For some of Australia’s best-known cities, companies and organizations, this year’s Australia Day will be celebrated, not only with barbecues or beach parties, but also by going ‘green.’

The Australian cities of Sydney and Brisbane last week stepped up their efforts in lowering carbon emissions by joining the United Nations’ Climate Neutral Network (CN Net) , led by the UN Environment Program, which seeks to spur global action to achieve climate neutrality.

With its world-famous Opera House, the “Coathanger” Bridge and the Harbour as its backdrop, Sydney is one of the world’s most spectacular cities. In 2007, Sydney, the largest in the country, became Australia’s first carbon neutral local government, implementing such initiatives as energy-efficient street lighting and creating a network of bicycle paths.

The eBay Foundation and First Book, a nonprofit providing new books to children in need, are holding reading parties in three cities to celebrate the distribution of more than 300,000 children’s books nationwide.

Beginning on Monday, employees in eBay offices in Austin, Omaha and Los Angeles, will join local children to read with them and surprise them with their brand new books. Each site will receive 500 new books for the first and second-graders they serve, made possible as part of a grant of more than $300,000 from eBay Foundation.

Placing books into the hands of children who have none has been proven to produce tangible, measurable results in the fight against illiteracy. Within months of receiving their first books, kid’s interest in reading nearly triples, according to Louis Harris Impact Assessments, from 1999 and 2003.

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is launching the nation’s first Green Rental Car program that rewards customers for renting “green” alternative-fueled vehicles and rental car companies for increasing rentals of high mileage and alternative-fuel vehicles. The innovative incentive program is expected to eliminate more than 4,000 tons of CO2 emissions each year.

The U.S. House Ways and Means Committee on Thursday approved the $20 billion in energy tax credits and incentives proposed in the Obama administration’s economic stimulus package.

A party-line vote of 24 to 13 approved the  tax cuts for alternative energy including a multiyear extension of the production tax credit for wind, geothermal, hydro power and bioenergy. (SustainableBusiness.com News)