Inevitable, irreversible and irresistible. That's how some environmental experts view the coming of "the low-carbon economy."

Blood diamonds. Conflict minerals. And now, conflict palm oil.

So you think natural gas is the answer to reducing pollution from commercial trucks? Not so fast.

Even in the age of recycling, forward and reverse supply chains have tended to be treated as separate disciplines. Now the world's largest retailer is partnering with major consumer goods manufacturers to help erase that distinction.

We speak incessantly about the impact of "consumer demand" on manufacturers' supply chains. But do we really understand what that term means?