• The church of environmentalism?
  Should deep conviction on climate change count as a religion? It does in Britain, where a judge ruled last week that environmental convictions deserved equal protection under a law the country put in place in 2003 to prevent discrimination against employees based on their "religious or philosophical beliefs." The suit was brought by the former head of sustainability at Britain's largest residential-property company, who alleges he was laid off because his views on environmental protection were more aggressive than those of the company. TIME (11/7)

• For runners, a new option for shrinking their footprint
  Athletes worried about their environmental impact will soon have a greener option fit for their very own feet. Nike rolled out its H7 Collection, a line of athletic shoes created using a set of sustainability principles that it's calling Considered Design. The line uses rubber from sustainable sources, fewer toxic materials and more recycled content, and it aims to create less waste overall. GreenBiz.com (11/5)

• Buffett sees profit in Iowa's weather
  Warren Buffett's MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co. has been quietly staking out the windswept plains. Since 2004, the company has installed dozens of turbines in the state, now generating enough electricity to power more than 50,000 homes. Last week, a state utility board approved another $2 billion wind project that will double the company's wind capacity in the state -- and "we've got more on the way," says Buffett. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (11/9)

• Can Transition Towns really help?
  Transition Towns -- small groups of citizens banding together to make their communities more resistant to the impacts of economic collapse, energy shortages and climate change -- appeal to many people. But, argues Alex Steffen, the problem with this kind of solution is that it divides groups, focuses on individual action, and encourages cynicism about the usefulness of governments and civic engagement. "What we need is a movement of local efforts aimed at changing things that matter at scales that matter, based on the politics of optimism," writes Steffen. WorldChanging (10/27)

• Pondering the power of magnets
  The future of clean transit is in magnets, according to Spanish technology company Novateq Guerrero SNL. The company says it is developing systems to move people and goods along linear transit routes using neodymium magnets, which are nine times stronger than conventional magnets. The attraction and repulsion of powerful magnets could be used to propel moving walkways, assembly lines and other transportation systems that operate in a straight line along fixed paths. GreenBang.com (11/5)

• Clean energy, dirty panels
  Arizona-based First Solar is the world's leading producer of ultrathin photovoltaic panels, a new technology that offers hope for wide-scale solar deployment. But the panels contain a compound of a toxic metal that Europe has banned in most products. Industry representatives are hoping to fend off a complete ban, but the situation raises questions about the competing environmental concerns involved in some clean-energy technologies. NYTimes.com (11/8)

• Getting a greener start to your day
  Between half-hour showers and a daily blow-dry, the morning routine can be quite the power grabber. Here are seven tips -- from cutting back on time spent singing under a steamy stream to switching to natural, organic and nondisposable personal products -- that offer a greener way to take on the day. Re-Nest.com (11/6)

Top five news stories selected by SmartBrief on Sustainability readers in the past week.

• Gauging a long, hot shower's environmental impact (Slate)

• Slow-growing grass helps Toyota cut emissions (NYTimes.com)

• Innovative packaging designs with spunk (FastCompany.com)

• World's fastest motorcycle is also energy-efficient (Good.is)

• Efficiency plan for Chicago tower includes roof garden (Chicago Tribune)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

Renewable energy has always been a fascination from my perspective, where it can make economic sense." --David Sokol, chairman of MidAmerican, as quoted by The Wall Street Journal