In a recent article by Bloomberg, Chrysler Group LLC shared their perspective on what it means to be sustainable.  The debut of the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee at the Detroit auto show boasts the ability to drive 700 miles between fill-ups and gets 30 miles per gallon on the highway, with a eight-speed automatic transmission and a gasoline-saving “eco” mode.  Jeep brand President Mike Manley praised it as a fuel saver, but it certainly isn’t a “subcompact fuel sipper.”

Chrysler’s Jeep is indicative of a significant problem in the auto-industry where manufacturers must reconcile the trade off between fuel-economy regulations and staying true to their brand by minimizing the impact of the trade off.  The 2014 Cherokee is perhaps the latest in a string of “spinning” attempts by automakers to pay lip service to the importance of sustainability while introducing bigger, more powerful cars and trucks.

“Clearly the auto companies are trying to tell the government that they’re following the law, while they’re telling consumers come buy our biggest gas-guzzling trucks.” – said Dan Becker, director of the Safe Climate Campaign.

It’s unclear as to whether the 2014 Grand Cherokee will live up to U.S. standards for fuel economy.  But the question remains as to whether Chrysler’s message to drivers is a good one: Can you have your cake and eat it too?

The FIFA World Cup is the biggest single-event sporting competition in the world and its impact on the environment is indisputable.  Having defined a clear, ambitious, and yet realistic focus for their approach, the 2014 FIFA World Cup is poised to establish a unique platform to raise awareness and highlight select social and environmental concerns on a global scale.  By capitalizing on existing communication lines and governance structures, FIFA is poised to maximize the impact that the 2014 World Cup will have in terms of promoting sustainability.

Green buildings

Many stadiums in Brazil are planning to achieve LEED certification for green buildings, reinforcing Brazil’s commitment to international sustainability standards.  Over one thousand photovoltaic solar panels on stadiums’ roofs will also be installed to generate renewable energy in a partnership with World Cup Sponsor Yingli Solar.  Yingli is the first Chinese company and renewable energy provider to sponsor the World Cup, highlighting the global interconnectedness of this event.

Offsetting carbon emissions

In an article by Reuters, Brazil is poised to produce 11.1 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from the events leading up to the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 3.01 million tonnes during the event, roughly 0.8 percent of Brazil’s annual emissions.  Brazil is thus, investing heavily to expand roads and airports trying to relieve the perennial congestion that common in its major cities.  FIFA as also mentioned that it would spend around $20 million for the project to offset most emissions from the event by buying carbon credits in the voluntary market.  This is surplus to the recommended $15 million cited by CO2 Zero to offset emissions produced during the event.

Corporate partnerships

Reduce, re-use, and recycle has been the key phrase for FIFA Partner Coca-Cola.  The corporate giant recently made its own mark on the 2014 World Cup by launching a campaign for the donation of plastic (PET) bottles to be reused in the linings of 6,773 seats in the new Maracana Stadium.  Coca Cola’s small, but measurable culture of recycling has hit a positive note with 50 percent of the Brazilian population who believe that stadiums should have facilities for recycling and proper disposal of waste.

Within the area of environmental protection, six key areas have been emphasized including waste, water energy, transportation, procurement and climate change.  By understanding the extent of its environmental impact, including its carbon footprint, FIFA has taken steps to evaluate what emissions are caused by in the lead up to the recent FIFA World Cups.  Through the combined efforts of FIFA, the LOC, the federal government of Brazil, and corporate partners, sustainability has become an integral part of the FIFA World Cup.