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Throwaway Economy Headed for Junk Heap of History

In their book Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, American architect William McDonough and German chemist Michael Braungart conclude that waste and pollution are to be avoided entirely. “Pollution,” says McDonough, “is a symbol of design failure.” The challenge is to re-evaluate the materials we consume and the way we manufacture products […]

The U.S. may be gripped by terrible drought, but we’re still America, dammit

The USDA declares basically everywhere west of the Mississippi a disaster area. But at least we have funny ways of talking about it!

Climate Change is Fracking Society

Fracking isn’t only happening in the gas fields. Because of the never before seen and almost impossible to grok (or solve) problem of climate change, fracking is happening all over the environmental movement. Moms are fighting kids. Boards are fighting staff. Nonprofits are fighting each other. Left is fighting right and left. Republicans are getting […]

The left’s gone left but the right’s gone nuts: Asymmetrical polarization in action

Political polarization has risen sharply in recent years. But the process hasn't been symmetrical: Republicans have moved farther right than Democrats have left.

Check yo’self before you rec yo’self: A chat on smart summer recreation

Kristin Hostetter of Backpacker magazine chatted with readers on the do's and DO NOT EVER's of traipsing through the wilderness. Check out a replay of the conversation.

Is New Nuclear Energy Just Mission Impossible?

Until headlines last week announced the end of his marriage to Katie Holmes, it seemed there was no mission too impossible for Tom Cruise to accomplish. But even his cool, Burj Khalifa-climbing character in the famous film franchise might refuse the Mission Impossible assignment facing global economies today – – powering growth with nuclear energy. […]

Hey, look, a Republican who cares about climate change!

Bob Inglis got ousted from Congress after advocating for a carbon tax. Now he's launching a new group to push conservative climate solutions.

Hydropower: Dammed If You Do

No, that is not a picture of cooling ponds inside a nuclear reactor. Those are dust covers on the turbines at the Grand Coulee dam. According to the photographer, you have to pass through a metal detector to get this far into the power plant. Come to think of it, the nuclear power industry could […]

Just Energy Independence or Clean Energy Self-Reliance?

In Thomas Friedman’s latest column, he praises Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts because he “took one for the country.”  Friedman sees that “America today is poised for a great renewal” if only it can get some “big, centrist, statesmanlike leadership.” Logically, there would be some renewable (energy) in America’s renewal, right? Wrong.  Here’s Friedman’s […]

TV news endumbens viewers on climate, again

A recent ABC clip on climate and extreme weather is physically difficult to watch.