Cognitive dissonance may help explain the slide in popularity of many sustainability initiatives in the U.S., seen particularly among Republicans.

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To frack or not to frack–a question for a White House working group.

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Jobs are being created. Consumer confidence remains high. Housing stats are up for the first time in years. The global financial markets are, for the time being, stabilized. All of these are good signs if you are the campaign staff for Barack Obama’s reelection campaign. Sitting presidents tend to do better when the economy is [...]

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Obama nailed the GOP when it comes to energy issues, while speaking at the University of Miami last week.

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President Obama issued a presidential memorandum on February 24, 2012 directing federal agencies to “significantly increase” procurement of biobased products.

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President Obama made his energy vision very clear, explaining that “this country needs an all-out, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of American energy. A strategy that’s cleaner, cheaper, and full of new jobs.“ Under the definition of American energy he included natural gas, offshore oil and clean energy sources like solar and wind, letting us to believe that for him these are all important parts of the energy future of the U.S. In a way, he wants to have the cake and eat it too. Is it possible? I doubt.

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In a rare show of bold bipartisanism, the United States recently made a move ”to impose catch limits for every species it manages, from Alaskan pollock to Caribbean queen conch,” according to The Washington Post. This is the first law in the world that establishes a catch limit for all species.

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Let’s play the word association game. I’ll start with ‘solar energy’ – what’s the first thing you think of? Is it ‘the energy of the future’ or ‘bankruptcy’ or maybe even ‘waste of American taxpayers’ money’? Until not too long ago, the answer would be probably be the former rather than the latter. Yet, in [...]

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The White House is worried that the story of Solyndra, the solar power company that filed for bankruptcy protection after receiving $535 million in loan guarantees, will follow Obama through the 2012 election season. I’ve got a feeling it will stay with us even longer than that. Thomas Friedman once wrote that when historians will [...]

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With a revolution in Libya grabbing headlines and the president on vacation, you might be forgiven for being unaware of major protests underway in Washington this week. The issue? Approval of a new oil pipeline from the Alberta tar sands to the US Gulf Coast. The so-called “Keystone XL” pipeline would greatly expand the ability [...]

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Remember the old days when the auto manufacturers would line up in lockstep opposition to any fuel economy (CAFE) standards? Even the unions would oppose it, concerned about job losses. And lord knows…there was probably a gushing river of oil industry money flowing through the halls of congress to prevent America from moving in sustainable [...]

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President Obama might be credited with stabilizing an economy on the brink of complete collapse after the banking meltdown of 2008, but with unemployment still at 9%+ in many parts of the country, his objective has shifted entirely from stability to job creation. With election 2012 right around the corner, Obama’s reelection might hinge on [...]

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Boyd Cohen, Ph.D., CEO, CO2 IMPACT I grew up in a conservative family. However most of my adult life I have leaned to the left, despite all my business training and capitalist tendencies.  I now live in Canada (Vancouver), but I of course continue to pay attention to developments in my native homeland. And naturally [...]

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By Boyd Cohen, CO2 IMPACT Good old Donald Trump.  We all know there is no way he will ever be President of the U.S. and I think he knows it too. But that doesn’t mean he can’t use his media smarts to grow his brand.  Mr. Trump managed to briefly make a media storm out [...]

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Let’s start off with a general scenario that happens almost every election cycle:  A corporate leader holds fundraisers for a politician.  That politician gets elected into office.  We’ve all heard examples of those very corporate leaders benefitting from government contracts and other kickbacks shortly after their chosen representative gets elected.  Is this behavior ethical? Specifically, [...]

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President Obama gave a speech yesterday, on a plan to cut oil imports.   While at first, it may sound like this is a boon for sustainability, a deeper reading yields a tall tale for renewable energy.  The Obama plan cuts oil imports, but not cut oil.  The Obama Administration suggests a reduction in oil imports, [...]

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By Elizabeth Dolge    No doubt Obama made many fans during his visit to Brazil last weekend, charming government officials and citizens alike.  But as the dust settles from his two day action-packed visit, US-Brazil relations remain at a most critical point.  Many have called Brazil the most important leg of Obama’s Latin-American trip – [...]

