California becomes first U.S. state to require women on corporate boards
California will be the first state to require publicly traded companies to have at least one woman on their board of directors.
North & Central America
$19 per hour minimum wage approved for New York and New Jersey airport workers
This policy is said to bring the wages of thousands of workers, approximately 40,000, to $19 per hour by 2023.
California becomes first U.S. state to ban sale of animal-tested cosmetics
The bill prohibits manufacturers from trying to “import for profit, sell, or offer for sale” any cosmetic that is tested on animals. The law goes into effect Jan. 1, 2020.
Connecticut Green Bank has provided over $1 billion for clean energy projects since 2011
The Connecticut Green Bank was established in 2011, and since then has been working to accelerate the deployment of clean energy.
Paralyzed patients walk again with help from new, revolutionary pain stimulator
The new research shows that electrical stimulation of the spine can re-educate the body and help move the legs even though signals from the brain are cut off.
U.S. Court restores federal protections for Yellowstone-area grizzly bears
A U.S. District Court judge restored federal protections to grizzly bears in and around Yellowstone National Park, overturning a Trump administration finding.
The Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative debuts a bottle that can be cleaned, refilled, and resold without being broken down
It’s the first such system in the country, according to the report, and could vastly decrease the environmental impact of beverage sales.
State of Wisconsin ordered to cover surgeries for transgender University of Wisconsin employees
U.S. District Judge William Conley concluded that there was no legally valid reason to exclude medically necessary care for the workers and called some of the state’s arguments “unhinged from reality.”
Starbucks to design, build and operate 10,000 ‘greener stores’ globally by 2025
The stores would run on 100 per cent renewable energy, ensure waste was reduced by donating unsold food to local banks and use state-of-the-art technology to ensure that annual water consumption is reduced by 30 per cent.
California state universities commit to 100% clean energy by 2025
The schools have 40 MW of onsite renewable energy generation, with an additional 20 to 30 MW in planning stages.