Texas
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The economic case for on-street bike parking
This is the fourth column in a series focusing on the economics of bicycling. Bicycling and driving have one thing in common that is almost universally frustrating, time consuming, friction causing, and potentially expensive. Parking. No matter how seamless your ride across town, no matter how well-timed the traffic lights or low-conflict the bike lanes, […]
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Solar: It’s not just a California thing anymore
Texas installed 22.6 megawatts of photovoltaics last year.Photo: Duke EnergyThe United States solar businesses boomed, as usual, in 2010, growing 67 percent to $6 billion, according to an annual report [PDF] released Thursday by an industry trade group. That’s been the story for the past several years, but what’s notable is that solar is no […]
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The Climate Post: Here come a bunch of bills to block the EPA
The chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) unveiled draft legislation to block the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. The bill caps a rough week for the EPA in Congress, reports Kate Sheppard of Mother Jones. It is joined by a […]
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How the next farm bill could plant a new crop of farmers
Microloans could encourage young people to become farmers.Photo: Chewonki Semester SchoolUSDA Secretary Tom Vilsack recently called for 100,000 new farmers — a recognition that the U.S. farm population is aging rapidly. To create a revitalized, sustainable, and socially just food system, we need to cultivate a new generation of farmers — and quickly. But starting […]
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Coal Victories and Challenges
Every week it seems as if there’s coal-related news to celebrate and to challenge us. We celebrated last week’s decision from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Lisa Jackson to veto the water permit for the massive Spruce No. 1 mountaintop removal coal mining site in West Virginia. Administrator Jackson’s brave step stopped a mountaintop […]
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It’s Time for EPA to Step In
This post was co-written by Jen Powis, Sierra Club Senior Regional Representative in Texas. It isn’t old news around here that when it comes to air pollution, Texas has a big problem. And it seems like the rest of the nation is finally catching on. Today in Downtown Dallas, hundreds of Texans will gather at […]
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The Climate Post: Amidst a giant snowstorm, 2010 declared hottest year ever
With snow in every state but Florida (yes, even Hawaii), the NOAA just announced 2010 tied with 2005 as the warmest year for global temperature.
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The Climate Post: In an energy-scarce world, is energy efficiency finally king?
If our energy usage has reached a saturation point, will gains in efficiency save us?
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Texas Needs to Lead the Nation Away From Coal
This week’s post was co-written by Jennifer Powis, Sierra Club Senior Regional Representative in Texas. Texas has the worst air quality in the country and it will take a concrete vision to fix it. Unfortunately, state officials keep permitting coal plants instead of take real steps to clean the air. This week the Texas Commission […]