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By Maria Stadtmueller. Consumer appetite for green products has spiked significantly, according to the latest ImagePower Global Green Brands Study, conducted by WPP agencies Landor Associates, Cohn & Wolfe, and Penn, Schoen & Berland, together with Esty Environmental.

A majority of consumers in all markets believe it’s important to buy products from environmentally friendly companies. In addition, apprehension about the state of the economy has fallen, while worry about the environment has grown.

By Mark Terry. Breaking news: Ken has dumped Barbie. The truth is, he just doesn’t date girls who are into deforestion. Don’t believe it? Well, we have the video evidence. Thousands of people have so far seen the heartbreaking clip on YouTube. Posted by Greenpeace, the environmental lobby is aiming to demonstrate that Mattel – the world’s biggest toymaker – is guilty of using packaging derived from Indonesian rainforests to wrap those Barbies up before shipping:

By Steve Mullins. Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport has opened what it claims is the world’s first Airport Park. Travellers can relax under the trees on designer chairs upholstered in (of course) ivy, or drink and snack on one of the wooden picnic benches.

AEG has slotted its AEG Live and AEG Facilities units into the Green Music Group coalition founded by environmental outfit Reverb to promote large-scale greening in the music community.

By Mark Terry. Some 97% of Americans believe they know what common environmental marketing claims such as ‘green’ or ‘environmentally friendly’ mean, yet their interpretations are often inaccurate, according to 2011 Cone Green Gap Trend Tracker research.

By Maria Stadtmueller. Nissan North America has launched an online educational initiative, Choose Zero, in elementary and middle schools. The curriculum, which features the electric Nissan Leaf, is designed to empower kids to advocate for a reduction in carbon emissions in their homes, schools and communities.

By Maria Stadtmueller. The wide gap in China between people’s claimed and actual sustainable behaviour could lead to brands basing their marketing decisions on unreliable research data, according to a new study, Get Going With Green: Closing The Sustainability Gap, by OgilvyEarth, Ogilvy & Mather’s sustainability practice.

By Steve Mullins. US recycling outfit Recyclebank has partnered with ROI Research and Google to investigate how games mechanics can impact behaviour when applied to environmental causes.

The campaign will focus on Recyclebank’s Green Your Home Challenge which uses several gamification techniques to motivate consumers.