An Evaluation of the Paper Profile - a comparative assessment of the applicability of an emerging environmental communication tool in pulp and paper industry

Diplomityön tavoitteena oli arvioida uutta sellu-, paperi- ja kartonkiteollisuuden Paper Profile -ympäristötuoteselostetta. Paper Profilen tarkoituksena on tarjota paperiteollisuuden asiakkaille ja muille kiinnostuneilla sidosryhmille yhtenäistä ympäristöinformaatiota koskien paperituotteiden koostumusta ja tuotteiden tärkeimpiä ympäristöparametrejä. Työn tärkein tavoite oli arvioida kriittisesti Paper Profilea ja verrata konseptia ISO:n, Kansainvälisen stardardisoimisliiton tuoteselosteeseen sekä löytää konseptien yhtäläisyydet ja erot. Tärkein tehtävä oli tunnistaa ne avaintekijät, joiden avulla Paper Profile -tuoteselostetta voitaisiin pitää yhtenevänä ISO/TR 14025 teknisen raportin kanssa. Lisäksi Paper Profile -tuoteselosteen mahdolliset kehittämistarpeet arvioitiin ISO-tuoteselosteen näkökulmasta. Työn toinen tavoite oli kerätä ja analysoida uuteen tuoteselosteeseen liittyvä asiakaspalaute ja verrata sitä Stora Enson tehtaiden ympäristöpäälliköiden antamiin Paper Profilea koskeviin kommentteihin. Työn tuloksena huomattiin, että Paper Profile -konsepti sellaisenaan ei ole kovin informatiivinen vaan tuoteseloste jättää monia ympäristökysymyksiä avoimeksi. Siitä huolimatta Paper Profile tarjoaa riittävän taustan eri paperituotteiden ympäristökuormitusten keskinäiselle vertailuille. Konseptin viestinnällinen näkökulma paranisi huomattavasti, jos tuoteselosteeseen lisättäisiin kolmannen osapuolen verifiointi. Lisäksi referenssiarvot kertoisivat asiakkaille paremmin esitettyjen parametrien taustoista. Stora Enson tehtaiden ympäristöpäälliköiden, samoin kuin asiakkaidenkin mielestä Paper Profile on yleisesti ottaen potentiaalinen ympäristöviestinnän työkalu, mutta silti konseptiin ehdotettiin joitakin pieniä muutoksia. Avoinna olevat metsäsertifiointikysymykset ja niiden puutteellinen tiedottaminen tuoteselosteessa puhututtivat sekä tehtaiden henkilöstöä että yritysasiakkaita.

Carbon footprint as part of a company’s external environmental communication

The aim of this thesis was to find out how the carbon footprint calculations can be utilized in the company’s external environmental communication, what is the demand for carbon footprint from the market, and how the other actors in the forest industry have approached the issue. The aim was to recognize the best practises to communicate carbon footprints and to find possibilities to extend the UPM-Kymmene Wood Oy’s mill specific carbon footprints. This research included a literature review, an inquiry to the UPM-Kymmene Wood Oy’s sales offices, and Internet survey concerning the external environmental communication in the forest industry and three small case studies based on mill specific parameters. The inquiry to the sales offices showed that the carbon footprint is not yet a common demand from the customers in the wood product sector. In addition, the Internet survey showed that generally in the forest industry, not much has been done concerning carbon footprint communication so far. The biggest challenge in carbon footprint communication is the variation in the knowledge level of the receivers. In addition btob and btoc communication situations demand a different approach to the issue. Carbon profile brochures developed in the company can be seen as suitable for btob communication situations. Case studies have shown that the contribution of final product transport to the overall carbon footprint was significant. It was recommended to include post mill transport in the carbon footprint information supplied to the btob customers. When discussing environmental communication on a general level it can be stated that a good external environmental communication is based on facts, is open and proactive and takes into account the needs of the receiver. However, the openness and the quality of external environmental communication are essentially strategic decisions. The significance of internal communication as well as the knowhow in the communication and marketing networks play a major role in achieving success in external environmental communication. Carbon footprints are only one part of good balanced external environmental communication. One specific environmental feature like carbon footprint should not be over emphasized to the detriment of other important environmental aspects.

