Innovative collaboration helps plant-based menus take root

The Human Society is collaborating with foodservice giant Aramark, which has contracts with large corporate cafeterias, universities and hospitals across the country, taking a creative approach to hopefully cutting down on the amount of meat people eat. Humane Society and Aramark chefs and supply chain experts work together to create and scale meatless menu options for the masses, like hearts of palm "crab-less" crab cakes and cauliflower buffalo bites. Read more at Forbes...

Why the number of independent bookstores increased during the 'retail apocalypse'

Will independent grocery follow in the footsteps of independent bookstores, which were at first hit hard by the proliferation of big-box booksellers and Amazon, but have since resurged? Two years after the debut of the Kindle in 2007, the number of independently owned bookstore took off, and it's grown nearly 40 percent since. Amazon crushed the corporate chains, making space for authentic, community-focused independents to re-emerge. Read more at NPR...

5 leading founders of natural skin-care brands told us what 'natural' means to them

Rather than "natural," these beauty A-listers prefer to use works like sustainable, simple, safe and transparent. Read more at Allure...

4 sustainable truths impacting food packaging today

Consumer trends are fueling packaging innovation in several ways. Their efforts to reduce the amount of food waste they generate, for example, is giving way to manufacturers developing packaging that extends the shelf life of products without impacting quality. Read more at Packaging Digest...

CBD is cannabis that won’t get you high. So why are so many people using it?

Once known as the hippie's disappointment, CBD is now working itself into everything from balms to water, and quickly becoming the new "it" drug for Generation Anxious. Read more at The Washington Post...