Climate 411

The Green Jobs You’ve Been Hearing About

By Jackie Roberts / Published: December 9, 2008

Jackie Roberts The thought of revitalizing the economy with green jobs is inspiring, but how will it actually work? What will those jobs look like? Duke University just released a study that starts to answer that question. It looks at five industries, including LED lighting and concentrating solar power. For each, researchers asked what the value chain is and how jobs could be created.

And right on the heels of that study is this story from CBS News: Former Maytag employees in Iowa are finding new manufacturing jobs making parts for windmills. It’s a great example of the connection between climate solutions and U.S. jobs.

Jackie Roberts is our director for sustainable technologies.

Also posted in Economics / Read 9 Responses

A Profusion of Green Jobs is Just a Carbon Cap Away

By Sheryl Canter / Published: October 6, 2008

Sheryl CanterThis Sunday’s New York Times Magazine had a cover story on green investment titled "Capitalism to the Rescue". We’ve mentioned in other posts that venture capital investment in clean energy is on the rise. This article was interesting in that it profiled one particular venture capital firm, Kleiner Perkins. The author interviewed the firm’s partners about why they see clean energy as such a good investment.

To start with, explained partner Randy Komisar, the current energy market is so large and outdated that "green-tech" is a huge and relatively low-risk opportunity. And we’re not, as many think, waiting for the new inventions to come. We’re waiting for federal policy to give private investment incentive. That is, we’re waiting for a mandatory carbon cap.

Read More »

Also posted in Economics / Read 2 Responses

New Offshore Drilling in Perspective (Cool Graph)

By Gernot Wagner / Published: September 15, 2008

A picture is worth a thousand words:

U.S. Oil Consumption by Source

Source: Architecture2030, based on data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

From Architecture2030:

According to the US Energy Information Administration, oil production from drilling offshore in the outer continental shelf wouldn’t begin until around the year 2017. Once begun, it wouldn’t reach peak production until about 2030 when it would produce only 200,000 barrels of oil per day (in yellow above). This would supply a meager 1.2% of total US annual oil consumption (just 0.6% of total US energy consumption). And, the offshore oil would be sold back to the US at the international rate, which today is $106 a barrel. So, the oil produced by offshore drilling would not only be a "drop in the bucket", it would be expensive, which translates to "no relief at the pump".

Gernot Wagner's profileGernot Wagner is an economist in the Climate and Air program at Environmental Defense Fund.

Posted in Energy / Read 4 Responses

Why Drilling in Alaska’s ANWR Is a Bad Idea

By Sheryl Canter / Published: September 11, 2008

Sheryl CanterU.S. oil companies already have permission to drill in millions of unexplored acres, but there is a push now to drill in one area where they don’t have permission: the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). A terrible idea, drilling in ANWR would:

  • Not produce much oil.
  • Not lower gas prices.
  • Harm the environment.

If you (or someone you know) does not believe this, read on!

Read More »

Also posted in Greenhouse Gas Emissions / Read 53 Responses

Follow the Coal Money

By Sheryl Canter / Published: August 14, 2008

Sheryl CanterThis post is by Sheryl Canter, an online writer and editorial manager at Environmental Defense Fund.

Environmental Defense Fund can’t comment on the candidates in this year’s historic election because of our tax status as a 501c3 charitable organization. But it’s okay for us to provide interesting sources of information, and here’s one: a site that tracks which lawmakers receive money from the coal industry.

It’s very detailed and very interesting, with multiple ways to browse or search. Take a look!

Posted in Energy / Comments are closed

Muscle Power: An Alternative Fuel?

By Sheryl Canter / Published: August 12, 2008

Sheryl CanterThis post is by Sheryl Canter, an online writer and editorial manager at Environmental Defense Fund.

When I went out to get lunch yesterday, I passed a sporting goods store with an interestingly labeled sneaker display. I’d never thought of my feet as an "alternative fuel" before, but I guess that’s right!

Sneakers as Alternative Fuel

Human movement isn’t just for transportation. Take a look at last Thursday’s post for examples from around the world of how human movement can be used to generate electricity. Investment spurred by cap-and-trade legislation will make clean energy technologies like these the norm rather than the exception.

Posted in Energy / Comments are closed