Disney Announces Ambitious Environment Plans

[Ed]

From OrlandoSentinel.com

Disney's goal: Cut greenhouse gas in half in next 4 years

Jason Garcia
Sentinel Staff Writer
1:10 PM EDT, March 9, 2009

The Walt Disney Co. will seek to cut companywide greenhouse-gas emissions in half during the next four years, and reduce electricity consumption by 10 percent over the next five, as part of a series of environmental goals outlined today.

The chief targets: Disney's theme parks, resorts and cruise ships, which, according to internal figures, account for 91 percent of the company's total greenhouse-gas emissions and 73 percent of its electrical use.

The energy goals are included in a 100-page "Corporate Responsibility Report" Disney released this afternoon, just ahead of what is expected to be an otherwise somber annual shareholder's meeting Tuesday in Oakland, Calif.

The Burbank, Calif.-based media-and-entertainment company has been hit hard by the global recession, which has depressed sales of everything from theme-park tickets to television advertising to DVDs. Company earnings tumbled 32 percent during the first quarter of its fiscal year, which ended Dec. 27, and Disney is slashing jobs across its operations, including in Orlando.

Disney even refers to the economic tumult in its corporate responsibility report, which outlines commitments in categories ranging from promoting nutrition among theme-park visitors to improving working conditions at supplier factories around the world. In a section detailing efforts to steer more business to women- and minority-owned contractors, Disney acknowledges that doing so in 2009 will be difficult given spending cuts across the company: "We realize that with reduced spending there are also fewer opportunities."

Among the most substantial pledges Disney makes are its environmental commitments. In addition to reducing or offsetting greenhouse-gas emissions and cutting electricity consumption, Disney says it aims to reduce the amount of solid waste it sends to landfills by 50 percent by 2013 and to increase support for the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund each year for the next five years. (Disney donated $500,000 to the fund in 2008.)

Disney says the reductions are interim steps toward long-term goals of achieving zero net direct greenhouse gas emissions, reducing indirect emissions through electricity consumption and eliminating all solid waste.

Stepped-up energy conservation at Disney could have significant implications in Central Florida, where much of the company's parks-and-resorts businesses are based. Emissions are generated through boilers, generators, refrigeration systems, cruise-ship engines and more.

For example, Disney's two cruise ships, which sail out of Port Canaveral, in 2006 generated nearly 270,000 tons of carbon-dioxide equivalents, a measure that combines emissions of each of the gases believed to contribute to climate change. The two ships alone accounted for 48 percent of Disney's companywide emissions of 566,000 tons for the year.

Disney's theme parks and resorts, which are heavily concentrated at Walt Disney World in Orlando, produced about 244,000 tons of carbon-dioxide equivalents, or 43 percent of the company total. The figures do not include roughly 14,700 tons generated by Disney World's bus operators, Mears and American, nor about 4,300 tons produced by its on-property landfill.

Similarly, Disney's theme parks and resorts consumed approximately 1.5 billion kilowatt hours of electricity in 2006, about 73 percent of the company total.

The theme parks are also the company's biggest waste producers. Disney says its parks-and-resorts division generated 298,000 tons of solid waste, of which 170,000 was sent to landfills. The remainder was diverted for uses such as recycling, composting, donations or reuse.

The data include Disney parks in France and Hong Kong but not Tokyo Disneyland, which the company does not own or operate.

Disney says it has adopted a range of conservation measures, such as fostering employee commuting at Disneyland, installing solar panels at the Disney Store's European distribution center and having executives test-drive hydrogen-fueled Chevrolet Equinox vehicles provided by longtime corporate sponsor General Motors Corp. It has instructed employees at its retail outlets to encourage guests to buy reusable-material bags, and it has begun printing messages on plastic bags describing their environmental attributes and urging reuse.

In 2009, Disney says it intends to form a working group charged with developing new clean-energy strategies and adopt new standards designed to minimize environmental effects from both employee travel and catering and employee-cafeteria operations, among other initiatives.

