Stories from Paul S
Technology
Stop Washing Valuable Energy Down the Drain
Ever wondered which renewable energy source has the quickest payback? Hint: It may be coming from your shower. Or toilet. […]
August 27, 2014
Energy
Brazil Explores the Next Frontier of Fast Food Packaging: Edible!
Recent years have seen several advances in food packaging, from incorporating FSC certified paper to making it compostable. While commendable, […]
December 21, 2012
Finance
Ghana Explores a Truly Renewable Fuel Resource: Human Waste
As gas prices continue to elevate across the globe, both political instability and biological limits provide an ever present threat […]
November 30, 2012
Sponsored
The Rise Of The Sharing Economy
FlightCar: Car-Sharing Comes to Airport Parking Lots
While the major aspects of travel, transport, accommodations, have gotten increasingly affordable, the small details have become a major cash […]
October 19, 2012
Technology
CrowdHut: A Bridge From Crowdfunded Idea to In-Hand Reality?
Has this ever happened to you? You read about an amazing product that did insanely well with its funding efforts […]
October 4, 2012
Technology
Kinn, the iPhone of Bikes, Debuts Next Week
Next Wednesday, Apple is widely expected to debut the iPhone 5. As always, it will surely cause a reaction and […]
September 7, 2012
Corporate Responsibility
Method Turns Ocean Trash Into Packaging
By now, much of the world has heard of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. For the uninitiated, it’s a huge […]
August 3, 2012
Voices for Change
Kickstarter Phenomenon ReadySet: A Powerful Example of Trickle Up Innovation
Where does the highest concentration of innovation exist? Some would say Silicon Valley. In one case, you’d be half right: […]
July 31, 2012
Corporate Responsibility
Clif Bar Gives Every Employee a 20th Anniversary Bike
Motivating and acknowledging employees can take many forms, typically encompassing food, time off, casual dress or some such thing. Clif […]
July 12, 2012
Corporate Responsibility
Nissan to Push LEAF to Mass Market
In the recent surge in electric car launches, one maker stood out, and not in a good way: Nissan. Depending […]
July 9, 2012
Finance
Joolz Turns the Humble Cardboard Box Into an Object of Delight
In company’s efforts to make more sustainable products, a lot of attention has been paid to packaging, often going into […]
June 29, 2012
Finance
Removable Fabric Ink Creates Truly Sustainable Fashion, Branding Opportunities
Sustainability and fashion have developed a much closer relationship in recent years, with organic cotton becoming increasingly common, plastic bottles […]
June 22, 2012
Finance
OAT: Biodegradable, Flower Sprouting Shoes for the Rest of Us
Recent news of Nike joining the Plant PET Technology Collaborative to help accelerate the development and inclusion of plant […]
June 8, 2012
Finance
The Access Economy Comes to Your Washing Machine
When you think of examples of the sharing or access economy, the likely examples that come up will revolve around […]
May 25, 2012
Technology
Smart Booth Transforms Lowly Phone Booth Into Solar Powered Community Hub
In the last five years, the capabilities and applications of mobile phones has enormously expanded in a seemingly endless array of […]
May 16, 2012
Finance
Warby Parker: An Eyeglass Company with an Inspiring Vision
Last Friday I had an experience many of you may share: wandering around the optical shop after an eye exam, […]
May 4, 2012
Finance
The Next Web Gold Rush: US Crowdfunding Sites?
Something happened on April 5th that may mark a seismic shift in how start-ups get funded. The JOBS Act will […]
April 20, 2012
Finance
Project Repat Reinvents Your Old Garments, Pays Fair Wages in US
In everyone’s closet, there’s a handful of items that have been around far too long. Worn out but well loved […]
April 6, 2012
Finance
Zero Gachis Mobile App Solves Expired Supermarket Produce Problem
Did you know that your normal, reasonable expectations are the source of a tremendous amount of waste? That expectation is […]
March 30, 2012
Finance
TinyLightBulbs Shines a Light on Crowdfunded Products
In the past year or so, crowdfunding via sites such as Kickstarter and IndieGoGo has been generating tremendous buzz, and […]
March 23, 2012
Finance
KeyWifi Opens the Door to Peer-To-Peer Wifi Rental
Have you ever been out at a cafe, its wifi on the fritz, and looked longingly at the 13 other […]
March 16, 2012
Corporate Responsibility
Slow Shipping Sails Into Existence: Why Businesses Should Care
In this world of increasingly instant gratification, what could possibly be the appeal of the shipment of your company’s products […]
March 9, 2012
Energy
Forget Recycling: Here Comes Edible Packaging
Food packaging, especially single serving, is a major contributor to landfill waste. About 76 tons in the US annually. Frequently […]
February 24, 2012
Corporate Responsibility
LaborVoices Uses the Humble Telephone to Create Dramatic Workplace Transparency
You would think, given it’s been two decades since Nike’s very public issues with labor conditions, that it wouldn’t take […]
February 17, 2012
Finance
Finally, a Personal Solar Charger for the Masses
Mobile devices have become a deeply embedded part of many of our lives, and along with it, there’s a cumulatively […]
February 10, 2012
Finance
Skilio: Education that Lives Up to the Collaborative Consumption Hype
It seems everywhere you look these days, people are proclaiming this the year of collaborative consumption, C2C, otherwise commonly known […]
February 3, 2012
Technology
The Ultimate Green Building Material: Dirt?
