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The North Face today announced its Fall 2016 line, including more than 500 down product styles that feature certified responsible down through the Responsible Down Standard (RDS). Officially launched in January 2014, the RDS is the most comprehensive, global, third-party certified animal welfare and traceability standard for down and feathers available for use by any company. The North Face initially committed to include 100 percent certified responsible down in all retail and wholesale down products by Fall 2017, and was able to achieve the increase a year sooner than anticipated. 

Every Fall, college and universities across the country welcome companies on their campuses to provide networking opportunities for students. These events can include career fairs, interviews, and industry specific networking gatherings. One such company is PepsiCo, major user of Conflict Palm Oil and top corporate laggard in Rainforest Action Network's Snack Food 20. "Pepsi's palm oil supply chain is saturated with rainforest destruction, human rights and labor abuses, and species extinction," said Adam Stackable, an Oklahoma student, "I won't work for a company that uses Conflict Palm Oil." Adam and several other students confronted a Pepsi recruiter at Oklahoma State University and delivered a letter urging the company to take action to address the egregious practices in its supply chain.

Coal production is not just declining. It's falling off a cliff - and it's barely a third of what it was just six years ago, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). The worst is yet to come, as the EIA predicts 2016 will be the biggest year-on decline for coal … ever.

FALLS CHURCH, VA and WATERBURY, Vt., [April 18, 2016] - The Recycling Partnership is delighted to announce that Keurig Green Mountain, Inc. (Keurig), a personal beverage system company that has revolutionized the way consumers create and enjoy beverages, is joining its dedicated and diverse circle of members. Both organizations share a vision to enact system-wide solutions to the recycling challenges of today, working across materials and the supply chain for a bright, sustainable recovery future.

The building industry has become more analytical and data-driven as it has moved toward more sustainable forms of construction. Conventional construction is falling by the wayside in major markets because "people are just realizing that green building makes sense," said Nathan Taft, director of acquisitions for green builder Jonathan Rose Cos.

New research found that China's reforestation program, the world's largest, overwhelmingly leads to the planting of monoculture forests that fall short of restoring the biodiversity of native forests -- and can even harm existing wildlife. The researchers found, however, that multi-species forests could be planted without detracting from the economic benefits China's poor and rural citizens receive for replanting forests.

America's total gasoline consumption could fall by as much as 20% over the next two decades as electric vehicles become more widespread, according to a Wood Mackenzie report. Carbon savings from increased EV use could be offset by increased use of fossil fuels in electricity generation, the report warns.

Falling coal use in China and the US and a worldwide shift towards renewable energy have kept greenhouse gas emissions level for a second year running, one of the world's leading energy analysts has said.

Japanese scientists are preparing to launch a satellite that will use a 300-meter electromagnetic tether to snag orbiting trash left over from past satellites and space missions. The magnetic field will slow the trash, causing it to gradually fall closer to Earth and eventually burn up in the atmosphere. It's thought there are tens of millions of trash fragments in orbit around the Earth.

Fashion marketing is predicated on the assumption that clothes fall out of fashion from season to season and that consumers must keep buying to stay hip, writes Ceri Heathcote. Sustainable brands should make a stand and encourage consumers to dress for their personal style rather than for marketer-created fashion trends, Heathcote argues.

Google user pumps out the same amount of carbon emissions each month as they would driving a car one mile. Reduced emissions by 32% from 44.3 tons to 30.3 tons

Patagonia will use 100 percent traceable down across its entire collection of down-insulated products starting in the Fall 2014 season, the outdoor apparel company says.

A second Texas city has begun using treated wastewater to boost drinking water supplies as the state struggles with drought. Wichita Falls is now recycling millions of gallons of wastewater, CBS News reports. The toilet-to-tap program ensures the water is purified to meet government drinking standards; the water is then sent to a treatment plan for additional purification.

Thousands of researchers will descend on Boston this fall for an event billed as the world's largest gathering of synthetic biologists. The field is evolving so rapidly that even scientists working in it don't agree on a definition, but at its core synthetic biology involves bringing engineering principles to biotechnology.

Patagonia will offer 9 styles of Fair Trade Certified apparel in its fall 2014 lineup. As part of the effort, Patagonia will contribute a portion of revenues from sales of Fair Trade items to the Indian workers that produced them.

Asia Pulp and Paper Group, one of the largest paper producers in the world, is serious about its pledge to end the clearing of natural forests, according to a progress review of the company's Forest Conservation Policy.Greenpeace International, a long-time critic of APP and the organization that conducted the progress review, is cautiously optimistic and warns that the company's commitments are likely to stand or fall by the quality of conservation and management recommendations to the company's senior management.

The cost of electricity from wind farms in the U.S. dropped in 2014 to the lowest point yet, according to the Energy Department. Prices for utilities with power purchase agreements have declined two-thirds since 2009. Falling costs and continued advancements are ensuring that wind remains a reliable source of renewable energy, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said. The Hill (8/10), ReNews.biz (U.K.) (8/11) 

The report, 2015 Global Climate Legislation at a Glance, covered climate laws and legislation in more than 98 countries that represent more than 93 percent of total global emissions and 46 of the 50 biggest polluters.

The North Face set a goal of procuring 100% of its down from sustainable sources certified under the Responsible Down Standard. The company also plans to use 100% sustainable down for its Summit Series and European styles by 2015.

Cumulative wind-energy installations worldwide may double within five years as falling costs help producers compete with conventional power, according to the industry's biggest manufacturer.