Latest Articles

Antarctica ice melt more widespread and faster than thought, says study

Antarctica holds about 90 percent of the Earth’s ice, so it’s a bit problematic that the continent seems to be melting faster than expected. Not only is large-scale ice loss more widespread than thought, but the rate of meltiness has accelerated over the last decade, says a study in the journal Nature Geoscience. The West […]

Romney and McCain treat Michigan workers like credulous children

Romney and McCain are campaigning furiously in Michigan, and it’s tight. Romney, for whom Michigan is make-or-break, seems to have decided it’s in his best interests to sell fantasies: Mr. Romney criticized the energy bill signed into law last month by President Bush that requires cars and trucks sold in the United States to achieve […]

An interview with Florida’s governor, a Republican climate crusader

Photo: Steven Murphy/WireImageMeet Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, a surprising blend of Grand Ol’ Party and bleeding-heart greenie. As a Republican, he defends the Bush administration’s environmental record, but he also counts among his personal heroes Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who wrote an entire book condemning Bush as “America’s worst environmental president.” Crist wasn’t backed by […]

Bleach company discovers its green gene

Joel Makower has a characteristically thorough and thoughtful look at Clorox’s launch of their new "Green Works" line of cleaning products, in which he was peripherally involved (does the guy sleep?). I’ll admit, when I read these things, I feel positive and hopeful, and then I think, hm, how will some enviro manage to spin […]

Cape Wind project given preliminary environmental approval

Seems it was only October that the controversial Cape Wind project in Nantucket Sound was dealt a setback. Now here it is January, and the wind farm that NIMBYs love to hate is inching forward, having been given preliminary environmental approval from the Minerals Management Service. After a public comment period, the final fate of […]

What would you ask a ‘Skinny Bitch’?

As our resident foodie Tom Philpott noted a few weeks ago, the bitches behind Skinny Bitch — "a no-nonsense, tough-love guide for savvy girls who want to stop eating crap and start looking fabulous" — are back. Tomorrow afternoon I’ll be lunching with one of them, and I’m curious what y’all would ask her — […]

Umbra on green donations

Hey Umbra, With strict instructions from me, my parents decided to skip most of the presents this Christmas and give me the big-ticket item I had requested: money to give away. They’ve given me $1,000, far more than I expected, to donate to the charity of my choice. What environmental organizations would you recommend? (Other […]

Bongy feet

Parenthood confers many blessings, but the requirement that one watch an endless succession of kiddie movies is not among them. This weekend, I found myself sitting on the bean bag with the boys, watching Happy Feet. You’ll recall that the movie caused a bit of buzz in green (and anti-green) circles when it came out, […]

There’s a large human cost to subsidizing European fishing fleets in West Africa

Today's front page New York Times story -- "Europe Takes Africa's Fish, and Boatloads of Migrants Follow" -- chronicles the human cost of overfishing. Fueled by billions in government subsidies, European fleets empty out West African waters, leaving nothing for subsistence fishermen. I wrote about this in an earlier post, but it's an important enough issue to warrant reiteration.

Tech companies offer free rights to eco-friendly patents

Four tech companies have partnered with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development to introduce the Eco-Patent Commons, which will offer the rights to eco-friendly technologies for free. IBM, Sony, Nokia, and Pitney Bowes have together donated 31 patents into the public domain, including one for a shock-absorbing cardboard tray that would replace the need […]