York, N.Y., Oklahoma City, Okla., San Jose, Calif., St. Cloud, Minn., St. Louis, Mo., Terre Haute, Ind. and Washington, D.C. Feeding Our Future is a program of the Sodexo Foundation, an independent charitable organization supporting hunger-related initiatives that focus on eliminating the root causes of hunger in the U.S. Sodexo pays all administrative costs of the Foundation to ensure that all money raised is directed to those in need. For more details, please visit www.helpstophunger.org. About Sodexo Sodexo in North America Sodexo, Inc. (www.sodexoUSA.com), leading Quality of Daily Life Solutions company in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, delivers On Site Service Solutions in Corporate, Education, Health Care, Government, and Remote Site segments, as well as Motivation Solutions such as Esteem Pass. Sodexo, Inc., headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., funds all administrative costs for the Sodexo Foundation (www.SodexoFoundation.org), an independent charitable organization that, since its founding in 1999, has made more than $12 million in grants to fight hunger in America. Visit the corporate blog at www.sodexoUSA.com/blog. Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Daily Life Solutions Quality of Life plays an important role in the progress of individuals and the performance of organizations. Based on this conviction, Sodexo is the strategic partner for companies and institutions that place a premium on performance and well-being, as it has since Pierre Bellon founded the company in 1966. Sharing the same passion for service, Sodexo's 380,000 employees, in 80 countries design, manage and deliver an unrivaled range of On-site Service Solutions and Motivation Solutions. Sodexo has created a new form of service business that contributes to the economic, social and environmental development of the communities, regions and countries in which it operates and to the fulfillment of its employees. Key Figures (as of August 31, 2009) Sodexo in the WorldSodexo in North America14.7 billion euro consolidated revenue7.7 billion dollars revenue380,000 employees120,000 employees33,900 sites10 million consumers served daily50 million consumers served daily6,000 clients80 countries700 facilities management sites22nd largest employer worldwide

(Marketwire) -- 07/30/10 -- Novo Energies Corporation (OTCBB: NVNC) ("Novo" or the "Company"), an alternative energy company, announced today that it has entered into a Technology Collaboration Agreement ("Agreement") with Colorado based Precision Pipe and Vessel, LLC ("Precision"). Novo Energies has been granted a worldwide exclusive license to use Precision's proprietary gasification technology to convert plastic and tire waste into energy products including electricity, synthesis gases and other valuable commodities such as recovered steel. Novo and Precision have agreed to collaborate to enhance and augment Precision's existing operating pilot plant in Colorado, at which time Novo will seek multiple facilities in the United States and oversee the development of energy projects outside of North America through its partner, Novo Energies International, Ltd. Antonio Treminio, CEO and Chairman of Novo Energies, stated, "This is a major milestone for Novo Energies, its team, and our shareholders. In our search for the most efficient and economical methods to convert plastic and used tires into valuable energy products, we have spent the last 12 months evaluating several technologies, including pyrolysis, gasification and microwave based systems. As a result of such efforts, we have selected Precision's gasification technology based on the following:

• Allows efficient conversion of tires and plastic feedstock to energy
• Environmentally friendly -- the process produces zero toxic emissions, making it a green energy technology
• The preliminary synthesis gas resulting from conversion of tires and plastic meets strict standards on quality and consistency
• Has the highest carbon conversion of any known gasification system on the market
• Self sufficient by using the produced syngas to power the process
• Low cost of production

"We are extremely confident that this collaboration between Novo Energies and Precision will allow us to develop the first commercially and economically viable tire to energy facility in North America." "Precision Pipe has successfully developed and operated the only known facility of this kind in the World. Our plant is capable of efficiently and effectively converting tire and plastic feedstock into high quality syngas. In addition, we are able to reliably accomplish this on a consistent basis with no process emissions. Based upon our many years of experience in designing, building, and operating other gasification technologies and gas production facilities, we recognize that we have invented a truly disruptive, clean, and renewable energy technology. We look forward to collaborating with Novo to develop the first commercial tire to energy plant in North America," stated Ken Klepper, President of Precision. Novo plans to demonstrate the pilot facility in Denver, Colorado, as a showcase unit for government officials, institutions, utility companies, and the investment community, as well as augment its output to reach fully commercial quantities. "The showcase of the presently operating technology in Colorado is an important step towards our goals for commercialization. We aim to present a unique solution to government officials and the investment community by simultaneously solving their waste issues and creating a new class of energy sources, previously unavailable. As we will confront these issues on a truly local level, we will be able to control costs, allow scalability and reduce time to market. By offering a cost effective solution for a regional socio-economic issue, the Company has defined its goal as the replication of these plants world-wide, thereby successfully reducing waste while producing an alternative source of energy," sated Mr. Faisal Butt, VP Corporation Communications & Finance. About Novo Energies Corporation: Novo Energies Corporation ("Novo") is an alternative energy company publicly trading on the OTC Bulletin Board market (OTCBB: NVNC). Based upon proprietary technology, Novo intends to own and operate recycling plants that will efficiently, economically, environmentally and profitably recycle scrap tires and plastics into energy and other commodities. The core of Novo's technology to recycle tires and plastics into energy is a Multi Stage Hybrid Gasification System, which undertakes the conversion of carbonaceous feedstock to a clean synthesis gas ("syngas") with an upgraded heating value in an environmentally friendly manner. Such process which does not involve combustion or other reagents and pollutants. As an interim step, Novo will transform scrap tires and plastics into syngas, which will be used as a fuel for engines and turbines to produce electricity and heat in a cogeneration facility. The syngas may also be converted into transportation fuel or other fuel additives through the use of a standard catalyst-based process such as Fischer-Tropsch. About Precision Pipe & Vessel, LLC Precision Pipe & Vessel, LLC, a Denver based fully qualified ASME welding and vessel fabricator is a family owned and operated business. Precision Pipe has extensive experience in natural gas and oil. In addition, Precision Pipe has thirty years' experience developing and fabricating other process equipment, including heat exchangers, boilers, and pressure vessels that serve in many fields of application, such as: pharmaceutical, cosmetics, food services, distillation, breweries, clean-tech, textiles, ink, renewable energy, bio-fuels, and many others. Precision Pipe's Multi-Stage Hybrid Gasifier requires no external fuel sources and it creates zero green house gas emissions. Forward-Looking Statements: Except for statements of historical fact,this news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation expectations, beliefs, plans and objectives regarding the development, use and marketability of products. Such forward-looking statements are based on present circumstances and on Novo's predictions with respect to events that have not occurred, that may not occur, or that may occur with different consequences and timing than those now assumed or anticipated. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, and are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from the events or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include general economic and business conditions, the ability to successfully develop and market products, consumer and business consumption habits, the ability to fund operations and other factors over which Novo has little or no control. Such forward looking statements are made only as of the date of this release, and Novo assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. Readers should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Risks, uncertainties and other factors are discussed in Novo's Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended March 31, 2009, and other documents filed from time to time by Novo with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

