It’s pretty common knowledge you can recycle items like cardboard, paper and aluminum. Some people may even know about Plastics #1 and #2, or that they can take their plastic shopping bags to a number of major retail stores for recycling. But what about all those other plastics – cereal box liners, dry-cleaning bags, plastic shipping envelopes?

(more…)

by Lindsay E. Brown

Chipotle Ad Upstages Some Grammy Performances
Chipotle’s anti-factory farming ad first appeared across the Internet last year. The chain officially debuted the two-minute commercial during the Grammys to a national audience, and it has since received rave reviews. The commercial follows a local farmer who takes up factory farming in pursuit of the big bucks, before an epiphany reverts him back to his, well, roots — organic farming. Between Nelson’s charming rendition of Coldplay’s wistful classic and the deftly packaged narrative, this commercial packs quite an emotional punch! See for yourself. (more…)

Last Thursday I hosted a breakfast to welcome Denise Quarles, the Director of Sustainabilty for the City of Atlanta. I felt like I was surrounded by members of my extended family. These are people who I’ve been working along with and who share my passion of cleaning up our environment for future generations. It was a great morning of reconnecting and sharing ideas. (more…)

On my trip to Ghana last week I had the opportunity to visit the facility of one of my favorite companies in the world, Trashy Bags. (more…)

by Lindsay E. Brown

Chile: Man Arrested for Stealing Glaciers

Add glacial theft to the list of most bizarre crimes ever committed. A Chilean man was arrested for stealing ice from the Jorge Montt Glacier to sell to upscale bars and restaurants for gourmet ice cubes. Tourists in southern Chile are often served whiskey chilled with glacial ice. I’ll have whiskey on glacial rocks, please. Glacial ice used for designer drinks is a trend our world simply can’t afford. (more…)

Hello from Ghana! I’m in Ghana to speak to the Rotary Club of Accra Airport Saturday night as they launch their foundation to raise money for community service projects. I’m also here to support the Ghana Planeteer movement. The Ghana Planeteers were founded last year and have now grown to over 200 members. These young professionals, comprised mostly of 20 and 30-year-olds, want to make a difference in cleaning up the environment in Ghana. Their projects include beach and river cleanups, working in the schools to educate the younger kids about the importance of recycling and helping to clean up throwaway plastic items that have littered the ground. (more…)

by Lindsay E. Brown

An Oil Minister, Plugging Renewables?

You bet. Stranger things have happened. Saudi oil minister, Ali al-Naimi, distanced himself from the politicians and oil execs who persist in challenging the science behind global warming. In a speech on Monday in London, he gave a huge plug to solar energy.  “Greenhouse gas emissions and global warming are among humanity’s most pressing concerns.”

(more…)

by Lindsay E. Brown

We couldn’t think of a better way to help you celebrate Hump Day – and get you through the rest of the week – than by sharing our list of top environmental stories from the past week. Each Wednesday, we’ll de-brief you on the environmental news stories at home and abroad that we feel you should know about. (more…)

Recently, my friend Tami gave me a Sprout Watch as a gift. These watches have such an interesting story. The employees of a watch company got together and asked themselves how can we make a greener watch? (more…)

Patagonia is truly an example of a business that leverages sustainability effectively for their company and for the planet. Their commitment to their product and to the environment is inspiring. Through the 1% For The Planet program, they have pledged 1% of sales to the preservation and restoration of the natural environment. They’ve awarded over $46 million in cash and in-kind donations to domestic and international grassroots environmental groups making a difference in their local communities. 1% For The Planet is an alliance of businesses that understand the necessity of protecting the natural environment. They understand that profit and loss are directly linked to its health, and are concerned with the social and environmental impacts of industry. (more…)