Latest Articles

The light-related news keeps flooding in

On Thursday GE launched a line of CFLs that look like … wait for it … regular incandescent bulbs! At least one other company (competitor Philips) has tried the clever disguise, but GE says, “No, for real, this one is really small and it really does look like a normal bulb.” Or words to that […]

Food should be controlled by farmers, not corporations

Food is an important part of most Holiday celebrations, not just because we need food to live, but food connects us to our culture, our past, and whether we know it or not, our future. Food Is Different: Why the WTO Should Get Out of Agriculture is a great book by Peter Rosset — one […]

Create jobs, cut emissions, and reduce oil imports by investing in renewables and energy efficiency

Originally posted at earthpolicy.org —– At a time when major U.S. companies are announcing job layoffs almost daily, the renewable energy industry is hiring new workers every day to build wind farms, install rooftop solar arrays, and build solar thermal and geothermal power plants. The output of industrial firms that manufacture the equipment for these […]

Climate website combines economics with climate change realities

Who says economists don’t have a sense of humor?  Actually we don’t, but we have a new website intended to make economics serve environmental objectives far better than it has in the past: ClimateChangeEcon.net. The site provides regulators, legislators, and policy analysts — and anyone else who’s interested — access to a comprehensive clearinghouse of […]

New EPA pick Lisa Jackson on Katrina and the failures of government

“The shameful failures of government that the world witnessed in the wake of Hurricane Katrina have given me a special appreciation for the importance of public service. Those failures have galvanized my commitment to working tirelessly to protect the health and safety of the people of New Jersey and to enhancing our quality of life.” […]

FDA draft report downplays mercury risk from fish

A new draft report from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration downplays the risks to women, infants, and kids from eating mercury-tainted fish, advising people of all ages to consume more fish due to its health benefits and recommending that the government’s current advisory be scrapped in favor of an all-around pro-fish approach, regardless of […]

U.S. auto bailout bill dies in Congress

The survival of Chrysler and General Motors remains in doubt after Congress adjourned late Thursday night without passing a Senate bailout bill for U.S. automakers. The U.S. House passed a version of the bailout bill Wednesday that included a key green provision requiring automakers to abide by California’s strict fuel-efficiency requirements. However, the Senate’s rescue […]

Bush admin removes independent scientific reviews from Endangered Species Act

The Bush administration this week made a major change to the Endangered Species Act by axing a requirement that federal agencies seek independent scientific reviews of planned projects to determine if they would mess with imperiled plants or animals. “These changes are going to result in more species being put in jeopardy,” said Jamie Rappaport […]

California to slash greenhouse-gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020

California officials this week committed to a comprehensive plan to cut the state’s greenhouse-gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 through regulating GHG emissions from vehicles, investing in energy efficiency, and sourcing one-third of the state’s electricity from renewables, among other initiatives.

Obama’s green administration picks signal major shifts in policy

The Green Team. Clockwise from top left: Carol Browner, Lisa Jackson, Nancy Sutley, and Steven Chu. Obama’s green team hasn’t yet been made official (and probably won’t be until next week), but his rumored choices are eliciting passionate reactions nonetheless. Enviros, for the most part, are pleased with the picks, while business-oriented interests are offering […]