Communicating Natural Capital

Communicating Natural Capital Cartnal 1
Communicating Natural Capital Use to the Public and Stakeholders
Shane Cartnal
Jean Parker
IDST400-Q1WW
4/9/15

The United States is a country that gains is wealth from the multitude of different
businesses and corporations that utilize natural sources to create the products they intend to sell
or distribute. With that in mind, it is important to understand that with the environmental issues
that we are faced with every day, businesses have begun to not only take into account their
bottom line but the environmental costs that occurs when they create their product. In a report
from Bloomberg Business it was estimated that the environmental cost of doing business was
close to 4.7 trillion dollars on an annual basis and it on the rise (Fellow, 2013) This cost can
range anywhere from the amount of land they use, water that may be used during product
creation and even from freak natural disasters that can affect the supply chain. Nowadays
companies have become focused on what they can do to keep it at a low cost that is both
environmentally responsible but also cost effective for its customers. The ability for a company
to be able to understand the environmental costs during each step of the supply chain is key to
their success in the ever changing environmental world we reside in.
Energy Supply Chain
The first step in understanding the importance of the supply chain when it comes to
energy is to understand what elements go into its distribution. This could be the poles they use to
run the line, the land they use to mine or even the windfarms that are springing up across the
nation. It is important to understand these items because it sheds light on some of the costs that
are attributed to each step.

“Companies that measure and manage the natural capital they use and mitigate their
exposure to risks such as water scarcity and volatile energy and agriculture prices can
ensure more resilient supply chains and better investment strategies” (Fellow, 2013)
To further solidify that point, we will discuss the beginning of the supply chain, specifically
talking about the use of “green energy” and the use of windfarms. The first cost that you run into
is the land you need to support this sort of endeavor. As a company you need to plan for
hundreds of acres or more due to the sheer size of the mills and how many you actually need to
support the energy needs for millions of customers. Companies now have to be responsible for
not only the development of a project of this size but also account for sustainability for such a
project. This is why understanding the environmental supply chain in terms of energy
distribution is so important. Companies now do not just have accountants that help in the
forecasting of costs, but now accountants not only forecast costs but also the sustainability of the
product that they are creating to distribute.
Natural Disasters
Another aspect mentioned is the affect that natural disasters have on the energy supply
line as well that increase the environmental costs in distribution and creation. For a clear
example, though not related to energy, we will use the creation of shoes. There are so many
aspects of a shoe that can coincide and connect with energy needs with the reason being that
though both are different, both can be affected by disasters. There are so many items, same as
energy, that go into the creation of a shoe. For one you have to look at rubber and the trees where
we get them from. Let us say that these trees are located to a waterway and we completely strip

that area of the forest of its trees for the shoes that we make. A danger was just created because
now that soil is loose and if there was a monsoon or other sort of disaster that water will rush
down the hillside and take prospective trees out and away from our use. This same sort of
problem happened in 2012:
“Thailand’s worst flooding in almost 70 years hit at least five major industrial parks last
year, forcing Toshiba, Honda Motor Co., Toyota and other companies to shut down
hundreds of factories. The flooding also affected companies operating in other countries
due to a shortage of key components made in Thai factories. As a result, Thailand’s
economy shrank for the first time since 2009 and companies including Toshiba lowered
their profit forecasts for the year ending March 31, Bloomberg reported.” (Environmental
Leader, 2012)
Though not related to the aspect of energy parallels can be drawn between both of these
situations. For instance what would happened if a freak tornado tore many of the windmills
down? What if a coal mine is shut down due to a rock slide? And what if a dam use for hydro
power is destroyed due to flooding? The question is broached as to what Buckeye Power would
do in a situation such as this. Say these disasters do occur and many of the veins of power that
they use for their customers are significantly decreased. This is where you can use and integrated
approach both through PR and Social Media to combat this situation. Through each social media
platform you can address the problem through short informational tidbits on what exactly
happened with the energy sources. This would allow for Buckeye Power to quickly spread the

