ENVIRONMENT

Sustainable Living

Will People Wear New Socks Made From Old Socks? Smartwool Thinks So

Outdoor gear label Smartwool released the Second Cut hiking sock this month, made from reused wool collected in a sock take-back program. The sockmaker hopes to go "beyond recycling" by closing the loop on wool.

Riya Anne Polcastro

April 18, 2023

Energy

Kind Snacks Tests Regenerative Agriculture and New Technologies for Almond Farming

A three-year partnership between Kind and one of its top almond suppliers, Ofi, is testing six practices on six different plots within a 500-acre space in Fresno, California. TriplePundit headed to the pilot fields for a closer look.

Rasha Rehman

April 17, 2023

Technology

How AI-Powered Digital Twins Can Help Build Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure

Artificial intelligence and virtual models of real-world objects help infrastructure professionals centralize data, make more informed decisions and contribute to the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.

Rodrigo Fernandes

April 14, 2023

Energy

Winemakers on the Front Lines of Climate Change Say Sustainability is an Industry Imperative

The wine industry is no stranger to climate change. Vineyards have been facing the brunt of it for decades, and many are embracing sustainability and innovation to keep the vino flowing. We spoke with Will Drayton of Treasury Wine Estates about the challenges facing the industry and what winemakers are doing to meet them.

Riya Anne Polcastro

April 13, 2023

Sustainable Living

Social Enterprise Transforms the World's Most Wasted Plastic Into Sunglasses

Launched two years ago, Ashaya is a social enterprise based in Pune that has managed to recycle this “impossible-to-recycle” multi-layered plastic packaging (MLP) into high quality material.

Abha Malpani Naismith

April 11, 2023

Technology

Hydrogen: Harmful or Helpful in the Clean Energy Transition?

How hydrogen is produced matters. The good news is that green hydrogen production is on the rise, and costs are falling as technologies continue to improve. Here, we take a closer look at green hydrogen, how it's made and its role in the low-carbon transition.

Katharine Bierce

April 4, 2023

Technology

Flexible Desalination: A Renewable Energy Twist on the Energy-Water Nexus

Businesses can help to alleviate the looming world water crisis by supporting work on new desalination technologies that leverage renewable energy, with broader implications for grid reliability and stability as well.

Tina Casey

April 3, 2023

Technology

About the Hydrogen Rainbow: How Hydrogen is Made Determines Its Impact

Where does hydrogen come from? It depends. From grey and brown hydrogen to blue, turquoise, pink and red, let's take a closer look at how hydrogen is currently produced and the challenges with these methods. 

Katharine Bierce

April 3, 2023

Technology

Ford Picks Tennessee for T3, the Electric Truck of the Future

Ford is back with plans to manufacture a mysterious new electric truck, known only by the name T3, and bring 6,000 new green jobs to the red state of Tennessee.

Tina Casey

March 30, 2023

Sponsored

What Corporate Sustainability Means in Practice: How Things Really Get Done

Birds and Bees: Bringing Biodiversity Into the Workplace

As companies look to act on climate change, many overlook a crucial and impactful area of focus: preserving biodiversity. We spoke with Lauren Swezey, sustainability and landscape project lead for Meta, about how the tech giant approaches biodiversity — from beehives and green roofs to platform moderation.

Rasha Rehman

March 30, 2023

Energy

Energy Tech Company Steps in to Help Stabilize the Grid for Renewable Power

Transitioning to renewable energy comes with hiccups, including new challenges for grid operators. Reactive Technologies is looking to help the distribution and transmission sector make the most out of renewable energy by providing measurements and data points that were once hidden from view.

Riya Anne Polcastro

March 27, 2023

Energy

Giant Seaweed Blobs Are the New Normal

A giant "blob" of seaweed is headed toward Florida's beaches ahead of spring break. But the phenomenon is actually nothing new, and experts say it's likely the new normal unless major progress is made on averting the climate crisis.

Riya Anne Polcastro

March 27, 2023

Energy

Protecting the Watery Routes of Whales

Whales can travel thousands of miles between feeding and breeding grounds in migratory routes known as blue corridors, but they face considerable risk outside of protected areas. Protecting their passageways is imperative to maintaining and restoring many whale species.

Ruscena Wiederholt

March 20, 2023

Sponsored

Building a Sustainable Future Through Material Innovation

Owens Corning Wants to Recycle 2 Million Tons of Shingles Per Year By 2030: Here’s How

Owens Corning recently announced a commitment to recycle 2 million tons of shingles per year in the U.S. by 2030. We spoke with leaders at the company to find out more about how they plan to get there.

