In a boon for the climate, philanthropists are making it rain for cleantech innovators
October 30, 2020
Securing funding for market-based climate solutions used to be a tough sell. Then Sarah Kearney stepped in.
October 30, 2020
Securing funding for market-based climate solutions used to be a tough sell. Then Sarah Kearney stepped in.
October 30, 2020
Plugging into Amazon’s fleet electrification strategy Mike De Socio Fri, 10/30/2020 - 00:30 When Ross Rachey set out to electrify Amazon’s fleet of last-mile delivery vehicles a few years ago, he thought it would be a matter of matching the company’s needs to the right vehicle on the market. It was not that simple. "We were a little underwhelmed at the vehicles that
...October 30, 2020
Plugging into Amazon’s fleet electrification strategy Mike De Socio Fri, 10/30/2020 - 00:30 When Ross Rachey set out to electrify Amazon’s fleet of last-mile delivery vehicles a few years ago, he thought it would be a matter of matching the company’s needs to the right vehicle on the market. It was not that simple. "We were a little underwhelmed at the vehicles that
...October 29, 2020
Startup Phood tackles food waste at the top of the food chain Jesse Klein Thu, 10/29/2020 - 01:00 Picture your local salad bar either at your school, grocery store or office. There are many options between the greens, toppings and dressings. At the end of each day, it’s the job of a kitchen worker to perform a "shrink analysis" on each ingredient — manually identifying, weighing
...October 28, 2020
The method harnesses a new type of ultra-efficient catalyst to make low-carbon biodiesel and other valuable complex molecules out of diverse, impure raw materials. The study incorporating the catalyst design is published in Nature Catalysis. Waste cooking oil currently has to go through an energy-intensive cleaning process to be used in biodiesel because commercial production methods can only handle
...October 28, 2020
Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) has launched Green Star Buildings — the first of a new suite of Green Star Future Focus tools. The Green Star sets a new requirement that buildings must be net zero — fully electric, fossil fuel-free and 100% powered by renewables — to achieve the highest possible 6 Star rating. With the biggest overhaul of its Green Star rating system in 18 years,
...October 28, 2020
Be it a house or shop, shipping containers can help you build any structure in an efficient way. Here are 7 innovative ways shipping containers can be used.
October 28, 2020
Carbontech is getting ready for its market moment Heather Clancy Wed, 10/28/2020 - 01:30 It may be a little early to start writing about trends for 2021, but I’m going to do it anyway. What’s on my mind? Carbontech, a category of climate tech I’d love to see break through next year. It's the exciting idea that we can take something that could be considered waste, draw it out of the
...October 28, 2020
Kraft Heinz sustainability chief reflects on 'interdependence' Heather Clancy Wed, 10/28/2020 - 01:00 Food company Kraft Heinz has been relatively quiet about its corporate sustainability strategy in the five years since it was formed through the merger of food giants Kraft and Heinz — stepping out in early 2018 to provide an update. In September, the maker of well-known brands
...October 26, 2020
These changes to our food systems could improve human and planetary health Oliver Camp Mon, 10/26/2020 - 01:30 On the recent World Food Day, the clarion call was clearer than ever: We must fix our food systems to improve human health, drive economic growth and save the planet from environmental collapse. The challenges facing us are wide-ranging. The way the world produces and consumes food causes
...October 26, 2020
BP, Shell, oil giants fund research into mobile carbon capture from ships at sea Michael Holder Mon, 10/26/2020 - 00:05 A coalition of oil and gas majors are eyeing up the potential to capture carbon dioxide emissions from ships out at sea, teaming up with global tanker owner and operator Stena Bulk to evaluate the feasibility of technology they claim could play a key role in decarbonizing the hard-to-abate
...October 25, 2020
Engineers at Monash University have devised an improved method to remove potentially deadly bacteria from water using graphitic carbon nitride and sunlight. The international team — led by Professor Xiwang Zhang from Monash University’s Department of Chemical Engineering — combined graphitic carbon nitride with polyethylenimine (PEI) to destroy E. coli and E. faecalis from water
...October 25, 2020
Nations around the world are pledging to plant billions of trees to grow new forests. But a new study shows that the potential for natural forest regrowth to absorb carbon from the atmosphere and fight climate change is far greater …
October 23, 2020
Parsing Panera's plan to nudge consumers toward low-carbon meals Jim Giles Fri, 10/23/2020 - 01:00 Something changed recently in America’s fast-casual restaurants. It involved only a single company, but it could herald the start of a fundamental shift in the choices that diners make. I’ll get to what happened in a minute, but first take a step back and consider the information
...October 23, 2020
In 7 cities with different climates and electric grids, new all-electric homes saved money and CO2
October 23, 2020
The most sustainable iPhone is the one that's already in your pocket.