/PRNewswire/ -- Teradata Corporation (NYSE: TDC) announced that it has made impressive strides in meeting its corporate social responsibility goals in the area of corporate ethics, community relations projects, and environmental sustainability. Teradata's successes have been described in the just-released 2009 Teradata Corporate Social Responsibility Report. "In all aspects, Teradata had an outstanding year. Teradata was named one of the world's most ethical companies, it introduced its purpose-built platform family saving customers 60 percent on energy, instituted internal energy reduction initiatives sufficient to power more than 200 U.S. homes and supported employee volunteer projects that made a positive difference in the local communities worldwide," said Bruce Langos, chief operations officer, Teradata Corporation. "Contrary to what many think, a commitment to corporate ethics, community relations projects, and environmental sustainability all contribute to corporate profitability, and support a strong and vibrant corporation." Teradata Platform Family: Powerful Analytics with Energy Efficiency Teradata is committed to offering environmentally-conscious, best-in-class products and services to customers. To meet customers' business intelligence needs, the Teradata Purpose-Built Platform Family presents customers with a range of architectural options for best price and performance optimization. The platform family enables customers to drive profitable growth, based on analytics-driven business intelligence. In addition to price and performance, customers can benefit from an operating expense reduction. The dramatic boost in Teradata system performance enables customers to do the same data warehouse work using 60 percent less energy as compared to the Teradata platform of three years ago. The efficiency is especially important; because the costs for data center power, cooling, and floor space will soon outpace the cost of the equipment in the data center. Environmental Awareness and Action "We are proud that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Climate Leaders program has officially approved Teradata's aggressive five-year goal to reduce its worldwide greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent," said Langos. Teradata joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Climate Leaders program in 2008 to manage emissions risks from operations and to identify cost-effective mitigation opportunities. According to Langos, "The company-wide energy-reduction strategy has already brought solid results." One of Teradata's energy conservation initiatives was completed in the San Diego research and development facility in six months and covered a wide range of power uses. Teradata now saves 2.5 million kilowatt-hours of energy yearly, which is sufficient to power more than 200 homes for one year. The investment in conservation paid for itself within one year and the ongoing savings contribute to corporate profitability. The Teradata facility in Hyderabad, India launched a multifaceted energy and resource conservation campaign. All energy-consuming cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors were replaced, providing a 60 percent reduction in energy usage. The legacy servers were replaced with smaller, more efficient, and virtualized servers, which improved lab floor space usage and reduced power consumption. More than 100 employees planted carbon dioxide-absorbing trees around the facility and in their neighborhoods and eliminated the wasteful use of disposable paper and plastic cups. Social Responsibility Initiatives Energize Teradata was one of four global software companies named one of world's top 100 "Most Ethical Companies" by The Ethisphere Institute for its ethical and integrity-based leadership. According to the institute, ethical practices create a competitive advantage, which is imperative to business success. There is a strong correlation between a company's ethics program and its performance, with ethical companies outperforming the market. Teradata Cares, Teradata's community relations program, continued into its second year, with a broad array of volunteer projects that benefited communities and enriched employees. Teradata's support of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) educational program initiatives encouraged students around the globe to be future technologists and business leaders. Teradata's annual Days of Caring, held in August, energized more than 900 employees, family members, customers, and partners – to complete 55 community projects in 25 cities globally. The annual "Celebration of Caring Awards" program recognized the outstanding volunteer achievements of employees with work on behalf of disaster relief, AIDS, educational and mentoring programs, environmental campaigns, community development and a host of other causes. The report is available at: http://www.teradata.com/t/corporate-social-responsibility About Teradata Teradata Corporation (NYSE: TDC) is the world's largest company solely focused on raising intelligence and achieving enterprise agility through its database software, enterprise data warehousing, data warehouse appliances, consulting, and enterprise analytics. Visit Teradata on the web at www.teradata.com. Teradata is a trademark or registered trademark of Teradata Corporation in the United States and other countries.

The newest sessions in the BSR Conference 2010 agenda-featuring a behind-the-scenes look at how NBC is "greening" its productions, an in-depth examination of how corporations are integrating multiple environmental issues into their management programs, and a conversation with LRN Founder and How: Why How We Do Anything Means Everything…in Business (and in Life) author Dov Seidman-each reflect the Conference's "Innovate. Integrate. Inspire." theme. "The key to having a successful sustainability agenda is not only to champion it inside your business yourself, but to inspire others to do the same," said BSR Conference Director Pamela Ellman. "Each of these sessions-and the others we have on the agenda-will illuminate an aspect of the Conference theme that will inspire participants to think of new ways to integrate innovation and sustainability." Here is a sample of the latest sessions reflecting the Conference theme: Innovate | Greening Show Biz: From "30 Rock" to "It's Complicated" To address concerns over waste, energy, and general environmental impacts, the Green Is Universal team at NBC Universal has developed a first-of-its-kind guide that film and television professionals-and other industry practitioners-can can use to reduce the impacts of large-scale productions. In an industry with tight margins, applying robust business strategies and metrics to the use of natural resources and building materials not only saves money, it creates more innovative approaches to productions. This one-hour session features NBC Universal's Vice President, Green is Universal/Sustainability, Beth Colleton, and Green Media Solutions Principal Meredith Bergmann. Integrate | New Expectations: Corporate Environmental Performance With investors, government agencies, and civil society integrating ecosystem services into their expectations of corporate environmental performance, companies are moving beyond single- issue management for environmental challenges, and now including impacts on broad ecological dynamics such as the supply of reliable quantities of water, the cycling of nutrients in soil, and the provision of natural barriers against extreme weather events. This session-featuring speakers from DuPont, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Walt Disney Imagineering-will explore how policy makers and leading companies are integrating ecosystem services into decision-making and the implications of this new trend in corporate environmental performance. Inspire | In Conversation With Dov Seidman As Founder and CEO of LRN, Seidman pioneered the idea that the most principled businesses are the most profitable over the long term. As author of How (Wiley 2007)-called the best business book of 2009 by the Wall Street Journal and BusinessWeek-he argues that in our increasingly wired world, people and organizations should devote more time and energy to how they do what they do. Through his work developing ethical corporate cultures at more than 400 companies globally, Seidman has inspired principled performance in business that has given those companies a sustainable competitive advantage. BSR Board Chairman Mats Lederhausen will interview Seidman in this engaging conversation. The BSR Conference 2010-regularly ranked by independent analysts as one of the top corporate responsibility events globally-will give participants the chance to learn at these and other sessions on new ideas and practical solutions for sustainable business. To register and get updates on speakers, sessions, and more, visit www.bsr.org/conference. Media may request a complimentary press pass to the BSR Conference 2010 from BSR Communications Manager Eva Dienel at edienel@bsr.org. About BSR A leader in corporate responsibility since 1992, BSR works with its global network of more than 250 member companies to develop sustainable business strategies and solutions through consulting, research, and cross-sector collaboration. With offices in Asia, Europe, and North America, BSR uses its expertise in the environment, human rights, economic development, and governance and accountability to guide global companies toward creating a just and sustainable world. Visit www.bsr.org for more information.

