Creating green jobs is one of the best solutions we have to heal the U.S. economy, repower America and fight climate change -- all at once. The United States has the ability to create two million new jobs in just two years by investing in clean energy technologies that would help curb global warming and move America beyond oil. That's far more than the same investment in fossil fuels would produce.
Yesterday, Van Jones announced that he will be joining the Center for American Progress, taking a teaching position at Princeton University as a fellow in the Center for African American Studies and at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and...continued→
The New York State Senate leadership tested its balky majority by taking up several environmental and clean energy bills this week. Look up the word “frail” in the dictionary and that will define their current state – a tight 32-30...continued→
On Tuesday, Van Jones announced he will be joining the Center for American Progress and taking a teaching position at Princeton University. On Friday, he will also receive the NAACP’s President Award for his remarkable achievements. I am thrilled that...continued→
There has been a lot of talk these days about the prospect of China outpacing America in the clean energy race. From a recent Los Angeles Times article reporting that China surpassed the United States in private clean-energy investment last year...continued→
Kansas City, New Orleans, and Seattle are just a few places that received some good news from the US Department of Transportation today. Each will receive a grant to build innovative transportation projects as part of the $1.5 billion TIGER...continued→
There has been a lot of speculation about energy issues since President Obama made clean energy and climate solutions a central part of his State of the Union Address and his Federal Budget. I am glad people are engaging with...continued→
// As New York State skates ever closer to the edge of the rink, Gov. David Paterson, unelected (and terminally unhappy these days) has pushed the panic button. Over and over. He's called the state legislature into special session all...continued→
The State of the Union is in a few hours, and folks are abuzz about what the President will say. Count me among those who are expecting a strong push for clean energy to create jobs and jumpstart our economy,...continued→
Here are three reasons energy and climate should be a top legislative priority for President Obama and Congress this spring: 1. Jobs Ask employers what’s going to convince them to hire more people and they will all tell you the same...continued→
On Friday, President Obama announced the award of $2.3 billion for new clean energy manufacturing jobs. The White House expects the program to generate more than 17,000 new jobs. These jobs will bring immediate relief to American families. But they...continued→
The best US investment in 2010 won’t be made on the floor of a stock exchange. It will be made on the floor of the US Senate with the passage of a bill to cap our carbon emissions. A bill...continued→
Year-end lists are always a fun way to take stock of the previous 12 months, before launching into the new year. So, who in the transportation world was moving cooler, cleaner, and smarter in 2009? Our friends over at Streetsblog DC...continued→
It's been a rough year for Americans. Rough enough that many seem eager to let 2009 fade into the past before it's even over, with hope for a better 2010. Congress seems just as eager to do its part to move...continued→
Frances Beinecke explained in E/The Environmental Magazine that while the climate accord reached in Copenhagen is not perfect, it will set the stage for meaningful action in the months ahead… In a CNN Tonight interview Kim Knowlton stressed that over...continued→
It was still dark in Copenhagen when I stepped out of a light drizzle and into the cavernous conference halls of the climate summit center, where I addressed a roomful of reporters at a press conference hosted by the Blue Green Alliance, a partnership...continued→
Robert Redford is an actor, director and longtime trustee of the Natural Resources Defense Council. I had the pleasure of meeting him in 2001, when I arranged a Capitol Hill press conference featuring him during our successful fight to safeguard Alaska's...continued→
When President Obama outlined his plan for generating more jobs in America in his speech on Tuesday, he included clean energy initiatives among his top three employment strategies. I applaud the president’s plan. Clean energy programs are a proven way...continued→
As we draw closer to passing a clean energy and climate law that will create millions of jobs and curb global warming, people are debating how to achieve those goals most effectively. NRDC believes the cap and trade approach is...continued→
On Monday, the New York Times ran an excellent article about the amount of raw sewage that flows into the city's waterways during rainstorms. I welcome the piece; like the other articles in the paper's series on water pollution, it...continued→
On Wednesday, Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship, the head of the fourth largest coal company in the nation, said in an interview that "I deny that there is any science that supports global warming." While it baffles me that...continued→
