Stories from Bill DiBenedetto
Energy
Seattle Company Plans First Offshore Wind Farm on Pacific Coast
The nation’s first offshore wind farm on the Pacific Coast cleared a crucial federal hurdle after Seattle’s Principle Power received […]
February 26, 2014
Energy
ExxonMobil CEO Cites Fracking Concerns in Homeowner Suit
Maybe we should just file this one from the continuing fracking saga under the “just do as I say, not […]
February 24, 2014
Energy
Lockheed Martin Riding a Big Wave Energy Project
Lockheed Martin has hooked up with Australia’s Victorian Wave Partners LLC to begin the development of what’s billed as the […]
February 17, 2014
Finance
Chew on This: WSU Researchers Sticking Gum to Lithium Batteries
It’s usually a bad thing to “gum up the works,” but in the case of the safety issues confronting lithium […]
February 7, 2014
Finance
Is Solar Hot or Not?
The conventional wisdom these days is that solar is a very hot play indeed. A list of cleantech stock picks […]
January 22, 2014
Finance
Money from ExxonMobil – Who's Hoaxing Who?
ExxonMobil is not the kind of company that throws money away. There’s always a plan behind its largesse. When the […]
January 14, 2014
Finance
Hey Good Lookin’! You Should Be a CEO
They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and it just might be that beauty is also […]
January 8, 2014
Finance
Happy Holidays and Minimum Wage Blues from Scrooge Inc.
Scrooge is alive and bah-humbugging better than ever this Holiday Season in much of corporate America and the Republican Party—especially […]
December 24, 2013
Energy
Pop the Blue Can for Water in an Emergency
Here’s a refreshing idea that reaches beyond emergency preparedness for the most precious of commodities – water. Blue Can Pure […]
December 18, 2013
Finance
Big Bucks Saved If Aging Hanford Nuclear Plant Closes
Ratepayers in Washington State could save a cool $1.7 billion over 17 years if the Columbia Generating Station (CGS) nuclear […]
December 16, 2013
Finance
Carbon Pollution Pricing: Risk and Reward?
Companies are realizing that there is both an internal price and an opportunity when it comes to carbon pollution. An […]
December 11, 2013
Voices for Change
The Gates Foundation Promotes Building Better Condoms
This might be the father and mother of all contests from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation: a challenge to […]
November 27, 2013
Finance
Nestlé: Helping Us Pass On the Salt
One could argue that salt and the human obsession with it aligns with the fabric of world history and civilization […]
November 12, 2013
Technology
PSU and Walmart Collaborate on Green Roof
Look for Portland State University students climbing on the Walmart roof, the green roof, that is. Under a two-year research […]
November 5, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Congress’ Shutdown Follies Took the Fun Out of Dysfunction
Americans have displayed many emotions regarding the recent halt of government services, including anger. But The Atlantic may have put […]
October 24, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Dell’s Sustainability Plan Sets Lofty Goals for 2020
Dell’s ambitiously named 2020 Legacy of Good Plan is actually quite ambitious, and even more important, realistic and philosophically consistent […]
October 21, 2013
Energy
Microsoft Doubled Renewable Energy Purchases in FY 2013
Microsoft’s 2013 Citizenship Report describes an ambitious agenda that includes making its operations carbon neutral and using the “power of technology” […]
October 14, 2013
Energy
Food Waste Has a Big Impact on Climate, Water, Land and Biodiversity
Wasting 1.3 billion tons of food causes huge economic losses and a lot of needless hunger, but there are climate […]
September 27, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Big Bucks for NextGen Aviation and Alternative Jet Fuels
Maybe it’s time to get serious about the development of alternative jet fuels as a way to aid both the […]
September 18, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Air Canada’s CSR Marks Progress on Safety, Environment
Air Canada’s second CSR report focuses on four areas of sustainability: safety, the environment, the well-being of employees, and community […]
September 11, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
GHG Impacts in China Now Considered in PNW Coal Export Review
The coal industry’s plan to move millions of tons of coal through Pacific Northwest (PNW) terminals to China and other […]
August 29, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
CH2M Hill’s Run as a Top Environmental Firm Dates to Rocky Flats
There are good reasons that CH2M Hill is consistently ranked as the top U.S. environmental firm, but for those with […]
August 27, 2013
Energy
Fracking Hits Property Values
