In addition to the construction of solar energy panels, Holyfield will also be dedicating one acre of land to an organic community garden to be used by urban youth. According to the green gossip blog, ecorazzi, “The total power produced with the new solar plant is expected to amount to produce approximately 645,000,000 (KWh) of solar power annually,” which is no small feat.

It’s always good to see people who have come to enjoy superstardom embracing the larger picture. The more high profile men and women who can push forward the momentum of green reform, the more the movement becomes a success. Good for you, Evander Holyfield!

[image via Cliff1066]

He also promised $100 million towards the creation of an environmental advisory group called the Climate Policy Initiative, which  “will be part advisory service, part policy developer and part watchdog” over the funds, according to Bloomberg business news.

Clearly these are large pools of investment, and they could not have come at a better time. Because of last year’s calamitous economic output, “new investments this year including research funded by governments and companies will total about $110 billion, 29 percent below 2008 and 26 percent off the 2007 total.” With a name like Soros behind the cause, however, I think it will only be a matter of time before those numbers pick way up again.

But as easy as it is to hop onto the green bandwagon, new research suggests that sustainability practices in larger corporations has an acute, direct relationship to profitability. 

R. Paul Herman, founder of HIP Investor Inc., has developed a way to measure the effect of sustainable practices on a given company’s bottom line. While there are many other experts devoted to this trend, Herman has created a system which represents “the first professional analysis that links the adoption of sustainability with creating increased stockholder value,” according to Entrepreneur.com. The HIP 100IndexSm within the S&P 100 stock index is the first of its kind. 

As examples of larger corporations adopting a green strategy for profit, Clorox, Coca-Cola, Colgate-Palmolive, “make it clear that sustainability is emerging as a huge opportunity for entrepreneurs seeking to grow a business and then sell it for a premium to a larger company.” They have essentially bought out companies who have come to prominence in or before the natural/organic movement reached a fever pitch. Coca-Cola purchased both Odwalla and Republic Tea; Clorox purchased Burt’s Bees; Colgate-Palmolive purchased Tom’s of Maine. As a result of these purchases, the larger corporations have seen their share prices increase due to a rise in desirability. 

Look for the HIP index to become a major factor in the stock markets in the coming years. It’s safe to say that right now a company who turns a blind eye to sustainable practices will more likely than not become completely obsolete in the broader picture of investment. 

[image via Epicharmus]

While its “inspired by Starbucks” new store concept is a novel idea, it does little to change the culture around the brand, but with its recycling pilot program, its seems poised to make a real impact. The goal of the endeavor is simple yet impressive: ensure that every single coffee cup and food wrapper can be recycled by 2012. The full scope of the plan can be read here.

If Starbucks can achieve this goal, the ripple effect will definitely influence the entire industry. While adopting a similar program won’t be mandatory by any means, once consumers see the results, it’s hard to imagine other major fast food chains being able to resist the shift.

With the increase in recyclable material, there is the potential for an influx in the recycling sector, creating more jobs and less waste with a much smaller carbon footprint.

[image via imotion dung]