Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google are transformational firms, but if you had to pick, which one would you say is the most innovative? Take the quiz to find your answer, plus our picks for all 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2012.

Chances are, you've thrown out some plastic already today. And you're going to throw out a lot more. In fact, Americans generated 30 million tons of plastic waste in 2009. That's more than 12% of our total waste. Try as you might to lessen your contribution to that giant pile of plastic, though, and you might find it difficult. A bottle of water here or there, sure, but most of what you consume comes in plastic, and there aren't many alternatives.

Photographers have long trained their lenses on the atrocities of war, and even influenced the outcomes of few major battles. J Henry Fair is a member of that politically motivated tribe, though his focus is on the war we seem to be unwittingly waging against our own planet. In the Day After Tomorrow: Images of Our Earth in Crisis (powerHouse Books), he offers disquieting pictures of environmental disasters. Read More »

When we come across a compelling architectural project, we think about how to frame the story. Will it be about sustainability? About overcoming building regulations? Meeting the needs of a specific set of clients? Or just plain beauty? Occasionally, it’s all of the above. As is the case with this truly energy-efficient home inserted into a tight plot in Tübingen, Germany.

No trees were used in these wall-coverings. And no, they’re not made from toxic, off-gassing vinyl, either. Rather, these patterns were printed on a breakthrough material manufactured from eco-friendly powdered stone.

When Harley-Davidson shuttered Buell Motorcycles, it meant the end not only of a 26-year-old company but one of the most ingenious packaging concepts we’ve ever seen. The Crateable, a shipping crate that turns into a worktable, plays off the reputation of Buell owners as people who spend as much time tinkering with their bikes as riding them.

Cute animals are the first things any beginner learns to make. Japanese artist Takayuki Hori takes his origami menagerie one step further, by imagining his paper animals as victims of urban pollution and exposing their garbage-tainted guts in X-ray-like detail. Cheerful!

Boy, do I remember my first car.

Like the vast majority of Americans, it was used and it was crap. Reliable it was not; in fact, I can assure you that my first car was made out of metal, plastic, and betrayal.

I was reminded of this car when I come across a few slickly produced commercials for Mercedes’ “certified pre-owned sales event” recently. Virtually indistinguishable from new car ads, these soothingly voiced 30-second spots touted the irresistible benefits of certified pre-owned vehicles, presumably for the luxury buyer on a budget.