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Washington state on Tuesday kicked off a program aimed at cleaning the environment by forcing companies to pay for how much carbon dioxide they release into the atmosphere.  Washington’s new law, the Climate Commitment Act, requires businesses that emit over 25,000 metric tons of carbon annually to pay for each metric ton in total. The state joins 14 others that have implemented some form of a program that sets declining caps on emissions from companies. Washington’s cap-and-invest program most closely reflects California’s cap-and-trade program, which began in 2013. Many major companies with manufacturing plants and refineries in Washington, including BP, Tyson and Boeing, exceed this threshold, as do the state’s energy companies. The program is estimated to bring in $1 billion annually, with most of that money earmarked for environmental-related programs. “A cap-and-trade program is a way of giving everyone incentive to take the damage of CO2 into account,” said Bill Shobe, a profess...

Amazon is extending its program that allows customers to send their delivery drivers a $5 tip, following unprecedented demand in the program's initial rollout. The program allows Amazon customers to use Alexa-enabled devices like Echo or Echo Show, and Amazon’s mobile app, to tip their most recent delivery driver. When a customer says, “Alexa, Thank My Driver” into the device, the driver will receive the $5. Amazon initially launched the program Dec. 7, but ended it after one day after receiving more than one million thank-my-driver requests. "After extraordinary participation by the community, starting December 21, we are extending the 'Alexa, Thank My Driver' $5 appreciation program by an additional one million 'thank yous'!" the company said on its website. "Drivers will receive a notification of when the $5 promotion has ended." In a separate emailed statement, the company said it had already reached nearly five million thank-yous. "Wh...