word to its customers about the situation at hand. From there, with the first steps taken care of,
they can begin formulating a PR strategy bringing more insight into the situation with TV or
Radio spots letting those they represent know they are getting ahead of the problem and starting
to fix the situation. This undertaking by Buckeye Power would allow them to use the situation as
an almost teachable moment where it can give its customers insights on how their business can
be affected by these incidences and effectively allow them to see they are able to handle the
situations when it comes to a loss of their energy distribution.
Companies Taking Charge
These are all things that companies, be if of energy or not, have to take into account when
create a product to sell or distribute. All of these things mentioned that may if may not occur are
key reasons that many businesses are making a concerted effort to understand the effect of
environmental costs on their supply chain and are diligently trying to find ways to make it cost
effective for both sides, both the distributor and the customer. By understanding these ideas and
also accounting for not only financial success but sustainability, in the long run, that company
will predominantly successful.
There are so many utility companies that have really taken this charge of being
environmentally sustainable very seriously. Energy utility companies, many some of the biggest
in the world, including EDF, Statkraft, CLP, Entergy and even Eskom. With the help of the
WBCSD, or World Business Council for Sustainable Development they are embarking on a
project that is geared to the building a resilient power sector that can adapt to the effects of
environmental change and sustainably use environmental sources to continue to create and
distribute the energy that we need. The report that the WBSCD created details, “over 20
practical examples of the different solutions electric utilities companies are putting in place to

face these challenges.” (WBSCD, 2015) This kind of partnership between these powerful
companies is something that is unprecedented, but they are doing their due diligence to help not
only in the future of our economy but also the environment that we live in. By creating the
ability to have a resilient power grid allows the ability to companies to continue to function even
with things such as a severe drought, heat, and a multitude of other things that we may face in
the age we live in and the constant change in environmental factors that may affect the supply
chain of energy distribution. These companies in a letter written in conjunction with many CEOs
of the aforementioned companies wrote:
““We are convinced that all utilities need to develop adaptation strategies, which will
depend on the local circumstances of each asset and utility. Working together in this
project demonstrates our belief that electric utilities and our stakeholders can benefit from
pooling our learning, exchanging best practices, sharing resources and encouraging
mutual aid” (WBCSD, 2015)
The key part in that letter is the ability to adapt, which many companies have begun to do so,
with alternative energy sources in the same vein as Buckeye Power and their ability to use
multiple avenues help in the distribution to their customers. By utilizing different methods of
both creation and transmission of energy coincides precisely with the companies are trying to do
in working with the WBCSD, whose sole mission is to help in the efforts of creating programs
like this. With so many companies on board with this project and cooperatives such as Buckeye
Power doing their part in providing green and sustainable energy that allows it to be cost

effective for its customers and environmentally sustainable for future endeavors when it comes
to energy.
Buckeye Power
With the companies mentioned the one that is the focus of the project is mainly Buckeye
Power and the efforts that they go into providing energy through both renewable and
nonrenewable methods. The first step in understanding the company is to look into what sources
they use to bring green energy to its customers. To date there are two main sources they use to
bring this energy to its customers and this is through hydropower and the use of a wind farm.
The hydropower comes from the New York Power Authority and “Buckeye has a 55 megawatt
entitlement,” (Buckeye Power, 2014) to use the energy that comes from that source. In regards to
the Story County Wind Energy Center, located in Iowa, they have a “purchase power agreement
(PPA) for 30 megawatts of power,” (Buckeye Power, 2014) from that location. With those being
the main two sources they also have auxiliary forms of green energy production that they utilize.
One of these sources is through anaerobic digesters, farms where they utilize the methane gas
created by animals to generate power which generates close to 4.45 MW (megawatts). They also
use tow landfills located in both Perry County and Hancock County which produce 6.4 MW and
3.2 MW respectively. These sources show that Buckeye Power is serious in utilizing these
sources to offer energy to their customers but also are looking to grow these sources into more
substantial areas for power. The efforts of the company shows the customer, shareholders and
those they represent that they understand the importance of utilizing these sources in reference to
the understanding of natural capital and how they much change due to environmental needs.
Public Relations Framework

