Latest Articles

Gulf Oil Slick Makes Climate Negotiations Slippery, Says Utility Exec

Even before BP capped the oil spill, the Washington Post declared a loss for environmentalists. It’s been 3 months and we haven’t seen a cap on carbon, what gives? “Traditionally, American environmentalism wins its biggest victories after some important piece of American environment is poisoned, exterminated or set on fire. An oil spill and a […]

Ten green stories you probably missed this week

The big story of the week, of course, is that BP, after almost three miserable months, may have finally stopped its Gulf gusher. (Emphasis on “may.”) But chances are you missed these greener tales — from the beauty of pond scum to the bendable bike to the regenerative power of beer.  Flasks of algae waiting […]

Going Under (Video)

Tuvalu, Mauritius, Kiribati, Bangladesh. Every nation sitting at sea level is going to lose in its own way if oceans rise, but these four will be especially affected…and none are major contributors to the sources behind the rise in sea level. The average carbon footprint of a person living in Bangladesh is about 1.1 tons […]

Vintage soda ads: Can you spot the fake?

We ran across one of these old ads pushing pop for tots on Facebook and shook our heads disbelievingly, before learning it was a fake. But the sweetened beverage industry has stooped equally low in the past, all the way down to toddler eye level. Can you guess which one is a modern mock-up? The […]

House Democrats introduce bill to defend PACE clean-energy program

Thirty House Democrats signed on to a new bill on Thursday that would save Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs, which have been under attack from mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. PACE is a finance tool that helps homeowners afford energy-efficiency retrofits and renewable-energy installations. The PACE Assessment Protection Act of 2010 would […]

‘Dallas’ oil baron now solar energy pimp

Never thought you’d see the day when a Texas oilman turns sunny-side up? Oh wait, T. Boone Pickens has been there, funded that. OK, how about a fictional oil tycoon? Larry Hagman, who slicked himself up as exactly that in the hit TV soap opera Dallas — Wikipedia tells me it was a hit; it […]

BP whistleblower: ‘They just don’t know who they’re messing with’

If you’ve been reading Mother Jones lately, you’ve heard about BP’s stranglehold on media access in the Gulf, which has included preventing reporters from visiting oil-soaked public beaches and barring its spill cleanup workers from talking to the press. Now, one of BP’s ex-media enforcers is speaking out. Former BP contractor Adam Dillon went public […]

‘CAFO Reader’ editor Daniel Imhoff on the ills of factory ‘farms’

The CAFO Reader — a new book featuring essays by farmers Wendell Berry, Becky Weed, and Fred Kirschenmann, Republican speech writer Matthew Scully, journalist Michael Pollan, and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., among many others — gives a full picture of the environmental, social, and ethical implications of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO), and includes a […]

These heating and cooling engineers are licensed to make you laugh [VIDEO]

The admirable folks at the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) have put out the most unintentionally hilarious/awkward recruiting video I’ve ever seen. In case you’re not familiar, ASHRAE’s engineers are aiming to “advance technology to serve humanity and promote a sustainable world.” And, you know, keep the fridge running. So what […]

Bloomberg reporter misinterprets Bloomberg polling on offshore drilling moratorium

The beginning of this Bloomberg story is completely false: Most Americans oppose President Barack Obama’s ban on deepwater oil drilling in response to BP Plc’s Gulf of Mexico spill, even as they hold the company primarily responsible for the incident. Almost three-fourths, or 73 percent, say a ban is unnecessary, calling the worst oil spill […]