Another Veterans' Day is upon us, a time to reflect on our armed servicemen and women who are stationed around the world to protect us. Many of these brave soldiers, sailors and marines have spent years serving in Afghanistan, Iraq...continued→
Last week, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said, "The green economy is coming. We can either follow or lead." The senator was explaining why he supports the clean energy and climate legislation that is currently before the Senate. His words...continued→
This has been a busy week for the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Hearings on the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act (S. 1733) began on Tuesday and by the end of the day today, EPW will have...continued→
In a previous post, I asked why we don't consider the federal transportation bill a major energy bill. Leaving that question aside, on Friday, Senators John Kerry and Barbara Boxer introduced a bill that couldn't be mistaken for anything else:...continued→
So, we know the 'hidden costs' of dirty energy top $120 billion a year for Americans. But what about the benefits of clean energy? Try this on for size: new analysis shows that adopting comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation could create...continued→
Have you ever been to one of the big auto shows in Detroit, Chicago, L.A., or New York? What's the most fascinating thing you remember from those shows? I hope you were thinking about the future concept cars, of...continued→
In testimony before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee yesterday, director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Douglas W. Elmendorf, testified that climate change legislation passed by the House last June (the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES),...continued→
On September 30th Senators John Kerry and Barbara Boxer introduced the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act. This important step toward enacting effective and sustainable climate and energy policy will help power our economic recovery by investing in clean...continued→
Today, NRDC released the report, "A Clean Energy Economy for Indiana: Analysis of the Rural Economic Development Potential of Renewable Resources". The report shows that Indiana is poised for a major clean energy job creation boom, which would be...continued→
A great story is emerging in Rose Town, Jamaica, a community in the process of being reborn with the help of HRH the Prince of Wales and The Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment. My very favorite...continued→
Senators Boxer and Kerry have just released a strong bill that will help America curb climate change and strengthen our economy. The bill, called the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act, is the right step at the right time....continued→
Bjorn Lomborg, a long time climate skeptic, published an article yesterday in the Washington Post, asserting that reducing carbon emissions would cost the world 40 times more than any benefits we could expect to get. He claims his argument is...continued→
There has been a lot written about how federal stimulus money has not done as much as one might hope for existing urban communities. By contrast, quite a bit of the money has instead been slated for highway projects. A shining exception,...continued→
The G20 Summit has arrived in Pittsburgh on the heels of the Climate Summit in New York. These back-to-back meetings on the world's climate and the world's economy signify that protecting the planet has economic dimensions. So let's ask the question that's on...continued→
On Wednesday, the last "Made in America" rally took place in Pennsylvania. Members of the United Steelworkers other unions joined forces with environmentalists to show their support for clean energy and climate legislation just before world leaders pull into town for...continued→
The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office released an analysis on Sept 17. that confirms a modest short-term cost for comprehensive clean energy legislation - around $160 per household per year - or roughly 43 cents per household per day by 2020....continued→
America has a historic opportunity to lead the world in an energy transformation, create millions of clean energy jobs, and protect itself from dangerous dependence on foreign oil, all while protecting the planet from the most dangerous impacts of global...continued→
Amidst all the fake opposition to clean energy, some real people have been stepping forward to urge the US Congress to move forward on clean energy. One day after an enthusiastic rally in Gary IN, at which NRDC President Frances...continued→
Congress has returned to work on one of the most ambitious legislative agendas we have seen in years. What does this mean for people who support clean energy and climate legislation? It means the urgency has never been greater. Three...continued→
The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and the American Council for Capital Formation (ACCF) are at it again, this time running full throttle scare ads across the country (click here for an example) against the American Clean Energy and Security...continued→
Van Jones has been hit by a nasty smear campaign designed to discredit him and his goal of creating millions of green jobs for Americans. The intensity of Glenn Beck's attacks shows once again the untold lengths the far right...continued→
