Solar Projects In Google News

SB843 Lets California Utility Customers Share Solar Projects - CleanTechnica

Sat, 05/19/2012 - 06:00 PM

A revolutionary renewable energy bill could become law in California as soon as this September. It will allow customers of the big three utilities in California to buy power directly from renewable energy projects developed in their neighborhoods for

27 Solar Projects Planned by Walmart - CleanTechnica

Sat, 05/19/2012 - 01:50 PM

These solar projects are in their infancy and still require permits, but if they are constructed, it is expected that between 10 and 15 percent of each store's energy would be provided by them. Twenty-seven stores is a little over half of

First Photovoltaic Solar Panel Installed on Largest Solar Project in the World - MarketWatch (press release)

Fri, 05/18/2012 - 08:06 PM

SunHerald.com

"Solar projects such as Topaz will allow us to continue to deliver one of the cleanest energy portfolios in the nation to our customers and help the state meet its green energy goals." First Solar's advanced thin-film PV modules generate electricity Building on Buffet's $2B Topaz Solar Farm heats upPacific Coast Business Times“Largest Solar Power Plant in World” Now Under Construction, & Largest Solar CleanTechnicaall 4

Apple, SunEnergy1 solar projects get NC approval - Charlotte Business Journal (blog)

Fri, 05/18/2012 - 06:57 PM

NC regulators have cleared two major solar projects for construction this week — Apple Inc.'s proposed 20-megawatt project at its Catawba County server farm and the expansion of SunEnergy1's large merchant solar plant in Plymouth.

Windsor-Essex solar firms frozen out of deals - Windsor Star

Fri, 05/18/2012 - 12:47 PM

WINDSOR, Ont. -- Local solar companies question whether taxpayers got the best deal when area municipalities gave contracts for solar projects on public buildings to a private company without competitive bids. Essex Energy has installed and owns

Solar Eclipse 2012: Bay Area Vantage Points - Patch.com

Fri, 05/18/2012 - 12:37 PM

Engage in hands-on solar projects, make a pin-hole camera, enjoy solar viewing, and converse with experienced astronomers. The Center will close at 5 pm, but there will be special extended hours on the observatory deck until 8pm!

Can the State Save New Jersey's Solar Sector? - Patch.com

Fri, 05/18/2012 - 09:00 AM

Environmental Finance

Can the State Save New Jersey's Solar Sector?Unless prices are propped up, according to Smith and clean energy advocates, investment in new solar projects will completely dry up in the state -- and soon. By most accounts, the collapse of those prices, dubbed solar renewable energy certificates, Record Highs And Lows In New Jersey's Uncertain Solar MarketMondaq News Alerts (registration)NJ Eyes Legislative Relief For Solar Industry TroublesLaw360 (subscription)all 7

Solar Eclipse Sunday – First in 18 Years - Patch.com

Fri, 05/18/2012 - 08:34 AM

Engage in hands-on solar projects, make a pin-hole camera, enjoy solar viewing, and converse with experienced astronomers. The Center will close at 5 pm, but there will be special extended hours on the observatory deck until 8pm!

Solar firms frozen out of deals - Windsor Star

Fri, 05/18/2012 - 07:48 AM

By Monica Wolfson, The May 18, 2012 12:00 AM Local solar companies question whether taxpayers got the best deal when area municipalities gave contracts for solar projects on public buildings to a private company without competitive bids.

Senate panel OKs solar boost - NorthJersey.com

Fri, 05/18/2012 - 06:09 AM

"The way it is now, there will be no new [solar] projects in the future and the ones out there will fail," said Sen. Bob Smith, D-Middlesex, at the start of the Senate Environment and Energy Committee hearing. But that level of independence could be

California Solar Projects In Google News

Viewing Events, Eyewear Urged for 'Ring of... - ABC News

Sat, 05/19/2012 - 07:36 PM

Press News

Viewing Events, Eyewear Urged for 'Ring ofIn California, the San Francisco Amateur Astronomers will hold two sponsored events for the general public to safely watch the solar eclipse using specially equipped telescopes. San Juan College Planetarium in Farmington, NM, just off the Navajo Viewing events, eyewear urged for 'Ring of Fire'Fox Newsall 135

Solar eclipse 2012: All systems go for witnessing rare 'ring of fire' - Christian Science Monitor

Sat, 05/19/2012 - 03:54 PM

USA TODAY

Solar eclipse 2012: All systems go for witnessing rare 'ring of fire'By Patrik Jonsson, Staff writer / May 19, 2012 The sun is seen partially blocked by the moon through ceilings of ancient buildings during a solar eclipse in central China in 2010. The last time an annular solar eclipse hovered above Los Angeles, Rare solar eclipse visible Sunday over Western statesUSA TODAYRare solar eclipse visible Sunday over WestTucson Citizenall 2

Solar eclipse 2012: Will clouds ruin viewing of solar eclipse? - Los Angeles Times

Sat, 05/19/2012 - 02:00 PM

Plain Dealer

The forecast looks generally promising for California and much of the southwestern United States -- which will have prime views of the "ring of fire" solar eclipse, AccuWeather.com senior meteorologist John Feerick said. But for some areas getting a Fresno area to get rare view of partial solar eclipse SundayFresno BeeSolar Eclipse Sunday: Where to WatchPatch.comExcitement builds as solar eclipse nearsSacramento BeeMid Columbia Tri City Herald -Washington Post (blog) -Plain Dealerall 128

Solar eclipse 2012: California likely to offer impressive views - Los Angeles Times

Sat, 05/19/2012 - 11:51 AM

NEWS.com.au

The partial solar eclipse will occur late in the day in Southern California on Sunday, beginning at 5:24 pm, reaching its maximum coverage at 6:38 pm, and exiting the sun's path at 7:42 pm, just 10 minutes before sunset. "That means the sun is fairly solar eclipse to project 'ring of fire'CNNWeekend solar eclipse to project 'ring of fire'CNN InternationalSolar Eclipse Visible From California toABC NewsThe Desert Sun -Inside Bay Areaall 1,095

solar eclipse to project 'ring of fire' - CNN

Sat, 05/19/2012 - 07:52 AM

Telegraph.co.uk

solar eclipse to project 'ring of fire'In the United States, the eclipse will be visible on a path from northwestern Texas through New Mexico, northeastern Arizona, southern Utah, Nevada, northern California and southwestern Oregon late Sunday. "I recommend anyone who has the chance to see Solar eclipse 2012: where the best views will beLos Angeles TimesWeekend solar eclipse to project 'ring of fire' InternationalSolar Eclipse Visible From California toABC NewsThe Desert Sun -Inside Bay Areaall 1,062

Upcoming solar eclipse to project 'ring of fire' - CNN

Sat, 05/19/2012 - 06:35 AM

NEWS.com.au

Upcoming solar eclipse to project 'ring of fire'In the United States, the eclipse will be visible on a path from northwestern Texas through New Mexico, northeastern Arizona, southern Utah, Nevada, northern California and southwestern Oregon late Sunday. "I recommend anyone who has the chance to see Solar eclipse 2012: where the best views will beLos Angeles TimesWeekend solar eclipse to project 'ring of fire' InternationalSolar Eclipse Visible From California toABC NewsInside Bay Areaall 1,061

