Latest Articles

Statisticians reject global cooling

A terrific story by the AP’s Seth Borenstein, “Statisticians reject global cooling,” not only debunks that myth — it will make your head spin once again on error-riddled Superfreakonomics (coauthored by Levitt). Have you heard that the world is now cooling instead of warming? You may have seen some news reports on the Internet or […]

Nature: “Dynamic thinning of Greenland and Antarctic ice-sheet"

The most detailed satellite information available shows that ice sheets in Greenland and western Antarctica are shrinking faster than scientists thought and in some places are already in runaway melt mode, a new study found…. Using 50 million laser readings from a NASA satellite, scientists for the first time calculated changes in the height of […]

WWLD: What Would Lincoln Do?

Dear President Obama, cc: Sen. Kerry, Rep. Markey Our nation faces the gravest threat to our security and well being and the most profound moral challenge since the great struggle to end slavery. We were blessed, then, to be led by another tall, slim politician from Illinois. However, the terrible prospect of climate cataclysm, though […]

Ask Umbra on Halloween treats and costumes

Send your question to Umbra! Q. Hi Umbra, Do you have any suggestions for an environmentally friendly Halloween treat, and something that parents won’t worry about? Thanks,Kim W.Ann Arbor, Mich. A. Dearest Kim, Or there’s the ever-popular “hot mama Earth” costume.Grist TVWe’ve said lots about Halloween over the years, but there’s always more to say. […]

The big stories out of Tuesday’s Senate hearing on Kerry-Boxer

Today’s hearing of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee — the first of three days of hearings on the Kerry-Boxer clean energy bill — didn’t contain any big surprises. As Keith Johnson notes, Senators generally played their appointed roles. There are four stories out of today that seem notable. 1. Republicans are completely out […]

Who’s who on the EPW: Senate committee begins landmark climate hearings

Cross-posted from the Wonk Room. John Kerry testifying.This week, hearings begin in the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act (S. 1733). This comprehensive climate and clean energy legislation, co-sponsored by Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and committee chair Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), will establish a mandatory global […]

New reports show successes and failures of Energy Star

The media has been taking the Department of Energy (DOE) to task over a recently released audit by the Inspector General (IG) which highlighted some well known shortcomings in the Energy Star program. The conclusions were not surprising — there needs to be more testing of products to ensure compliance with Energy Star requirements and […]

Black (fly) magic

Adult black soldier fly.blacksoldierflyblog.comBlack soldier fly larvae are all the rage in composting, and the star performer in a new kind of “ultimate vermicomposting” system. These critters will devour anything biological that you can throw at them, including items that normally cannot be composted and instead end up in the trash, so called ‘putrescent’ wastes […]

Scientists claim junk food is as addictive as heroin

With the rumors swirling that Michelle Obama is a big fan of former FDA Commissioner David Kessler’s new book The End of Overeating, it seems reasonable to check in on the science behind an “addiction model” for salty, sweet, and fatty processed food (an assertion at the core of the book). As it happens, a […]

Google Earth salutes Appalachian heroes

Google Earth just released this wonderful series of videos on citizens groups and environmental heroes who are using Google Earth tools in their campaigns. Check out this clip on Appalachian Voices, Coal River Mountain Watch, and other Appalachian coalfield activists in their I Love Mountains anti-mountaintop removal campaign: