Energy and Environment from the Americas

October 05, 2008

Global warming troubles Peruvian Potato Farmers

For the first half of his life, potato farmer Gregorio Huanuco used the same formula that had dictated the survival of his ancestors for generations. Huanuco, 48, waited for rains to fall on his small parcel of land to sustain his crops of potatoes as ...

October 02, 2008

PepsiCo Marks Progress Toward Sustainability Goals: Advancing on Water, Electricity & Fuel Saving Initiatives

PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP ) announced today that it has made significant progress toward its long-term environmental sustainability goals, which include reducing water consumption by 20 percent, electricity consumption by 20 percent and fuel consumption by 25...

October 01, 2008

Waste oil from French Fries fuelling Canadian world record attempt

In a world record breaking attempt, Canadians Cloe Whittaker (22) and Tyson Jerry (24) are taking a 45,000 Km road trip in a van powered by the waste oil from French fries.They will launch their Driven to Sustain adventure on Wednesday October 1 from M...

September 24, 2008

Frito-Lay Ohio facility applauded for green achievement

Frito-Lay's Wooster, Ohio, facility has become the city's first member of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Environmental Performance Track Program by demonstrating excellence in environmental management and committing to above-stand...

September 17, 2008

Frankfort Frito-Lay plant honored for environmental excellence

A Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence was presented today to representatives of the Frito-Lay North America plant in Frankfort.The facility that produces potato chips and other snack-food items was recognized by the Indiana Department of Envi...

September 16, 2008

Measuring the benefit of sustainability reporting

In the first of a series on sustainability, FoodNavigator looks at the value of sustainable practices and reporting and how it can improve a company’s standing among shareholders, customers and peers.

August 12, 2008

Three Frito-Lay plants join EPA's National Environmental Performance Track Program

Frito-Lay's Orlando, Fla., facility has become a member of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Environmental Performance Track Program by demonstrating excellence in environmental management and committing to above-standard goals for c...

July 16, 2008

OECD: Biofuel policies in OECD countries costly, ineffective & have significant impact on world crop prices.

Government support of biofuel production in OECD countries is costly, has a limited impact on reducing greenhouse gases and improving energy security, and has a significant impact on world crop prices, according to a new study of policies to promote ...

July 15, 2008

Do Consumers Care that Frito-Lay's Sun Chips are Solar Powered? Apparently.

It’s getting harder to find a brand that doesn’t claim to be green. But, do they have a solar power factory? Is the rest of their energy use offset by energy credits? And, are they rebuilding a town that was virtually wiped out by a tornado? Not likely...

July 04, 2008

Worldbank Report blames Biofuels for Global Food Price Crisis

Biofuels have forced global food prices up by 75 percent -- far more than previously estimated -- according to a confidential World Bank report published in a British newspaper Friday.The figure contradicts U.S. government estimates that plant-derived ...

July 03, 2008

Apple to use potato starch packaging for iPhone 3G

Apple is reportedly going to distribute its new iPhone 3G in packaging made from potato starch when it is launched on 11 July. Dutch firm PaperFoam, which produces CD and DVD packaging and custom-made packs for consumer electronics and pharmaceutical...

July 02, 2008

McDonald's Honored in Chicago for 'Green' Efforts

McDonald's Corporation will be honored for its significant "green"efforts by being featured on an outdoor billboard during the month of July. Drivers will see the outdoor ad going eastbound on I-290, just east of Racine Avenue in Chicago. McD...

June 12, 2008

Food-related industries launch anti-biofuel campaign

The Grocery Manufacturers Association, the American Meat Institute, the National Restaurant Association and other groups say rising corn-based ethanol production is pushing food costs higher. Adding industry muscle to fight a federal requirement to a...

June 11, 2008

PepsiCo CEO Nooyi slams Washington's energy policy

PepsiCo Inc Chief Executive Officer Indra Nooyi criticized Washington on Wednesday for not doing enough to counter the soaring cost of oil. "I don't think in recent years we've seen such a sudden ramp-up in energy costs,"Nooyi said at a discu...

June 10, 2008

Out of the frying pan and into the power grid

If used frying oil can run a Mercedes, why can't it power the restaurant it came from? That's the idea behind Owl Power Company's Vegawatt power system, a machine that converts a restaurant's waste oil into electricity and hot water. The company now...

June 05, 2008

Funding for Plastics from Potatoes

A consortium hoping to make plastics from Maine potatoes has received more than $650,000 to further develop the proposal.

May 20, 2008

Restaurants Serve New Sustainability Initiatives

The National Restaurant Association (NRA) wants to lighten its industry's environmental impacts with a new initiative aimed at helping restaurateurs implement eco-friendly business practices.The industry group unveiled "Conserve: Solutions for Su...

May 16, 2008

FAO sees energy, biofuel keeping world food costly

World food prices should stay high because of rising energy costs and the use of biofuels, but they may ease after stocks are replenished, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Thursday. Senior officials from the U.N. agency, testifying b...