Latest Articles

Solar developers race clock as sun sets on lucrative incentives

Time is running out for solar developers seeking federal cash grants for major projects.

China plans to continue expanding renewable energy production

China has firmly established itself as a key player in the clean energy sector. The country is significantly ramping up its renewable energy capacity, increasing energy efficiency, investing in research and development, and shutting down some of its least efficient coal plants. These encouraging trends are likely to continue or accelerate in the years to come.

Meet James McWilliams, meat-industry defender — and aggrieved vegan?

James McWilliams has made a career of defending the food industry from what he sees as its hysterical, unreasonable critics (such as yours truly). At several points, this mission has led him to defend industrial meat. All of this makes his latest -- a moralistic vegan screed -- hard to swallow.

Bangladesh minister responds to GOP climate zombies

Bangladesh environment minister says negative climate impacts are obvious in his country.

Ask Umbra’s Book Club: Does caring about the environment make you crazy?

Umbra kicks off discussion of her Book Club pick, Freedom, with a video of Jonathan Franzen talking about the mental toll of caring for the environment.

Colorado is Poised to Actually Close Coal Plants

The holy grail of solving climate change, according  to climate scientists like Jim Hansen, is shutting down coal plants. That’s easier said than done, of course, because each year we run these old, dirty civilization destroyers gives us anoother year of cheap power. But Colorado, showing world leadership, is actually working on closing plants. In fact […]

Lessons from Ann Cooper’s school-food revolution in Boulder

In this conclusion to my Cafeteria Confidential: Boulder series, I examine what Boulder can teach other U.S. schools: The government won't fix school lunch, but a fed-up community, led by a pro like Ann Cooper, can effect real change.

SF to Cancun: Social movements bring hope as COP 16 falters

Thousands of community activists around the world take action to promote Local Solutions to the Climate Crisis The tone inside the conference center at the U.N. Climate Negotiations in Cancun has been a bit dismal this past week. Yet despite the reduced expectations inside, this morning the international peasant movement La Via Campesina gave us […]

The FDA's crackdown on small cheesemakers fails to turn up many bugs

While the FDA has forced the shutdown of small cheese makers Estrella and Morningland, most of its pathogen hunts have come up empty-handed.

How can clean electrons compete with dirty electrons?

One of the most fundamental challenges facing clean power is that, to put it simply, electrons are electrons. Power from a solar power plant, once it enters the transmission system, is indistinguishable from coal, nuclear, or natural gas power. To the end consumer, it's all just electricity -- or rather, it's all just lights coming on and dishwashers running. Given that, how can consumers be sold on clean electricity?