Green America, a national nonprofit green-economy organization announced the winners of its first-ever "green grants" contest: Build It Up, West Virginia Summer Program received the top prize of $2,500, while three other green projects (Habitat for Humanity of Mahoning County, the New Orleans Society for Conservation Biology, and Vertical Harvest of Jackson Hole), each received a runner-up prize of $1,000 apiece. Winners for the contest were chosen by thousands of voters across the United States, choosing their favorite green project from among ten finalists chosen by Green America staff. The ten finalists were chosen from an initial pool of 275 green projects, nominated from across the country. To qualify as a green project, and be a finalist, each nominee's work was required to join social justice concerns with environmental responsibility – Green America's definition of "green." "All of the Green Grant winners represent the best work going on across the United States to make communities greener and stronger," says Todd Larsen, Green America’s Corporate Responsibility Director. "We're excited to follow what each of the winners will do with their prize money to help their local community go green." "The Green Grant helps us pay for the housing for the Summer Program Participants as well as buying needed tools for the Pedalers' Paradise Community Bike Shop, helping volunteers get work done and earn bikes," says Eduardo Canelon a Site Coordinator for the Build It Up, WV Program. The Summer Program offers employment and enrichment opportunities for Appalachian youth, providing inspiration for new ways to power the Appalachian economy that aren't dependent on coal mining. "Our strong showing in this nationwide contest gives us some "bragging rights" and will help promote our specific project to a wider audience," says Steve Hanzely, a Habitat for Humanity volunteer in Mahoning County, Ohio. The Habitat project nominated for this prize involves interfaith groups in Mahoning County – Jews, Christians, Muslims, and others – coming together to build an energy-efficient house for a local family in need. "The $1,000 grant prize will be placed in a special account and will be used toward the estimated $85,000 construction cost of The House of Abraham." "This grant comes at the best time for us - our school is really suffering from budget cuts and has been slow to release the money allocated to our organization by the student government," says Jessa Madosky, leader of the New Orleans Society for Conservation Biology, a student-run initiative at the University of New Orleans that is bringing a recycling program back to campus for the first time since Hurricane Katrina. "This grant, and the publicity we generated from the vote drive on campus, should really help the school see that this is an important initiative." "We are thrilled to be able to receive this grant from Green America because it highlights the goals of our greenhouse project -- supporting social justice and environmental responsibility as the greenhouse will focus on prioritizing the employment of our citizens with disabilities while designing a greenhouse that is environmentally responsible and innovative," says Penny McBride, project administrator for Vertical Harvest of Jackson Hole. "The greenhouse will strive to use alternative energy sources, be a model of how other communities can grow their own produce on a small footprint of land while reinvigorating an underutilized parcel of land in the heart of town." About Green America Green America (formerly Co-op America) is the nation's leading green economy organization. Founded in 1982, Green America provides the economic strategies, organizing power and practical tools for businesses and individuals to solve today's social and environmental problems. Green America's green economy programs encourage corporate responsibility, tackle climate change, build fair trading systems, advance healthy, local communities, and provide green purchasing and investing information for families and businesses. 2010 is the first year that Green America has presented Green Grant Awards, which were made possible through the support of a generous donor. To receive Green America's popular publications, including the Green American and the National Green Pages™, participate in Green America's Green Business Conferences or Green Festivals, or to get its free e-newsletter, providing the latest green news, green discounts, and opportunities to take action for a green economy, visit www.GreenAmericaToday.org, email info@GreenAmericaToday.org, or call at 800-58-GREEN.

What do Academy Award-winning actor Jeff Bridges and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Peter Matthiessen have in common? They'll be among those appearing at the first Western Socially Engaged Buddhism Symposium, a major gathering of activists, academics, and famous supporters of the socially engaged Buddhist movement, to be held at Zen Peacemakers in Montague, MA from August 9-14, 2010, with events open to the public. "Many people think that Buddhists only sit on cushions and meditate," says Bernie Glassman, founder of Zen Peacemakers and a pioneer in socially engaged Buddhism. "In fact, however, increasing numbers of American Buddhists are feeding the hungry, working on environmental issues, caring for the sick and the dying in hospitals and in hospices, teaching prisoners, and serving those neglected by society. We're excited to be offering this important and ground-breaking symposium to honor the leaders of socially engaged Buddhism in the West, and to inform people about their valuable work." The symposium will combine lively and provocative educational workshops and discussion groups with a dazzling array of entertainment. Among dozens of workshops and discussions offered, topics will include "Social Entrepreneurship," "Internet and Media," "Zen Houses," "Politics and Justice," "Race and Diversity," "Mental Health," "Challenges for Socially Engaged Buddhism," and, on August 12, "Environment," in which best-selling authors Matthiessen and Daniel Goleman will participate. Entertainment includes Bridges on August 13 (sold-out), singing and performing on guitar in the rollicking style that won acclaim in his Oscar-winning performance as country-and-western musician Bad Blake in the recent film "Crazy Heart"; an original theater production, "Ambush on T Street," featuring noted local performers Court Dorsey, Al Miller, and John Sheldon on August 12; and renowned Beat poet Anne Waldman reading on August 14. Keynote speakers will include well-known Buddhist scholars and writers such as Robert Thurman and Jon Kabat-Zinn. "This promises to be a landmark event in American Buddhism," Glassman says. The Symposium will be held on the Zen Peacemakers' beautiful rural campus in Montague, close to Amherst, Northampton, and Greenfield, and easily accessible from Interstate 91. For more information, or to register, please call Laurie Smith, registrar, at 413-367-5272, or e-mail her at laurie@zenpeacemakers.com, or go to the website, www.zenpeacemakers.org.

