Latest Articles
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Why is India the poster child for the population problem?
A market street in Chennai, India.Photo: mckaysavage via FlickrJulia Whitty has written a smart, nuanced cover story on population for Mother Jones. She addresses the important issues, she connects the dots, she knows her stuff. But I have a bone to pick. About half of the article explores the wide-ranging set of issues associated with […]
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Six reasons not to trust BP
Okay, so Top Kill failed, and we’re on pause for the next few days while BP preps for Plan, um, is it E? For the sake of the Gulf Coast, we hope this next fix-it option, a new kind of cap, works. But it’s getting harder to pull for BP. Here’s why: We don’t need […]
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Wind electricity from flying energy generators cheaper and more reliable than coal?
A technology that might provide clean electricity that is cheaper and more reliable than coal is ready for testing. Some of the world’s leading scientists think it will work. So why aren’t we spending a few million (not billion but million) dollars to find out? The basic idea: wind blows harder and more constantly at […]
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Friday music blogging: The New Pornographers
What can one say about The New Pornographers that hasn’t been said? Nothing, really. They are Canadian. They are beloved by hipster nerds the world over. They are consistently good. And sure enough, their new album Together is rock solid indie pop. I’ve always thought the band works best with Neko Case‘s voice out front. […]
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Hidden health costs of transportation
Photo: BikePortland$142 billion in obesity-related health care costs and lost wages due to illness. As much as $80 billion in health care costs and premature death caused by air pollution from traffic. A whopping $180 billion from traffic crashes – lost wages, health care costs, property damage, travel delay, legal costs, pain and suffering … […]
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The BP oil gusher is just the latest in a long line of assaults on the Gulf of Mexico
A fishing boat returns after a night of fishing in the Gulf.Photo courtesy PDub via FlickrI’m a fourth-generation fisherwoman from the Texas Gulf Coast, on a boat since I was eight. Over the last two decades, I’ve become a self-appointed watchdog of the chemical, oil, and gas corporations that are decimating the Gulf. I hate […]
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Will the World Bank undermine the people of El Salvador in mining dispute?
Proposed site of Pacific Rim’s El Dorado mine.In a truly David and Goliath battle, the people of El Salvador are fighting against a Canadian mining giant that was lawfully denied permits for a gold and silver mine that would devastate the local environment and threaten the health and livelihoods of native residents. Next week, the […]
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Egger’s Head: The oil spill
There’s a lot going on in Robert Egger’s head. Just ask him. Which is exactly what we do on a regular basis. And who is this Robert Egger, you wonder? He is the Founder of D.C. Central Kitchen, who moonlights as a rabble rouser, entrepreneur, and non-profit innovator with a knack for knitting disparate ideas […]
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Mercury pollution from dental offices is contaminating your seafood
It seems innocent enough. Your dentist is giving you a new filling. You get some of those little metal slivers in your mouth and he tells you take a swig of water. Rinse and spit. No problem, right? Unfortunately, each one of those slivers is about half mercury. Multiply that simple routine millions of times, […]
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American Power Act: Allowance allocation
Following up on last week’s preliminary analysis of the Kerry-Lieberman climate bill, here’s a closer look at how allowances are distributed under the cap-and-trade program. High level: the allowances allocated over the life of the program, from 2013 to 2050, heavily favor consumer benefits. Smaller chunks are dedicated to deficit reduction, industry, and other objectives. […]