This was a tough weekend for environmental advocates, as Van Jones, one of the newer heroes of the environmental community, was forced to resign from his post as the "green jobs" advisor in the White House Council on Environmental Quality....continued→
On Tuesday afternoon, I traveled through the ailing industrial parks of Gary, Indiana to talk with steelworkers in a large union hall. I had come to attend the Made in America rally and to hear union leaders and EPA Administrator...continued→
This week, the Made in America tour heads to Gary, Indiana, where workers will rally in support of green jobs and climate legislation. These men and women recognize that Gary's ailing steel plants can be revived by producing parts for...continued→
New data confirms widespread atrazine contamination in drinking water and streams. Scientists to examine the link between Alzheimer's and man-made nano particles found in sunscreen and other products. Global warming could shift the Earth's axis by 1.5 meters in...continued→
I work in a world of impenetrable acronyms, most of which rarely get uttered outside of court rooms or policy negotiations. But a few weeks ago, I left the office behind and traveled to Lake Tahoe for a family vacation....continued→
In the past few weeks, we have heard a great deal about the naysayers who hijack town hall meetings, offering fear mongering and intimidation but no real solutions for our nation's problems. Starting today, we will begin to hear about...continued→
El Diario NY carried an op-ed by Frances Beinecke on the cost of climate change (and the effects of climate change on issues like national security)... In a Washington Post article, Shannon Fisk emphasizes that two dirty power plants in...continued→
I remember three years ago when NRDC worked so hard to get AB 32 signed into law. I knew then that it would help confront the crisis of global warming. What we've seen since then is that AB 32 can...continued→
I had been looking forward to the August Congressional recess as a time to engage with lawmakers about the upcoming clean energy legislation and the economic opportunities it would unleash. After all, when representatives are in their home states, they...continued→
The U.S. military, intelligence and diplomatic communities are to be commended for their forward-leaning approach to viewing global warming as a national security threat, as documented in Sunday's New York Times. These dedicated professionals have clearly grasped the ways climate...continued→
Last week the New York Times ran a story in which the headline said it all: "New Energy Injects Hope in a Colorado Steel Town." It described how, in a time of record unemployment, steelworkers in Pueblo are finding new...continued→
The Energy Information Administration (EIA) released today an analysis of the economic impact of the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACESA). Once again, the news is good, confirming what we've learned from recent studies by the Environmental Protection Agency...continued→
Recycling their flawed May 13th analysis, the Heritage Foundation just released a new memo criticizing the precedent-setting Waxman-Markey Bill, the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES, HR. 2454). Par for the course, the Foundation gets it all wrong: an...continued→
America is faced with two failing systems: the economy is in turmoil and our climate is in disruption. Each one is critical to our survival, and each one needs to be fixed urgently. The fastest, most cost-effective way to do...continued→
I just ran across a very provocative report assessing the response of 40 large US cities to climate change. Published a couple of months ago by the philanthropic collaborative Living Cities, the report Green Cities: How Urban Sustainability Efforts Can...continued→
The President and CEO of General Electric, John Krenicki, made a stern set of remarks yesterday before the Senate Energy and Public Works Committee on the need for a clear and strong Renewable Energy Standard in the Climate & Energy...continued→
This blog is structured from: http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/ljohnson/seven_questions_to_ask_of_any.html 1. Top Line Question: How much larger (than 2008) does this model predict GDP will be in 2030 under an emissions cap (do not accept "how much less GDP is relative to no policy"...continued→
Good old Midwestern pragmatism is on display in Illinois and Missouri this week, as Governors Quinn and Nixon sign legislation expanding the role of energy efficiency as a resource that can lower our gas and electric bills while curbing pollution...continued→
Today NRDC released, A Clean Energy Economy for Missouri: Analysis of the Rural Economic Development Potential of Renewable Resources, authored by Martin R. Cohen. This forward-looking report highlights the numerous economic and environmental benefits available to all Missourians by...continued→
As I savor last Friday's historic House vote to pass clean energy and climate legislation, I can't help but think about last June, when leaders in the Senate tried to pass a groundbreaking climate bill. What has changed since then? ...continued→
The House has just passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act, a bill that would start America down a path toward prosperity, job creation, sustainable energy, and enhanced climate security. This is a historic moment. But work still lies...continued→