Why is the hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, method of drilling for natural gas and oil seemingly exempt from unintended consequences […]
August 26, 2013
Energy
Kroger Converts Food Waste into Renewable Energy
When a company produces 150 tons of food waste every day that is either a huge problem or a great […]
August 15, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Coalition Tries to Block Huge Tar Sands Development in Utah
The fate of tar sands development could shift to a potentially precedent-setting legal battle in Utah. A coalition of conservation […]
August 6, 2013
Energy
The False Promise of Fracking
Richard Heinberg and the Post Carbon Institute are on a mission to debunk the benefits of the hydraulic fracturing method […]
August 5, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Mars Raises the Bar in CSR
Ed note: Mars CSO Barry Parkin recently participated in a Twitter chat hosted by 3p and CSRWire to talk about its […]
August 1, 2013
Energy
You Too Can Live on McDonald’s Wages – With Two Jobs and No Heat
McDonald’s should just stick to slinging cheap burgers and fries and abstain from budget recommendations for its workers. A story […]
July 19, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Nature’s Fortune: The Case for Investing in Nature
We know that corporate responsibility is ethically correct, but is the jury still out on CSR as the correct business […]
July 16, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
PNW Ports Set Ambitious Clean Air Goals
The Pacific Northwest ports of Seattle, Tacoma and Vancouver, BC updated their clean air strategy by setting goals to reduce […]
July 12, 2013
Energy
Los Angeles Goes All In on Rooftop Solar Panels
Don’t think it’s possible to provide clean and renewable energy that creates jobs and fuels private investment? Think again and […]
July 10, 2013
Sponsored
Introduction To Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice and the Structure of Human Rights
Read more in this series. In a very basic way, Environmental Justice is about the intersection of human rights, infrastructure […]
July 8, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
New York City Tackles the Perils of Climate Change
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s warning and major initiative about the impact of climate change on the city might […]
June 24, 2013
Energy
Farmed Fish Production Overtakes Beef
Something is decidedly fishy about the changing nature of what we eat. No klaxons blared when a major milestone was […]
June 20, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Supreme Court Slaps L.A. Clean Truck Program
The Supreme Court has ruled in favor—at least in part—of a trucking industry group’s challenge to the Port of Los […]
June 19, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Justice Dept., Arkansas Take on ExxonMobil over Pegasus Pipeline Spill
The U.S. Department of Justice, along with Arkansas, filed a joint lawsuit that could give ExxonMobil a slight slap on […]
June 17, 2013
Finance
Will ExxonMobil Adapt to Climate Change? Not Likely
The question—by a guest blogger on ThinkProgress—was, “How will ExxonMobil adapt to the climate change crisis it helped create?” Wait […]
June 4, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Media Fails to Report Big Oil Funding Ties to Climate Change Contrarians
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May 24, 2013
Energy
What a Dish! Solar Energy Alchemy Creates Water
Two-for-one is usually a superior deal, especially when it comes to renewable energy and efficiency. And that’s what is happening […]
May 3, 2013
Finance
Gas-Powered Loaners: A Cure for EV Range Anxiety?
Say you’re planning a good old-fashioned road trip in the U.S. of A. You’ll get your kicks on Route 66. […]
April 24, 2013
Energy
The Double-Edged Sword of Climate Change
Devouring a tasty bushel of “mega-crabs” from the Chesapeake Bay is pretty good if you’re a big fan of the […]
April 15, 2013
Finance
Obamacare: Fast Food Chains See Less Costs Than Predicted
Following the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act last year the “conventional wisdom” from restaurants and many […]
April 5, 2013
Finance
Energy Efficient Policies Could Save Nearly $1 Trillion
While Congress wrestles with budget decisions, sequesters and the pros and cons of austerity, there is a fairly easy way […]
March 25, 2013
Voices for Change
Breathe Deeper: Ground Level Ozone Declining
Sometimes it seems like there’s nothing but trouble and bad news when it comes to reporting about climate change and […]
March 15, 2013
Finance
Fracking Moratorium in New York Gets Extended
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, may be a darling of the energy industry at the moment, but plans for oil and […]
March 11, 2013
Finance
Does China Really Need U.S. Coal?
