10 Things I've Learned from Leaders in Sustainability

 Designer and Cradle to Cradle methodology co-creator William McDonough shares insights and learnings from the past decade.

10 Companies Setting Big Goals for Water Efficiency

As World Water Week 2010 kicks off -- and before we report on all the new commitments and successes this year -- we present a look back at how companies are making a big splash in trimming their water footprints.

Kicking Off a Global Work Party to Tackle Climate Change

This October 10, the international climate campaign 350.org is organizing the 10/10/10 Global Work Party to profile innovative climate solutions across the planet. From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, people are finding ways to get to work on local solutions and a clear message to their political leaders: We're rolling up our sleeves and working on solving this problem, what are you doing?

Should Carbon Management Be a Strategic Priority for Companies?

A new report from the Carbon Disclosure Project examines the business case for putting carbon management near the top of the agendas for 10 large companies. For these firms, carbon management has helped reduce a range of long-term business risks that may one day threaten their bottom lines.

The Case Against the Case Against CSR

Contrary to a recent opinion article in the Wall Street Journal, corporate social responsibility is not only a good idea but -- like breathing -- somewhat necessary.

A Call for Serious Debate and Action on Our Energy Future

Contemporary energy security demands a mixed basket of energy sources. A move from the current carbon energy usage, to a more balanced energy portfolio, delivers this as well as opening up almost unlimited business opportunities and a pathway to creating thousands of green jobs.

Ford Opts for Liquid Cooling to Maximize Battery Life

 Ford Motor Company's all-electric Focus will use liquid instead of air to cool and heat the car battery in order to maximize the battery's life and driving range.

Banks Back Away from Financing Mountain Top Removal

The environmentally destructive coal mining practice, for years a target of shareowner activists, faces new regulatory restrictions and limited financing from major banks.

Fairground Dung and Leftovers Tested in Waste-to-Energy Project

Which waste is the best to convert to energy -- animal dung or leftover funnel cakes, corn dogs, cotton candy and other fairground favorites? That's what a Midwest scientist and a group of researchers are exploring at the Minnesota State Fair.

Burger King Drops Controversial Palm Oil Supplier

Burger King has become the latest company to stop buying palm oil from Sinar Mas, an embattled Indonesian company its critics accuse of deforestation.

The Carbon Management Strategic Priority

Carbon management is moving up the corporate agenda and many companies now understand the need to handle their emissions. But should carbon management be considered a strategic priority?

Marketing to Consumers: Don't Think Green

In most cases, brands and organizations should have long since crossed the line from needing to point out their green-ness to working to integrate it throughout their operations.

Climate Risks That Every Executive Should Know About

When it comes to a company’s impact on climate change, does directors and officers insurance cover executives? While companies say yes, the insurance industry is saying no. We’re talking millions -- perhaps billions -- in legal liability here, so someone will end up holding the bag.
 

eBay Gives Away 100K Reusable Green Shipping Boxes to Sellers

The company's latest green initiative encourages sellers to reuse shipping boxes made of recycled materials as a way of promoting greener shipping methods.

ComEd Creates 'Smart Grid Innovation' Corridor Near Chicago

The company, a subsidiary of utility giant Exelon, launched what it is calling a "Smart Grid Innovation Corridor" in 10 Northern Illinois communities where there are already smart meters installed in 130,000 homes. Five pilot tests will take place in the corridor, using the smart meter technology as the foundation.

Nescafé Targets Coffee Sustainability with $350M Investment

 Nestlé is investing nearly $350 million over the next decade to expand its reach into sustainable coffee farming, make its factories more efficient and reduce its packaging. Beyond the Cup: The Nescafe Plan is the company's global project that adds onto the nearly $200 million already spent on coffee project in previous years.

Spotlighting the Green Benefits of LEDs

Since the first humans carried a torch to provide light, heat has been a by-product of producing light. Traditional electric lights give off more heat than light. But LEDs are twice as efficient as fluorescents at converting electricity to light, generate very little heat, are nearly maintenance free and provide a high quality of light. So what's standing in the way of their broad adoption?