For the past five years, Gulf area residents have struggled to rebuild roads, homes, schools and businesses devastated by Katrina. To help rebuild childhoods, national non-profit KaBOOM! has channeled more than $9,975,000 into the Gulf and mobilized 31,325 volunteers to build playgrounds in the areas hit hardest by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In New Orleans, on August 26th and 27th, to commemorate the 5th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, KaBOOM! will build its 135th and 136th playgrounds in the Gulf since the storms. While every KaBOOM! playground build is an inspiring event, those in honor of the 5th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina will give volunteers a special chance to reflect on the storms' impact while they work to renew their neighborhoods. KaBOOM! playground builds transform empty lots into colorful new playgrounds in just one day, making tangible progress that sparks neighbors to take on the larger problems the region continues to face. With the generous support of funders such as Jim and Donna Barksdale, The Home Depot Foundation, Marriott International, Playworld Systems Inc., Fannie Mae, NBA Cares, the DJR Foundation, AmeriCares, the Walt Disney Company and ING DIRECT, KaBOOM! has given 90,156 children from Houston to Mobile a place to play every day and just be kids. While playgrounds are important for all children, they're critically important for children who need to de-stress and work through traumatic events. KaBOOM! began planning playground projects in the area shortly after Katrina floodwaters receded. "When we went in to build our first playground after the storm, those outside the area were incredulous, believing that playgrounds were the last thing people needed in the midst of the devastation," said Darell Hammond, CEO and Co-founder, KaBOOM! "But hundreds of residents flocked to the project to help give their children a safe place to escape the stress of the rebuilding effort and reclaim their childhood. Our first post-Katrina Gulf build was on December 17th, and for many, it was their only Christmas gift to their children." Hundreds of tearful residents turned out to get to work rebuilding, and to renew a sense of normalcy and safety for their children. After finishing the December 17th build, and seeing firsthand how the experience transformed the community, Darell promised to build 100 playgrounds in the areas affected by the storms. KaBOOM! delivered on this promise in 2008, but continues to bring substantial resources on the Gulf because the need remains so great. This need stretched well beyond giving children somewhere to spend time. In the months after the storm, when the children drew their dream playgrounds for the KaBOOM! design team, children consistently drew their houses on top of the playground, and sometimes drew their playgrounds on top of hills. Childhood behavior experts theorize that this expressed a feeling that their houses would be safe on a KaBOOM! playground, and that these playgrounds represented something good, safe, and permanent, qualities children desperately need. In many areas, the playground was the first permanent structure to be rebuilt. KaBOOM! Gulf Highlights

• New Orleans proper has received 57 KaBOOM! playgrounds, with 19 built in partnership with the Recovery School District and eight built with area charter schools. KaBOOM! is so well known in the city that staff members wearing KaBOOM!-branded shirts and jackets are regularly stopped by former volunteers who share stories about the playgrounds they helped build.
• To commemorate the year-mark of Hurricane Katrina, KaBOOM!, The Home Depot, Playworld Systems and Hands On Network mobilized thousands of volunteers to build ten playgrounds in just four days, Aug. 28-31, 2006.
• On June 14, 2008, KaBOOM! built our 100th playground in the Gulf Coast in Bay St. Louis where the initiative began.
• In June 2009, after volunteering at 16 playground builds, Linda Prout funded a playground build in memory of her son. Since then, she's gone on to volunteer for 12 more playground builds for a grand total of 28 projects.
• In March 2010, KaBOOM! and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons built a state-of-the-art multi-generational playspace in Metarie, just outside of New Orleans. More than 600 volunteers worked side by side to build a new playground and outdoor exercise equipment to keep the adults active too.

To kick off the two builds honoring the 5th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, volunteers will be given a chance to reflect on the past five years and share their families' experience during and after the storm. Then, all attention will be turned toward building a playground and getting the job done the KaBOOM! way, with lots of music and energy and fun.

Sustainable Life Media launched its proprietary research division, SLM Insights™ today and announced the immediate availability of two new reports: "The 2009 Sustainability Initiatives Report," and "Exporting Textiles: The March to Sustainability". Created in conjunction with Zumer.com and cKinetics, the inaugural reports provide a range of new insights across the sustainability industry. The 2009 Sustainability Initiatives Study, a joint venture between SLM Insights and Zumer.com, compares corporations’ sustainability activities in 38 categories and identifies each as either responsive to regulatory pressure or compliance requirements or conversely as more forward-looking and reflective of a commitment to sustainability leadership and innovation. Results were compiled by researching over 6,000 sustainability initiatives, a survey of 1,700 consumers and dozens of expert interviews. Among other things, the study revealed a broad shift in corporate sustainability reporting toward more socially-focused initiatives, particularly improved reporting on employee wages, training and benefits, community giving and occupational health and safety. cKinetics, a venture accelerator, partnered with SLM Insights to provide a rare look at key trends driving adoption of materials requirements across the India based textile supply chain as part of their India Carbon Outlook, an independent information marketplace which leverages data in tracking actions and impact related to India's carbon footprint. "We are excited by the opportunity to bring to market some unique new research which we believe addresses some of the gaps in currently available insight across the full eco-system of stakeholders impacting sustainable innovation," said KoAnn Skrzyniarz, Founder and CEO of Sustainable Life Media. "Our goal as a company is to help drive more rapid environmental and social innovation. Providing access to new data-driven insights and benchmarking studies will help. We are grateful to be working with these two partners, and others which we will be announcing shortly, to help bring new insight and perspective to the community of businesses seeking avenues to profitably leverage sustainability as a driver of innovation." SLM Insights is a platform that provides the brands community access to some of the most innovative research on the market today. From learning the industry's best practices around CSR to understanding what consumers are searching for "beyond green," SLM Insights' research will provide businesses with actionable information that gives them a way to stay one step ahead of the market. SLM Insights will release two inaugural reports: "Sustainability Initiatives Report" A joint venture between SLM Insights and Zumer.com, this 130-page report tracks the sustainability activities of 100 companies in 10 industries, analyzing what activity occurred in 2009 and what to expect in 2010. For sustainability executives, the report provides detailed analysis of industry trends and rankings useful in benchmarking performance and goal setting for 2011. Complimentary executive summary download is available at www.sustainablelifemedia.com/insights "Exporting Textiles: The March to Sustainability" As the textile supply chain has evolved to meet changing price and quality demands from the global marketplace, so has the sophistication of buyers in tracking their suppliers. In the mid-1990s, buyers added a new dimension to their requirements, and began making demands regarding health, safety and labor conditions. Global manufacturing centers have increasingly had to respond not only to local requirements but also to global ones. This report provides a current benchmark of leadership practices at top firms. Complimentary report excerpt download is available at www.sustainablelifemedia.com/insights About Sustainable Life Media Sustainable Life Media (SLM) is the leading producer of sustainable business conferences and educational events, with additional products and services designed to inspire and equip businesses to profitably innovate for sustainability. These include targeted e-newsletters, online learning programs, various community membership levels, the flagship Sustainable Brands conference and now, research. SLM delivers information on the who, what and how of environmental and social innovation, and helps community members connect with thought leaders, peers, partners and solutions providers who can help them quickly reach their goals. For more information, please visit: http://www.sustainablelifemedia.com/about. To subscribe to SLM Newsletters for free, please visit http://www.sustainablelifemedia.com/newsletters.

