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Starbucks opened a new store yesterday at Disneyland Resort in California as an effort to introduce a series of environmentally-friendly coffee shops worldwide. Located at Downtown Disney in Anaheim, the new LEED-certified shop was built totally from reclaimed wood with a large yard surrounded by a green wall with more than 1,000 plants. Customers will experience an interactive environment created by a 10-foot video installation with high technology and nice design.

A group of 140 California firms have reiterated calls for legislators to deliver ambitious action on climate change with the release of a new declaration signaling their support for policies that serve to cut emissions and drive investment in clean tech.

North American Electric Reliability Corp. reported that California's power generation from wind and solar energy sources will reach 18,700 megawatts by 2020. The state targets 33% renewable energy generation within the next seven years. NERC added that the state needs to keep gas-fired power facilities to fill the gap in energy availability.

Hyundai and Honda both made fuel cell vehicle news at the Los Angeles Auto Show this week. Hyundai says it plans to offer its next-generation Tucson Fuel Cell vehicle for the US market for $499 per month for a 36-month term, with $2,999 down. This includes unlimited free hydrogen refueling and At Your Service Valet Maintenance at no extra cost. Availability will begin in spring 2014 at several Southern California Hyundai dealers.

Home improvement retailer Lowe's Home Centers will pay $18.1 million to settle claims that more than 100 of its stores in California illegally dumped hazardous waste in landfills.

MBA students from the University of California, Berkeley achieved a 50% return on investment from the school's socially responsible investment fund since 2008. The fund performed almost 5% better than the overall market from 2011 to 2014.

According to a recent billion dollar allocation of taxpayer money for water recycling programs, drinking toilet water is one way. Don't throw up quite yet. Water recycling refers the process by which municipalities process wastewater so that it's okay to drink. It's a very safe, very clean process and might even produce water that's cleaner than what's coming out of your tap.

A California athletic club has reduced water usage for laundry washed with a machine using Xeros laundry system by nearly 50 percent.

An innovative chef has come up with an alternative dishwashing procedure that cuts his kitchen's water usage by 80 percent.

The California city is betting on new environmental targets and equitable economi development, along with new smart cities technology from vendors like Philips, as part of a first-of-its-kind sustainability framework.

Disneyland Resort was recognized today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency with the 2014 Food Recovery Challenge award for its zero waste efforts, and the highest percent increase in food recovery of any theme park in the nation. "Disneyland is a model for food recovery efforts," said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA's Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. "Disney has the potential to educate millions of people who visit the resort on zero waste, while doing its part to fight climate change and create a better environment for Southern California residents."

The four governments, California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia committed to take action to expand the adoption of zero-emissions vehicles, with a goal of 10 percent of new vehicle purchases by 2016.

In other efforts to improve hospitals' efficiency, Michigan-based Spectrum Health saved $692,000 through Green the OR, a Practice Greenhealth initiative that focuses on reducing cost, waste and exposure to hazardous chemicals in the operating room.

As a punishing drought continues to grip California and other areas, scientists are exploring hardy succulents as a pathway to genetically engineer plants to use less water. Agave and other succulents such as the prickly pear, pineapple and vanilla have evolved to perform a different kind of photosynthesis that enable their survival in semiarid environments. These species absorb most of their carbon dioxide at night rather than during the day, as most plants do, meaning less water evaporates off the leaves through transpiration. 

"AB 96 passed 26-13, reflecting widespread support for the measure, which aims to take a step toward reducing pressure on wild elephants and rhinos that are being poached at unprecedented levels across Africa and Asia. "

For nearly a century, Californians have drained an incredible amount of water from the ground to grow crops and water landscaping. It is not sustainable. The water has not returned. The result is a sinking state. Here are some startling facts about California's groundwater depletion:

Drug manufacturers will be required to fund and manage medication disposal programs, following the US Supreme Court's decision to not hear the pharmaceutical industry's case against a drug take-back law in California.

Ben & Jerry's, eBay, Gap, Levi Strauss & Co., and The North Face are among 24 companies that announced support of SB-350-a California bill to set benchmarks for increasing renewable energy and energy efficiency, while decreasing petroleum use by 2030.

Conopco, a Unilever subsidiary and the consumer goods company's US business, has agreed to settle two cases and pay $362,500 for air pollution violations related to the sale of hair styling products in California.

The North Face may have just started a new trend in sustainable apparel: locally grown. Taking a cue from the local food movement, the outdoor apparel company developed an all-cotton hoodie that was grown, designed, cut and sewn within 150 miles of its corporate headquarters in California.