Stories from Mike Hower
Corporate Responsibility
Lyft, Uber Dethroning Taxi Industry in San Francisco
The San Francisco taxi industry is on the verge of being dethroned by transportation network companies (TNCs) such as Lyft […]
September 24, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Cities Reframe Climate Conversation to Focus on ‘Resiliency’
Ed note: Please join us for a live Google Hangout with Siemens and Arup on October 1, where we’ll talk about cities and climate resiliency live! RSVP here. […]
September 17, 2014
Energy
Half a Million Homes and Businesses Now Powered By Solar
The U.S. solar market hit a major milestone in the second quarter of this year, with more than half a […]
September 8, 2014
Technology
Despite Bully Tactics, We Can’t Stop Using Uber
Nobody likes a bully. Nowhere in the world is this truer than in the United States, a nation which was […]
September 2, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Uber Taps Users in Fight Against California Anti-Ridesharing Bill
Uber and Lyft’s bitter battle for ridesharing supremacy has long been overshadowed by the political battle for ridesharing legitimacy. Taxi […]
August 22, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Lyft, Uber Edge Closer to True Ridesharing With Carpooling Services
Lyft and Uber have announced new features that could bring them closer to true ridesharing than ever before. Last week, […]
August 11, 2014
Finance
Twitter Admits Lack of Employee Diversity, Promises Change
Seventy percent of Twitter’s worldwide workforce is composed of men, and nearly 90 percent of its U.S. workers are white […]
August 6, 2014
Finance
Ikea Bumps Up Minimum Wage for U.S. Workers
Congress might be deadlocked over the minimum wage debate, but some companies aren’t waiting. Ikea recently announced it will raise […]
July 7, 2014
Energy
Nestlé Reduces U.S. Waste By 44 Percent Since 2010
Next time you grab a Crunch bar, you can feel slightly less guilty, at least about the environmental impact. Nestlé has […]
July 7, 2014
Energy
Moringa Bar Startup Nets $350,000 in Funding
Kuli Kuli, which makes moringa “superfood” nutrition bars, recently raised $350,000 in a seed round of funding. The campaign through […]
July 2, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Supreme Court Upholds Power Plant Carbon Emissions Limits
The coal industry has been up in arms ever since the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed new rules to require large […]
June 26, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Startup Crowdsources Lobbying to Influence Politics
It is no secret that money plays an important role in American politics. In the 2012 presidential and congressional elections […]
June 19, 2014
Voices for Change
New 49ers Stadium Set to Use 85 Percent Recycled Water
Recycled water will account for around 85 percent of all water used in Levi’s Stadium – the new home of […]
June 17, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Renewable Energy Can Lead to Economic Boom, Report Finds
If we implement the right policies and frameworks, we can achieve large-scale deployment of renewable energy that creates jobs, increases […]
June 3, 2014
Energy
Congress Sends $12.3 Billion Water Infrastructure Bill to Obama’s Desk
The future of our oceans, rivers, coastlines and other waterways is looking much brighter, thanks to the passing of a […]
May 30, 2014
Voices for Change
Half of Americans Living With Unsafe Air Pollution
Next time you take a deep breath of fresh air, consider yourself lucky. Nearly half of Americans – more than […]
May 20, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
A Travel Junkie's Guide to Responsible Tourism
Travel junkies (including yours truly) all know there is nothing quite like the rush of adrenaline that jump-starts the heart […]
May 13, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Coke, Timberland Reduce Manufacturing Costs With Product Sustainability
Sustainability skeptics often claim that companies invest in product sustainability primarily to “look good” in the eyes of consumers. By […]
May 1, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
New IPCC Report: The World is On Track for a Hefty Temperature Increase
If the world continues down its current carbon-spewing course, global temperatures will hit a staggering 4.8 degrees Celsius above preindustrial […]
April 25, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Energy Efficiency: The Nation’s Cheapest Energy Resource
What method of electricity generation is cheaper than solar, wind, oil or even coal? Trick question; it’s energy you don’t […]
April 17, 2014
Finance
The Return of the Pink-Mustached Jedi: Lyft Raises $250 Million
A few months back, I wrote about Uber’s efforts to level Lyft by leveraging its hefty $258 million in new […]
April 11, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Record Number of Non-U.S. Firms Make ‘World’s Most Ethical’ List
A record number of companies based outside the U.S., including H&M, Marks & Spencer, L’OREAL and 35 others from 21 […]
April 2, 2014
Voices for Change
EPA Power Plant Rules Could Cut Carbon Pollution More Than Expected
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s impending carbon rules for existing power plants could achieve even greater reductions than previously thought […]
March 31, 2014
Energy
First Interstate Water Credits Program Launched in the Ohio River Basin
The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) on March 11 officially launched the first water quality pilot trades in the Ohio […]
March 24, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Ridesharing Firms Struggle to Meet Needs of Americans with Disabilities
Like many living in San Francisco and other major cities across the United States, I have come to rely on […]
March 14, 2014
Finance
Kiva and Vittana Crowdfund Student Loans in the Developing World
It is no secret that education is the surest route to a better life, but for tens of thousands of […]
March 4, 2014
Finance
Investors Pressure Oil Companies to Disclose Carbon Asset Risk
The jury might still be out on when the world will run out of oil, but the rising human and […]
February 24, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Obama Pushes $1 Billion Climate Change ‘Resilience Fund’
Speaking against the backdrop of one of the worst droughts in California history, President Barack Obama on Friday announced plans […]
February 18, 2014
Finance
Lyft Launches Coalition to Bridge Ridesharing Insurance Gaps
In the wake of the tragic New Year’s death of a 6-year-old girl in San Francisco caused by an on-duty […]
February 14, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Who is Liable When Ridesharing Goes Wrong?
