Blogs
Gore: Congress must not bicker, act now on climate
April 24, 2009 9:47 am | by DINA CAPPIELLO, Associated Press Writer Dina Cappiello, Associated Press Writer | CommentsFormer Vice President Al Gore, a leading voice on climate change, urged lawmakers Friday to overcome partisan differences and pass legislation to curb greenhouse gases. Gore, who won a Nobel prize for his work on global warming, called the climate issue the most important ever before Congress. A Democratic bill limiting carbon dioxide and other pollution linked to a warming of the Earth will simultaneously solve the problems of the climate
US delivers message of urgency on climate change
April 23, 2009 12:39 pm | CommentsThe United States insisted Thursday that it had a common purpose and felt a sense of urgency over climate change, taking part in environment talks with other Group of Eight nations and developing countries. Delegates are holding three days of talks in this eastern Sicilian city amid high expectations over the extent of the U.S. commitment to tackle climate change
100 MPG Electric Hummer a Reality
April 23, 2009 9:23 am | by by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | CommentsRaser Technologies recently announced a 100 MPG version of the Hummer H3 at the 2009 SAE International World Congress. The idea of taking the most infamous gas guzzler and making it “greener than a Prius” sounds like a pipe dream. But Raser claims to have achieved it. The resultant vehicle is the best of both worlds: environmentally-friendly and attractive
Congress considers major global warming measure (AP)
April 20, 2009 7:36 am | CommentsThe last time Congress passed major environmental laws, acid rain was destroying lakes and forests, polluted rivers were on fire and smog was choking people in some cities. The fallout from global warming, while subtle now, could eventually be more dire. That prospect has Democrats pushing legislation that rivals in scope the nation's landmark anti-pollution laws.
Obama: Better trains foster energy independence (AP)
April 16, 2009 10:52 am | CommentsPresident Barack Obama is calling for the country to move swiftly to a system of high-speed rail travel, saying it will relieve congestion, help clean the air and save on energy. Appearing with Vice President Joe Biden and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Thursday, Obama said the country cannot afford not to invest in a major upgrade to rail travel. He said he understands it necessarily will be "a long-term project" but said the time to start is now
Chevy Volt Not the Answer, Says Obama Administration
April 14, 2009 12:48 pm | by by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | CommentsThere’re strange brewings in the auto industry. President Obama once remarked that “unless we free ourselves from a dependence on these fossil fuels and chart a new course on energy in this country, we are condemning future generations to global catastrophe.” Fresh off its government bailout, General Motors has devoted “significant resources” to the Chevy Volt, an "Extended Range Electric Vehicle" set for release in 2011. Obama’s response?
Obama looking at cooling air to fight warming (AP)
April 13, 2009 5:36 am | by SETH BORENSTEIN, AP Science Writer Seth Borenstein, Ap Science Writer – Thu Apr 9, 6:17 am ET | CommentsTinkering with Earth's climate to chill runaway global warming — a radical idea once dismissed out of hand — is being discussed by the White House as a potential emergency option, the president's new science adviser said Wednesday. That's because global warming is happening so rapidly, John Holdren told The Associated Press in his first interview since being confirmed last month. The concept of using technology to purposely cool the climate is called geoengineering
Congress Urges EPA to Drop SSL Energy Star Criteria
April 10, 2009 7:11 am | by by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | CommentsTo follow up on an earlier story, congress has urged the EPA to drop its SSL Energy Star criteria. A letter, signed by nine congressional members, encourages EPA administrator Lisa Jackson to defer to the DOE on Energy Star. The letter makes mention of “the current state of affairs, in which two federal agencies have put forth two separate standards,” and that, “The overlapping standards are creating uncertainty in the industry”
Plug In America Refutes Obama Auto Task Force Conclusion on GM Volt
April 2, 2009 10:31 am | CommentsIn response to an Obama Administration auto task force report, Plug In America on Tuesday proposed a plan to make GM’s Chevy Volt and other plug-in cars more affordable, noting that most advanced new technologies are initially more costly. California law requires that the Volt and other plug-in hybrids come with a 10-year warranty. To ensure this longer life, automakers are as much as doubling the size of the battery pack, increasing cost to manufacturer and consumer.
Biomechanical ATV Boasts Extremely High Range
March 31, 2009 7:27 pm | CommentsAdvanced technology vehicles have yet to gain a foothold in the mainstream auto industry. Hybrids boast a fuel economy upwards of 40 mpg, but are too pricey for your average consumer. Similarly, “clean diesel” sports high MPG ratings, but diesel is prohibitively expensive. The more exotic ATV’s (air-cars, biodiesel, solar) are aesthetically morose. Pure electric vehicles (PEVs) lack the necessary infrastructure to support them. Welcko’s Mogwai Electric Vehicle (or MEV) is the first ATV with potential mainstream viability
Proposal Could Ban the Sale of Plasma TVs in California
March 30, 2009 12:23 pm | by by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | CommentsThe California Energy Commission (CEC) is moving ahead with a proposal that could make Plasma TVs legally obsolete. Based on the 2008 Report, “Draft Efficiency Standards for Television” (which drew heavily from Pacific Gas and Electric Company findings), the proposal would set a cap on the maximum active mode power usage (watts). This would effectively ban the sale of Plasma, DLP, rear projector, and certain LCD TV’s in California
World’s Cheapest Car Riles Environmental Groups
March 24, 2009 12:27 pm | by by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | CommentsTata Motors has unveiled the world’s cheapest car, with potential for a vast standard of living increase. And Greenpeace doesn’t like it. The same organization that supported a ban on chlorine in drinking water feels that the mass proliferation of cheap automobiles is a bad thing. Despite its eco-friendly 47 MPG rating, the Tata Nano is seen as a threat to the environment. Why? Because lots of people want to buy them.
New government brochure explains climate science
March 19, 2009 4:43 am | by Alix Paultre | CommentsDay after day, reports of the dangers of climate and climate change circulate in the news, often filled with confusing data and debate. In an effort to improve understanding of climate science, a group of government agencies has combined efforts to produce "Climate Literacy: The Essential Principles of Climate Science."
Global Warming: Science vs. Activism
March 11, 2009 2:03 pm | by by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | CommentsIn 2007, Al Gore shared the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to “build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change.” In his Oscar-winning documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, Gore screeched, “The scientists are virtually screaming from the rooftops now. The debate is over! There’s no longer any debate in the scientific community about this.”
ASU Develops World’s First Flexible Touchscreen Display
March 9, 2009 9:36 am | by by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | CommentsArizona State University’s Flexible Display Center (FDC) recently unveiled the world’s first flexible touchscreen display. Developed in conjunction with E Ink Corporation and DuPont Teijin Films, the active matrix display is capable of real-time user input, and can send and receive information. The applications for such a device, particularly in the military sector, are endless