Solar Eclipse Sunday: Where to Watch - Patch.com

Sat, 05/19/2012 - 04:19 AM

msnbc.com

Courtesy of NASA On the weekends, you may be find yourself away from home, but somewhere in Northern California around 6:30 pm, the expected apex of the solar eclipse in the area. With a big event like the annular solar eclipse coming up Sunday we City of LA to try new parking fee programKTVNMt. SAC offers program on solar eclipse SundayContra Costa TimesSunday eclipse may bring visitors to NevadaThe Record-Courierall 85

Solar eclipse 2012: where the best views will be - Los Angeles Times

Sat, 05/19/2012 - 02:59 AM

Experts said Sunday's "ring" eclipse will be visible across a wide area, including in California. But certain parts of the state will get a better view than others. The best view of the ring eclipse -- which scientists call an "annular" eclipse, 'Ring Of Fire' Eclipse To Be Visible Over Southern CaliforniaCBS Localall 3

Solar eclipse 2012: Share your 'ring of fire' plans, photos - Los Angeles Times

Fri, 05/18/2012 - 11:23 PM

Solar eclipse 2012: Share your 'ring of fire' plans, photosThe “ring of fire” eclipse coming to Southern California on Sunday evening will be a rare chance to see the unusual solar phenomenon. The partial solar eclipse will begin at 5:24 pm in Southern California and reach its maximum coverage at 6:38 pm,

Excitement builds as solar eclipse nears - Sacramento Bee

Fri, 05/18/2012 - 10:44 PM

News10.net

By RONG-GONG LIN II LOS ANGELES -- Excitement is building over a rare "ring" eclipse that is expected to be visible in California and other parts of the Southwest. The Griffith Observatory is set to hold a special eclipse-viewing event Sunday, Solar annular eclipse: viewing adviceWashington Post (blog)Southern California -- this just inLos Angeles TimesHow to safely and best view Sunday's solar eclipseNews10.netRecord-Searchlight -NBC Los Angelesall 47

New Jersey Solar Projects In Google News

Solar panel maker eyes southeast for salvation; Suntech Power CEO sees ... - Utility Products

Fri, 05/18/2012 - 08:21 PM

less sunshine-endowed New Jersey and Pennsylvania are among the biggest installers thanks to their high incomes and power prices, said Rhone Resch, chief executive of the Solar Energy Industries Association. In the US, solar projects owned by

Senate Committee Advances Bill To Boost Solar Energy Market - NJ TODAY

Fri, 05/18/2012 - 06:52 PM

NorthJersey.com

Bob Smith and Senate President Steve Sweeney that would encourage development of solar installations in New Jersey was approved Thursday by the Senate Environment and Energy Committee. “Solar power has become so popular in New Jersey that the supply of Senate panel OKs solar boostNorthJersey.comall 3

U.S. hits Chinese solar panel with hefty tariffs - WBIR-TV

Fri, 05/18/2012 - 01:50 AM

They argue most solar-industry jobs are in sales, marketing, design, installation, engineering and maintenance of solar projects and higher solar prices could result in layoffs. "This decision will increase solar electricity prices in the US precisely Solar panel deals too good to refuse, Installation companies are finding Bend BulletinSolar panel maker eyes southeast for salvation; Suntech Power CEO sees Power Engineering Magazineall 782

Solar panel maker eyes southeast for salvation; Suntech Power CEO sees ... - Power Engineering Magazine

Fri, 05/18/2012 - 01:29 AM

less sunshine-endowed New Jersey and Pennsylvaniaare among the biggest installers thanks to their high incomes and power prices, said Rhone Resch,chief executive of the Solar Energy Industries Association. In the US, solar projects owned by

Record Highs And Lows In New Jersey's Uncertain Solar Market - Mondaq News Alerts (registration)

Thu, 05/17/2012 - 01:39 PM

Record Highs And Lows In New Jersey's Uncertain Solar Market Henry R. King and Marshall B. McLean New Jersey's solar market hit record highs on the development side in the face of record lows in Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC) prices during the first quarter of 2012. A record 685 solar projects were

Greenskies putting solar on 27 Mass. Walmarts - Sustainable Business Oregon

Wed, 05/16/2012 - 07:56 PM

Walmart to date has installed approximately 125 panels in California, Hawaii, Colorado, New Jersey and Louisiana, but Ozment said “this is the largest single percentage installation that we've done.” The retail giant, which has four solar projects in

Greg Baise, David Vite and Jack Darin: Say no to Tenaska 1 last time - The State Journal-Register

Wed, 05/16/2012 - 08:19 AM

The irony of the situation is that Tenaska actually opposed a similar law in New Jersey recently noting that subsidized electric generation “undercuts” the power market and could “ultimately put the entire competitive market at risk.

SOUTHERN USA RESOURCES INC. - 10-Q - Management's Discussion and Analysis of ... - Insurance News Net (press release)

Tue, 05/15/2012 - 02:47 PM

- - Management's Discussion and Analysis of Insurance News Net (press release) a renewable energy company primarily focused on the location and development of utility-scale solar energy generation projects in the Mid-Atlantic United States, with a particular focus on the development of solar projects in southern New Jersey .

Beaumont Solar Announces Cycling Team To Connect Green Communities In ... - PR Web (press release)

Tue, 05/15/2012 - 10:06 AM

According to Cavallo, “Our current team roster includes members from Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Colorado, California and Oregon, and in this sense Beaumont Solar Cycling very quickly has a national footprint. We are really looking forward

Record Highs and Lows in New Jersey's Uncertain Solar Market - JD Supra (press release)

Mon, 05/14/2012 - 02:36 PM

Record Highs and Lows in New Jersey's Uncertain Solar Marketby Reed Smith on 5/14/2012 New Jersey's solar market hit record highs on the development side in the face of record lows in Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC) prices during the first quarter of 2012. A record 685 solar projects were installed in

Colorado Solar Projects In Google News

Solar energy for US student homes - The Earth Times

Fri, 05/18/2012 - 12:05 PM

More than 9000 solar panels are to be fitted at The Grove student accommodation in Flagstaff, in Arizona, Greeley, in Colorado, and Las Cruces, in New Mexico. The installation by top renewable energy company, SolarCity, will generate than 2.3 Campus Crest Communities And SolarCity To Provide Student Residents With TheStreet.com (press release)all 2

Campus Crest Communities and SolarCity to Provide Student Residents with ... - EON: Enhanced Online News (press release)

Thu, 05/17/2012 - 02:01 PM

“It's possible for many housing developers to pay less for solar electricity than they pay for utility power and pass on the benefits of clean power to their tenants—SolarCity has completed than 100 solar projects for housing developments in the

Campus Crest Communities and SolarCity to Provide Student Residents with ... - MarketWatch (press release)

Thu, 05/17/2012 - 01:57 PM

"It's possible for many housing developers to pay less for solar electricity than they pay for utility power and pass on the benefits of clean power to their tenants--SolarCity has completed than 100 solar projects for housing developments in the

Sean Tufts, Ex-NFL Player, Now In The Wind Energy Business - Huffington Post

Wed, 05/16/2012 - 09:37 PM

It's what sets the 30-year-old Colorado native apart from others in both arenas. “I'm able to use football to tell my story to customers and sell myself as unique,” says Tufts, who played on the Carolina Panthers from 2004 to 2006. What's he selling?