Kate Robertson

March 15, 2023

Energy

U.S. Postal Service Kicks Fleet Electrification Into Higher Gear

The U.S. Postal Service has overhauled its modernization plan, making room for more electrification as it replaces its current fleet.

Tina Casey

March 14, 2023

Sustainable Living

Drew Barrymore's Sustainable Home Goods Collab Nods To the Rise of Refillables

Drew Barrymore teamed up with sustainable consumer brand Grove Co. to create a fun, limited-edition line of household products — featuring refillable packaging and zero single-use plastic. It's the latest example in a trend toward reusables that's receiving a warm reception from consumers.

Riya Anne Polcastro

March 13, 2023

Technology

Your Tax Dollars at Work: 3 New Clean Power Resources to Watch

Vast new clean power resources are yet to be tapped, and the U.S. Department of Energy is leveraging its financial muscle to lift new, sustainable energy systems from the design table to commercial production.  

Tina Casey

March 7, 2023

Sustainable Living

Take a Bite Out of Climate Change With Aloha’s New Climate-Resilient Ingredient

Aloha just released a special-edition protein bar that includes Ponova oil. The oil, which is made from the pongamia tree, represents a welcome move toward utilizing more climate-resilient species in the food system.

Amy Brown

March 3, 2023

Energy

Curbing Plastic Consumption Will Require Drastic Measures — and Business Should Lead the Charge

The transition away from plastic consumption will be painful at first, but it also presents an opportunity for leadership. Businesses that make the most out of coming policy changes could see elevated brand loyalty, increased competitiveness for securing talent and even potentially higher profits in the long run.

Riya Anne Polcastro

March 2, 2023

Energy

Brands Taking Stands

Community-Driven Solar Investments Bring Clean Power to Underserved Neighborhoods

Investments in community solar and solarizing nonprofits look to boost clean power access and energy savings in underserved neighborhoods across the U.S.

Mary Mazzoni

March 1, 2023

Sponsored

What the World Can Learn From New Zealand About Sustainable Agriculture

New Zealand Leads the Way on Regenerative Agriculture Methods

While livestock farming typically comes with a higher greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint, New Zealand’s moves to embrace regenerative agriculture positions farmers to cut these impacts down to size.

L Blaine Fulmer

February 28, 2023

Energy

More Lithium-Ion Recycling is Coming to the U.S.

Building domestic recycling capacity is a huge step in the right direction for the U.S. battery sector, as converting to renewable grids and electric vehicles (EVs) will hinge on the industry’s ability to recycle lithium-ion batteries efficiently.

Riya Anne Polcastro

February 28, 2023

Energy

Jane Fonda Lends Star Power to Last-Ditch Effort for U.N. Ocean Treaty

Jane Fonda is adding her star power and activist clout to a last-ditch effort to sign a U.N. Ocean Treaty that would ban fishing in 30 percent of the world’s oceans and turn them into marine sanctuaries.

Amy Brown

February 27, 2023

Energy

From Pest to Present: Taking On Agriculture’s Carbon Footprint Organically

While modern technology helps farmers boost crop yields, many technological advances in agriculture were developed without sustainability in mind. A return to nature-based solutions can ensure farmers — and their soil — are able to feed a growing population for the long term.

Assaf Dotan

February 24, 2023

Environment

Brands Taking Stands

Climate Justice Innovators Get $27 Billion Boost From the EPA

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is moving the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund forward and making good on its recently renewed commitments to environmental and climate justice.

Mary Mazzoni

February 22, 2023

Sponsored

Decarbonizing the Maritime Industry

Crowley Puts the Pieces Together for a Decarbonized Maritime Industry

Decarbonizing the maritime industry will involve a host of clean technologies that complement each other in efficient, economical systems. The U.S. maritime and logistics company, Crowley, illustrates how that can be accomplished.

3p Editors

February 21, 2023

Technology

The EV Battery of the Future is Already Here, and It’s Made in the USA

Ford plans to build a new $3.5 billion electric vehicle battery factory in Michigan, dedicated exclusively to manufacturing a cutting-edge battery cathode based on a lithium-iron-phosphate formula. So, what are LFP batteries, and why does Ford's move matter?

Tina Casey

February 17, 2023

Sustainable Living

The Upcycled Food Market is On the Rise: Will It Make an Impact?

