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Critical Investments in Transit and Clean Energy

As Congress and the White House work out an economic stimulus package, investments in clean energy, public transit and energy efficiency must be an important part of the equation, NRDC experts say. Our lawmakers' choices will be critical in affecting our nation's ability to create green jobs, save consumers money and reduce global warming pollution. Investing in a clean energy economy would leverage our country's greatest strengths -- our innovators, entrepreneurs and world-class workforce -- to create a vibrant economy today and into the future.

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Stimulus News: Cost-Effective Diesel Retrofits Coming to a School Bus or Construction Site Near You!

Stimulus News: Cost-Effective Diesel Retrofits Coming to a School Bus or Construction Site Near You!

I just received a copy of EPA's Report to Congress on its Diesel Emissions Reduction Program, and it's encouraging news. With nearly $50 million in EPA's FY 2008 budget for this program, EPA made 119 grants nationwide that enabled more...continued

Tags:
diesel, EPA, polllution, portpollution, reporttocongress, retrofit, stimulus

Kansas City’s Green Impact Zone: making great use of stimulus funds

Kansas City’s Green Impact Zone: making great use of stimulus funds

There has been a lot written about how federal stimulus money has not done as much as one might hope for existing urban communities.  By contrast, quite a bit of the money has instead been slated for highway projects. A shining exception,...continued

Tags:
climate, community, globalwarming, greenjobs, neighborhood, revitalization, smartercities, smartgrowth, stimulus, sustainability, transit

A Little Sunshine for NM Schools

A Little Sunshine for NM Schools

Few things in my frenzied, busy life these days are as stable and reassuring as the sun shining. I grew up in the rural Southern New Mexico town of Deming, where the sun was pretty much always shining. Growing up...continued

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newmexico, richardson, schools, solar, stimulus

More DOE Renewable Energy Grants

More DOE Renewable Energy Grants

The second round of 30% cash grants for renewable projects was awarded today by DOE and Treasury.  I gave some context for these grants, as well as discussing potential concerns in a post a few weeks back covering the first...continued

Tags:
cashgrants, cleanenergy, deployment, investment, markettransformation, policy, renewableenergy, solar, stimulus, subsidies, taxcredits, wind

Optimism (and Challenges) With New DOE Grant Program

Optimism (and Challenges) With New DOE Grant Program

Today, the Department of Energy and Treasury Department announced the first set of cash grant recipients to take advantage of a new Stimulus program for renewable projects.  (The cash grant program allows renewable developers or associated parties to receive an...continued

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cashgrants, cleanenergy, deployment, investment, markettransformation, policy, renewableenergy, stimulus, taxcredits, wind

Wind Report Shows Costs Leveling Off

Wind Report Shows Costs Leveling Off

LBNL/EERE released another annual report on wind market trends. It covers the usual collection of market data points, capacity additions, etc. PDF: http://eetd.lbl.gov/ea/ems/reports/2008-wind-technologies.pdf LBNL Publications: http://eetd.lbl.gov/ea/ems/re-pubs.html Notable among the findings is that US now tops international wind capacity rankings (that...continued

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renewableenergy, stimulus, wind

DOE Releases ARRA Funding for 29 States; Better Codes and Utility Policies Coming Soon

DOE Releases ARRA Funding for 29 States; Better Codes and Utility Policies Coming Soon

DOE has been rolling through approvals of state energy plans and releasing huge chunks of the $3.1 billion dollars available through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act for State Energy Programs. All told, 29 states and several territories have received...continued

Tags:
buildingcodes, energyefficiency, stimulus

Weekly Web Roundup: ACES, mountaintop removal, electric cars

Weekly Web Roundup: ACES, mountaintop removal, electric cars

Retired professor wants to build car-free village in a San Francisco suburb. Rock snot is invading New York. Vermont farmers change cows' diets to lower their emissions. Coal mining costs five times more in deaths than it provides in...continued

