With Americans defaulting left and right on their McMansions, a new trend is emerging.
NBC investigates…

So, could you live in a house that small? I think I could live in the second one but certainly not the first. That house was ridiculous.
Regardless, I love this “Think Small” trend. Smaller homes, smaller cars and smaller energy use. [...]

Now
“Show me where I have ever said that there’s absolute proof that nothing that man has ever conducted or engaged in has had any effect or no effect on climate change. I have not said that.”
Interview with ABC News, 9/11/08
Then
“I’m not an Al Gore, doom-and-gloom environmentalist, blaming the changes in our climate on human activity, [...]

Yes, you can actually do a lot right now to get better gas mileage and help drive down costs, like proper tire inflation, etc.
In fact, Arnold Schwarzenegger is helping out a new website called EcoDrivingUSA that promises to give you tips and tricks to help your wallet and the planet.

Hmm, sounds familiar…

Gallup has the numbers…

I’ll have more on this later, but I wanted to make sure I got this out before I forgot about it.
I think the table is telling, especially consider how much McCain has been pushing nuclear energy. And honestly, I’ve warmed to nuclear in recent months once I learned more about it, but [...]

Green (i.e. environmentally friendly) products are no longer on the fringes of consumer options. They’re mainstream. In fact, “being green” has turned into such a marketing plus that companies are using green language to promote products that aren’t at all environmentally sound. As a result, consumer groups and government bodies are working to combat fraudulent [...]

Those were the words from President Bush to world leaders at the recent G8 Summit…and the response was understandably shocked.
From the Telegraph:
The American leader, who has been condemned throughout his presidency for failing to tackle climate change, ended a private meeting with the words: “Goodbye from the world’s biggest polluter.”
He then punched the air while [...]

I love this idea…and I would certainly take advantage of it if it becomes law.
The bill is called “The Energy Efficient and Environmentally Friendly Automobile Tax Credit Act of 2008″ and it provides tax credits of up to $2K for people who sell or trade in their car for a model that’s 20% more fuel [...]

I know I’ve personally stopped drinking bottled water as much as I can. There just doesn’t seem to be much point to it here in the US. Sure, I can understand for personal and public emergencies, but regular personal use just seems like a waste anymore.
What do you think?

“It’s the state of America now that is the most gripping source of anxiety for Americans, not Al Qaeda or Iraq. Anyone who thinks they are going to win this election playing the Iraq or the terrorism card — one way or another — is, in my view, seriously deluded. Things have changed.”
- Thomas Friedman, [...]

Remember my post today about McCain’s $5,000 a car tax break giveaway to the auto manufacturers who make and sell zero-carbon emissions cars?
If so, do you recall how I said it was a bad idea, and that he should instead be proposing giving consumers tax breaks because incenting consumption is the only way we [...]

After reading this short interview in the NY Times Magazine, I liking this guy’s approach…
Is it fair to describe you as socially progressive?
I think it is fair to describe me as a common-sense Republican.
Which implies that some Republicans lack common sense.
That’s possible.
You have supported stem-cell research, unlike most Republicans.
I do support that. I think it [...]

Maybe yet another reason why Obama would want to pick Webb? I’ll explain why after the excerpt.
From The Hill:
Webb wants his home state to have the right to explore for energy off Virginia’s coast. His staff insists his proposal pertains only to natural gas, and not oil, and that it is completely in line with [...]

A completely understandable position given the current price of gas, but I wonder if those being polled understand the reasons why we put limits on oil companies access in the first place.

And while this is a partisan issue, there’s definitely a lot more Democratic support than Republican opposition.

My gut tells me that the government will [...]

Why?
I’ll give you one guess…
LONDON (Reuters) – Oil surged to a new record high on Monday of nearly $140 a barrel, propelled by weakness in the U.S. dollar which offset the bearish impact of plans by Saudi Arabia to boost output.
Folks, how much longer can we ignore that our monetary losses and oil prices gains [...]

It’s clean, it’s safe, but it’s incredibly expensive and it creates a bunch of really dangerous waste that nobody wants.
I wonder if these respondents knew the whole story?

Personally, I’m hesitant about nuclear power, but I won’t dismiss it outright. Because as Alan has pointed out recently, wind and solar power just won’t do the trick, [...]

And this idea comes from no less than the Conservative government…
Canadians will be offered bicycles, public transit passes or cash if they agree to scrap their old gas-guzzling vehicles, the government said on Wednesday.
Ottawa says five million of the 18 million cars and trucks in Canada were made before 1996, when tougher emissions standards were [...]

A new report by the International Energy Agency offers a basic roadmap to drastically cutting fossil fuel emissions by 2050.
The study said that an average of 35 coal-powered plants and 20 gas-powered power plants would have to be fitted with carbon capture and storage equipment each year between 2010 and 2050.
In addition, the world would [...]

Gee, I wonder why…
CEO Rick Wagoner said Tuesday before the automaker’s annual meeting in Delaware the plants to be closed are in Oshawa, Ontario; Moraine, Ohio; Janesville, Wis.; and Toluca, Mexico. He also said the iconic Hummer brand will be reviewed and potentially sold or revamped.
Wagoner said the GM board has approved production of a [...]

Looks like driving an eco-friendly car is not just good for the environment, it’s good for your social life too.
A new study by GM revealed that 9 out of 10 women would rather chat up a guy with a fuel-efficient car than a sports car while 8 out of 10 Americans said they’d find [...]

As is the case with many pieces of legislation…it doesn’t seem to have enough institutional support.
From Fortune:
The U.S. Climate Action Partnership formed last year won’t take a position on the bill, although nine of its members – including General Electric, Alcoa and four utility companies – signed a letter to senators backing the legislation.
The letter, [...]