Japanese Eye Colo. Co-op Solar Plan - Electric Co-op Today

Fri, 05/11/2012 - 08:33 PM

By Derrill Holly | ECT Staff Writer Published: May 11th, 2012 Japanese utility industry officials visited recently an electric cooperative in Colorado to learn about a program that allows consumer-members to lease small amounts of output from

Sean Tufts: Ex-NFL linebacker now tackling wind energy projects - Mother Nature Network

Fri, 05/11/2012 - 06:15 AM

It's what sets the 30-year-old Colorado native apart from others in both arenas. “I'm able to use football to tell my story to customers and sell myself as unique,” says Tufts, who played on the Carolina Panthers from 2004 to 2006. What's he selling?

Advanced Energy and Bergen Group of Companies Partner to Deliver Reliable ... - EON: Enhanced Online News (press release)

Mon, 05/7/2012 - 10:50 PM

AE's solar energy business delivers highly reliable inverters, complimentary BoS products, and robust Operations and Maintenance (O&M) services that allow its customers to secure solar projects and increase their earnings.

Morgan Stanley Brings $300 Million to Residential Solar Leasing - Greentech Media

Thu, 05/3/2012 - 09:09 PM

Solar developer and power purchase agreement (PPA) provider Main Street Power Co., a Morgan Stanley partner in previous utility and commercial scale solar projects, will take on some of the wide range of compliance and reporting activities and

Thinking Neutral: Small Towns Look to Renewables to Reduce Reliance on the Grid - RenewableEnergyWorld.com

Wed, 05/2/2012 - 01:25 PM

Fowler's Snider is now working with other towns in Colorado – Olney Springs, Ordway, and others – to develop wind and solar projects. They are still also seeking to build a regional anaerobic digestion plant. “If you get to a point where your town is

A test case for green energy vs. Native culture - Bend Bulletin

Fri, 04/27/2012 - 11:16 AM

Although a handful of solar projects are under construction in the desert, Genesis has emerged as a case study for Native Americans. As a federally recognized tribal group with sovereignty over a 264000-acre reservation, the Colorado tribes were

Department of Energy Solar Projects

Robot To Wash Solar Panels Among Winning Student Inventions - EarthTechling

Sat, 05/19/2012 - 06:57 PM

The western region's three winners in the DOE's National Clean Energy Business Plan Competition (NCEBPC) were chosen by a top panel of judges including top Silicon Valley green innovation hunters Kleiner Perkins and Khosla Ventures.

Daily Caller Distorts American Jobs Created By Green Energy Loans - Media Matters for America (blog)

Fri, 05/18/2012 - 04:44 PM

The Daily Caller recently reported that "$3.1 billion in DOE loan guarantees" to First Solar "created mostly overseas jobs." In fact, the chairman of First Solar testified before Congress that "all the jobs directly created with the loan guarantees"

Energy Innovation Series Feature #4: Solar Financing For Project SolarStrong - Environmental Defense Fund (blog)

Thu, 05/17/2012 - 09:08 PM

In November 2011, SolarCity – along with Bank of America and Merrill Lynch – announced Project Solar Strong, an ambitious five-year plan to build than $1 billion in solar projects for privatized US military housing communities across the country.

How much CO2 Emissions does Each Energy Source Actually Release? - OilPrice.com

Wed, 05/16/2012 - 10:46 PM

Generally the accuracy of estimating emissions has been very low, with huge ranges offering uncertain and sometimes conflicting information; however a new analysis by the US Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) uses

Thin Film Manufacturing Prospects in the Sub-Dollar-Per-Watt Market - Greentech Media (blog)

Wed, 05/16/2012 - 06:10 PM

By late 2009, a new presidential administration had freed public debt financing for solar projects and manufacturers through the Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Guarantee Program. The first loan went to cylindrical CIGS manufacturer Solyndra for a

Solar Execs In Congressional Hot Seat Over $5B DOE Loans - Law360 (subscription)

Wed, 05/16/2012 - 05:08 PM

Executives from BrightSource Energy Inc. and First Solar Inc., two of the biggest builders of US solar projects, defended the US Department of Energy loans and guarantees that backed 1330 megawatts of new capacity. “I believe all the projects were

Taxpayers Subsidize Forbes 'Green' Billionaires' Schemes - National Legal and Policy Center

Tue, 05/15/2012 - 03:37 PM

Taxpayers Subsidize Forbes 'Green' Billionaires' SchemesFirst Solar is the beneficiary of than $3 billion in DOE loan guarantees for three of its solar projects in the West. That politically connected, wealthy “Green” investors see their projects enhanced with billions of taxpayer dollars,

A Stateside Solar Industry is the Way to Go - KCET (blog)

Tue, 05/8/2012 - 11:37 PM

Since the loan guarantee program began in 2009, 16 solar projects have taken government funds totaling $13.25 billion. But only 4 of the companies were solar manufacturers, one of which was Solyndra, which misused its funding to expand their output

NRG Energy's CEO Discusses Q1 2012 Results - Earnings Call Transcript - Seeking Alpha

Thu, 05/3/2012 - 07:02 PM

NRG Energy's CEO Discusses Q1 2012 Results - Seeking AlphaThis increase is attributable to an acceleration of the timing of solar projects, due in large part to Agua Caliente, and which received the DOE approval to accelerate the block completion schedule, permitting us to bring 245 megawatts online during

Hawaii Pacific Solar installs Conergy Solar Modules and Mounting Systems for ... - AltEnergyMag (press release)

Thu, 05/3/2012 - 03:49 PM

The 122.675kW installation at Aiea High School completed by local clean-energy integrator Hawaii Pacific Solar (HPS) marks the completion of the first of many installations to come in Hawaii for the DOE and HPS. DOE and HPS selected partners Conergy to

The Green Life

Ideas for living well and doing good from Sierra magazine.

Test Your Bike IQ: How Much Does it Cost?

Thu, 05/17/2012 - 10:31 AM

You know it. You love it. The bicycle is a clean machine in a carbon-fueled world. To celebrate Bike to Work Week and National Bike Month, we put together a quiz to test your transportation IQ.

Q: On average, the annual operating cost of a car is $8,220. How much does it cost per year to maintain a bike?

A) $308

B) $3,020

C) $20

Answer: According to a 2009 report published by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the annual maintenance cost of a bike is $308. Cyclists can lower that amount by joining a bike co-op and learning to repair their own machines.

