Lagging behind arch-rival Wal-Mart, Target has jumped into the arena with its own line of organic food. With organic food sales growing at a double digit clip, compared to the unattractive 3% growth of overall food, it was only a matter of time before the retailer began to stake its claim.

The new products are marketed under the Archer Farms brand and are available in all SuperTarget stores and some of its regular outlets. In addition to packaged food, the produce sections of all SuperTarget locations are certified organic. The ensures that all organic produce is clearly labeled and does not come into contact with conventional offerings.

Read the complete story from the Star Tribune.

With increased scrutiny being placed on the producers of ewaste, computer manufacturers are clamoring to introduce recycling programs. The latest, Dell, has just introduced a program that is particularly customer friendly.

One of the largest hurdles to recycling old computers and printers has been finding a local organization to take the obsolete product off your hands, especially if you were looking for one that wouldn’t charge you for the service. With Dell’s program, not only is recycling free, they will even come to your house to pick up the product.

To schedule a pickup of your old Dell, go to www.dell4me.com/recycling.

Complete article from Waste News.

In a move that mandates the reduction of greenhouses gases by 25%, Governor Schwarzenegger went against Washington and signed AB 32 into law on Wednesday. The measure calls for the reduction to take place by the year 2020 and may act as a catalyst for the formation of new companies focused on alternative power and a cleaner environment.

Early estimates suggest that the required reduction of gases may be as much as 170 million metric tons, more carbon dioxide than is generated by all of the cars in the state of California right now.

Complete article from the San Francisco Chronicle.

Following the lead of Chicago politicians, the city health department of New York City is proposing a ban on all trans fatty acids by 2008. The ban would impact nearly 25,000 eateries in NYC, especially those using shortening, margarine, and frying oil.

The ban is sure to receive a large deal of pushback from the restaurant industry, but the fact is that there are alternatives readily available. Wendy’s recently stopped using trans fats, McDonald’s is using trans fat-free oil in Denmark, and even Frito-Lay and Kraft have stopped the use of trans fats in some of their chips and cookies.

The earliest the approval of the ban could occur would be in December.

Complete article from the Associated Press.

While grabbing a quick bite to eat in Times Square this evening, I can across a drink that I had never seen before, Purity.Organic juice. There were five or six flavors to choose from so I went with the lower calorie option, Healthy Energy, a mixture of Pomegranate and Raspberry. There are only 60 calories per serving (two servings per bottle) and there was certainly no noticeable sacrifice in flavor. Of course, I haven’t tried the other flavors so it’s hard to say for certain.

Interestingly, I checked the Purity.Organic web site for more information and the Healthy Energy flavor wasn’t listed. Either I got an old drink or their site isn’t up-to-date. Anyway, at this point Purity.Organic has somewhat limited distribution so check here to see if it’s available in your local market.

Slow to enter the market for hybrids, G.M. looks to avoid repeating the same mistake in the hydrogen vehicle market. First shown at the 2005 International Auto Show, the G.M. Sequel is finally going to be hitting the streets, albeit in very limited numbers.

The hydrogen powered Sequel is the test platform for the engine that will be used in a 100 vehicle test fleet of Chevy Equinoxes. Assuming all goes well, you can expect to see G.M. ramp up wide spread distribution for the 2009 or 2010 model year.

In additional to not burning fossil fuels, hydrogen powered vehicles are especially attractive because they only emit trace amounts of water vapor.

Complete article from the New York Times.

Fuel cell vehicles section of G.M. web site.

Ever eager to stand out from the crowd, colleges and universities are now promoting their leadership in sustainability initiatives to attract top students and attention from the media. Regardless of motivations, it’s great to see that administrators, students, and alumni are working together to develop and implement policies that will impact habits that will stick with students throughout their life.

To help drive the policies and implementation of sustainability projects numerous organizations are popping up on campuses. Although there are no standards for measuring the “greenness” of a campus, several tools have been developed to help with the process.

Read the complete article on GreenBiz.

The “Rebel Billionaire” opened up his rather prodigious checkbook Thursday and committed $3 Billion over the next ten years to fight global warming and promote the development of new fuel technologies. Evidently inspired by a sit-down with Al Gore, Mr. Branson (we call you Mister if you donate that much money) announced the funding at the Clinton Global Initiative, a meeting of 50 of the world’s most influential, and well capitalized, individuals.

To help fund the initiative, Branson said that all profits from his train companies and five airlines will be directed towards the development and promotion of alternative energy sources.

Read the complete article from the Associated Press.

Today’s alarming stats of the day are brought to you by the fast food industry and lazy parents.

• 1 in 3 children born in 2000 will develop diabetes
• By age 2, 20% of kids eat candy every day
• Toddlers are more likely to eat French fries than any other vegetable

While these statistics are shocking, it’s really not that surprising when you consider that 73% of U.S. adults may be overweight or obese by 2008. Luckily, there are a few entrepreneurs out there tackling the problem. In this article from Business Week, learn about a woman who started an organic baby food company, IZZE carved out a niche with fruit juices, and how a small company is getting people to eat more apples by adding value through pre-cut fruit in sealable packaging.

Complete article from Business Week.

Known for her fabulous southern California styles, designer Carol Young is set to impress again with her fall 2006 collection. Undesigned provides the modern woman with seasonless styles that are flattering and timeless in their appeal.
The collection includes beautiful details such as the hand pleated raincoat, bamboo denim pants and skirt, and everyone’s favorite top for fall, a classic tunic in black.

True to her boutique roots, supplies are limited so check out the Undesigned collection now.