The House just passed its first-ever bill designed to unleash clean energy opportunities, create millions of jobs, and combat global warming. This historic vote defied expectations. Back in January, few people believed that six months into a new session and...continued→
The American Clean Energy and Security Act will help spur $150 billion in clean energy investments, which will create 1.7 million good-paying jobs throughout the United States. Clean energy jobs are labor intensive, and clean energy investments create more jobs...continued→
This Friday the House of Representatives will consider one of the most important pieces of legislation of our time: a bill that would simultaneously jumpstart our economy, create millions of jobs, lay the groundwork for a clean energy future, and...continued→
A new NRDC report shows that clean energy will boost economy and create jobs. Deutsche Bank launches a carbon counter. NRDC's Nathanael Greene writes about it here. NREL and Google launch map of America's alternative fuel stations. San Francisco...continued→
I have received many briefings from climate scientists over the past 10 years. At first, most were based on modeling and projections, but more recently, they have included an alarming element: empirical evidence that global warming is interfering with America's...continued→
According to an assessment by the International Energy Agency (IEA), the world is going to invest more than $16 trillion in energy by 2030. There are two ways that we can invest this money: a smart way and a dumb...continued→
Over three decades of experience with environmental regulation show that investments in environmental protection, coupled with GDP growth, led to an increase in jobs that were orders of magnitude larger than any job losses caused by environmental requirements. The dire...continued→
Memo TO: U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers, Heritage Foundation and other industry groups predicting the end of life as we know if America takes action on climate change FROM: Natural Resources Defense Council, Political Economic Research Institute/University of...continued→
It's digital conversion day. Find out how to get rid of your old TV. June 8 was the first-ever World Oceans Day. NRDC's experts discuss problems and solutions on Switchboard. National Parks will offer free admission on three weekends this summer....continued→
Last week I had the honor of speaking at the famous City Club in Cleveland, Ohio. In its more than 100 year history, the City Club has hosted every candidate who has run for president. I am not running for...continued→
Scientists are considering managed relocation of species threatened by global warming. Mandatory rationing of water usage helps the town of Bolinas in Northern California cope with water shortage caused by years of drought. The Climate Positive Development Program aims...continued→
I felt like celebrating last night. After more than 10 years working to stop climate change, I welcomed this historic development: the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act, a bill that will make...continued→
The Heritage Foundation's May 13, 2009 Web Memo "analysis" of the precedent-setting Waxman-Markey Bill, the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES, HR. 2454), not surprisingly gets it all backwards. An engine of economic growth, job creation, energy security, and...continued→
I and others have blogged about the "spanish jobs study" that trashes green jobs, and which the Minister of Innovation, Enterprise and Employment for the Navarre region in Spain has criticized. Now a Spanish Government official has outlined the Spanish government's rejection...continued→
When Wes McGuire's employer - a Middletown, Ohio factory - shut down, Wes had to find a new job. Fortunately he found and completed a two-week training course at his local county career center. This led to an interview with...continued→
On Monday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee will begin a week-long marathon to pass long-overdue clean energy and climate legislation. After more than a month of extensive negotiations among members of the committee, Chairmen Henry Waxman and Ed Markey...continued→
Nouriel Roubini, one of the earliest voices to speak out on the shaky economic underpinnings of our financial system and resulting economic crisis in which we now find ourselves entangled, today opined in the New York Times that within the...continued→
On Wednesday, before President Obama answered reporters' questions about his new health care plans, he took a moment to praise House Democrats "who've made such extraordinary progress in reaching a deal on comprehensive energy reform and climate legislation." I echo...continued→
Opponents of climate legislation are living in a parallel universe where the value of pollution allowances disappears into a black hole, energy markets are currently perfect, and the impacts of global warming are costless. On this side of the worm...continued→
America's vets are raising their collective voices in support of the American Clean Energy and Security Act. Pointing to the national security benefits of reducing America's reliance on dangerous foreign oil, VoteVets has been mobilizing its members in support of...continued→
