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Deforestation due to palm oil production is the single biggest threat to orangutans, but new deforestation-free standards that cover about 60% of the industry could help secure the primate's future. "We can now break the link between palm oil and the extinction of orangutans," says Michelle Desilets, executive director of the Orangutan Land Trust.

The Conflict-Free Sourcing Initiative today announced that it has published its new Conflict Minerals Reporting Template (CMRT 4.0). The leading multi-industry tool to facilitate transfer of information throughout the supply chain in support of conflict-free sourcing, CMRT 4.0 includes an updated Standard Smelter List and numerous translation improvements.

ClearSign Combustion says it has successfully demonstrated an 80 percent to 90 percent reduction in NOx emissions by retrofitting a conventional off-the-shelf commercial burner in a system designed to closely resemble a standard commercial firetube boiler.

Major food brands, including Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, have recently announced that they're going "natural" by ditching chemical additives, unsustainable palm oil and other potential nasties. The lack of a standardized definition for "natural" product claims will water down the impact of such efforts and make it easier for less conscientious rivals to jump on the bandwagon, writes Nick Stockton. 

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

PepsiCo launched a new supply chain land policy characterized by zero tolerance for illegal activities and landowner displacements. The policy commits the company to negotiating land acquisitions in accordance with international standards and mapping its agricultural supply chain.

China plans to remove over 5 million vehicles from roads this year for failing to meet new fuel standards designed to reduce smog. The plan calls for removing 330,000 cars from Beijing and 660,000 from the surrounding Hebei province.

Researchers from Northeastern University studied how concrete buildings would fare under "aggressive global warming projections." They found that by 2025, cities could face steep repair bills as the concrete begins to fail. The American Concrete Institute is reviewing its standards for the thickness of concrete as related to climate change.

"The company has joined the ranks of many of its industry peers who recognize that they must also go beyond RSPO's standards to ensure that their purchases do not result in mass deforestation and labor abuses in the supply chain,"

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.

Nestlé announced a pledge to improve the welfare of the farm animals in its supply chain, following the signature of a partnership agreement with NGO World Animal Protection.The agreement means that the hundreds of thousands of farms that supply Nestlé with their dairy, meat, poultry and eggs will have to comply with tighter animal welfare standards. Nestlé, with its global purchasing footprint, also becomes the first major food company to form an international partnership with an animal welfare NGO.

According to Kobori, the waterless jeans are as good for the environment as they are for Levi's bottom line - they cost less to produce than a standard pair because they consume less water and energy. In 2014, Levi's saved an estimated $1.6 million in costs of goods sold from the program.

Fast-food giant McDonald's today is announcing new standards for the chicken supplied to its 14,000 U.S. restaurants. While the company isn't going antibiotic-free, McDonald's plans within two years to sell only chicken "raised without antibiotics that are important to human medicine," according to a statement provided to GreenBiz.

California is pushing to make computers and monitors more energy-efficient, with the California Energy Commission proposing minimum power-consumption standards that could save 2,702 gigawatt hours of electricity per year. It's estimated that the rules would save consumers $430 million a year in energy costs.

The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to propose tightening limits on ozone, the lung-damaging ingredient in smog, to between 65 to 70 parts per billion. The current standard of 75 parts per billion has been in place since 2008.

Today, in São Paulo, a group representing the global beef industry is taking a big step forward in the quest for sustainable beef. The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef is formally approving the "principles and criteria" that will drive sustainable beef standards around the world.

PepsiCo announced that its transportation fleet reduced fuel consumption by 24% from 2010 levels, enabling the company to avoid 55,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions. PepsiCo also announced new efforts to seek lower-carbon fuels from suppliers, join the Business for Social Responsibility's Future of Fuels program, purchase additional electric delivery vehicles, and help to develop appropriate U.S. fleet fuel efficiency standards.

The US Interior Department on Friday released final standards for hydraulic fracturing on public and American Indian lands.

Environmental health non-profit Environmental Working Group launched a verification standard to help consumers identify personal care products and cosmetics that avoid the use of toxic and potentially harmful chemicals.

British Columbia will protect around 85% of the Great Bear Rainforest, which is "one of the world's largest temperate rainforests." The additional 15% will be available for logging under the "most stringent" standards in North America.