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carbonemissions, cleanenergy, electricvehicles, globalwarming, mountaintopremoval, recycling, stimulus

Weekly Web Roundup: clean cars, clean energy, red swings

Weekly Web Roundup: clean cars, clean energy, red swings

House committee passes the American Clean Energy and Security Act, a bill that will make significant investments in clean energy and reducing global warming pollution. President Obama announces ground-breaking global warming pollution standards for cars and trucks. Secretary Chu...continued

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BPA, cleanenergy, colonycollapsedisorder, globalwarming, pollution, recycling, stimulus, walkableurbanism

Federal stimulus threatened to overrun small town with sprawl

Federal stimulus threatened to overrun small town with sprawl

Just last week, my NRDC colleague Nancy Stoner pointed out that the federal program that provides water infrastructure to local communities is essentially subsidizing sprawl.  This is because the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (an atrocious name if I've ever...continued

Tags:
community, development, infrastructure, maryland, smartgrowth, sprawl, stimulus, wastewater

Stimulus Funds Continue To Push Clean Energy Forward

Stimulus Funds Continue To Push Clean Energy Forward

Over the weekend, the Department of Interior announced a new initiative funded through the stimulus that includes $41 million to "advance the nation's development and transmission of renewable energy on public lands." Other portions of the $300 million will be...continued

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departmentofinterior, interiordepartment, renewableenergy, salazar, stimulus, transmission, transmissionlines, transmissionplanning

California’s Dry Summer – and the Path Forward.

California’s Dry Summer – and the Path Forward.

The third consecutive dry year in California has received extensive media coverage - and will receive even more attention this summer. Some simple facts and a few recent quotes from the media demonstrate the water management challenge California faces -...continued

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california, delta, deltavision, drought, stimulus, virtualriver

Weekly Web Roundup

Weekly Web Roundup

Big news: EPA announces plans to begin carbon regulation. Read David Doniger's response on Switchboard. He'll host a live chat about the announcement on Switchboard this Monday at 1 pm. Post your questions here. Obama outlines plans for high-speed...continued

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carbon, energyefficiency, EPA, highspeedrail, leadpoisoning, oceans, solar, stimulus, trains, wind

Some Good News for California's Water Supply and Environment

Some Good News for California's Water Supply and Environment

Even though it hasn't rained in the past couple of days, the past couple days have seen some good news for farmers, urban water agencies and the environment.  It's a welcome change from the parade of bad news about water allocations...continued

Tags:
california, fish, NRDC, stimulus, virtualriver, water, waterprogram, waterrecycling

Clean Energy in the Stimulus: Follow the Money

Clean Energy in the Stimulus: Follow the Money

DOE released the funding distribution for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants (EECBG) from the recovery act (ARRA) late last week. With this action, we now know as much as we are going to about the destination of the...continued

Tags:
energyefficiency, stimulus

Weekly Web Roundup

Weekly Web Roundup

In the news this week: Turn out the lights, please! Earth Hour is on Saturday at 8:30 pm (find out which sites will go dark). NRDC's Rob Perks makes sense of the EPA's mountaintop removal announcements on his Switchboard blog...continued

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earthhour, electricvehicles, energyefficiency, exxonvaldez, greenjobs, mountaintopremoval, recycle, solar, stimulus, twitter

The United States of Transit Cutbacks

The United States of Transit Cutbacks

  One of the sad ironies of our time is that, as demand for public transportation is soaring to levels not seen in 50 years, the recession has dampened government support for transit.  Another sad irony is that, just as...continued

Tags:
publictransportation, servicecuts, smartgrowth, stimulus, transit

NRDC China Environmental News Alert

NRDC China Environmental News Alert

NRDC has been working in China for over twelve years on such issues as energy efficiency, green buildings, clean energy technologies, environmental governance and public participation, and green supply chain issues. This China Environmental News Alert is a weekly compilation...continued

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airpollution, BarbaraFinamore, China, climatechange, g-20, Jiangsu, obama, pollution, renewableenergy, stimulus, taihu, trees, USA, water, waterpollution

What the Stimulus Means for New York

What the Stimulus Means for New York

 After a four-month hiatus, my monthly column at the Gotham Gazette is back up and running.  If you don't know the Gotham Gazette, it's a great place to read about NYC's political and policy debates, with columns on just about...continued

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gothamgazette, newyork, newyorkcity, stimulus

Railway carriage charm: has high-speed rail’s moment arrived?

