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Our compadres at Climate Counts -- a nonprofit aiming to bring "consumers and companies together in the fight against climate change" -- have just released their corporate climate responsibility rankings for 2011. The report looks at 136 different corporations in 16 industries, ranking them according to sustainability criteria. The guidelines include how well the company measures their......read more
It was one of those uncomfortable moments when you suddenly realize you're in the wrong place, that you're a rube from the sticks in a sophisticated city whose customs you don't quite understand.Politico was sponsoring a "Washington Year in Review" symposium last week, and they'd invited me to be part of the energy panel. So even though I'd spent barely three weeks in Washington this year (and......read more
At an age when most kids are just learning to not pick their noses and eat it, Vanis Buckholz is running a business with an eye on helping not only the planet but also the less fortunate folks in the community. The 10-year-old from Corona del Mar, CA is the CEO of My ReCycler, which collects recyclable waste for delivery to the local recycling plant. Launched when he was only 7, My ReCycler......read more
In Washington Wednesday, embattled Toyota president Akio Toyoda testified to Congress, saying he was "deeply sorry" for the carnage caused by faulty brakes and accelerators in his cars. “We pursued growth over the speed at which we were able to develop our people and our organization, and we should sincerely be mindful of that," Toyoda said, "I regret that this has resulted......read more
On Friday, General Electric announced plans to build a $300 million solar panel plant in Colorado. The factory, near Denver, will be the largest in the U.S. The announcement is a strong show of confidence for the solar industry, which has been rocked by a string of bankruptcies and falling prices. GE, a global leader in wind turbine manufacturing, is entering the solar panel business at a......read more
There aren't many things more ripe for parody than corporate eco claims. Just have a look at a disposable Starbucks cup, where you'll find a statement that it's "Made with 10% post-consumer recycled fibre." Wow, congratulations. Hurray for saving the earth. Graphic designer and cartoonist Tobias "Lunchbreath" dishes up some hilarious parodies of eco claims,......read more
Last week Fortune Magazine held a 3 day conference called GREEN BRAINSTORM on the gorgeous cliffs of Laguna Niguel and SHFT was there for the second year. It’s a rare opportunity to see leaders of industry mingle with government policymakers, leading environmental thinkers, and venture capital moguls. In the wake of Copenhagen, where the outcome was underwhelming to say the least, the......read more
It’s easy to get the impression that there is no hope for climate action. Perhaps you’ve heard that the recent DC snowstorms buried any chance to pass a comprehensive energy and climate bill. Or that hacked emails have set the climate movement back a decade. We have a completely ineffectual Senate, a gun-shy EPA, and a dysfunctional global climate community. Our political leadership seems to......read more
"Food is life."I have been known to say a similar thing, but when it came from the mouth of a Ugandan farmer, the words were more powerful than I could ever make them.Sitting to the right of Constance Okollet on a panel titled Food Anthropology at SXSW Eco in Austin last week, I was humbled as she emphasized what food meant to her and her community. Okollet is peasant farmer from Osukuru......read more
