by Ben Block and Jane Zhou on March 19, 2010 Placed on telephones,
refrigerators, and wherever the eye may wander, the ubiquitous
self-stick note
has aided millions of forgetful minds while also minimizing much
face-to-face
dialogue. For better or worse, the notes have left an indelible mark on
the
history of communication.
by Jane Zhou and Ben Gonin on March 12, 2010
As beer consumption rises and environmental awareness grows worldwide, more breweries are searching for ways to minimize water use, energy consumption, and packaging waste.
by Ben Block on March 3, 2010 The dirty business of laundry has long sought improvements over old-fashioned soap and water. The industry rejoiced with the discovery of perc, a chemical later labeled as a probable carcinogen. While some countries have banned the solvent, many dry cleaning operations continue to release perc or perc byproducts into the surrounding air and nearby waterways.
Humans have sought ways to control microbes for millennia. The global, $35 billion antibiotics market is saving lives, but antibiotic resistance is being expanded and accelerated by the immense scale of human antibiotic use - and misuse.
by Ben Block on September 28, 2009 As rising energy costs, water scarcity, and climate change threaten the affordability and availability of manufacturing inputs, corporations are pressuring their suppliers to become more sustainable.
The world's largest retailer will require its global
suppliers to evaluate and disclose the full environmental costs of their
products. The information may be used to develop the first global
sustainability labeling scheme.
by Ben Block on May 12, 2009
An international treaty designed to eliminate the
most harmful chemicals now includes nine more pollutants, but
exemptions may allow health concerns to persist for generations.
by Ben Block on April 24, 2009
Riswana Hasan, the 2009 Goldman Environment Prize recipient
for Asia, led a legal battle to prevent Western nations from depositing
toxin-laden ships on Bangladesh's
shores.