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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.

The 17 Global Goals (also known as the Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs) launched late last month by the United Nations (UN) aim to achieve three main objectives in the next 15 years: end extreme poverty; fight inequality and injustice; and tackle climate change. Since the launch, various companies and leaders have pledged to do their part to achieve the goals; now, the latest push is to build worldwide public awareness of the goals through various efforts to "tell everyone" (#TellEveryone), including support from scores of celebrities:

I:CO launched its first ever I:CO City initiative with the city of San Francisco earlier this year. The launch creates a public, private and nonprofit infrastructure to make it convenient and rewarding for residents and businesses to recycle textile related items. In alignment with San Francisco's goal of zero waste by 2020, I:CO will serve as the lead textile collection and processing partner to divert waste from landfill and give it new life.

The American Chemical Society's Green Chemistry Institute launched the Hydraulic Fracturing Roundtable, a consortium for businesses to explore sound chemical use in operations and sustainable alternatives to materials commonly used in natural gas exploration. Founding member companies include Apache, Dow Chemical, Marathon Oil, Nalco Holding, Rockwater Energy Solutions, and Trican Well Svc. Companies may sign on as founding members until December 31.

Environmental group Basel Action Network launched a new mobile app that measures the benefits of using e-Stewards Certified Recyclers to dispose of e-waste. The app will provide data on avoided GHG emissions, toxic metals diverted from landfills, and precious metals recovered from the electronic device.

The Sustainable Rice Platform launched the first global standard for reducing the environmental impacts of rice cultivation. The standard has 46 requirements that address biodiversity, labor rights, worker health, and more.

Adidas collaborated with Stella McCartney to launch an apparel and footwear line that aims to promote the importance of environmentally friendly fashion. The apparel and footwear line incorporates fabrics such as recycled polyester, organic cotton, and recycled ocean plastic.

As You Sow is pleased to announce the launch of the Plastic Solutions Investor Alliance, an international coalition of investors that will engage publicly traded consumer goods companies on the threat posed by plastic waste and pollution.

California Governor Jerry Brown joined forces with Michael Bloomberg to launch America's Pledge, an initiative aimed at tracking and reporting progress made by U.S. states, cities, and businesses on reducing GHG emissions in line with the Paris Agreement.

AkzoNobel has launched the Human Cities Coalition, a multi-stakeholder group that is dedicated to accelerating progress against UN Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. The coalition is comprised of more than 150 stakeholders and 20 partners, including Arcadis, Philips, and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A group of organizations - including C&A Foundation, the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, McDonough Innovation, and the Sustainable Apparel Coalition - have launched the Fashion For Good initiative, which aims to help set the apparel industry on a more sustainable path using a Cradle to Cradle-inspired, circular approach to product development. The initiative will engage key players from across the fashion industry and will support the "scale up of technologies, methodologies, and business models with the potential to wholly transform the industry."

A group of ten automakers - including BMW Group, Daimler AG, and Honda - have partnered to launch DRIVE Sustainability, which aims to "drive sustainability throughout the automotive supply chain by promoting a common approach within the industry and by integrating sustainability in the overall procurement process." CSR Europe is facilitating the partnership.

The New Climate Economy launched the Coalition for Urban Transitions, a global initiative to bolster the economic case for improvements in urban development. The Coalition will work with countries - including China and India - to ensure effective urban infrastructure investment is a central part of their growth strategies.

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 United States is launching an effort to save some of its busiest workers: honey bees.

A coalition of companies with skin in the game - food and beverage giants General Mills, Driscoll's and Coca-Cola North America, Gap Inc., Symantec and home builder KB Home - are coming together to launch a new campaign urging companies to enact more aggressive measures to maximize California's local and state water resources.

This week, Levi's announced the Fall 2015 launch of the Levi's Wellthread™ Collection, which touts a holistic, sustainable design approach: The line was made in 100 percent cotton for easier recyclability, by empowered workers - and includes the first garments to feature Levi's Water<Less denim finishes, which use up to 50 percent less water. 

The world's largest canned tuna company, Thai Union Group (TU), has been connected to forced labor, human rights abuses, and environmental devastation. This week, Greenpeace launched a global campaign demanding that TU take urgent and far-reaching steps to clean up its act. To press the issue, Greenpeace's #JustTuna campaign asks consumers to sign a petition to tell brands that they will not buy unsustainable or unjust tuna.

VF Corporation brand The North Face launched a pilot program this summer to sell refurbished apparel online, extending product life. Called The North Face Renewed, the collection targets consumers looking for affordable gear who also want to reduce their environmental footprints.