- Antonia Sohns
Solar engineering trainer, Barefoot College, India; Photo via Flickr, UN Women's Gallery
Last week a group of countries including those from the EU, the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), small island nations threatened by sea-level rise, and progressive countries in Latin America, known as the Durban coalition, met in Brussels to discuss climate change.
- Ethan Goffman
Hungry? Or disgusted? (Click the image to watch the video.)
The task of encouraging sustainability while appealing to current American values is tricky. A case in point is an ongoing Department of Energy advertising campaign encouraging consumers to save energy that has the unfortunate side effect of inducing wasteful consumption.
- Eric Wilson
Over the course of the past academic year, 30 collegiate athletic conferences comprising more than 70 universities competed in the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) College and University Green Power Challenge.
- Richard Matthews
Insiders understand the value of sustainability, but many who are unfamiliar have resistance. When addressing these people it is important to know how to respond to the various reasons offered for resisting a sustainability program.
- Angela Parker
We understand that CSR managers face day to day logistics that don’t always feel inspiring. Let us provide some practical tips that will bring you one step closer to a wildly successful employee volunteer program.
- Molly Scott Cato
I was really cheered to see a comment on my post about the need to understand the economy as a complex system, pulling me up for not mentioning the limitations of a Keynesian approach in an era of ecological crisis. I covered this point in my earlier post 'A green paradox of thrift', but I am still encouraged to know that the no-growth position is now so established that people are reminding me about it!
- Molly Scott Cato
So the Eurozone is on the brink of slipping back into Recession. The latest growth figures indicate the growing inequality that the single currency is causing between Europe's countries.
- Brian Czech
For those of us working in ecological and economic sustainability, Rio+20 is a big deal, and in our circles, just about everyone knows about it. Yet we have to wonder, what proportion of the general public has even heard of Rio+20, much less knows what it is?
- Richard Matthews
transporation software systems
Transportation software helps companies to be more efficient by saving time, energy and effort. This type of software is part of a winning approach that saves money by ensuring that company vehicles follow the most expedient route. This also reduces the amount of fuel needed and burning less fuel diminishes a company's footprint.
- Richard Matthews
This document reviews supply chain issues related to CO2 emissions and considers CO2 on a broader level than simply looking at the countries in which fossil fuels are burned.
- Richard Matthews
Harper Silences Dissent on Embridge Pipeline
Canada's ruling Conservatives have passed legislation to silence dissenting voices on the Northern Gateway oil pipeline and other environmental review processes. The Conservatives have made no secret of the fact that they want to quell dissent on environmental issues.
- Richard Matthews
Baird Admits to Killing NRTEE to Quell Dissent
Most of us know that Canada's ruling Conservatives cut environmental spending for ideological reasons, what we did not expect is that the government would admit this publicly. As reported in the National Post, Foreign Minister John Baird unabashedly announced that the Conservatives wanted to get rid of federally-funded environmental advocacy group because they do not agree with their recommendations.
- Eric Wilson
Last month I had the opportunity to visit the MUSE School in Southern California. Located in a canyon between Calabasas and Malibu, the setting for the school is idyllic. Founded in 2006 by Suzy Amis Cameron and her sister Rebecca Amis, this marks the first year on the current campus, a 22 acre spread that formerly housed Cottontail Ranch.
- Justin Manger
axion-300x157
Using a technique developed at Rutgers Universtity, Axion International from New Providence, N.J. is building small bridges from recycled plastic bottles. Aside from reusing the bottles, the company says the I-beams, rail ties, and other structural building products it makes are rust and corrosion proof, cost competitive, and won’t become food for termites.
- Lorenzo Morales
photo1th
Vast, red, dirt roads pave the way to the new agro-industrial frontier in Matto Grosso, in the centre of Brazil. The landscape is breathtaking. On one side of the road, the pastureland is populated by a few cows which raise their heads to follow the passing cars. On the other side of the road, industrially-planted soya mega-crops stretch to the horizon, forming perfect geometric patterns.