October 22, 2020
In the wake of a pandemic-fueled recession, prioritizing clean energy will be key for rebuilding the economy.
October 22, 2020
The war on waste has come to Sydney’s Grosvenor Place. In a bid to combat food waste, the premium complex with sweeping harbour and city views has installed a waste food recycling system using an enrich360 dehydrator. The dehydrator dehydrates the food collected from office and retail customers, removes the moisture, then heats and cleans the biomass, converting it into a fertiliser that appears
...October 22, 2020
Love trees? Prioritize wildfire restoration and fighting deforestation Heather Clancy Thu, 10/22/2020 - 02:00 Back in my former life as a tech journo, my coverage was informed by the infamous "hype cycle" phrase coined by research firm Gartner to describe the arc of emerging technology adoption from the spark of innovation to mainstream adoption. Lately, I’ve been mulling that
...October 22, 2020
All our best advice on taking care of your face and the planet at the same time.
October 21, 2020
Chargefox has completed a network of ultrarapid electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across seven sites in regional Victoria. The completion of works at Horsham connects the Western Highway route between Melbourne and Adelaide. With $3 million in funding from the Victorian Government, ultrarapid Chargefox sites are now operating at Airport West, Euroa, Barnawartha North, Moe, Torquay, Ballarat and
...October 21, 2020
Microsoft, Tiffany help carve out new responsible mining standard Jesse Klein Wed, 10/21/2020 - 00:01 Not many audits are 14 years in the making. But after almost a decade and a half of creating the most holistic and encompassing mining standard, the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) released its first audit of a mine today. That mine is Carrizal, based in Mexico. It extracts zinc,
...October 20, 2020
"When communities like mine get full rights to our forests, we protect them, preserve huge stores of carbon, and help mitigate climate change."
October 20, 2020
Rethinking the role of sustainability reports Mike Hower Tue, 10/20/2020 - 01:00 Corporate sustainability has a reporting problem — it always has. Companies typically don’t enjoy creating them and investors, customers, employees and most other stakeholders don’t revel in reading them. Yet, with investors more interested in environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues
...October 19, 2020
A new method to molecularly deconstruct polyethylene could see the most commonly used form of plastic transformed it into higher-value, widely used chemical compounds. Many plastic products are intended for single or short-term use — most are not recycled. Efforts to improve the management and reuse of plastic waste have had limited success. Due to significant technical and economic challenges,
...October 19, 2020
Why Gen Z voices matter in making business sustainable Isabel LoDuca Mon, 10/19/2020 - 01:00 Generation Z, those born between 1996 and 2015, are current consumers, future business leaders and the future of this world. Yet, Gen Z is unlike any other generation to date. With buying power of more than $140 billion, Gen Z is the fastest-growing consumer segment with unique purchasing values in mind and
...October 19, 2020
The world’s first nuclear influencer is not a shill.
October 18, 2020
Restoring degraded natural lands highly effective for carbon storage and avoiding species extinctions.
October 14, 2020
Main Roads WA is working with the Australian Road Research Board (ARRB) and Tyre Stewardship Australia to validate the use of recycling asphalt pavement that contains crumb rubber. In Western Australia crumb rubber consumption has doubled in the past two years, from between 800–1000 tonnes to nearly 2000 tonnes. Alongside the movement to use a variety of recycled materials in asphalt, road base and
...October 14, 2020
From claymation turtles to air pollution vigilantes, these ads have something for everyone.
October 13, 2020
Are lawyers and accountants doing enough on climate change? Joel Makower Tue, 10/13/2020 - 01:40 When it comes to the climate crisis, it’s not just what you make and sell, it’s what you do, and for whom you do it. That’s the message from several recent reports focusing on the role of service-sector companies in addressing — positively or negatively — climate change.
...October 13, 2020
The "alarmed" now outnumber the "dismissive" nearly four to one.