Railway carriage charm: has high-speed rail’s moment arrived?

  Several days ago I made the trip from DC to New York and back via Amtrak's Acela Express, my mode of choice for the last decade or so.  It's less expensive than the air shuttles, much more comfortable, much...continued

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acela, globalwarming, highspeedrail, smartgrowth, stimulus

Biggest Provision of Recovery Bill Infrastructure $ Can Be Used for Fuel-Efficient Rail Projects Too

Biggest Provision of Recovery Bill Infrastructure $ Can Be Used for Fuel-Efficient Rail Projects Too

The single biggest pot of money provided to states and local jurisdictions for investments in transportation infrastructure -- a $27.5 billion shot-in-the-arm -- is more flexible than many realize, and President Obama and the recovery.gov web site should remind governors...continued

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changeinwashington, highways, infrastructure, rail, stimulus, transportation policy

Climate Change and Clean Energy in the President's New Budget

Climate Change and Clean Energy in the President's New Budget

Today, President Obama’s new budget was officially released.  Those interested only in the energy provisions can skip here, although a look at the actual draft budget is extremely informative.  As usual, more industrious and well-connected sorts have beaten me to...continued

Tags:
deployment, federalbudget, innovation, investment, markettransformation, obamaadministration, oil, policy, renewableenergy, stimulus

Weekly Web Roundup

Weekly Web Roundup

President Obama goes to Canada. Grist, the Thin Green Line and Green Inc weigh in on the trip and the President's stance on the tar sands. Switchboard bloggers write about it here. The Arctic is burping nitrous oxide, a...continued

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coalfiredpowerplants, electricvehicles, EPA, greenhousegas, obama, renewableenergy, stimulus, tarsands, windpower

Transit needs financial support now, but will states & locals deliver? A tale of two cities

Transit needs financial support now, but will states & locals deliver? A tale of two cities

  A number of times now, I've been drawn  to Charlotte (somewhat against my North Carolina-bred instincts, given what the Queen City has been) for blog posts about the city's rejuvenation through transit-oriented development.  It is a real success story,...continued

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charlotte, community, highways, mon-fayette, smartgrowth, stimulus, transit

To Spend or To Save? How Do We Get Out of This Mess?

To Spend or To Save?  How Do We Get Out of This Mess?

It's a recession! You have to spend to help us get our economy back on track! No wait, you're supposed to save, because you have too much debt and all that spending is what got us into this mess in...continued

Tags:
buildings, efficiencystandards, energyefficiency, stimulus

Renewable Energy Provisions in the new Stimulus Package

Renewable Energy Provisions in the new Stimulus Package

Given that President Obama signed the Stimulus bill in Colorado yesterday (after touring a solar facility), I thought it might be useful to discuss some of the major renewable energy provisions within the Stimulus package, and provide some detail as...continued

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investment, markettransformation, policy, renewableenergy, stimulus, taxcredits

News Clips: To Canada and Beyond

News Clips: To Canada and Beyond

Susan Casey Lefkowitz warns that tar sands extraction is unlikely to ever be environmentally sustainable in a Bloomberg article and encourages President Obama to steer clear of supporting tar sands on his trip to Canada... Meanwhile, Patrice Simms calls for...continued

