Magazine

Banana peels become electricity: Organic waste turned into energy The search for alternative energy sources by political, economic and community groups date back to years before oil prices skyrocketed. Demand for energy has increased significantly, but the resources are limited. In addition, serious climate and environmental liabilities result from the use of fossil fuels, such as oil and coal. Organic waste brings new hopes as cattle manure, industrial waste and municipal residues are used to produce electricity, heat and fuel.

Hans-Christian Angele

Integrative management towards sustainability Business insights gained from sustainability have increased substantially over the last few years. While outstanding companies do exist, some people mystify sustainability as desirable yet unattainable, and others mistake it for a charade or for "business as usual" coupled with misleading communications. Hence, more than 20 years after the notion of "sustainable development" was coined as "meeting the needs and aspirations of the present without compromising the ability to meet those of the future", it is time to mainstream practical ways of integrating what sustainability has to offer for the management of companies.

Roland Widmer

Climate Change & Recycling - New Approaches to International Industrial Responsibility It sounds like an old suspect... About two decades ago, the term "Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)" suddenly appeared to be on everyone's lips. And CFC, a scapegoat leaving a footprint on a broad range of products and applications, received considerable attention when they became known as ozone-depleting substances. As a consequence, a phase-out process for their production and use was initiated under the Montreal protocol, a powerful and widely acknowledged international treaty.

Janine Frauendorf

Sao Paulo and the 21st Century The legacy left from the 19th and 20th centuries to the new century was a social and environmental crisis of unprecedented proportions in the history of mankind. Violence, extreme social inequality and deterioration of the environment are at the core of the crisis. Global warming, a major consequence - and the most prevalent issue in local, federal and international agendas.

Eduardo Jorge

EcoPontos in Sao Paulo The city of São Paulo, which alone generates 4,000 tons of construction waste, has set up various Voluntary Waste Disposal Stations, known as EcoPontos.

Denise Ortega

Volunteer work and corporate social responsibility: together for a better society Helping others is a great way to help yourself while helping to build a better world. This is the concept behind the work of the Centro de Voluntariado de Sao Paulo.

Anisia Villas Boas Sukadolnik

interview

Jakob Lorenz Gsell During a research for a Swiss bank, PhD Historian Urs Alfred Müller-Lhotska explored the life of a successful Swiss entrepreneur in Brazil 110 years ago.

Urs Alfred Müller-Lhotska

Swiss economy

The importance of bank secrecy for Swiss banks The Swiss banking sector plays a significant role in the country's economy, with a 10% share of the GDP in 2006.

Alexander Blarer

legal

The Advance of Legislation on Recycling Issues Concerns regarding lack of natural resources are no longer a discussion only amongst civil organizations, but have also become a matter of great importance for the State.

Gastão Meirelles Pereira and Anderson Luiz Martins de Moura

success story

3D Impact Media Swiss start-up in Latin America.

Helga Ensina

chamber news

Farewell of Ambassador Rudolf Bärfuss - Visit of Federal Counselor Micheline Calmy-Rey to Brazil.

culture

"The Swiss-Brazilian" Movie tells story about Swiss immigration.

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54

10/2008

Edition 54 | focus: recycling and sustainability

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