While the technical name — products from food waste — doesn't inspire much confidence, repurposing otherwise discarded agricultural outputs could go a long way toward alleviating world hunger while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Riya Anne Polcastro

February 14, 2023

Energy

How the Wondrous Whale Benefits the Global Economy

Whales provide a host of benefits to marine ecosystems, people and the global economy, but they remain under threat. Here we take a closer look at how whales shape our world and innovative systems to protect them, from cetacean carbon credits to slower shipping speeds.

Ruscena Wiederholt

February 13, 2023

Technology

AI Can Propel Corporate Sustainability Ambitions Into Action

The advancement of artificial intelligence is dramatically changing the way we live and do business. Although the long-term impact of advanced technologies is yet to be determined, tools like AI have the capability to propel a company’s sustainability ambitions into action.

Abha Malpani Naismith

February 10, 2023

Energy

Why the EPA's Decision on Coal Ash Matters

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recognized that, all too often, the communities most affected by coal ash pollution are poorer and lack the resources to mitigate the environmental harm or pursue legal action.

Patrick McCarthy

February 10, 2023

Technology

Growing EV Markets Present Challenges and Opportunities for New Battery Technology

During the BNEF Summit in San Francisco last week — a meeting of the minds focused on the convergence of transport, energy and technology — the state of play for electric vehicle batteries was addressed in depth, and it's a tale of both challenge and opportunity.

Phil Covington

February 9, 2023

Energy

How U.S. Businesses Helped Halt the Pebble Mine Project — And What's Next for Alaska's Bristol Bay

Activism from environmentalists and native tribes — buoyed by U.S. businesses and investors — paid off last month when the U.S. EPA issued a Final Determination on the embattled Pebble Mine project. So what's next for Alaska's Bristol Bay, and the businesses that supported it?

Tina Casey

February 7, 2023

Sustainable Living

Are More Carbon Footprint Labels Coming to the Grocery Store?

The push to add carbon footprint labeling on food products could signal an important shift toward more informed and responsible consumption, as Americans report a willingness to make changes for the sake of the planet.

Riya Anne Polcastro

February 7, 2023

Sponsored

What Corporate Sustainability Means in Practice: How Things Really Get Done

How Meta Sources 100 Percent Renewable Energy Around the World

Meta now has a robust renewable energy portfolio spanning six countries and 20 U.S. states that produces as much energy as the company's global operations consume. So, how do they do it?

Mary Riddle

February 7, 2023

Finance

More Investment is Needed for For Sustainable Aviation To Take Off

"We're beginning to see the kind of commitment we need for sustainable aviation to really take off," but more outside capital is key to push things forward, says Niklas Lund, CEO of aviation investment group Rockton.

Amy Brown

February 6, 2023

Energy

Why the U.S. Native Seed Shortage Matters

TriplePundit spoke with Dr. Kayri Havens, director of plant science and conservation at the Chicago Botanic Garden, about why the U.S. native seed shortage matters — and what we can do about it.

Mary Riddle

February 6, 2023

Energy

Researchers Propose a Plan for California's Water Woes

California may have released its Colorado River plan, but the state's water troubles are far from over. A recent report from the Milken Institute, a nonpartisan economic think tank based in Santa Monica, offers some potential solutions.

Kate Robertson

February 3, 2023

Finance

Coal is Totaled. Will Coal-stalgia Continue to Impede Renewable Energy Investment?

A new report from the climate think tank Energy Innovation found the cost of maintaining an existing coal plant is greater than the cost of constructing a new wind or solar farm. Is the U.S. ready to let go, or will cultural coal-stalgia hold us back?

Patrick McCarthy

February 3, 2023

Food + Farming

Congressional Leaders Revive Legislation Aimed at Justice for Black Farmers

Aimed at addressing a history of bias within agriculture, the proposed legislation includes provisions to support a new generation of Black farmers while protecting Black farmers who are at risk of losing their land.

Amy Brown

February 2, 2023

Sponsored

What Corporate Sustainability Means in Practice: How Things Really Get Done

Net Zero Goals: Moving from Why to How to Now

COP27 missed the mark in some key ways, such as ensuring financing for developing countries and creating mechanisms to help more countries reduce emissions. "It is also clear we can all do more to measure and report on yearly progress," this executive says.

Edward Palmieri

February 2, 2023

Environment

Brands Taking Stands

GM, Ford Seek to Scale Up Virtual Power Plants

Despite the red-hot rhetoric about the evils of “woke capitalism," leading U.S. businesses continue to promote clean power. The latest effort involves GM, Ford and other leading stakeholders in an effort to grow the market for virtual power plants.

