Camoson College. Source: www.camosun.ca

Universities and post-secondary institutions around the world are now focusing towards sustainability in their campuses. Camosun College is involved with social entrepreneurship, creating a sustainability plan which features new solar-power charging stations, a solar-powered Environmental Technology field project, rainwater harvesting, and a compost program initiative. This plan will reduce the amount of waste produced on campus and reduce carbon emission levels. Camosun is not yet listed on the STARS rating system (a rating system which measures the sustainability of institutions), however, they are certainly on the right track to receive a respectable rating.

Solar panels implemented at Camosun. Source: www.nexusnewspaper.com

Camosun also understands the business aspect of becoming a sustainable institution. In the article, they stated that having an “environmentally focused business strategy is not only good for the environment, but also good for business”, which integrates into the CSR & Sustainability concepts learned in class. Camosun is creating shared value for their business, by implementing new technologies to create a more energy efficient campus which should reduce electricity costs, and also addresses and meets the needs of economical, social, and environmental factors. Their recent actions shows that they care about humanity, and are looking to continue to innovate for a more sustainable future.

Sources: http://www.nexusnewspaper.com/2014/10/29/environmental-explorations-taking-a-look-at-camosun-colleges-sustainability-initiatives/

The Northern Gateway Project by Enbridge is a controversial project as it affects the First Nations’ lands and riles up environmental concerns. The article “There will be no pipeline” brings up the issue of the pipeline being built by Enbridge, and how it will force the people of the Yinka Dene Alliance to move. The pipeline is scheduled to go through the Nak’azdli lands, which is a sacred and historic piece of land to the First Nations people. The First Nations people are now in control of this project as they state how their aboriginal rights are being violated in this article. This external factor will affect Enbridge’s business model as their business model may need to compromise to the needs of the First Nations and environmentalists.

Enbridge’s project is to create a cost efficient pipeline stretched from Alberta to northern British Columbia. Because of the barriers of entry put up by the First Nations, this will likely force Enbridge to switch costs, perhaps being forced to build around the land of the First Nations, which will not be cost effective. Government regulations put in place to help protect the First Nations’ land will thwart a direct entry through the Nak’azdli lands to the marine terminal in Kitimat, in northern British Columbia. The First Nations and environmentalists’ fight will affect the political and economical factors to their business model.

Sources:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/first-nations-hold-the-key-to-the-northern-gateway-pipeline/article19213035/

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/There+will+pipeline/10122968/story.html

In the competitive fast food industry, companies are always looking to maintain an edge. Breakfast has become the highest grossing and fastest growing meal for quick service restaurants, with coffee being the most popular item. McDonalds Canada is announcing their McCafe as a brand of ground coffee beans, which are hitting the shelves of retailers across Canada.

At an attempt to increase market share, McDonalds teamed up with Kraft Foods Group, which is one of the largest packaged food and beverage distributors, to distribute the McCafe brand. The coffee will be accessible in a bag or the ever increasing popular K-Cup form. The expansion into Canada’s coffee industry by McDonalds is a smart choice, as it is a $1.9 billion industry, and its retail is growing 21% in 2013 a year, with the country ranking in one of the top of the world in consumption of coffee.

However, Mcdonalds’ attempt to penetrate into the coffee industry will face a stiff test, with 95% of the market currently being dominated by top brands such as Starbucks and Tim Hortons. McCafe will need to give coffee-lovers a strong reason to switch to the Golden Arches’ brand.

Sources:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2014/10/03/mcdonalds-mccafe-to-face-stiff-competition-in-canada/

Elon Musk has always been admired for his ambition, and decision making capabilities. As the current CEO of Tesla Motors and CTO of SpaceX, he envisions a new possibility for mankind: to colonize Mars. No. This is not a mistake. The 43 year old CTO, says that missions to Mars may begin in the mid 2020s with hopes of developing a base beginning with tens of thousands of humans as the first settlers. This idea seems farfetched in numerous ways, as it took SpaceX a decade to even establish a space station of their own. However, this does not falter the ambition of Musk. According to his math, the colonization of Mars with about 1 million people is achievable within a decade.

His vision does not just stops at Mars. Musk, envisions for humans to be in a multi-planet ecosystem, and it all begins with the new economy from Earth to Mars. The first humans to Mars will consist of about 100,000 trips from a giant spaceship from Earth, must pay about $500,000 each to contribute to this project. If SpaceX continues to grow at a linear rate, this could be the start of a new world as we know it.

Sources:

http://www.cnet.com/news/elon-musks-mars-vision-is-bigger-than-you-thought/