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Solar could help with that

A major heat wave is causing record demand in Texas–Monday set a record of 66,867 MW, and Tuesday is expected to set another.  As a result, the grid operator is asking that people help avoid blackouts by reducing electricity usage between 3 and 7 PM.  And as of 3:45 PM today, Texas paid $3000 MWh […]

Grain Production Falling as Soil Erosion Continues

The thin layer of topsoil that covers much of the earth’s land surface is the foundation of civilization. As long as soil erosion on cropland does not exceed new soil formation, all is well. But once it does, it leads to falling soil fertility and eventually to land abandonment. As countries lose their topsoil through […]

Local clean energy a high priority for Canadian provinces

Ontario’s “buy local” energy policy has the promise of 43,000 local jobs from 5,000 MW of new renewable energy.   Now Nova Scotia is showing a strong interest in boosting the economic returns of its clean energy program. The maritime province is completing rulemaking for a provincial goal of 40% renewable power by 2020 that […]

Iowa is a lean, mean, grain-growin' machine

The single state of Iowa produces more grain than all of Canada, and almost as much soy as China.

New photovoltaic generator runs on heat instead of sunlight

Photovoltaic cells, the basic unit of solar power systems, turn light into electricity. But fueling photovoltaics with sunlight isn't always practical. MIT scientists came up with a way around this issue: they found a really efficient way to turn heat into light.

Tropic of Chaos: a book review

“Between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer lies what I call the Tropic of Chaos, a belt of economically and politically battered post-colonial states girding the planet’s mid-latitudes. In this band, around the tropics, climate change is beginning to hit hard. The societies in this belt are heavily dependent on agriculture and […]

Freiburg, Germany: A model sustainable city [SLIDESHOW]

There are few better examples of a living, breathing sustainable city than Freiburg, Germany. It’s one of the most livable urban environments in the world, thanks to a deep respect for cultural and architectural roots coupled with bold and unconventional planning decisions. Take a look.

Local ownership means local love for wind power

This post originally appeared on Energy Self-Reliant States, a resource of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance’s New Rules Project. A new article in the journal Energy Policy supports the notion that local ownership is key to overcoming local resistance to renewable energy.  The article summarizes a survey conducted of two towns in Germany, both with local […]

Deep trouble: American cities, water, and climate change [SLIDESHOW]

A new report from NRDC, “Thirsty for Answers: Preparing for the Water-Related Impacts of Climate Change,” looks at how cities large and small around the country will have to grapple with droughts, floods, and severe weather in the years to come.

Green crush: Love for LES Girls Club

Author and food activist Anna Lappe shows her appreciation for the Lower East Side Girls Club with an acrostic.