Latest Articles

Pew report shows Americans poised to take global climate crisis seriously

The State of the Union address may be just a lot of talk. But considering that each word in these national speeches is painstakingly choreographed, a small phrase for a president can be a giant step for mankind.

That's why, when Bush uttered the words "global climate change" before a TV audience of 45.5 million, I nearly jumped out of my seat. He said it! He said it for the first time in any of his seven State of the Union addresses.

This is huge. Especially in light of the results from a Pew Research Center poll on global warming that was released Wednesday. Even those few words, when spoken by Bush, may signal a tipping point for Americans who remain on the fence about the reality of climate change and what can be done about it.

Check out these numbers:

Yeah, yeah, it’s not about the celebrities. Only it is.

I spent most of my time in Utah almost seeing stars. Hung out with a biofuels enthusiast that Ed Begley Jr. had hung out with the day before. Rode in a car that chauffeured Bradley Whitford the previous two days. Touched a poster that Justin Timberlake would touch just the next day. Sigh. An update […]

The music video

OK, it won't win any Oscars or snag a screening at Sundance, but this little clip only asks for three minutes of your time:

PBS’s NOW chats with Laurie David, Majora Carter

“The Heat Over Global Warming” is the topic of discussion on tonight’s episode of the PBS show NOW. They’ll be chatting with high-profile activist Laurie David as well as Majora Carter of Sustainable South Bronx. From the show’s website: Ahead of a major scientific report on global warming to be released next week, David Brancaccio […]

Two yoot-based eco-vids

For those of you who haven’t read Grist List yet today (and why not, hm?), we called attention to two yoot-based eco-vids. But Grist List isn’t exactly G-rated, so I wanted to call attention to them here, too. The first is a charming series of videos created by fourth-graders at The Park School in Massachusetts. […]

From Handbags to Hooligans

We wish we were an Oscar maybe winner Dreamy Al‘s got this Oscar nod in the bag … an Ecoist bag made from movie billboards, that is. (Yeah, we did!) We give the eco-totes two thumbs up, though we could think of a few other things to do with a larger-than-life McConaughey. Photo: Ecoist Baby, […]

Nice Perc if You Can Get It

California to phase out toxic dry-cleaning chemical Continuing its quest to show the rest of the country up, California has notched another first: the state’s Air Resources Board has voted unanimously to phase out perchloroethylene, or perc, a toxic chemical commonly used in dry cleaning. Some 3,400 California cleaners who use the solvent — a […]

But I’m a Cheerleader

Renewable energy could power half the world by 2050, says new report Renewables could satisfy half the world’s energy demand by 2050, says a new report by Greenpeace and the European Renewable Energy Council. But — and there’s always a but — only if world governments encourage efficiency and crack down on fossil-fuel use. Well, […]

The Best Defense is a Good … Defense

Two-year exemption allows U.S. Navy to continue sonar trainings In a saga lasting longer than Moby Dick, the U.S. Navy will be allowed to train with sonar for two more years, despite evidence that the technology’s use has injured and killed whales and other creatures of the deep. The Defense Department has provided an exemption […]

Osama bin Warming

Climate change could lead to terrorism, security experts warn Irony alert: as President Bush dwells on terrorism while barely acknowledging climate change, it turns out that climate change may lead to terrorism. The consequences of global warming could aggravate the already-ridiculous divide between the haves and have-nots, put 30 million people at risk of famine […]