With what was mentioned a PR campaign that is lead with that sort of participation with
the power companies mentioned and with the efforts of Buckeye Power it shows that the move to
use both green and other energy types (coal, gas, etc. ) can effectively be used in conjunction
with each other. As a company if you can show that yes, you are investing in green energy but
not abandoning other forms of energy while also being environmentally responsible it helps in
the long run in communicating with those whom you represent. Every consumer wants to feel
like they are making a difference, and if they can use the energy company as a sort of
springboard it develops a certain kind of trust across the board with the customer, shareholder or
constituent that you are trying to reach. In essence as an energy cooperative, Buckeye Power and
communicate to those they represent that they are heading in a direction that fulfills that need of
the customer but also keeping with their organizational goals allows them the ability not only
keep customers but also add new ones as well. It is in the best interest of any company, energy or
not, to find new leads for customers which may lead for more of a financial boon that could
provide more research into green energy and other forms that keep up the need for being
environmentally sustainable. If you can communicate utilizing that format, a PR campaign
formulated around that idea, it opens you up to so many different avenues of leading as an
energy cooperative, where Buckeye Power has been so successful. By using them as a model for
a message centered on that idea, it would bring so much to the cooperative as a whole.
Another PR campaign idea would have town hall meetings sponsored by Buckeye Power
in their main customer areas to harbor a question and answer session. It is important from prior
coursework taken, that people need to be able to put a face behind a company to develop a strong
basis of trust. By employing a strong representative to lead these meetings would make that
effort so much easier. This, from the question and answer session, would allow for both those

who want green energy and those who prefer utilizing different energies to get an idea of how
Buckeye Power is utilizing its resources to ensure that they are heading in the right direction in
both areas. By using green energy to act as almost a supplement to what they offer through their
distribution of coal is integral to their business model. Allowing the customers to understand that
will garner a stronger support from those they represent and put them on the map in terms of
utilizing green sources to power the energy needs of their customers. Currently, in the fiscal year
of 2014, “nearly 500,000 megawatt-hours of electricity (about 5 percent of member needs) was
produced from renewable sources.” (Buckeye Power, 2014) This fact could also turn into
another PR centered campaign as yes we are doing our due diligence to offer these sources and
go into how they would increase those numbers as the years go on.
By giving an outlook to the customers of where Buckeye Power is heading in utilizing
these sources would allow even more of a presence of the green energy front and allow for not
only the creation of new customers but also those who may want to migrate from their current
provider to the services offered by Buckeye Power. These ideas are meant to not only spread the
word about green energy but also be a type of lead generation for future prospective customers.
With these ideas in hand and with what social media campaign can be created from those
messages and the use original methods through social media platforms will allow them to set
themselves apart from other companies and make them one of the top energy distributors in not
only the state but also the country.
To ensure that this campaigns hits on all cylinders there are a few things that need to be
considered for a project of this scale. The first thing that needs to be understood is the why
behind the methods proposed. The “why” in this case would be that Buckeye Power wants its
customers to know about the renewable energy programs that they utilize. Within the campaign

the right audience has to be targeted to ensure the project hits the key demographics it needs to
hit. By understanding the market you are aiming for creates a highly efficient campaign that hits
its mark. Finally, you have to decide how you are going to measure its success. This
measurement can be extruded by a possible increase in website traffic, searches through search
engines and other things of that nature can give you a good glimpse in the effectiveness of the
campaign. These strategies to understand the effectiveness of the campaign is able to allow
Buckeye Power to really understand not only those they represent but also prospective customers
that may be created through the campaign.
Social Media Framework
To ensure that this communication is getting to its customers to give some insight into
Buckeye Power there are a few social media options that they can use in order to get their
message across. Though there are many that we can utilize the focus will be only on three main
social media platforms:
1. YouTube
2. Twitter
3. Facebook
The main thing that needs to be done is to have a certain theme or message throughout each
platform that brings everything together and adds some connection to each one. For this one in
particular are message would be centered on one singular. This idea would be the use of a tagline
referred to as “Green is Go.” This represents the use of green methods of energy and distribution

