Resource Efficiency | Waste | GreenBiz.com

Walmart Unveils Phase One of Sustainability Index

GreenBiz Staff — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:05:00 -0700

The first phase of a three-phase project to establish a green rating system for all of the products on its shelves, Walmart executives today released its 15 question survey that will be mailed to all of the company's 100,000-plus suppliers.

Walmart's Sustainability Index, Version 1.0

GreenBiz Staff — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:51:00 -0700

The first phase of the mega-retailer's Sustainable Product Index, this tool offers an overview of the project's goals, the 15-question survey the company is sending to all its suppliers, and an FAQ for suppliers.

Discarded Food Finds New Life as Electricity

Tilde Herrera — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:17:00 -0700

Unwanted, thrown away food in the San Francisco Bay Area soon find new life as electricity. The East Bay Municipal District plans to dramatically boost the amount of food scraps it converts to energy via anaerobic digestion from 90 tons per week to 1,000 tons, or 200 tons per weekday.

Xerox Saves $7.3 Million Through Earth Awards Projects

GreenBiz Staff — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:18:00 -0700

Xerox has announced the winners of its annual Earth Awards, a broad range of projects from around the world that saved $7.3 million, eliminated 1.3 million pounds of waste and reduced energy use by 500,000 kilowatt hours.

German Scientist Cooks Up Idea for 'Waste-Free' Breweries

Leslie Guevarra — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 09:16:00 -0700

A scientist pondering the growing problem of brewery waste in Europe has devised a way to tap into the power of beer: He and his partners designed a system to recycle spent grains and wastewater to produce energy that can fuel the beermaking process.

TerraCycle Teams Up With Yak Pak to Make Bags From Billboards

GreenBiz Staff — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:26:00 -0700

The partnership signals a new direction for TerraCycle, which will be sourcing used vinyl billboard materials that Yak Bag is turning into durable, waterproof backpacks, messenger bags, totes and more.

New Law Requires Calif. Landfills to Capture Methane

ClimateBiz Staff — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:17:00 -0700

A new regulation adopted today will force more than a dozen California landfills to design and install equipment that captures methane gas created by decomposing solid waste.

Maine Requires CFL Producers to Pay for CFL Recycling

GreenBiz Staff — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:16:00 -0700

Under a new Maine law, producers of compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) will be required to provide or fund free CFL collection and recycling programs for household CFLs.

S.F. Mayor Signs First Mandatory Composting Law in U.S.

Gavin Newsom — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:44:00 -0700

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom signs one of the nation's more stringent municipal recycling measures into law today. Provisions in the new ordinance make it mandatory for businesses and residents to compost food scraps -- the first requirement of its kind in the U.S.

IBM Sharpens Focus on Business and Battery Efficiency

GreenBiz Staff — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 06:04:00 -0700

The company announced today the creation of the Green Sigma Coalition to integrate IBM’s Green Sigma consulting service with the products and services of several big-name partners. A second project will take aim at the development of tomorrow’s lithium-ion batteries.

Target Sued for Allegedly Dumping Hazardous Waste in Calif. Landfills

GreenBiz Staff — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:05:00 -0700

California’s attorney general and 20 district attorneys filed a lawsuit against Target Corp. today that accuses the retailer of dumping pesticides, propane canisters and other hazardous waste in local landfills.

San Francisco Rolls Out EcoFinder iPhone App to Help Residents Recycle

Gavin Newsom — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:00:00 -0700

San Francisco, which passed the first mandatory recycling and composting laws in the U.S., just last week, launches an iPhone version of the popular web-based EcoFinder tool to help residents recycle.

Digital TV Transition May Create Tons of E-Waste

GreenBiz Staff — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:59:00 -0700

The long-awaited digital TV transition began today, leaving millions of Americans without a signal unless they secured a set-top converter box. That could leave behind heaps of unwanted analog TVs that some manufacturers are ill equipped to recycle.

Waste Management to Distribute Solar Powered Trash Compactors

GreenBiz Staff — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:57:00 -0700

The company, whose business has expanded beyond simple trash hauling to include recycling and materials management, will distribute BigBelly solar-powered trash compactors to reduce the amount of waste collection in public places.

Starbucks Coffee: Green or Greenwashed?

Sarah Lozanova — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 05:00:00 -0700

Starbucks is given credit by many for revolutionizing the American coffee drinking experience. The company, however, is both praised and criticized by environmentalists. Is Starbucks a leader of sustainability or a greenwasher?