Latest Articles
-
Palestinians can’t get statehood, but at least they’ve got these zero-emissions schools
Yeah, it kinda sucks to be a Palestinian these days, what with the failed peace talks and everyone but you having an Arab Spring. That doesn't mean your non-state state isn't making progress, though: Just check out the plans for this zero-emissions school. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency is going to roll out […]
-
Possibly the greatest use of an infographic ever
“Need to prove something you already believe? Statistics are easy: All you need are two graphs and a leading question,” reads possibly the greatest infographic ever, created by Vali Chandrasekaran for Businessweek. Do yourself a favor, strap on your skeptic helmet and click through for the full experience.
-
Solar for Schools? Not so easy with tax-based solar incentives
You’re a city manager hoping to cut electricity costs at sewage treatment plant, a school administrator looking to power schools with solar, or a state park official needing an off-grid solar array for a remote ranger station. But unlike any private home or business, you can’t get 50% off using the federal tax incentives for […]
-
Critical List: EPA releases draft fracking report; Gingrich’s new climate change book
The EPA released a draft of its fracking report and found chemical contamination in a gas field well. The draft summary says that "EPA is concerned about the movement of contaminants within the aquifer and the safety of drinking water wells over time." The U.S. got a little warm and fuzzy about a climate roadmap […]
-
Slaughterhouse rules: Inside a halal butchershop [VIDEO]
New York City: A lot of unusual things happen beneath the surface here. You don’t notice most of them until someone points them out. Madani Halal slaughterhouse is a great example; it’s down a backstreet in a little-known neighborhood in Queens. Every day, folks line up around the corner to choose their own live chicken […]
-
The brutal logic of climate change mitigation
In my last post, I discussed a new peer-reviewed paper by climate scientists Kevin Anderson and Alice Bows. It paints a grim picture: The commonly accepted threshold of climate “safety,” 2 degrees C [3.6 degrees F] temperature rise over pre-industrial levels, is now properly considered extremely dangerous; even 2 degrees C is drifting out of […]
-
Hacking the Farm Bill
A slide from the winning entry. Rebecca Klein wasn’t expecting a lot when she signed up to attend last week’s Farm Bill Hackathon. This public health expert from the Center for a Livable Future at Johns Hopkins University had never heard of a hackathon — a gathering of computer programmers who lock themselves in a […]
-
A magical meter and friendly competition help one community dial back energy use
The Island Energy Dashboard gives residents a real-time look at how much electricity they’re sucking from the grid. When Puget Sound Energy announced plans to build a new substation to meet rising electricity demand on Bainbridge Island, Wash., in 2009, it apparently didn’t know who it was dealing with. Bainbridge is a well-to-do suburb of […]
-
Recent Coal to Clean Energy Victories Worth Celebrating
This week we’re celebrating as more utilities are recognizing that coal is dirty and expensive, and are deciding to make the switch to clean energy. Earlier this week, Wisconsin’s Dairyland Power Cooperative announced that it will cease burning coal in three of the six units at its Alma Station by the end of the month. […]
-
Durban dispatch: U.S. takes ‘recourse to nonsense’
It’s just a guidepost, guys. No need to panic.Photo: US Mission GenevaCross-posted from ThinkProgress Green. China limits commitments This week, China’s top climate envoy said that the nation would be open to signing a formal treaty limiting emissions after 2020 — but laid down conditions for doing so that are unlikely ever to be met. […]
