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House approves “Cash for Clunkers” bill, enviros unimpressed

The House approved a measure on Tuesday that would give Americans a cash incentive to trade in their old, gas-guzzling automobiles for slightly more efficient models. The “Cash for Clunkers” bill passed through the chamber with a 298 to 119 vote, and the Senate could vote on similar legislation later this week. The bill would […]

Newt Gingrich: “I am not a citizen of the world.”

“Ich bin ein Berliner” – not! The other intellectual leader of the GOP – the one whose first name isn’t Sarah – summed up the narrow minded and ultimately self-destructive “every-country-for-themselves” mentality of the modern conservative movement Monday.  Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was keynoting the biggest GOP fundraiser of the year for the Senate […]

Waxman-Markey could save $3,900 per household and create 650,000 jobs by 2030

The energy efficiency provisions in the House energy and climate bill (H.R. 2454) could save $750 per household by 2020 and $3,900 per household by 2030, according to an analysis by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).   An ACEEE news release notes that not only will efficiency reduce the costs to consumers and […]

13 badass greens

Think people who love the planet are all wimps and weenies? Think again. Here are thirteen who are giving green a bad reputation — in a good way. Read on to learn more about these Mother-lovers — and leave your own nominations in the comments section below. Training day.Beige Luciano-Adams/ELLA13. Homeboy Industries. With the tagline […]

Offsets: Pissing the earth away

More than 2 and half years ago I wrote: “Mommy, where do carbon offsets come from?” “Well, you see sweetheart, when a major polluter and a consultant love money very, very much, they express that love in a special way. Nine months later, the consultant produces an extremely large paper packet.” Offsets, the idea that […]

Brookings: Fears that cap and trade will hurt farmers are baseless

Cross-posted from Wonk Room. A new economic study reveals that concerns a cap on global warming pollution could hurt American agriculture are unfounded. As the Waxman-Markey green economy legislation (H.R. 2454) moves toward passage in the House of Representatives, the farm lobby and rural officials have questioned the bill’s costs to farmers. Last week, Rep. […]

Imperium CEO can’t take the truth

Michael Kanellos said the following in his Greentech Innovations Report last week: “A tour of its portfolio shows it has made some pretty good bets, and also nabbed some major clunkers. …On the other hand, it also put money into Imperium Renewables, the dead-as-Latin biofuel maker.” … Down in the comment field, the CEO of […]

Congress introduces twin bills to control drilling and protect drinking water

ProPublica’s Abrahm Lustgarten reports: In a widely expected move that is sure to draw the ire of the oil and gas industry, Democratic members of Congress today introduced twin bills to amend the Safe Drinking Water Act and give the Environmental Protection Agency authority over the controversial drilling process called hydraulic fracturing. The stand-alone bills […]

As Energy Northwest looks to nuclear power, expert details risks

Last week, news broke that regional power consortium Energy Northwest may be looking to build another nuclear reactor in Washington state. The last time Energy Northwest went after nuclear power, they were known as Washington Public Power Supply System — or WPPSS, which eventually came to be pronounced as “whoops” when only one of five […]

West Va. Supreme Court affirms toxic coal silo as wonderful playground

While coal may now be the official rock of West Virginia, it might soon become the official school vegetable, too. Call it organic clean coal. On the heels of being reprimanded by the US Supreme Court this week for allowing one of its Massey coal company-bankrolled justices to refuse to recuse himself on Massey coal-related […]