[fielin]

I am delighted to read this !

I have always thought that big companies had to show the way, and I am proud that Disney takes the right steps.

Now, if only more companies took this kind of decisions, we would have a chance to see the difference in ten years !

Disney ROCKS !

[Maleficent's Dad]

Thanks, Ed!

[Scar]

From OrlandoSentinel.com

For example, Disney's two cruise ships, which sail out of Port Canaveral, in 2006 generated nearly 270,000 tons of carbon-dioxide equivalents, a measure that combines emissions of each of the gases believed to contribute to climate change. The two ships alone accounted for 48 percent of Disney's companywide emissions of 566,000 tons for the year.

Funny... the report doesn't mention the 2 new ships which, of course, will double the emissions.

[Ian]

It's a nice PR move.

[Ed]

Funny... the report doesn't mention the 2 new ships which, of course, will double the emissions.

I caught that, too. It will be interesting to see if technology newer than that available when the present ships were built (late 90's) greatly reduces emissions from the new ships.

It also makes me wonder what the emission totals are for the cruise lines with much larger fleets, such as Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, etc... ?

[JPL]

The big thing that jumped out to me was how easy it would be to cut back park hours or bus services to the parks all in the name of the environment.

[Goofy4TheWorld]

The big thing that jumped out to me was how easy it would be to cut back park hours or bus services to the parks all in the name of the environment.

Those were my thoughts as well

[lockedoutlogic]

Funny... the report doesn't mention the 2 new ships which, of course, will double the emissions.

swung on and driven to deep centerfield.....Griffey looking up.....and that one is crossing the countyline....gone

[lockedoutlogic]

It's a nice PR move.

It's a statue of liberty play.....

and the safeties shouldn't be sucked in on this one.....


(wow....two sports analogies in one thread....what else can i pull out?)

[lockedoutlogic]

The big thing that jumped out to me was how easy it would be to cut back park hours or bus services to the parks all in the name of the environment.

Gretzky moves in....

he deeks.....backhand....forehand....

He scores!!!!...what a move....Topshelf....WHERE MOMMA HIDES THE COOKIES!!!!!!!

(ok...that outta do it)

[Melanie]

Walt Disney Company Press Release

THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY ANNOUNCES SIGNIFICANT LONG-TERM ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS

Strategic Environmental Objectives and Targets Outlined in
Disney's First Comprehensive Corporate Responsibility Report

BURBANK, Calif., March 9, 2009 -- The Walt Disney Company today announced a landmark set of strategic environmental goals and challenging 3 to 5 year targets to reduce emissions, waste, electricity and fuel use, and its impact on water and ecosystems.

The goals are part of Disney's 2008 Corporate Responsibility Report, which details the company's approach to critical corporate responsibility issues ranging from charitable giving to nutrition and from online safety for kids to workplace diversity.

"Disney's enhanced corporate responsibility efforts make our brands and products more attractive, strengthen our bonds with consumers, make the company a more desirable place to work and build goodwill in the communities we operate," said Disney president and CEO Robert A. Iger. "All of this contributes to shareholder value."

The interactive multimedia report, now available online only at www.disney.com/crreport, provides a detailed snapshot of the company's philosophy and activities in five areas; children and family, content and products, environment, community and workplaces. Details include the company's first comprehensive greenhouse gas inventory and updates on Disney's pioneering policies on healthy food guidelines and smoking in films.

Building on 20 years of work by Disney's environmental affairs department, the new goals and targets were formulated over the last two years by an Environmental Council of senior executives from across the company. Charged with developing and implementing sustainable strategies for Disney's impact on the environment, as well as ways to use the company's media reach to encourage positive action, the Council has taken a measured, scientific approach in analyzing company operations and crafting strategic objectives.

