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The dilemma of growth, as dramatized by the voices in my head

Is continued economic growth inevitable and necessary to drive improvements in the human condition? Or is continued economic growth impossible, constrained by biophysical limitations? I let the two sides battle it out in my brain.

Green for greens: Philadelphia subsidizes farmers markets

A new farmers market subsidy program for food stamps recipients makes the City of Brotherly Love a just little healthier.

Dissing coal — and the future of West Virginia

When state leaders react to mild criticism of coal like it's an assault on the dignity of all West Virginians, they're doing more than overreacting: They're cheating the Mountain State out of a clean energy future.

New York's one-inch escape from Irene

New York City dodged a bullet with Irene, but big trouble passed more closely than most people think.

Daryl Hannah gives you her [lawyer's] number

Here's Daryl Hannah preparing to be arrested at the Keystone XL protests -- she's writing a contact number, probably for her lawyer, on her arm so she doesn't forget it. And that's a nice hand-lettered sign! Hannah was arrested today outside the White House gates, and I originally was going to lead with that video and title the post "Daryl Hannah in handcuffs" but then I felt dirty about it.

Close coal: D.C.-area coal-fired power plant to close

Just a month after Michael Bloomberg used it as a backdrop for his $50 million donation to the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal campaign, officials in Alexandria, Va., announced a plan to shut down the plant.

Teaching kids to love nature and buy less stuff

Kids are getting the sort of education that guarantees they'll soon be fighting each other, Hunger Games-style, for Earth's dwindling resources. The solution is to cram everyone in America into Berkeley, California, say the authors of the new book The Failure of Environmental Education. (I'm paraphrasing.)

Why do green jobs pay better than other jobs?

Less-educated workers with green jobs get higher wages than their peers with other low-skill jobs. Could it be because more green jobs are union jobs?

China to build 50+ nuclear reactors based on unsafe 60's tech, says Wikileaks

"China is currently in the process of building as many as 50 to 60 new nuclear plants by 2020; the vast majority will be the CPR-1000, a copy of 60's era Westinghouse technology that can be built cheaply and quickly and with the majority of parts sourced from Chinese manufacturers," says this cable from the U.S. embassy in Beijing.

Fox News viewers 'confused' by Bill Nye, science in general

Watch the latest video at video.foxbusiness.com

You'd think Fox News would already be mildly embarrassed by the fact that their outside consultant on science is the host of a children's program. ("And now, to discuss transportation infrastructure, Mr. Rogers!") But what's even more embarrassing is the fact that they can't understand a word he's saying, and they readily admit it.