Stories from Gina-Marie Cheeseman
Energy
EIA Underestimating Renewable Energy Growth, Analysis Finds
Analysis by the nonprofit research group Sun Day Campaign finds that renewable energy sources in the U.S. could reach or […]
April 29, 2014
Energy
All of California is in Drought, First Time in 15 Years
The current drought hitting California makes the nightly news in many of the state’s major markets — and for good […]
April 28, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Colgate-Palmolive Commits to Recyclable Packaging
Colgate-Palmolive recently committed to making 100 percent of its packaging fully recyclable for three out of four product categories by […]
April 23, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Procter & Gamble Provides 7 Billion Liters of Safe Drinking Water Around the World
Unsafe drinking water causes all sorts of problems. Eighty-eight percent of diarrhea cases globally are linked to unsafe water, inadequate […]
April 23, 2014
Technology
Clean Energy Sector In Illinois Continues To Grow, Survey Results Find
The results of the first comprehensive survey of Illinois’ clean energy sector found that there are currently 96,875 people employed […]
April 22, 2014
Technology
Bacardi Makes Energy Efficiency Upgrades to Its Rum Facility in Puerto Rico
Bacardi Ltd. is a world famous maker of rum, but the company is becoming known for something else: its sustainability […]
April 21, 2014
Energy
EPA Data Shows U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Slightly Decreased in 2012
Climate change is making the news for a number of reasons, including Showtime’s new series called “Years of Living Dangerously.” […]
April 18, 2014
Technology
Walmart's New LED Light Fixtures to Save $34,000 per Store
There are many criticisms leveled at Walmart, one of the world’s largest retailers. However, Walmart is fast becoming a leader […]
April 17, 2014
Technology
Electricity Prices Fall In Europe As German Renewable Energy Output Increases
For the fifth consecutive month, electricity prices in countries neighboring Germany have decreased, recently released Platts data reveals, due in large part […]
April 15, 2014
Technology
IKEA Invests In 98 Megawatt Wind Farm In Illinois
IKEA US announced its investment in a 98 megawatt wind farm in Hoopeston, Illinois. The wind farm, called Hoopeston Wind, […]
April 11, 2014
Energy
Global Companies Call On Governments to Cap Carbon Emissions
More than 70 global companies signed the Trillion Tonne Communiqué, coordinated by The Prince of Wales’s Corporate Leaders Group, to […]
April 10, 2014
Energy
REI Commits to Solar Energy to Reduce Climate Impact
REI, the $2 billion national outdoor retailer, is committed to renewable energy. The company has 26 locations with solar power systems […]
April 10, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
EPA and Army Corps of Engineers Release New Rule To Protect Waterways
The Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released a proposed rule this week to clarify which waterways […]
March 28, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Carson City, Calif. Puts a Temporary Ban On Oil and Gas Drilling
The five members of the Carson City Council in California voted unanimously to put a 45-day ban on new oil […]
March 27, 2014
Technology
Caribbean Island of Barbados To Get Waste-To-Energy Plant
One day soon the Caribbean island of Barbados will have part of its electricity needs supplied by a waste-to-energy plant. […]
March 26, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
House Vote on National Parks Could Make or Break Local 'Gateway' Communities
The House of Representatives will vote this week on a bill that would require public participation before a president designates […]
March 24, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
New Ford F-150 Is the First Light-Duty Pickup Truck With LED Headlamps
The Ford F-150 has something that no other light-duty pickup truck has: LED headlamps. They use 63 percent less energy […]
March 21, 2014
Energy
Obama Administration Launches Climate Change Data Site
In order to help educate the American people, the Obama administration just launched a new site, data.gov/climate, devoted to providing data and […]
March 20, 2014
Technology
Cape Wind Offshore Energy Project Wins Important Legal Victory
Cape Wind is an offshore wind energy project in Nantucket Sound which will consist of 130 wind turbines producing up […]
March 19, 2014
Energy
Chipotle Identifies Climate Change As a Risk, Warns It May Stop Serving Guacamole
Chipotle’s recent SEC filing caused quite a stir. Specifically, one of the risks stated in that filing caused a stir. […]
March 13, 2014
Finance
Libertarian Billionaire Peter Thiel Supports Raising the Minimum Wage
The prevailing thinking is that conservative Republicans are against raising the minimum wage. However, that is not true for all […]
February 27, 2014
Finance
Gap Raises Minimum Wage for US Employees
Gap, Inc. will increase the minimum hourly rate it pays American employees from $9 per hour in 2014 to $10 […]