/PRNewswire/ - CORE K12, an international education company dedicated to providing useful, practical technology solutions to K-12 educators, announced today the release of Seedplay. In the face of unprecedented economic challenges, Seedplay provides educators with a low-cost, high-tech solution that maximizes student engagement, enrollment, and achievement. Seedplay leverages the iGeneration's natural affinity for social networking to link learning to leadership. Seedplay empowers every student to identify a real world problem facing their school or community, which they can then address with a solution in the form of a project. Students form teams, launch their projects, and tap into a global support network of micro-funders and fans who help them reach their goals. Students grow this support network over time and use it in future projects. Developed by Harlan Gaston and marketed by CORE K12, Seedplay is designed to help students identify a need within their community, propose a solution in the form of a project plan, form a team of peer collaborators, and reach a variety of potential funders, micro-donors and stakeholders across the globe who support them in completing each project. Teachers use the Seedplay curriculum to guide students through a process of creating a project plan, which includes action plans, budgets and organizational models to govern each project. "The building blocks of every successful human endeavor are part of the Seedplay curriculum," explains Gaston. "Entrepreneurs, executives, researchers, and virtually all professionals at the top of their industry utilize a particular skill set that we offer students who use Seedplay. We created the program as a platform to engage and empower the full spectrum of students across curricula, from the most at-risk to those identified as gifted. In any case, we have real data showing that students taking part in Seedplay are raising their education to the next level." Kevin Howell, CORE K12 president, adds, "During our recent pilot program at Crenshaw High School in Los Angeles Unified School District, we worked with a population of 1,800 students, of which more than 40% are in foster care and have an API below 600. Many just don't show up for school or have any incentive to participate once they arrive. Of the 180 students involved with the Seedplay pilot program this summer, all had improved attendance and showed real engagement in their classes. And several students have actual projects that are in the funding stage right now." "Turning around disengaged students while keeping the brightest interested is a real challenge for us," concurs Maynard Brown, teacher at Crenshaw High School Business Academy. "We are always seeking new ways to create learning opportunities that are challenging and enriching. Seedplay fit the bill because it supports learning in a way this generation of students, called the iGeneration, understands and with which they interact on a daily basis. They have grown up understanding social networking and its power to make things happen. Because Seedplay supports a real project for a real cause using real donations, the students aren't playing or simulating, they are doing! We are all looking forward to next year with more students involved." Schools that license Seedplay (www.seedplay.com), currently in beta format) receive full service, in-person and online professional development for administrators and faculty, and a 24/7 help desk. Seedplay offers a supplemental online 'writing across curricula' program to help students develop action plans, budgets, and identify the community or other organization their project will benefit. Once a project is submitted to their faculty sponsor for final approval, the projects are published to the project gallery on Seedplay.com and can be shared and discovered by the public. Anyone interested in funding the project logs in and offers a donation in any denomination as low as $0.01 to the project of their choice, using a credit card or PayPal account. Others will simply become 'Followers' of the project and can offer moral support, and securely answer questions from the project's founding team. All communications are public and security protocols protect the identity of the children, while enabling them to invite their support network to their next project. Donors come from around the globe. The projects eventually travel full-circle when the students receive feedback from the stakeholders. This is gathered through surveys regarding the value generated from their projects at various steps along the way, right through to project completion. Schools license Seedplay based on enrollment, with pricing available on a school or district basis. Seedplay is effective across the curriculum, but is especially well suited to drop-out prevention and community service programs. Call 888-778-7737 for more information on Seedplay pricing. CORE K12 press contact is Peggy Fernau at 405-258-7328 or Peggy@Lanierthinking.com. About CORE K12 - Core K12 Education (CORE K12) is a division of CORE ECS, based in the United States. CORE K12 delivers highly customized solutions to meet the specific needs of State and Local Education Agencies (SEAs/LEAs) and school districts. Our unique and innovative products and services include state-of-the-art, technology-based formative assessment systems, innovative intervention curricula, engaging Web-based training, highly effective professional development seminars, and customized content and assessment development. All our programs and services deliver valuable, useful tools for educators from the classroom level through district and/or state level administrators. We currently work with more than 2.5 million students in schools, districts, and states across the country, including the Los Angeles Unified School District, Palm Beach County Public Schools, Orange County Public Schools, the Texas Education Agency, and the Virginia Department of Education. About Harlan Gaston - Harlan Gaston passed by drug dealers, pimps, prostitutes and gang members to attend high school behind the Nickerson Gardens housing projects each day. Despite his unfavorable circumstances, Harlan overcame the streets of Watts to attend Stanford University at the age of 16, and at age 20 became Bertelsmann's youngest and first American Reinhard Mohn Fellow. Trained by the senior executives of Bertelsmann Media divisions worldwide, Harlan (now 28) created Seedplay to help kids develop their own ideas into projects and eventually companies, and to foster entrepreneurship among those who have a dream and the fortitude to see it become a reality.

Multimillion dollar clean tech investments; top ranked in eco-friendly products; lowered emissions Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in digital convergence technologies and device solutions, today announced the first year results of its sweeping PlanetFirst™ initiative, a companywide commitment to become one of the world's most environmentally friendly companies by 2013. Outlining its progress in achieving the comprehensive sustainability goals laid out under the PlanetFirst™ initiative, Samsung said it invested a total of 1.01 trillion Korean won (about US$865 million) in developing environmentally friendly products and building green manufacturing sites in 2009. The company has also reduced sales-normalized greenhouse emissions* from its manufacturing facilities by 31 percent and increased average energy efficiency of its new products by 16 percent. "Over the past year, Samsung has made a global, companywide commitment to meeting and surpassing our Eco-Management 2013 goals," said Park Sangbum, senior vice president and head of the CS & Environment Center, Samsung Electronics. "We're focused on understanding the impact of everything we do and becoming a true leader in sustainable business practices." Samsung reported its progress across four core objectives laid out under the Eco-Management 2013 initiative, which was unveiled in July 2009: Reducing greenhouse emissions from facilities and products

• As of the first half of 2010, Samsung has reduced sales-normalized greenhouse gas emissions* at its manufacturing facilities by 31 percent from 2008 levels. This puts Samsung well on-track to exceed its target of a 50-percent reduction by 2013.
• New Samsung products are on average 16 percent more energy efficient compared with 2008 levels. With this, estimated indirect carbon emissions from newly introduced Samsung products were reduced by 9.6 million tons from January 2009 through June 2010. This reduction is equivalent to offsetting the greenhouse gases emitted in generating the electricity to power 1 million U.S. households for a year.
• As part of its commitment to transparency, Samsung is also undergoing a third-party verification of greenhouse gas emissions for 39 global manufacturing sites, to be concluded July 2010.

