Making international news on Monday, 250 US mayors voted to put an end to using taxpayer money to purchase bottled water for its employees and functions. This is bad news for the likes of Coca Cola Co. and PepsiCo Inc., who have enjoyed a steady increase in sales the last few years. Read more...

Our Take: Well done US mayors! While critics of the resolution call it "sound-bite environmentalism", we say it's leading by example. Encouraging employees and in so doing, citizens, to drink tap water (which is held to higher standards than bottled water) is a great step toward changing the minds of the masses. We think Gigi Kellett from Corporate Accountability International said it best: "It's just plain common sense for cities to stop padding the bottled water industry's bottom line at taxpayer expenses." What do you think? Comment here...

In a response to the BPA controversy, the FDA announced recently that parents should not be concerned about safety in regards to the use of the chemical bisphenol-A in their children's baby bottles. Read more...

Our Take: Yikes. In this shockingly irresponsible (and much delayed) response, the FDA continues to erode its "brand" and public trust. Sounds like ass-covering and siding with industry. The old US standard of having to prove a substance is unsafe before it is pulled from the market is alive and well. As much as the government may wish, we have a feeling this isn't over. What do you think? Comment here...

China recently fulfilled its January pledge to ban free plastic bags. CNN gives us a glimpse into both the new system of charging for disposable plastic bags and the depressing effects of the culprits being free and plentiful for dozens of years. Watch the video...

Our Take: We hope other countries will follow China's lead. Charging for plastic bags will help to change consumer habits over time - Ireland has the proof after their hugely successful Plastax produced a 90% drop in consumption. What do you think? Comment here...

As reusable bags continue down the path from obscure eco-crusader tool to trendy fashion accessory, the debate continues on what to do about all those plastic bags. Some say bans are the answer; others claim recycling will solve the problem. Read more...

Last March, IKEA began charging 5 cents for each plastic bag with the hopes of reducing usage by 50 percent. Last month, they announced that not only is the fee working, they have experienced a 92 percent drop in usage. Read more...

Our Take: Our congratulations to IKEA for being a strong leader in a sea of mindless consumption. They see that use-and-toss shopping bags-whether plastic or paper-are at the heart of the issue. This is more evidence that fees work. We are proud to have helped inspire them to take this bold step and hope that other retailers will follow suit. What do you think? Comment here...

Read more customer reviews & testimonials