Sustainability

Beijing – October 18, 2026 -- The Huaneng Zangmu Hydropower Station on the Yarlung Zangbo River spent about 360 million yuan ($53.27 million) on a fishway, and the channel has helped about 570,000 fish pass the dam since the plant began operating in 2015.

The station is about 400 meters long and more than 100 meters high. It covers nearly 26 percent of electricity demand in Xizang Autonomous Region and ended the region's reliance on diesel for large-scale power supply.

Ecological spending extends beyond the fishway

Station head Sun Chao said a fast-flowing fish stock enhancement and release station cost 48 million yuan ($7.10 million) to build. Annual fry-breeding costs are nearly 7 million yuan ($1.04 million). The release project has run for 12 years and has put 1.97 million fish into the river.

Bangkok – October 17, 2026 -- The Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND) has disbursed more than US$1.37 billion in financing to over 1.3 million clients since inception, and its microfinance network has now won the "Excellence in Inclusive Banking and Social Impact" award at the 2026 Sustainable Development Goals Awards.

The World Savings and Retail Banking Institute (WSBI) organized the awards with the European Savings and Retail Banking Group (ESBG). AGFUND CEO Hammam bin Nasser bin Juraid accepted the award in Bangkok, alongside the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group.

AGFUND network has issued 1.5 million loans across nine countries

AGFUND opened its first bank in Jordan in 2004. The network now covers Jordan, Yemen, Bahrain, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Sudan, Mauritania and Sierra Leone, focusing on communities underserved by conventional financial institutions.

Beijing – October 16, 2026 -- More than 200 domestic and international dignitaries attended the opening of the World Winter Sports Expo 2026 (WWSE 2026) in Beijing on October 15, a event aligned with the directives of China's 15th Five-Year Plan for the ice and snow industry.

The Expo is a legacy of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games. Its stated mission is to expand the ice and snow economy, cultivate new productive forces in the sector and deepen the integration of culture, sports and tourism. Organizers structured the program around three directions: upgrading the ice and snow industry, deepening culture-sports-tourism integration, and empowering the outdoor economy through technology. The format includes an opening ceremony, a main conference, parallel sessions and special thematic events.

New York – October 16, 2026 -- The Portuguese Cork Association (APCOR) is deploying complimentary cork-branded pedicabs at New York's leading wine events, starting October 18, as it expands its U.S. "Drink Responsibly. Choose a Bottle with a Natural Cork" campaign.

The campaign recasts the phrase traditionally tied to alcohol consumption as a message about quality, sustainability and closure selection. APCOR argues that natural cork is renewable, recyclable and essential to a zero-waste approach.

Wine on Wheels Grand Tasting opens the pedicab program on October 18

The activation launches at City Winery's Pier 57 location during the Wine on Wheels Grand Tasting. The event was founded by sommelier and disability advocate Yannick Benjamin. It brings together more than 75 sommeliers, 150 wines and offerings from 40 New York City restaurants.

Atlanta – October 16, 2026 -- Cox Enterprises awarded $30,000 grants from the James M. Cox Foundation to each of its three 2026 Cox Conserves Heroes: David Schick, Nithya Tammana and Detroit Hives. Each winner directs the funds to an environmental nonprofit of their choice.

The winners were announced at a ceremony on Oct. 14. Since 2008, the program has recognized more than 200 individuals and nonprofits. Its criteria align with Cox's corporate goals to save energy and water, reduce waste, and protect and restore natural habitats and species.

Cox pledges 1 billion pounds of plastic diversion by 2034

The awards come as Cox widens its environmental agenda. In 2026, the company added habitat and species protection to its existing goals on water, waste and carbon. Cox has invested $3 billion in cleantech businesses and, with the James M. Cox Foundation, contributed more than $800 million to philanthropic causes.

By 2034, Cox aims to:

Santa Clara, Calif. – October 16, 2026 -- DPR Construction moved up one place to No. 3 on Engineering News-Record's 2026 Top Green Contractors list, from No. 4 in 2025, as green contracting revenue across the sector's top 100 firms rose 5.9% to $101.9 billion in 2025.

ENR ranks contractors by revenue from certified green projects

ENR's annual list ranks firms on revenue from construction services for projects registered with or certified by third-party organizations. Those organizations set standards for environmental impact, energy efficiency or carbon footprint.

DPR's water strategies saved more than 48 million gallons in 2025

According to DPR's 2025 Global Social Responsibility Annual Report, water strategies on major projects saved more than 48 million gallons of freshwater in 2025 alone. The report also details expanded use of lower-carbon concrete, cleaner equipment and lower-emission fuels.

Portland – October 16, 2026 -- The Green Sports Alliance has released its Sustainable Apparel Playbook, a guide that shows sports organizations how to cut environmental impact across the full apparel lifecycle while supporting revenue growth, cultural influence and customer satisfaction.

Case studies cover procurement, end-of-life and fan marketing

The playbook draws on professional and collegiate sports examples across product procurement, end-of-life solutions, community engagement and impact marketing. The Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix worked with its local school district on a sustainable fashion contest that reimagined outdated race suits as fashion pieces. Oakland Roots' Upcycled Fashion Project teamed with local students to create pieces from outdated jerseys and other upcycled items.

Brussels – October 16, 2026 -- oneworld and all 15 of its member airlines have signed the Buckingham Palace Declaration against illegal wildlife trafficking, making it the first airline alliance to join with unanimous member support.

Royal Jordanian CEO completes alliance-wide signing in Brussels

Royal Jordanian President and CEO Samer Majali signed the declaration at IATA's Wings of Change Europe in Brussels, completing the commitment across the alliance. oneworld CEO Ole Orvér said the full membership commitment "greatly increases" the alliance's ability to identify and disrupt trafficking.

Los Angeles – October 15, 2026 -- TIME has named von Holzhausen's Liquidplant®, a plant-based alternative to petroleum plastics, to its 2026 list of Best Inventions, which features 300 innovations. The company is building a manufacturing facility in Georgia to scale production.

Liquidplant® is built as a drop-in material for existing manufacturing lines

Liquidplant® starts as a plant-based polymer pellet produced through patented green chemistry. Manufacturers can convert it into different forms using existing processes, so it needs no new tooling or production methods.

The material targets conventional performance plastics, including EVA, TPU, PEBA, polyethylene and silicone. Applications range from footwear and wearable technology to injection-molded components.

Mooresville – – October 15, 2026 -- Greenworks Commercial will give away three OPTIMUS Crew battery-powered mowers at Equip Exposition 2026 in Louisville, led by a 60-inch ride-on zero-turn mower with an MSRP of $28,999.99.

Giveaway draws three winners live on Oct. 22

The second annual "Get Equipped Giveaway" is open only to show attendees who are U.S. residents aged 18 or older. Entries are taken on tablets at indoor Booth #3182. Winners must be present at the live drawing at 3:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, Oct. 22, to claim a prize.

The prizes are: