Green Biz Year in Review 2007

As 2007 comes to a close soon, I’d thought a look back at some of the stories that made their way to Greener Assets this year would be a good way to round up and head into 2008. Around the b5 business channel, other bloggers will be doing the same and I’ll keep you posted with links to some of the best business posts of the year. Until then, here are my favorites from Greener Assets 2007…

Wal-Mart: Green, greener or greenwashing?: While the mega store wasn’t founded on sustainable principles, other than sustaining the Walton’s, the corporation responsible for moving over 300 billion dollars worth of merchandise in 2007 continues to announce green initiatives that are standing up to scrutiny.

Budweiser ‘Double Mashing’ on GE Rice: Budweiser fans have a bad taste in their mouth, and it’s not just the beer. A recent analysis commissioned by Greenpeace has “detected the presence of genetically engineered (GE) rice (Bayer LL601) in three out of four samples taken” at an Anheuser Busch mill in Arkansas.

Is Burt’s Bees Still Sweet As Honey?: Burt’s Bees is one of those sweet start-up success stories. Boy keeps bees, boy meets girl, girl makes candles, candles evolve into a thriving, full line, all-natural cosmetic and personal care business worth millions kinda thing. One thing led to another and before you know it Burt’s Bees is worth $925 million on the open market.

Do Ethical Companies Survive the Buyout?: TreeHugger had an interesting post about the fate of small, ethical companies in big corporate buy-outs. The scenario has been playing out with some hard true green favorites taking on questionable parent companies – like Burt’s Bees, recently purchased by Clorox, and The Body Shop, who sold to L’Oreal last year.

Two Companies That Are Changing Small Wind: Wind power is getting a lot of attention these days as a fast growing segment of the renewable energy industry. While many of the headlines focus on “big” wind – industrial wind power – there are several companies working to advance wind power for residential use or “small” wind.

How the Hydrogen Market is Growing: The race for renewable energy is driving a new focus on hydrogen as a clean energy for home and transportation. Worldwide initiatives are fueling research and innovation to make hydrogen cost-effective and efficient. Here’s just a few of the latest headlines in the hydrogen economy.