As 2011 approaches, I welcome the changes that it will bring to the practice of corporate sustainability. The following three trends are those that I believe will have an increased impact on our lives and the way we do business.

1. Increased awareness and adoption of EPDs. The environmental version of “Nutrition Facts”, Environmental Product Declarations offer third party verified data without bias, allowing consumers to decide whether or not a product is environmentally responsible. EPDs have been around for awhile, but I think 2011 is the year where we’ll see growing adoption in the green building industry in response to consumer-driven demand, as the green media continues to highlight the need for no-nonsense eco-labels.

2. Increased oil prices. Yes, I am looking forward to increased oil prices, and here’s why. When oil was trading near $135 in July of 2008, the market for recycled plastics was hot. Investments in recycling paid off because the demand for alternatives to oil-based plastics was high. But when the price of oil plummeted, so did the market for recycled content. There was no market incentive to use recycled content when virgin plastic was so cheap. So I’m looking forward to increased oil prices in 2011, which will drive demand and investment in recycled materials, as well as alternative energy.

3. Increased knowledge of biomimicry. This one is personal, as I am thrilled to be one of 16 students entering the Biomimicry Professional Certification Program in 2011. Through the BPCP, I aim to learn how we can expand the application of biomimicry beyond product and process innovation to organizational innovation. I believe the key to stretching beyond incremental sustainability improvement is to ask how nature would design an organization.