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The Reign of King Coal is Ending

by Bruce Nilles, Director of the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign Contrary to the impression you may have been left with after reading a recent Associated Press piece about the future (or lack thereof) of coal in this country, the reign of “King Coal” is ending. Though the AP piece makes some good points (specifically, […]

Green deal or great disillusion?

While the United States is unlikely to pass a climate bill in the near future, there may be greater hope from one of the country’s closest allies: France.

My Intentional Life: Things Get Messy

Gabriel and Hunny wrestle with one of the most divisive issues of communal living: housekeeping. Will the roommates find a way to clean up without breaking up?

API chief economist admits taxes on oil industry can create millions of jobs

The American Petroleum Institute (API) — the lobbying giant of the oil and gas industry that also writes its own rules — is continuing its work to keep oil industry profits high as the American worker suffers. API demonizes any efforts to cut the industry’s billion-dollar subsidies as "energy taxes" that "destroy jobs." But their chief economist admits otherwise.

Fred Flintstone wants this car and so should you

When your car is powered by pure muscle, backseat drivers are more than welcome. But to get your hands on one from HumanCar, you might have to get in line behind Fred Flintstone. Take a look at the future -- or is it the past? -- of transportation.

Summer 2010 is breaking heat records [VIDEO]

More than five weeks remain of summer, and already it's a record-breaker. A climatologist looks at what's behind the heat and extreme weather so far.

Renewable energy: the power of positive feedback loops

When you design a national green energy system, the benefits of each part are increased and reverberate through the economy, creating a virtuous cycle

Texas oil vs. California clean tech: the battle over Proposition 23

Out-of-state petro dollars have been fueling the effort to suspend California's landmark climate change law. Now the opposition to Proposition 23 is fighting back. The No on 23 campaign has forged a surprising new coalition of green groups looking to save the planet and the Silicon Valley tech firms, venture capitalists, and old-line corporations looking to profit from decarbonizing California.

Feds say deepwater wells can no longer dodge environmental reviews

For decades, oil and gas companies pretty much called the shots in the Gulf of Mexico. Yesterday, the Interior Department made it clear its rubber stamp days are over.

West Virginia politician: Compared to drug overdoses, coal isn't so bad

At an exclusive coal industry retreat this month, a top West Virginia politician bemoaned the negative image of the state’s coal industry in the wake of this year’s Upper Big Branch disaster that killed 29 miners. Looking for a silver lining, Senate Finance Chairman Walt Helmick (D-W.Va.) contrasted the death toll from mining coal to the deaths from drug overdoses in McDowell County, West Virginia’s poorest.