February 25, 2014
Finance
Raising Federal Minimum Wage Would Benefit Majority of Low-Wage Workers, CBO Finds
While many conservatives and conservative think tanks claim that raising the federal minimum wage would bring only negative consequences, an […]
February 21, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Apple Confirms Your MacBook Contains Only Conflict-Free Tantalum
Apple’s recently released supplier responsibility report contains good news concerning conflict minerals. The report confirmed that as of last month, […]
February 20, 2014
Technology
Obama Increases Fuel Efficiency Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles
President Barack Obama is moving ahead to increase fuel efficiency standards. While speaking at a Safeway distribution center in Maryland […]
February 19, 2014
Energy
Solar Desalination Gives California Water District More Freshwater
California is experiencing a third year of drought. Researchers studying tree rings found that the last time California experienced a […]
February 18, 2014
Energy
California Drought May Cause Higher Food Prices For All Americans
Living in rural Fresno County these days means reading about the drought in the local newspaper every day, seeing reports […]
February 12, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Burberry Commits to Phasing Out Toxic Chemicals from Supply Chain
The luxury brand Burberry Group PLC announced its commitment this week to removing all hazardous chemicals from its supply chain […]
January 31, 2014
Energy
Hershey Exceeds 2013 Goal for Certified Cocoa
The Hershey Company announced this week that it exceeded its goal for sourcing certified cocoa. Hershey, the largest chocolate maker […]
January 30, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Procter & Gamble to Remove Phosphates from Laundry Detergents
Procter & Gamble announced on Jan. 27 that it’s removing phosphates from all of its laundry detergents worldwide over the […]
January 28, 2014
Energy
Bacardi Reduces Energy and Water Use
Reading through Bacardi Limited’s recently released corporate social responsibility report, there is much to like when it comes to energy and […]
January 27, 2014
Energy
Tyson Foods Tells Pig Farmers to Adopt More Humane Practices
Earlier this month, Tyson Foods sent a letter to the hog farmers who supply it with pork asking them to […]
January 24, 2014
Technology
Boeing Seeks FAA Approval for Biodiesel
Boeing is working with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other stakeholders to obtain approval for its planes to […]
January 21, 2014
Energy
BP Research Shows Global Emissions Will Jump 29 Percent By 2035
BP released its fourth annual BP Energy Outlook which predicts that global carbon dioxide emissions from energy use will increase […]
January 16, 2014
Energy
Massachusetts Governor Unveils State Climate Action Plan
Massachusetts has a ver populated coastline which also happens to be at risk for both flooding and sea level rise. […]
January 15, 2014
Girl Scouts Help the Environment Through Thousands of Projects
When most people think of Girl Scouts, they think of yummy cookies that are sold once a year by adorable […]
January 13, 2014
Technology
Scotland to Move to 100 Percent Renewables By 2020
Across the proverbial pond there is much development of renewable energy going on. New government figures show that Scotland gets […]
December 30, 2013
Technology
New York City to Use Food Waste to Heat Homes
New York City will reduce the amount of food waste sent to landfills by converting it into energy. Last week, Deputy […]
December 27, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Los Angeles Becomes First Major City to Require Cool Roofs
Los Angeles, the second most populous city in the U.S., has made history by becoming the first major city to […]
December 23, 2013
Technology
Coca-Cola Converts to Hybrid Service Vans
Coca-Cola, the the largest beverage company in the world, with over 500 brands, recently announced that it is converting all […]
December 19, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Seventh Generation Calls For Chemical Reform
Leading sustainably-minded companies including Seventh Generation are participating in a coalition that urges Congress to update chemical safety laws. Called […]
December 18, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Kellogg's Eggos Now Cooked with Sustainable Waffle Irons
Just about every American knows the line “leggo my Eggo.” Eggo waffles are the most popular frozen waffles around, and […]
November 29, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Patagonia "Anti" Black Friday Campaign Urges Customers to Repair Worn Clothing
Black Friday is the premier shopping day of the retail holiday season. Retailers promote it weeks before the actual day. […]
November 28, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
H&M Makes Commitment to Pay a Fair Living Wage By 2018
