San Francisco’s Garbage Trucks Go Green
All of San Francisco's 400 garbage and recycling trucks now run on alternative fuel, cutting 21 percent of their greenhouse gas emissions with the use of liquefied natural gas, and biodiesel B-20 made from food scraps.
Trends: Teens Eating Better, Exercising More
Teenagers are eating less sugar, more fruits and vegetables, and exercising more, which may be cutting obesity rates, a new study shows. -NYTimes
UK Breaks its Renewable Energy Record
The UK has generated a record amount of energy from renewable sources in the second quarter of 2013, a full 15.5% of its total production – a jump of 5.8% compared to the same period last year. -Department of Energy And Climate Change
Volkswagen UK’s New Green Policies
Volkswagen Group UK, which includes Audi, launched a new environmental policy switching to renewable energy to power two of its plants; buying 100 percent recycled paper for the head office; implementing an Environmental Management System and encouraging staff to reduce and recycle. (Read All Good Bites)
US Helps to Relieve Afghan Hunger Caused by 2011 Draught
The U.S. is helping to alleviate hunger in Afghanistan through its Food for Peace program, a program originally started during the Eisenhower administration. A $40 million donation was used to purchase wheat from Kazakhstan for distribution in 14 affected Afghan provinces. (Food For Peace)
Charitable Giving Grew in 2012 – Both Corporate and Personal
Individual charitable giving in the United States grew almost 4 percent last year, while corporate donations rose at triple that rate, according to the annual Giving USA report. - Reuters
First Asian-American Judge Ever in Virginia
Prosecutor John M. Tran, elected to the Fairfax County Circuit Court on April 4 by the state's General Assembly, became the first Asian-American to serve as a judge in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Cyber Crime Down 50 percent in 2009
A cybercrime report released in July 2010 revealed a 50 percent drop in the number of attacks on retail stores in 2009, with 143 million stolen records, down from 360 million the year before. (CS Monitor)
Highway Deaths in 2011 Reach All Time Low
US highway deaths declined again last year, reaching their lowest rate, when compared to miles driven, since record-keeping began in 1921, according to government data. Overall, traffic fatalities have plummeted 26 percent since 2005. -Associated Press
Electric Utility Emissions 70% Cleaner Than in 1990
Yearly measurements from the 100 largest power producers in the U.S. show that emissions from sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are 70 percent lower than they were in 1990, according to a new report that highlights progress in the nation's electric power sector. Mercury is down 40 percent since 2000, the first year it was tracked.
Toyota Surpasses 5 Million Mark in Hybrid Electric Car Sales
Toyota's electric hybrid car sales passed the 5 million mark in March, 2013, a milestone for the industry. The company started selling the Prius, the world's first mass produced gasoline-electric passenger car in 1997.
UN Finds Global Hunger Easing in 2010
The number of people in the world suffering chronic malnutrition fell for the first time in 15 years -- down 9.3 percent in 2010, according to the United Nations' food agency. - FAO
South Africa Lifts GDP With World Cup Investments
South Africa's economy is one percent higher than it would have been without the spending and infrastructure development that went into hosting the soccer World Cup, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said on Thursday. (Reuters, July 2010)
US Gun Crime Plunges Over Last Two Decades
Mirroring the fall generally in violent crime, gun homicides and crimes involving guns have fallen sharply over the last two decades in the United States -- down 39 percent since 1993, reports the Justice Department. (Reuters)
S&P Upgrades U.S. Credit Outlook To ‘Stable’
Standard & Poor's today revised upward its credit outlook on the United States government from negative to stable, citing recent increases in tax receipts and steps taken to address longer-term budget issues. - Reuters
Organic Cotton Sales Double
According to the Organic Farm and Fiber Report 2007, organic cotton sales rose 53 per cent in a two-year period, driven by demand from the clothing and home product industries.
Tunnel To Towers Run Celebrates Heroes Of 9/11 (Video)
In celebration of the heroes from September 11, 2001, "The Tunnel To Towers Run" follows the path Stephen Siller and other first responders took on 9/11 as they raced toward Ground Zero. What started in 2002 with 2,500 runners has grown to 15,000 participators, raising more than $4 million for charity.
//
Buyers of Low-Fuel Cars Get a Sales Tax Exemption
A new sales tax exemption that encourages Washington car shoppers to choose hybrids and alternative-fuel vehicles will save them an estimated $18.6 million over the next two years. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Cyprus Leaders to Resume Direct Peace Talks
The leaders of divided Cyprus are to enter direct peace negotiations on September 3 aimed at ending the 34-year-old division of the island -- Europe's last cold war divide. (Read More)