Its 2010 and we are officially in the midst of a cultural movement where mankind, along with corporate America, is collectively working to preserve planet earth through various sustainable measures. In my pursuit of exploring society’s latest sustainable solutions, I came across the following 15 initiatives that are contributing towards a safer, more eco-friendly environment while concurrently helping businesses remain reputable and successful.

• The installation of solar panels among 75 restaurant locations will allow Chipotle to reduce an estimated 41 million pounds of carbon dioxide.
• Toyota has achieved “sustainable mobility” with the fuel efficient MPG performance of its Prius, topping the ratings for fuel economy vehicles.
• Sun Chips introduces the first, fully compostable package. It’s a bit noisier than a regular chip bag, but with some natural heat it’s sure to dissolve in a matter of 14 weeks.
• I give credit to Trader Joe’s for being the trend-setter of those popular reusable grocery bags; no need for paper NOR plastic.
• Bamboo, considered the modern-day steel substitute, is the new favorite sustainable material for architecture.
• Fruit of the Loom’s idea of a “comfort label” printed on clothing, eliminates extra (bothersome) fabric-woven labels from being sewn on and then subsequently torn off and discarded by the consumer.
• Dining services at many colleges, like UC Davis, have embraced the “Meatless Monday” campaign and as they uphold more sustainable campus environments, they are also lowering rates of carbon emissions.
• Method’s 300 ml bottle of 8x concentrated detergent is guaranteed to wash up to 25 loads, while saving 33% energy.
• Subway’s “Eco-Store” model has led the way for the most sustainable napkin you’ve ever seen. This 100% fiber recycled, chlorine free paper hanky has managed to save 60,500,000 gallons of water and 147,000 trees annually.
• On a quest to reduce plastic, Lipton designed a 500 ml light-weight, eco-friendly bottle for its Iced Tea beverage and as a result is eliminating 20 million pounds of waste.
• All U.S. Federal buildings have till the end of 2013 to switch out obsolete lighting with more constructive Energy Star products.
• Carlo Petrini’s concept of Slow Food has stretched beyond Italian borders, becoming a global sustainable food movement that encourages organic lifestyles, supports agricultural development and educates the youth.
• Since the start of its Composting Program, Providence St. Vincent places over 3 tons of pre- and post-consumer food waste, fiber, and yard debris in its resourceful compacter weekly.  Result: hospital saves $564 on monthly disposable costs.
• Unilever is among the leading companies who has maintained a steady sustainable strategy, successfully reducing water consumption per ton of production by 65% among all factories in the span of 15 years.
• The National Restaurant Association is enlightening restaurateurs and foodservice professionals on ways to conserve through environmentally sustainable process improvements by their Greener Restaurants national program. Goal: once operators refurbish their operation, they then share the wealth of best practices to create a thriving green industry.

So tell me, how are you achieving sustainability?