October 13, 2020
HSBC is latest bank to pledge net-zero financed emissions by mid-century Cecilia Keating Tue, 10/13/2020 - 00:46 HSBC has become the latest bank to commit to achieving net-zero financed emissions, announcing Monday that it intends to align its portfolio of investments and debt financing with global climate targets by mid-century. The bank, currently Europe's second largest financier of
...October 13, 2020
San José's bold new plan for climate-friendly transit Elizabeth Stampe Tue, 10/13/2020 - 00:22 San José is rolling out the green carpet for biking, thanks to the city council’s unanimous passage of the Better Bike Plan 2025. With the plan’s adoption, the city commits to building a 550-mile network of bike lanes, boulevards and trails to help thousands more people ride
...October 12, 2020
On Thursday 8th and Friday 9th October, over 3,000 business executives tuned in to the 2020 Reuters Events Responsible Business Awards virtual ceremony. A great variety of different sectors and industries from all over the world were represented. The diversity on display – both in terms of geographical origin and working sphere – demonstrated how delivering a clean, more responsible business
...October 12, 2020
Beyond emissions: The life of a carbon molecule David Parham Mon, 10/12/2020 - 01:30 Carbon is everywhere. Carbon atoms flow through all living organisms, from the atmosphere to the earth to the oceans and back again. But carbon is also moving constantly through the global economy, which historically has been powered by burning fossil fuels for energy. As a result, carbon dioxide (CO2) and other
...October 12, 2020
Persuasion 101: Ditch the nagging and guilt-tripping.
October 12, 2020
Coca-Cola on board with emphasizing human impact Heather Clancy Mon, 10/12/2020 - 00:15 The importance of setting science-based corporate strategies to address climate change is irrefutable. But corporations need to think far more about the human impact of their business decisions. Companies that don’t act decisively on issues of equity and social justice at the same time will fall short
...October 9, 2020
While the listing plans offered on Intengine allow you to showcase your environmentally and socially conscious organization in different ways, there are techniques that every member of our directory can use to tailor their profile directly to their audience’s needs. Here are 4 ways to make the most of your listing on Intengine.
October 9, 2020
How to ensure circular fashion is good for people and the environment Annelise Thim Fri, 10/09/2020 - 00:15 This article originally was published in the BSR Insight. The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown the fashion industry into disarray, leaving supply chain workers without wages and causing major global brands to file for bankruptcy. In the United States alone, 2.1 million retail workers lost
...October 8, 2020
DEMANDING MORE FROM BUILDING ENERGY EFFICIENCE Released in a recent National Energy Board of Canada report, British Columbia’s commercial and residential buildings in 2015 released a staggering 7.3 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, representing 12% of the total GHG emissions produced in the province. However, the Province of BC is committed to fostering sustainable
...October 8, 2020
Drones have become an important tool for climate, conservation, and social justice work by empowering local people with access to important data.
October 8, 2020
Engineering Professor Kim Pickering has been awarded $10.9 million in Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) Endeavour funding to explore a circular economy concept created for the Aotearoa New Zealand context — shaped by the philosophies and values of both founding cultures: Ma?ori and European. ?miomio Aotearoa — a circular economy for the wellbeing of New Zealand is a
...October 7, 2020
Thousands of 'zero energy' schools, offices, and apartment buildings are on the way.
October 6, 2020
Certifications matter more than ever and brands should be promoting them Suzanne Shelton Tue, 10/06/2020 - 00:30 I’ve written quite a bit lately about how Americans are experiencing a "Maslow moment" right now. Concerns about the environment are taking a backseat to worries about basic needs — our health and our economy (at both the macro and personal level). But
...October 5, 2020
Inside Beautycounter’s quest to transform its mica supply chain Joel Makower Mon, 10/05/2020 - 02:11 First in a two-part series. This story begins, as so many supply-chain stories do, at a mine, the beginning of a journey in which a commodity — mica, in this case — finds its way into an extraordinarily diverse array of quotidian things: attic insulation; brake linings; car
...October 2, 2020
Get ready for the next wave of GMOs Jim Giles Fri, 10/02/2020 - 02:00 One summer day almost 20 years ago, a group of protestors arrived at a plot of genetically modified corn growing near the town of Montelimar in southern France. They were led by José Bové, a left-wing activist famous for his skirmishes with the law and his tremendous moustache. Using machetes and shears, the
...October 2, 2020
“It would be the most herculean thing ever accomplished in human history."
October 2, 2020
They worked on 10 times as many cases exacerbating climate change as addressing it.
October 2, 2020
7 roles to create sustainable success Ellen Weinreb Fri, 10/02/2020 - 00:30 There is a lot of talk right now about systems change, and for good reason: With so many people experiencing the effects of several major crises — the pandemic, the recession, racism and the ongoing climate crisis — we have a narrow window of opportunity for change. As they say, a crisis is a terrible thing to
...October 1, 2020
Amazon, Google, Microsoft and the climate cloud Heather Clancy Thu, 10/01/2020 - 01:30 Despite all they're doing to address climate change with both emissions reduction plans, circular economy innovation and consumer awareness, Amazon, Google and Microsoft have been criticized — rightly so, in my mind — for their close ties to the oil and gas sector. All of them are using their
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