Photo Credit: ©amazon pixels

News & Views Curation

March 31, 2016

Feel The Nuclear Bern

What to make of Sanders' pledge to phase out nuclear power in light of his climate action commitment?

China: Cuts For Electric Bus Support

Will critics of China's subsidies for its electric bus fleet prevail with a 50% cut?

The Unseen Disaster

We are just beginning to discover the massive scale of leaking methane, a potent greenhouse gas, while EPA still recommending companies voluntarily seek & repair problems

India: Going More Nuclear

Deal on tap for Westinghouse to build 6 nuclear power plants in India, price tag not revealed

UK: Churches Convert

Some 400 British churches will convert to renewable energy to supply their light & heat

The Anti-Climate Candidates

If elected, Trump & Cruz vow to overturn Obama's climate action work

Climate Science Pioneer

Meet Claude Lorius, the glaciologist with the data that first showed the planet was heating up

March 30, 2016

Not a Your Grandma's Electric Company

Strategic changes begin stirring the electric utility business

Sustainability Accounting

The Sustainability Accounting Standards Board issues provisional reporting standards for industries in the infrastructure sector

Woodsman, Spare That Tree

NYC rooftop water tanks are a gold mine of wood to be repurposed & reused

Climate Campaigning For SCOTUS

Climate activists emulate same-sex marriage campaigners in a lead up to the Supreme Court hearing on rules for cutting power plant emissions

More AG's Investigating Exxon

What did Exxon know about climate change & when did it know is being investigated by more states' Attorney Generals

March 25, 2016

How To Keep The Lights On In Brownsville

Con Edison has agreed to spend $250 million in Brownsville to implement a Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) strategy and assist with its energy loads

Raid On RGGI

80% of NY's revenue from carbon emission fees could be shifted away from energy efficiency/renewables to the state's general fund & nuclear power plant support

March 24, 2016

Life In Brooklyn

A First For Clean Power Money

Global clean energy investments twice as big as coal/gas investments

Decongestion Plan Again

The newest idea in Albany for a law to toll access to NYC's business core & cut congestion

Communitcating Dire Climate Science

Pluses & pitfalls in media coverage of climate scientist Jim Hansen's new dire publication

Australia: Clean Energy Hype

Is there more flash than funding in the government's newly announced clean power plan?

Exxon Must Let Shareholders Vote

The SEC orders Exxon to allow a shareholder vote on a proxy that would disclose to them how corporate profits may be affected by climate change & legislation to combat it

Arctic: Bye-Bye

Manhattan's Smallest

Take a virtual tour of Manhattan's tiniest parks

Green, Energy Efficient And Affordable

Make affordable housing more affordable by making it green

March 23, 2016

Say So-Long To The Stupid Grid

Smart meters come to NYC, a new era for renewables, energy efficiency & variable-time pricing

India: Renewables Top Nukes

Renewable energy is beating nuclear as the low-carbon energy alternative to coal in India

San Diego: First Passive House

What does it take to become the first certified Passive Hose in San Diego?

Where The Solar Action Is And Why

Aloha All Renewables

What are the most probable paths for Hawaii to meet its 100% power mandate by 2045?

Trends To To About: Air Source Heat Pumps

What does an air source heat pump do?

China: Small Factory Quest For Energy Efficiency

Is China's climate future going to be shaped by small factories quest for cost savings through energy efficiency?

China: Coal Burning Adds To Water Scarcity

In parched northern China, coal-burning power plants add to dire water woes claims Greenpeace

No Fountain Of Youth For Nuke Plants

The ability to maintain the aging fleet of US nuclear power plants could prove unsustainable

March 22, 2016

Trolley Storage, Horse Scenery

EPA At A Turning Point

At Congressional hearings, EPA Administrator McCarthy testifies her agency is at a "turning point", where its budget must keep up with scientific advances

Really Awful Climate Scenario

Climate scientist James Hansen's terrifying climate change prediction is controversial, but not the scientific consensus that the world is not decarbonizing fast enough to cut global risks

