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New film ‘Earth Days’ takes a sometimes devastating look at the history of environmental activism

In the 1970s, just after the first Earth Day and in the midst of oil shortages, recessions, and uprisings by restless youth, politicians were suddenly expected to show concern for the environment. President Jimmy Carter went above and beyond by installing solar panels on the White House in 1979. Solar panels on the White House! […]

Newly confirmed regulatory czar needs to close OIRA’s backdoor for special interests

Cass SunsteinAfter weeks of sustained attack from the right-wing on issues that are marginal to the job the President asked him to do, Cass Sunstein has emerged from the nomination process bloody but apparently unbowed (here’s yesterday’s roll call). He is now the nation’s “regulatory czar,” Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, […]

Friday music blogging: Röyksopp

Fact: At some point, everyone could stand to give in to a little cheesy Euro-disco-electronic music. Do not try to dispute this. To celebrate this late-summer sunny day in Seattle and my upcoming birthday, here’s something more upbeat than usual. Röyksopp is a Norwegian duo that makes music that lends itself to television — their […]

How much energy does the U.S. waste?

We must save all the energy we can!At the broadest level, everything we can do to address climate change/national security/energy balance of trade and just about any other meaningful social question associated with our energy use falls into one of three categories: 1. Use less downstream energy.  Turn down the thermostat, ride your bike to […]

Supreme Court justices say the darnedest things

During the widely-watched Supreme Court re-argument Wednesday morning of Citizens United v. Federal Election Coalition – a case that challenges the constitutionality of over a century of campaign finance laws restricting corporate spending during elections – the Justices’ varying opinions on corporations were on full display. While some, notably Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer, […]

Is Sen. Baucus of Montana standing in the way of swift, strong climate action?

Sen. Max BaucusPhoto: Center for American Progress Action FundIf you read one story about climate politics today, make it Lisa Lerer’s account of the Max Baucus factor in Politico. It explains why the Democratic senator from Montana–more than any Republican, dirty energy flack, or right-wing blowhard—has become the thorn in the side of those working […]

Dirty coal group’s 14th forgery impersonated veterans; real vets support a climate bill

Climate change is a major threat to U.S. Security.  The clean air, clean water, clean energy jobs bill would enhance our security by reducing oil dependence and environmental harm.  That’s why the conservative Virgina Republican, John Warner, is pushing hard to pass the bill — because he is a former Navy secretary and former Senate […]

EPA to hold 79 mountaintop removal permits for further review

Via Applachian Voices The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced the preliminary fate of 79 valley fill permit applications associated with mountaintop removal coal mining. In a move that pleased environmentalists and coalfield residents in central and southern Appalachia, the EPA recommended that none of the 79 permits be streamlined for approval. iLoveMountains has an […]

Counting the benefits of climate legislation

While reducing greenhouse gases will have costs, so will the results of climate change. That may seem obvious, but up until now the debate over climate legislation has only focused on the costs, without looking at the benefits. Last week, a federal interagency taskforce released preliminary findings that began to set a dollar value for […]

EPA says pending mountaintop-removal permits would likely violate Clean Water Act

This post co-written by Mary Anne Hitt, deputy director of the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign. Very big news out of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) this morning:  The agency has determined that all 79 mountaintop-removal mining permits submitted to it for review by the Army Corps of Engineers would violate the Clean Water Act. […]