When you think about the many ways that technology has shaped your life, what comes to mind first? Maybe it’s faster communication, or lifesaving healthcare. But what about fruit salad? It’s easy to forget, but with today’s complex food supply chains there are some surprising technologies behind many of our favorite meals—even the simple things we enjoy every day.

The U.S. Navy Region Southwest received the prestigious FY 2016 Chief of Naval Operations Environmental Award for the Environmental Restoration, Installation category for the design-build of remediation systems for volatile organic compound (VOC)-contaminated groundwater, soil gas, and indoor air at Naval Base Point Loma in California. Tetra Tech is proud to have contributed to the success of this project and to have supported the Navy in protecting human health and the environment.

In the last five years, he and his team -- who refer to themselves as Climbing for Cancer -- have reached the top of the tallest mountains in nearly all 50 states. Ward, who retired from the Benton Harbor-based appliance maker [Whirlpool Corporation] almost a year ago, is one of several people who raise money for Relay for Life in an effort to combat cancer. Whirlpool Corp. employees and retirees have been involved in Relay for Life of Berrien County since 1996.

Bright new soccer kits have been handed over to local football associations by De Beers’ Venetia mine in South Africa.

Pesticides touch every aspect of our lives, from residues on our produce to increased chronic disease to biodiversity loss. Toxic compounds are used all over the world to the detriment of the environment and human lives. In a small village in Mexico, women are paying the ultimate price. The village of Venustiano Carranza is located in Chiapas, the southernmost Mexican state, which shares a border with Guatemala.

VMware is on a mission to ensure a net positive effect across our products, people and planet. This Earth Day, we are taking action to inspire a ripple effect through our collective impact. For every employee that pledges to take sustainability-related actions at home or at work, VMware will plant a tree on their behalf through Restore the Earth (REF) Foundation.

The invention revolution has always been inspired by technology from fiction — how do we pluck a device out of TV science fiction and make it real? Back in 2012, the Qualcomm Foundation and the XPRIZE Foundation worked together to develop the Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE, a Star Trek-inspired competition that set out to provide anyone with the ability to diagnose health conditions by using a real-world version of the Tricorder.

After five years (the same duration as Starship Enterprise’s original mission) of competition, we’re excited to announce that Final Frontier Medical Devices takes the top prize.

Old housing issues are often much more significant than drafty windows and squeaky stairs. Rebuilding Together affiliates nationwide are helping low-income homeowners eliminate these hazards and ensure they live safe and healthy in their homes.

GE (NYSE: GE) and Southern California Edison (SCE), an Edison International (NYSE: EIX) company unveiled the world’s first battery-gas turbine hybrid system in Norwalk, California. This is the first of two units that GE has delivered for SCE only months after announcing initial deployment plans of this innovative technology.

For our annual Earth Week guest post series, we’re showcasing a variety of voices in the sustainability space. First up, Matthew Vandyke, a materials engineer at General Motors, offers tips on how to incorporate more recycled content into manufacturing.