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U.S. Nuclear Power in Decline
By J. Matthew Roney Nuclear power generation in the United States is falling. After increasing rapidly since the 1970s, electricity generation at U.S. nuclear plants began to grow more slowly in the early 2000s. It then plateaued between 2007 and 2010—before falling more than 4 percent over the last two years. Projections for 2013 show […]
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Europe says its own biofuels policies increase food costs 50%, drive deforestation
Two new studies that came out in Europe during the last couple of days show that biofuel mandates are causing consumers far more pocketbook pain – and contributing more to deforestation and climate pollution – than even previous studies suggested. The European Union’s own Joint Research Center found that Europe’s biofuels mandates are dramatically driving […]
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5 Barriers to and Solutions for Community Renewable Energy
Community renewable energy has significant political and economic benefits, but is often hindered by five major barriers. Read on for a summary of the five barriers, watch them in a 17-minute presentation, or check out the vividly illustrated slideshow. Barrier one is tradition. Utilities are simply used to operating a grid in a 20th century […]
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Climate change exacerbated half of recent extreme weather events, study says
A new study links 2012's extreme heatwaves, Hurricane Sandy, and ice melt to climate change.
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Why are there pesticides and GMOs in our national wildlife refuges?
Enviro groups are suing the feds over cultivation of genetically engineered crops and use of pesticides in Midwestern wildlife refuges.
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Climate change likely to steer away Sandy-like superstorms, study says
Scientists predict stronger storms but say changing air patterns will prevent them from hitting U.S. East Coast.
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We can’t blame everything on climate change: Soot melts glaciers too
Why did glaciers in the Alps start melting 40 years before temperatures started to rise? New research blames the air pollution spewed by the Industrial Revolution.
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Playing the Energy Lottery
Last year Americans spent $65billion on lottery tickets. In some games, the odds of winning have been compared to the probability of being struck by lightning while sinking a hole-in-one. The average U.S. homeowner spends $600 a year on fire insurance, but the likelihood of ever claiming against that policy is less than 1%. Why […]
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Uniting Cascadia: The forest biocarbon connection
The Pacific Northwest possesses a singular regional identity, one of the strongest in North America. A large portion of the population is here by choice, opting to move here or to stay here despite the lure of opportunities elsewhere. But what draws the region together? What are the roots of this identity? Diamond […]
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Buying Local Solar Makes Florida City a World Leader
“It’s the only time I’ve done a rate increase when nobody was opposed,” says Ed Regan of the Gainesville utility’s feed-in tariff for solar power. The program, launched in 2009, has resulted in nearly 15 megawatts of new, local solar energy generation on or near buildings in the northeast Florida town, enough to make it […]