Social Business at Blue Planet Life

Blue Planet Life is a dedicated social business meeting the social goal of lifting life standards of the poor by education and by addressing the world community with issues of humanity and nature to bind people of all directions for one issue: to secure life on planet earth for the future.

The rules of Blue Planet Life's social business are as follows:

• Blue Planet Life is driven by a social cause.


• Blue Planet Life offers social business participation certificates for investors.


• Blue Planet Life pays no dividends.


• Investors can get back the amount invested in the company.


• The structures and instruments are the same as in a PMB.


• Blue Planet Life sells services and becomes self sustaining.


• Blue Planet Life recovers full costs.


• Any profit (surplus) made stays in the business to finance the development and the


• social business to do more good for humanity and nature.


• they do it with joy!

Blue Planet Life recognizes the multi- dimensional nature of human beings. We need to recognize the real human being and his or her multi- faceted desires. In order to do that, Blue Planet Life is totally dedicated to solving social and environmental problems. Like other businesses, our employees create goods or services, and provide these to customers for a price consistent with its objective. But its underlying objective—and the criterion by which it should be evaluated—is to create social benefits for those whose lives it touches.

Blue Planet Life is not a charity, nor a NGO, NPO or a CSR concept. It is a business in every sense. It has to recover its full costs while achieving its social objective. Blue Planet Life pursues this goal by charging a price or fee for the products or services it creates. Such a project is self-sustaining and enjoys the potential for almost unlimited growth and expansion. And as the social business grows, so do the benefits it provides to society.

Like any business, Blue Planet Life cannot incur losses indefinitely. Profitability is important to a social business. But any profit it earns does not go to those who invest in it. Rather than being passed on to investors, the surplus generated by the social business is reinvested in the business. Ultimately, it is passed on to the target group of beneficiaries in such forms as lower prices, better service, and greater accessibility.

The business one creates with social business is self-sustaining. There is no need to pump in money every year. It is self-propelling, self-perpetuating, and self-expanding. Once it is set up, it continues to grow on its own. You get more social benefits for your money.

Investors in a social business get their money back. They can reinvest in the same or a different social business or any other business. This way, the same money can bring more benefits.

Blue Planet Life is social business. It has the power and ability to raise living standards and bring about a sustainable change in the behavior of the individual for the benefit of nature and humanity.

It is the nature of a social business not only to address such a social cause but to achieve the goals with the possibilities of a PMB, pay back investments and do it with joy and happiness.

Click here for more information. Click here to contact Blue Planet Life.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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What Businesses are Doing to Combat Climate Change

Some members of the business community are already playing a leading role in the war against climate change. These companies are making better use of resources, increasing energy efficiency measures, creating more energy-efficient products, and investing in new energy technologies. Many of these businesses are implementing technologies that reduce CO2 emissions and increasing their use of renewable energy while decreasing their use of energy derived from fossil fuels.

Companies like Xerox, PUMA, HP, Walmart and even smaller companies like Zotos are successfully incorporating sustainability initiatives and reducing their environmental footprint.

Assessment and reporting is an important part of these efforts and we are seeing more and more measurement tools, best practices, benchmarks and verification.

Wal-Mart is the largest retailer in the US, it has specific environmental goals to reduce energy use in its stores and pressure its 60,000 suppliers in its worldwide supply chain to follow its lead. On energy efficiency, Wal-Mart wants to increase the fuel efficiency of its truck fleet by 25% over the next three years and double it within ten years. By 2020, it is expected to save the company $494 million a year. The company also plans to build stores that are at least 25% more energy efficient.

By addressing the environmental issues inherent in their business models, companies not only improve their practices, but also ensure the sustainability of their core business and help to make entire markets more sustainable.

For many companies, looking at more efficient energy use can pay off in the medium to long term. The problem is that shareholders are preoccupied with short term returns, and it may take many years for the costs of climate change to become apparent. However, heavily subsidized carbon-heavy fuels will not be artificially cheap forever and clean technology will be less expensive once it gains critical mass. Many businesses are looking at longer term time horizons and they increasingly understand that companies that ignore the trend will be at a competitive disadvantage.

Businesses are increasingly concerned about factoring environmental risks along-side other factors that impact a company’s performance and value. This trend will continue as carbon intensity starts to show up on balance books through organizations such as the Carbon Disclosure Project.

The involvement of the business community is crucial to global carbon reduction. Around 97 percent of the C02 emitted by western industrialized countries comes from burning coal, oil and gas for energy, much of which is used by business.

Some businesses are offsetting their carbon by paying someone else to plant trees or find other ways to reduce carbon emissions. Businesses that have purchased carbon offsets including HSBC and The Guardian newspaper.

Efficiency initiatives and renewable energy have many advantages for the environment and businesses are increasingly understanding the benefits for their bottom line.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Small Businesses Can Benefit from the Growing Green Market Too

Many owners of small enterprises mistakenly dismiss sustainable initiatives as the prerogative of large corporations, not small business.

