Environmental News

Hundreds of three-speed bikes painted "Chicago blue" will hit the streets in June when the city debuts a bicycle-sharing rental program that originally was set to launch last summer, officials are expected to announce Thursday. Source: Governing, 4/25/13

Building 661 at the Navy Yard was never a thing of beauty. Built in 1942, during the first months of U.S. involvement in World War II, the brick-and-concrete structure's purpose was to house an indoor swimming pool, basketball courts, and offices, a function it pragmatically performed until the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard closed in 1995. On Wednesday, the building, which has been unoccupied for nearly two decades, will begin a new life as headquarters of the Energy Efficient Buildings Hub, the two-year-old federally funded innovation center operated by Pennsylvania State University. Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer, 4/25/13

A question has been simmering on our back burners over the last 15 years: How would we recognize a truly sustainable enterprise if we saw one? Joel Makower's "What is sustainability, anyway?" post asked that question and added a second one: How do we get business people, like sales reps, excited about sustainability? Source: GreenBiz, 4/25/13

Can manufacturers create a fully transparent product that gives consumers and other users a clear picture of the product's environmental impact? Source: GreenBiz, 4/25/13

Every year, Nike brings experts of the world together to tackle a new problem. This year's challenge: finding sustainable textiles that could revolutionize the shoe industry. Source: FastCo,Design, 4/25/13

That Google has reclaimed its position at the top of Greenpeace's sixth annual Cool IT Leaderboard ranking should come as no surprise, but this year it isn't alone -- Cisco has bounced back into a leadership position in a tie for first place. The two companies both earned a score of 58, out of a possible 100, based on their strategies and policies across three areas: 1) Efforts to offer "economy-wide technological climate solutions" that could help reduce global greenhouse gas reductions (40 points);2)Internally focused initiatives intended to minimize the environmental impact of its own operations and cut global warming emissions (25 points); and 3)Active political advocacy aimed at supporting the emergence of "science-based climate and energy policies (35 points). Last year, Google earned a 53, while Cisco rated a 49, so both companies improved their performance in the past 12 months. Source: GreenBiz.com, 4/24/13

The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI) has launched the National Library of Energy (NLE), a virtual library and open government resource to advance energy literacy, innovation and security. Source: DOE OSTI, 2/15/13

The Illinois Wind for Schools (ILWFS) program has selected the schools that will participate during the 2013-2014 school year. Source: Illinois Wind for Schools, 4/24/13

The retail giant inks a deal with e-Stewards, an environment initiative that, among other things, prohibits the export of electronic waste to developing countries. Source: CNET, 4/22/13

We need a metric that will help businesses evaluate chemicals just as they evaluate their water, carbon, energy and waste footprints. Source: GreenBiz, 4/22/13

How can sustainability replicate the success of Facebook and the Apple iPad? Forum for the Future offers tips for scaling up rapidly. Source: GreenBiz, 4/22/13

The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International has issued a list of top-10 ways commercial real estate professionals can make energy efficiency and sustainability a priority. Source: Energy Manager Today, 4/19/13

Climate change is affecting weather patterns and the world's ecosystem and, in particular, posing serious challenges to the world's water supply. Climate change is having a profound effect on how communities can reliably access clean water, causing poor water quality and scarcity and putting significant stress on the water infrastructure. Source: Environmental Leader, 4/22/13

United Airlines says it will measure and evaluate the sustainability of its suppliers' products and operations and then set targets for improvements in 2014. Source: Environmental Leader, 4/22/13

A marketing overhaul for the environmentally friendly housecleaning product leads to lower prices and a new promotion strategy. Source: New York Times, 4/21/13

More than 40 years after Earth Day, human civilization is still far from the ideal of sustainability. David Biello reports. Source: Scientific American, 4/22/13

When it comes to green marketing, we must think much bigger. So, why Earth Day? Source: GreenBiz, 4/22/13

An early Earth Day participant discusses how the need for environmental change is easy to explain but difficult to implement. Source: GreenBiz, 4/22/13

What do car shopping, renewable energy, eco-activists, and TV for toddlers have in common? They're all part of this year's Earth Day inundation. Source: GreenBiz, 4/22/13

When it comes to making environmental decisions, consumers are dazed and confused. Who's to blame? Companies, of course. Source: GreenBiz, 4/22/13