Developing the environmental marketing of an industrial company

The objective of this study was to examine how the customers of Larox Flowsys value environmental issues and how environmental issues affect their purchasing behaviour. A comparison between Larox peristaltic pumps and competing pump brands and types was also made in order to find out whether LPP pumps possess some more environmentally beneficial features that other pumps do not have. Finally, if the answers to the first two research questions show that a need for a new marketing message does exist, then the final stage is to select the most appropriate environmental arguments for Larox Flowsys. The empirical data in the study was collected from several different sources, but the main sources were the customer interviews and the outsourced market research. The data was analysed mainly by using content analysis, but theme formation and quantification were also utilized. The results showed that the customers do not consider environmental issues as a main purchasing criterion, but they may well be the criterion that differentiates the product from competing ones. The comparison proved that LPP pumps do possess some significant environmental benefits over competing pumps and therefore, the prerequisite for the use of environmental arguments exists. The final stage in the study was to select the proper environmental arguments for Larox Flowsys.

Integrated science and art education for creative climate change communication

An interdisciplinary field trip to a remote marine lab joined graduate students from fine arts and natural resource science departments to think creatively about the topic of climate change and science communication. We followed a learning cycle framework to allow the students to explore marine ecosystems and participate in scientific lectures, group discussions, and an artist-led project making abstract collages representing climate change processes. Students subsequently worked in small groups to develop environmental communication material for public visitors. We assessed the learning activity and the communication product using pre- and post-field trip participant surveys, focus group discussions, and critiques by art and communication experts of the products. Significant changes in knowledge about climate change occurred in program participants. Incorporating artists and the arts into this activity helped engage multiple senses and emphasized social interaction, as well as providing support to participants to think creatively. The production of art helped to encourage peer learning and normalize the different views among participants in communicating about climate change impacts. Students created effective communication products based on external reviews. Disciplinary differences in cultures, language, and standards challenged participating faculty, yet unanticipated outcomes such as potentially transformative learning and improved teacher evaluations resulted.

Tuotteen ympäristöjalanjälki -menetelmän soveltuvuus ympäristöviestinnän työkaluksi

Työn tavoitteena oli arvioida tuotteen ympäristöjalanjälki –menetelmän (PEF) käytettävyyttä ympäristöviestintään. PEF-metodologiaa vertailtiin muihin ympäristötehokkuuden laskenta- ja viestintätyökaluihin, jotta löydettäisiin PEF:n epäkohtia ja vaihtoehtoja menetelmäpäätösten toimivammaksi muuttamiseen. Työssä tehtiin myös haastattelututkimus yhden tuoteryhmäsääntöjen (PEFCR) laadintaprojektin toimijoille, jotta löydettäisiin PEFCR:ien laadinnan epäkohtia. Työssä arviointiin myös testattavaksi ehdotetun PEF-merkinnän käytettävyyttä ympäristöviestintään. Työssä todettiin, että PEF-metodologiassa on epäkohtia, joiden todellinen merkitys ja vaikutus selviävät vasta pilottivaiheen jälkeen. PEF:ssä on annettu vähemmän vapauksia menetelmäpäätösten tekoon kuin nykyisissä menetelmissä, mutta se mahdollistaa paremmat lähtökohdat halvemmille ja vertailukelpoisemmille selvityksille. Ympäristöviestinnän kannalta erityisesti PEFCR:ien toimivaksi saaminen on hyvin tärkeää, jotta työkalulla on edellytykset käyttöönotolle. Lähtökohdat PEFCR:ien toimivaksi saamiseksi ovat kunnossa, mutta projektin tiukka aikataulu yhdessä PEF:n ja PEFCR:ien kyseenalaisten menetelmäpäätösten kanssa saattavat aiheuttaa ongelmia. Menetelmän käyttöönoton onnistumiseen vaikuttavat myös työkalusta riippumattomat asiat, kuten nykyiset ympäristömerkintäjärjestelmät sekä kuluttajakäytöksen muuttamiseen ja yritysmaailman integrointiin PEF:n käyttäjiksi liittyvät haasteet.

