A report by As You Sow, a shareholder advocacy group, concludes that major U.S. beverage brands would support new laws making producers financially responsible for collecting and recycling post-consumer packaging. The study, “Waste and Opportunity: U.S. Beverage Container Recycle Scorecard and Report,” outlines new efforts by beverage companies to reverse lagging U. S. bottle and can recycling rates. Of the 224 billion containers sold annually in the U. S., only 29 percent are recycled. As You Sow gave a letter grade of B minus to Nestle Waters North America, Pepsico, The Coca-Cola Company, and Red Bull for their sustainability performance to date.

Nissan has launched a Web site dedicated to sustainability, www.theplanet-zero.com. The site features a game called “The Planet Zero” that allows players to control a character who roams a virtual Earth, interacting with icons for wind energy, solar power, and other elements of a zero-emission society. Aimed at high school an