Attaining environmental benefits and lower cost of ownership are driving more commercial fleets to electrify, according to a UPS (NYSE: UPS) and GreenBiz study released today. In the “Curve Ahead: The Future of Fleet Electrification” report, industry leaders identify the main motivations and barriers to electrification, as well as strategies to move the commercial electric vehicle market from niche to mainstream.

On the International Day of the Girl, HP Inc. launched a powerful new film titled A Generation Found. The film, narrated by George Clooney, tells the story of two young Syrian girls living in refugee settlements in Lebanon who regain access to quality education following years of uncertainty. It is the result of a unique partnership between HP, the Clooney Foundation for Justice (CFJ), UNICEF and Google.org focused on improving educational opportunities and learning outcomes for underserved communities.

The beverage sector is facing increasing stakeholder pressure to be more productive while also consuming less energy and reducing carbon emissions. The good news is that there are considerable opportunities to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions—if we come together to tackle the challenges standing in the way.

There is no natural gas pipeline that extends anywhere near Chapleau or the Borden site, so the team had to find a solution for heating fuel to warm the air underground during colder months.

Propane was the expensive go-to consideration. Biomass such as refuse from the forestry industry was briefly considered but would require significant traffic on site and it was not sure if it could economically compete with propane. Liquified Natural Gas was another option looked at quite extensively, though that required both a significant site footprint and government funding to become a reality. The team felt strongly about finding solution that was going to be even better for the environment and be cost efficient as well.

Underground mining tools usually include a mix of mechanical and pneumatic tools such as handheld jacklegs and stoper drills. Mechanical equipment such as bolters can now be operated remotely keeping the operator at a safe distance from hazards in the work area. Hand-held tools require cumbersome connections to water and compressed air to function and are heavy to lift, making them difficult to maneuver at the risk of musculoskeletal injuries to the worker. Pressurized air and water lines underground can also be a risk as they age and deteriorate in underground conditions, faulty valves on compressed air lines have caused serious accidents in the industry.

With worker safety in mind, Borden has banned the use of jacklegs and stopers, which are pneumatic hand tools.

Worker health and safety is of the utmost importance at Goldcorp and air quality is a high priority in underground operations. Ventilation fans, air ducts, and infrastructure such as fresh air intake raises, are necessary to distribute fresh air, and as a result are indispensable to ensure the health, safety and comfort of anyone working underground. However, as mine development progresses deeper, costs rise as it takes more effort to deliver quality air.

To conserve energy and save money without compromising safety and air quality, Borden has implemented a Ventilation on Demand (VoD) system.

Water management, energy efficiency and conservation feature prominently as key aspects to consider in all successful mining operations. At Goldcorp, we have ambitious and innovative projects and goals in our Environment division and Lisa Wade, our VP of Environment, highlights some of these.

With the donation of one hectare of communal land by the community, Goldcorp’s Peñasquito mine recently constructed and opened the Rural Medical Centre, which will benefit more than 2,300 members of the community of Cedros and Mazapil, in the state of Zacatecas, one of the largest municipalities in Mexico.