A UNESCO e a governança ambiental na bacia amazônica

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Applicazione di strumenti e metodi per la gestione ambientale di un territorio vasto - Sviluppo di un sistema di gestione ambientale in un ente pubblico secondo lo schema europeo EMAS e analisi di un sistema energetico territoriale

Environmental Management includes many components, among which we can include Environmental Management Systems (EMS), Environmental Reporting and Analysis, Environmental Information Systems and Environmental Communication. In this work two applications are presented: the developement and implementation of an Environmental Management System in local administrations, according to the European scheme "EMAS", and the analysis of a territorial energy system through scenario building and environmental sustainability assessment. Both applications are linked by the same objective, which is the quest for more scientifically sound elements; in fact, both EMS and energy planning are oftec carachterized by localism and poor comparability. Emergy synthesis, proposed by ecologist H.T. Odum and described in his book "Environmental Accounting: Emergy and Environmental Decision Making" (1996) has been chosen and applied as an environmental evaluation tool, in order complete the analysis with an assessment of the "global value" of goods and processes. In particular, eMergy syntesis has been applied in order to improve the evaluation of the significance of environmental aspects in an EMS, and in order to evaluate the environmental performance of three scenarios of future evolution of the energy system. Regarding EMS, in this work an application of an EMS together with the CLEAR methodology for environmental accounting is discussed, in order to improve the identification of the environmental aspects; data regarding environmental aspects and significant ones for 4 local authorities are also presented, together with a preliminary proposal for the integration of the assessment of the significance of environmental aspects with eMergy synthesis. Regarding the analysis of an energy system, in this work the carachterization of the current situation is presented together with the overall energy balance and the evaluation of the emissions of greenhouse gases; moreover, three scenarios of future evolution are described and discussed. The scenarios have been realized with the support of the LEAP software ("Long Term Energy Alternatives Planning System" by SEI - "Stockholm Environment Institute"). Finally, the eMergy synthesis of the current situation and of the three scenarios is shown.

Análise de métodos de avaliação de eco eficiência.

Para que a sustentabilidade seja gerenciada e praticada de maneira efetiva, ela deve ser mensurada, utilizando-se de métodos de avaliação da sustentabilidade. Estão disponíveis diferentes métodos de avaliação, que geralmente reduzem o resultado desse levantamento à indicadores de desempenho ambiental, econômico e social (POPEA; ANNANDALE; MORISON-SAUNDERSB, 2004). Uma das denominações mais bem aceitas e difundidas para a conjunção da dimensão ambiental e econômica é conhecida por avaliação de eco eficiência (AEE). Eco eficiência é o \"aspecto da sustentabilidade que relaciona o desempenho ambiental de um sistema de produto ao valor do sistema de produto\" (ISO, 2012). Estão disponíveis diferentes métodos de AEE, porém sem evidência das suas semelhanças e particularidades e como essas características influenciam na escolha do método mais adequado de AEE em relação às potenciais aplicações O objetivo desta pesquisa é, portanto, analisar e indicar os tipos de métodos de avaliação de eco eficiência (AEE) mais adequados para ações gerenciais nas quais caibam tais abordagens. Foram selecionados onze métodos de AEE, a partir do estabelecimento de critérios de caracterização desses métodos, a saber: BASF, Bayer, EcoWater, Hahn et al., Kuosmanen e Kortelainen, MIPS, NRTEE, UN ESCAP, UN, TU Delft, e WBCSD. Identificaram-se, ainda, quatro potenciais aplicações: (i) Monitoramento de processo com vistas à melhoria contínua; (ii) Selecção e classificação de produtos; (iii) Atendimento a requisitos legais e outros requisitos; e, (iv) Marketing, rotulagem de produtos e comunicação ambiental. A partir dos elementos metodológicos estabelecidos pela norma ISSO 14045 (2012) e do conhecimento obtido dos métodos de AEE, determinaram-se quatro requisitos pelos quais os métodos e os potenciais aplicações foram avaliados: (i) Tipo de indicador de desempenho ambiental; (ii) Tipo de indicador de valor de sistema de produto; (iii) Abrangência de aplicação; e, (iv) Tipo de indicador de eco eficiência. Aplicando-se estes requisitos nos métodos de AEE e nos potenciais usos, concluiu-se que quanto à aplicações em termos de monitoramento de processos com vistas à melhoria continua os métodos de AEE recomendados foram Bayer, NRTEE, WBCSD e UN. Para situações de seleção e classificação de produtos os métodos BASF, EcoWater, Kuosmanen e Kortelainen, MIPS, Hahn et al., TU Delft, UN ESCAP e UN demonstraram ter boa aderência. No que se refere a usos voltados ao atendimento de requisitos legais e/ou de outras naturezas, os métodos NRTEE, WBCSD e UN são os mais indicados. Em aplicações de marketing, rotulagem e comunicação foram indicados os métodos BASF, EcoWater e MIPS. Finalmente, concluiu-se que, para a escolha adequada da metodologia para uma AEE, conhecimento prévio das características de cada abordagem é necessário.

