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A growing number of organizations from Google to the federal government are incorporating homages to nature into their office blueprints, not just to earn more green building certification points but to reduce employee stress, improve cognitive function and encourage creativity.

While so much of our lives have veered toward the digital, many organizations' operations still rely to some degree on paper. Innovative solutions to help minimize the impact of continued paper use include print-optimization technologies and more "sustainable" fonts. Now, Seiko Epson Corporation has developed what it believes to be the world's first compact office paper-making system capable of producing new paper from securely shredded waste paper with minimal use of water.

Online marketplace Etsy received the Petal Certification through the Living Building Challenge for its sustainable headquarters, using reclaimed wood and screening the paints, adhesive materials and about 1,500 other items to ensure they did not contain harmful substances. Etsy is the first tech company to achieve the rating and is now aiming to achieve zero-waste in its workplaces across the globe by 2020.

Construction is finished at the 33-story Tower at PNC Plaza in Pittsburgh, a structure considered one of the world's greenest buildings. It was designed to use 50% less energy and 77% less water than a regular office building. The project used new materials techniques, requiring construction workers to understand the latest technology. "They get trained and they get retrained when new things come out," said Jack Shea, Allegheny County Labor Council, AFL-CIO president. 

L'Oreal's chief sustainability officer, Alexandra Palt, reveals how the global beauty brand is upending corporate norms to drive change across all levels of the business.

We may suspect that low-flow toilets and showerheads and thermostats that let the room get a little chilly or stuffy while you're gone are really just ways to reduce the hotel's utility bills.We may believe it's always and forever about the bottom line. Snyder's title is vice president of corporate responsibility at IHG, whose hotel brands include Holiday Inn, InterContinental, Hotel Indigo, Kimpton and more. His unofficial title is chief sustainability officer for the company. Whatever title he may go by, he is committed to being green, noting that saving money and saving the environment do not have to be mutually exclusive.

Seventy percent of registered voters have a positive impression of wind development. "Candidates running for office on both sides of the aisle in this important election year should take note: The more wind farms we build, the stronger support from US voters grows," said American Wind Energy Association CEO Tom Kiernan.

(World Green Building Council) showcases the actions businesses are taking to improve their workspaces and highlights the business value created from providing healthy, green office space for employees.

People working in green buildings think better in the office and sleep better when they get home, a new study has revealed. The research indicates that better ventilation, lighting and heat control improves workers' performance and could boost their productivity by thousands of dollars a year. It also suggests that more subjective aspects, such as beautiful design, may make workers happier and more productive.

Some of the world's biggest companies are seeing waste reduction and energy efficiency as opportunities to help the bottom line. Wal-Mart is changing its sell-by labeling to reduce food waste, while IKEA is running furniture-recycling and clean-energy initiatives to reduce its costs. "We've taken power from a cost to profit center," says IKEA Chief Sustainability Officer Steve Howard.

Dozens of major companies including ABC Disney, Whole Foods and Anheuser-Busch with offices in New York City have diverted at least half of their waste from landfills and incineration, responding to Mayor Bill de Blasio's zero waste by 2030 challenge. Read more: http://www.environmentalleader.com/2016/07/13/major-nyc-businesses-cut-waste-50-but-can-they-achieve-zero-waste-by-2030/#ixzz4FZDgXzbr

HP has committed to powering its global operations with 100 percent renewable energy - and says it plans to reach the 40 percent renewable electricity mark by 2020 - because, as Nate Hurst, HP's chief sustainability and social impact officer says, "both cost-effective and low carbon sources of energy are essential to the future and the growth of HP's business."

Companies that switch to green buildings save 14% in operational costs over five years, according to the World Green Building Trends 2016 SmartMarket report. The report found that companies that either build green offices or renovate to be more sustainable add 7% in asset value to the company.

Kellogg has promised to buy palm oil that has been verified for environmental quality starting in 2016. Suppliers will need to ensure independent verification of palm oil they source, said Diane Holdorf, chief sustainability officer at Kellogg.

Janet McCabe, a deputy administrator at the EPA's clean-air office, is expected to be nominated to head the division, a position that would put her at the center of President Obama's controversial climate change plan, the National Journal reports.

Tower Companies saved $220,000 in 1 year and reduced electricity consumption by an average of 13% across 3 office buildings in Washington, DC, by implementing systems for managing energy in real time.

Unilever has plead guilty to two counts of violating the US Clean Water Act and will pay a $1 million fine under an agreement reached with the EPA and the US Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut (USAO).

General Motors achieved landfill-free status at its Detroit global headquarters-a 6-tower office complex that accommodates 15,000 people per day. The company now manages 110 landfill-free facilities in total.

Seattle's six-story, 52,000-square-foot Bullitt Center has been deemed a "living building" and produced 60% more energy than it consumed last year. Constructed under the Living Building Challenge, the office building tries to show "what's possible today and to pave a path forward" in eco-friendly construction

AkzoNobel, the paint, coatings and specialty chemical company, has developed exterior wall paints that reflect more infrared light to reduce heat absorption and reduce energy consumption. With this technology, an average house can save up to 15% on energy, while offices and apartment buildings can save up to 10%.