and that it is integral for the success of not only the company but also the energy cooperative
industry. Examples include, as far as Buckeye Power is concerned, is their ability to distribute
energy from a multitude of “green” sources such as bio digesters, wind farms of Iowa and also
hydro electricity from New York.
The first one that we will discuss is YouTube. Currently Buckeye Power does not have
much of a presence using his social media platform. Primarily we will as this channel as a way
to build a more substantial relationship with those in which we represent. One of the main things
that will be focused on are videos that give an insight into the energy that Buckeye Power uses to
distribute to the customers that they are anchored to. One way we can do this is by creating a
series of videos that discuss not only the coal they use in the energy they distribute but also the
other renewable sources available to them. Each one would focus on a different aspect of the
energy such as coal (where 94.4 percent of their energy comes from), hydro (From New York)
and the windfarm stationed in Iowa. There will also be videos detailing their use of bio digesters
and other forms of renewable energy. This would show that not only would they have a hand in
coal energy but other forms as to show that that they intend to keep adding different sources of in
state and out of state renewable energy resources.
Other way that we can be even more open with our customers and shareholders alike is
by giving them a sense of the everyday happenings within the company by showcasing different
employees so they can put a face to the company. Meaning, with a series of videos like this,
would allow for people to have a substantial relationship more so than the magazines they
receive monthly. It would give the customers and shareholders the ability to understand the
company even more so in light of the fact they can have a person giving them information in a
more personal tone. Each video idea presented would allow customers, shareholders and

constituents to build a strong bond between them and those they receive power from. As a
company, being able to build trust with those you represent will help in the long run in achieving
company goals.
Another effective way was to create a way that resonates with the prime demographic of
those who use YouTube the young adults. We could create a series of videos with young
spokespersons representing BuckeyePower in a video series that would both be educational and
entertaining at the same time. These videos could range from being about the science behind
green energy an even the truths of what is created energy-wise in discussing the wattage that
each of the sources and how much that really goes to the customers in the form of electricity. I
think being able to hit that key demographic would not only give more exposure to Buckeye
Power but also allow them to hit a market that many energy cooperatives or companies are
unable to reach. It would bring them to the forefront and allow them to expand not only their
organizational goals but also being more of a force when it comes to being a force trying to
promote green energy and utilizing it to the betterment of their customers. It would help in the
long run in terms of long term business goals.
As it pertains to Twitter we can do even more in furthering the goal of bringing an
awareness to environmental cost and how it effects Buckeye Power and how they may be
implementing strategies to keep sustainability high but continue being able to give low cost
energy to its customers. Again, as with the YouTube platform the use of twitter is quite small
and only referred to in mentions in job openings or business related posts. In an effort to change
this an account will be created to being utilizing this platform. As a company we would use
multiple hashtags in order for people to get an idea of the renewable energy that is being used
along with coal. Here are a few examples that will further that prime intention

@BuckeyePower
“We have so many avenues to bring you the power you need #FuturePlan #GreenISGo
@BuckeyePower
“We get energy from all the critters on the farm! #BioDigesters (included would be a
picture of one of the farms they use in this process.)
@BuckeyePower
“Another man’s trash, is another man’s responsible made #green energy #LandfillPower
@BuckeyePower
“Meetings being planned to discuss future renewable energy sources #GreenIsGo
@BuckeyePower
“Our Iowa #wind energy distributor is enjoying the windy weather! (A picture can be
included showing the swath of windmills in Iowa pumping out energy)
With these examples the campaign would be successful in showing ways they are utilizing other
energy sources responsibly to bring power to the customers they serve. It would be a great way
to integrate new energy ideas but also open themselves up into becoming a more socially
conscious of future energy needs.
In regards to Facebook, I was unable to find much of a presence, but it would allow us to
bring all the ideas consolidated into one place other than the Buckeye Power website. This ability
to consolidate all the information into one of the highest used social media platforms would
enable our message to reach so many more people than normal with just the use of YouTube and

