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Utah gov bashes fellow Republicans on environmental issues

“If we’re going to survive as a party, we need to focus on the environment. There’s a fundamental tone deafness with our party when it comes to the environment … The last place we can be as a party is be viewed as the anti-science party. That’s not a model for the future.” — Utah […]

In weekly radio address, Obama announces plan to create 2.5 million jobs

In his weekly Democratic radio address this morning, President-elect Barack Obama announced an “Economic Recovery Plan” that he has directed his team to create. The plan, he said, will create 2.5 million jobs by 2011, and though they’re still “working out the details,” he said it will include plans for green development. “We’ll put people […]

Friday music blogging: Dr. Dog

Dr. Dog is an indie band out of Philadelphia. Their new album Fate is their fifth, but their first on a new label (Park the Van). It feels like a breakthrough. And it may be my favorite album of the year. They’re usually called “psychedelic” but that doesn’t quite get it. It’s more like the […]

Wal-Mart CEO will resign

Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott, who has presided over the company in its era of greening efforts, announced Friday that he is stepping down. Mike Duke, currently head of Wal-Mart’s international operations, takes over Feb. 1. To read up on what was, check out Grist’s interview with Scott and our coverage of Wal-Mart.

Business groups, community activists blast California’s cap-and-trade plans

One day after being applauded at a climate change summit in posh Beverly Hills, California officials faced a different kind of reception during a Sacramento public hearing on the state’s monumental greenhouse gas reduction plan. A standing room only crowd of Latino farm workers, inner city residents, dozens of cities and air district officials, small […]

Waxman may move to put climate allies at head of key subcommittees

As the new chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) has the authority to reorganize the panel’s subcommittees, which could have further implications for climate and energy policy in the 111th Congress. The position many enviro observers are wondering about is the Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee, which is currently headed […]

Companies liable for annoying pollution even if it’s legal, says Canadian court

Polluters in Canada can be sued for spewing excessively annoying smells, noise, or dust — even if their pollution is within legal limits, Canada’s Supreme Court ruled Thursday. The ruling, specific to a class-action lawsuit brought by 2,000 Quebec City citizens fed up with a nearby cement plant, may have far-reaching implications. (We personally find […]

This year’s Greenbuild is buzzing

In her column this week, Lisa Selin Davis wrote about the optimism of those in the green building movement. Today I saw it in the flesh. It was astonishing, the sight of more than 800 companies and organizations packed into Boston’s Convention & Exhibition Center for this year’s Greenbuild. Big guys like Honda and DuPont […]

Bay Area is now a Better Place ™

Thursday, Better Place announced a commitment to build a network of electric car charging stations throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. I counted 18 TV cameras. People are hungry for change.

New research demonstrates that higher infant mortality rates surround CAFOs

Thanks to Proposition 2, Californians will soon phase out some of the most egregious confining animal conditions. However the rest of the country continues to utilize concentrated animal feeding operations for the production of meat, poultry and dairy products. CAFOs are industrial facilities that are designed to produce the most amount of meat in the […]