Read more: Japhy Dhungana rode his bike from Los Angeles to the tip of South America. Can you guess why he named his bicycle Bucephalus?

image by iStock/Maridav

Test Your Bike IQ: If They Build It...

Wed, 05/16/2012 - 09:45 AM

You know it. You love it. The bicycle is a clean machine in a carbon-fueled world. To celebrate Bike to Work Week and National Bike Month, we put together a quiz to test your transportation IQ.

Q: Biking and walking are popular modes of transportation — about 12 percent of all trips made in the U.S. are by bike or on foot. What percentage of federal transportation spending funds bike and pedestrian infrastructure?

A) 12 percent

B) 1.6 percent

C) 75 percent

Answer: According to a 2012 report by the Alliance for Biking and Walking, only 1.6 percent of federal transportation money funds biking and walking projects. If you support green transportation infrastructure, let your elected officials know. 

Read More: Did you know that Los Angeles previously had one of the country's finest bikeways? Find out what went wrong and how some cyclists fought back. 

Test Your Bike IQ: Pedals vs Pumps

Tue, 05/15/2012 - 09:17 AM

You know it. You love it. The bicycle is a clean machine in a carbon-fueled world. To celebrate Bike to Work Week and National Bike Month, we put together a quiz to test your transportation IQ.

 

Q: Bikes are ideal for short excursions to the grocery, post office, or library. Whether by car, bike, or foot, what percentage of trips occur within two miles of home?

A) 40 percent

B) 15 percent

C) 82 percent

Answer: About 40 percent of trips occur within two miles of the home. If American drivers switched to a bike for just one four-mile round journey each week, they'd save nearly 2 billion gallons of gas. Try pumping bike pedals instead of gas the next time you run errands. 

Read More: Get inspired by biking musician Ben Sollee, who rides with 124 pounds of gear — including a cello!

Test Your Bike IQ: Bikeways vs Highways

Mon, 05/14/2012 - 10:35 AM

You know it. You love it. The bicycle is a clean machine in a carbon-fueled world. To celebrate Bike to Work Week and National Bike Month, we put together a quiz to test your transportation IQ.

 

Q: The city of Portland, Oregon, has won praise for its city-wide bicycle network, which cost $60 million. How many miles of urban highway would that amount fund?

A) 362 miles

B) one mile

C) 21 miles

Answer: Investing in bicycle infrastructure is a smart move. An entire city can be outfitted in bike lanes for $60 million, but only one mile of highway can be built for that same amount. Portland's efforts won the city a platinum rating as a Bicycle Friendly Community. Use their example to persuade your elected officials to prioritize bike lanes. 

Green Moms: Kid-Safe Cleaners

Thu, 05/10/2012 - 06:20 AM

Green moms, you inspire us. This Mother's Day, we've got cost- and earth-saving tips just for you.

Tip #4: Use kid-safe cleaning products.

Expectant mothers should limit their exposure to harmful chemicals, and replacing household cleaning products with DIY or organic, non-toxic options benefits children both before and after birth.

According to Inhabitots, the Environmental Working Group warns that the following toxins should be avoided in baby products: 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-DIOL (or Bronopol), BHA, DMDM Hydantoin, Oxybenzone, Triclosan, Boric Acid and Sodium Borate, Dibutyl Pthalate and Toleune. Those are a lot of ingredients.  

A safer list?  Make your own cleaners with baking soda, table salt, white vinegar, olive oil, natural soap, lemons, organic essential oils, spray bottles, and natural sponges. Check out our ingredient lists for natural stain removers, silverware polish, and even shoe deodorizers!

Bonus: We've got Mother's Day covered! Send your mom an e-card, browse gift ideas, and check out our Mothers in Nature slideshow.

--Image from iStock/Sadeugra

Gorilla Goes to Emergency Room

Wed, 05/9/2012 - 12:52 PM

Over the weekend, the Nebraska Medical Center opened its doors to a unique patient: Tubby the gorilla. Apparently, Tubby (his given name is Motuba) got into it with another male gorilla at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo.

During feeding time, zookeepers responded to a commotion in Tubby’s enclosure and noticed that his canine tooth was sticking out at an odd angle. He was sedated and transported to the hospital, where handlers covered him with a blanket and rolled him through the emergency room doors.

“It’s possible that he was punched by another gorilla, but we’ll never know what happened for sure,” said Doug Armstrong, director of animal health at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium.

Tubby, who’s in his mid-twenties, was brought to the hospital because his injury required a CT scan. Doctors diagnosed a fractured jaw and operated on him in the scanning room. He is now convalescing back at the zoo, where he’s expected to make a full recovery. Good for Tubby, who probably isn’t happy with his soft diet of microwaved vegetables and mushy biscuits.

--Jake Abrahamson is the editorial assistant at Sierra

 

Images courtesy of Francois Bates 

Other Zoo News: Check out this video (below) of Shanthi the elephant playing harmonica.

 

Green Moms: Cloth vs. Biodegradable Diapers

Wed, 05/9/2012 - 08:30 AM

Green moms, you inspire us. This Mother's Day, we've got cost- and earth-saving tips just for you.

Tip #3: Know your diaper options.

One of the most heated discussions in the mommy blogosphere is on the efficacy of cloth diapers -- whether the waste reduction is outweighed by the laundering required and if the clean-up is worth new mothers' already-limited time. To make the debate even more interesting, some moms are ditching diapers altogether.

We asked a few moms to weigh in.

Cloth: Sierra Club employee and green mom Kelly G. opts for cloth diapers, so we asked her to share her story: "Using cloth diapers has been great! We always knew we would go in this direction and it couldn't be easier. Many parents have misconceptions about cloth diapers. I would say if you're thinking about it using them you should at least try it! I highly recommend using a service to help you out for the first few months."

Diaper Free: Actress and green mom Mayim Bialik traded diapers for "elimination communication" with her children. "When I first learned about it I thought I was the craziest thing I’ve ever heard," Bialik told Sierra magazine. "But it’s being talked about a lot more. It’s a diaper-free movement that’s based on the fact that children give signals. It’s a really profound level of communicating with your child. My second son was dry by 11 months."  Read the complete interview.

Biodegradable: On-the-go mom Erin B. normally uses Huggies, so we asked her to give compostable diapers a try. Here's what she had to say about the new line of biodegradable diapers from Elements Naturals: "It worked really well. They were very absorbent. I didn't like the material, which felt plastic-y, but the diapers seemed to do the job."

Tell us what you think in the comments!

Bonus: Do you remember the Million Baby Crawl?

 --Image from iStock/Julie Fairman

The Art of "Vegan Taxidermy"

Wed, 05/9/2012 - 05:52 AM

Aimée Baldwin's bird sculptures are as lifelike as the best models in a natural history museum. Yet they don't involve any loss of life or toxic preservatives.

Thus her name for them — "vegan taxidermy."

Baldwin, a 36-year-old sculptor in Berkeley, California, creates her stunningly detailed birds out of crepe paper, papier-mâché, and other low-tech art supplies.

