Business

The buzz on green jobs, greener companies, and the economy

Small, sustainable and profitable

You don’t have to be big to go green 0
Posted 1 hour, 54 minutes ago by Sharon McLoone
Author Jennifer Kaplan talks with Grist about her new book, "Greening Your Small Business: How to Improve Your Bottom Line, Grow Your Brand, Satisfy Your Customers -- and Save the Planet" Read More
REC-ing the Planet

Why buying cheap energy certificates worsens climate change 23
Posted 1 day, 10 hours ago by Auden Schendler
Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) are a powerful mechanism for financing renewable energy projects. But they don't come cheap. Or, rather, anyone offering to sell you a REC on the cheap is selling you a lot of hot air. Read More
Tortoise and the hare -- a clean energy tale

Winning the clean energy race: a new strategy for American leadership 5
Posted 1 week, 6 days ago by Teryn Norris
You know times are changing when China, the world’s greatest polluter, and other Asian nations are poised to dominate the burgeoning global clean-tech industry by out-investing the United States. That’s the conclusion of a large new report we co-authored called "Rising Tigers, Sleeping Giant," released this week by the Breakthrough Institute and Information Technology & Innovation Foundation. Read More

More Business

E15 or Fight!

EPA punts on raising ethanol “blend wall” 0
Posted 6 hours, 17 minutes ago by Tom Laskawy
In a nutshell, ethanol companies have been struggling mightily during the recession. In response, industry group Growth Energy petitioned the EPA to allow gasoline to contain up to 15 percent ethanol rather than the current 10 percent. This demand also had the strong support of the big farm groups as well as of USDA Chief Tom Vilsack himself. Having already delayed its response to Growth Energy's petition once, the EPA was due to give a response today. And it was ... a punt. Read More
Mark your carbon calender

December 19—the day after COP15 0
Posted 7 hours, 56 minutes ago by Terry Tamminen
What happens on Dec. 19 -- the day after climate talks finish up in Copenhagen -- and beyond? Terry Tamminen has a handy cheat sheet to help you understand what to look forward to in the years ahead. Read More
GoodGuide scanner makes healthy food shopping point and click 1
Posted 3 days, 7 hours ago by Todd Woody
Thanks to a new barcode scanner app, grocery shoppers can aim their iPhones at 63,000 different food products for details on the health, environmental, and social "performance" of the products and their makers. Read More
The U.S. Chamber needs to get its story straight 0
Posted 1 week, 6 days ago by Peter Altman
The U.S. Chamber seems to be going to great lengths these days persuade Congress that it really wants to help pass climate legislation. But a very different message is coming through its blogs, tweets, and unscripted comments. Read More
Up on the roof

Solar’s rapid evolution makes energy planners rethink the grid 44
Posted 2 weeks ago by Todd Woody
California's goal to generate a third of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020 has spawned a green energy boom. Connecting all those hinterland geothermal plants and solar and wind farms to the state's coastal metropolises means a massive new transmission system. But the fast-moving photovoltaic market may moot the need for some of those expensive and contentious transmission lines. Will energy planners have to rethink their long-term strategy? Read More
You might need a drink after you read this

Winemakers face climate change with dread 3
Posted 2 weeks ago by Agence France-Presse
With the Copenhagen climate change summit looming, the world of wine convened on Spain's Rioja region for a conference in which global warming emerged as the industry's top concern. Read More
Peru slum goes cutting edge as ‘fog catcher’ 4
Posted 2 weeks, 5 days ago by Agence France-Presse
Many of Peru's grittiest slums can only dream of access to water. But thanks to a German NGO, simple technology, and hard work, some humble homes are the first to use plastic netting to harvest water from the fog cloaking the night sky. Read More
Outdoor Industry CEOs Weigh in on Climate

The North Face, Aspen, and climate policy 0
Posted 2 weeks, 5 days ago by Auden Schendler
When North Faces start melting, and Aspens start dying, it gets the attention of two CEOs from namesake companies. The CEOs of The North Face and Aspen Skiing Company weigh in on the urgency of climate policy action. Read More
Listen and learn

How carbon markets work in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative 0
Posted 2 weeks, 5 days ago by Eric de Place
With all the hand-wringing over the alleged risk of market manipulation in cap-and-trade, you'd almost forget that the United States already has a carbon cap-and-trade program up and running. But it does. Read More
‘Subprime carbon’: Risk or hype? 1
Posted 3 weeks ago by Eric de Place
Friends of the Earth argues that carbon trading could bring down the economy, putting climate policy into the hands of Bernie Madoff-style Wall Street bankers. Of course, this isn’t true. It’s not even sort of true. It’s just an attempt to torpedo the Kerry-Boxer clean-energy bill by sowing confusion about an important and sensitive issue. Read More
Take it with a grain of salt

SolarReserve’s 24/7 solar power plant 98
Posted 3 weeks, 1 day ago by Todd Woody
A Santa Monica startup called SolarReserve has licensed the solar power tower technology, turning the Silicon Valley model on its head: Take a proven yet obscure technology developed years ago by an old-line tech company and marry it the entrepreneurial culture of a startup. Read More
Media stunner

Newsweek partners with oil lobby to raise ad cash 0
Posted 3 weeks, 1 day ago by Joseph Romm
Newsweek to host energy and climate events with lawmakers -- while publishing the uber-greenwashing story, “Big Oil Goes Green for Real.” Read More
Another coal plant bites the dust 4
Posted 3 weeks, 4 days ago by Bruce Nilles
Cash for Clunkers brought us ... more clunkers! 29
Posted 3 weeks, 5 days ago by Jonathan Hiskes
Seventh Generation launches anti-toxics campaign with wee gimmick 7
Posted 3 weeks, 5 days ago by Katharine Wroth
Gucci Group commits to saving Indonesia’s rainforests 1
Posted 4 weeks ago by Margaret Swink
If you can’t beat ‘em, cheat ‘em 2
Posted 4 weeks, 1 day ago by Tom Laskawy
Cleantech Open winners get it done quick and cheap 0
Posted 1 month ago by Todd Woody
How the green economy can help low income women 0
Posted 1 month, 1 week ago by Judy Patrick, Shelley A. Davis
Performance anxiety 0
Posted 1 month, 1 week ago by Terry Tamminen
Green-biz pioneer Ray Anderson says sustainability literally pays for itself 7
Posted 1 month, 1 week ago by Lisa Hymas
A new direction on research at the USDA? 4
Posted 1 month, 2 weeks ago by Paula Crossfield