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Some good news for wind and solar

For those who have long been frustrated with the pace of progress in energy storage for electricity, we are happy to finally report a bit of good news.

Two weeks ago, Jason moderated a panel at "Investing in Energy Storage Technologies," a conference in New York City sponsored by Financial Research Associates, LLC. Unlike most industry conferences on storage (meetings where we all sit around preaching to the already converted), bona-fide, real-life energy tech investors attended this one. Plus -- and here's where it gets exciting -- there were actually two presentations that together could very well signal the increase in interest and investment needed to commercialize energy storage technologies for our electricity grid.

Pearce on Gore

Socially progressive publishing house Beacon has a new blog, Beacon Broadside, where its authors post. One of the first posts is from Fred Pearce, author of, among other books, With Speed and Violence: Why Scientists Fear Tipping Points in Climate Change. It’s called "Al and Me,” and defends Gore against the charge that he exaggerated […]

Climate change signals in the Caucasus Mountains

The following is a guest essay from Eric Pallant, professor of environmental science at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa., and codirector of the NATO Advanced Study Institute on Integrated Water Resources Management. He is reporting from the National Disasters and Water Security conference in Yerevan, Armenia.

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October 20, 2007

The last time there was dramatic climate change in Armenia, Noah built an ark, floated for 40 days and nights, and disembarked on Mount Ararat. Armenians insist they have a piece of his old boat in a local museum. Mount Ararat serves as a useful backdrop, snowcapped and picturesque, for the NATO meeting on Natural Disasters and Water Security.

Mount Ararat makes an appearance in the morning light. (Photo: Eric Pallant)

Annual Brower Youth Awards recognize young greenies

Tonight, the annual Brower Youth Awards ceremony will recognize six youth who have made major environmental contributions in their communities and beyond. This year’s winners include: Jon Warnow, 23, of Burlington, Vt., who helped coordinate the Step It Up campaign for a National Day of Climate Action earlier this year. Erica Fernandez, 16, who campaigned […]

White House accused of watering down CDC testimony on climate change

The White House is being accused anew this week of improperly interfering with the dissemination of information on climate change. Critics allege that officials at the White House Office of Management and Budget significantly edited the prepared testimony that CDC head Julie Gerberding gave to a congressional panel concerning the impacts of climate change on […]

California delays lawsuit against EPA due to wildfires

Photo: Kevin Labianco The lawsuit California threatened to file against the U.S. EPA for delaying a pending decision on the state’s 2005 vehicle greenhouse-gas emissions law was not filed today as expected. It’s been stalled due to raging wildfires.

$5 could be yours

It’s morning in St Louis, and we’re getting ready to talk with some of the movers and shakers in the world of riverfront greenways. While preparing, we ate at a greasy spoon where Jimmy Kimmel was on the teevee talking about his daily cross-country flights for this week’s double-hosting duty. Yikes. On a side note, […]

Study of fossil record predicts climate change could fuel mass extinction

Photo: iStockphoto Climate change may fuel a mass extinction in which half of all plant and animal species could — how to put this delicately? — exit stage left, according to a new study. If the past 520 million years of fossil records are any predictor of the future, a globally warmed world will not […]

Mining-law reform bill could change rules for mines on public land

Just 135 years after its enactment, environmentalists and fiscal conservatives may finally have a shot at reforming an antiquated U.S. law that lets mining companies dig up minerals and precious metals on public lands without paying royalties nor being responsible for post-dig cleanups. A bill to change the 1872 General Mining Law passed the House […]

College Sustainability Report Card 2008 released

Nothing gets a student’s rear in gear faster than a failing grade on an important report card. And the colleges and universities that scored poorly on last year’s College Sustainability Report Card are no different. Today, the Sustainable Endowments Institute released its 2008 edition, revealing that 68 percent of the schools surveyed improved their overall […]