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Tesla’s New Gigafactory. Coming to a Community Near You?

Elon Musk is a man of vision. As CEO and CTO of SpaceX, founder of SolarCity and CEO and chief product architect of Tesla Motors, he has launched technology, exploration and transportation into the stratosphere. His latest plans for a massive TESLA factory that would revamp the global supply chain for lithium-ion batteries and then sharply reduce their cost, is equally ambitious, but he still does not have an official location for this Gigafactory. California was not even on the radar, as rumor had it the Reno, Nevada area was the frontrunner to land this factory that promises to employ up to 6,500 people - in fact, excavation of a proposed site has already been completed. Arizona, New Mexico and Texas were also frontrunners in the event negotiations. But suddenly California is making the charge to woo Tesla Motors. According to the Los Angeles Times, California lawmakers would exempt Tesla, Panasonic and other potential partners from some of the state’s environmental…

The 5 Greenest Countries On Earth (And All Of The Rest), Ranked

Fast Company posted this article about the five greenest countries on earth, ranking the environmental friendliness of the world's nations. Did you know that on our green businesses directory you can search for and add green businesses around the globe, as well as events. This article originally appeared on Fast Company's website. The 5 Greenest Countries On Earth (And All Of The Rest), Ranked By Ben Schiller Want to live in a beautiful nation that protects your health? It turns out Switzerland is your best bet (the chocolate is also good). Switzerland does a good job managing the environment and protecting human health. The United States does it middlingly well. And Somalia, Haiti, and Afghanistan--as you might expect--not so great. They are some of the worst performers in a new ranking of environmental performance. Top 5 Greenest Countries: 1. Switzerland 2. Luxembourg 3. Australia 4. Singapore 5. Czech Republic The Environmental Performance Index (…

GE Buying ‘Tens of Thousands’ of EVs

By Chuck Squatriglia for Wired Autopia It makes sense that a company called General Electric would be bullish on cars with cords. But even by that standard the company is diving into the deep end, with what it says will be the biggest order ever placed for electric vehicles. Of course, almost any order would be the biggest order, but CEO Jeffrey Immelt isn’t screwing around. Speaking in London yesterday, he said GE will order “tens of thousands” of electric vehicles in about a week, a move that is sure to jump-start the nascent EV market as automakers like Nissan and General Motors bring the cars to showrooms later this year. The plan makes sense for several reasons. First and foremost, General Electric builds the equipment that provides one-third of the world’s electricity, so of course it will do everything possible to promote the technology. GE is moving quickly into the EV space, building charging stations and working with A123 Systems to develop batteries. Acco…

Opportunity Green: Green Business Startup Competition Finalists

The 2nd annual green startup competition recognizes twenty-five of the most innovative eco-startups. This year's winner will receive BBMG's $25,000 Brand Innovation Charette, and a $1,000 shopping spree at Office Depot. OG25 Innovative Green Startup finalists will be showcased at this year's Opportunity Green conference, September 23rd - 24th at Los Angeles Center Studios. Mobile voting will be provided by MobileGive, whose innovative texting solutions are being utilized again this year. Watch this site for the voting widget.

Chevy Volt Team Announces: Order Yours Today

By Tony DiSalle Chevrolet Volt Marketing Director Starting today, you can take part in history by placing your order for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt. This moment is the culmination of several years of around-the-clock, steadfast work and I know I speak for the entire Volt team when I say we couldn’t be more excited! For those of you looking to be among the first to own a Volt, simply locate and contact a participating Chevrolet dealer in Volt launch markets at GetMyVolt.com. Once your order is placed, a Volt customer advisor will contact you to answer questions and keep you updated on the progress of your order. We’ve also pulled together a team of Volt advisors who, beginning today, will be available at 1-888-VOLT4YOU (1-888-865-8496) to answer general questions. The Volt will initially be available to customers in California, New York, Washington, D.C., Texas, Michigan Connecticut and New Jersey, but will be available nationwide in about 12-18 months from start of produ…

Making Sense of Sustainability Certifications

With sustainability certifications abounding, learn what businesses should consider for their sustainability certification from Melissa Schweisguth in this post from Greenbusinesses.com 10 Tips for Savvy Shopping in the Certification Marketplace In the face of surging skepticism around social and environmental claims, sellers and buyers alike are demanding verification. Sustainability certification has become a booming industry with over 400 in use and new ones emerging almost weekly. This, in turn, has led to scrutiny and public criticism of apparent shortcomings. Understandably, the net result has been mounting confusion and uncertainty about what particular certifications deliver and their relative value. To help consumers and businesses navigate this landscape, the Consumers Union launched its Greener Choices database several years ago, providing basic information on over 300 labels. Realizing greater breadth and depth were needed, the World Resources Institute recen…