Climate 411

New Jobs from Clean Energy Can Revitalize the Economy

By Jackie Roberts / Published: July 17, 2008

Jackie RobertsThis post is by Jackie Roberts, director of sustainable technologies at Environmental Defense Fund.

In the midst of reports of six straight months of U.S. job losses, there were two reports on a more hopeful note:

The Worldwatch Institute finding that green economy jobs were increasing as other jobs declined was part of their Vital Signs Update. From Senior Researcher Michael Renner:

Renewables are poised to tackle our energy crisis and create millions of new jobs worldwide.

Read More »

Posted in Economics / Read 1 Response

Come See Us on Saturday at Netroots Nation

By Tony Kreindler / Published: July 16, 2008

Tony KreindlerThis post is by Tony Kreindler, media director for the National Climate Campaign at Environmental Defense Fund.

Quick post because I’m about to get on an airplane to join the migration to Austin for Netroots Nation 2008…

Environmental Defense Fund is hosting a reception in Exhibit Hall 4, Saturday evening at 7pm, just before the keynote speech. If you’re attending the conference, stop by for free beer and to meet Lisa Moore, myself, and some EDF folks from the Austin office.

Posted in News / Comments are closed

The Moral Imperative of Global Warming for Religion

By Sheryl Canter / Published: July 16, 2008

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

There was a great editorial in Sunday’s Waco Tribune. It starts like this:

It takes quite a leap of faith to see Texas as a national leader in global warming solutions.

But if there’s anything Texas has plenty of, it’s faith – from Protestant evangelical fervor to contemplative Catholic spirituality to Eastern mysticism and beyond.

And in growing numbers, communities of faith across Texas are moving by leaps and bounds to respond to the moral imperative of global warming.

Read More »

Posted in Partners for Change / Comments are closed

USDA: Rip Up Conservation Lands or Protect the Environment?

By Lisa Moore / Published: July 15, 2008

Lisa MooreThis post is by Lisa Moore, Ph.D., a scientist in the Climate and Air program at Environmental Defense Fund. You can meet Lisa at the Netroots Nation conference, July 17-20.

Congress and producer groups are pressuring the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to release millions of acres from Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contracts and open them up to crop production. Supporters say this move would increase production and bring down food prices.

Wrong! Ripping up conservation lands would not make a big dent in commodity supplies or prices, but it would waste billions of taxpayer dollars that have been invested in conservation on these lands.

It also would be a tragedy for wildlife, water quality, and climate.

Read More »

Posted in News / Read 3 Responses

EPA Chief Stops Action on Global Warming – For Now

By Tom Olson / Published: July 14, 2008

Tom OlsonThis post is by Tom Olson, a consulting attorney for the Climate and Air Campaign at Environmental Defense Fund.

Last Friday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finally released its Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking – EPA’s answer to a 2007 Supreme Court ruling that greenhouse gases fall within the Clean Air Act’s definition of "pollutant".

There are a number of differences between the final document and the leaked May 30th draft. (See this post from a Georgetown Law professor praising the draft’s balance and expertise.) Most significantly, EPA chief Stephen Johnson prefaced the document with a series of denunciations by White House officials. And then, adopting the views of the White House, he disparaged the work of his own staff.

The final version also included some disturbing changes to the analysis itself.

Read More »

Posted in EPA litgation, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Policy / Read 1 Response

Hawaii Mandates Solar-Heated Hot Water

By Sheryl Canter / Published: July 10, 2008

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

People tend to do things the way they’ve always done unless something forces them to change – even if the new way is better and cheaper. So Hawaii has taken action to spur people along. From an article in the L.A. Times:

California last year passed legislation offering homeowners and businesses $250 million in incentives to install 200,000 solar water systems over the next 10 years.

But Hawaii Thursday took far bolder action, becoming the first state in the nation to require all new homes built after January 1, 2010 to be equipped with solar or other energy-efficient hot water systems.

The article goes on to say that Hawaii’s switch to solar hot water will save homeowners money, and prevent the emission of more than 10,000 tons of greenhouse gases per year.

Posted in Energy / Comments are closed