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  • Cars won’t get all the love, Ray LaHood says in big bike speech

    LaHood steps up at the National Bike Summit on March 11.Courtesy BikePortland via FlickrTwo weeks ago, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood climbed on a table and told a group of bike advocates that federal transportation planners were finished raising the almighty auto above cyclists and walkers. “I’ve been all over America, and where I’ve been in […]

    Jonathan Hiskes Politics

  • Who killed cap-and-trade?

    In a recent article in the New York Times, John Broder asks “Why did cap-and-trade die?” and responds that “it was done in by the weak economy, the Wall Street meltdown, determined industry opposition and its own complexity.” Mr. Broder’s analysis is concise and insightful, and I recommend it to readers. But I think there’s […]

    Robert Stavins Politics

  • How export-focused agriculture has failed everyone it was meant to help

    A recent Washington Post article documented the stark reality of Haiti’s non-existent agricultural infrastructure: Decades of inexpensive imports –especially rice from the U.S. — punctuated with abundant aid in various crises have destroyed local agriculture and left impoverished countries such as Haiti unable to feed themselves. …Today Haiti depends on the outside world for nearly […]

    Tom Laskawy Politics

  • More evidence that Sen. Byrd sees the writing on the wall for coal

    Last Friday, the EPA took a significant step toward blocking a Clean Water Act permit for Arch Coal’s Spruce Mine, the largest proposed mountaintop-removal coal mine in West Virginia history. It’s a big deal — see Ken Ward Jr. for more on what it means and what comes next. I just wanted to highlight the […]

    David Roberts Politics

  • Reminder: the U.S. already has cap-and-trade–in the Northeast

    Update below The Center for American Progress offers a reminder that we already have a cap-and-trade system for carbon emissions up and running in the U.S.— it’s called the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, it operates in 10 northeastern states, and it works fairly well, according to CAP’s new review. Bradford Plumer rounded up the details […]

    Jonathan Hiskes Politics

  • Blanche Lincoln’s dismal school lunch bill passes committee

    What will 6 cents change in this picture?“‘No machines until you get your lunch!’ an aide yells, trying to keep students from the bank of vending machines at the back of the cafeteria ringing with the siren call of Pop-Tarts and Cool Ranch Doritos.–From “Schools’ Toughest Test: Cooking,” by Kim Severson, The New York Times, […]

    Tom Philpott Politics

  • Van Jones: Clean energy “will be increasingly safe political ground for both parties”

    Van JonesIn part one of our interview, Van Jones discussed the evolution of his values, the controversy that’s surrounded him over the past year, and his ongoing commitment to “love-based politics.” Here, in part two, we turn to the road forward: the policies and projects he is working on for the next year. Along with […]

    David Roberts Politics

  • Witnessing the White House garden’s winter bounty

    In “Chewing the Scenery,” we round up interesting food-related videos from around the Web. ————- The White House has released a new video documenting the drama of Snowmaggedon … and the White House garden: Despite two feet of snow, the White House garden managed to produce an impressive amount of lettuce, spinach, turnips, arugula, and […]

    Tom Laskawy Politics

  • Sen. Tom Udall: “My goal would be to get 10 Republicans on the climate bill”

      Sen. Tom UdallPhoto: Center for American Progress Action FundLike his cousin Mark, Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) spent 10 years in the House of Representatives before being elected to the Senate in 2008. Like his legendary father Stewart (the former interior secretary who passed away last week), he has always had a keen interest in […]

    David Roberts Politics

  • Climate change more effective than diplomacy for India and Bangladesh

    For all the bad rap that climate change gets, sometimes it doesn’t hurt to look on the bright side of things. Tensions have been rising between Bangladesh and India for the last 30 years over who owns New Moore Island. But rising seas have made the island no more. Problem solved! (Unless, like LOST fans, […]

    Ashley Braun Politics