Popular ridesharing companies like Uber, Lyft and Sidecar have long-operated in a legal gray zone. While the California Public Utilities […]
February 5, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Intel CEO Challenges Electronics Industry to Dump ‘Conflict Minerals’
If there is one thing we in the West love, it’s our gadgets. Smartphones, tablets, iPottys – we’ll take ‘em […]
January 24, 2014
Energy
Can the US Navy Turn the Tide with Biofuels?
At the beginning of the 20th century, 16 U.S. battleships — all painted white with gilded bows — set off […]
January 13, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
It's the Numbers, Stupid! Data-Driven Policies Will Lead to Tomorrow's Smart Cities
Ed Note: This post is Mike Howers’ entry into Masdar’s 2014 blogging contest for a shot at a trip to Abu Dhabi. If […]
January 1, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Ten Start-Ups That Helped Save the World in 2013
Entrepreneurship is about imagination and action, envisioning solutions to both new and long-standing problems, and innovating to make them a […]
December 30, 2013
Sponsored
The Rise Of The Sharing Economy
Ridesharing Can Save Cities from Traffic Congestion
My first experience with ridesharing came in 2011 when I lived and taught in a low-income barrio of Bogotá, Colombia. […]
December 26, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Why ‘Made in America’ Does Not Have to Mean 'Unaffordable'
“Made in America” labels aren’t exactly a common sight these days. Check the tag on the shirt or pants you […]
December 11, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Delta Air Lines Joins Oil Industry Groups to Fight EPA Biofuel Mandates
Delta Air Lines recently joined other oil industry trade groups to fight the U.S. biofuel mandate that requires refiners to […]
December 6, 2013
Finance
640,000+ Favorable Comments on SEC Petition for Greater Corporate Political Transparency
“Corporations are people, my friend,” Governor Mitt Romney told a heckler at the Iowa State Fair during the 2012 Presidential […]
December 4, 2013
Energy
Sierra Nevada Saves More Than $5M Diverting 99.8% of Waste
Next time you pop open a Pale Ale, you can feel a little less guilty (not that you ever should). […]
November 26, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Coal Industry Rallies Against Proposed EPA Power Plant Regulations
Nearly 3,000 miners and workers from across the coal industry descended on Capitol Hill late last month to protest President […]
November 22, 2013
Voices for Change
Baskets Build Schools, Empower Women in West Africa
Two of the biggest problems afflicting the people of West Africa is a lack of access to education and employment […]
November 14, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Does a 'Political Gene' Determine if We Are Liberal or Conservative?
It is often said that we tend to adopt our parents’ political leanings, but what if we actually inherited them? […]
November 8, 2013
Finance
Climate Change Inaction Costs Taxpayers Billions
There is a lingering perception that investing in technologies, initiatives and processes aimed at countering climate change is just another […]
November 1, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Businesses Denounce Austerity, Urge Congress to Invest in Sustainable Economy
The Capitol Hill standoff between Democrats and House Republicans may be over (for now), but more than 165,000 businesses say […]
October 23, 2013
Technology
Startup Develops Eco-Friendly Material to Replace Wood and Plastic
Australian-based materials company Zeoform claims to have developed a new material made of cellulose fiber and water, which has the […]
October 16, 2013
Finance
CEOs Report Frustrated Sustainability Ambition
More than two thirds of CEOs (67 percent) believe that business is not doing enough to address global sustainability challenges, […]
October 15, 2013
Voices for Change
Top Execs Receive $24 Billion From Federal Contracts Each Year
Speaking of federal government spending, new research from think tank Demos has found that the current contracting practices from the […]
October 2, 2013
Sponsored
Understanding Sustainable Forestry
Responsible Forestry: Can Certification Save Our Forests?
