Latest Articles

The Best Big Wind Farm in Texas

Biggest U.S. offshore wind farm planned for Texas coast Yesterday, officials approved a plan to build the biggest offshore wind farm in the U.S. off the coast of Padre Island, Texas. Say it with us now: everything’s bigger in Texas. Superior Renewable Energy LLC plans to erect as many as 170 turbines, with the capacity […]

In the Pipeline of Fire

Pipeline explosion kills up to 200 in Nigeria Between 150 and 200 Nigerians were instantly incinerated when locals siphoning gasoline from an overground pipeline near Lagos, Nigeria, caused an explosion today. Nigeria is the biggest oil producer in Africa and the fourth-largest supplier of crude oil to the U.S.; as a consequence, it’s become quite […]

X-tinct Men

Pollutants cause tiny genetic mutations in humans You know when your brother called you a genetic mutant, and you said “am not,” and he said “are too”? Well, he was right. Sorry. According to new research, chemicals and pollutants like those found in exhaust fumes cause tiny DNA mutations which, while too small to cause […]

Monkey See, Monkey New

Scientists discover new genus of primate, and it’s already in trouble Scientists have discovered a new monkey in Africa, the first new genus of primate found in 83 years. Called kipunji by native villagers, scientists have classified the monkey under the genus Rungwecebus, after its habitat on Mount Rungwe in Tanzania. Kipunji live in groups […]

Mr. Plug-in Hybrid goes to Washington

On Thursday, May 18, the Big Three automakers have scheduled a trip to the White House to discuss their "needs" with President Bush.

CalCars wants to bring a 100-MPG plug-in hybrid to Washington to meet them.

I think that's a really good idea.

If you do too, join me in helping out.

A Hard Sell

Bush admin land sell-off plan may be DOA The future looks dim for the Bush administration’s unpopular proposal to sell off 300,000 acres of public land to fund rural schools. A House subcommittee has excluded the proposal from a spending bill; it will be considered by other committees, but has no enthusiastic backers in Congress. […]

Wal-mart’s organic bomb

Melanie Warner at the NYT reports today that Wal-Mart is about to dramatically increase its organic food offerings.

In very understated fashion, she says, "Wal-Mart's interest is expected to change organic food production in substantial ways."

Um, yeah, it sure will.

Wal-Mart's plan is to sell organics ~10% over the price of non-organics -- a much closer premium than you can get elsewhere. It's also getting brands like Pepsi, Rice Krispies, and Kraft Mac 'n' Cheese in the game.

There's good back and forth in the article about the pros and cons of further industrializing organics -- availability and expansion of the market in the pros, weakening standards and increased overseas production in the cons.

Trailer: Who Killed the Electric Car?

Somebody's probably posted about this already, but if not: The trailer for Who Killed the Electric Car? is available here.

We've written previously about the movie here, here, here and here.

Push to raise fuel-economy standards gaining new support

Cringe as we might over record-high gasoline prices, they could be the best thing to happen to automobile fuel economy since the Arab oil embargo. Nowhere to go but up. The soaring cost of oil in recent weeks has sent Washington lawmakers into an election-year frenzy. Some of their proposals — like one from Senate […]

RealClimate on An Inconvenient Truth

Over at RealClimate, where actual scientists hang out, Eric Steig offers a brief review of An Inconvenient Truth, focusing mainly on the science. The verdict: Aside from a few small and largely inconsequential errors, the science is right on.

The folks in the lively comment section seem woefully, nay, tragically unaware of my interview with Gore, in which he answers many of their questions.