Tags:
coal, energyefficiency, mercury, obama, stimulus, tarsands

Stimulus for the Virtual River

Stimulus for the Virtual River

  Today, President Obama signed a $787 billion economic stimulus package.  NRDC staff worked hard to ensure that the final package includes funding for cutting edge water solutions to help California meet its needs during the current drought and prepare...continued

Tags:
california, drought, stimulus, urbanstormwatermanagement, virtualriver, wastewaterrecycling, waterprogram, wateruseefficiency

Infrastructure of the Future

Infrastructure of the Future

 The pundits all debated whether the stimulus bill should change policy or just create jobs, but when it comes to funding water and wastewater infrastructure, it did both.  The final legislation put $6 billion into funding ready-to-go water and wastewater...continued

Tags:
infrastructure, jobs, stimulus, sustainability, water, waterprogram

Best Case Scenario: Congress Follows Obama's Lead on Efficiency

Best Case Scenario: Congress Follows Obama's Lead on Efficiency

A few days ago I broke down the efficiency policies in play in the recovery bill and said, "...the best case scenario would be for Congress to adopt the House provisions in conference (with the exception of the Senate's version...continued

Tags:
buildings, energyefficiency, stimulus

Beyond the stimulus: whither communities in the next transportation bill?

Beyond the stimulus: whither communities in the next transportation bill?

  I am immensely grateful to my colleagues at NRDC and in the broader smart growth movement for being on top of what's been going on in the stimulus negotiations, particularly with respect to transportation investment.  I know the legislation...continued

Tags:
community, completestreets, connectivity, johnnorquist, neighborhood, newurbanism, smartgrowth, stimulus, streetnetwork

The President Gets It, But Does Congress? Efficiency in the Economic Recovery Bill

The President Gets It, But Does Congress? Efficiency in the Economic Recovery Bill

No one says it better than the President. "...why would that be a waste of money?" He is referring to efficiency generally and specifically to federal buildings and home weatherization. He's right. It's not a waste of money. It's a...continued

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buildings, economicrecovery, energyefficiency, stimulus

The Senate Stimulus Package: Green Jobs Are Good Jobs

The Senate Stimulus Package: Green Jobs Are Good Jobs

For several months, President Obama has been telling Americans that green energy investment is a path to economic recovery. In the last several days, Washington got the message loud and clear. Not only did the city play host to 2,000...continued

Tags:
bluegreenalliance, energyefficiency, greeneconomy, greenjobs, liquidcoal, nuclearpower, stimulus

The Latest on China's Economic Stimulus

The Latest on China's Economic Stimulus

The past few days have brought a flurry of news about the second portion of the 4 trillion yuan Chinese economic stimulus to be released.  This amount (130 billion yuan or US$19 billion) is to include 11 billion yuan for...continued

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china, economicrecovery, greenjobs, stimulus

Interior Secretary says Destructive Drilling a No-No, and More Stories From the News

Interior Secretary says Destructive Drilling a No-No, and More Stories From the News

Today Interior Secretary Salazar canceled leases to drill for fuel on federal land in Utah; the decision marks a victory for NRDC and other environmental groups that protested the leases during the Bush administration. In the Washington Post Sharon Buccino...continued

Tags:
alberthuang, AP, canada, canadianpress, carcinogens, compost, deronlovaas, environmentalmagazine, francesbeinecke, greenbuilding, grist, interiorsecretary, lawsuit, nancymarks, newjersey, nuclearweapons, obama, PPG, radiopacifica, sharonbuccino, slate, stannorris, stimulus, susancaseylefkowitz, tarsands, utahoildrilling, washingtonpost, WBAI

Un-stimulating Debate on Transportation in the Senate

Un-stimulating Debate on Transportation in the Senate

Watching the Senate debate on the economic recovery bill, I am reminded of a remarkable event in 2001. The Surface Transportation Policy Project held an awards dinner to celebrate the tenth anniversary of ISTEA, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of...continued

Tags:
globalwarming, highways, infrastructure, lightrail, oildependence, publictransit, rail, stimulus, transportation policy