Sarandon On Jamaica Bay

The actress Susan Sarandon narrates a documentary about Jamaica Bay to raise NYers awareness of this unique natural resource in their back yard

Name That Ferry

March 21, 2016

Why One Degree Matters

If you don't think a rise of one degree in global temperature matters, think again

The Great California Two-fer

China: Solar Power Soaring

In the next five year's China's solar power-making capacity is projected to grow more than 300%

No Worries

Why US CEO's don't lose sleep over environmental scandals at their firms (but the public's climate concerns could change this)

Protest Local, Impact Global

Starting with grass-roots fracking protests environmental activists see global impacts

Moving On

Todd Stern, Obama's top climate diplomat & negotiator, will be leaving the Administration

The Sustainability OF E.O.'s

Will Obama's climate-action Executive Orders & regulations prove sustainable by the next President?

Salt Saves Energy

Salt is the special ingredient in the new generation of solar power plants

March 18, 2016

US Makes Climate Downpayment

Get Smart Meters

NYC utility customers will get 'smart' two way electric meters that will help them save money while cutting pollution

India v US: Solar Panel Ruling

What happens when international trade rules conflict with climate agendas & energy security claims?

Way Out West

Photos of western renewable energy installations

Germany and Poland: Renewable Tension

Germany's renewable energy transition rubs Poland the wrong way

Big Data For Urban Mobility

Sidewalk Labs, a Google business, will partner with the federal Department of Transportation to deploy big data for unsnarling city traffic & upgrading urban mobility

What We Think About Climate Change Now

Recent public opinion polls find a sharp rise in Americans' climate concerns & demands for action

March 17, 2016

Saudi Arabia: Post-Oil

Saudi Arabia's oil chief looks down the road to a fossil-fuel free future

The World Has Changed Since The Paris Climate Agreement

Climate progress & setbacks since the December 2015 Paris Climate Agreement

Saving Jamaica Bay

Meeting Jamaica Bay in a new documentary is the first step to saving this NYC nature gem that shields the city from storms & floods

Translating 'Clean Energy' Into GOP

How to talk to the GOP about clean energy in ways that will be heard

Summer And Zika In The City

Summer 2016 in NYC & LA may be warm enough to allow the Zika virus to reach them

NOLA Mayor - Climate Call To Action

The Mayor of New Orleans calls on Louisiana to take action on the 'existential threat' of climate change

Economies Up, Emissions Stall

As in 2013, the global economy grew while GHG emissions stayed the same in 2014

US Designates Offshore-NY Wind Zone

An 81,000 acre zone offshore of Long Island is designated for potential commercial wind power development by the the US Department of the Interior

March 16, 2016

Hotter Than The Limit

Concern rises that global temperatures will climb beyond what is climate 'safe'

Science At Work: Transparent Community Standards

The power of science to attribute climate change as a cause of extreme weather events will grow with development of transparent community standards

Warm Up With Used Motor Oil

Thought you were buying home heating oil? Think again

China: More Nuke Plants Coming Soon

Two French-designed nuclear power plants will start operations in China next year

Locally-Sourced Food

Judge Garland's Eco-Record

Take a deep dive into a 2010 round-up of the judicial record - including environmental decisions- of SCOTUS nominee Merrick Garland

One's Carbon Neutral, One's Not

The Sanders campaign is meeting its carbon neutrality pledge goals, the Clinton campaign isn't

March 15, 2016

Riker's Bleak Environment

The environmental woes of Riker's Island range from foul smells to flood risks & there's only one way to get out

Science at Work: All About The Anthropocene

A brief history of scientific research findings on the Anthropocene Era

Fugged About Climate Re-Framing

Re-framing or finding another way to move the public opinion dial on the urgency of the climate change challenge is unlikely to work

Australia: Renewable Energy Jobs Vanish

Government policy is blamed for a 27% plunge in Australian renewable energy industry jobs since 2011

Growing Community Solar Means Affordable

Any strategy to grow community solar projects must ensure on affordability to succeed

ABS: The New Hot Thing In Solar Finance

Asset-Backed Securitization deals are the latest trend in solar project finance, so what are they?

