photo credit: Abhimanyu

Recently in Oregon a bipartisan agreement of epic proportions has taken place. The heavily contested battle over old growth forests in Eastern Oregon has finally ended.  The most recent saga of the argument has taken eight months and has produced a solution that both sides agree on. Environmental groups have argued for decades for the protection of old growth forests because of their ecological benefits. The timber industry, obviously, has been a thorn in the side of conservation.  This argument has lasted for over three decades and with the help of Senator Ron Wyden an agreement has been made to ban the cutting of trees with a diameter of more than 21 inches, which protects watershed areas in eastern Oregon. Read more…

Photo Via ASEC Green Room Retailers

Surf shops dedicated to sustainability? That’s right! With the support of ASEC (Action Sports Environmental Coalition) surf shops throughout California are opening up ‘Green Rooms’, rooms that are filled with all the essential surf products and apparel made from strictly environmentally friendly companies. Bio-foam surfboards, surf board fins made from recycled carpets, non-toxic surf wax, organic cotton, hemp and bamboo tee shirts, surf shorts made from recycled water bottles, and skate shoes made from recycled car tires are just some of the great items to choose from in these new ‘Green Rooms’. Read more…

Photo credit: Steve Winton

We’re all well aware that Christmas is full of red and green- but this year green is all the more prevalent.  And what better way to be green than with the greenest aspect of Christmas- the tree!  In previous years the common belief has been that purchasing an artificial tree is more eco-friendly than taking a live one away from our natural environment.  In recent years it is quite the opposite.  The National Christmas Tree Association announced that Americans purchased 33 percent fewer artificial trees in 2008 than in 2007- quite a large decrease.  But what are the reasons behind the decline? Read more…

Photo Credit: Nate Grigg

In early November CVS and Target implemented policy reforms that suggest the corporations are putting forth an effort to go green. CVS is now rewarding customers who make purchases and choose not to take a plastic bag to carry their items. Every four times a person declines to use a plastic bag, CVS will give him or her one dollar on their CVS card. For anyone who regularly shops at the popular pharmacy and general store, helping out the environment will be a convenient and lucrative option. Read more…

Photo Credit: Topyti

Perhaps a silver lining can be found in the political tensions between the United States and Cuba. Due to travel and research restrictions, a fragile and ancient ecosystem has been preserved. An underwater landscape has remained intact and many native species, extinct in all other areas, exist and flourish in their natural and historical state. American scientists and travelers have been denied access to this wide-ranging coral reef system, which is one of the largest in its hemisphere. Hundreds of islands, bordered by small beaches and extensive stands of red mangrove, lay off of central Cuba’s southern coast. This area was first named Los Jardines de la Reina (“The Queen’s Gardens”) by Chirstopher Columbus, and five centuries later it still remains relatively untouched or altered. There are no towns, roads, or any permanent human habitation on any island. Read more…

Photo Via Samsung Electronics, 'Blue Earth'

Have you ever heard the phrase, ‘you vote with your dollar’? Well it’s true. Many consumers now only purchase products that have been deemed environmentally friendly.  The effect? Producers must supply these environmentally friendly products or risk a serious drop in sales.  Well, believe it or not, major cell phone manufacturers have begun to catch on. The result?  Samsung’s up and coming eco-phone will be sporting it’s own solar panel and much more! Read more…

Victims of the 2006 monsoon flooding in Ahmedabad that displaced 25,000 people. Photo Credit: Meena Kadri

While we are witnessing the adverse effects of climate change far and wide, some are experiencing it’s consequences more than others. A recent news release from the Grameen Foundation and Oxfam America examined the critical role that microfinance institutions can be part of in order to lessen the impact of climate change on poor people. The article, Climate Change and Microfinance, written by Asif Dowla, a noted microfinance expert, points to some of the key poverty-related issues that need to be addressed this week at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. Read more…

Our current climate crisis is without borders. All nations, developed and developing, are in the same boat when dealing with the possible effects. Most leaders around the world have come to the realization that both ground work and international legislation are necessary to preserve our environment for the future.  Things are no different in Jamaica. Read more…

Photo Credit: Hopenhagen

This is huge! 5 days and counting until 192 countries meet (well actually their representatives) in Copenhagen, Denmark, one of the greenest countries in the world, for what is thought to be the last big chance for our world to come together with a legitimate plan to combat global warming! Make your voice heard by signing the petition on the Hopenhagen website (it’s very quick and easy) and let the world know “what gives you hope for a better planet”… Read more…

Photo Credit: James Salvas

We know investors care about money, but what about water?  Most of us probably haven’t considered the importance of water conservation for businesses; especially those of manufacturing and agriculture.  But times are changing. Companies are under increased pressure to operate in a water-constrained world. Read more…