Tina Casey

February 1, 2023

Energy

If Renewable Energy Can Make It in New York, It Can Make It Anywhere

This new project could decarbonize a fifth of New York City's power grid. It shows just how quickly urban areas can turn the corner on renewable energy and further disproves the anti-ESG movement.

Tina Casey

January 31, 2023

Community Development

Top Universities Fail to Prepare World Leaders for the Climate Crisis, Report Finds

The world's top universities have not fostered the leadership skills and civic engagement necessary for our world leaders to navigate the impending ecological crisis, according to a new project from the youth campaign group Mock COP.

Patrick McCarthy

January 31, 2023

Energy

U.S. Climate Targets Are Within Reach, But Overconsumption Still Matters

“We don’t need magic bullets or new technologies" to halve emissions by 2030, says Manish Bapna, CEO of the Natural Resources Defense Council. A new report from NRDC and Evergreen Action says U.S. climate goals are within reach. But we still need to address overconsumption.

Riya Anne Polcastro

January 30, 2023

Sustainable Living

Alaska Airlines Ditches Plastic Cups in Broader Push to Curb Plastic Waste

Alaska Airlines is the first U.S. carrier to stop using plastic cups for inflight beverage service, as part of a broader push to phase out single-use plastics. So, what can travelers expect, and how much impact does this really have?

Patrick McCarthy

January 30, 2023

Energy

Humans Fueling Steady Rise in Ocean Heat Levels, Creating Adversity for Aquatic Species

Rising marine temperatures threaten mortal peril to oceanic species, and complications to life on land as well. So, what do warmer waters mean for us, and for the abundance of aquatic life facing extinction?

Patrick McCarthy

January 27, 2023

Finance

U.S. Energy Dept. Revives the Loan Programs Office, a Tesla-Scale Decarbonization Tool

The Loan Programs Office is a small but influential government financial resource that counts an early loan to Tesla Motors among its success stories. After doing little under Trump, the office now has a nearly $400 billion loan authority to invest in clean tech companies.

Tina Casey

January 24, 2023

Energy

West Virginia Invests in Iron-Air Battery to Lead the Clean Energy Revolution

If all goes according to plan, the state’s new venture with the iron-air battery startup Form Energy will help accelerate the pace of clean energy investment across the U.S.

Tina Casey

January 23, 2023

Sponsored

Putting Sustainability at the Center of Business

The Secret to Accurate Scope 3 Accounting Is Sharing Trusted, Auditable Carbon Data Across Networks

Growing cross-sectoral and multi-company efforts are looking to scale up the measurement, assessment and reduction of Scope 3 emissions through innovative carbon data networks.

Nithin Coca

January 23, 2023

Energy

Where Has All the Water Gone? Utah’s Great Salt Lake on the Verge of Collapse

Utah will need to immediately decrease the amount of water it uses by up to 50 percent in order to save the lake, a massive feat that would require unprecedented levels of coordination and cooperation. 

Mary Riddle

January 20, 2023

Technology

Digital Technology is Key to Climate Resilient Infrastructure

As the U.S. deals with record-breaking devastation from climate change to the tune of $20 billion annually, we need to make climate resiliency a top priority for infrastructure — and technology plays a major role.

Dustin Parkman

January 17, 2023

Energy

The Biggest Water Stories From 2022 — And What's to Come This Year

Water may not have made the splashiest headlines, but it maintained a steady current, even offering a few surprises. Here are some of the top water stories from TriplePundit in 2022, plus what we might see on the water front this year.

Kate Robertson

January 13, 2023

Energy

See-Through Solar Windows Turn Ordinary Buildings into Climate Heroes

These solar windows allow glass to filter daylight into buildings, while also harvesting energy from the sun and converting it to electricity.

Tina Casey

January 10, 2023

Technology

How Artificial Intelligence Can Improve Companies’ ESG Work During 2023

Artificial intelligence can offer ESG practitioners an important tool in their kit: The ability to deal with the overwhelming amount of data.

Leon Kaye

January 10, 2023

Sponsored

Carbon and Beyond: The ESG and Sustainability Trends Shaping Business Today

To Act On Climate Change, Today’s Companies Must Be Water Stewards

As climate change makes water access more of a concern for communities, the decisions companies make about their water usage affects situations well beyond their fence lines. 

