Next Tuesday the Port of Oakland will have decide whether it will take the less traveled path - one that leads to a clean sustainable trucking fleet that promotes the cleanest technologies and affirms the right of truck drivers to good wages, benefits, and safe and healthy working conditions.

If it chooses the well traveled path of allowing the trucking companies to continue pursuing profits at the expense of our health and environment then the toxic hazy hold that diesel pollution has on ou… Continue

"The clean energy economy is poised for explosive growth" according to a recent report by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Between 1998 and 2007, the number of American jobs in the clean energy economy grew nearly two and a half times faster than traditional jobs. This outperformance of clean energy job growth over traditional jobs held true at both the national level, and also at the state level.

By 2007, nationwide,… Continue

The solar sector can play a key role in the nation’s economic recovery and replace dirty fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum. But for this to happen, federal, state, and local governments must create incentives, strengthen existing ones, and invest in education and job training. And, they should significantly reduce and eventually eliminate government subsidies for fossil fuels.

So far it is the individual states that have done the most to promote solar. Both New Mexico and California have… Continue

Despite the overall troubled state of the U.S. economy, the forecast for the domestic solar industry is bright. In the last three years, installed solar capacity - spurred by advances in technology, government incentives, and tax credits - has experienced record growth. In 2008, capacity grew by a record 17 percent and analysts suggest that 2009 will see even higher growth rates.

Record growth in the midst of the worst economy since the Great Depression is a testament to the viability and stren… Continue

So imagine you’re a smoker who’s trying to quit. You’ve bought your nicotine gum or a patch and have joined a smoking cessation group. You’ve even been fortunate enough to take advantage of some local government programs that are helping you to pay for this treatment. You’re excited about finally kicking this dirty habit and grateful for the outside help offered by your friendly local government.

Then one day a state agency shows up and says, “You know what, we’re still going to help you out bu… Continue

The burden of air pollution throughout the U.S. is not spread equally— low-income residents and people of color bear the brunt of this problem. So say recent findings by researchers at the University of Southern California and University of Massachusetts, Amherst who measured whether toxic pollution released by industry unequally pollutes air in communities where minority and low-income families liv… Continue

Memorial Day Weekend marks the beginning of Summer Driving Season, and unfortunately, the tradition of rising seasonal gas prices.

Gas prices are slowly but surely inching back up. The national average is $2.30 a gallon, jumping up 25 cents from three weeks before. And while not nearly the painful level of last summer’s over $4 a gallon, the recession has made any kind of household spending tighter.

Rising gas prices are inevitable because global oil reserves are shrinking, and because our nat… 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

I’m inviting you to be a founding member of an organization dedicated to building relationships among progressive, community-minded people around the globe. We build projects; anywhere and everywhere people need a hand up. We draw attention to these projects by filming the experience and sharing it with the world. That attention turns into more support and more action, which strengthens our community and turns it into a movement.

By joining this social network, you will be equipped with the too… Continue

The dramatic increase of piracy off the coast of Somalia has led numerous leaders to echo President Obama's vow "to halt the rise of piracy." Ironically, the ships being targeted by pirates are arguably responsible for a form of piracy far more damaging and impactful to the world community -- they rob us of our health and right to clean air.

Every year over 90,000 cargo ships sail the world's oceans emitting roughly as much air pollution as the world's 760 million cars. This pollution causes 60… Continue