Green business is no longer a niche market, it is now a major economic driver.
Small businesses do have to be more frugal, however, being more efficient is part of that frugality. Small businesses can develop green products and services and take advantage of the growing low-carbon market.

Increasingly, there are also new financing options like the UK's Green Investment Bank, a Government-backed fund for green businesses due to launch in 2012.

Although the market for green products and services is growing, many consumers are still concerned about cost. While it may be difficult for a small company to acquire expensive equipment, every company can start with radical efficiency.

The green economy is the opportunity of the century. Green products and services are already estimated to be worth $5.27 trillion worldwide. With this much money at play, small businesses cannot afford to ignore the green market.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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350.org and Business

Bill McKibben and 350.org have some ambitious plans to get the business community involved with efforts to reduce CO2 emissions. The business community is responsible for a large amount of the CO2 being pumped into the atmosphere, if we are to achieve necessary reductions business people have a critical role to play in shaping a more sustainable economy.

Many business people know that regulatory standards send clear market signals to investors and entrepreneurs about new opportunities. The current climate of uncertainty does not serve the business community. Numerous product innovations, clean energy investments and new service offerings will flow from a consistent EPA effort to regulate greenhouse emissions. As many states across America have demonstrated, policies that address greenhouse-gas emissions do not impair economic growth. To the contrary, they enhance it by attracting venture and institutional investors and new high technology and manufacturing companies.

In a conference call with Bill McKibben and the 350 team, The Green Market's Richard Matthews asked what 350.org is doing to help support the business community to combat climate change. Bill McKibben answered the question by saying, "it is really important to get businesses and business people involved that is why we are getting chambers of commerce involved." He went on to say, "capitalism is supposed to be innovative flexible and creative,[and] most business people are prepared to consider energy powered by the sun and the wind."

McKibben wants to get businesses to sign up to support efforts to combat climate change through a campaign that targets the US Chamber of Commerce. Rather than represent small businesses, the Chamber is actually a giant lobbying machine, spending more money to influence the political process than anyone else in Washington.

As indicated on the 350.org site, "The Chamber is controlled by big polluters, poisons politics with its dirty money and opposes every single effort to curb climate pollution."

As well known author and New York Times journalist Thomas Friedman said, "All shareholders should be asking CEOs why they still belong to the Chamber."

The Chamber has opposed every piece of legislation designed to slow the onset of global warming—in recent months it has tried to block the EPA from enforcing the Clean Air Act, arguing that global warming would be “on balance beneficial to humans” because fewer people would freeze to death and that in any event “populations can acclimatize to warmer climates via a range of range of behavioral, physiological, and technological adaptations.”

The US chamber of commerce spent 132 million dollars on lobbying in 2010. The Chamber gets more than half of its funding form 16 anonymous corporate donors. Of the companies that donated to the Chamber, $1 million came from the Fox Broadcasting Network. Fox host Glenn Beck urged his viewers to donate to the Chamber—and a US Chamber official called in to his program to thank him for his support.

Of the 32 million dollars the US Chamber of Commerce spent on the 2010 midterm election, 90 percent went to Republican candidates who are climate deniers.

Historically the Chamber has been on the wrong side of some major issues. They supported Joseph McCarthy in perpetuating the red scare, they also fought against American involvement in World War ll, civil rights, disabled rights and now clean air.

Local business chambers are increasingly at odds with the US Chamber. Local chambers of commerce have cut their ties in cities like Seattle, New York, and San Francisco as well as states like Florida, South Carolina, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Washington.

More than a thousand businesses have also abandoned the Chamber, they include a wide range of companies from small businesses to international corporations like Apple, Nike, Microsoft, Levi-Strauss, Best Buy, and General Electric. For a map of businesses who are saying that the US Chamber of Commerce does not speak for them click here.

When Nike relinquished its position on the Chamber's board of directors it said, "We fundamentally disagree with the US Chamber of Commerce on climate change." When Apple resigned their position on the Chamber's board of directors they released the following statement, "Apple supports regulating greenhouse gases, it is frustrating to find that the Chamber at odds with us in that effort." Click here for a complete list of statements from those who disagree with the US Chamber of Commerce.

For more information read Bill McKibben’s Huffington Post piece on the US Chamber “The Gang That Couldn’t Lobby Straight”

Its time to develop a national movement and strong political voice for sustainability-minded companies. Responsible and sustainability minded companies can play a major role in making the argument that emasculated regulatory agencies, corporate oil and gas subsidies and tax cuts for millionaires will neither generate jobs nor foster a competitive economy. Join 350.org in standing with small business owners, local chambers of commerce and people all over the country. Sign up to the 350 campaign to say, "The US Chamber of Commerce Doesn't Speak For Me."

Become part of the American Sustainable Business Council to help build a more vibrant, just and sustainable American economy or join the many other organizations that are working at the national, state and local level.

