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The Target Sustainable Product Standard, the latest initiative supporting a growing sustainability commitment at the retail leader, was developed over the last two years in partnership with industry experts, vendors and NGOs

Starting this month, the big box giant aims to drive down the price of organic food nationwide with its new in-house line of 100 or so products in exclusive partnership with Wild Oats, a pioneering health brand of the 1980s. Walmart's new Wild Oats organic products - including kitchen cupboard staples like olive oil and black beans - will cost about 25 percent less than those sold by competitors, based on price comparisons of 26 national brands.

Green cleaning products company Ecover will launch an algae-based laundry detergent in Europe later this year. The product eliminates the need for palm oil, a common ingredient in traditional detergents.

"Toxics Across America" (Environmental Defense Fund) analyzes the production, consumption, and trade of 120 hazardous chemicals in the United States-complete with an interactive map showcasing the findings. The report finds that 14 chemicals are produced or imported in quantities exceeding one billion pounds per year, and that 8 chemicals are used in children's products.

Product sustainability cuts costs for companies including Coke and General Mills, according to a report by consulting firm Pure Strategies.

Coca-Cola is moving to eliminate an ingredient used in many of its citrus-flavored products after consumers expressed concerns.The company said on Monday that it was replacing brominated vegetable oil, which contains bromine, an element found in flame retardants, in products that contain it.

IF HUMANITY is to avoid dangerous climate change, we need to capture hundreds of billions of tonnes of carbon dioxide. But what to do with it all? There is no shortage of places to bury it (see "Trailblazing power plant is first to bury its carbon"), but we can at least put some of it to good use. A few start-up companies view CO2 as a resource rather than a waste product. They are using CO2 as the raw material for making products including superglue and fertiliser.

The goal of the U.S. Wildlife Trafficking Alliance is to raise awareness about wildlife trafficking and reduce Americans' demand for products that promote poaching. The Alliance also aims to give companies the tools they need to make sure they're not selling, shipping, or otherwise enabling the sales of illegal wildlife-related products.

This month, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control announced its first three "priority products" under the Safer Consumer Product Regulations:

Ritz cheese and cracker snack packaging, paint color and yellow spray paint have the highest levels of the banned substance polychlorinated biphenyl among products tested, according to a report released Thursday by the Washington State Department of Ecology.

Consumers want green products, and they're willing to boycott brands that fail to deliver them, writes Bridget James. "Consumers, enabled by information, are becoming the regulatory body of the market, and their new values are driving green growth globally," she asserts

Outdoor product company North Face was previously on track to ensure that it used 30 percent recycled material in its products, but has now announced this will rise to 100 percent for all its polyester fabrics during the next 18 months. As polyester accounts for 80 percent of its fabrics, the company is expecting the switch to have a significant impact on its supply chain, while driving demand for recycled polyester materials.

Canada's CarbonCure Technologies uses carbon dioxide produced during the cement-making process to fill tiny voids in concrete blocks. As a result, the block absorbs less water, is 20% stronger and more sustainable, according to this article. Builders can use the product to help set them apart from competitors and can "reduce the cost of their production by harnessing the material benefits of CO2, such as high early strength, lower water absorption, and other secondary benefits," says Robert Niven, the company's founder

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. 

Whether or not you believe that GMOs are safe for human consumption, the majority of American consumers support the labeling of GMO foods. Genetically engineered crops might be here to stay, but even so, it may be in the industry's best interest to label products that contain them. So said Campbell Soup President and CEO Denise Morrison in a big announcement: Campbell will disclose the presence of GMOs on product labels across its portfolio and strongly supports federal legislation to make GMO labeling mandatory.

Monsanto announced plans to achieve carbon neutrality across its operations by 2021. The company will focus its efforts on seed production, crop protection, sharing data, and increasing the adoption of best practices.

We are on the cusp of a new growth era, one where growth is driven by the interaction between rapid technological innovation, sustainable infrastructure investment and increased resource productivity. Ambitious climate action across key economic systems-energy, cities, food and land use, water and industry-can lead to higher productivity, more resilient economies and greater social inclusion. It is the growth story of the 21st century.

Last month we announced a major step forward with respect to "free-from" products: We will remove parabens, phthalates and the most prevalent formaldehyde donors (preservative ingredients that can release formaldehyde over time) across nearly 600 of our beauty and personal care products from our CVS Health, Beauty 360, Essence of Beauty and Blade store brands.

Kimberly-Clark will feature the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) logo on its Forest Stewardship Council- certified products to raise consumer awareness about the importance of choosing products made from responsibly sourced fiber. As part of the partnership, the company will contribute $4 million to WWF's forest and ecosystem protection programs.

Shifting cotton production to a more sustainable model presents a number of opportunities across the value chain, yet only 13% of cotton is grown in a sustainable manner, with only 20% of that actually being sourced by companies for their products. Leading international retailers, cotton standards, industry initiatives and stakeholders are banding together to form Cotton 2040, an initiative that seeks to make sustainable cotton a mainstream commodity rather than a niche market.