Here's our rule of thumb when it comes to America's emerging green economy. If David Kreutzer, the senior policy analyst in energy economics and climate change at the Heritage Foundation says it's bad, it's got to be a good thing....continued→
For those following the fascinating career of the bogus "Spanish Study on green jobs," a letter from José María Roig Aldasoro, the Minister of Innovation, Enterprise and Employment for the Navarre region in Spain might be of interest. The minister says: "An article...continued→
According to a recently released report by ACEEE, energy efficiency improvements in PA can save consumers an estimated $5 billion/yr on energy bills and create 27,000 new local jobs by 2025. Implementing a robust set of energy efficiency and solar...continued→
This blog is a sequel to my "Seven Questions to Ask of Any Economic Model of Climate Legislation" blog. Stay tuned as more studies come out... 1. Top Line Question: How much larger (than 2008) does this model predict GDP...continued→
Earlier this week, Senator Kit Bond of Missouri issued a "report" on green jobs, essentially an exercise in taking statements from various reports on green jobs out of context and ignoring what those reports actually have to say. The Senator's report...continued→
Looking for signs of hope amid the grim unemployment statistics? Wondering where and when those green jobs will start paying green wages? There's good news just outside your window. Last December, hundreds in Chicago lost jobs when Republic Windows and...continued→
This week, the US House of Representatives started down the road towards global warming legislation with a series of hearings to discuss the climate and energy proposal unveiled last month. So while the powerful make decisions on how to power our country,...continued→
Despite growing momentum by the new administration and Congress to take bold action that will bring us into a new clean energy future, opponents of comprehensive energy and climate legislation repeatedly predict rising costs, citing studies that appear to provide...continued→
Thirty-nine years ago this week, hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers poured into the streets of Manhattan to demand clean air, safe water and environmental protection in every sphere of city life. Similar events took place across the nation, as...continued→
Today EPA released an analysis of what the economy might look like if the proposed Waxman Markey bill were enacted. This legislation would finally put a cap on dangerous global warming pollution, driving investments that will create millions of clean...continued→
"No es fácil ser verde". La rana René ("It's not easy being green". Kermit the frog) Seemingly, it is also hard for Foxes to be green. Shannon Bream at least seems to be having a tough time of it right...continued→
Spain is a country known for its romance, wine and bullfighting. But when it comes to economics and green jobs, it seems we're getting more bull than much else. Our good friends at Media Matters jumped right on the case yesterday when Fox News cited a...continued→
NRDC has been interviewing workers earning green paychecks in the new clean energy economy to help increase understanding of and support for clean energy investments and the policies we need to support them. This work builds on previous research showing that...continued→
This week, Congressmen Waxman and Markey released a new plan to repower America with clean energy and clean jobs. And, what did we hear from the climate deniers: the same old scare tactics they roll out every time a good...continued→
The press seems to cover Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS) as a matter of routine these days - local, national and international. For someone who hasn't looked at the technology in detail, it can be hard to decipher its potential...continued→
This is an exciting week in DC. House Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman circulated his and Congressman Markey's draft climate bill. And you know what? It is an uplifting, inspiring proposal that challenges us to stop talking about a...continued→
corrected copy, posted April 1 Congressmen Henry Waxman and Ed Markey today released their long-awaited "discussion draft" of the American Clean Energy and Security Act - a bold starting point for passing comprehensive energy and climate legislation through Congress...continued→
Today Congressmen Henry Waxman and Ed Markey released draft legislative language that could propel America into a clean energy future, cut global warming pollution, and create millions of jobs in the process. This is a welcome development, because even though President Obama has...continued→
Every meeting I have with the Obama administration or members of Congress these days focuses on the economic crisis. But that doesn't mean we aren't also talking about environmental solutions as well. The two are closely linked. A recent Washington...continued→
In the news this week: Turn out the lights, please! Earth Hour is on Saturday at 8:30 pm (find out which sites will go dark). NRDC's Rob Perks makes sense of the EPA's mountaintop removal announcements on his Switchboard blog...continued→
President Obama gave a speech today at Southern California Electric Vehicle Center. Not much to say about it other than...WOW! The only glitch I spotted was his mention of "clean coal" -- which certainly does not exist. Obama's remarks excerpted below (emphasis added)....continued→
