Comments on: Black, white or green? http://www.marcgunther.com/2008/04/02/black-white-or-green/ This blog is about the impact of business on society. Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:42:10 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Another environmental award for the fossil fool « Audible Smirk http://www.marcgunther.com/2008/04/02/black-white-or-green/comment-page-1/#comment-48111 Another environmental award for the fossil fool « Audible Smirk Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:56:32 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=349#comment-48111 [...] Ok, that award looks like an attaboy for Bank of America (BofA) from the city with groups receiving the grants. So, is BofA part of the solution, as well as being part of the problem? Remember a month ago BofA and CEO Ken Lewis has been judged to be a fossil fool, albeit not by a jury of his peers: [...] [...] Ok, that award looks like an attaboy for Bank of America (BofA) from the city with groups receiving the grants. So, is BofA part of the solution, as well as being part of the problem? Remember a month ago BofA and CEO Ken Lewis has been judged to be a fossil fool, albeit not by a jury of his peers: [...]

]]> By: The Understory » Bank of America: Green Bank or Greenwash? http://www.marcgunther.com/2008/04/02/black-white-or-green/comment-page-1/#comment-44860 The Understory » Bank of America: Green Bank or Greenwash? Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:22:35 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=349#comment-44860 [...] posted by Nell in Global Finance on April 3rd, 2008 Or at least that was the question on the mind of Fortune Magazine’s Marc Gunther, in his “Black, White or Green?” blog post yesterday. On the same day as we awarded Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis the Fossil Fool of the Year award for being a lead financier of new coal-fired powerplants and mountaintop removal, he was in NY to accept an award from NRDC for the Bank’s new “green” skyscraper and their $20 billion commitment to renewable energy. The coincidence compelled Gunther to ask: “So is the Bank of America an environmental hero? A villain? Both? Or neither?” [...] [...] posted by Nell in Global Finance on April 3rd, 2008 Or at least that was the question on the mind of Fortune Magazine’s Marc Gunther, in his “Black, White or Green?” blog post yesterday. On the same day as we awarded Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis the Fossil Fool of the Year award for being a lead financier of new coal-fired powerplants and mountaintop removal, he was in NY to accept an award from NRDC for the Bank’s new “green” skyscraper and their $20 billion commitment to renewable energy. The coincidence compelled Gunther to ask: “So is the Bank of America an environmental hero? A villain? Both? Or neither?” [...]

]]> By: Mark W. McElroy http://www.marcgunther.com/2008/04/02/black-white-or-green/comment-page-1/#comment-44853 Mark W. McElroy Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:05:54 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=349#comment-44853 If a bank lends money to an environmental villain, so to speak, is the bank responsible for what the villain does? If a power company sells energy to the same company, is the power company responsible for what its customer does? What about the villain's phone company, or its other suppliers, for that matter? And what about its suppliers' suppliers? And how about its customers and their customers? For crying out loud, if we have a problem with a company's (or industry's) behavior, stop blaming its supply and demand chain. Blame the actual offenders at each link in the chain, and then maybe the suppliers and buyers will stop selling and buying from each other in ways that we disapprove of. And maybe, God forbid, the actual offenders will change their ways as a consequence. Mark If a bank lends money to an environmental villain, so to speak, is the bank responsible for what the villain does? If a power company sells energy to the same company, is the power company responsible for what its customer does? What about the villain’s phone company, or its other suppliers, for that matter? And what about its suppliers’ suppliers? And how about its customers and their customers?

For crying out loud, if we have a problem with a company’s (or industry’s) behavior, stop blaming its supply and demand chain. Blame the actual offenders at each link in the chain, and then maybe the suppliers and buyers will stop selling and buying from each other in ways that we disapprove of. And maybe, God forbid, the actual offenders will change their ways as a consequence.

Mark

]]> By: Peter T. Knight http://www.marcgunther.com/2008/04/02/black-white-or-green/comment-page-1/#comment-44845 Peter T. Knight Thu, 03 Apr 2008 21:25:06 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=349#comment-44845 Quite right Marc, the complex ecosystem of government, NGO and business needs both carrots and sticks. It’s a pity that the sticks have become rather spindly and ineffective lately as many NGOs have grown fat on partnership. Everyone needs a good, sharp prod occasionally. Quite right Marc, the complex ecosystem of government, NGO and business needs both carrots and sticks. It’s a pity that the sticks have become rather spindly and ineffective lately as many NGOs have grown fat on partnership. Everyone needs a good, sharp prod occasionally.

]]> By: Lewis Fix http://www.marcgunther.com/2008/04/02/black-white-or-green/comment-page-1/#comment-44838 Lewis Fix Thu, 03 Apr 2008 19:56:44 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=349#comment-44838 Excellent article, Marc. This post should be required reading for anyone involved in corporate/NGO relationships. I truly appreciate your practical, objective approach to your articles. Keep up the good, informative work. Excellent article, Marc. This post should be required reading for anyone involved in corporate/NGO relationships. I truly appreciate your practical, objective approach to your articles. Keep up the good, informative work.

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