MTA's Moldy Mess

The new Hudson Yards subway station is already suffering from leaks, mold, escalator breakdowns broken bathrooms

Antarctica: The Search For Old Ice

Why are climate scientists looking for some 1.5 million year old ice?

March 14, 2016

UK: Zero-Carbon Law

The U.K. will pass a law making zero-carbon emissions the national goal

Solarizing Maine

How might the fraught fight over how to pay for rooftop solar power get resolved in Maine?

In Geman It's Unverpact...

...In English it's precycling, in every language it's a good idea

Wind Turbines Go Long

Next-generation windmill turbines could have rotors twice as long as a football field

Israel: Dump Dirty Diesel

For the Israeli military, diesel generators are out, solar panels are in

V Is For Victory Garden

Before there were urban farms there were NYC's World War II 'Victory gardens"

What Good Neighborhoods Need

It takes good infrastructure, not just more buildings, to make equitable, sustainable NYC neighborhoods

Conservative Clean Energy Advocate

Meet Jay Faison

Help Wanted: Director of Strategic Partnerships

The Sierra Club is hiring a Director of Strategic Partnerships to provide the visionary leadership & operational direction for building and sustaining key relationships with organizational partners, especially outside of the mainstream environmental movement.

March 11, 2016

When Is It Weather...

And when it it climate change?

Fukushima: 5 Years After

Full recovery is still far off for the people, places and nuclear power facility in Fukushima, Japan

Europe: Status Of Renewable Energies

The growth rate slows for new renewable energies in Europe but it's still increasing

Morocco: Solar Biggie

Rubio's Top Social Media Moment

What Marco Rubio remark at the Republican debate got the most social media attention?

Con Ed Personalizes Energy Efficiency

Con Ed customers will be encouraged to save on their bills by getting personalized energy use information & recommendations on specific energy-related products they can get

Gov's Call For EPA Action On Water Polloutant

Three northeast Governors urge the EPA to do the science & set a safe limit for the amount of PFOA in drinking water

From Outdoor Gear To PV

Outdoor gear purveyor Patagonia gets into the solar panel business

March 09, 2016

REV Tutorial: Valuing Distributed Power

As part of NY's Reforming the Energy Vision how will the PSC's Benefit Cost Analysis Order be applied by utilities when they consider distributed power investments

Japan: Court Shuts Down Half Of Nuke Power

Citing safety concerns a Japanese court order the shut down of one of the country's two operating nuclear power plants

California's Solar Sisterhood

Meet the women fighting for an equitable clean energy economy future in California

US Solar Boom

Solar companies are projected to add 16 gigawatts of PV this year, up from 7.3 gigawatts in 2015

Communicate By Bus

MTA buses with wi-fi & UBS ports will hit the streets over the coming five years

Quote For The Day

What Other Cities Can Teach NY About Going Green

NYC should adopt the best green building practices from other cities trying to shrink their carbon footprints

March 08, 2016

Make The Connection

NY has 3 climate deniers in Congress, who have received $224,054 from fossil fuel enterprises

Utility Green Pivot Flops

Part 1 What went wrong for utility heavyweight NRG when it sought to reposition itself as a renewable power supplier?
Part 2

Psst! Wanna Buy A Bridge

OK, not a bridge, but NY is auctioning off 62 properties that were ravaged by Superstorm Sandy (but what about new flood insurance?)

The Cozy Is Climate Friendly

Calling all NYC apartment dwellers, save energy by insulating your radiators with locally-sourced Cozy's

From Sci-Fi To Cli-Fi

Schools add climate-fiction to their curriculums

Beyond the Nudge - The Bonus

If a corporation ties a year end bonus to an employee's carbon cutting performance, what happens?

March 07, 2016

Stand Up For Women, Suport Mother Earth

YieldCo's Bite

What's the role of debt-heavy YieldCo's in the biggest corporate bust in US solar history?

