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The Food Waste Reduction Alliance released "Best Practices and Emerging Solutions Toolkit," a guide for companies to reduce food waste. The guide provides advice for overcoming barriers to food donation, new technologies for reducing food waste, and strategic planning to avoid generating waste.

For the first time in human history and likely For the first time in at least 800,000 years, the average level of carbon dioxide (CO2) in Earth's atmosphere topped 400 parts per million For an entire month.

The Natural Capital Coalition selected the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and the International Union for Conservation of Nature to develop the Natural Capital Protocol, a methodology for companies to assess their reliance on natural capital. The organizations will also lead pilot projects with major companies to test the protocol.

Worldwide levels of carbon dioxide - the gas scientists say is most responsible for global warming - reached a significant milestone for the month of March, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Wednesday. The global monthly average for carbon dioxide hit 400.83 parts per million in March, the first time the average surpassed 400 ppm for an entire month since such measurements began in the late 1950s, NOAA said.

Global carbon dioxide levels averaged 400.83 parts per million in March, marking the first time that atmospheric carbon has remained above the 400 ppm threshold for an entire month, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "It's both disturbing and daunting," said NOAA chief greenhouse gas scientist Pieter Tans. 

This year, the Environmental Leader Product & Project Awards have been opened for corporations to submit projects they have implemented that helped improve sustainability metrics (or for consultants to submit projects they have implemented for corporate partners). Here are a few ideas, examples of successful projects that have come across our desks in recent months. These are the types of projects that would be strong submissions to win a Top Project of the Year Award.

The clock for corporates looking to get a handle on supply chain conflict minerals is starting to tick much louder. With just one year to go before stricter reporting is required by the Securities and Exchange Commission, many companies are still struggling to trace their sources for metals such as gold, tungsten, tantalum and tin, according to an analysis of reports submitted for the most recent reporting period.

Levi's is offering customers a 20% discount if they bring their old duds to the denim brand's retail locations for recycling -- even if the old clothes aren't Levi's brand. The take-back program is an attempt to further the company's "vision of a more circular economy or closed-loop system for our products," said sustainability chief Michael Kobori. 

California's new environmental rules, which will mean much tougher efficiency standards for buildings and greater use of renewable energy, are good news for the state's businesses, some experts say. Many large new-energy and infrastructure projects will be needed to meet the mandates, and that means money and jobs. "The most important thing the businesses need is a market signal," said Steve Chadima, director of California initiatives for Advanced Energy Economy

Since 2007, the World Wildlife Fund and Coca-Cola have jointly raised tens of millions of dollars for water conservation projects. The partnership proved a winner for both organizations, write E. Richard Brownlee and Allison Elias. "What began as a relationship full of risk and uncertainty grew into a robust partnership built on trust at all levels of the organizations," they explain

As we close out 2014, here are Silicon Valley Community Foundation's predictions for what's ahead for CSR in the coming year:

Tesla founder Elon Musk has announced a new project that could get millions of people off the grid. Musk's increased interest in the emerging energy storage market has led to plans for a giant lithium-ion battery factory. Home and businesses owners could buy these battery systems for backup power or for managing solar electricity generation and use

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.

Commercial wind and solar developers looking to sign up for New Mexico's Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit (REPTC) in the near future will have to take a number and get in line. The program has been so popular that production tax credits for solar are maxed out through 2022. All of the available credits for wind are claimed from 2016-2020.

Ocean Conservancy on Wednesday released a report that proposes a four-point solution to cutting ocean plastic waste by 45 percent by 2025 with the ultimate goal of eradicating the issue by 2035. Stemming the Tide: Land-based strategies for a plastic-free ocean is a first-of-its-kind, solutions-oriented report in partnership with the McKinsey Center for Business and Environment that outlines specific land-based solutions for plastic waste in the ocean.

Super Bowl 50 was played at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., a facility built with sustainability in mind. It has a 27,000-square-foot green roof, and more than 1,150 solar panels generate enough power for all of the San Francisco 49ers' home games. Recycled water accounts for 85% of water use for irrigation and flushing.

Bad news: You might be a water hog. Americans use more water per person than anyone else in the world - 27 billion gallons every day. Unfortunately, it is the river systems, lakes and wetlands and the wildlife of those habitats that suffer the most as a result of reckless water consumption. A new campaign by the Center for Biological Diversity and supported by Levi Strauss & Co., "Don't Be a Drip," is trying to call attention to the issue and help people learn how to save water for wildlife.

Apple frequently uses debt rather than its flush cash coffers to finance corporate initiatives, such as stock repurchase programs - it makes sense to do so for tax reasons. But, the company's latest appeal to the public debt markets includes another "first" for Apple and the tech industry at large: Apple is issuing $1.5 billion in green bonds to pay for a wide range of environmental initiatives.

Clean energy has become a driving force in the US marketplace as costs have declined and major companies have unveiled investments in wind and other renewables, writes Chris Brown, Vestas' president of sales and service operations in the US and Canada. Wind, in particular, can provide the nation with a winning combination of affordable yet reliable electricity. "Whatever the courts rule on the CPP, there's no turning back or stopping this economic trend. Clean energy makes good sense for business, good sense for consumers, and good sense for the country," he writes.

Retailers including J.C. Penney, H&M and Target are promoting clothing made from recycled water bottles and other waste materials for back-to-school this year in a push to appeal to parents and kids concerned about environmental sustainability. Price is still top-of-mind as consumers shop for green products and secondhand goods, industry experts say.

Surprisingly, there are a small percentage of TV meteorologists that express skepticism on climate change. On the June 21, 2018 Summer Solstice, over 100 meteorologists will wear an item of clothing like the tie below. This pattern could not be more simple... red for warmer temperatures than normal, blue for cooler than normal from 1850 to 2017.