There are many reasons to oppose exporting U.S. coal to Asia through five planned terminals in the Pacific Northwest, including […]
March 1, 2013
Finance
Clif Bar Energizes Bard College MBA Program in Sustainability
Here’s a tasty, healthy and sustainable combination for serious students of sustainability: the Clif Bar Family Foundation has invested $100,000 […]
February 27, 2013
Finance
Ambre Energy’s PNW Coal Export Plans Face Financial Problems
Australia’s Ambre Energy has big plans to open two coal train export terminals in Washington and Oregon, but does it […]
February 26, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Obama and the National Climate Assessment: Hot Enough for Ya?
President Obama’s forceful pledge to “respond to the threat of climate change” during his second inaugural address Monday was both […]
January 22, 2013
Finance
Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to L.A. Clean Truck Program
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a trucking industry challenge to rules that Los Angeles adopted five years ago […]
January 22, 2013
Finance
Shopping Malls Are Getting Mauled
Even if you’re addicted to Cinnabon there’s not really a good reason to schlep to the local mall unless it’s […]
January 11, 2013
Finance
The Year for Big Coal – Not So Big
Actually, it was big in the sense of big losses and setbacks for the coal industry’s agenda and that, in […]
January 2, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Post Sandy: Predicting Supply Chain Disaster
The question before the supply chain crowd these days, post Hurricane Sandy, is: Are supply chain disasters predictable? The easy […]
December 14, 2012
Finance
Mississippi Coal Plant Delayed, Over Budget
Here’s a juicy taste of coal plant greenwashing. A report from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis reveals […]
November 27, 2012
Voices for Change
1,200 Proposed Coal-Fired Plants in 59 Countries, Concentrated in India and China
Now we know why there’s such a big push by U.S. coal companies to get in on the export coal […]
November 26, 2012
Energy
UN/Accenture Report Calls for Doubling Renewable Energy’s Share
The United Nations Global Compact and Accenture, the management consulting firm, outlined the paths that business sectors can take to […]
November 13, 2012
Energy
NRDC Condemns Fracking and Natural Gas “Waste”
While President Obama and Mitt Romney were busy extolling the virtues of coal and natural gas during Tuesday’s debate sequence […]
October 18, 2012
Voices for Change
Biking + Walking = More Money Spent at Local Businesses
Promoting bicycling and walking means more business for local shops and restaurants, no matter which coast you happen to be […]
October 8, 2012
Corporate Responsibility
Ceres Launches Supply Chain Sustainability Tool
A big question facing logistics managers is the problem of establishing and maintaining sustainable supply chains. Simply put, the rise […]
September 12, 2012
Finance
Worst Companies to Work for in America: Another List
Almost every day there is any number of online “top-ten” lists about any number of topics, from personal hygiene to […]
September 7, 2012
Corporate Responsibility
Controlling Ship Pollution: As Easy as ECA?
It was a long time coming. What some are hailing as landmark international regulations to reduce air pollution from ships […]
August 17, 2012
Voices for Change
The NRDC Toxic 20: How’s Your State’s Air Up There?
We know that power plants, especially the coal-fired variety, pollute the air. But where is it really bad? What states […]
August 16, 2012
Energy
Tower Tariffs: The Winds of a Trade War with China?
Renewable energy trade conflicts with China are heating up and blowing strong. The latest action by the Commerce Department has […]
August 2, 2012
Energy
You Want Fries with Your Charge?
Say you’re driving your electric vehicle somewhere in Illinois, and in the distance you spot a huge wind turbine. Driving […]
July 17, 2012
Finance
UCS Battle With Heartland Has Pfizer in the Middle
Sometimes nice words are just nice words. Pfizer calls itself the “world’s largest research-based pharmaceutical company,” and on the green […]
July 7, 2012
Finance
The Brilliant Nigerian Email Business Model
Still deleting those Nigeria emails after all these years? If you are wondering why those ubiquitous and clumsily-written emails continue […]
July 3, 2012
Energy
Kaiser Permanente: Climate Change Threatens Health Mission
Take that climate change deniers! When a major health care provider on the order of Kaiser Permanente publicly recognizes that […]
June 19, 2012
Finance
Down and Dirty with Tar Sands Pipelines
The whole thing about tar sands is perplexing. It is widely considered the dirtiest oil on earth, is immensely difficult […]
June 12, 2012
Corporate Responsibility
What Should We Do With All the Gas Pumps?