"While Disney has always been a leader in environmental stewardship, we are taking ambitious steps to help preserve our planet for future generations," said Disney Senior Executive Vice President and CFO Thomas O. Staggs.

The long-term environmental goals outlined in the report are:

• Zero waste

• Zero net direct greenhouse gas emissions from fuels

• Reduce indirect greenhouse gas emissions from electricity consumption

• Net positive impact on ecosystems

• Minimize water use

• Minimize product footprint

• Inform, empower and activate positive action for the environment

For additional details and medium–term targets visit www.disney.com/crreport

"We applaud Disney for its leadership in adopting these goals, especially at such a challenging time in the global economy," said Peter Seligmann, Chairman and CEO of Conservation International. "Disney's vision underscores the continued interest in the environment among people worldwide and the growing recognition that environmental leadership can help revitalize the economy." Conservation International provided advice to Disney on its new goals and targets.

The 2008 Corporate Responsibility Report represents the latest phase in Disney's longstanding heritage of corporate social responsibility and reflects a company-wide effort to build an integrated, transparent strategy focused on serving the needs of the company's primary stakeholders; consumers, employees, shareholders, business partners and the communities in which it works.

The report is organized as follows:

• Children and Family – guiding principles, kids' health and nutrition, creative practices, programming philosophies and marketing policies

• Content and Products – standards and practices, content diversity, product safety policies and parks accessibility and safety

• Environment – environmental initiatives, progress and long-term goals

• Community – charitable giving, VoluntEAR and community outreach updates

• Workplaces – employee diversity, benefits and international labor standards

The report anchors a broader suite of publications being issued today. Six additional reports provide information specifically on Disney's Parks & Resorts segment and the following operations: Disney Cruise Lines, Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland. The suite of reports highlights issues of importance to local communities at some of the company's largest sites.

[Ian]

I caught that, too. It will be interesting to see if technology newer than that available when the present ships were built (late 90's) greatly reduces emissions from the new ships.

When we were on NCL last month they had a little thing running about the new waste management technology being deployed on their newest ship the Norwegian Epic.

It's pretty cool the way it works, but it's basically a zero waste ship.

[lockedoutlogic]

When we were on NCL last month they had a little thing running about the new waste management technology being deployed on their newest ship the Norwegian Epic.

It's pretty cool the way it works, but it's basically a zero waste ship.

The ship still runs on light crude though....doesn't it?

[Ian]

Presumably. I can't think what else they'd power it with. Hamsters?

[lockedoutlogic]

Presumably. I can't think what else they'd power it with. Hamsters?

too bad they can't generate watts from stucco......
the grandstands at Saratoga would look good being fed into a blast furnace on the way to castaway cay

[GrumpyFan]

I do think there are many things that can be done to reduce energy usage, especially for a company as big as Disney. Agree too though that this is mainly good PR. Disney will make the changes necessary to keep up good public perceptions, and if they can realize a cost savings then they will certainly do that.

I can't help but think though, that they can make use of several new advances in more efficient solar panel technology, wind energy and LED lighting. With as much land as they have at WDW, they could easily convert some of it to use for building some windmills and maybe a couple of solar farms.

[DisneyWhirled]

I applaud their attempt.

One EASY thing they can do is ADD MORE RECYCLING receptacles around all of their parks.

There are trash cans everywhere, which is great and keeps the parks clean, but the lack of recycling receptacles really caught my attention on my last visit. It was hard to find one!

There are tons of plastic water bottles getting thrown away daily at the parks, by having a recycling receptacle, people can deposit them there, as opposed to throwing them away.

[Mickey'sGirl]

Disney needs to eliminate things in order to be greener....but I don't know how they can do it without the masses crying about one more thing that Disney has done to them.

Recycling is a start, but reducing is the key.

[lindique]

I seem to remember hearing somewhere that they sort the trash backstage and take out the recyclables. That may be why they don't have recycling bins at the parks. Does anyone know for sure?