To find out more about what businesses can do click here. You can also start or join a local team and recruit local businesses to declare, “The US Chamber Doesn’t Speak For Me.”

See the facebook page for The US Chamber of Commerce Doesn't Speak For Me and post the following Tweet on Twitter The US Chamber Doesn't Speak For Me http://t.co/i7jbw0v.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Bullfrog Power and Canada's JUNO Awards

On Sunday, March 27th, 2011, the JUNOs, (Canada's top music awards event)celebrated their 40th anniversary with the help of green power from Bullfrog.

The JUNO Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music. The JUNO Awards are organized by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAs) and this year, thanks to Bullfrog Power, the electricity requirements of the Juno Awards were met with clean, renewable electricity.

Bullfrog provided 568 MWh of electricity on behalf of the JUNOs. This is equivalent to the annual consumption of approximately 58 homes. Bullfrog helped to reduce the energy footprint of the Canadian Music Awards by decreasing the event's C02 emissions. The awards also helped to increase awareness of the importance of renewable energy in Canada.

This year marks the fourth year that Bullfrog has partnered with CARAS and the first year that all of the electricity requirements of the CARAS office and all JUNO Awards events were bullfrogpowered.

Bullfrog's participation is part of a comprehensive strategy that includes the use of newly launched CSA Standards event sustainability and management standard (CSA Z2010), which requires that CARAS integrate consideration of environmental, social, and economic impacts into various areas of the planning and management of the event.

This strategy involves engaging and encouraging all JUNO partners to minimize and manage waste, decrease the consumption of water and energy, reduce their carbon footprint, and purchase environmentally and socially responsible goods and services.

As the first users of the new event sustainability management standard, CARAS and the JUNO Awards are playing a unique role in the development and promotion of new sustainability guidelines and requirements in Canada.

"We have an important role to play in promoting sustainability in the Canadian music and events industry," said Chris Topping, Vice President, Events & Special Programming, CARAS / The JUNO Awards. "We're proud to be working with Bullfrog Power to reduce the environmental impact of the 2011 JUNO Awards and to set a positive example for other event organizers and musicians to follow."

Through the agreement, Bullfrog Power's generators inject renewable electricity onto the regional grid to match the amount of power the CARAS office and JUNO Awards events use.

"Bullfrog Power applauds CARAS for supporting renewable energy and for pioneering guidelines to reduce the environmental impact of the 2011 JUNO Awards and other Canadian events," said Tom Heintzman, President, Bullfrog Power. "We're pleased to be working with the organization for the fourth year in a row to send the message that there are easy ways for event organizers to take action on climate change."

For more information about Bullfrog Power go to www.bullfrogpower.com.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Bullfrog Power and Earth Hour

On Saturday, March 26, 2011, Bullfrog Power helped to promote WWF's Earth Hour by encouraging people to switch to clean energy in addition to switching off their lights. The WWF and Bullfrog Power share a commitment to conservation and increasing awareness of the challenges associated with energy traditional energy, particularly energy derived from fossil fuels.

"Canada is one of the top 10 nations contributing to global climate change, but we don't have to be," says Josh Laughren, Director, Climate and Energy, WWF. "That's why we're focusing on clean energy during this year's Earth Hour—it's an easy way that Canadians can make a big difference."

"Bullfrog is a proud sponsor of WWF's Earth Hour, which raises awareness around the importance of clean energy alternatives," said Tom Heintzman, President, Bullfrog Power. "Canadians are increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of their energy consumption and are looking for simple ways to take action on climate change within their homes and businesses."

In the spirit of Earth Hour, bullfrogpowered® customer's shared simple steps they take year-round—in addition to supporting renewable energy—to reduce their environmental impact. These steps appeared in an article posted on Bullfrog's website and through the organization's Facebook wall.

Learn more about green energy solutions for your home or business at www.bullfrogpower.com.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Bullfrog Power is Providing Green Energy to Canadian Small Businesses

Bullfrog Power provides renewable energy to Canadian small businesses. There are more than one million small businesses in Canada, accounting for 98 per cent of all businesses in the country.

Fossil fuel-based electricity generation is a leading source of C02, the primary greenhouse gas linked to climate change. By choosing Bullfrog power, Canadians can support the development of renewable energy.

When a business signs up for green electricity, Bullfrog injects renewable energy into the grid to match the amount of conventional electricity consumed. Bullfrog's green electricity comes exclusively from wind and hydro facilities that have been certified as low impact by Environment Canada under its EcoLogoM program. These renewable sources of energy are much better for the environment than polluting sources like those derived from fossil fuels.

Many businesses across Canada are going green. According to RBC, Over half of Canadian owners of businesses with five employees or fewer currently have or are considering implementing a green plan or environmental policies for their business. For many small businesses, this starts with voluntarily choosing to buy green energy from Bullfrog Power.

Small businesses from coast to coast are standing out from their competitors and engaging their employees by securing green energy from Bullfrog.

For more information or to contact Bullfrog Power go to www.bullfrogpower.com.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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