The clean energy money in the stimulus package is already putting people to work, or back to work, in the case of a window factory in western Pennsylvania. Six months ago, Kensington Windows shut its doors when its parent company...continued→
In the news this week: Lawmakers in a Long Island county have voted to approve what would be the nation's first ban on baby bottles and sippy cups made with bpa. Florida wants to charge bottled water companies by the...continued→
In his State of the Union address and his federal budget, President Obama championed incentives for cleaner vehicles, expanded public transit, and more American jobs. A couple of weeks ago, I saw one of the places where all three of...continued→
Two budding entrepreneurs, Mark Rembert and Taylor Stuckert, were highlighted on this morning's NPR Morning Edition show for their ambitious plan now underway to re-energize businesses on Main Street in their hometown by way of creating a green enterprise zone called...continued→
By now, almost every one of us has heard of green jobs. It's quickly becoming the national - and global - mantra that carries with it the promise of pulling us out of this downward spiral of economic and environmental...continued→
When I was a kid in Los Angeles, back when TV stations broadcast in black and white and Howdy Doody was a hit show, the label "Made in Japan" was a marker for a cheap piece of junk. Now, things...continued→
The economic stimulus package Congress just passed will do a good job of launching America toward a cleaner, more secure energy future. But it is just a start. The stimulus package alone can't take us where we need to go....continued→
President Obama is making great use of his first 100 days, using his time to start moving the United States forward to a future where our economic health and growth is founded on clean energy. But we've only made a...continued→
Joe Romm explains what's green in the Senate stimulus bill. See Switchboard posts about the stimulus package here. On World Changing: oceans are the new atmosphere.The U.S. could produce enough ethanol to displace a third of all gasoline by...continued→
For several months, President Obama has been telling Americans that green energy investment is a path to economic recovery. In the last several days, Washington got the message loud and clear. Not only did the city play host to 2,000...continued→
I'm flying home from the Good Jobs, Green Jobs conference in D.C., enjoying having a row of three seats to myself. Yes, a person who is 6-4 can nap successfully athwart three airline seats, at least until the flight attendant...continued→
Slate's The Big Money takes a video tour of NRDC's LEED-Platinum Santa Monica office. NRDC's Kaid Benfield highlights the good life in Santa Monica on his blog. The Takeaway's week-long energy series takes listeners on a trip along the...continued→
I had the pleasure of speaking at the national Good Jobs, Green Jobs conference in Washington, D.C. yesterday. This was a truly remarkable event that brought together thousands of people -- from steelworkers to business leaders to students to environmentalists. The...continued→
That's what Congressman Blumenauer of Portland, Ore., was quoted as saying today, talking about the convergence of the climate change emergency and the economic crisis: "We've got 'em right where we want 'em." What he means by that (I think)...continued→
It's a bit cool here for a California boy: 16 degrees and the wind is blowing. Fortunately, there is an Irish bar near the hotel. Wednesday afternoon I attended two workshops: building a sustainable supply chain, and state and regional...continued→
The past few days have brought a flurry of news about the second portion of the 4 trillion yuan Chinese economic stimulus to be released. This amount (130 billion yuan or US$19 billion) is to include 11 billion yuan for...continued→
Good Jobs, Green Jobs - Wednesday Plenary As NRDC's Peter Lehner pointed out during today's session, our economic system is part of the world's ecosystem, and both are in trouble now. Creating low-wage, dead-end jobs are not the answer to...continued→
I'm going to be posting a series of notes on the Good Jobs, Green Jobs conference that opens today in Washington, D.C. The conference could not be more timely given the pace at which Congress is working on the stimulus...continued→
Last week was a pretty thrilling week for environmentalists. With so much going on each day, I've been wondering what we're going to get as an encore. So far the signs are pretty good. First off, this week brings the...continued→
Congress is about to make a decision that could affect whether your family and future generations will have clean streams to swim in, fish that are safe to eat, and safe, sufficient tap water to meet your needs. What am...continued→
I had the good fortune of being in Washington for the inauguration. It was an amazing day, when I felt every one of the 2 million people in attendance was committed to a new future for America. Cheers surrounded me...continued→
Fast Company lists the ten best green jobs for the next decade. EcoGeek says the Obama administration needs to re-tool the Bureau of Land Management. On Green Inc., Kate Galbraith writes about a mileage tax as an alternative to...continued→
Yesterday, President-elect Barack Obama announced his plan to offer working families a $1000 tax cut and improve energy efficiency in the homes of millions of Americans. This effort is designed to immediately create jobs and stimulate the economy. The economic...continued→
