Environment

Slashing imports would address those and a host of other environmental and human-rights problems created by overproduction and overconsumption. But with an increasingly fragile economy that depends so heavily on consumer spending, politicians and economists continue to call for more trade, not less.

Slashing imports would address those and a host of other environmental and human-rights problems created by overproduction and overconsumption. But with an increasingly fragile economy that depends so heavily on consumer spending, politicians and economists continue to call for more trade, not less.

They get little credit for their efforts, but most resource extraction, manufacturing and power generation companies strive to be “socially responsible” – by emphasizing energy efficiency, resource conservation, pollution control and worker safety in producing the raw materials, consumer products and electricity that improve, safeguard and enrich our lives.

It is easy to remember the surprise one felt upon discovering that the human body—your body—is 70 percent water. It was equally as surprising to learn that only 3 percent of the Earth’s water is fresh water and of that, only a fraction is accessible and potable. People all over the world die every day for lack of safe drinking water. And that’s only the beginning of the global water crisis.

Why isn’t this crisis—a crisis that affects our economy, culture, politics and geography—at the forefront of our communication and thoughts? One powerful and innovative organization is working tirelessly to put it there:

Circle of Blue.

ISM declares sustainability a critical part of supply management responsibility.

The European Parliament's Committee on Industry, Research and Energy was accused of doing the car industry's bidding after voting in favour of proposals that would significantly weaken planned fuel-efficiency standards.

Under proposals to be voted on by the full European Parliament before the end of the year, the European Commission is seeking to introduce binding targets for 2012 that would require the average new car to produce carbon emissions of just 130g/km.

Projects designed to halt deforestation and peatland destruction represent a far more cost effective means of cutting carbon emissions than biofuel subsidies and should play a greater role in the government's climate change strategy.

Read more on biofuel subsidies here.