Apple. Google. Anhueser-Busch. Nike. Did you know that some of your favorite brand name companies are profiled in Climate Counts' rating of climate-friendly companies?

This past week Climate Counts, a new non-profit group, ranked 56 companies widely known in the British and North American mainstream as leaders in their respective industries. Based on four categories subdivided into 22 criteria, the list provides a snapshot of environmentally conscious- and the not so environmentally conscious practices of popular companies. In effect, it offers interested consumers an opportunity to make environmentally sound choices.

Each company was scored on a 100 point scale with the most weight given to the amount of carbon reduction ( other points were distributed around global warming impact, support of carbon reduction public policies and accessibility of climate change information.) Starbuck's scored the highest in the sector -food services- that scored the worst overall (the Colonel was part of the food services company, Yum Brands, that fared poorly). Meanwhile, rising to the top was the electronics/computer sector with Canon leading the way.