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Green Business Trends
February 4, 2009
Recycle As You Shop
Office Depot has partnered with RAYS, Recycle as You Shop, to encourage consumers and small businesses to be “responsible stewards of the environment.” Twenty-five Office Depot locations in Maryland will house green collection bins accepting paper recyclables. Consumers that bring in one bag full of recyclables qualify to receive $10 off any purchase of $50 or more
Competition in the Hybrid Market Heats Up
According to CNN, more than half of the hybrid cars sold in the United States are Toyota's Prius model. Competition, however, might be catching up. Honda’s new Insight is touted as the “second generation model” and will “undercut the Prius in price.”
What do Americans Want?
According to the New York Times, the latest polls from the Pew Research Center on people’s top priorities for their elected leaders shows that Americans and President Obama are completely out of sync on human-caused global warming.
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Native Groups Partner to Promote Green Careers
A new national alliance is forming to encourage the expansion of the Green Job-Green Economy movement in Indian country.
Native Workplace, Navajo Green Economy Coalition and Honor the Earth are joining forces to invite tribal members around the nation to start a green information groups in their communities. The purpose of this alliance is to ensure that green career education reaches everyone in Indian country and all tribal members feel included and that their voice is represented.
“It is very important that we have a national effort that grows from within our own community. Green career and business opportunities vary from region to region, and the alliance can offer our existing resources to tribal members that need help getting started,” said Cristala Allen, Executive Director of Native Workplace.
Is Water the New Oil?
Eighty year old Texan oilman T. Boone Pickens has pumped over 65 billion gallons of water a year from his 68,000 acres in Roberts County, Texas. Believing water to be the "new oil", Pickens hopes to cash in on water as resources rapidly decrease. By 2030 nearly half of the world's population will inhabit areas prone to drought, with "severe water stress," and Pickens, with his $100 million investment over the last years, is eager to provide this "blue gold" to the masses. James M. Olson, a prominent attorney specializing in water and land use law said, "The idea that water can be sold for private gain is still considered unconscionable by many. But the scarcity of water and the extraordinary profits that can be made may overwhelm ordinary public sensibilities."
Obama Enables Tougher Emissions Standards
In his first week in office, President Barack Obama ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider state requests to construct their own auto emissions standards. Obama asserted that states were eager to implement tougher standards but "Washington stood in their way." According to the Clean Air Act, states can enact laws stricter than federal laws if provided a waiver from the EPA, but the Bush administration denied such requests. Obama also ordered the Transportation Department to improve the fuel efficiency of their new models by 2011.
Ontario will provide $2.5 million for Greener Cars
Three companies are working to invent new ways to make motor vehicle parts out of agricultural crops. The companies plan to use crops like soy beans, castor and plant seed oils to make car ceilings, head restraint coverings and interior trim—most of which are now petroleum-based. "These investments will help Ontario companies move to the forefront of technologies that allow us to replace toxic materials and products with environmentally friendly, bio-based ones," Ontario Environment Minister John Gerretsen said. "It's a win for our environment and for our manufacturers."