In a time of increasing weather-induced natural disasters, viable, affordable, durable shelter options are becoming vitally important. Additionally, as entirely […]
January 27, 2012
Finance
AbleBanking: A New Bank the Big Ones Shouldn't Ignore
Did you know Bank of America donated around $200 million last year to charitable causes? It sounds impressive, until you […]
January 20, 2012
Corporate Responsibility
Considering Being a Benefit Corporation? A New Site Clears the Path
Over the past year, the reputation of corporations has been dragged through the mud, with the global Occupy movement casting […]
January 16, 2012
Finance
Kickstarter-Style Crowdfunding for Local Businesses
2011 was the year that crowdfunding came of age, with Kickstarter leading the way, along with IndieGoGo and others, presenting […]
January 6, 2012
Finance
BizBox: A Solar Powered Mobile Pop Up Shop
The term “pop up shop” has become common currency these days, but it hasn’t generally meant a store that actually […]
November 25, 2011
Finance
Yellow Leaf Hammocks: A Powerful Example of Social Enterprise Done Well
While yellow leaves to most of us signify the changing of the seasons, to the Mlabri hill tribe of Thailand […]
November 18, 2011
Voices for Change
3 Big Steps Toward Mass Use of Bicycles
Bicycling has seen an unprecedented rise in popularity, support, and accessibility these days, worldwide. To be sure part of this […]
November 11, 2011
Finance
Is This the Wind Power Solution That Answers All the Critics?
Wind power, on paper, sounds like a good idea. No emissions generated. High potential for energy generation, when optimally located. […]
November 4, 2011
Finance
Two Square Meter: Skin Nourishing Eco Friendly Clothing? Yes.
In a time where organic clothing has expanded far beyond hippie boutiques and shoppers in Target don’t bat an eye […]
October 21, 2011
Technology
An EPiC Green Food Processing Incubator Opens In Oregon
With the clearly entrenched trend of green, organic, locally sourced food making inroads even in the largest of chain stores, […]
October 14, 2011
Energy
Panam Shows How to Smartly Re-Launch a Dead Brand
In this turbulent global economy, sometimes the best path forward is looking backward – to brands that have been well […]
October 7, 2011
Technology
SunTracker: Leveraging GPS to Radically Optimize Daylighting
In recent years, much has been made of the energy savings and emissions reduction associated with switching to CFLs. What […]
September 30, 2011
Energy
Two Emerging Models of Consumer Owned Utilities
For all the talk of emerging renewable energy technology, there has thus far been precious little movement in most of […]
September 23, 2011
Voices for Change
How Can Suburbs Join The Bicycling Boom?
It’s finally happening. Circumstances, public opinion and political will have aligned to create massive increases in biking infrastructure and bike […]
September 9, 2011
Voices for Change
Dead Refrigerators Come Back To Life as Movie Theater in London
Recycling is not the most exciting topic. Gather your cans and newspapers, take them to the curb once a week. […]
September 1, 2011
Energy
PR: Evil Tool of Manipulation or Powerful Ally in Greening The World?
PR. Two letters that can spark a volatile emotional reaction in many people. And judging from a recent article in […]
August 25, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
AHA!: A Best Case Example of Sustainable Storytelling
In the past year or so, there’s been a lot of buzz about the power of storytelling for businesses. Sometimes […]
August 12, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Effective Social Media for Sustainable Businesses
As a blogger and social media focused PR person for numerous companies, I spend a lot of my time swimming […]
August 5, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
PepsiCo's First 100% Recycled Bottle in Canada. What Happened to Plants?
What do you think happens when you toss a plastic drink bottle in the recycle bin? Another gets made from […]
July 29, 2011
Voices for Change
Pressed Juicery: Hitting the Green Price Ceiling?
I’m having a deja vu moment here: Back in 2000, Kozmo was one of the earnest dot-com hopefuls. The company […]
July 22, 2011
Finance
Catalytic Clothing: Mobile Air Pollution Fighter?