Expanding eco-friendly products offering

• Samsung has attained global eco-labels for 2,134 product models as of June 30, making the company No. 1 in the world for environmentally friendly products for the fourth straight year. Samsung has also already surpassed its intermediary 2010 goal of achieving Good Eco-Product** ratings for 80 percent of its product lines.
• Samsung collected and recycled a total of 240,000 tons of discarded electronics products across 60 countries in 2009. In April 2010, Samsung also registered as an e-Steward Enterprise, meeting the rigorous recycling and e-waste materials management standards of the Basel Action Network, a U.S. non-governmental organization.

Investing in eco-friendly R&D and manufacturing facilities

• Samsung invested a total of 1.01 trillion Korean won (about US$865 million) in environmentally friendly product development and green manufacturing sites in 2009. Of this, 570 billion won (about US$488 million) was invested in development of energy-efficient technologies, environmentally friendly materials and renewable energy projects, and 440 billion won (about US$377 million) was put into pollutant-reducing and energy-efficient manufacturing facilities.
• Samsung also announced plans in May to invest a total of 6 trillion won (about US$5.1 billion) through 2020 in the development of its solar cell business, as part of a new focus on renewable energy.

Building eco-management partnerships with customers and suppliers

• In 2009, Samsung completed a greenhouse gas inventory encompassing 107 partner companies supplying its LCD Business. It will expand the inventory to include all suppliers in South Korea this year, and to its more than 4,000 global suppliers by 2013, establishing a comprehensive carbon management system for its supply chain.
• To support supply partners, Samsung has created a greenhouse gas management module in its e-CIMS (environment-Chemicals Integrated Management System), and will provide information and education for partner firms on greenhouse gas management.

Looking ahead, Samsung has pledged to cut cumulative indirect greenhouse gas emissions from all products by 84 million tons over five years and invest a total of 5.4 trillion won (about US$4.28 billion) in various eco-management programs through 2013. Samsung Electronics released its 2009 - 2010 Sustainability Report in July. For additional information, the report can be located at: http://www.samsung.com/us/aboutsamsung/citizenship/oursustainabilityreports.html * Greenhouse Gas Emissions Normalized by Sales - Total greenhouse gas emissions are divided by annual revenue in order to provide a consistent measure of green manufacturing efficiency. (unit: tons of CO2e/100 million Korean won revenue) ** Good Eco-Product - Samsung assigns each newly developed product an eco-rating (Eco-Product, Good Eco-Product, or Premium Eco-Product) based on strict internal evaluation criteria. In order to be considered a Good Eco-Product, products must exceed basic industry requirements, exhibit differentiating eco-friendly features and satisfy global eco-mark standards. About Samsung Electronics Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2009 consolidated sales of US$116.8 billion. Employing approximately 188,000 people in 185 offices across 65 countries, the company consists of eight independently operated business units: Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, Digital Imaging, Semiconductor and LCD. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

Imagine needing a critical test at your local hospital, but having to wait days to be tested because there was no laboratory professional available to run the tests. This scene seems unimaginable, but with the federal government estimating that nearly 140,000 new medical lab professionals are needed by 2012 and only 50,000 are expected to be trained on time, this scenario is a reality in some parts of the country. Some states, like California, are taking aggressive action to reverse this trend. California's Healthcare Laboratory Workforce Initiative (HLWI), initiated by the Hospital Council of Northern and Central California and supported by the Abbott Fund, has helped to more than double the number of hospitals that provide on-site clinical training for aspiring laboratory science workers. This accomplishment is key since students need to complete clinical training before they can be licensed in California. The HLWI has also helped to ensure hospital training sites expand their programs to allow for more students. "One of HLWI's initiatives, the Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) and Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) Training Grants Program, awarded grants for innovative and creative projects that significantly increased the number of training positions for laboratory technologists in California," said Tim Hamill, M.D., medical director, University of California San Francisco Clinical Laboratories and co-chair, HLWI. "As a result, California is now a national leader in creating new jobs in the laboratory profession." New Training Programs Help Ease Lab Staff Shortages The boost in the Golden State’s lab workforce is helping to ease a serious staffing crisis. The closing of training programs at universities and hospitals, as well as aging lab technologists without an ample supply of successors, led to an average shortage of four full-time employees per hospital laboratory in the state. One factor underlying the shortage in California, and nationwide, is that other health professions, such as nursing, are more known and visible, whereas laboratory professionals work primarily behind the scenes. "Only two new laboratory scientists are entering the field for every seven facing retirement. Lack of public understanding and recognition of what lab workers do means fewer young people learn about laboratory science careers," said Art Sponseller, president/CEO of the Hospital Council. "A major problem has been the small number of accredited education programs in California and around the country, and their inability to train large numbers of students." By helping to establish new training sites, HLWI is motivating hospitals to develop and retain their own staff. Offering training opportunities with pathways for full-time hiring lowers recruitment costs and shortens the learning curve for new workers. Awareness Building Continues Labs Are Vital, a program created by Abbott to increase awareness of the laboratory profession, is also doing its part on a national level through scholarship programs, student outreach initiatives and accredited online advocacy programs. "When exposed to the challenges and opportunities in laboratory sciences, high school and college students respond enthusiastically and realize the important roles that labs play in healthcare and in the lives of patients. Through this program students see firsthand that this important profession is a way to convert their interest in science into a fulfilling career," said Brenda Luna, director, Labs Are Vital. Hamill, while pleased with what HLWI and Labs are Vital have achieved thus far, believes there is much more to do. "It's critical that we continue to consider laboratory professionals as valuable and visible resources for patient care. In order to do so, we must work to provide new tools to make training students less burdensome, encourage establishment of more training sites, and develop preceptor and mentoring programs for interns." About the Healthcare Laboratory Workforce Initiative Spearheaded in 2005 by the Hospital Council of Northern and Central California, in conjunction with the California Hospital Association, HLWI was created to find innovative solutions to the laboratory workforce shortage. The goal of the HLWI is to increase the number of licensed CLS and MLTs in California in order to meet the demand for such workers across industry sectors. Since the program's inception, the Abbott Fund has supported the Healthcare Foundation of Northern and Central California in their efforts to create the future laboratory workforce. About Labs Are Vital Labs Are Vital is a multi-year, multi-faceted education and awareness program sponsored by Abbott Diagnostics. It is designed to elevate the status of lab professionals within the health care community and the general public, address the issues that face the profession today, and serve as a community for professionals to exchange ideas and get new information. The program has a variety of Web-based resources for laboratory professionals, which focus attention on the life-saving work medical laboratory scientists provide in diagnosing disease and improving health outcomes. About the Abbott Fund The Abbott Fund is the philanthropic foundation of Abbott, the global health care company. The Abbott Fund's mission is to create healthier global communities by investing in creative ideas that promote science, expand access to health care and strengthen communities worldwide. For more information, visit www.abbottfund.org. About Abbott Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs approximately 83,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries. Abbott's news releases and other information are available on the company's Web site at www.abbottfund.org.