Woodpeckers. Warblers. Great blue herons. . . . Every piece is one-of-a-kind. Baldwin spends from 10 to 80 hours on each one, depending on its size. 

Baldwin's love of nature began as a child. But she never applied it to her artistic work until about ten years ago, when a friend with an art supply store asked for help showing customers what they could create with a special line of heavy-duty German crepe paper.

The paper was traditionally used for paper flowers, and Baldwin started out making party favors.  But she was inevitably drawn to wildlife.

"I moved into birds because I like animals and creatures, and the paper works well for feathers," she said.

Baldwin builds her birds from a Styrofoam core, layered with papier-mâché. She adds wire for legs, "sculpting goo" for bills, and glass taxidermy eyes — the only part of the bird she doesn't make by hand.

Then she painstakingly paints and cuts the crepe paper for feathers.

But before all that, she studies her subjects. In photos, field guides and web sites.

And ideally, in the field.

"I'm definitely more inspired if I get out and see birds doing things," she said. "They don't sit still or let me get close. But I prefer to see live birds moving around. It says a lot about their personality."

Aimée Baldwin's work will be featured in a one-night show and silent auction in Berkeley, California, on Thursday May 10, to benefit Golden Gate Audubon Society. To attend the show or bid remotely in the auction, contact Lisa at lowensvi@goldengateaudubon.org. Baldwin's birds can also be found at www.vegantaxidermy.com and on Etsy.

See more photos of Baldwin's work below.

Ilana DeBare, a former San Francisco Chronicle reporter, is Communications Director for Golden Gate Audubon Society, the Audubon chapter serving San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley and adjacent areas.

--Images by Tue Nam Ton and Ilana DeBare

 

 

Green Moms: Swap Meet!

Tue, 05/8/2012 - 09:35 AM

Green moms, you inspire us. This Mother's Day, we've got cost- and earth-saving tips just for you.

Tip #2: Trade baby gear.

Vintage fashion is in, and there's no reason babies can't take advantage of the trend.  Frugalista moms can exchange baby clothing and outgrown gear through online or in-person swap meets. These pocketbook-friendly swaps also help reduce clutter and avoid waste (not to mention the carbon footprint of manufacturing new car seats and baby furniture).  

Websites like thredUP and SwapBabyGoods can facilitate the process. If you're feeling gregarious, organize your own champagne- and cupcake-laced night with a few pals and some hand-me-downs.

Bonus: Learn how to dress your baby like an eco-athlete!

--Image from iStock/Michał Rojek

World Financial Center Hangs Garbage Chandelier

Mon, 05/7/2012 - 04:17 PM

In 2006, Canadian visual artist Katharine Harvey dreamed of creating an installation that exceeded the limits of her pocketbook. “I wanted to build a waterfall, and I wanted to make something big, but I didn’t have much of a budget at the time,” she said. She was in search of affordable materials that might resemble water when it occurred to her: plastics.
 
From that point onward, Harvey began to collect discarded plastic. She would go down the street with her car and pick up bottles and other packaging, which she would wash, de-label, and string together for a series of mesmerizing installations. Between projects, she stored her heap of materials in a friend’s barn, where they awaited future use.
 
Six years later, many of those same materials can be found hanging in the Winter Garden of the World Financial Center in Manhattan. This April, on the eve of Earth Day, Harvey and four assistants hung 450 pounds of water bottles, salad boxes, toy packaging, and egg cartons above the Garden’s marble staircase. Taken together, these materials do not resemble trash; they resemble a shimmering chandelier.
 
The chandelier, originally installed at Toronto’s Brookfield Place, is framed perfectly by the architecture of the Winter Garden. “It’s the best placement I’ve ever had for a piece I’ve done in a public space,” Harvey said. “It’s placed in the middle of the staircase, and people can practically walk above it, or in the middle of it, or further down.” Harvey also noted that the chandelier is “made out of transparent materials, which have an interesting relationship to the glass ceiling in the winter garden. There are all these interrelations between the transparency of the piece and the glass. The lighting is fantastic.”

As for Harvey’s Earth Day message, she explained: “I was looking for some kind of shape that I could make, and the chandelier seemed appropriate because it’s a symbol of wealth and opulence, and it’s in the financial core of the city, but it’s made out of recycled trash. I wanted that irony between the material and what the sculpture represents. The public comes in and sees this large, beautifully lit, glittery sculpture and they go ‘Oh, wow, a beautiful chandelier!’ and then they go and see what it’s made of, and it jars their thinking.”
 
Earth Day or no, Harvey is careful not to overstate her point. “I try not to beat people over the head with the environmental issue. I think people can figure it out on their own when they see it.”
 
If New Yorkers want to draw their own conclusions, they should hurry up and catch Harvey’s chandelier, which will adorn the Winter Garden through May 11th.

--Image by Katharine Harvey

Jenny Slattery is a contributing blogger at Sierra magazine. She also spends her time working in health education, hiking, writing fiction and searching for the perfect bagel.

Compass

Pointing the way to a clean energy future.

Pedaling to Prosperity

Fri, 05/18/2012 - 01:04 PM

Americans save $4.6 billion per year by biking instead of driving -- and here's the data to prove it (pdf).

Today, the Sierra Club, the League of American Bicyclists, and National Council of La Raza released new data highlighting the tremendous economic benefits of bicycling and its importance as a safe transportation choice that should be available to every U.S. resident.

More Americans are choosing to bicycle for transportation, but government funding of safe bicycling projects is not keeping up. Though biking and walking account for 12 percent of all trips in the U.S., these transportation modes receive only 1.6 percent of federal transportation spending—far less than their fair share.

The fact sheet release coincides with today's National Bike to Work Day, when millions of U.S. residents participate in hundreds of events across the country, showcasing bicycles as a healthy, affordable and efficient form of transportation.

Among the new and key data highlighted in the fact sheet:

Bicyclists in the U.S. save $4.6 billion per year by riding, instead of driving. If American drivers replaced just one four-mile car trip with a bike each week for the whole year, it would save more than 2 billion gallons of gas. From 2001 to 2009, Hispanics, African Americans, and Asian Americans took up biking at faster rates than other Americans, representing 21 percent of all bike trips in the U.S. in 2009.

Bottom line, biking not only saves individuals money -- the average annual operating cost of a bicycle is $308  versus $8,220 for the average car -- but it reduces America's dependence on oil and protects our health and environment from dirty oil pollution.

It's simple: when we ride instead of drive, we save some major dough, and we help the climate.   

Click here to check out the fact sheet.

-- Rachel Butler, Sierra Club's Green Transportation Campaign

Wind Energy at a Crossroads

Thu, 05/17/2012 - 09:34 AM

Here's a look at why extending the Production Tax Credit for the wind energy sector is so crucial. "Gas and oil had a production tax credit for 70 or 80 years. That's what launched them and get them into place.... Wind has had it for a few years now and it ends at the end of this year. If you're a manufacturer of wind turbine parts, you're done making parts now."

