Posted by Peter Lehner in Solving Global Warming
Today in the NY Times, there's an exciting article about efforts to develop deepwater, floating wind turbines. The article makes it clear that there are still engineering and major costs hurdles, but I'm hopeful that one day floating wind farms...
Posted by Peter Lehner in Curbing Pollution , Environmental Justice , Green Enterprise , Health and the Environment , Living Sustainably , Solving Global Warming
This post was co-written with Carl Pope, executive director of the Sierra Club. NRDC and Sierra Club are members of the Coalition for Clean and Safe Ports, supporters of the clean truck program. "Cancer alley." That's what many Southern Californians...
Posted by Peter Lehner in Green Enterprise , Health and the Environment , Saving Wildlife and Wild Places , Solving Global Warming
Few seem willing to address the issue openly, but one of the toughest issues to address when delegates gather in Copenhagen in December for the global conference on climate change will be governance. Many developing nations attending have stressed and...
Posted by Peter Lehner in Reviving the World's Oceans , Solving Global Warming
In addition to places of wonder and beauty, our oceans are vital economic engines. The U.S. ocean economy contributes more than $230 billion to the nation's GDP annually, providing more more jobs and more economic output than the nation's entire...
Posted by Peter Lehner in Curbing Pollution , Moving Beyond Oil , Solving Global Warming , U.S. Law and Policy
A ferocious storm provided an electrifying backdrop for the recent kick-off of the Made in America Jobs Tour, the first of 22 rallies across the country to promote the job creating potential of a new clean energy economy. This tour...
Posted by Peter Lehner in Curbing Pollution , Living Sustainably , Solving Global Warming , U.S. Law and Policy
President Obama reached across the political aisle when he selected Representative Ray LaHood, a Republican from Illinois, as his Transportation Secretary. The appointment was met by some skepticism: LaHood's resume on transportation issues was decried as very thin. But Secretary...
Posted by Peter Lehner in Green Enterprise , Moving Beyond Oil , Solving Global Warming , U.S. Law and Policy
According to an assessment by the International Energy Agency (IEA), the world is going to invest more than $16 trillion in energy by 2030. There are two ways that we can invest this money: a smart way and a dumb...
Posted by Peter Lehner in Solving Global Warming
Standing in front of an audience of members of the transportation industry, policymakers local and state officials as well as NRDC staff (including Deron Lovaas, our transportation specialist, and me as representatives of the environmental community), President Obama this morning...
Posted by Peter Lehner in Green Enterprise , Solving Global Warming
I had the pleasure of speaking at the national Good Jobs, Green Jobs conference in Washington, D.C. yesterday. This was a truly remarkable event that brought together thousands of people -- from steelworkers to business leaders to students to environmentalists. The...
Posted by Peter Lehner in Curbing Pollution , Saving Wildlife and Wild Places , Solving Global Warming
TURRIALBA, Costa Rica -- There is a reason they call them rainforests. It was pouring as I put the first tree into the ground here in a new forest that NRDC is planting with the support of our members. The...
Posted by Peter Lehner in Curbing Pollution , Solving Global Warming , U.S. Law and Policy
My colleagues and I at NRDC were pleased at President-elect Obama's recent announcement that Lisa Jackson will head the Environmental Protection Agency. Lisa has been a strong, honest and knowledgeable voice for the environment as Commissioner of the New Jersey...
Posted by Peter Lehner in Living Sustainably , Solving Global Warming , U.S. Law and Policy
On Friday, I took the train to DC to join a panel discussion on energy efficiency at the National Press Club. NRDC is working with a broad coalition of energy groups that are calling on Congress to use part of...
Posted by Peter Lehner in Curbing Pollution , Solving Global Warming , U.S. Law and Policy
NRDC recently won a case in federal court that held accountable a major utility that tried to snooker the American public. This decision upheld a core purpose of much of NRDC's litigation, vindicating, in turn, a core principle of our...
Posted by Peter Lehner in Living Sustainably , Solving Global Warming
At a recent board meeting, NRDC's staff and trustees discussed what big ideas the new administration could propose to engage the American people in solving our tied economic and environmental problems, the way all Americans helped win World War II....
Posted by Peter Lehner in Living Sustainably , Solving Global Warming
I often find myself trying to explain why next year, despite a worldwide economic slump, will present us with such a good opportunity to achieve our climate and energy security goals. Part of the answer, of course, is a new...