Twitter. The key to the whole campaign is communication in masse and would allow us to
spread our campaign to those who would not normally be interested in. That ability to reach so
many on all the different social media platforms will increase the reach of Buckeye Power and
help them become a leader in not only utilizing renewable sources alongside coal but also begin
forthcoming with the costs that comes from utilizing each part of their breadth of distribution.
With all of the proposals given with any social media campaign there are certain things
that need to be understood. Firstly, a clear goal must be focused on. In the case of Buckeye
Power the goal would be to give information about their renewable sources in an effort to not
only create lead generation but also show the public that it is serious about using renewable
energy sources. The second thing that you have to choose the right applications or in this case
social media platforms. These three platforms mentioned allow for the transmission of
information on so many different levels. That fact allows for the growth of a successful social
media campaign. Also utilize social influencers who can help manage the campaign and be the
sort of face for the campaign. These influencers can be those that work at Buckeye Power who
have a full understanding of the renewable source offerings that the organization provides. This
would give customers and shareholders alike the ability to connect with an actual person about
the offerings. Lastly, and most importantly, is how you will measure the campaigns success. This
measurement can be taken by how many followers and interactions your influencers utilize, how
effectively your videos are being utilized through views and comments, and the growth of the
companies Facebook pages. These three things can help in every capacity when utilizing a
campaign of this size.
With everything that has been mentioned it is critical that both the social media campaign
ideas and the public relation suggestions are utilized to get the message across about the needs to

understand environmental capital. Both campaigns, used in unison, will allow for the
dissemination of this information to occur rapidly and allow people to think about this pressing
issue. With the example of Buckeye Power and the multitude of business mentioned throughout
this paper so that, yes, companies are researching this topic and they are making efforts and
strides to ensure that they are doing their part to curb the situation as much as possible. When
you are able, as a company, to face these issues on the front lines it shows to the customers,
shareholder, and contingencies that they represent that not only are these companies thinking of
them in the present but also in the future when it comes to energy creation, production and
distribution. With the ideas that have been created for both a social media sense and through the
ideas shared through public relations will allow for Buckeye Power to be on the forefront of this
and be a leader in both green energy development and distribution but also as an environmentally
conscious company which may not be a popular stance but by far an important one.
Even with the efforts of utilizing these two disciplines, or any for that matter, there will
always be blind spots. Social Media and Public Relations can only cover so much and what they
can’t cover another discipline may be more appropriate to handle the tasks. As a pure
communication project in design these two disciplines fit nicely within the framework of the
project. The one area that there were limitations was being able to create something as far as the
campaigns that were designed with really nothing to go on. It challenged me, in a project sense,
to really allow for the months’ worth of coursework utilized to create the framework of the
campaigns. Each class taken in the past allowed me to be able to take what I learned from each
course and implement them within the project. With that said I think that we the proposals set
forth not only opened up for further understanding of each element that goes into a project such
as this.

References
Buckeye Power. (2014). Annual Report 2014. Columbus, OH
WBSCD. (2015). Vision 2050. In http://www.wbcsd.org/. Retrieved March 7, 2015, from
http://www.wbcsd.org/vision2050.aspx
Fellow, A. (2013, April 17). Environmental Cost of Business Estimated at $4.7T Annually.
In bloomberg.com. Retrieved April 9, 2015
Environmental Leader. (2012, April 27). Toshiba to Rebuild Thailand Chip Factory Hit By
Floods.
In environmentalleader.com. Retrieved April 9, 2015

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