Learning By Failing

Helsinki's Uber-like bus ride-sharing experiment failed, what's the takeaway?

NYC Bus Rapid Transit in Slo-Mo

What's stopping NYC from bringing select bus service to town?

DOD Talks Climate

Pakistan: ID'ing Its Biggest Threat

Why climate change, not terrorism, is Pakistan's biggest existential threat

Rx: BYOB

Bring Your Own Battery & crowd-source energy to save our aging power grid

Germany: Solar And Storage At Home

A utility pilot program will install solar panels & energy storage units in German homes starting this spring

EU: New Carbon Squable

Setting tougher carbon cutting goals is the latest big issue the EU can't agree on

March 04, 2016

Stand By Rates -- There's Got To Be A Better Way

What are stand-by rates and why do they make utility customer who want to innovate at the grid edge so angry?

EV's Eating ICE-V's Lunch

How electric vehicles could make internal combustion engine vehicles history, not to mention the oil industry

The Climate System: Understanding Varies

Americans mental models of the climate falls into six divergent varieties, what are they?

Australia: Remaking Climate-Killing Concrete

Australian innovation means ubiquitous, climate-hostile concrete can be reinforced with plastic to emit less CO2

China: Green Certifiate Pledge

Renewable energy should get a boost when China kicks off its green certificate trading project

Nuclear Power Debate - Not Over Yet

The pros & the cons, the conclusions are yours

Canada: Pricing Carbon

Canada's ten provinces agree to the Prime Minister's concept of pricing carbon, details to be worked out later

A New Cap /Trade Beneficiary

A new mapping tool shows where California's cap & trade revenue is being invested, affordable housing near public transit could be a winner

March 03, 2016

Poland: Blowing Against The Wind

Coal-addicted Poland proposes a law that would sabotage wind power development

Roberts Rules For Clear Air

Chief Supreme Court Justice Roberts refuses to block EPA mercury pollution rule covering coal-burning power plants

Syria: Drought, War, Death

Avian Revenge

Bird poop shut down Indian Point nuke plant

Canada-US: Climate Concord Ahead

When meeting next week, the leaders of Canada & the US set to endorse a joint climate change strategy

The Saga of NYC's Lost NYC Subway Lines

Who knew!

Houston: Unprepared For Hell And High Water

Home to many toxic chemical-laden fossil fuel businesses and vulnerable to hurricanes & floods, why isn't Houston doing more disaster preparedness?

McClendon: Before The Obituary

Mega-fracker & right-winger Aubrey McClendon got the once over in Rolling Stone back in 2012

March 02, 2016

Sierra Club Secretly Took Fracking Money

Was it the size or the secrecy of the hydrofracker's donation that put the Sierra Club in hot water?

Cornell Tech Update

With its many green & Passive House features, the Cornell Tech campus on Roosevelt Island starts to take shape

1.5 Is Different Than 2.0

Science At Work: The "Pause"

Better reading of satellite temperature data offers no comfort to climate deniers' who see a warming 'pause'

The Hot New Normal

While one month's data is not a trend, take note of February 2016 global temperatures

British Columbia: Carbon Tax Impact

Is the British Columbia carbon tax meeting expectations & is that enough?

The Super Tuesday Climate

Just 48% of adults in Super Tuesday states accept the scientific consensus on climate change

Rockefeller Heir Won't Take It With Her

The great-grand daughter of Exxon's founder gave all her corporate shares to the Rockefeller Family Foundation, which sold them for $400,000, & will use the proceeds for its environmental programs

March 01, 2016

Buffet's Flawed Climate Optimism

What does Warren Buffet get wrong about climate risk, the insurance industry & the economy as we know it?

UK: Fossil Fuel Lobbyist's U-Turn

Why is a top UK fossil fuel lobbying firm turning to low-carbon energy clients

REV At Work

NY REV, the new rules governing electric utilities, start to make innovative impacts

Honk Honk

Sticker Shock

The cost of flood damage is projected to rise faster than sea levels, according to a new study