Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, a company which once consumed close to a megawatt of electricity, is now a generator of 100,000 watts of electricity a year, thanks to its recent installation of a 572-panel solar array on the roof of its Waterbury distribution center. Read the full story

As with any decision, the consideration to begin using any source of clean, renewable energy to fuel your business might be lengthy; consider the pros and cons of going green and make sure it truly works for you. New options in alternative, green energy continue to emerge, so keep in mind—there are plenty to choose from. One of the most popular sources seems to be solar energy.

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Before we begin this week’s edition of WSF, I must apologize for being gone last Friday and missing the chance to direct you semi-snidely to some interesting green business links. I suppose in light of that absence I should change the name of this feature to Sometimes-Weekly-but-Don’t-Freak-Out-If-I-Miss-an-Episode Sustainability Facts, but SWDFOIIMESF just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

But let’s move on, because this week, it’s all about the future. Now’s the time to start planning ahead, figuring out what needs to change and cutting your losses. Who needs the past (or the present for that matter) when there’s electric cars, solar-powered cruises, and lots of money in the future? Wait, what’s that? There won’t be any meat or water in the future? Maybe this future things isn’t all it’s cracked up to be! Find out what the hype is all about in this week’s Weekly Sustainability Facts! Read the full story

In the past, many religions worshiped the almighty sun, whom they believed watched benevolently over them and decided their fate and destiny. Now we worship the almighty dollar for many of the same reasons, but who says we can’t go back to our roots and do both? Read the full story

Triplepundit reports an ad signed by twelve major corporations urging President Obama and members of Congress to take greater steps toward carbon-cutting legislation. The full-page ad, which appears in a recent Wall Street Journal, is signed by such businesses as Nike, eBay, Starbucks, Hewlett-Packard, and PSE&G together in a coalition called BICEP (Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy). The group’s goal is create jobs and see the U.S. compete with countries like Germany, Japan, and China, all of which have extensive solar and wind power programs.

To read the article, click here.

Since the global oil crisis of 1973, France has been committed to finding clean, stable forms of energy. The country ranks tenth on the 2008 Environmental Performance Index (EPI), in no small part due to its continued smart energy practices.

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Businesses in the United Kingdom are making strides towards more sustainable practices.  In the region that is the world’s eighth greatest in emitting carbon dioxide, governments are providing incentives to encourage industry to build green. Here are examples of how alternative energy practices are saving money and promoting the environment in various UK industries. Read the full story