Climate change, ecology, nature, environment, eco-friendly politics, non-profit projects, human rights, preservation, wildlife... all that we care about.

Posts Tagged ‘Obama’

Will rechargeable batteries make South America the new Middle East?

will-rechargeable-batteries-make-south-america-the-new-middle-east

Lithium-ion batteries are being touted by US President Barack Obama as the most efficient way to electrify motor vehicles.
A mass shift from fossil fuel and conventional combustion engines towards battery-powered electric cars may also receive a boost due to the unfortunate recent events in the Gulf of Mexico.
From an article on stockhouse.com:
In 2009, alone, the [...]


Obama Awards Two Solar Companies with $2 Billion; Thousands of New Jobs on the Horizon

obama-awards-two-solar-companies-with-2-billion-thousands-of-new-jobs-on-the-horizon

While oil spill news continues to look bleak, the solar industry is on the rise.
Yesterday, US President Barack Obama announced the awarding of about $2 billion to two solar energy companies that agreed to build new solar power plants in the US. This means more renewable energy and thousands of new jobs will soon be [...]


Rachel Maddow gives President Obama’s speech that should have been

rachel-maddow-gives-president-obamas-speech-that-should-have-been

Rachel Maddow for president?
Yesterday on the Rachel Maddow Show, Rachel gave what she wishes to have been President Barack Obama’s speech regarding the gushing BP oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.
Many believe that President Obama’s ‘battle plan’ speech, broadcasted live from the Oval Office on Tuesday, fell short in assurances and failed to [...]


Obama’s ‘battle plan’ speech: Tough talk for BP, but what about climate change laws?

obamas-battle-plan-speech-tough-talk-for-bp-but-what-about-climate-change-laws

On Tuesday, President Barack Obama addressed the American people on national television, live from the Oval Office, in an attempt to inform and assure the nation about efforts to deal with the United States’ largest environmental disaster ever. He also urged support for a move away from fossil fuels and towards a reliance on renewable [...]


Space news: Oceans on Mars, the apocalypse from above and no more men on the Moon

space-news-oceans-on-mars-the-apocalypse-from-above-and-no-more-men-on-the-moon

Scientists at the university of Colorado have discovered evidence that suggests that much of Mars was once covered by ocean.
From an article by Australia’s ABC News:
To test their theory Dr Hynek and Mr Di Achille used global databases of known deltaic deposits and valley networks, together with topography data from a laser altimeter aboard NASA’s [...]


Breaking: Gulf oil leak now thought to have been leaking up to 40,000 barrels a day

breaking-gulf-oil-leak-now-thought-to-have-been-leaking-up-to-40000-barrels-a-day

A new estimate has been made regarding the oil that has been leaking from the damaged well in the Gulf of Mexico: 20,000 to 40,000 barrels per day, or 840,000-1.7 million gallons (3.2-6.4 million liters). This estimate comes from the head of the US Geological Survey and is around twice as much oil as was [...]


Video: Rachel Maddow Show broadcasts from BP oil spill ground zero

video-rachel-maddow-show-broadcasts-from-bp-oil-spill-ground-zero

You can diagnose whether this country has a functioning media in this country by whether or not the country understands that this is a vile environmental mega-disaster. You can diagnose whether we have a functioning political system in this country by whether or not the result of this mega-disaster is change.
–Rachel Maddow
MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow has [...]


Another inconvenient truth: US politics and oil spills

another-inconvenient-truth-us-politics-and-oil-spills

Environmental disasters tend to happen at really inconvenient times. Just after you open up a coastline to offshore drilling, a bothersome oil rig explodes and starts spilling a daily volume of hundreds of thousands of gallons of crude into a wildlife sanctuary. Awk-ward!
US President Barack Obama’s cross-party overture regarding offshore drilling didn’t please many of [...]


Obama: Drill baby drill?

obama-drill-baby-drill

I just knew everyone was going to resurrect Sarah Palin’s gung-ho pro-oil mantra from the 2008 US presidential campaign as soon as I read about Barack Obama opening up America’s coastlines for oil drilling. Apparently both John McCain and Palin tweeted it. McCain was simply supportive, while Palin snuck in some barbs about ‘job-killing’ and [...]


Obama Announces Plans to Open More Areas of US Coastline to Offshore Drilling

obama-announces-plans-to-open-more-areas-of-us-coastline-to-offshore-drilling

Yesterday, President Barack Obama announced plans to open large areas of the US coastline to oil and natural gas drilling. The areas include nearly 167 million acres (67 million hectares) of ocean along the Atlantic coast, Alaska’s north coast and eastern portions of the Gulf of Mexico. There would be no drilling along the Pacific [...]


U.S. gets in gear for modest climate action

u-s-gets-in-gear-for-modest-climate-action

State Department climate change representative to the UN Todd Stern formally announced that the U.S. would reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. In a letter to the UN, Stern confirmed the moderate emission reduction target of 17% of 2005 levels by the year 2020. This is the same number that was announced by the Obama administration [...]


