Latest Articles

New Apollo Energy Act contrasts sharply with “Jurassic” GOP energy bill

On April 21, Congress stepped back in geologic time when the House of Representatives passed an energy policy of the dinosaurs, by the dinosaurs, and for the dinosaurs. This energy bill is truly a “Jurassic” piece of legislation that relies on a limited energy source derived from creatures and plants that died millions of years […]

Everyone Knows It’s Windy

Argentine town may be model for producing hydrogen from wind The people of Pico Truncado in southern Argentina know the power of the wind that whips through their open land; it rips flags to shreds, dumps dust on clothing, and musses hair. But it also provides more than half of the town’s electricity and could […]

U.S. Companies: Working to Keep Europeans Safe

American firms conforming to E.U. chemical regs Though the U.S. was once a global leader in environmental regulation, that is, to put it mildly, no longer true. Now, the real challenge for many U.S. companies is complying with the stringent standards that govern the European Union market — if they want to reach its 460 […]

Sick Transit Gloria

Public transit in major cities on collision course with tight budgets Flat or declining revenue and ridership, coupled with increased fuel costs, have left public transit systems in many major cities across the U.S. in financial trouble. Commuters in New York, D.C., Pittsburgh, and Boston have already seen boosted fares over the past few years. […]

Mr. Hanky

Bush touts biofuels and his energy bill With his approval ratings plunging due in part to high gas prices, President Bush is fighting back by … sniffing a hanky. Let us explain. Yesterday, Bush visited a biodiesel refinery in West Point, Va., to tout the alternative-fuel subsidies in his energy bill, which the Senate will […]

Friends With Benefits

Saudi-owned company set to profit from proposed MTBE liability shield OK, kids, follow the bouncing red ball: The Republican energy bill, pending in the Senate, is advertised as a way to gain independence from Saudi Arabian oil (boing!). Part of the energy bill, included at the insistence of Texas Rep. Tom DeLay (R), is a […]

A mug’s game

Ah, this is too good. A mug bearing a map of the world that, when filled with hot liquid, shows the effects of global warming.

Why isn't there more stuff like this?

(Via Jeremy at WC)

New ads give recycling a smackdown

OK, I was watching bad TV last night, and this ad came on for Glad ForceFlex trash bags. Apparently these are very exciting trash bags because they stretch, which makes them better for bulky items. Such as, according to this chipper ad: cardboard boxes and two-liter soda bottles.

Glad! Have you heard of a little thing called recycling? I know your success depends on people not recycling. But do you have to be such wankers about it? (In fairness, I should note that the company donated its stretchy bags for the Great American Cleanup. Which is noble and all. But sort of cancelled out by the "just chuck it!" campaign.)

Even though my letter to eBay didn't get a response, I'm going to continue my crusade and pen a note to the good folks at Glad about this one. (And not just because of Umbra's encouragement.) We'll see what happens.

Bush wants to ride his bicycle bicycle bicycle

Via Chris, a pointed column from Marc Fisher in the Post today makes the point that Bush's blithe bicycle rides through wilderness refuges are ironic in light of the fact that he's consistently cut funding for them. Do you think he sees the disconnect? As with so many questions regarding this administration's environmental policies, it's hard to decide which answer would be worse.

Whole Foods tries to trick greens into praising a big corporation

Whole Foods, Inc., the natural-foods market, has recently announced that it will attempt to "reduce its waste to zero," mainly through increased composting. (Via Nick and Jeff)

But wait!

Whole Foods has consistently attempted to prevent its workers from unionizing! And they sell meat!

For these heresies, I assume our readers will rise with a unified voice and condemn this heinous attempt at greenwashing.

Nice try, Whole Foods!