Cool News
Iowa Governor Signs Energy Efficiency Legislation
Thursday, May 8th, 2008Saying that it’s time for Iowa to “lead by example,” Gov. Chet Culver (D) signed legislation yesterday that will boost the state’s energy efficiency in a number of ways. Highlights include a new energy efficiency commission that will develop stricter standards for building construction, and a requirement that the state’s electric utilities develop efficiency goals and formally report on progress toward achieving them.
Arizona Becomes 14th State to Adopt Clean Car Standards
Thursday, May 8th, 2008Arizona joined California, Oregon, Washington, and New Mexico as the fifth western/southwestern state to adopt California’s more stringent vehicle emissions standards, including the regulation that limits carbon dioxide pollution. Nine East Coast states have adopted the standards as well. Close to 40% of the new car market of our nation is now under the umbrella of the California standards; here in the Midwest, both Illinois and Minnesota have clean car standards legislation under active consideration in their state legislatures.
China, India, U.S. Under Pressure to Reduce Global Warming Pollution
Thursday, May 8th, 2008The International Energy Agency’s chief economist Fatih Birol told a Houston audience that if global warming is to be truly mitigated, the next Kyoto-style treaty will have to include real commitments from China, India, and the United States. He also stated that blame should not be cast on China and India for their increasing levels of pollution, saying that these nations are only following the U.S.’s lead in how to develop their economies.
ELPC joins Indianapolis Zoo’s global warming push
Monday, April 28th, 2008The Indianapolis Zoo has launched a new website at www.mycarbonpledge.com that asks visitors to pledge to change their light bulbs to CFLs and make other green commitments. Those pledges are then “green mapped” to show the area covered by the pledges. The site also features blogs by environmental experts, including ELPC Executive Director Howard Learner.
Read This Week’s Time Cover Story
Thursday, April 24th, 2008All too often those of us working to reduce global warming pollution can get stuck in the details, spending all our time working on formulas and policies to extract the most carbon from our daily lives. This week’s Time cover story gives all of us a chance to step back and look at the overall situation-a particularly important task with the White House about to change hands in only nine months.
Michigan, Illinois Among 18 States to Talk with Presidential Hopefuls on Global Warming
Thursday, April 24th, 200818 states from coast-to-coast have signed an agreement stating that they will talk with all three remaining presidential candidates regarding what each would do in his/her first 100 days in office about reducing global warming pollution. The states also plan to share with the candidates recommendations from the various state climate change advisory groups that have been set up across the country to advise state governments on what global warming policy actions should be taken.
Hybrid Car Sales Soar 38% in 2007
Thursday, April 24th, 2008More than 350,000 new hybrid vehicles were registered nationwide in 2007, easily surpassing the record set only a year earlier. While hybrids still make up only about 2% of total car sales, the 38% surge is particularly noteworthy because overall new vehicle sales slumped 3%. Car market analysts say the sharp growth in demand for hybrids is because of not only high gas prices, but also the greater number of hybrids now available.
Alaska Pollution Study May Provide Clues to Accelerated Pace of Warming
Thursday, April 24th, 2008The whole world has been watching both the Arctic and Antarctic regions to see how quickly the planet is heating up. A new study now underway over Alaska may explain why scientists have been underestimating the pace. A potpourri of pollutant particles called aerosols-a “United Nations of pollutants”- may also be a major contributor to warming. The good news is that they disintegrate rather quickly-so if we stop emitting them, they’ll disappear.
Take Another Look at Your Light Bulbs
Friday, April 18th, 2008We’ve been following the development of LED bulbs for the last several years, as they last even longer than compact fluorescent light bulbs, require even less electricity, and contain no mercury. Now, as technology improves and demand increases, prices for LED bulbs for our homes are decreasing. Check out some suggestions on where to find some of these exciting new LED residential bulbs.
Outdoor Sportspeople Increasingly Concerned About Global Warming
Friday, April 18th, 2008Worries about global warming pollution have captured constituencies from across the political spectrum. In a meeting last week with Rep. John Dingell (D-MI), several groups of hunting and fishing enthusiasts expressed great concern about the impacts of global warming on the populations of several species. They worry even more that many animals may disappear altogether.
