Doom and Gloom With a Sense of, Uh … Doom

Comprehensive assessment of world’s ecosystems released; be very afraid The largest and most comprehensive assessment of the world’s ecosystems ever...

Feebates, not fuel taxes, are key

Thomas Friedman's usually pitch-perfect commentary on energy and security hit some high notes Sunday, but it also went off key twice, in disappointing ways.

First, the sweetest passage from his New York Times column:

By doing nothing to lower U.S. oil consumption, we are financing both sides in the war on terrorism and strengthening the worst governments in the world. That is, we are financing the U.S. military with our tax dollars and we are financing the jihadists--and the Saudi, Sudanese and Iranian mosques and charities that support them--through our gasoline purchases. The oil boom is also entrenching the autocrats in Russia and Venezuela....Finally, by doing nothing to reduce U.S. oil consumption we are only hastening the climate change crisis.

Now, the ear splitters:

Enviros recruit Lakoff for reframing project, but concerns mount that he might abandon them

George Lakoff may be the new darling of the Democratic Party, but how sweet is he on the environmental movement?...

An open letter to Andy Rooney of 60 Minutes

Dear Andy Rooney:

I enjoyed your commentary last night on 60 Minutes, titled "Put Brakes On Gas Prices". I applaud your campaign "to get every driver to use 20 percent less gas this year than last year."

You went on to point out how we Americans make unnecessary trips and exotic vacation plans that result in consumption of enormous amounts of gasoline. You even suggested that "newspapers print 'Don't Travel' sections with articles about how interesting it is not to go anywhere."

But you failed to mention hybrid cars! Here in Gristmill, readers are touting the benefits of driving a hybrid vehicle -- the primary one being less gas consumption.

Andy, Andy, why the omission?

Four environmental funders join the debate over the movement’s future

When Michael Shellenberger and Ted Nordhaus delivered the talk that has everyone talking, they chose an influential audience: environmental grantmakers....

Critics question World Bank’s role as carbon trader, fossil-fuel funder

For as long as it’s been around, the World Bank has been prone to mission creep. Established 60 years ago...

Clark Williams-Derry

Cars that get five hundred miles per gallon?  According to this piece by LA Times editorialist Max Boot, it's possible using today's technology, including plug-in hybrids and "flexible fuel" vehicles that run on both petroleum and biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel.

Now, I'm inclined to agree with the editorial's main points:  North America's petroleum dependence is a profound strategic and economic vulnerability; and we can make our transportation system much, much more fuel efficient using existing technologies--and without waiting decades for new technologies, such as hydrogen fuel cells, to catch on.

But what about this statement:  "How to do better? Biking to work or taking the train isn't the answer. Even if Americans drive less, global oil demand will surge because of breakneck growth in India and China."

What on earth is he talking about?

Maybe There’s Something to This “Polite” Business

Auto industry agrees to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions in Canada After years of halting negotiations, the auto industry has reached a...

Do You Ear What I Ear?

Government kept mum about GM corn’s mistaken identity Over a four-year period, Swiss biotech giant Syngenta AG inadvertently sold unapproved...