Why We're Asking the Wrong Questions on Cap-and-Trade

Instead of asking how much cap-and-trade will cost, we should be asking how much it saves us. The glacier in the room is that the real costs won't come from cap-and-trade, but from climate change itself.

How the Fate of PACE Could Influence the Clean Energy Economy

PACE financing is a potentially revolutionary way to retrofit commercial, residential, and industrial properties with energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. The program overcomes one of the largest hurdles to investment in clean energy -- the upfront cost. This post, the first of a three-part series, looks at how the fate of PACE programs could determine the future of the clean energy economy.

New Rainforest Alliance Standard Targets Cattle Farming

The Rainforest Alliance has launched a new certification aimed at helping cattle farms improve their environmental and social performance.

How the FTC Will Tame the 'Wild West' of Green Marketing

The Federal Trade Commission's forthcoming 'green guides' for making environmental claims promise to shake up how green -- and not-so-green -- products promote themselves. Here are four things you need to know.

Concerns Arise Over Sudden Changes to Calif. Chemical Review Panel

Five of the nine members on a panel that reviews chemicals and helped get diesel emissions labeled as toxic have been dismissed. Those that have been hoping to see turnover on the panel say it's a matter of putting in fresh eyes, while others feel the sudden changes are a result of pressure from industrial interests and will harm the panel's credibility and effectiveness.

'Dry Water' Could Make Commercial Waves in Storing Carbon

 U.K. scientists have unveiled a super powder called 'dry water' which could help tackle global warming by storing carbon dioxide.

U.N. Climate Change Panel Gets Tips to Boost Credibility

The InterAcademy Council recommends that IPCC improve review processes and transparency in wake of attacks on climate science.

EPA Unveils New Grading System for Fuel Efficient Vehicles

The Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have proposed new fuel economy labels for cars and light trucks that will score each vehicle with a grade from A+ to D, aiming to encourage adoption of more fuel-efficient vehicles.

Climate Corps 2010: A Search for Leaks Lands Savvis $6M in Savings

A blast of cool air far away from the servers in a Savvis data center triggered a hunt for iar leaks and ended with the discovery of $6 million in savings

UL Acquires TerraChoice in Green Standard Consolidation

ULC Standards, part of the Underwriters Laboratories family of companies, has acquired the managers of Canada's EcoLogo program in a move that will expand both group's reach in the universe of green certifications.

France Injects $1.7B Into Renewables, Green Chemistry, Carbon Capture

France's Environment and Energy Management Agency has launched a program to pump €1.35 billion ($1.71 billion) into green chemistry, solar and other renewable power, biofuel and carbon capture and storage research.

Staying Sane for Sustainability's Sake

As we approach what will be for many in the U.S. a long, vacation-filled weekend, it's time to reflect on something those leading the sustainability movement need more than almost anything else: Some down time.

SF Hits Waste-Reduction Target Two Years Early

Recycling and composting helped San Francisco divert 77 percent of its garbage from landfills in 2008, which it hailed as a national record and the highest of any city in the U.S.

TVA Outlines Plans for Idling Coal-Fired Units

The Tennessee Valley Authority plans to begin idling nine coal-fired power generation units in the next fiscal year as it moves toward cleaner sources of energy.

10 Must-Answer Questions When Mulling Third-Party Certification

Is third-party certification right for your company's products or processes? It's essential to consider your firm's requirements, impacts and capacities. Here are 10 questions that will help you focus when mulling whether to pursue certification.

The View from the C-Suite: Diversey's Ed Lonergan

Diversey President & CEO Ed Lonergan talks about the Johnson family legacy of sustainability; innovations that save water, energy and labor; and how his team has reinvented his first summer job: waxing grocery store floors.

Climate Corps 2010: Four Ways to Plug in PC Power Management

Simple steps, such as power management software and using available green ratings can lead to big savings in energy and money for companies large and small.

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