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Stopping pollution that causes asthma attacks

“Air pollution is especially dangerous to children because their lungs are still growing.” I heard those words earlier this week while listening to the Senate Environment and Public Works’ subcommittee hearing entitled “Air Quality and Children’s Health.” They were from Dr. Dona Upson of the American Lung Association in New Mexico, and though I’ve heard […]

Colorado town considers "How much renewable energy is feasible" — 80 percent by 2025?

A great story of a city looking to — literally — take ownership of its energy future: The Colorado Renewable Energy Standard, as amended last year by the state Legislature, requires Xcel Energy to get 30 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020. …  Boulder leaders — who let the city’s 20-year franchise […]

Representative Tipton: My 150 isn't even my biggest truck

Recently U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton came to Aspen to speak to his Republican supporters here. He said that he drove an F150, and that that wasn’t even his biggest truck. And then he lamented the fact that it cost $78 to fill his tank halfway. And so we should drill for more oil in the […]

Industry-funded climate crank becomes a media darling

A new study examining TV news coverage of federal proposals to regulate global warming pollution has turned up evidence of journalistic malpractice when it comes to accurately informing viewers about one of the most critical issues of our time. It also shows how the mainstream media turned a relatively obscure climatologist into a star — […]

When the Nile runs dry

A new scramble for Africa is under way. As global food prices rise and exporters reduce shipments of commodities, countries that rely on imported grain are panicking. Affluent countries like Saudi Arabia, South Korea, China and India have descended on fertile plains across the African continent, acquiring huge tracts of land to produce wheat, rice […]

Barbie's fairytale interrupted by the roar of a thousand chainsaws

A long time ago, in a land far, far away, Greenpeace sent Mattel a letter. Our researchers had discovered Barbie’s not so magical secret: her packaging is linked to the destruction of Indonesia’s rainforests. For some reason, it took America’s biggest toy company two months to send any kind of substantial reply. Perhaps they were […]

The Deniers are Coming Through the Wire

I published an op-ed in the Denver Post today about climate change’s first casualty, which might be joy. The article isn’t terrible, really, and it’s posted here: http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_18201745 if  you care to read it.  But I urge you to look in particular at the comment section, where every single one of the 59 or so comments is from a […]

Smaller generation incites largest renewable energy gains

While seeming counterintuitive, a focus on smaller-scale distributed generation enables more and faster development of cost-effective renewable energy. In April, I wrote about the illusion that we can “move forward on all fronts” in renewable energy development; rather, a bias toward centralized electricity generation in U.S. policy reduces the potential and resources for distributed generation.  […]

Key actions on climate & energy at the Earth Summit in 2012

Carbon pollution from fossil fuel use reached the highest level yet in 2010, according to the International Energy Agency.  So should we throw up our hands?  No, this is a wake-up call that countries need to significantly speed up the pace of their action to reduce emissions.  And when they come to the Earth Summit […]

Three prominent Republicans care about climate change, sort of

In recent weeks, three prominent Republicans — Mitt Romney, Chris Christie and Jon Huntsman — have publicly affirmed their belief in climate change and the need to reduce pollution. This is good news! But as far as I can tell, they don’t have a plan to address the issue between the three of them. The […]