It’s probably premature to worry about the fate of the gasoline pump in a world without gas, but Nissan Australia […]
June 7, 2012
Voices for Change
Seattle City Council Votes Against Coal-Export Terminals
Ed note: There’s still time to sign up for our GRI certification in sustainability reporting in Seattle June 11-12th. Click […]
June 1, 2012
Finance
Lithium-ion Gets Super Charged
Washington State University researchers are pushing lithium-ion to the max. They’ve developed a new technology that could triple the capacity […]
May 25, 2012
Energy
WEC, Bloomberg Come Together on a “Complete View” of Global Energy
The World Energy Council and Bloomberg New Energy Finance are combining forces for a thorough look at the costs associated with […]
May 21, 2012
Energy
McKinsey: Solar Costs Could Drop 70% by 2020
Those who think that solar’s bright future has dimmed lately can take solace from research by McKinsey that says, basically, […]
May 9, 2012
Corporate Responsibility
Seamless Transport Systems for Green Benefits
Seamless freight transportation — where goods flow rapidly from door to door using the most cost-efficient and reliable transport modes […]
May 9, 2012
Energy
Obama: Focus on Climate Change to Bolster the Economy
From Jimmy Kimmel Live to Jon Stewart to Rolling Stone, President Obama’s re-election campaign is gearing up with a strong […]
May 2, 2012
Energy
Lockheed Ahead of Go Green Commitments
Lockheed Martin, the aerospace and global security giant, says in its sustainability report for 2011 that it purchased 274 million […]
April 26, 2012
Corporate Responsibility
Rainfall Shortage in PA: Bad for Farmers, Good for Anti-Frackers
When it comes to slowing down fracking operations, should we now pray for drought? That’s one of the perverse conclusions […]
April 25, 2012
Corporate Responsibility
White House Working Group to Ask: What the Frack?
The heat is on fracking at the grassroots and federal levels. Last week, President Obama issued an Executive Order forming […]
April 20, 2012
Corporate Responsibility
Another Buffett Rule: No Shortcuts on the Environment
While the Senate attempts to deal with the so called Buffett Rule, which would force rich folks to pay taxes […]
April 17, 2012
Corporate Responsibility
Fiat and Chrysler: Va Bene on Sustainability
When Fiat S.p.A. took on Chrysler — essentially saving Chrysler from financial ruin — many wondered about how the integration […]
April 11, 2012
Finance
Transforming Lives Through Transformer Clothing
You can tell there’s a long-term economic slump when fashion designers come up with coats that can also serve as […]
April 6, 2012
Corporate Responsibility
EPA Keeps the Heat on Coal-Fired Plants
Pollution doesn’t pause in election years. The EPA has proposed what will surely add another target for the right to […]
March 29, 2012
Finance
OECD Report Cites Heavy Consequences of Inaction on Climate
Here’s a really sobering conclusion from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development: Without ambitious actions by governments global greenhouse […]
March 23, 2012
Energy
First Wind: Hawaii’s Winds of Renewable Energy
First Wind, a wind energy company, has obtained $236 in financing for its third wind project in Hawaii, the 69 […]
March 23, 2012
Finance
Beyond SOPA: Obama’s Privacy Bill of Rights
Following up on the PIPA/SOPA online privacy controversy of January — which effectively quashed egregious congressional proposals on the subject […]
March 21, 2012
Energy
Solar, Wind and Biofuel: A $246B Market in 2011
For those wondering if the clean energy economy will ever really take flight, there’s some renewable light at the end […]
March 15, 2012
Corporate Responsibility
Volvo Ups the Ante on Emissions Reductions
Volvo Group, the transportation equipment manufacturer, has set a tall order for itself. It wants to reduce its carbon emissions […]
March 9, 2012
Technology
Trendwatch 2012: LEEDing the Recovery?
Please also join us for a free webinar today at 4:00 EST where we’ll be discussing the role of sustainability […]
February 29, 2012
Finance
In the Zone: Judge Rules NY Town Can Ban Fracking
One way to stop fracking is to do it one town and county at a time. New York Supreme Court […]
February 23, 2012
Corporate Responsibility
EVs Charged Up for $10K Rebate
Those thinking about jumping into the EV market might have a nice new incentive in the form of a $10,000 […]
February 21, 2012