NRDC experts were featured twice today on CNBC... On "Squawk Box," Nancy Stoner explains that revitalizing our economy and our water infrastructure system go hand-in-hand... On "Street Signs," Andy Stevenson emphasizes the need for Obama's green jobs plan...CNN's "Lou Dobbs...continued→
In The Wall Street Journal, Karen Wayland calls for Obama's economic stimulus package to include green job creation, and Deron Lovaas tells Congress Daily AM that the package must address problems with the federal highway system... On KQED's Quest, Annie...continued→
The New York Times today posted a series of four enlightening articles by reporter Ken Belson on Energy Efficiency* policies, programs, and notable projects happening throughout New York State. The lead article titled, “An Obscure Fee Pays for Efficient-Energy Projects”...continued→
Has Governor Schwarzenegger forgotten that California's environmental quality is the backbone of our economy? One of the things that make it so exciting to work in California is that, by and large, people here get it and they want to...continued→
It used to be that talk of the nation's electricity grid caused most people's eyes to glaze over. Now, thanks to a confluence of volatile energy prices, a green-oriented incoming president, and a cultural fascination with high tech gadgets, that...continued→
A broad coalition of environmental organizations, including NRDC, unveiled today our "Transition to Green" - our recommendations for President-Elect Obama and his new administration. Our highest priority recommendations are addressed to taking quick and decisive action on climate and energy. ...continued→
After 35 years working as an environmental advocate, I have done my share of consensus building and coalition tending. It's not always easy finding common ground, even among those who are fighting for the same cause. But today the environmental...continued→
I thought I couldn't be shocked any more. After all, the past eight years have taught me that despite the availability of clean energy technology, the Bush administration will always place oil and gas drilling above all other options. But...continued→
Tuesday was a remarkable day for me. After a decade of fighting to sound the alarm about the urgent need to solve global warming, I heard these words come from the President Elect of the United States: "Now is the...continued→
Bloggers are focusing on green jobs and the clean energy economy during this election week: Obama team considers national listening tour on the new energy economy. Joe Romm writes that green investment does create jobs. Treehugger calls for Obama to...continued→
Like many Americans, I feel a sense of measured optimism these days. Yes the economy is in collapse and we live on a "planet in peril," but we also have an environmental advocate headed toward the White House. In his...continued→
One of the most bizarre arguments made by the "let's not solve global warming" crowd is that doing so will hurt the poor (about whom, mysteriously enough, these voices seem to remain pretty unconcerned when almost any other topic is on...continued→
A study says that California has created 1.5 million green jobs thanks to efficiency regulations. Colleges are encouraging students to leave their cars at home by giving away free bikes to students, offering discounts at local bike shops and...continued→
Last week I heard a great story on NPR's Morning Edition about how a tiny investment in an energy efficient window coating went on to save Americans billions of dollars on utility bills and jump start a green building boom....continued→
Van Jones, whose group Green for All has partnered with NRDC on various projects, has made the New York Times' best-sellers list. He talked with The Huffington Post's Nicholas Sabloff: "Let’s tell our disaffected youth: “You can make more money...continued→
Recently, as I enthusiastically explained to my mother the work that I am doing with the Natural Resources Defense Council punctuating the importance of energy policy in the future administration, she looked at me with a smirk and responded, "Honey,...continued→
Sustainablog suggests ten ways to change the world through social media. Salon interviews British journalist Rose George about environmental health issues connected with human waste. It's Getting Hot in Here blogs about what green jobs could do for Navajo...continued→
Audrey Chang emphasizes the need for a more aggressive and environmentally protective land-use plan in California in the LA Times… In the Christian Science Monitor, Ralph Cavanagh criticizes California ballot initiative Prop.7 for being harmful to renewable energy progress… Gina...continued→
Last week the Labor Department reported that 159,000 jobs were cut in September--twice as many as the previous two months. Meanwhile, energy prices remain high and Congress just handed out taxpayer subsidies for a host of polluting and costly fuels....continued→
Van Jones is the nation's leading visionary calling for a social, economic and energy revolution driven by a massive effort to repower America's outdated and broken energy systems. A long-time advocate for helping those on society's lowest rungs to climb...continued→