(Marketwire) - Greenscape Capital Group Inc. ("Greenscape") (TSX VENTURE: GRN) is very pleased to announce that Wells Fargo Bank ("Wells Fargo") has provided Green Park Denver LLC ("GP") with a commitment to fund the debt component of the construction of Green Park's 4,200 stall green parking facility servicing the Denver International Airport. This US $8,500,000 in construction debt funding replaces the previously announced debt funding commitment for the project (see Greenscape News Release April 7, 2010). The Wells Fargo loan is a traditional construction loan with a three year (36 month) term. The Wells Fargo loan shall bear interest from the date of drawing at a rate of 4.00% above the variable 30-day LIBOR Market Index Rate. GP will be required to hedge the construction loan's floating interest expense with an interest rate swap for the full amount and term of the loan. Based on current market swap rates, as an example, all-in fixed interest costs would be approximately 5.75%. About Wells Fargo & Company Wells Fargo & Company is a diversified financial services company with $1.2 trillion in assets (as of March 31, 2010), providing banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 10,000 stores, 12,000 ATMs and the Internet (wellsfargo.com and wachovia.com) across North America and internationally. About ProPark Propark America is one of the nation's leading parking companies, providing sustainable parking management and parking-related real estate services across the country. Founded in 1984, Propark has successfully merged green, environmental ideals into daily operations, while preserving the company's entrepreneurial spirit and unique culture of creative innovation. Propark's corporate ethos and growing portfolio of diverse properties are transforming the parking industry's approach to sustainable design, development and operations. About Greenscape Greenscape Capital Group increases environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and profitability of companies and their operations. Greenscape Capital owns 100% of Green.Switch Capital, a Canadian based company focused on increasing the profitability of commercial facilities through enhanced energy efficiency and environmental best practices. When marked opportunities arise, Greenscape also invests in other companies that operate in the environmental space, providing strategic capital and business advisory services to assist companies in achieving their environmental and corporate goals. www.greenscapecapital.com ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Bryan Slusarchuk, CEO and Director Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements, which reflect the expectations of management regarding future revenues, projections and contracts. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. The loan referenced in the commitment letter is subject to conditions and risks, and may or may not fund as expected by management. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur, when they will occur, or if they do occur, what benefits the company will obtain from them. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

(Marketwire) - The Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation has pledged funding of $3 million to the National Urban League in support of the organization's Whitney M. Young Jr. Center for Urban Leadership. The three-year grant was announced at the National Urban League's national conference in Washington, D.C., where the organization is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding. The Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Enterprise Holdings, the company that, through its regional subsidiaries, operates the Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car brands. The Whitney M. Young Jr. Center for Urban Leadership is an initiative to sustain the National Urban League movement through the development of its current and future leaders. To facilitate that development, the Center provides tools in administration and fund development to the National Urban League's network of nearly 100 U.S. affiliates. "Enterprise has been a very important partner in the National Urban League's efforts to develop and inspire the nation's future business leaders," said Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League. "We're extremely appreciative of their support and proud to stand with them today." Enterprise Holdings has partnered with the National Urban League on several projects in the past decade. In 2002, Enterprise Holdings Chairman and CEO Andy Taylor, as a member of the League's Board of Trustees, served as General Chairman of the Urban League's National Conference in Los Angeles, one of the most well attended conferences in the organization's history. In addition, the company underwrote the Urban League's landmark 2004 study, "Diversity Practices That Work: The American Worker Speaks." The study, which measured employee attitudes on diversity in the workplace, gained widespread media coverage. "We are pleased to continue our support of the National Urban League's efforts to empower communities and change lives," Taylor said. "The League is a great ally to the business community. It does a great job of connecting businesses with the community at-large, and it understands how each must work together to bring about positive change." In addition to its support of the Whitney M. Young Jr. Center for Urban Leadership, Enterprise Holdings will help the National Urban League celebrate its Centennial through a number of activities. During the week of July 26, the company will encourage its employees to sign up for the Urban League's "I Am Empowered" campaign, a social mobilization effort to attract new members and new donors. On September 29, Enterprise Holdings will join with the National Urban League and its Affiliates to celebrate the organization's Founder's Day. The historic day of the League's founding will be commemorated with a series of community service projects to showcase its work across the country. As it has over the past decade, Enterprise Holdings will continue its support for ongoing Urban League initiatives, including the annual Equal Opportunity Day (EOD) Dinner; the Black Executive Exchange Program (BEEP); and selected activities at the local level. About Enterprise Holdings Enterprise Holdings, through its regional subsidiaries, operates more than 1 million cars and trucks, the largest fleet of passenger vehicles in the world today. Enterprise Holdings is North America's largest and most comprehensive service provider in the car rental industry, operating the Alamo Rent A Car, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and National Car Rental brands. Other affiliated business lines include Enterprise Fleet Management, Enterprise Commercial Trucks, Enterprise Car Sales, Enterprise Rideshare vanpooling and WeCar car sharing. About the National Urban League The National Urban League is a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment in order to elevate the standard of living in historically underserved urban communities. Founded in 1910 and headquartered in New York City, the National Urban League spearheads the efforts of its local affiliates through the development of programs, public policy research and advocacy. Today, there are more than 100 local affiliates in 36 states and the District of Columbia, providing direct services that impact and improve the lives of more than 2 million people nationwide.

