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Entries from September 2009

A cap with a collar …

September 29th, 2009 · Comments Off on A cap with a collar …

Well designed, a cap with a collar can be a truly gorgeous thing. To spark movement away from our carbon addiction, for business (financial) planning, and to gain enough support to pass climate legislation, any “Cap and Trade” structure almost certainly will have to have a “collar” to go with its “cap” on carbon emissions. […]

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Tags: business practice · cap and trade · carbon dioxide · climate legislation

US C.O.C. thinks we’re suckers

September 29th, 2009 · 3 Comments

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has been working hard to water down and delay government action on climate change.  Their work seems, consistently, to be representative of their Global Warming denier board member Don Blankenship rather than members like Nike, who have issued strong statements about climate change. U.S. C.O.C.’s counterproductive truthiness on Climate Change […]

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Tags: climate change

Sunday Train: Rapid Streetcars and Suburban Retrofit

September 27th, 2009 · 3 Comments

Another in the series of guest posts from the ever-thoughtful BruceMcF (who is Burning the Midnight Oil for Living Energy Independence) re rail transport.     The people’s choice award in the Re-Burbia “Rethinking Suburbia” design competition was the entry titled Urban Sprawl Repair Kit: Repairing The Urban Fabric. But I want to adapt these ideas from the repair of […]

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Tags: Energy

Racing for the Sun: Energy COOL Solar Decathlon going back to the Mall

September 25th, 2009 · 6 Comments

Being an EcoGeek is becoming ever more fashionable. And, increasingly, there are events where EcoGeek’s can gather in style. Every two years, for two weeks, a village appears on the National Mall providing a window on possibilities for a sustainable future powered by the sun. The Solar Decathlon is a biennial, ever-cool event, pitting colleges […]

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Tags: energy cool · renewable energy · solar · solar decathlon · Solar Energy

New Study: Green Buildings generate more Green

September 25th, 2009 · 13 Comments

All too often, those engaged in examining options for “greening” a new or existing building are constrained in a stove-piped cost analysis which (in a very simplified fashion) goes something along these lines: How much more will it cost to build? And, how fast will energy and other operating cost (water usage/sewers, maintenance) savings pay […]

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Tags: analysis · architecture · building green · business practice · Energy · energy smart · environmental

Nike Just Can’t Seem to Do It

September 24th, 2009 · 7 Comments

When it comes to ACCCE, Duke Energy and Alstom Just Did It. When it comes to the US Chamber of Commerce, PG&E and PNM Resources Just Did It. When it comes to the US Chamber of Commerce, Nike Just Can’t Seem to Do It. What is it?  Reconciling a Corporation’s affiliation with scientific understanding of […]

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Tags: climate change

Holdren’s trees …

September 24th, 2009 · 1 Comment

One of the real pleasures for reality-based observers of the Obama Administration is the number of thoughtful members of the Administration members, who are not just worth listening to, but who can make seeing the world in different ways an interesting and enjoyable experience.  Dr. John Holdren, the President’s Science Advisor, took his quite significant […]

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Tags: Energy

The Coal Resource Curse … a path out of a morass.

September 24th, 2009 · 1 Comment

Below is a guest post by Clem Guttata from WVABlue, providing a window on the Your lights are on, but you’re not home, your will is not your own Might as well face it you’re addicted to coal. Appalachia suffers from a resource curse. Coal mining wealth is illusory–the benefits have long been obvious to […]

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Tags: coal

ACCCE Leader Pleas for Carbon Price

September 24th, 2009 · 4 Comments

Yesterday, during a panel on Assuring Access to Clean and Competitive Energy in the Council on Competitiveness‘ National Energy Summit, Arch Coal President and ACCCE Vice President Steven Leer made a strong appeal for government policy to put a price on carbon. I think a price on carbon is necessary.

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Tags: business practice · carbon dioxide · climate change · climate legislation · Energy · environmental

Georgetown University speaks to Business Leaders

September 24th, 2009 · Comments Off on Georgetown University speaks to Business Leaders

This morning, at the Council on Competitiveness National Energy Summit, Georgetown University President John DeGioia appeared on a panel on “the Global Economic Development Opportunity”. As part of his comments, DeGioia laid out to the gathered business leaders Georgetown University’s three-part response to our energy and climate challenges (and opportunities) (GU’s Sustainability homepage). Institutional Agency: […]

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Tags: climate change · environmental · Global Warming