·:[ Environmental News Bits ]:·
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The Golden Arches’ Golden Rules for Energy Efficiency and Sustainability
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2008/12/11/golden-arches-sustainability
McDonald’s vice president for corporate responsibility went to the Virtual
Energy Forum this week to offer up his company’s take on energy management,
green building and sustainability.

DHL, FedEx Improve Climate Records
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2008/12/12/dhl-fedex-improve-climate-records
New Climate Counts scores show most major shippers are striding toward better
measurement, reduction and communication of their climate impacts.

Toshiba Announces Plans to Build Retrofit CCS Pilot Plant
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2008/12/09/toshiba-announces-plans-build-retrofit-ccs-pilot-plant
Post-combustion plant will aim to capture 10 tonnes of CO2 a day from Japanese
coal-fired power station.

Anheuser-Busch’s Water Use Flat Despite Increased Production
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2008/12/08/anheuser-buschs-water-use-flat-despite-increased-production
In it’s first corporate social responsibility report, the beer maker outlines
its recent history of resource use and how it plans to meet reduction goals.

Twilight of the Dustcart — Wembley to Nix Bin Collections
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2008/12/11/twilight-dustcart-wembley-nix-bin-collections
A massive mixed development at Wembley in the U.K. will do away with the need
for curbside collections thanks to Swedish technology that pipes waste away with
a giant vacuum.

IBM, Tesco and Dell Earn Top Marks for Climate Change Governance
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2008/12/12/ibm-tesco-and-dell-earn-top-marks-climate-change-governance
IBM, Tesco and Dell are among a select group of major consumer and technology
companies taking active steps toward addressing the risks and capitalizing on
the opportunities posed by climate change, according to a new report from the
nonprofit Ceres.

Sustainable Silicon Valley Targets Lower Emissions
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2008/12/10/sustainable-silicon-valley-targets-lower-emissions
Twenty-two members of the regional coalition have reduced carbon dioxide
emissions more than 20 percent below 1990 levels.

Yum Brands Explores Green Efforts Around the World
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2008/12/10/yum-brands-explores-green-efforts-around-world
In its first corporate responsibility report, the parent of KFC, Taco Bell and
Pizza Hut talks about efficiency steps in place companywide and being tested at
restaurants.

U.S. Needs $500 Billion Clean Tech Investment, 5 Million Green Jobs: Report
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2008/12/09/clean-tech-green-jobs-report
The Apollo Alliance’s extensive plan for America’s future includes clean energy,
energy efficiency, green building and green jobs investments.

EPA Puts Up $1 Million to Fund Sustainable Ag Projects
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2008/12/08/epa-fund-sustainable-ag-projects
The grants will fund studies to improve and spread integrated pest management
practices, harnessing natural methods to reduce the use of pesticides and bring
a more ecologically sensitive approach to farming.

You Can’t Go Green Without Adding a Little Blue
By Andrew Collier
http://www.greenbiz.com/feature/2008/12/15/cant-go-green-without-a-little-blue
In the face of increasing scarcity and rising costs, companies are beginning to
realize that water, like energy and carbon, should be a key pillar of a
corporate sustainability strategy.

Sustainability 101: The Human Problem
By Stephen Linaweaver
http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2008/12/08/sustainability-101-the-human-problem
Here are seven activities you can do, with minimal investment in a down economy,
to start getting up that sustainability learning curve. Like any journey, the
hardest part is getting off the couch or out the door. The key is to start.

Co-op America Announces Year’s Worst Corporate Scrooges
By Ariel Schwartz
http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2008/12/11/worst-corporate-scrooges
Co-Op America’s Responsible Shopper program announced earlier today the year’s
worst corporate “scrooges”— each of whom exhibited notable greed and lack of
concern for others.

Shipping with Less Guilt
By Tilde Herrera
http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2008/12/10/shipping-with-less-guilt
New York-based First Global Xpress promises its customers shipments than are
cheaper, faster and with up to 30 percent less CO2 emissions.

Behind the Green Door: Dreamscapes to Recycle Sex Toys
By Jonathan Bardelline
http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2008/12/09/behind-green-door-recycled-sex-toys
While recycling markets are drying up, the Florida-based company is opening up a
new recycling stream for some items you won’t find in curbside collection bins.

Rob Watson on the Real Impact of Green Buildings
By Joel Makower
http://www.greenbiz.com/podcast/2008/12/11/rob-watson-real-impact-green-buildings
In this podcast interview, Joel Makower and Rob Watson talk about the new 2008
Green Building Impact Report and the state of green buildings.

MTV Switch and Ashoka GenV have launched the Dream It. Do It. Challenge. Come up with a creative idea for how you can make our planet cooler or greener and MTV Switch will help you launch your own environmental project or “venture.” Ashoka GenV will give you support and even seed funding of up to US$1,000 to put your ideas into action.

The best projects may be featured in a half hour MTV documentary scheduled for Earth Day 2009. Also, The Lemelson Foundation will award five project leaders a trip to Boston, USA to take part in a roundtable discussion on climate change at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Eligibility Criteria

1. The challenge is open to all youth between the ages of 12 and 20 in North America and Europe and 12 and 24 everywhere else. (Proof of age will be required before grants can be approved.)
2. Each participant is limited to one grant
3. Each participant will be required to submit an action plan showing what activities will be carried out and how the grant will be spent.
4. Each participant will need to form a team with at least two other youth to qualify for funding.
5. Participants under age of 18 must have parental or guardian support and approval to receive grants and launch projects.
6. Ideas and action plans should be submitted before December 31, 2008 in English, Spanish, Portuguese or French.

Assessment Criteria

Grants will be awarded to projects that best meet the following criteria:

1. Innovation – Project includes a new solution or new approach to addressing an environmental issue.
2. Impact – Project has potential to produce significant or measurable impact on the issue it addresses.
3. Sustainability – Project has potential to produce on-going positive change. In other words, it’s not a one time event.
4. Youth-led and youth-driven – Leaders of the project should be between 12 and 20 (North America and Europe) and 12 and 24 (everywhere else).

General Guidelines

1. Deadline – The last date to submit a project idea is December 31, 2008.
2. Grants – Up to 25 grants will be awarded for this challenge.
3. Entries – Submit an idea first. If your idea meets our criteria (see above), we will send you an application (an “action plan”) to apply for a grant. We welcome all ideas, even if they are similar to ideas other youth have submitted.