SALEM, Ore. and OLYMPIA, Wash. -- A new "E-Cycling" program passed into law in Oregon and Washington takes effect on New Year's Day, requiring electronics manufacturers to recycled old hardware, and promising to spur the growth of responsible e-waste disposal.

Oakland, Calif. -- The drive to create communities that balance environmental, economic and social responsibilities through planned development is growing as shown by projects in Texas, Georgia and Tennessee.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Twenty grants are being given to increase the amount and quality of recycled materials, create jobs and provide more recycled-content products and packaging.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Companies and coalitions big and not-so-big have made the ranks of most notorious "green" campaigns in the year-end list from National Public Radio's Greenwash Brigade.

BOSTON, Mass. -- The Harvard University Extension School is offering a popular course on strategies for environmental management via distance learning.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Research released by the National Restaurant Association shows that Americans are looking for healthier options and "greener" restaurants when they dine out, in addition to an increased interest in value and convenience.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM -- Government buildings in England and Wales emit more than 11 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, more than the entire country of Kenya, the Guardian reports.

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.

Columbus, Ohio -- The state of Ohio is launching an advanced energy masters degree program in a bid to train the next generation of highly-skilled, green collar workers. Meanwhile, Butte College in Northern California is adding green building courses after receiving a grant from the National Science Foundation.

ATLANTA, Ga. -- Even in a down economy, wealthy business owners plan to continue giving to environmental causes and feel it's a good time for green investments.

BOSTON, Mass. -- Table scraps, discarded meals that never make it to the dining room and aging leftovers. Garbage to you and many in the food industry, perhaps, but it's a windfall for New England firm Converted Organics.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- Wells Fargo & Company's environmental financing has exceeded $3 billion, hurdling past its goal of providing $1 billion in commitments to Earth-friendly projects and doing so two years earlier than expected.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM -- The United Nations boasts its Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is having a global impact on cutting emissions.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Department of Energy is awarding as much as $80 billion for 16 contracts covering energy efficiency, renewable energy and water conservation projects at federal facilities.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Councils in Vermont and British Columbia are the latest to adopt framework principles for developing product stewardship policy; Los Angeles has declared support for product stewardship and will integrate it into purchasing decisions.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The memorandum issued by U.S. EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson has prompted concern by some environmentalists that the declaration will lead to approval of several coal-fired plants in the waning days of the Bush presidency.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Socially Responsible Investment in the Rockies is making presentations from its recent industry conference in British Columbia available as podcasts.

-- Buying greener products is just one small step toward solving the planet's environmental ills; but how do you convince companies to promote the idea of buying less?