As part of its Green Factory initiative, Japan-based Honda Motor Company announces in July 2011 that 10 of its 14 North American manufacturing facilities are now sending zero waste to landfills, with the other four having nearly accomplished this goal.

http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/22675?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SBGeneralNews+%28SustainableBusiness.com+General+News%29
http://www.azocleantech.com/news.aspx?newsID=15290

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India announces on July 25, 2011 the creation of an independent regulatory body that will provide monitoring and clearance for industries, to help ensure the protection of India’s environment.

http://blogs.voanews.com/breaking-news/2011/07/25/india-to-set-up-environmental-regulatory-body-2/
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903591104576467230058783062.html

Associated with pollution, an algal bloom off the coastline of Qingdao in China's Shandong province covers nearly 20,000 square kilometers at the end of July 2011, prompting concerns for marine life as the seaweed degrades habitat and consumes large amounts of oxygen.

http://thewatchers.adorraeli.com/2011/07/26/green-algae-to-continue-spread-off-chinas-east-coastline/
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/algae-slick-floats-toward-chinas-coast

As a persistent drought continues into August 2011 in southern USA, economists estimate that in Texas alone, where associated wildfires also burned across the state, damage to agriculture could reach an all time high.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/international-news/severe-drought-in-texas-could-set-record-agriculture-losses/article2111269/,
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/07/27/texas-ag-losses-could-set-new-record-amid-drought/