Feb
23
CAFE Standards: Fed Task Force FAIL
February 23, 2009 | 9 Comments
The vehicles owned by the Obama administration’s auto team were released in a list today by The Detroit News. While Detroit is focusing on the fact that the “Big Three” are underrepresented amongst the auto-owners on the federal task force, I just did some back-of-the-envelope math and made a shocking discovery.
The federal task force fails [...]
Feb
18
Ice Storms and Blizzards Don’t Mean We’re Cool (Global Warming Still Happening)
February 18, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Professor Ryan’s ACS contribution emphasized the importance of the new Green Deal for stimulating the economy and saving the planet. However, recent severe winter storms may have some of us wondering, “This can’t be global warming, is the environment okay now?” The February 15 edition of EarthTalk, the question-and-answer column of E-The Environmental Magazine, [...]
Feb
14
Breaking Ground on the New Green Deal
February 14, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Guest post by Prof. Erin Ryan, Associate Professor of Law at William & Mary
Reluctant members of Congress, listen up. You’ve tried bailing out the past. It’s time to bail in the future.
Now that we’ve pumped trillions into failing industries that drove economic growth on little more than a ponzi scheme, it’s time to [...]
Nov
21
What to Do with Detroit?
November 21, 2008 | 1 Comment
Automakers this week went before Congress to try to convince them that they needed a $25 billion bailout to avoid a massive disaster that would result in the loss of millions of American jobs. Congress remained unmoved. Congress gave the executives of these companies a little under two weeks to come up with a plan [...]
Nov
18
Blocking of Coal Plant License Could Lead to Saving Our Coral Reefs
November 18, 2008 | 1 Comment
A recent decision by The Environmental Appeals Board blocked the EPA from issuing a license for a new coal plant addition in Vernal, Utah, near Salt Lake City. This one decision may seem insignificant on the surface, but it could be the first in a chain of events that could lead to more solar [...]
Oct
27
From Garbage to Electricity: A Whole New Way to Recycle
October 27, 2008 | 1 Comment
Imagine that the banana peel you toss into the garbage can today help power your home in the near future. It might happen sooner than you think, if it’s not already happening in the landfill nearest you. Power plants fueled by methane gases from landfills are starting to pop up all over the country. The [...]
Oct
24
Economic Worries Affect Renewable Energy Research
October 24, 2008 | Leave a Comment
As the economy continues to struggle, and news of major world leaders meeting to discuss the crisis, many people wish they could get a break anywhere. At least we can look forward to cheaper renewable energy soon. Both Presidential candidates are offering “green collar” job plans, hoping to grow our economy and our independence from [...]
Oct
14
Is Energy Independence a Myth?
October 14, 2008 | Leave a Comment
“Energy independence” is a buzz phrase that both major party candidates will utter ad infinitum in the run-up to the November presidential election. Both Barack Obama and John McCain espouse energy independence, but with differing policy points. The phrase has become associated not only with debate about the economy, but also national security. But what [...]
Aug
30
Improving energy efficiency in America is not just a matter of individual habit changes or policy shifts toward renewable sources. Our power grid is not currently equipped to handle the kind of energy innovations that could make us better, faster, stronger.
We’re still operating with a power grid conceived 100 years ago and based on power [...]
Jul
21
The Silver Lining That Glows in the Dark
July 21, 2008 | Leave a Comment
As lawmakers search for ways to reduce our national carbon dioxide output, some far out suggestions for cooling the planet have popped up. Have you heard about the sun shade proposal? We would launch a huge sheet of trillions of reflectors into space, giving the Earth some quality shade time. How about the one where we [...]
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