Read more in this series It’s tough not to feel a sense of sorrow when watching recent images of the California […]
October 1, 2013
Technology
Uber Offers Free Rides to Level Lyft
Mere weeks after securing a staggering $258 million in new funding from Google Ventures and TPG Capital, car-booking service, Uber, […]
September 11, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Tesla Tops CA Sales, Rated Safest Car of All Time
Tesla Motors is on a roll. Just months after paying off its Department of Energy loan nine years ahead of […]
September 2, 2013
Energy
EPA Attacks Honeybee Colony Collapse with New Safety Standards
In response to an unprecedented decline in bee populations, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released new pesticide labels that […]
August 23, 2013
Voices for Change
Buy Me Some Peanuts and… Kale? SF Giants to Build Edible Garden
During a recent White House event honoring the San Francisco Giants for winning the 2012 World Series, President Obama announced […]
August 16, 2013
Finance
Record 17 Companies Register as Delaware's First Benefit Corporations
In a major act of affirmation for Delaware’s recent legislation legalizing benefit corporations, New Leaf Paper and Alter Eco last […]
August 5, 2013
Finance
Boston Summit Unites Green Business Engagement Programs
Representatives from 21 green business engagement programs from across the country recently met in Boston for an unprecedented national summit […]
June 27, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
San Francisco Partners with ‘Sharing’ Startups to Save Lives During Disaster
Disasters have a way of bringing people together. Whether it is anonymous neighbors helping to rescue trapped garment workers in […]
June 18, 2013
Technology
Energy Efficiency Can Make Billions While Fighting Climate Change
Energy efficiency could be a several hundred billion dollar investment opportunity in the United States, but better policies are required […]
May 28, 2013
Voices for Change
The U.S. is Paying Too Much For Healthcare and Receiving Too Little
When it comes to most things, you get what you pay for. Paying more for a ticket to a baseball […]
May 23, 2013
Energy
Moringa – The Superfood That Could Alleviate Hunger in Developing Regions
Move over, Iron Man. A new kind of “super food” is emerging that promises to save more lives than your […]
May 14, 2013
Finance
Economic Benefits of EPA Regulations Vastly Outweigh the Costs
During the 2012 Presidential campaign, Mitt Romney claimed that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was a tool President Obama was […]
May 6, 2013
Energy
San Francisco Achieves Highest Recycling Rate in U.S.
San Francisco might be known for its foggy weather, winning sports teams and progressive politics, but it can now add […]
May 2, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Hundreds Die in Bangladesh, You Save Money
Tragedy generally is not the first thing that comes to mind each day when we dress ourselves. After rolling out […]
April 29, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
The Greenest Generation: Baby Boomers or Millennials?
When it comes to being environmentally friendly, those born between the early 1980s to early 2000s, otherwise known as Millennials, […]
April 25, 2013
Energy
Increased Corn Prices Threaten Ethanol Fuel’s Long Term Viability
Ethanol, long viewed as the darling of the biofuels industry, has experienced several hiccups as of late. A lingering drought […]
April 19, 2013
Technology
Silicon Valley Wealth Disparity Continues to Grow
The Silicon Valley is booming. According to a recent U.S. Census Bureau report, the startup-riddled “techtopia” has the country’s second-highest […]
April 15, 2013
Finance
Poll Shows Most Small Business Owners Oppose Offshore Tax Havens
A recent poll conducted by the American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC) and Main Street Alliance (MSA) found some 85 percent […]
April 11, 2013
Finance
Obama-Backed Fisker Fires 75% of Workforce
Congressional Republicans are going to have a field day with this one. Last Friday, luxury electric carmaker Fisker Automotive laid […]
April 9, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Ending the Debate: Most Republicans Actually Support Increased Renewable Energy Use
Apparently, the debate over global warming is not as big as the hard-liners at Fox News and on Capitol Hill […]
April 4, 2013
Voices for Change
EPA Targets Smog with Updated Vehicle Standards
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed last Friday a set of new standards to reduce smog-causing sulfur in gasoline and […]
April 1, 2013
Finance
IMF Recommends Ending Energy Subsidies to Fight Climate Change
A new report from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) claims ending the $1.9 trillion in global energy subsidies could reduce […]
March 29, 2013
Technology
Chevron, EDF Chat About Fracking, Cap & Trade
Monday evening, two energy business and environmental policy heavyweights duked it out at the Commonwealth Club of San Francisco’s presentation […]
February 7, 2013