- Richard Matthews
cambodia
A prominent environmental activist was murdered in Cambodia and that nation's military police have closed the investigation. According to police, there will be no further investigation into the shooting death of Chut Wutty because the officer who shot him then took his own life.
- Kate Olsen
As the prevalence of social networking expands, peer-to-peer charitable giving continues growing at a steady pace. Network for Good finds a 20% increase in giving via social networks in Q1 2012 versus Q1 2011. In fact, giving has increased across all channels—charity websites, social networks, and portal sites—up 16% from the previous year.
- Katya Andresen
The Boston Consulting Group has some interesting new research on millennials, including who they are, what they want and how to talk to them. The highlights? Among the most interesting findings is that millennials - who were taught to recycle in kindergarten - are more likely to take certain socially conscious actions during their daily life.
- Jacquelyn Ottman
Polling
Ever since the resurgence of environmentalism in 1990, consumer polls have attempted to measure awareness, attitudes and behaviors towards environmental issues and products. Poll after poll has found that consumers claim to be concerned about the issues, they report high levels of green product purchase, and even claim willingness to pay a premium for greener products and packages.
- Karl Young
There is no better way for any business to network and to showcase new products than a trade show. Trade shows are still one of the most fundamental ways businesses create leads and generate sales. Even though the benefits of trade shows and exhibitions are felt by many businesses unfortunately they are also extraordinarily wasteful.
- Dale Cooper
There are more alternative fuel vehicles on the market than ever before, which means the traditional automobile with its internal combustion engine may be on its way out. But with so many options, it can be difficult to keep track of each green car’s recommended service requirements. Vehicle maintenance will vary depending on which alternative fuel vehicle you own, so take note of the primary service needs of each green car on the market today.
- IRIN
Photo: Super.heavy/Flickr. Something to smile about...
The past decade has seen great advances in child survival, but while toddlers and small children are benefiting, the death rate for new-born babies remains stubbornly high. Now a new report suggests that paying more attention to their mothers’ health, and focusing on certain damaging but treatable diseases, could be one key to tackling neonatal mortality.
- IRIN
Photo: Jaspreet Kindra/IRIN. Niger's food crisis is about access and affordability
The UN Development Programme (UNDP) launched its first Africa Human Development Report today, stressing food security as a means to a better quality of life for all.
- Martin Medina
mexicoth
The United States (US)–Mexico border is one of few places in the world where a developed country has a common border with a developing country. The US economy is 25 times larger than Mexico’s and US income per capita is nearly 10 times that of Mexico, according to the World Bank.
- Alison Singer
Now you can scan and bag your own groceries as you shop and then just pay a machine after you're done. Soon groceries stores will only need to employ one person simply to check your receipt as you leave. (Image courtesy of Ben Schumin via Wikimedia)
When most people consider sustainability, they think of environmental sustainability, not the elements of a sustainable society, including fair access to jobs for all. As a global society, we are obsessed with growth and increasing production.
- Carol McClelland
Although The Responsible Business Summit USA is intended for managers and executives from major corporations, you can still gain a number of insights about the field by reviewing the conference site and downloading several free resources they provide.
- Carol McClelland
I’ve always searched for a way to show people how having a clear picture of their green career direction helps them find their green job. Recently while facilitating a workshop for green job seekers, I had the opportunity to talk with two participants, one after the other. The difference between the two scenarios definitely made an impression on me.
- Anantha Duraiappah
econmicsth
Science conferences are interesting events for the scientists concerned. Only rarely, however, do they muster any level of interest among the public and the policy-making community. This is fine as long as the main objective of these conferences is the exchange of the latest scientific results.
Nadia Bozak's innovative fusion of film studies and environmental studies leads her to make provocative connections between the disappearance of material resources and the emergence of digital media.
Making a Green Machine examines the development of the Scandinavian beverage container deposit-refund system, which has the highest return rates in the world, from 1970 to present.
Pressing environmental challenges are frequently surrounded with stakeholders on all sides of the issues. Opinions expressed by government agencies, the private sector, special  interests, nonprofit communities, and the media, among others can  quickly cloud the dialogue, leaving one to wonder how policy decisions actually come about.