Latest Articles

Meet the Climate Fockers

Here’a repost from my Climateprogress.org blog today:   A business colleague and friend recently had a nice conversation with his brother, a doctor visiting from the South. His brother doesn’t think climate change is a problem. It went something like this: Brother: “I’ve been reading some interesting articles about climate change that don’t….” Colleague: “Shut […]

Top USDA bee researcher also found Bayer pesticide harmful to honeybees

Remember the case of the leaked document showing that the EPA's own scientists are concerned about a pesticide it approved that might harm fragile honeybee populations? Well, it turns out that USDA researchers also have good evidence that these nicotine-derived chemicals could be playing a part in Colony Collapse Disorder. So why on earth are they still in use on millions of acres of American farmland?

Monsanto's latest farmwashing ad campaign debuts

We have two agricultural systems in this country, both claiming to be good for farmers and both claiming to be sustainable, says Marion Nestle. But only one has millions of dollars' worth of ads selling its version of reality.

Obama’s executive order could actually be a win for the environment

Progressives have weighed in on Barack Obama's regulation executive order with criticism. A close look reveals much of the complaints are unwarranted.

Parsing the new 'humane' food labels

What do the new "humane" labels really mean for things like pork and eggs? Depends on who's backing them.

Is China's quasi-dictatorship better prepared for the 21st century than our mess of a democracy?

China is a nation ruled by engineers with a steely-eyed determination to vanquish us in the race for clean energy. How can a democracy beholden to corporate interests and besieged by politicians in deep denial about the shape of the 21st century possibly keep up?

Coal Victories and Challenges

Every week it seems as if there’s coal-related news to celebrate and to challenge us. We celebrated last week’s decision from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Lisa Jackson to veto the water permit for the massive Spruce No. 1 mountaintop removal coal mining site in West Virginia. Administrator Jackson’s brave step stopped a mountaintop […]

Making iPad music from the New York City subway map

Musician and programmer Alexander Chen wants to turn the New York subway system into a user-driven iPad musical instrument.

New report quantifies just how much a car commute crushes your soul

The Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M University has released its annual Urban Mobility Report, which includes data on how much time, money, and mental health urban-area car commuters lose to congestion every year. Spoiler alert: Car commuting is expensive, crazy-making, and bad for the environment.

Where the GOP presidential contenders stand on climate [UPDATED]

All of the leading hopefuls for the Republican presidential nomination vociferously oppose cap-and-trade systems. On climate science, there's more variety, ranging from loud denial to quiet acquiescence.