Latest Articles
-
Hybrid speedboat makes its debut
You knew it had to happen sometime — luxury speedboats have gone green! Well, at least one has: California resource officials got a ride Friday in what Austrian manufacturer Frauscher Bootswerft says is the world’s first hybrid recreational boat. The speedy, sleek 25-footer has a combo electric-diesel engine. California Resources Secretary Michael Chrisman’s reaction after […]
-
Waxman discloses evidence that White House influenced EPA California waiver
It's been a matter of extreme controversy since last December, when EPA -- confronted with an impending front-page Washington Post exclusive -- suddenly announced it was denying California's request to enforce its greenhouse gas standards for motor vehicles.
After months of dogged investigation, California Rep. Henry Waxman disclosed today that he had evidence that the White House tampered with the decision. The issue is certain to come up tomorrow as EPA Admistrator Steve Johnson appears before Waxman's panel.
Waxman's House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform released the results of its investigation (PDF) today, including private depositions with key EPA staffers.
-
ACEEE on the carbon-free energy source no one talks about
What if there were a source of carbon-free energy that in a single year in the U.S. drew $300 billion in private investment, supported 1.6 million jobs, and generated 1.7 quads of energy, roughly equivalent to the total energy required to run 40 mid-sized coal plants? We would drill anywhere, dig up anything, go to […]
-
Suing energy companies for global warming damages
I don’t have strong opinions on suing energy companies over global warming, but the notion does seem somewhat suspect. For starters, they don’t really have enough money to materially compensate the affected class of people — namely, everyone in the world. Legal liability taken with any seriousness at all would quickly bankrupt them. I’m all […]
-
Umbra on tent caterpillars
Dear Umbra, In beautiful Virginia, this is the time of year that the caterpillars start making their “tents” in branches of shrubbery and trees in our yards. Conventional wisdom has been to destroy them, as they will surely eat the leaves inside the tent, causing some damage to the infected tree/shrub. So I have two […]
-
The House is lagging behind the Senate on climate change
The Hill is ablaze with discussion of the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act, which is expected to hit the Senate floor in early June. But on the House side, movement on climate legislation has been slow and quiet. Several bills have been floated, but none have gained any real traction. Everyone is waiting to see what […]
-
Thinking the unthinkable
The Minneapolis Star-Tribune wonders: The end of coal?
-
Animated map shows changes in a warming world
Gotta see it to believe it? Behold: Climate Change in Our World, a project from Google Earth and British environmental and meteorological offices that gives a visual representation of what we’ve got in store. Using NASA satellite images and medium-case climate scenarios, the project uses time-lapse animation to illustrate predicted planetary changes through 2100. Viewers […]
-
He doesn’t say so explicitly …
… but this Paul Krugman column is about placemaking. On that note, don’t miss our Smart(ish) Cities series.
-