In the past 5-7 years, the idea of green living and taking personal responsibility for the health of the environment […]
July 15, 2011
Technology
E Cube: The Perfect Marriage of DIY & Affordable Passive House Design?
Something impressive is developing on the green building front in Belgium. And it has nothing to do with LEED or […]
July 8, 2011
Finance
How Can People Be Effectively Persuaded to Conserve Water?
Water. In most modern societies, residents don’t have to worry about where their supply comes from or if it may […]
July 1, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Your Food is Local. What About Your Clothing?
In recent years, the concept of buying and sourcing locally has caught on with the broader public, especially in the […]
June 24, 2011
Finance
The Sustainable, Durable Solution to Bike Helmet Safety: Cardboard?!
Bicycling is an inherently sustainable form of transportation: No emissions, minimal materials required to make the vehicle, increased rider fitness, […]
June 17, 2011
Finance
DeveloperTown Creating Innovative Business Ecosystem
A new kind of work environment is emerging in Indianapolis. Rather then fitting a business into an existing office building, […]
June 10, 2011
Energy
Farmigo: Removing The Pain of Running a CSA
We are right in the middle of prime growing season for farms in the northern hemisphere. For an increasing number […]
June 3, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Project Aura: Lighting the Way to An Upsurge in Bike Commuters?
I have the good fortune of living in Portland, Oregon, where I bike commute daily. In a recent article it […]
May 27, 2011
Energy
Casey Container: Plastic Bottles That Are Both Recyclable and Biodegradable?
Plastics from single serving water bottles, or grocery bags accumulating in the world’s oceans have long been in the spotlight […]
May 20, 2011
Energy
MyFarm: Farmville Meets Real Farming
Farmville has managed the seemingly impossible: Gotten millions of people around the world obsessed with and deeply involved in farming, […]
May 13, 2011
Energy
The Next Frontier of Urban Gardening: Your Bottle Top?
With the fast rise in gas and food prices, more people are likely beginning to investigate other, cheaper, closer to […]
May 6, 2011
Energy
Clif Bar Makes Wine? Yes, and It's All Terrain
What happens when you put Clif Bar’s sensibilities into wine? You get The Climber from Clif Family Winery, which they […]
April 29, 2011
Finance
Seventh Generation's New Packaging Misses the Mark: What Needs to Be Done
I had an intriguing collision with reality this week. Ecologic, a company whose early test products I covered in early […]
April 22, 2011
Energy
Enerkem Localizes Fuel Production Using Landfill Trash
Gas prices are again spiking, which is why it may be the perfect time to look in your trash can. […]
April 15, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Dell: The Invisible Green Computer Company
When I say Dell, what comes to mind? If you’re like most people, not much. Perhaps a vague recollection that […]
April 8, 2011
Energy
Can a Zero Carbon Wine Come from New Zealand? eco.love Wines Says Yes
Being a greener business can take many shapes and levels of complexity, but sometimes it’s the obvious that can make […]
March 25, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Pepsi's New 100% Plant Based Bottle: Too Good to Keep to Itself?
We all know that the amount of plastic generated by the manufacture and consumption of beverages constitutes a huge use […]
March 17, 2011
Finance
PlugShare App Removes EV Owner Range Anxiety & Creates Community
I don’t know about you, but for perhaps the first time ever, I want to buy a Nissan. The Leaf, […]
March 11, 2011
Finance
How to Green Textbook Sales: Tear Them Into Chapters
Has this ever happened to you? After buying a huge stack of books for your University courses, half of them […]
March 4, 2011
Finance
Avego: How To Take Cars off the Road, Now?
In our still car dominated society, traffic is, for the moment, a necessary evil. Sure, mass transit options are increasing […]
February 18, 2011
Energy
Boxsmart Helps Companies Go Beyond Recycling
Recycling seems like a straightforward thing from the consumer vantage point: A little bit of sorting, put it in the […]
February 11, 2011
Finance
Suitsak: The Key to a Major Increase in White Collar Bicycle Commuters?
In many parts of the world, cities are actively taking steps to increase biking as a daily activity – London’s […]
January 28, 2011
Energy
Water Offsets: Real, Beneficial, and Here
Something interesting is bubbling up in the Pacific Northwest. And it’s not beer. But it has a connection to it. […]
January 21, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Mitsubishi to Sell Electric Vehicles at Appliance Stores
2011 is being hailed as the year that electric cars finally (re)emerge as a contender for the hearts, minds, and […]
January 14, 2011
Energy
Attacking the Oceanic Garbage Gyres with…Art?!
Plastic, to most people, is just a vehicle to carry their groceries, contain their soda or water, and serve as […]
January 7, 2011