Latest Articles

‘Jobs of the Future’ ad pressures GOP to support climate bill

The progressive group Americans United for Change unveiled a new TV ad today that seeks to put pressure on Republicans to support President Obama’s energy plan. Titled “Jobs of the Future,” it links Obama’s green-jobs ambitions to President John F. Kennedy’s challenge to the nation to put a man on the moon. “Today President Obama […]

Climate math: How the “Chicken Littles” cook the numbers

The transition to clean energy, reducing our dependence on dangerous foreign oil and protecting our environment will cost less than some would have you think. In April, the EPA estimated that the American Clean Energy and Security Act would cost households less than the cost of a postage stamp each day, roughly $100-$140 per year. […]

Broad and diverse support for Waxman-Markey’s American Clean Energy and Security Act

Support for the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 is coming in from a broad and diverse range of constituencies, including businesses, unions, elected officials, environmental groups, organizations representing low-income Americans and people of faith and coalitions combining some of those constituencies. Here are excerpts from letters that have been sent to the […]

The Waxman-Markey Rorschach blot

In early June I’ll be speaking at a plenary session on climate politics at the America’s Future Now! conference organized by the Campaign for America’s Future. They asked me to write a post on the Waxman-Markey bill to kick off discussion in advance of the conference. The post is here, and reprinted below. —– The […]

The scoop on Obama’s new fuel-economy rules

On May 19, President Barack Obama unveiled new standards to regulate fuel economy and greenhouse-gas emissions from cars and light trucks.   The bottom line:  New automobiles will have to get better gas mileage The numbers: Current standards: 27.5 miles per gallon for cars and 24 mpg for light trucks Starting in 2012, fuel efficiency […]

Toxic waste from New York river cleanup headed to Texas

In a bit of good news for the environment, work got underway this week to clean up hazardous PCB pollution that General Electric dumped into New York’s Upper Hudson River. But there’s also some bad news — which is that the toxic waste is being sent to a landfill that sits atop the Ogallala Aquifer, […]

New report details pesticide over-use in child care centers

When eco-minded people become parents, it seems like they frequently become even bigger green freaks.  I know that’s been true for my partner and me since we embarked on the journey to parenthood last year – decisions around our house that used to be made based on a variety of factors have become green mandates.  […]

Memo to NBC’s Chuck Todd: Energy and climate shake up the traditional political categories

Now that energy and global warming have leaped into the political mainstream, lots of reporters who aren’t knowledgeable on either subject are writing and blogging on it.  And that means we can expect a lot of dubious sloppy suboptimal reporting by people who are more interested in the personality drama and traditional politics than in […]

Free local cheese, a win-win-win

Jeff Maurone via Flickr.If you were anywhere near Seattle this weekend and you didn’t make it to the Seattle Cheese Festival, oh man, I’m sorry. Oh man. Pike Place Market, a sample-lover’s paradise on any day, played host to more than 200 artisanal cheesemakers for the weekend. Each brought some fine creations and each offered […]

You can’t build a new foundation with dirty energy

Building a new foundation requires a lot of heavy machinery. Bulldozers to clear the land, extractors to dig the foundation, concrete-mixers to pour the cement, and trucks to haul the raw materials. So perhaps it’s appropriate that Jim Owens, the CEO of Caterpillar will be at the White House tomorrow for the first meeting of […]