Latest Articles

Is your shampoo making you fat?

More research suggests that the toxic chemicals present in our everyday lives play a role in the obesity epidemic.

Prepare for a world energy war

Reliance on fossil fuels could lead to 30 years of bloodshed as world powers fight over limited resources.

The medium chill

Step off the aspirational treadmill and forego some material opportunities in exchange for more time to spend enjoying the things that make for a good life.

Feds running a high-voltage gravy train for power transmission

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission gives bonus incentives for outdated and costly systems of energy transmission at the expense of ratepayers.

Cars vs. bulldozers: a look at road construction GHGs

Photo: Joost J. Bakker IJmuidenThis post originally appeared on Sightline Institute’s blog. Here’s an interesting study (not free, unfortunately) by University of Washington engineering professor Stephen Muench, reviewing the literature on the energy and CO2 impacts of road construction. His study looks mostly at the construction phase itself, rather than the use of the road. […]

'Natural' gas fails the sniff test

Top decisionmakers in Washington seem to have forgotten that “natural” gas is a fossil fuel, with some of the same damning negatives as coal and oil. For instance, unlike renewables, “natural” gas is an energy source we will exhaust — possibly sooner than previously thought. Let’s not forget that the recent rise of hydraulic fracturing […]

Taking sides in the latest natural gas battle

The New York Times has been running a series on natural gas. Here's David Roberts' take on the controversy behind natural gas fracking.

Half of the Bay Area's litter comes from fast food

Fast food is already a lot like pollution -- it's bad for you, but it's more convenient than the alternative, so it's really really hard to get rid of. Also it shows up frequently on the sides of highways. Now, environmental nonprofit Clean Water Action has found that, at least in the San Francisco Bay area, these two dirty birds flock together. More than half of the litter in the four cities the group studied came from convenience foods at McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Starbucks, and 7-11.

Climate change side effect: overworked doctors?

Hospital admissions diabetes, kidney stones, and suicide attempts will rise along with the temperature. An increase could overwhelm small hospitals.

Car costs may make it harder to save

Keeping money in the bank isn't easy when you're sinking dollars into your four wheels.