Sustainability is great for business! While some benefits of incorporating sustainable measures in conducting businesses are already well known - better corporate image, reduced overheads, increased bottom-lines - businesses now stand to gain more. Countries such as the United States, Japan and China, have introduced tax codes that encourages sustainable corporate activity, reflected in their tax incentives for energy efficiency, renewable energy and green buildings. Read more

How about certifying the sustainability of smart-phones? If it catches on, consumers will be able to throw in "corporate social responsibility," "environmental requirements" and "visual ergonomics" as comparison points between iPhones and Androids. All part of "Creating Climate Wealth" maybe. So don't miss the event this month in Singapore when Sir Richard Branson will be among those advocating and arguing for change in the way we do business for the benefit of our planet and our people. Read More

Could honey bees finally be able to catch a break? Plagued with mysterious massive die-offs, or Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), commonly attributed to multiple factors of pesticides, mites, bacteria and virus infections and malnutrition, honey bees in Europe could finally have a move in their favour. Beekeepers and supporters have staged a demonstration in London, urging support for a ban on neonicotinoid pesticides in Europe, a common culprit for CCD. Read more

British Designer Ross Lovegrove added colourful LED patterns over the glass roof and down the windshield edges of the carbon fibre Twin'Z electric city car for Renault, demonstrating that clean and green does not have to be dull to be functional and fuel efficient. Meanwhile, Tesla is ahead of GM with its latest electric car sales in the US and Toyota has passed the 5 Million mark of hydrid cars produced. Read More

Creating a sustainable way of living requires more than just environmentally friendly products, as Unilever, a global giant in consumer products, has learned. In its second Sustainable Living Plan progress report, a key lesson for Unilever is that consumer behaviour plays an equally important part in meeting its carbon foot print goal. That would require not just motivating sustainable habits in consumers, but also supportive government policies. Read more

Nike has teamed up with NASA, the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Agency for International Development to seek sustainable living practices in an initiative called LAUNCH, revolving around the research and development of sustainable materials and how they are made. The LAUNCH 2013 Challenge Statement is an open call for innovation to transform the system of producing fabrics. Shortlisted contestants will take part in an immersive program that provides access to capital, creativity and capacity. Read more

Dirt. The stuff that clings to our shoes and gets wiped off when we get home. How often do we give a thought to the importance of dirt and soil? Now, it appears that soil and the organisms contained within it may well play an important role as an indicator of climate change, and in locking up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Antarctic research has unearthed that this precious resource is facing increasing threat from climate change and human activities, and greater action is needed to preserve it. Read more