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The White House announced the Startup American Partnership (SAP) on January 31 which promotes entrepreneurship as part of President Obama’s National Innovation Strategy by investing in startup entrepreneurs. Facebook, Intel, and TECHStars are among the over a dozen companies and organizations that joined SAP. AOL co-founder Steve Case leads SAP, and Carl Schramm, president and [...]

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By Boyd Cohen, Ph.D. CO2 IMPACT As an American living in Canada I have been watching U.S. policy on clean energy from across the border for the past decade.  As an entrepreneur in the carbon market space, I also have a vested interest in seeing U.S. Federal policy advance with respect to promoting a low [...]

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Under the Bush Administration, greenhouse gases were not considered pollutants. The question was settled in a Supreme Court case in 2007, and whether you agree or not, it is settled law. Now the EPA is enforcing the law. And many denounce this move as a “power grab.”

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Ed Note: We’re reposting Bill Roth’s earlier interview with Marin Energy Anuthority Chair Charles McGlashan because of it’s relevance to the ongling ballot initiative Proposition 23. It was originally posted August 4th. AB32 is California’s pioneering legislation signed by the governor in 2006 that caps greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. I am proud to have [...]

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Imagine living in a country where you have no access to student loans. In the U.S. that seems almost impossible as the Obama Administration pours loads of cash into the hands of those eager enough to pursue a degree and all the Dominos pizza that comes with it. In fact, a recent overhaul of the student loan program in the states makes it even more accessible for young Americans to enter college. In countries less fortunate, your options are very limited as far as attending university. Imagine a vehicle in which people from all over the world would be able to donate as little as $25 towards individuals wishing to pursue higher learning. Imagine no further. Kiva, the pioneer in micro-lending for entrepreneurs in less fortunate countries that has loaned more than $150 million to 408,000 entrepreneurs in 53 countries, has entered the student lending business.

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Amid all the bad news and demands being placed on the President-elect Obama transition team this holiday season, Sustainable Land Development International (SLDI) offers a reason to hope for the future by formally submitting its offer of assistance to help boost the team’s economic recovery plan and policy agenda – and save the country billions [...]

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President Obama recently authorized $1 billion for FutureGen, a public-private partnership aimed at operating the world’s first coal-fired, near-zero emissions power plant. FutureGen’s operation is focused on curbing carbon emissions generated from the burning of coal for electricity. In the scenario offered by proponents of “clean coal” emissions are captured and stored within the earth, [...]

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Bill Roth, founder of Earth 2017 and author of The Secret Green Sauce profiles the economies between solar and nuclear power.

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Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy Last week President Obama spoke strongly against BP CEO Tony Hayward. “He wouldn’t be working for me after any of those statements,” Obama said on NBC”s Today Show. The statements he referred to include Hayward’s much maligned remark Hayward that he wants his [...]

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Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced the resignation of Minerals Management Service (MMS) Director Elizabeth Birnbaum on Thursday  at the congressional hearing where she was scheduled to testify. Birnbaum did not show up to the hearing. Birnbaum served as the MMS director since July 2009. Neither Salazar’s remarks or Birnbaum’s indicate she was fired. “Elizabeth Birnbaum [...]

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Last week, Obama criticized the executives of BP America, Transocean and Halliburton for blaming each other doing a congressional hearing. “I did not appreciate what I considered to be a ridiculous spectacle during the congressional hearings into this matter,” Obama said. “You had executives of BP and Transocean and Halliburton falling over each other to [...]

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By: Martin Melaver I’m a sucker for dreams-go-sideways stories. You know the type: You work hard against all odds, you pull off amazing feats as an underdog, you’re on the brink of phenomenal success, and then something pulls the rug out from under you at the last minute. Still, despite the lack of external glory, [...]

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The Environmental Protection Agency announced on Sunday a five-year, $2.2 billion initiative to start healing the Great Lakes. The effort has three main goals: improve the lakes’ wildlife habitat, improve water quality and fight the invasion of non-native species such as Asian carp, which threaten not only the lakes’ ecosystem but also their fishery industry. [...]

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