Latest Articles

Climate and Race

A boycott in Montgomery, Alabama; a march on Washington; “I Have a Dream;” a bridge in Selma; a Nobel Prize; a balcony in Memphis—the flaming arc of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life is now inscribed in American mythology. But in December 1955, when King was an unknown 26-year-old Baptist minister first thrust into leadership, the […]

Stephen Colbert on mountaintop-removal mining [VIDEO]

A couple weeks back, I covered a new paper in Science that constitutes the most comprehensive survey yet of existing scientific data on mountaintop removal mining. The conclusions were so stark and, frankly, horrifying that the scientists involved went the unusual extra step of calling for an immediate moratorium on the practice. Trust Stephen Colbert […]

Senate needs to get back to work on clean-energy bill, says Washington rep

Copenhagen may not have been a giant leap for mankind, but it was a step forward. So as the Congress returns to work this year, its post-Copenhagen duty remains the same as its pre-Copenhagen responsibility:  to pass an energy bill that both jump-starts the United States’ economy and screws down the nation’s carbon pollution. There […]

Stephen Colbert on mountaintop-removal mining

Monday night on The Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert hosted scientist Margaret Palmer in a brilliant takedown of the Obama administration's recent decision to greenlight more mountaintop-removal mining permits.

Michelle Obama vows to ‘move the ball’ on kids’ diets

White House flickr streamHer husband got dealt a difficult set of cards in taking over the post-Bush II presidency–and has arguably played them quite badly. He now finds himself in a tight political corner: caught between an emboldened Right, an angry Left, and a shrivelled middle. But Michelle Obama abides, as fabulous and beloved by […]

It's cold outside — What happened to global warming?

We've heard a lot of talk lately from deniers that cold temperatures are proof that there is no such thing as global warming.

When it comes to energy, Mark Jacobson thinks big

Mark Z. Jacobson, director of the Atmosphere/Energy Program at Stanford University, is an unusual figure in the field of climate change. He literally wrote the book on computer modeling for atmospheric changes, and he is a respected expert in the impacts of energy production and use. But what truly sets Jacobson apart is his vision. […]

Upping the ante on climate

Just about one year ago today, Barack Obama was inaugurated as President. Hopes were high among progressive-minded people, including climate activists. Finally, we had a President who got it on the need for action to address the deepening climate crisis. But here we are a year later and things look very different. The United States, […]

Ask Umbra on perfume bottles, wax paper, and alternative beverage bottles

Send your question to Umbra! Q. Dear Umbra, I am a child of the consumer age, but I try to live by “reuse, recycle.” I have a lot of fancy perfume bottles that are now empty. They are very heavy glass, and it seems I read that the return on the energy spent to melt […]

Continuing the Movement

America is struggling. Families strive to make ends meet while facing an uncertain economic future. The deterioration of our environment – rather than slowing – continues to gain speed. At a moment when we need every opportunity possible, climate change threatens the lives and livelihoods of vulnerable people at home and around the world. 

 We […]