The global threat of energy shortages, rising costs and increasing legislation to curb emissions of greenhouse gases have all driven the development of deeper sustainability standards for the packaging industry. OCTAL is one company treating these threats seriously.

Polycarbonates, The Other Plastic Identification Code, or 7, are used for a bevy of purposes. And sometimes it is actually “pure.”

In Guatemala, Hug It Forward has funded the completion of 12 schools with four more on the drawing board. All of them are built from plastic bottles at a cost of less than US$10,000.

As You Sow, a corporate accountability and corporate social responsibility advocacy group, recently released its third beverage container recycling scorecard report. The results are not encouraging.

For two years, Target has engaged a local LA firm on their advertising shoots in Los Angeles–the results have been less waste, reduced energy usage, and helping out non-profits.

Tucked away in UPS’ 2010 sustainability report, companies can learn what can be done on waste diversion initiatives. UPS is a clear leader.

PUMA has introduced a compostable bag made from cornstarch that can decompose in three months, or even in a few minutes if dissolved in water.

Everyone loves a sample, and that includes companies and customers from Whole Foods to the local farmers market. The result is waste from those pesky plastic spoons, but EcoTensil may have a solution.

Yesterday Target announced its corporate responsibility scorecard, with a focus on the environment, education, healthy living, and community work.

Today Guardian Sustainable Business ran my latest article on bottled water. The debate is more nuanced now that Tetra Pak, the paper packaging giant, benefits from more companies rolling out water in its nifty mostly paper boxes.

Once again Ecoist organized the annual Supernatural Festival, where visitors to Belgrade’s Botanical Gardens had access to an open classroom, jazz music, an eco-fair, organic products, and a valuable lesson about plastic bags.

The new Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council (HPRC) includes companies that represent the entire supply chain of the medical products industry, including Du Pont, Kimberly-Clark, Johnson & Johnson, and Waste Management. This collaborative effort will explore the development of more sustainable health care products, less wasteful packaging, and an increase in plastics for medical use.