Hundreds of garment workers in Bangladesh took to the streets last week to demand a higher monthly salary. Fast forward […]
November 27, 2013
Technology
Duke Energy Renewables to Pay $1M Penalty for Wind Farm Bird Deaths
Duke Energy Renewables, a part of Duke Energy, announced it reached a settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice […]
November 26, 2013
Energy
Shell Puts an Internal Price on Carbon Pollution
There is a section within Royal Dutch Shell’s 2012 sustainability report, released last spring, which describes the oil company’s self-imposed […]
November 25, 2013
Energy
Hawaii Council Passes Bill to Ban GMO Cultivation
The Hawaii County Council, the governing council for the Big Island of Hawaii, voted 6 to 3 for a bill […]
November 22, 2013
Technology
IKEA Canada Wind Farm Investment Turns Retailer Clean Energy Positive
IKEA is the world’s largest home furnishings retailer, with over 340 stores in 40 countries, including 38 in the U.S. […]
November 21, 2013
P&G Sets Lofty Long-Term Environmental Goals
Procter & Gamble (P&G) has lofty long-term environmental goals, as its recently released 15th annual Sustainability Report reveals. They include […]
November 20, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
REI Achieves 93 Percent Data Center Energy Reduction
REI recently announced a major energy reduction achievement. By retrofitting its data center, REI reduced the cooling energy used to […]
November 14, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Pacific Coast Leaders Sign Historic Climate Action Plan
The leaders of California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia gathered on Monday to sign a historic climate action plan. Called […]
October 31, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Clorox Releases Third Annual Integrated Report
The Clorox Company, a multinational manufacturer of consumer and professional products such as bleach, recently launched its third annual integrated report. […]
October 30, 2013
Technology
Online Ethical Fashion Store Helpsy Eliminates Hippy Slogan Tees
What comes to mind when I think of ethical fashion is an eco-friendly t-shirt with some sort of saying emblazoned […]
October 29, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Bangladesh Government Promises to Increase Minimum Wage
The Bangladesh government made promises last week to increase the minimum wage, Reuters reported. The current minimum wage for garment […]
October 28, 2013
Energy
Honest Tea Increases Organic Purchases and Fair Trade Premiums
There is so much to like about Honest Tea’s 2013 Mission Report. The company, founded in 1998, and purchased in […]
October 24, 2013
Finance
Barnes & Noble Partners With One Laptop Per Child
Nook Media LLC, a subsidiary of Barnes & Noble, Inc., and One Laptop per Child (OLPC) announced this week that […]
October 23, 2013
Adobe Data Summary Reveals Sustainability Achievements
Adobe System’s, Inc.’s recently published 5-Year Data Summary 2008-2012 for its corporate responsibility programs shows that the digital marketing and digital […]
October 22, 2013
Voices for Change
Unilever’s Lifebuoy Soap Aims To Expand Handwashing Program
The simple act of a child washing their hands with soap just might save their lives. Diarrheal disease is the […]
October 18, 2013
Energy
Former Trader Joe’s President Opens Store Selling Expired Food
Food waste is a big problem around the world, particularly in developed countries. A report by the Institute of Mechanical […]
October 4, 2013
Energy
HP Becomes the First IT Company to Set Supply Chain Emissions Goals
The company formerly known as Hewlett-Packard, now called HP, is the first IT company to set a supply chain greenhouse […]
September 30, 2013
Energy
McDonald’s Says Bye Bye to Polystyrene Foam Cups
There is an old adage that says, “The squeaky wheel gets the grease.” You could probably call As You Sow, […]
September 26, 2013
Energy
Major Companies Sign on to Reduce Power Plant Emissions
Power plants are the largest concentrated source of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in the U.S., accounting for about one-third of […]
September 26, 2013
Energy
Reforming the Date Labeling System Will Reduce Food Waste
Food waste is a big problem in the U.S. Enough food is wasted every day in the U.S. to fill […]
September 25, 2013
Technology
US Navy Invests $30 Million In Hawaii’s Renewable Energy
The U.S. military is a big emitter of greenhouse gas emissions. It takes a lot of energy to power all […]
September 19, 2013
Technology
FIFA To Offset the 2014 World Cup Carbon Footprint
The FIFA World Cup is the world’s largest single-event sporting competition, so it only makes sense that FIFA wants to […]
September 17, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Alaska Airlines Leads in Fuel Efficiency
The aviation industry produced almost 700 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2012, representing two percent of all carbon emissions, […]
September 16, 2013
Technology
Solar Exchange: One-Stop Bidding for Solar Installations
