When the clocked struck 12:01 on New Year’s, two important green regulations went into effect that may have a long term influence on green building and renewable energy.  If successful, either of these regulations would do more to change the green industry than any legal challenge to LEED’s legitimacy (see the continued coverage of the Gifford v. USGBC case (more…)

Did you notice the air was a little fresher yesterday? It’s because the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) started the slow process of regulating greenhouse gases in an effort to address climate change.

Earlier this year, President Obama said he would have the EPA regulate greenhouse gases if Congress failed to pass climate (more…)

As many countries in the world race to achieve a variety of renewable energy goals time has to be set aside to determine just how those goals will be achieved. With a rivalry that feels almost like a remnant from the Cold War reignited, China and the United States both seemed to be going at it to prove that they can be the renewable energy leaders of the world. China, (more…)

New research suggests protocell “skins” could be the secret to building carbon-negative architecture.

Researchers in Europe are collaborating on a project to develop materials that could eventually make it possible for buildings to produce water in desert environments or harvest sunlight to produce biofuels. (more…)

I believe everyone should have a decent level of familiarity with this Wikipedia listing on the world energy scene, which provides a bit of top-level math. As a civilization, we consume energy at the rate of 15 terawatts (15,000,000,000,000,000)– an estimated 80% – 90% of which comes from fossil fuels. Thus, when we talk about a gigawatt solution — certainly nothing to sneeze at — (more…)

In the absence of any congressional legislative action on regulating greenhouse gas emissions and with political momentum on its side, the Obama administration announced today it would be moving forward with its plan to begin regulating carbon dioxide emissions from large point sources, namely refineries and power (more…)

On the typical American roadway, it is not uncommon to see large advertising billboards. Even looking out my office window, I see two of them: one for an insurance company, and the other with a scantily clad woman (not exactly sure what that ad is for). These types of billboards have been around for a long time, but are slowly being replaced with new flashy (more…)

The plastic booms used to absorb oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico earlier this year will be recycled for use as parts in the plug-in electric Chevrolet Volt. General Motors officials say the recycled oil extracted from the booms will be converted into 100,000 pounds of plastic resin pellets that will ultimately be mixed with recycled tires to create the parts that protect the Volt’s (more…)

More than $88 billion will be invested in desalination technologies worldwide from 2010 to 2016 as regions face dwindling supplies of freshwater and steep population growth, according to a new report. Declining costs associated with several key desalination technologies — including reverse osmosis — will make saltwater- (more…)

I can understand that certain issues break down along liberal/conservative lines: abortion, health care reform, the death penalty, same-sex marriage, etc. But conservatives almost universally reject the theory of global warming, and, for reasons I’ll get to shortly, that surprises me.

I hope you’ll read the article I’ve linked here, (more…)