A battle between a class of fourth graders and a major movie studio would seem an unequal fight. But new Internet tools are allowing very ordinary people to defeat powerful corporate and political interests— by threatening the titans with online petitions that sometimes gather hundred of thousands of signatures.
A report by the American Lung Association finds that air pollution has fallen to its lowest levels since the group began collecting data in 2000. The nonprofit organization credits the Clean Air Act for the cleanup of major air pollution sources, such as coal-fired power plants and the fleet of older, dirtier trucks.
Lower trade deficits boosted optimism in the U.S. economic growth this week. American businesses sold a record number of goods and services in Europe, China and other foreign markets in February, while imports declined.
Mitsubishi electric car owners in Japan will soon be able to use the family car as an emergency generator, using their EV's batteries to power a home.
Orlando Bloom has an eco-house; Prince Charles has built a sustainable home, and now a major developer plans to build 500 eco-homes in Devon. Despite the economic gloom, the green way of building has never been more popular - 7,000 projects last year, a number that has more than doubled since 2009.
The number of beekeepers in New York City has quadrupled since the ban on keeping bees was lifted two years ago, figures show. Hives are now on skyscraper rooftops, in community gardens, and school backyards across the five boroughs. Locally produced food growers pushed hard for the ban to be overturned.
Nissan is back, one year after an earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan ground auto production to a halt, left giant cracks at a key factory and killed five employees and 17 family members. It's a story of surprising recovery that's playing out at other Japanese automakers, but particularly at Nissan.
Following the sun across the nation, a crew of young filmmakers got a first-hand look at how solar is working for Americans, reducing utility costs for diverse users like a boat marina, fire station, zoo and the Crayola Crayon factory.
Recent models including Apple's iPhone 5 and the Samsung Captivate are less hazardous than old handsets, according to a new chemical analysis. The new study offers encouraging results of tests on handsets which measured the amount of toxins these gadgets would unleash into landfills if not properly recycled.
Manufacturing unexpectedly expanded in September, exceeding even the most optimistic forecasts in a Bloomberg survey. Sustained strength in motor vehicle sales and a rebound in demand for home construction materials provided a major lift for American factories, which outperformed their counterparts in Europe and Asia, according to the Institute for Supply Management's factory index.
Consumer confidence jumped to its highest level in seven months in September as Americans were more optimistic about the job market and income prospects. The index spiked to 70.3 this month from an upwardly revised 61.3 in August.
Fliers rejoice: Travelers are late to fewer business meetings and missing fewer chances to tuck their kids into bed now that U.S. airlines are more punctual and less likely to lose their bags than at any time in more than two decades.Read More