Medio ambiente y relaciones públicas: planificación estratégica de campañas de comunicación ambiental en España

Un valor de la sociedad contemporánea es el cuidado del medio ambiente. Los ciudadanos reconocen positivamente a aquellas organizaciones que respetan y cuidan el entorno natural en el que operan. Así la responsabilidad ambiental es una variable en alza según figura en los índices de reputación, como es el Monitor Español de Reputación Corporativa (MERCO). En este contexto, la gestión de la comunicación ambiental cobra especial relevancia. El principal propósito de esta investigación es conocer la planificación en comunicación ambiental que se hace en España. Los objetivos generales de esta investigación son: describir la gestión que se hace en las campañas de comunicación ambiental; conocer la naturaleza de los objetivos; identificar los grupos de interés; reflexionar sobre si los intereses de cada público influyen en la definición de los objetivos y en el tipo de relación que se construye. Para llevar a cabo estos objetivos se ha realizado un trabajo de campo de carácter cualitativo mediante un cuestionario que se ha dirigido a veinte instituciones procedentes del sector público y privado, y del mundo empresarial y asociativo. Los resultados confirman que siguen todos los pasos de la planificación estratégica, pero adoptan una perspectiva instrumental en la identificación de los públicos.

Carbon gold rush and carbon cowboys: a new chapter in green mythology?

Individual and collective efforts to mitigate climate change in the form of carbon offsetting and emissions trading schemes have recently become the focus of much media attention. In this paper we explore a subset of the UK national press coverage centered on such schemes. The articles, selected from general as well as specialized business and finance newspapers, make use of gold rush, Wild West and cowboy imagery which is rooted in deeply entrenched myths and metaphors and allows readers to make sense of very complex environmental, political, ethical, and financial issues associated with carbon mitigation. They make what appears complicated and unfamiliar, namely carbon trading and offsetting, seem less complex and more familiar. A critical discussion of this type of imagery is necessary in order to uncover and question tacit assumptions and connotations which are built into it and which might otherwise go unnoticed and unchallenged in environmental communication.

Carbon reduction activism in the UK: lexical creativity and lexical framing in the context of climate change

This article examines discourses associated with a new environmental movement, “Carbon Rationing Action Groups” (CRAGs). This case study is intended to contribute to a wider investigation of the emergence of a new type of language used to debate climate change mitigation. Advice on how to reduce one's “carbon footprint,” for example, is provided almost daily. Much of this advice is framed by the use of metaphors and “carbon compounds”—lexical combinations of at least two roots—such as “carbon finance” or “low carbon diet.” The study uses a combination of tools from frame analysis and lexical pragmatics within the general framework of ecolinguistics to compare and contrast language use on the CRAGs' website with press coverage reporting on them. The analysis shows how the use of such lexical carbon compounds enables and facilitates different types of metaphorical frames such as dieting, finance and tax paying, war time rationing, and religious imperatives in the two corpora.