SustainEd

An 'integrated constructed wetland,' the term we just studied but these folks have put it into practice. It's cheaper and more effective than mechanical tanks and treatment, and the fish and ducks like it better as well.
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/swampy-tale-that-could-help-us-out-of-a-morass-1.1510859?page=1

Swampy tale that could help us out of a morass There’s something different about Waterford’s Anne Valley, and it’s all about communities and water. Welcome to Dunhill Ecopark, an integrated constructed wetland

Somewhere, somebody is measuring and comparing everything. I like this system of ranking cities based on their 'Park Score'. http://parkscore.tpl.org/rankings.php
Their methodology is interesting to read.

ParkScore

GRI Global Conference – A Call to Action for Transformational Systemic... Rida Bilgrami and Margo Mosher report back from the GRI Global Conference in Amsterdam.

'Big' fines for Walmart because they violated the Clean Water Act in 2006. They say that since then, they have effective policies and training in place. We'll have to check up on that.
http://money.cnn.com/2013/05/28/news/walmart-hazardous-waste/index.html

Wal-Mart pays $82 million fine for dumping hazardous waste Wal-Mart will pay $82 million for violating the Clean Water Act and other environmental regulations, after dumping pesticides and other hazardous materials down the drain.

I think it is great that multinationals will use their money and their expertise to improve working conditions in Bangladesh. But will they become the de facto state? Will they inspect building design and construction? If Bangladesh has avoided regulating its own industry, will foreign corporations have to 'encourage' the government to enact regulations to protect workers?
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/14/business/global/hm-agrees-to-bangladesh-safety-plan.html

Major Retailers Join Bangladesh Safety Plan Consumer and labor groups hailed the moves by H&M and Zara after a building collapse in Bangladesh, saying they would increase pressure on other retailers to do likewise.

Will the Bangladesh parliament carry through on proposals to improve labour laws? What role should multinationals play in encouraging compliance with international labor standards?
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/14/world/middleeast/bangladeshs-cabinet-approves-changes-to-labor-laws.html?_r=0

Bangladesh’s Cabinet Approves Changes to Labor Laws Officials say the move will expand benefits for garment workers and make it easier to form trade unions, in the wake of the Rana Plaza tragedy.

It is a long, ongoing process to make water an issue for people in Ireland.

2nd Annual Water Ireland Conference - Green Business Fine PrintIn Fine Print, potential savings of more than €30,000 were identified through a range of resource efficiency measures…Read more ›

The Irish Times gets a start on informing people of the consequences of their decisions as consumers, and offers a bit more information than simple hand-wringing:
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/consumer/do-the-clothes-on-our-backs-leave-blood-on-our-hands-1.1389030

Do the clothes on our backs leave blood on our hands? Consumers say they would be willing to pay more for ethically produced product but evidence shows resistance

yea, sure, I loved the old buildings and stuff. But what really amazed me was transport in Amsterdam. How about electric cars at €15 an hour? (The electric car spaces in our train station have been sitting unused for over two years.)
I just love integrated transport options.

Amsterdam streetscape: look at the proportion of space given to cars, bikes, and pedestrians. Here it is clearly marked, but on most streets it is 'shared space,' meaning everybody keeps moving along and everybody pays attention and everyone is courteous (mostly).

Just another train station in Amsterdam, with only a few bikes. Talk about an integrated transport network. And not one high-vis vest in sight. I guess people just look out for one another.

"In February, [Mineau] published a peer-reviewed paper in PLoS One concluding that pesticides, and not habitat loss, have likely been driving bird-population declines in the United States."
I've never been concerned whether organic food is better for human health, but I'm sure intensive farming practices are bad for the natural world's health.
http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2013/03/not-just-bees-bayers-pesticide-may-harm-birds-too?google_editors_picks=true

Not Just the Bees: Bayer's Pesticide May Harm Birds, Too Springtime is associated with the birds and the bees. It's also when farmers treat 140 million acres in a pesticide that might be taking them out.