October 12 the Obama Administration released the 2011 America’s Great Outdoors (AGO) Progress Report. 15 federal agencies outlined their combined conservation and recreation successes. Successes include creation of jobs, new trail designations, the creation of urban campgrounds, and investments in large landscapes such as the Everglades. The report elucidates efforts made under the AGO initiative…
The number of eco-labels in the marketplace continues to grow: According to Ecolabelindex, 426 labels circulate in 246 countries and 25 industries. Most commentators are quick to point out the negative consequences: consumer confusion, disinterest and mistrust. However, there is a growing wave of large companies that pursue product certification to appeal to and meet…
A new report released today by a coalition of labor and environmental groups estimates that recycling 75 percent of the nation’s municipal waste, in combination with incentives for manufacturers to use recycled raw materials, will create nearly 1.5 million desperately needed new jobs by 2030. The report, More Jobs, Less Pollution, also estimates that by…
I live in California, and about the time each fall when we turn our clocks back to standard time many of us are hunting around our closets or car trunks looking for umbrellas we last saw in April. It’s the start of the rainy season out West. Of course, for much of the nation, rain…
A spate of recent research offers new insight into how global warming is changing or could change California, from the mountains to the seashore, in both predictable and unusual ways. The studies show that common trees are fading from their current ranges, premium wine grape varieties are under siege, marine creatures are shifting locales, the…
How many eco actions does it take for them to count? According to the post, Does Size Matter for Ideas?, “the basic logic we use is the bigger the idea, the bigger the value, but often that’s not true. There’s a myth at work here: the assumption that big results only come from radical changes.” When embarking…
Keller Williams Realty East Valley in Tempe, Arizona is a great example of a company that focuses on the Triple Bottom Line; People, Profits, and Planet. One example of their sustainable practices is when they made a commitment to going paperless with their transaction. The Arizona Department of Real Estate requires that companies keep a…
It was a cold rainy day in San Diego, but not letting that get the better of us we headed to the Museum of Photographic Arts in the Balboa Park Museum district. In what was a welcome coincidence, the Infinite Balance exhibition was being held and is the first U.S. presentation of artists shortlisted for…
NBCUniversal is making a commitment to sustainability across the entire company. As one of the world’s largest media and entertainment companies, NBC wants to participate in and help lead one of the most important dialogues as they build a stronger business and a more sustainable world in the process. From identifying opportunities for energy savings and…
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) have signed an agreement to work together on a project that analyzes energy use in commerical buildings. The goal is to harmonize both countries approach to measuring and assessing the amount of energy being used with a common platform. The EPA’s current Energy Star…