Latest Articles

Bikes find a way in San Jose

Rapid growth and a gaping class divide don't make biking easy in San Jose, Calif., but a few committed cyclists push back against the city's car-centric culture.

Critical List: Obama called for green schools, better infrastructure; Google shares carbon footprint

In his jobs speech, President Obama called for the construction of green schools and an infrastructure bank that could help create public transportation and efficient buildings.

With an average temperature of 74.5 degrees F, this summer was the second hottest on record in the U.S. (The hottest summer was in 1936, when it was 74.6 degrees F. We're gonna beat that soon.)

Google reveals its carbon footprint, which is smaller than an oil company's and about the same as a chemical company's.

Right up your alley: the hidden housing trend

Building houses along alleys is a great way to unobtrusively increase density and provide more affordable housing.

Obama gives strong jobs speech, defends pollution standards

Obama’s big job speech exceeded expectations. He didn't mention clean energy by name, but he did emphasize that it's a core job-creating industry.

Chris Christie met with Koch brother before pulling out of climate pact

Tape of a secret meeting between Christie and one of the Koch brothers sheds light on Christie's decision to pull out of a regional climate initiative.

The World Bank Still Can't Quit Dirty Coal

This column was co-written by Justin Guay of the Sierra Club International Program. As the New York Times recently reported, coal plants don’t come dirtier than the Soviet-era relics currently in operation in Kosovo. Despite the terrible pollution these plants spew, the World Bank has decided the only option for this young country is to […]

Obama's Job: Protect Us from Pollution [video]

While Obama’s jobs speech is being framed as a turning point for his tenure as President, there is another job I would respectively suggest he concentrate on: his own. Here’s a quick video ad that I think gets right to point: Late last week the President blocked reforms to the Environmental Protection Agency’s plans to […]

Representative thinks Obama controls the weather

Yeah, that's Rep. Joe Wilson, of the "You lie!" outburst. Is it possible the reason they don't believe in science is that they actually believe in magic?

This Roller Coaster Never Stops

Waking up every morning thinking about how to move us beyond coal always comes with its share of highs and lows. But last week was an exceptionally wild roller coaster, and it left my brain spinning Last week started with an adrenaline rush as the City of Alexandria, Virginia and GenOn Energy announced plans to […]

An ode to scary mutant fruits

Awl editor Alex Balk found out that farmers have been tinkering with plant genetics to create cross-breeds like "pluerries," and it inspired him to heights of lyrical brilliance:

Please Don't Make The Fruits Do Sex To Each Other

The freakish fruits that Science spawns—
The pros we know, but not the cons
What laws of nature might we breach
By blending apricot and peach?