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" As you can imagine, large companies play a substantial role in creating greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. In light of Earth Month, here are a few that have made major commitments to reduce energy use, water use, and waste. These companies go beyond what government regulation requires, and their practices help invest in a better tomorrow. 1. Microsoft helps fund environmental initiatives. Microsoft was one of the first companies to charge their own internal teams &amp;quot;carbon fees.&amp;quot; The fees hold all company teams responsible for their use of carbon-based energy \u2014 everything from electricity in their facilities to airplane flights. These funds then go toward projects that offset carbon emissions and make the company more efficient. For instance, one project included a 20-year purchase agreement with a wind farm in Texas. The electricity generated by this farm (which is enough to power 55,000 homes) will help power Microsoft&amp;#039;s data center in San Antonio.  2. Ben &amp;amp;amp; Jerry&amp;#039;s connects with farmers. These ice cream purveyors have a long history of going green. In 1989, they took a stance against using dairy from cows treated with the hormone rBGH. More recently, they&amp;#039;ve expanded to include proper GMO labeling, and plan to phase out all ingredients from GMO sources by mid-2014. Plus, Ben &amp;amp;amp; Jerry&amp;#039;s parent company, Unilever, has made some environmentally-friendly moves: They plan to use FSC certified packaging for all of their paper products, and they will upgrade their freezers to an eco-conscious hydrocarbon refrigeration system. Ben &amp;amp;amp; Jerry&amp;#039;s also boasts a sustainable farming initiative called &amp;quot;Caring Dairy,&amp;quot; which helps farms evaluate their practices, and rewards them for improving sustainability. As part of the program, Ben &amp;amp;amp; Jerry&amp;#039;s sends ice-cream-making byproducts back to farms to be converted into electricity. 3. Disney aims to reduce waste and energy use. Disney&amp;#039;s parks have undergone significant changes in recent years thanks to ambition and forward thinking. These goals include zero waste (defined as diverting at least 90% of solid waste from landfills) and zero net direct greenhouse gas emissions. In 2012, Disney kept 53% of its waste out of landfills through recycling, composting, and using thermal waste-to-energy facilities. By 2020, the company is striving to divert 60% of its waste from landfills and incineration. Disney is also reducing its energy usage, and has invested $15.5 million into conservation projects such as reforestation and protecting threatened wildlife. 4. Nike keeps an eye on water usage. Fresh water is one of our most valuable limited resources \u2014 and apparel and footwear industries use a lot of it. In fact, Nike says it takes 700 gallons of water to grow enough cotton for one (just one!) T-shirt. Thankfully, the company is tracking the volume and quality of water discharged from their facilities. Plus, Nike will aim to eliminate hazardous chemical discharge from all of their products by 2020. Gordon Grajek is a test engineer in the Consumer Electronics lab of the Good Housekeeping Research Institute. NEXT: Easy Ways to Take Action for Earth Month \u00BB Photo: Dejan Patic/Getty "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/institute/a25235/green-companies/>