MIDLAND, Mich. -- Dow has given its first Sustainability Innovator Award to Simon Lee, who was able to halve greenhouse gas emissions from Styrofoam insulation manufacturing.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The company's BioBacksheet protective covering for photovoltaic (PV) solar cells is primarily made with cotton and castor beans derivatives. BioSolar is ramping up production of the covering for testing by PV manufactures.

New networks and movements are breaking down barriers both within industries and between designers and consumers. This open innovation seeks to tap into the thoughts, ideas and wisdom of people around the world, encouraging collaboration and feedback throughout the entire design process.

Product development has always operated at the intersection of business, technology, and people. Now, it is time to add one more factor to the equation: the environment.

VICTORIA, -- Scientists at an Australian university have created a vehicle fuel cell that uses less platinum, instead utilizing Gore-Tex material.

REINHOLDS, Pa. -- USA Gypsum has added a new product to its line of gypsum made from recycled drywall waste.

FEDERAL WAY, Wash. -- The two companies will work together to develop nonwoven products, such as cleaning wipes, without petroleum-based materials.

For Boisset Family Estates, wine is part of a long tradition, but one that is not always in tune with what's best for the environment. Jean Charles Boisset explains some of the innovations the company has developed for its packaging and marketing, and how they highlight the potential for -- and the challenges of -- changing a business as tradition-based as winemaking.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM -- Norwegian and Indian scientists believe they have developed a more environmentally-friendly way to make petrol more environmentally-friendly.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Two research projects at Purdue University hold the promise of significantly cooling the next generation of high-performance chips, laptops and personal computers.

JAKARTA, -- The trend of turning garbage into new products is addressing unmanaged waste and providing an economic lifeline to Indonesian homemakers and trash pickers.

Mississauga, CANADA -- The town of Mississauga has implemented a water treatment system that uses ozone and nanofiltration membranes to sieve lake water to make it safe for public consumption.

Recently, the Canadian Standards Association updated its guide for making environmental claims.

ITHACA, N.Y. -- Cornell University spin-off Novomer unveiled its first product this week, a renewable polymer that degrades completely and is derived from renewable carbon-based feedstocks.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Pratt & Whitney has created a jet engine that uses less fuel and emits less carbon dioxide and nitrogen-oxide at a time when rising jet fuel prices are crippling the aviation industry.