Many large companies, such as Apple, already offer recycling programs. But a new state law which came into effect this past Friday in New York makes it mandatory for all producers to provide free recycling services for their electronic products. Aimed at being environmentally friendly, simple, and convenient, the New York Times reports that efforts may be getting off to a slower start than initially hoped due to lack of information and advertising.

The new rules require manufacturers to pay for the collection, handling and recycling of electronic products, such as cell phones, computer hardware, TV’s, and other goods, which will be enforced by the State Department of Environmental Conservation. While companies may use any combination of pick-ups, mail or drop offs to collect goods, many companies are partnering with local organizations to coordinate drop-off sites for consumers.

With this new law, New York joins about two dozen other forward-thinking states who have committed to reducing e-waste.

Marine debris is a global issue that requires a global solution. A spill or dump in one ocean may end up polluting a beach hundreds of miles away. Plastics choke fish and birds, toxic runoff threatens our food system and garbage litters beaches around the world. Indeed, the UNEP estimates that 270 species worldwide are directly and negatively affected by marine debris.

Last week, the 5th International Marine Debris Conference was held in Honolulu to address growing concerns over the ever increasing amount of debris in the oceans. In his address, Steiner stressed the importance of collaboration. He asked delegates to “make a difference” by both reducing the amount of materials used and researching newer, more sustainable materials.

One of the meeting’s key outcomes was the Honolulu Commitment, which aims to share solutions for reducing marine debris, to increase worldwide understanding of the issues, and to improve waste management strategies. It suggests that government and industry should look at changing more of their waste into a resource, such as energy.

While no binding agreements were made, the Honolulu Commitment is an important first step which acknowledges the myriad of man-made problems facing our oceans. To become effective, countries and industries must begin enacting regulations and promoting better practices on their own.

Both projects fit in with UNEP’s theme “Forests for People, Forests for Green Growth” in support of the 2010-11 International Year of the Forests. Both groups fulfilled a majority of the theme’s criteria, such as:

•  Promoting the conservation and sustainable management of forests;
•  Contributing to a meaningful reduction in carbon emissions caused by deforestation;
•  Maintaining forest ecosystems to improve resilience to climate change;
•  Supporting pro-poor development, especially among forest-dependent communities;
•  Conserving biodiversity and helping secure ecosystem services.

In particular, AFISAP is focused on preserving the forests on a 52,000-hectare concession within the Mayan Biosphere Reserve in the San Andres area which plays a critical role in regional conservation and has the world’s highest concentration of jaguars.

MDI-Nepal has introduced agroforestry to help improve crop productivity and water irrigation systems as well as reduce soil erosion on the forested hills and mountainous areas of their country.

UNEP’s projects include green passports for sustainable tourism, successful reforestation in Panama, greening East African tea plantations, and carbon financing in Africa, reports News Blaze. From community-based programs to large entrepreneurial endeavors, the solutions that UNEP is presenting embody innovation and creativity, and provide benefits to the people they serve as well as help to reduce global emissions, writes UNEP.

We agree with UNEP that clean and renewable energy sources and improved energy efficiency must lie at the heart of nationally appropriate climate change mitigation actions. This can range from creating mass markets for solar water heaters to improving vehicle efficiency to using waste for energy or installing energy-efficient cooking stoves.

One example of these case studies is in the power of a cup of tea. Growing tea is energy intensive, and given the unreliable power sources of East Africa many growers have installed diesel generators. However, the tea farms are in hilly areas with high annual rainfall and all-season river flows, which makes them ideal sites for small hydropower projects. Up to 6 small hydropower stations will be built as demonstration projects that will provide energy to the farms with any surplus providing electricity for nearby villages that currently have no grid connection. I’m not sure what the villages are currently using, but in some parts of Africa they use energy from wood burning. The hydropower would be an improvement.

UNEP’s 30 case studies prove that solutions to combat climate change are available, accessible and replicable. The program is part of the lead up to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change scheduled from November 29 to December 10 in Cancun, Mexico.

The UN News Centre reports that a joint campaign by conservation groups and tour operators in the 1990’s has helped set up protected areas in Svalbard, Norway.  Svalbard is the closest tourism outpost to the North Pole, which is 1,000 kilometres away.  The sustainable tourism initiative has enacted new laws protecting biodiversity and has led to the successful protection of polar bears and other native species in the area.

Currently in Norway, partners UNEP and GRID-Arendal are planning to replicate the success in Svalbard by studying how sustainable tourism can support the management and development of protected areas.

In June 2010, participants from 12 countries met in Arendal to discuss how tourism and biodiversity protection in marine protected areas can lead to conservation successes, reports UNEP.  The meeting decided that financial, educational and political support are all important.  Although differences between areas makes establishing criteria that can be used to replicate successful tourism/biodiversity connections difficult, the aim of UNEP’s Linking Tourism & Conservation (LT&C) initiative is to show, learn from and replicate positive examples where tourism supports the management and development of protected areas.

UNEP and GRID-Arendal are hosting a study expedition to Svalbard for conservationists, journalists and members of the public.  They also plan to create an interactive map of tourist destinations engaged in conservation work that will allow travelers to view a destination’s green credentials before booking their trip.  All hail green tourism!

Puma’s supplier reporting guidelines align with the Global Reporting Initiative.  According to Puma this means that twenty strategic suppliers in its supply chain from China to Cambodia will be trained to report on sustainability concepts such as social and working conditions.  The project teaches participants how to measure sustainability by using key performance indicators, while becoming more transparent and learning how to report on energy consumption, waste production and other issues.

Puma, in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), has also announced three major conservation projects in Africa as part of its ‘Play For Life’ Campaign, a global initiative dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of species and habitat conservation.  ‘Play for Life’ has been inspired by the 2010 Soccer World Cup, explains Afrique Avenir.  The campaign promoted the international year of biodiversity through events, fundraising initiatives and public service announcements which culminated in the public choosing three beneficiaries for campaign donations through online voting.  Proceeds will be donated to help save endangered African lions in Zambia, elephant populations in the Ivory Coast and Liberia, and gorillas in Nigeria.

However, Puma is not flawless in its conservation efforts, as evidenced by its 20% share holdings in Wilderness Safaris, a tourism company that has built a lodge on land belonging to the Bushmen of Botswana.  Afrique Avenir reports that Survival International recently urged Puma to separate from the company, which supports luxury tourism in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve while ignoring the inhumane treatment of the Bushmen who are not even allowed to access their own water.

Becoming a sustainable and conservation friendly sports lifestyle company is clearly a process of trial and error for Puma.  If at first they don’t succeed, let’s hope they learn from mistakes and try again!