Coal Use Drops to Record Lows While Clean Energy Soars

Wed, 05/16/2012 - 03:23 PM

It's amazing how much can change in a year. At this time in 2011, we were testing our hair for mercury as a way to encourage the EPA to adopt strong mercury pollution protections – which the agency did. I was also celebrating generating my first clean kilowatt of energy from brand new solar panels on my home.

A mere one year later, some jaw-dropping numbers have just come in: In the first quarter of 2012, coal made up just 36 percent of U.S. electricity generation – down from nearly 45 percent from the same period in 2011. That's a 9 percent drop in U.S. coal use in just one year.

The report, released this week by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), had even more bad news for big polluters. Electricity generation from coal may drop another 14 percent this year. The EIA also believes coal production will decline 10 percent in 2012.

Meanwhile, wind energy is thriving. In the first quarter of 2012, the U.S. installed 1,695 megawatts of wind, one of the industry's best quarters ever, up 53 percent from the same time last year, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). Wind projects are creating jobs and economic opportunity across the country, with 32 new projects installed in 17 states in the first quarter alone.

Also this week, the coal industry released its own report, which clearly reflects the anxiety the industry is feeling. Entitled "Know Thy Enemy: An Update on the Sierra Club," the Kentucky Coal Association singles out the Sierra Club by summarizing our ongoing commitment to see the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act fully enforced to protect the health and livelihoods of Americans. Coal companies and their friends in Congress are spending millions on top of millions to weaken these pillars of environmental protection. Have a look for yourself (pdf). Unfortunately, big polluters would rather spend money on drafting reports like this than protecting our health or investing in clean energy.

"We're flattered that the coal industry would hire lawyers just to 'research' information available on our public website, but it seems like a waste of resources," said Tom Pearce, a Sierra Club Kentucky organizer. "What energy companies should be doing is focusing on how to transition away from dangerous fossil fuels and invest in clean energy and a just transition for workers."

One key measure that will help that transition is, unfortunately, in jeopardy. Congress has so far failed to renew a key wind energy provision that expires at the end of this year – the Production Tax Credit, which only Congress can renew. The wind industry is already announcing layoffs and canceled projects as a result of Congress' failure to act, and without congressional action this year, thousands more clean-energy jobs will disappear. That's why extending the tax credit for the wind sector has strong bipartisan support.

However, some in Congress aren't listening. Help us by telling them to extend tax credits for wind and support clean-energy jobs over big polluters.

-- Mary Anne Hitt, Director of the Beyond Coal Campaign

Plugging into the Focus

Wed, 05/16/2012 - 10:10 AM

Last week, I had fun test-driving the Ford Focus Electric, which goes on sale this month in California, New York, and New Jersey -- and in other markets later this year.  Like the Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi i-MiEV, the other full battery electric vehicles I’ve had the chance to ride, it had a smooth and quiet feel with powerful pick-up. One of the exciting benefits of the Focus plug-in is its shorter charging time.  It takes just over three hours to charge from empty using a level-two charger, and it travels up to 100 miles per charge.

Consumers will also benefit from the plug-in Focus' 10 year battery warranty, longer than the eight-year battery warranty offered by other manufacturers. The base price tag, at $39,200 is more expensive than the Leaf and the i-MiEV and similar to the Chevy Volt, but the $7,500 federal tax credit is available for all models.

What fascinated me most about the plug-in Focus was what was possible with the MyFord Mobile app. Not only does it allow you to heat or cool the vehicle before you get inside it  -- conserving your state of charge -- but it will also show you directions to your destination through your vehicle navigation program and let you know what charging stations are available along the way. Additionally it will tell you how you can save emissions and/or money by charging your vehicle at off-peak times.

Mike Tinskey, Ford’s Associate Director of Vehicle Electrification & Infrastructure, spoke at last week’s Good Jobs, Green Jobs conference in Detroit where I moderated a workshop panel on Building the Electric Vehicle Industry through Manufacturing, Infrastructure, and Incentive Policies. Tinskey said that 16 of the 19 launch markets for the plug-in Focus have available “time of use” electricity rates that allow for cheaper, more efficient off-peak charging. He also described the 2.5 kW solar EV charging system through a partnership with Sun Power available to Ford’s plug-in customers.

Tom Bowes, Assistant Director of the Detroit Electrical Industry Training Center, described on our panel how many electricians are now taking advantage of training programs where they are learning to install EV charging units –both at EV drivers’ homes and in public settings.

Our other panelist was the Ecology Center’s Charles Griffith who touted the 38,067 workers in 97 Michigan auto-related facilities and the fact that many of the newest jobs focus on advanced vehicle technologies. He also spoke about Built by Michigan, a coalition advocating for federal and Michigan EV incentives and programs that will give a boost to EV purchasing, manufacturing, jobs, and charging.

While Michigan is the U.S. capital of vehicle manufacturing, there are at least 19 states where vehicle and parts manufacturing is taking place, thanks in part to stimulus funding. To achieve the jobs, emissions, and oil savings we need, EVs like the Focus Electric need to shift into the fast lane. 

-- Gina Colon-Newfield, Sierra Club's Senior Campaign Representative for Electric Vehicles/images by Ann Mesnikoff. Top: Ford's Gina Colon-Newfield and Brian Peterson; bottom: Tom Bowes, Gina, Charles Griffith, and Mike Tinskey.

Getting it Right

Tue, 05/15/2012 - 02:20 PM

Metro Atlanta (and Georgia) can do better -- that's why Sierra Club's Georgia Chapter opposes ballot measures that will fund transportation projects set to come before Georgia's voters in July. The Chapter noted that its decision to oppose the measures -- Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (T-SPLOST) -- in 11 of the state's regions was easy; the decision to oppose the T-SPLOST for the Atlanta region was more difficult and therefore the Sierra Club backed up its decision with a detailed Plan-B.

While the Sierra Club notes that no plan is perfect, the Chapter leaders concluded that the list of projects that the Atlanta transportation ballot measure would fund was flawed to the point of outweighing its benefits. Concerns range from a lack of a cohesive vision for the area's transportation system, a failure to have an equitable and representative regional transit governance in place, a failure to address the core need of the existing transit infrastructure, and that even transit projects that the Club supports in concept are vaguely defined and underfunded.

The Chapter is calling for voters to hold out for Plan B to stop Atlanta's transportation future from heading in the wrong direction, and questions tax booster's claim that this must be passed because it's the only option. The Sierra Club points out "that there is indeed great potential for an alternative plan that achieves meaningful progress on commute alternatives for Georgians without needlessly subsidizing another wave of sprawl." It is hard to make a tough decision on a ballot measure that includes transit funding. As my colleague, Colleen Kiernan, notes in her op-ed in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, this is not a first for the Club:

A major American city faces a hotly debated referendum to expand its road and transit network. The local business community is solidly behind it, claiming that passage is vital to the region’s economic competitiveness. Meanwhile, a motley group of community organizations, including the state chapter of the Sierra Club, are opposing the measure.