U.S. smog standards get stricter under Obama

u-s-smog-standards-get-stricter-under-obama

The United States Environmental Protection Agency – or EPA – has proposed new smog regulations that are tighter than those under the previous administration. An article in the Guardian describes smog standards as ‘lax’ under the term of George W. Bush, a period during which environmental concerns went largely ignored in favor of corporate interests, [...]


Scientists in U.S. call for an end to mountaintop removal coal mining

scientists-in-u-s-call-for-an-end-to-mountaintop-removal-coal-mining

‘In a paper published today in the journal Science, the researchers say mountaintop removal, widespread in West Virginia, southwest Virginia and eastern Kentucky, is destroying extensive tracts of biologically rich forest and degrading hundreds of streams. Fish and drinking-water wells are being contaminated, while the air downwind is fouled with high levels of hazardous [...]


The Rachel Maddow Show: U.S. diplomacy and Inhofe’s ‘truth squad’ in Copenhagen

the-rachel-maddow-show-u-s-diplomacy-and-inhofes-truth-squad-in-copenhagen

Here are a couple of clips from the Rachel Maddow Show relating to the erstwhile COP15 conference that was to be the environmental movement’s coup de grâce on climate change – or something like that. Rachel interviews NBC News anchor Andrea Mitchell who explains some of the difficulties and diplomatic twists that met President [...]


Breaking news: Agreement reached in Copenhagen – modest, meaningful or mishap?

breaking-news-agreement-reached-in-copenhagen-%e2%80%93-modest-meaningful-or-mishap

I’ve just finished watching a live feed of U.S. President Barack Obama speaking at a press conference regarding the results of negotiations at COP15. News sources are reporting that a deal has been reached by principal players at the UNFCCC summit in Copenhagen, but is it significant or useless? Is something better than nothing? President [...]


Mixed reactions to Obama’s speech in Copenhagen

mixed-reactions-to-obamas-speech-in-copenhagen

U.S. President Barack Obama addressed the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change today in Copenhagen, Denmark today. Known as a great orator with a gift for sound bites and inspiring slogans, President Obama failed to inspire those who were hoping for some additional commitment from the U.S. on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Secretary [...]


Breaking News: Save the drama for Obama – developing countries stage boycott at Copenhagen climate conference

breaking-news-save-the-drama-for-obama-%e2%80%93-developing-countries-stage-boycott-at-copenhagen-climate-conference

It has been expected from the start of the COP15 climate summit in Copenhagen that there would be a clash of interests between the developing world and the wealthy industrialized countries. The rich nations cause most of the pollution and the poor ones suffer the most from its effects. So they would like some recompense [...]


Mixed reactions for Obama’s emissions target

mixed-reactions-for-obamas-emissions-target

Though Barack Obama has confirmed that he’ll be attending the COP15 climate summit in Copenhagen, the U.S. president’s recently stated goals have received ‘Lukewarm praise’ from the UNFCCC among others. While many welcomed news of President Obama’s participation in Copenhagen, organizations like the WWF and Friends of the Earth would clearly like to a greater [...]


A future Obama says ’sorry’ at Copenhagen Airport – Greenpeace posters depict remorseful world leaders in the year 2020

a-future-obama-says-sorry-at-copenhagen-airport-%e2%80%93-greenpeace-posters-depict-remorseful-world-leaders-in-the-year-2020

In a campaign to persuade – or scare – key players at the UN climate talks in Copenhagen to agree upon key legislation to stop climate change, a dramatic series of posters welcomes arrivals at Copenhagen Airport. The startling placards by environmental group Greenpeace represent a grim future where today’s leaders have failed to act [...]


U.S. energy news: Smart grids, electric cars and Green investment

u-s-energy-news-smart-grids-electric-cars-and-green-investment

United States President Barack Obama announced a whopping $3.4 billion in grants for revamping and modernizing America’s energy infrastructure, including making power more efficient, reliable and accurately measured. Other Green news includes the announcement that a former GM plant will be reopened to make electric cars, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. $529 million [...]


White House goes green as Obama leads by example

white-house-goes-green-as-obama-leads-by-example

President Barack Obama is set to overhaul the White house and upgrade its management for energy use, as well as, waste management practices. Among the many changes to be made are putting computerized systems to regulate temperature and energy consumption, setting up automatic lighting sensors for lesser used areas, recycling, conscious consumerism or selective purchasing [...]


Van Jones resigns as White House Adviser on “Green Jobs”

van-jones-resigns-as-white-house-adviser-on-%e2%80%9cgreen-jobs%e2%80%9d

Mr. Jones, who was appointed as a special adviser for “green jobs” by President Obama, announced his resignation in a statement that was released early this morning.
The controversy over Mr. Jones’s past comments (like his derogatory statements about Republicans in February and his signature on a 2004 letter suggesting that former President George W. Bush [...]


Copyright (c) 2009-2010 Greenfudge.org