"State-Sanctioned Mass Rape in Burma and Sudan." That is certainly enough to grab attention. The United Nations claims to support the welfare of women around the world, but it certainly has a strange way of showing it.

As it has done over the past dozen years, the Index shines a spotlight on, and deepens Americans’ understanding of, environmental progress—the side of the environmental story that is seldom told. Positive trends are occurring in key areas such as national forests, air quality, toxic chemicals, and biodiversity.

In late March, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 10-1 to become the first American city to ban the use of non-biodegradable plastic bags by larger retailers, including supermarkets and drug stores. Alternatives include bags made of recycled paper or biodegradable plastic. But neither of these options is without problems.