The reaction to this opposition from proponents is fierce. "There is no Plan B!" they loudly proclaim. "This is the only chance we'll have for a generation!" others cry. "The political climate won't allow anything better!"

This may sound like Atlanta today, but the city in question is in fact Seattle, and the year is 2007. That city's "Roads and Transit" referendum, an awkward mixture of popular transit projects and sprawl-inducing road construction, would eventually go down to defeat at the polls.

Despite predictions that another chance was a generation away, a Plan B was put to voters the very next year, this time focused entirely on expanding and enhancing the region's SoundTransit rail and bus network — without the massive road expansion. The 2008 "SoundTransit 2" initiative passed handily, and Seattle is now actively building out an ambitious regional transit vision.

We can look further back to 1998, when the Club's San Francisco Bay Chapter opposed Measure B, a transportation ballot measure that was similar to those in Atlanta and Seattle. When the ballot measure failed, the then head of one of the involved transit agencies (AC Transit) said optimistically, "It just means we have to try and try and try again until we get it right. We'll fine-tune Measure B and put it back on the ballot."

And that's what happened. Two years later an improved Measure B passed Colleen's op-ed notes, "While the tax would fund initial segments of some popular transit projects like the Beltline, every new track-mile of light rail built would be matched by 16 lane-miles of road expansion — enough asphalt to cover Turner Field more than 200 times."

For the Sierra Club that was too much of a bad thing. Like San Francisco and Seattle, Atlanta can get this right. This position has disappointed some and created a vigorous debate. But we will continue to work to increase transportation choices that will help Americans literally move beyond oil -- in Atlanta and everywhere.

-- Ann Mesnikoff, Director of the Sierra Club Green Transportation Campaign

The Freedom Train: Canadian First Nations Ride to Stop Tar Sands

Mon, 05/14/2012 - 12:27 PM

Drums and prayer songs, dances and garden-grown gifts greet riders on the Freedom Train wherever they stop on their journey across Canada. The riders represent the Yinka Dene Alliance and other First Nations groups who want the crude oil transporter Enbridge to hear their message: Our people have declared your tar sands pipeline project illegal. We have banned you from our land. We have rejected your hollow promises of jobs and profits. Respect our existence or expect our resistance.

The alliance fears, though, that the Canadian government will ignore First Nations law and help Enbridge push the project through. The riders, indigenous women and men aged 15 to 72, set off from their traditional territories near the Pacific coast bound for Toronto's financial district, thousands of miles away. The journey is part of the years-long movement of resistance to Enbridge's proposed "Northern Gateway Pipeline" that would transport tar sands oil from Alberta to British Columbia's Pacific coast, where it would be loaded onto huge tankers that then must navigate precarious and stunningly pristine waterways on the way to market. 

In Toronto, the Freedom Train riders will lead a rally as Enbridge convenes its annual shareholders meeting. This will put Enbridge on notice that the First Nations have banned the Northern Gateway Pipeline from their land, in accordance with First Nations law, and that the company should not attempt legislative acrobatics to push the project forward.

The Freedom Train was inspired by two First Nations struggles that are now at key turning points: the effort to assert the right of self-government, and the effort to avoid environmental disasters on First Nations lands. The alliance is especially concerned about the Northern Gateway pipeline project because it would transport tar sands oil, which is especially corrosive and much more likely to cause a spill than conventional crude. It is also far more hazardous to human health, contains far higher levels of heavy metals, and is far more difficult to clean up when it does spill. These facts were undeniably confirmed after repeated spills in the United States, including the Kalamazoo disaster of 2010 and the Yellowstone River spill of 2011.

As one of the most destructive energy projects on earth, Alberta's sprawling tar sands developments are in themselves a major inspiration for the Freedom Train. Rare cancers are exploding in local First Nations populations, along with other illnesses. Meanwhile, tar sands mining is devastating huge swaths of the largest intact forest ecosystem on earth: the Canadian boreal forest. Strip mines have created over 65 square miles of tailings ponds alone. These lakes of toxic tar sands industrial waste drown thousands of birds every year when they land on the water -- only to become covered in sludge. 

The area has also seen a decline in endangered caribou herds due to tar sands mining expansion, but the solution offered by the Albertan government hasn't been to curtail the industry’s expansion.  Instead, the government has culled more than 500 wolves -- poisoning them, or shooting them from helicopters. Tar sands oil has frightening global consequences, too. It produces 20 percent more climate change pollution than conventional crude, and has become the fastest growing source of climate change pollution in North America.

Two out of three British Columbians support the Freedom Train, and yet the alliance has received no word from Enbridge that the project will be scuttled. That’s why the Freedom Train rolls on. “We can’t sit by and watch as our relatives in northern Alberta are harmed by even more unmanaged tar sands development which these pipelines will allow,” said Chief Jackie Thomas of Saik’uz First Nation. “This isn’t just about us. We are part of an unbroken wall of opposition from more than 130 First Nations from the Pacific Coast to the Arctic Ocean who are saying we will not allow these pipelines to be built.  We will use every lawful means at our disposal to guarantee it. There’s no way around us.”

This kind of opposition is precisely why the tar sands industry is working so hard to build pipelines through the United States. Canadian communities have rejected tar sands pipelines as too dangerous and too irresponsible. The industry is counting on Americans to put up less resistance, and to buy the notion that these pipelines – like Keystone in the Midwest and Trailbreaker in New England – are worth the risk.  Tar sands pipelines jeopardize local communities, the global climate, the boreal forest, and First Nations groups who are fighting for their land, their law, and their lives.  To stand in solidarity with the Freedom Train, visit http://freedomtrain2012.com/ .  Then help us resist the tar sands industry in the United States at www.sierraclub.org/tarsands.

Images courtesy Freedom Train.

-- Richard Brown, Sierra Club's Beyond Oil Campaign

Farm Owner Spreads Wife's Ashes to Protect Land From Natural Gas Fracking

Fri, 05/11/2012 - 10:40 AM

This week, Aaron Mair represented the Sierra Club in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania where a local farmer, Dr. Stephen Cleghorn, held a special event to remember his late wife and deposit her ashes in defiance and opposition to the natural gas industry.

Click here to watch the WJAC-TV news video, which includes an interview with Aaron Mair - scroll down and click the video to watch "Farm owner spreads late wife's ashes to protect land from drilling."

The Sierra Club stands with Dr. Cleghorn in opposition to the dangerous natural gas drilling known as "fracking," which is known to contaminate drinking water, pollute the air, and cause earthquakes.

The above photo: Dr. J. Stephen Cleghorn (left), owner of Paradise Gardens & Farm, greets Aaron Mair, a national board member of the Sierra Club, during an event Thursday at the farm. (Photo by Tom Chapin/The Punxsutawney Spirit)

My Mother's Day Wish

Fri, 05/11/2012 - 09:13 AM

As the director of the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign, I have to do a lot of traveling, which means spending more time than I would like away from my two-year-old daughter, Hazel. Just this Wednesday, I got home from a trip to find Hazel and her dad pretty exhausted after three days without Mom. I hope that someday, she'll understand that I had to be away sometimes because I was working hard to protect her from the pollution that is a very real threat to her future.

