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Snippets from the news

• GAO skeptical of claims that clean coal will soon be ready for the big-time. • Houston and Los Angeles deemed to have “severe” smog. • L.A., Long Beach ports inaugurate new anti-smog plan. • Ships can keep dumping coal and other residues into Great Lakes. • Head of NOAA announces resignation.

Australia’s Garnaut Report gets usual reactions from usual suspects

The final, 700-page Garnaut Report is out. (More about the report — Australia’s version of the U.K.’s Stern Report — here.) Says Wiki: The report recommended that Australia push internationally for a carbon dioxide equivalent concentrations of 450 ppm, which would commit Australia to reductions of 25% on 2000 levels by 2020, and 90% by […]

All-electric version of tiny Smart car unveiled at Paris Auto Show

Automaker Daimler unveiled an all-electric version of its tiny Smart car at the Paris Auto Show this week, dubbed the Smart ED for its electric drive. Diesel-powered versions of the ultra-cute, ultra-compact Smart Fortwo went on sale in the United States just this January to wide acclaim. Company spokespeople said the all-electric Smart Fortwo will […]

How to turn black walnuts into a delicious dish

When I was growing up in central Ohio, school began right after Labor Day. This was advantageous compared to today’s August start, and not just because of the longer summer break. The extra time also allowed the black walnuts to ripen just in time to give us something to hurl at each other as we […]

We’re headed out on the town — join us

We’re in Chicago touring green roofs and green biz ventures, but tonight we want to share all our adventures with you — live and in person — at a Chicago pub near our hotel. Meet us at O’Callaghan’s — 29 W. Hubbard St. between Dearborn St. and State St. We’ll head over there around 9 […]

Who will bail out the McMansion developers?

If you think the economic downturn is bad for you, try being a developer of sprawly McMansion exurbs. Those dudes have it rough! Don’t miss this hilarious story from Kaid Benfield, director of NRDC’s smart growth program. So developer Gladstone Homes builds this development outside Chicago, in Plainfield, Ill., called Chatham Square, filled with McMansions […]

Credit crunch slows clean energy development

A few weeks ago, I made some guesses about how the big picture trends in the economy would affect the development of clean energy. And though it’s still early days for the financial crisis, so far my guesses look pretty good. The Times talks to a few industry insiders, who confirm that the credit crunch […]

A can’t-lose debate strategy for Joe Biden

I have a new mini-article in Salon, “A can’t-lose debate strategy for Joe Biden.” It explains how Biden can win the debate and score big points with independents by bringing up clean energy and global warming as much as possible. This may require more message discipline than the Dem VP nominee has. The article ends […]

Sarah Palin, polar bears, and junk science

There’s lots of buzz around this piece in the Guardian, in which Ed Pilkington shows that Alaska governor Sarah Palin, battling to keep polar bears off the endangered species list, made use of junk science and scientists funded in part by Exxon and the American Petroleum Institute. Those interested in the subject should read this […]

What enviros would like to hear (but probably won’t) in tonight’s VP debate

Joe Biden. Tonight’s vice presidential debate is by far the most anticipated debate of this election cycle. In the right corner, newcomer Sarah Palin. In the left, Joe Biden, a senator who’s been in office since Palin was “in, like, the second grade.” A series of klutzy and unflattering interviews with Palin on CBS this […]