Latest Articles

Kerry to make climate a top priority for Foreign Relations panel

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) wasn’t on the Democratic ticket this year, but he’s set to gain some additional influence in Washington thanks to the Obama-Biden victory. With Biden leaving the Senate for the vice presidency, Kerry will become the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and today he told reporters that climate change will […]

Revkin ‘n’ Romm

Over on Dot Earth, Andy Revkin has an interesting Q&A with Joe Romm pivoting off Romm’s letter to James Hansen. Joe says this about cap-and-trade: I don’t see that as the first strategy anymore, as I said in my Nature Online article. The latest science suggests that national and global climate policy is seriously misdirected. […]

Reclaiming the beauty of Thanksgiving

Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others. — Cicero   In a couple of days, we’ll celebrate our best, most important holiday. While celebrations of the harvest have existed for as long as civilization (for indeed it was agriculture that necessitated both), this particular holiday is uniquely […]

Enviro coalition delivers a whopping transition plan to Obamaland

Twenty-nine of the country’s biggest green groups today rolled out a comprehensive list of actions and policies they’d like President-elect Barack Obama to adopt after he takes office Jan. 20. In it, the groups stress the need for an approach that unites environment, energy, and economic policies. “We need to dig ourselves out of the […]

Reusing big boxes

This is the coolest thing I’ve seen in a while: on Slate, Julia Christensen has a slideshow essay showing how some communities have repurposed abandoned big box retail spaces. My favorite is the one in Austin, Minn., where they renovated an abandoned K-Mart to become a Spam museum. Yes, a Spam museum. And not the […]

Bush exculpates bald eagle killer, others in first round of pardons

And the pardons have officially begun … On Monday, President Bush granted pardons to 14 people and shortened the prison terms of another two, which will probably be the first round of many. No big names on the list, but three are of interest for environmental reasons, including: • Daniel Figh Pue III, of Conroe, […]

Wolves in the Rockies

A video about keeping wolves protected under the Endangered Species Act: If you’re interested in doing something — insofar as signing an online petition is doing something — NRDC Action Fund has a petition you can sign here.

How to change USDA with sustainable agriculture allies

In a recent post, I discussed likely candidates for secretary of agriculture in the Obama administration and encouraged you to voice your support or dislike of the names being floated to Obama’s transition team. You can have an impact: in large numbers, voices of the people are very powerful. Please continue to make your opinions […]

Science/IEA: World oil crunch looming?

Science magazine has a major “news focus” piece ($ub. req’d) arguing the peak is nigh: Even those who believe there’s plenty of oil left in the ground to meet rising demand are warning that the final crisis could come uncomfortably soon. Although price spikes and drops may recur for years, says [IEA] economist Fatih Birol, […]

Big Auto can’t sue Rhode Island over car emissions standards, judge rules

Big Auto cannot sue to keep Rhode Island from enforcing tighter vehicle emissions standards, a federal judge ruled Tuesday. U.S. District Judge Ernest Torres said, essentially, that pending cases were pointless and a waste of time, seeing as automakers have already lost similar battles in California and Vermont.