A company called Covanta is generating electricity and disposing of people’s waste in an environmentally friendly way. I think this is a great example of a company that is tackling two problems and solving each of them well. Covanta takes trash from communities and burns the trash in incinerators which create steam that turns turbines that generate electricity. The electricity created is renewable and the garbage after it is burned is more easily disposed.

You might think that air pollution is created when the garbage is burned, but that is not the case. Covanta manages all of its emissions and ensures that their environmental output is minimal. Their emissions are so clean that they even have a plant in Honolulu, Hawaii where people really care about protecting the environment. If you are interested in finding out more about Covanta, you can watch a CNNMoney video about it.

Covanta is a publicly traded company and they have a solid valuation. They are listed on the NYSE under the ticker CVA.

We are all excited about ethanol, fuel cell, solar and wind technology, but here is an example of a technology that is making an impact today. This brings new meaning to the phrase, “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure”!

Disclosure: At the time of the writing of this post, I have no financial relationships with any of the organizations mentioned.
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About the Author

Jonathan Chang is interested in new technologies which help individuals and organizations make a positive impact on society and the environment. He is also a proponent of long term thinking, supports the creation of renewable resources, and is an ardent advocate of social entrepreneurship. He is involved with and a member of Net Impact and the Commonwealth Club. (Net Impact is an international nonprofit organization whose mission is to make a positive impact on society by growing and strengthening a community of new leaders who use business to improve the world. The Commonwealth Club is the nation’s oldest and largest public affairs forum which organizes events on topics ranging across politics, culture, society and the economy.) Jon received his MBA from Babson College and his BA from Columbia University.