Support for Climate Action in Davos, But Hard Work Awaits in Congress

Support for Climate Action in Davos, But Hard Work Awaits in Congress

A day spent in Davos would make you think that we are the verge of policy and political breakthroughs in climate change. And we are. But don't underestimate how tough it will be to get the strongest bill possible out...continued

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algore, capandinvest, copenhagen, davos, economicstimulus, globalwarming, globalwarmingbill, stimulus

Weekly Web Roundup

Weekly Web Roundup

President Obama kicked off the week by telling the EPA to reconsider a request by California to impose stricter limits on tailpipe emissions. In other news: Exposure to the coal ash spill in Tennessee could lead to serious health problems....continued

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algore, BPA, CFL, coalash, globalwarming, LED, recycle, stimulus, tailpipeemissions, tva, urbanplanning, wind

Clean Energy Now.

Clean Energy Now.

In Reuters Frances Beinecke discusses the growing support for climate change plans and designs for a clean energy future... While in the Wall Street Journal Deron Lovaas praises Congress for increasing funds for mass transit in the stimulus bill; according...continued

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ABC, AP, deronlovaas, EPA waiver, francesbeinecke, globalwarming, jakeschmidt, justinhorner, NPR, obamaadministration, oceanshealth, reuters, rolandhwang, sarahchasis, stimulus, wallstreetjournal

China and the US: Sticking to a truly "green" stimulus

China and the US: Sticking to a truly

Barbara Finamore and I had an article in the China Daily last week concerning pledges of “green stimulus” in China and the U.S.  It has been a bad air week in Beijing with the API hitting a smoggy 131 (Grade...continued

Tags:
china, economicrecovery, efficiency, pollution, postolympics, stimulus

House Passes Stimulus and Funds Transit

House Passes Stimulus and Funds Transit

I'm happy to report that the House not only passed the stimulus, but it passed the amendment introduced by Rep. Nadler (D-NY) to increase transit funding by $3 billion. This means a total of $12 billion for transit in the...continued

Tags:
congress, globalwarming, renewableenergy, stimulus, transportation

Public Transportation Investment Recovered!

Public Transportation Investment Recovered!

The amendment I wrote about just a few hours ago was just passed by voice vote! That means little or no opposition against it. This is a good augury for public transportation, as I imply in the statement we just sent...continued

Tags:
changeinwashington, infrastructure, legislation, lightrail, oildependence, publictransit, rail, stimulus, transportation policy, victories

A Recovery for Transportation Investment?

A Recovery for Transportation Investment?

As I’ve written about on these pages and in the Huffington Post, the transportation provisions in the recovery bill need to tilt more towards saving oil and cutting global warming pollution, meaning public transportation and rail. I’m not the only...continued

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changeinwashington, energy, infrastructure, legislation, lightrail, oildependence, publictransit, rail, stimulus, transportation policy

What's So Green About the Stimulus?

What's So Green About the Stimulus?

It's been quite the week. Last Tuesday President-elect Barack Obama came to the Hill to be sworn in, and yesterday President Obama returned to meet with lawmakers about the much anticipated economic recovery package. NRDC's experts have been weighing in...continued

Tags:
congress, economicrecovery, efficiency, energy, energylegislation, globalwarming, renewableenergy, stimulus, transportation

Green Jobs for Clean Water

Green Jobs for Clean Water

Congress is about to make a decision that could affect whether your family and future generations will have clean streams to swim in, fish that are safe to eat, and safe, sufficient tap water to meet your needs.  What am...continued

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greenjobs, stimulus, stormwater, water, waterprogram

Missing the Train on the Recovery Package

Missing the Train on the Recovery Package

Walking through a checklist of items needed for my trek to downtown D.C. from the suburb of College Park (by bicycle, no less!) for the Inauguration tomorrow, I keep reminding myself of a fact of life: After the dust has...continued

