photo courtesy of UK TimesOnline

Once you come to the realization that everything is a product of energy, the world sure does look different. The world’s wrangling can then be understood in terms of energy: Who’s got it? Who wants it, and at what costs?

Here’s a very good example: The bloody military conflict between Russia and Georgia (once part of the former-Soviet Union) is in la… Continue

Summer came and went in a flurry, and schools are soon or already open for some serious learning business. In that spirit, here are some eco-tips for back -to-school shopping and also for encouraging the clean and green in schools themselves.

Shoot for Waste-free Lunches: Use lunch boxes or cloth bags instead of disposable paper bags, reusable containers for sandwiches instead of disposable plastic bags, reusable utensils instead of disposable plastic ones, reusable canteens inste… Continue

Super Tuesday States

Where do our Presidential candidates stand on global warming, climate change, and emission reductions? Along with the s… Continue

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Q&A
Question: “Is it better to use a gas or a charcoal grill?” -- Michelle, New York

Answer: Go with the gas. Natural gas is a much cleaner fuel than charcoal. While it is true that natural gas is a non-renewable resource and charcoal is made… Continue

Breaking news of out San Francisco!!!

An 810-foot-long container ship decided to try to take on the Bay Bridge! The container ship thought it would have an advantage -- sneaking up on the Bay Bridge through a dense fog. Alas, 65,131-ton Cosco Busan didn't stand a chance (the Bridge reminded me of Tyson in his early years). 65,000 tons couldn't muster the necessary stamina, reach, or… Continue

After years of outright denial and foot-dragging at the Bush-Administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), incoming administrator Lisa Jackson will reconsider granting California's request for a waiver to… Continue

Did you know that almost half of California’s population lives within 1 mile of a freeway, and over 1 million people live within 100 meters of a freeway?

The proximity of residents to freeways, plus the amount of time daily spent on freeways means that exposure to toxic diesel pollution from trucks and buses is a problem for all of us, not just a problem for those who live closest to our ports. Think about it: port trucks travel from the ports and along the roads and freeways to their next dest… Continue

Royal Dutch Shell took a giant step backward in the global efforts towards a cleaner, renewable energy future when it announced this month that it would stop all new investments in wind, solar and hydrogen energy. Instead, it will focus solely on oil, gas and biofuels. Link to Times Online article:

Shell is the second-largest non-state-controlled oil company in the… Continue

Air pollution can be damaging for everyone's health, but children and seniors are particularly vulnerable. For kids, developing lungs can be damaged and constricted by dirty, toxic air. That's why protecting the air around where kids live, learn and play is important to the health of our communities. And why information about air quality in these places is a critical tool.

USA Today used EPA modeling data to track the air quality at 128,000 schools across the U.S.… Continue

We know that solar and wind power can supply us with clean sustainable energy supplies, but what does it mean for job creation and the economy? Assessing the economic benefits of the renewable energy industry versus the coal industry is what you would call a relatively young science. Fortunately, many coal mines and many coal-fired power plants are located in areas with superb renewable energy potential, providing excellent opportunities to compare the economic benefits of coal versus renewables… Continue