A new study suggests that by 2050 wildfire seasons will be about three weeks longer. The east Antarctic ice sheet […]
August 30, 2013
Hyatt Invests Over $37M in More Than 200 Energy Efficiency Projects
Hyatt recently released its 2012 CSR report, and while it is on the short side compared to other companies’ reports, […]
August 29, 2013
Technology
Nike’s New Shanghai Store is Made From 100 Percent Trash
Imagine a Nike store built without virgin materials. It would be designed to be very flexible. The suspension ceiling system […]
August 28, 2013
Energy
GMO Activists Take Labeling Battle to Washington State
After the narrow defeat of California’s genetically modified foods (GMO) labeling ballot initiative, Prop 37, supporters vowed to fight on. […]
August 27, 2013
Redbox, Coinstar Kiosks Now Serving a Side of Sustainability
The company that brings us Redbox, Coinstar, Rubi coffee, and ecoATM electronics recycling kiosks recently released its 2012 CSR report. […]
August 26, 2013
Technology
Google Mexico's Dining Facilities Will be Cage Free
“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice,” said Martin Luther King, Jr. That certainly […]
August 22, 2013
Delta Reduces Emissions Over 18 Percent Since 2005
When it comes to the environment, there is much to like about Delta Airlines’ recently released CSR report. The airline […]
August 21, 2013
Energy
Animal Rights Groups File Lawsuit Over Utah 'Ag Gag Law'
Animals rights groups PETA and Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) filed a lawsuit challenging Utah’s “ag-gag” law, enacted last year, […]
July 29, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Delaware Legalizes Benefit Corporations
Something happened in Delaware last week that is a big deal for corporate law across the country. On July 17, […]
July 25, 2013
Finance
Investing in Innovative Solutions for Underserved Areas
There are about 1.2 billion people in abject poverty in the world, according to World Bank, or 21 percent of […]
July 24, 2013
Energy
Chipotle Becomes First Fast Food Chain to Disclose GMO Information
Chipotle Mexican Grill is not your average fast food chain. The company is known for sourcing locally grown, organic ingredients, […]
July 23, 2013
How Collaboration Helps AT&T Reduce Energy and Water Use
There are two things that jump out at you while reading through AT&T’s 2012 Sustainability Report: the company has ambitious […]
July 10, 2013
Energy
Very Little Soy is Actually Sustainably Produced
While other commodity crops have much higher sustainable certification levels, only three percent of the world’s soy supply is certified […]
June 26, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Major British Clothing Companies Agree To Reduce Their Environmental Impact
Companies representing over a third of the clothing sales in the UK signed on to measure and report the environmental […]
June 25, 2013
Technology
Old Sears and Kmart Stores Get Repurposed as Data Centers
When a big box retailer shutters a store, it leaves behind a big, vacant building. Sears Holdings, which owns Sears […]
June 24, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Los Angeles Bans Plastic Shopping Bags
The Los Angeles City Council voted on Tuesday, June 18 to approve a ban on single-use plastic shopping bags. The […]
June 21, 2013
Technology
Streetwear Line Be Th3 Keeps Sustainability on the Down Low
Many people who try to live an eco-friendly life struggle to find clothes that look good and are made from […]
June 20, 2013
Technology
California is the Runaway Leader in Clean Tech
When it comes to clean tech, California is the clear leader, as the results of the U.S. Clean Tech Leadership […]
June 19, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
How Ford Integrates Sustainability into the Company
Ford Motor Company is a sustainable company in more ways than one. It is financially sustainable. It is the only […]
June 17, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Dell Announces Goals to Source Packaging From Only Sustainable Materials
Dell announced goals last week to source 100 percent of packaging from sustainable materials that will be recyclable or compostable. […]
June 10, 2013
Energy
What Is Driving the Shift Away From Sow Gestation Crates?
On factory farms, pregnant pigs are typically confined in gestation crates, which are so small they can’t even turn around […]
June 10, 2013
Finance
One Company's Humble Quest to Keep Necklace Lanyards from Landfills
If you have ever attended a conference or convention then chances are very great that you have worn a necklace […]
May 31, 2013
Energy
Walmart Pleads Guilty to Dumping Hazardous Waste in California
Walmart pled guilty in a federal court in San Francisco to dumping hazardous waste into sanitation drains in California, the […]
May 30, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
How FedEx is Reducing Fuel Use and Emissions
A transportation fleet is essential to FedEx and the services it provides, so reducing its fuel consumption and the emissions […]
May 29, 2013