The 21st century has brought exciting opportunities for companies of all sizes and all types to partner with NGOs and governments to advance human and economic progress. The U.S. Chamber BCLC will be host to expert practitioners, thought-provoking academics, and innovative emerging leaders during its 2010 Global Corporate Citizenship Conference, "Frontier Markets. Global Partnerships. Local Solutions," on September 27-29, 2010. "Over the past 10 years companies have dramatically changed the way they structure their international CSR programs in developing countries," said BCLC Global Corporate Citizenship Manager Taryn Bird. "Partnerships are a key component of this shift from traditional philanthropy to mutually beneficial, in-country models. Corporate citizens are on the frontier of this evolving trend. "We are talking about programming like Microsoft's Unlimited Potential Program working in rural villages in Colombia, ITT's Watermark Program in Guatemala, and Cargill's food security initiatives in Africa, to name a few," continued Bird. "We have seen great successes in global partnership models but have also learned a lot about how to improve them in the process." Discussion at this high-impact, results-focused event will center on best practices, challenges, and new models in the field of global public-private partnerships (PPPs). Conference sessions will involve:

• Investigating obstacles inside existing partnerships and discussing how they can be overcome.
• Showcasing regional best practices for partnership models in frontier markets.
• Providing networking opportunities in sector-specific breakout sessions.
• Gaining insight into the millennial viewpoint on CSR in relation to global development and human progress.

Until Friday, July 30th at 6 p.m. Eastern Time, the conference registration fee is discounted a full $450. Conference attendees typically represent business executives with a corporate social responsibility role; corporate citizenship practitioners and advisors; NGO partners to business; government officials focusing on trade, development, and global humanitarian affairs; and ambassadors and American Chamber of Commerce executives. A team of bloggers from numerous external organizations has been created for the conference. Their updates will appear on BCLCblog (http://bclcblog.com), their respective blog sites, and various social networking sites, including BCLC's Twitter profile. Meet the blogger team here: http://bclc.chamberpost.com/global-conference-bloggers. The conference website and registration page can be found here: http://bclcglobal.uschamber.com/. For questions about the event, contact Taryn Bird at 202-463-3133.

Cenovus Energy Inc. (TSX, NYSE: CVE) has released its Corporate Responsibility (CR) performance measures, which provide insight into how the company is doing in several important areas. The company is always seeking ways to improve and is now developing a more complete list of CR priorities and measures for Cenovus. With the release of its 2009 CR performance measures, Cenovus has set out a firm foundation for future reporting on initiatives regarding people, the environment, health and safety, community investment and governance. The data, along with the company's Corporate Responsibility Policy, is available at www.cenovus.com/responsibility. "Reporting on our CR performance is important to us. As a newly formed company, reporting this year has presented some challenges, but we feel it is vital to let our stakeholders know how we're doing," said Jim Campbell, Vice-President of Government Affairs & Corporate Responsibility. "We will continue to work to improve our corporate responsibility reporting and we look forward to providing a more comprehensive report next year." In developing its initial performance measures, Cenovus used guidelines established by the Global Reporting Initiative, a network of companies, citizens, labour and professional groups that created a framework to ensure uniform and credible reporting on corporate responsibility around the world. Cenovus is also working to align its performance metrics with standards set out in 2010 by the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers in its Responsible Canadian Energy program, which is the Canadian energy industry's collective commitment to reduce its impact on the environment, promote worker safety and continue to bring benefits to the communities where energy companies operate. Cenovus Energy Inc. Cenovus Energy Inc. is a Canadian, integrated oil company. It is committed to applying fresh, progressive thinking to safely and responsibly unlock energy resources the world needs. Operations include oil sands projects in northern Alberta, which use specialized drilling methods, and established natural gas and oil production in Alberta and Saskatchewan. The company also has 50% ownership in two U.S. refineries. Cenovus shares trade under the symbol CVE, and are listed on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges. Its enterprise value is approximately $27 billion. For more information, visit www.cenovus.com.

This summer, UPS and its employees and retirees will reach the exceptional milestone of $1 billion in total contributions to United Way since the company began its annual workplace campaigns in 1982. To show appreciation, United Way is leveraging traditional and social media across the country to thank UPS drivers during the week of August 2-6. Find out more at: http://liveunited.org/thanksUPS/. "UPS is a driving force for change in our communities. The company and its employees continually raise the bar for United Way's Global Corporate Leaders and are among our most valued partners," said Brian Gallagher, president and CEO of United Way Worldwide. "Reaching a billion dollars in giving is a remarkable milestone. It not only speaks to generosity that is second-to-none, it's indicative of their tireless and unwavering commitment to strengthening communities and improving lives throughout the world." United Way has begun celebrating UPS drivers:

• "Thanks A Billion" advertisement ran in the July 26 issue of Fortune magazine to commemorate $1 billion in giving.
• United Way launched http://liveunited.org/thanksUPS/, dedicated to promoting UPS employees and 28 years of contributions. Visitors can take action to celebrate all that UPS drivers deliver for their communities.
• Local United Ways across the country and around the world will celebrate UPS drivers in their communities, including thanking their local UPS driver on Twitter and Facebook.

In 2009, UPS's total philanthropy reached nearly $100 million, including more than $55 million from their 2009 workplace campaign. UPS has been the top corporate giver to United Way for nine of the last 10 years. UPS employees and their families also contributed more than 1.2 million hours of volunteer service last year through the company's Global Volunteer Month and Neighbor-to-Neighbor program. UPS has twice won the United Way Spirit of America Award, United Way's highest national honor for corporate citizenship and measurable community impact. "To my knowledge, UPS is the first company ever to have contributed $1 billion through one organization, a tremendous accomplishment both for our employees and the communities that benefit from United Way services," said The UPS Foundation President Ken Sternad. "Wherever there is a stop light or stop sign in America, there is likely a UPS driver passing by; they are part of the community, they see the needs, and they have been a key part of the $1 billion story. We appreciate the recognition that our drivers, and our company, is receiving from United Way." UPS uses all its resources when it comes to giving back, whether it's loaning UPS executives to local United Ways, rebuilding a house in the Gulf Coast to help families still living in temporary FEMA housing after Hurricane Katrina, or donating autographed NASCAR merchandise for eBay auctions to benefit United Way. About United Way United Way is a worldwide network in 30 countries and territories, including nearly 1,300 local organizations in the U.S. It advances the common good, creating opportunities for a better life for all. Our focus is on education, income and health – the building blocks for a good quality of life. United Way recruits people and organizations who bring the passion, expertise and resources needed to get things done. LIVE UNITED is a call to action for everyone to become a part of the change. For more information about United Way, please visit: LIVEUNITED.org. About UPS UPS (NYSE: UPS) is the world's largest package delivery company and a global leader in supply chain and freight services. Since its founding in 1907, UPS has built a legacy as a caring and responsible corporate citizen, supporting programs that provide long-term solutions to community needs. UPS promotes community involvement through its ongoing volunteerism and grant programs, environmental sustainability and corporate philanthropy. In 2009, UPS's charitable contributions totaled nearly $100 million and UPS employees and their families contributed more than 1.2 million hours of volunteer service. The company can be found on the web at UPS.com. To get UPS news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS.