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Gary Hart talks to Grist about climate and energy policy and the next president

Energy, climate, and national-security concerns are inextricably joined in the modern political environment, says former Democratic Colorado Sen. Gary Hart. This fact should elevate sound climate and energy policy to a top-tier issue in this year’s election, he said, for both politicians and voters. “I think if ordinary, everyday Americans understood that we are sacrificing […]

Gates and Buffet to invest in tar sands and spawn more two-headed fish?

Two heads are apparently not better than one — certainly not for fish and apparently not for the super-rich either. If you thought that the two richest Americans got that way by being green — or had suddenly become green because they are now giving their money to charitable causes — you were mistaken. The […]

Who’s advising McCain on energy and climate?

Greenwire has also published ($ub. req’d) a detailed list of who is advising McCain on energy and environment policies, which I am reprinting below the fold. By contrast, McCain’s campaign relies on a small group of longtime friends and advisers. Campaign staff would not comment on why their advisory team isn’t as large as Obama’s, […]

California Energy Commission considers PG&E proposal to require energy-efficient televisions

The following post is by Earl Killian, guest blogger at Climate Progress. —– The California Energy Commission is considering a proposal by PG&E to require televisions sold in the state to meet a minimum efficiency standard. Why is a utility proposing its customers by more efficient appliances? Because California allows utilities to earn a return […]

Why Biden is such an important pick for those who care about the climate

Catastrophic climate change is the primary preventable threat to the health and well-being of all Americans — as readers of this blog already understand and as pretty much everyone else will figure out in the coming years. Keeping total planetary warming as low as possible — ideally below 2°C, which it turn requires keeping atmospheric […]

Mark Warner talks to Grist about his energy vision and upcoming keynote address

Mark Warner. Photo: John Rohrbach “I’m a big believer that to get the American people to agree on transformative change, you’ve got to show bipartisan support,” Virginia Democratic Senate candidate Mark Warner tells Grist. “And I think if we’re really going to get the change in the energy field, it’s going to take that.” Warner, […]

Polar bears in open water prompt more worries about climate change

Ten polar bears were recently spotted swimming in open water off of the northwest coast of Alaska, federal officials confirmed on Friday. Polar bears were not often spotted in open water until about 2004, said Susanne Miller, who heads up the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s polar bear project. She and other biologists worry that […]

U.S. foreign policy: GMO all the way

About a week ago, The New York Times ran a brief interview with Nina V. Federoff, official “science and technology adviser” to the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development. Not surprisingly, Condoleeza Rice’s science czar has a special place in her heart for genetically modified organisms. In the Times interview, Federoff defends […]

Umbra on buying big cars

Dear Umbra, I’m in need of a new car. I’d love to get a Prius, but I often need more passenger seats than the Prius has. What is the most environmentally friendly and responsible choice for a driver who needs a larger car? It seems like the bigger hybrids (i.e., the Toyota Highlander) are expensive […]

Seven in 10 Americans reducing carbon footprint

The following post is by Ken Levenson, guest blogger at Climate Progress. —– At least 7 in 10 say say they are trying to reduce their carbon footprint. That’s according to a new ABC News/Planet Green/Stanford University poll released this month. Yes, this headline appears very much a result of higher gasoline prices: 59 percent […]