For Hazel, I hope when she's my age that the air and water are clean and safe, the mountains of her home state of West Virginia are still standing, and the threat of climate disruption has passed. I think that future is within our grasp, thanks to the work we are doing to move America beyond coal.

In the past year, we celebrated a historic victory that brought us much closer to that cleaner, safer future, when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the first-ever national mercury standards for coal fired power plants. Believe it or not, while coal plants are our nation's #1 source of mercury pollution, until this year there were no national mercury standards in place for coal plants. None at all! Coal plants could just spew 100% of their toxic mercury into the air, which then made its way into our waterways and the fish that we eat.

These protections are long overdue, and will safeguard our families. According to the EPA, every year over 300,000 babies are born exposed to high enough levels of mercury to put them at risk of developmental problems, like lowered IQ and delays in walking and talking - problems that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. Babies come into contact with this toxic mercury if their mothers eat a lot of certain species of fish, even before they become pregnant.

I was one of hundreds of thousands of moms and dads who worked hard to secure these new mercury protections, which were finalized in January. Now these safeguards are under attack, and we have to defend them.

Unfortunately, Senator Inhofe of Oklahoma is preparing to file a measure in Congress that would not only stop these mercury protections, but would also prevent the EPA from ever taking action on mercury again. Yes, you heard that right.

This Mother's Day, my wish is that you will join me in taking action to defend these crucial mercury protections. I know all you moms and dads out there are busy, so we've made it simple for you - just click here to send a note to your Senator. Our kids are counting on us, so it's time to speak up in defense of these long-overdue safeguards from toxic mercury pollution.

Thank you. And happy Mother's Day!

-- Mary Anne Hitt, Director of the Beyond Coal Campaign

Senator Sanders and Rep. Ellison Introduce the 'End Polluter Welfare Act'

Thu, 05/10/2012 - 01:03 PM

Every year, massive oil companies like Exxon and Chevron make headlines for the billions in profits they rake in at the expense of our environment, our economy and the health of our families. And every year, those exact same companies reap the benefits of tax giveaways that are expected to total more than $110 billion over the next decade.

Today, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN) offered a solution at a press conference today backed by a coalition of environmental and taxpayer groups. These two environmental champions introduced the "End Polluter Welfare Act" in the House and Senate, calling for a halt to this economic absurdity with the most comprehensive legislation to end tax subsidies for oil companies to date. 

Sierra Club proudly supports this common sense bill and - as Rep. Ellison noted today - so do a vast majority of Americans. 80 percent of Americans agree - it's time to put an end to tax giveaways for big polluters.

"The fossil fuel industry considers us their servants," said Sanders at a press conference held outside the U.S. Capitol Building today. "They don't deserve it."

While oil executives roll in record profits, they’re demanding tax handouts to support the very industry that puts the health of our kids at risk. There is no reason that American taxpayers should be forced to invest in the bloated dirty energy industry of the 19th century when the clean energy economy is already creating tens of thousands of new American jobs while protecting our families. Rather than supporting dirty, outdated fossil fuels, we should be investing in efficient technologies that will benefit every American - not just a handful of billionaire CEOs.

Still, Big Oil has fought tooth and nail to protect their subsidies before - and they're guaranteed to fight this legislation, too. That's why Rep. Ellison says the fight is just beginning.

"We have to work together to get the rest of the voices of the American people heard," he said. "Spread the word - the coalition is not yet big enough."

-Athan Manuel, Sierra Club Public Lands Director

More From the India to Appalachia Trip: Grave Comparisons

Thu, 05/10/2012 - 11:00 AM

"These are invisible communities. They aren't covered in the national media, and they aren't covered in the state media."
 
This is how Soumya Dutta described India's rural and tribal communities in the shadow of massive coal projects. After two days listening to stories from Appalachians fighting mountaintop removal coal mining, Soumya and Debi Goenka spoke at the quarterly Alliance for Appalachia meeting about what they are facing in India.
 
Soumya described the devastation that is already being caused by the proposed Tata Mundra 4,000 MW coal plant, which received IFC support from the World Bank in the name of development. The local people who will bear the brunt of the pollution from the plants may not have access to electricity now, but they also aren't connected to the grid, and even if they were they couldn't afford the power.
 
The proponents of the project say it will create 700 permanent jobs, but they ignore the fact that it is already putting the livelihoods of over 10,000 villagers who depend on the land and water at risk. Fishing communities are complaining that ash is contaminating their catch when they hang it to dry, as are villagers who rely on the sea to harvest salt. Livestock that used to roam free in the inter-tidal zones can no longer graze because the coal companies have erected fences blocking access to the commons. Meanwhile the same pollution that is killing the animals is infecting the local communities as they breathe the air and drink the water.

Local communities are rising up against the Tata plant, as well as three additional coal projects in the pipeline for this tiny, coastal area in Gujarat, as they are in impacted areas across India. Soumya told us how in Sompeta, the company and police were met by the women of the community with their broomsticks. The entire community rose up to fight new coal projects, and some of them died in the clashes, but they were successful and the courts were forced to intercede and stop the plants.
 
But it's not just the shared struggle against violence and intimidation that links the activists in India with those in Appalachia. The coastal coal projects, including Tata Mundra, will rely on imported coal from Indonesia, Australia, and maybe even the U.S.
 
Counter to industry claims that coal keeps the lights on in the U.S., coal consumption here is at its lowest level in nearly two decades. The U.S. is abandoning this dangerous and outdated fuel source, and companies are looking to Asia to export their dirty wears. Proposals to build massive export terminals dot the Pacific Northwest, and Indian-owned mines are cropping up in the U.S., including an Essar Group mine in Fayetteville, West Virginia.
 
But the truth is that coal is not cheap anywhere, and it's not a good investment in the U.S. or Asia. Despite industry's rosy predictions, the Tata Mundra plant and other Indian coastal plants that rely on imported coal are on the verge of bankruptcy. Tata went so far as to petition the government to allow them to raise rates, in what amounted to asking for a bailout from the Indian government. If local residents couldn't afford electricity before, they certainly will not be able to access it at a higher rate. And if Tata can't afford coal from nearby Indonesia, how much of a market is there for expensive U.S. coal that must travel by rail to the Pacific Northwest before being shipped across the Pacific?
 
This is not the message that industry wants to hear, and it's not the message that banks want to listen to. So how can an invisible community stand up to the wealth and power that is behind these projects, despite evidence they are economically unviable, that they harm local communities, and that they are literally killing people?
 
When Enron tried to move into India, Debi was one of the people who stood up against them, and won. He told the assembly that all successful movements to block dirty projects share a common thread, local grassroots activism. In India, he fights projects using policy and the legal system, but the courts will ignore petitions unless there is a grassroots movement that refuses to be invisible and demands that those in power acknowledge them. That is what the communities in Gujarat are doing, and it's what the activists in Appalachia are doing.

-- Nicole Ghio, Campaign Liaison