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Brazil's conservative National Congress has rushed to pass a wave of legislative initiatives, which taken all together, would dismantle much of the nation's body of law protecting the environment and indigenous people - an effort likely to escalate in 2017. The latest attempt occurred last week, just before the parliamentary recess. The agricultural lobby unexpectedly put forward three bills, known as Decretos Legislativos (PDCs), which are laws promulgated by the President of the Senate over which the country's President does not have the right of veto. If eventually passed, as seems likely, the bills will allow industrial waterways (requiring many dozens of new dams) to be built without the proper assessment of environmental and social impacts. The waterways would be used by agribusiness as a cheap means of exporting soy and other commodities.

General Motors has created revenue streams worth $1 billion through its waste-reduction and recycling programs while also reducing its risk exposure, says Mari Kay Scott, GM's executive director of global environmental compliance and sustainability. "Sustainability is good for the environment -- it's also really good for business," she says.

Pollution killed 12.6 million people worldwide in 2012, with environmental risks causing about a quarter of all deaths worldwide, according to new World Health Organization data. "These impacts are being felt today, worldwide, most severely in developing countries but also in this country," says environmental health expert Frederica Perera.

Water and waste giant Veolia has saved the city of Poughkeepsie, New York, millions while improving efficiencies throughout the city's wastewater system and facilities over the course of a 35-year environmental contract.

The Environmental Defense Fund launched an advertising campaign to protest the proposed cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency's budget. The ad warns that cutting EPA funding could lead to increased health issues, more pollution and increased levels of lead in drinking water.

Plastics are an important part of the global economy and have many practical applications for everyday life, but their indisputable benefits are significantly outweighed by their environmental drawbacks - namely in regards to ocean pollution. Recognizing the seriousness of the problem, Dell, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and NatureWorks are finding new and innovative ways to tackle plastic pollution both at the source and at end-of-life.

Post Foods, which will roll out a non-GMO verified Grape Nuts in January 2014, has become the second food company this month to cave to pressure from an environmental group and the public and stop using genetically modified ingredients in a cereal.

Apple is advetising a env program manager in China to make srue the company aheres to regional and national regulations

According to Green Biz, 14 environmental and social resolutions earned at least 40 percent shareholder support, with requests for sustainability reporting tha tincludes greenhouse gas emissions and energy efficiency targts gaining over 40%

Disney Cruise Line is the most environmentally responsible line, earning an A for sewage treatment and an overall A grade, according to Friends of the Earth's 2013 Cruise Ship Report Card.

Dell plans to divert from landfills 90 percent of waste generated in its buildings and ensure 100 percent of its product packaging is sourced from sustainable materials such as straw, mushrooms and bamboo by 2020.

The UN Environment Program and other partners launched the Sustainable Public Procurement Program, a project to redirect public spending towards goods and services with environmental and social benefits. The initiative is part of the UN's 10-Year Framework of Programs on Sustainable Consumption and Production.

The Green Parking Council (GPC), an affiliate of the International Parking Institute (IPI), has launched the Green Garage Certification program. The program is the parking industry equivalent of the US Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certification, and recognizes and inspires high standards in sustainable parking facility design, technology, operations and management.

A group of 29 companies and organizations launched collectively.org, a website designed to engage millennials on environmental issues by showcasing examples of sustainability in art, culture, food, and technology. CEF members involved in the initiative include Coca-Cola, Dow Chemical, Facebook, Google, Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft, Nike, Salesforce and Unilever.

Designer Eileen Fisher, apparel companies Quiksilver, Prana, Patagonia, Lululemon Athletica and other global clothing brands with revenues totaling more than $4 billion have partnered with environmental organization Canopy to develop purchasing policies that aim to end the use of endangered forest fiber. The companies along with 14 eco-designers are working to craft forest-friendly purchasing policies that track which forests their rayon and viscose fabrics are from. The group also will work to eliminate controversial forest fiber from their supply chains.

Pope Francis will release a major encyclical this week calling for the world's Catholics to take a stand against climate change and environmental degradation. The letter, the first such statement by a pope, will frame environmental activism as a social justice issue. "Pope Francis is personally committed to this issue like no other pope before him. The encyclical will have a major impact," U.N. climate chief Christiana Figueres said. 

Apple has reportedly reduced the CO2 emissions from production, distribution, consumer use, and recycling of its iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus devices by 14 to 16%, compared to last year's models. The company also released environmental reports for both the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.

More than 400 federal facilities achieved $42 million in cost savings and environmental benefits last year as part of the Federal Green Challenge (FGC).

The commitment is one of several new sustainability initiatives, part of a 500 million Swiss francs ($547 million) program called The Positive Cup. Nespresso says it will invest the money over the next six years to shrink its environmental footprint. Part of this investment will be used to establish a new Sustainable Development Fund.

We have put a cost on the environmental impact of plastic through research we did for the Plastic Disclosure Project. We calculate that plastic costs the planet a colossal $75bn costs per year in the consumer goods sector alone, due mainly to the carbon emissions from plastic manufacturing processes. Oceanic pollution accounts for $13bn as a result of impacts such as the harm done to marine wildlife by discarded nylon fishing nets and ingesting microscopic plastic particles.