3p Editors

January 9, 2023

Technology

Declining Birth Rates Have an Economic Impact — but This AI Concept Isn’t an Answer

Declining birth rates worldwide could cause a bevy of social problems — but this concept, fueled by AI, is hardly an answer to sustained economic growth.

Riya Anne Polcastro

January 6, 2023

Energy

The Return of Lula Gives Some Breathing Room to the Brazilian Amazon

Brazil's Lula has made the first week of his second presidency an audacious one, starting with his ambitious zero deforestation promise.

Leon Kaye

January 5, 2023

Energy

5 Signs the Agrivoltaics Revolution Has Only Just Begun

Agrivoltaics, an emerging field that allies solar energy and agricultural stakeholders, is poised to be a business model to be reckoned with.

Tina Casey

January 3, 2023

Energy

Porsche Opens Pilot E-fuel Plant in Chile as Automakers Continue to Ignore Need to Scale Down

Porsche announced its pilot e-fuel plant is now ready for commercial production — but all automakers are still confronting a massive numbers problem.

Riya Anne Polcastro

December 23, 2022

Energy

Next Steps for the Bioeconomy: 5 Sustainable and Unusual Materials to Watch in 2023

As the bioeconomy of the future begins to take shape, researchers using new tools to deploy a wider range of renewable materials that replace petrochemicals derived from fossil fuels. From dandelions to squid protein, here are five to follow in 2023.

Tina Casey

December 21, 2022

Energy

Offroad App OnX Shows How Access to Public Lands is Increasingly Blocked by Private Landowners

A backcountry navigation app popular with hunters is exposing how the latest iteration of robber barons is gobbling up private ranchland and effectively blocking access to publicly-owned wilderness areas.

Riya Anne Polcastro

December 20, 2022

Sponsored

Pursuing Net-Positive

Supporting Smallholder Farmers on the Way to a More Sustainable Palm Oil Supply Chain

The nonprofit Solidaridad works with corporate partners in more than 40 countries to scale up sustainable palm oil production and help smallholder farmers increase their incomes. We take a look at its decade-long partnership with Henkel, the company behind brands like All detergent and Dial soap.

Kate Robertson

December 20, 2022

Sponsored

Putting Sustainability at the Center of Business

'Best-of-Breed’ Sustainability Software May Be The Worst Solution

There is no easy road to meeting corporate sustainability goals. But many companies are inadvertently making that work harder on themselves by looking at the challenge in silos. 

Kate Robertson

December 12, 2022

Energy

France Starts Banning Short-Haul Flights and Urges a Return to Travel by Rail

Short-haul flights have a huge carbon footprint. Now, France is starting to curb domestic flights, and leaders are mulling a ban on private jet travel, too.

Grant Whittington

December 8, 2022

Technology

How Software and Design Can Help Push the World Closer to Decarbonization

Better design powered by the best possible software can help boost decarbonization efforts worldwide, as this billion-dollar tech company has proven.

Leon Kaye

November 29, 2022

Technology

How Intelligent Automation Can Pave the Road to Net-Zero

Used to its fullest potential, here's why intelligent automation could make all the difference in the global fight against climate change.

Saranjit Singh

November 29, 2022

Energy

COP27 Addressed Some Effects, but Not Causes, of Climate Change

Organizers dubbed COP27 “Implementation COP,” but in reality, countries ignored their commitments to curb emissions to fight climate change.

Mary Riddle

November 28, 2022

Technology

How Technology and Expertise Can Scale Local Solutions to Global Climate Change Challenges

The power of science, technology and innovation together can help at-risk communities become more resilient as they respond to climate change. 

Michael Jacobs

November 28, 2022

Energy

Four Partnerships Offering Roadmaps to Decarbonization

Government is taking the lead on decarbonization, but business must step up their efforts worldwide. Partnerships are one path toward true climate action.

Amy Forman

November 22, 2022

Energy

Companies That Love Renewable Energy Have the Power to Stand Against the Fossil Fuel Lobby

The global reach of the fossil energy industry was very much in evidence at COP27 in Egypt last week. But business leaders can push back against fossil fuel lobbyists and their obstruction by forming new alliances that support their needs for renewable energy.

Tina Casey

November 21, 2022

Energy

Electric Vehicles Aren't Enough: We Need Fewer Cars on the Road

The personal passenger vehicle as a primary mode of transportation is not sustainable for a planet with 8 billion people living on it — and the hard truth is that transitioning to low-carbon fuels and electric vehicles simply is not enough.

Riya Anne Polcastro

November 21, 2022