It turns out that nearly 750,000 Americans get paychecks from jobs that reduce pollution and increase the use of clean energy, according to a new report by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The report creates the first index of existing...continued→
I am an environmental advocate. That means sometimes I travel to Washington to lobby Congress on behalf of the issues NRDC cares about. Big Oil companies dispatches lobbyists to the Hill as well. Last week we covered the same ground:...continued→
NRDC has been involved in lawsuits since 2004 with EPA for failing to set storm water runoff limits for builders; today the LA Times reports on NRDC’s success: a federal court just ruled that EPA must limit Builders’ water pollution…...continued→
The Associated Press reports on the strict refinery pollution controls and community environmental benefits that ConocoPhillips has agreed to implement when expanding the Roxana refinery; Ann Alexander emphasizes that the agreement has set the bar for what national standards...continued→
NPR reports on the clean air program NRDC has successfully sued the Ports of LA and Long Beach to institute, which will essentially convert America’s dirtiest ports into the cleanest; Dave Pettit talks about the precedent setting nature of the...continued→
Reuters, Zdnet, a site with over 1.7 million monthly viewers, and the Tennessean wrote about NRDC's newest green jobs report that suggests 2 million green jobs could be created with just $100 billion in tax credits and government investment... Reuters...continued→
Portland Business Journal reports on NRDC’s newest ‘green jobs’ report, saying that with $100 billion in tax credits and investments the US could create 2 million ‘green jobs’ within two years; Frances Beinecke is mentioned as a ‘green jobs supporter’...continued→
How can we address the energy crisis, the economic crisis and the climate crisis in one swoop? By investing in clean energy, according to a new report by the Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. The...continued→
On KNPR, Nevada Public Radio, NRDC consultant Timothy Hay talks about the shortcomings and flaws of a Nevada global warming solutions report recently published by a state appointed committee… In the Missoulian, Chuck Magraw talks about the growing demand...continued→
In the Associated Press Jake Schmidt emphasizes that if an international global warming treaty is to be reached on time, it is of the utmost importance that the next presidential administration organize positioning on global warming quickly after arriving...continued→
Paul Krugman wrote in the New York Times that outrage is the proper response to last week’s Congressional debate on offshore drilling. I agree. It is outrageous that in the face of the combined energy and economic crises, our representatives...continued→
While Al Gore was challenging Americans to invest in a carbon-free energy future, Texas utility regulators voted to to invest nearly $5 billion to build the transmission system needed so the state can harness its expansive wind resource and send...continued→
Last week, the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act fell short of being passed by the Senate. It was an historic moment, in which the United States faced two choices: to accept the responsibility of limiting our carbon emissions for the sake...continued→
When I walk into our New York office every morning, I know I work with people devoted to the environment. In my colleague’s offices, there are pictures of all of their favorite mountains, rivers and oceans. In mine, I have...continued→
This summer, Americans will be treated to a string of superhero movies: Iron Man, Batman, the Incredible Hulk. They’ll take on their villains, defeat them and their evil plans and save the day. Lately, I’ve been thinking about a different...continued→
You have heard me talk about the economic benefits of passing a global warming law. Now you can get the news from the Department of Energy itself. This week, the DOE’s Energy Information Agency released a report showing that we...continued→
Last week, I witnessed something I wouldn’t have seen two years ago: a group of leading climate scientists and environmental thinkers expressing genuine optimism about our ability to solve global warming. Why the change? The explosive innovation in green energy...continued→
I recently spent the a month working out of NRDC’s California offices. I am an Easterner by birth and inclination. I feel more at home on the subway than the freeway, the Adirondack woods than the Santa Monica beach. But...continued→
Twenty years ago, when I was fighting to protect coastal areas from overdevelopment, the reigning stereotype of environmentalists was that we never met a regulation we didn’t like. The counterpart to that type-casting was that businesspeople saw every regulation as...continued→
I write a lot on this blog about tackling global warming and expanding green tech. So I wanted to shine a spotlight on a clean energy solution that is rising out of the New Mexican desert right now. Wired reported...continued→
I’ve been staying in California for the last few weeks and one of the people I had hoped to meet out here was Van Jones. Jones is the co-founder of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in Oakland and...continued→
More than 80,000 chemicals now in use have never been fully assessed for toxic impacts on human health and the environment. The law must be reformed.
