LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM -- Several U.K. supermarkets are facing fresh calls to sever ties with meat suppliers in Brazil facing prosecution for their alleged involvement in illegal deforestation.

PLEASANTON, Calif. -- The grocery retailer is highlighting locally grown fruits and vegetables in its supermarkets, saying that almost a third of its produce sections come from nearby farms.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Offering a bright spot in an otherwise gloomy economy, Whole Foods Markets have been loaning small, local producers of natural foods up to $100,000 to maintain, improve or expand their businesses.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Over half of all government agencies have purchased 95 percent or more EPEAT-certified electronics, in accordance with a new federal guideline.

The global market for organic cotton hit $3.2 billion in 2008, according to a new report from Organic Exchange, but the rapid growth of supply could lead to problems.

Tap water requires a whole lot less energy than bottled water. No big surprise there. But within the world of bottled water, modes of transportation and distance can cause one bottle's energy footprint to be much bigger than another's.

SEATTLE, Wash. -- The two major retailers are adding organic jeans to their private label clothing brands after testing sales of the jeans last year.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- Environmental and agriculture groups, growers and some of the world's biggest food buyers -- Wal-Mart, Sysco and Sodexo among them -- have developed a new coalition to incorporate sustainability from the field to the table for specialty crops.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Adding more momentum to the green IT movement, the Green Electronics Council has joined forces with EcoLogo to make it even easier to certify and promote electronics that are energy efficient, easily recyclable and free of toxic chemicals.

ALBANY, N.Y. -- A state committee has approved tentative green purchasing specifications for office printers, refrigerators, motor oil, traffic cones and 14 other products.

A recent study conducted by The Center for Environmental Health showed that jewelry sold at Wal-Mart, Express, Lane Bryant, Longs Drugs, Anchor Blue, Banana Republic, and Abercrombie and Fitch violates California's Prop 65 consumer protection law.

Recognizing the mountains of avoidable waste and the vast opportunities for improvements, corporate cafeterias, restaurants, and catering services across the nation are targeting dining operations for their next big green initiatives.

As the world's largest retailer, Wal-Mart has long been a powerful force in the global economy -- a bully, its critics would say. These days, though, the company is winning praise for using its leverage -- that's a polite term for bullying -- to protect the environment and help the poor.