Tags:
cars, changeinwashington, globalwarming, highways, infrastructure, legislation, oildependence, policy, publictransit, rail, sprawl, stimulus, transportation policy

Growing Green

Growing Green

NRDC's stimulus package suggestions are mentioned in a Wall Street Journal article reviewing the progress of the package... Nathanael Greene speaks with Time about the possible negative environmental effects of certain biofuels... Brandweek publishes (almost verbatim) NRDC's steps to green...continued

Tags:
andrewwetzler, biofuels, brandweek, bushadministration, lizbarrattbrown, montyschmitt, sfchronicle, smartgrowth, stimulus, tarsands, time, tv, wallstreetjournal

Let's Begin with a billion gallons of the best

Let's Begin with a billion gallons of the best

At his Senate confirmation hearing today, Governor Vilsack smartly dodged questions about allowing increased blends of ethanol in regular gasoline (subscription required), and focused on his support for advanced biofuels. That's good, but it highlights the need for a new...continued

Tags:
billiongallons, biofuels, ethanol, greenyear, LCFS, markettransformation, RFS, stimulus, taxcredits

What the Stimulus Package may have in common with Detroit

What the Stimulus Package may have in common with Detroit

My friend Barbara McCann, communications consultant and coordinator of the "Complete Streets" campaign, is my guest on Switchboard today, penning a terrific piece I'm sure you'll enjoy: Right from the start, the US automakers looking for handouts on Capitol Hill...continued

Tags:
bicycle, cars, pedestrian, publictransit, stimulus, transportationpolicy

Momentum grows for economic recovery through efficiency

Momentum grows for economic recovery through efficiency

On December 19th, NRDC, the Alliance to Save Energy, the Edison Electric Institute, and the EnergyFuture coalition released a comprehensive plan to create jobs and save money through energy efficiency. Peter Lehner, our Executive Director, blogged extensively on the major...continued

Tags:
buildings, economicrecovery, energyefficiency, stimulus

Stimulus dollars should go to good biofuels, not more for bad

Stimulus dollars should go to good biofuels, not more for bad

This post on the Wall St. Journal's Washington Wire blog added some specificity to the rumors I've been hearing that the biofuels industry is pushing for some financial support as part of the economic recovery package likely to move early...continued

Tags:
biofuels, ethanol, markettransformation, policy, stimulus, taxcredits

We’re driving less, and it’s time for our infrastructure and built environment to adapt to the new paradigm

We’re driving less, and it’s time for our infrastructure and built environment to adapt to the new paradigm

  I've written in here before that I believe that the era of unbridled sprawl and skyrocketing driving rates is over.  The demise won't come cleanly and certainly not uniformly, but it is happening.  The latest confirmation comes from our...continued

Tags:
brookings, driving, infrastructure, smartgrowth, sprawl, stimulus, VMT

Stop the Secret Porkfest

Stop the Secret Porkfest

Heading home for the holidays, lawmakers will surely mull over the heated debate for an auto industry bailout. Regardless of how they feel about the outcome, at least it was discussed in broad daylight. Executives testified twice, submitted plans...continued

Tags:
globalwarming, highways, legislation, oildependence, stimulus, transportation policy

David Brooks in the NY Times, on message re smart growth and stimulus

David Brooks in the NY Times, on message re smart growth and stimulus

Noted columnist and TV political analyst David Brooks has an excellent op-ed in today's New York Times observing that the American social and economic culture has shifted from sprawl to smart growth and that it is time for the political...continued

Tags:
davidbrooks, infrastructure, obama, publictransportation, smartgrowth, stimulus, transit
Clean Energy Common Sense

OnEarth: NRDC's award-winning magazine

Citizen journalism from the OnEarth magazine website

Day Five of No Impact Week: Lights Out
by Solvie Karlstrom
The Not-So-Badness of Guides to Green Living
by Emily Gertz
No Impact Week Day Four: Foreign Foods
by Solvie Karlstrom

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