Dow Chemical continues to profit on a decades-old sustainability strategy. Between 2009 and 2010, the company saved $760 million from improved energy efficiency, which is something that Dow has been working on since 1990. Since that year, Dow says it has invested about $2 billion in energy efficiency, which has resulted in over $9.4 billion in savings, a $7 billion net savings.

By streamlining the energy used for its manufacturing processes, Dow also has also reduced the amount of greenhouse gasses it emits, down 20% from 1994, preventing roughly 90 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. Dow wants to cut greenhouse gas emissions even more, ideally ratcheting them down 2.5% per year from a 2005 baseline.

Dow is also looking to boost green initiatives beyond the processing plant. It wants to keep 7,000 semi-truckloads of chemical processing byproducts out of landfills, and this past year, it partnered with the Nature Conservancy. Dow pledged $10 million to the partnership, which will enable the chemicals company to assess its environmental impact in communities where it operates.By Shelley DuBois, reporter

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Last updated May 16 2011: 6:18 PM ET /div>

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