Heather Retberg stood on the steps of the Blue Hill, Maine town hall surrounded by 200 people. โWe are farmers,โ she told the crowd, โwho are supported by our friends and our neighbors who know us and trust us, and want to ensure that they maintain access to their chosen food supply.โ
Category: Politics
The Energy Game is Rigged: Fossil Fuel Subsidies Topped $620 Billion in 2011
The energy game is rigged in favor of fossil fuels because we omit the environmental and health costs of burning coal, oil, and natural gas from their prices. Subsidies manipulate the game even further. According to conservative estimates from the Global Subsidies Initiative and the International Energy Agency (IEA), governments around the world spent more than $620 billion to subsidize fossil fuel energy in 2011.
Harvesting Justice #3: Food and Land at the Service of People – An Interview with Peter Rosset
Authors Tory Field and Beverly Bell discuss control of food and agricultural systems with agricultural economist Peter Rosset.
Harvesting Justice: Transforming the Global Food Supply Chain – Food Sovereignty
From community gardens to just global policy, a national and global movement is growing to reclaim food, land, and agricultural systems from agribusiness and put them back in the hands of citizens.
Help Protect Blackwater River State Park from Oil and Gas Drilling
Northwest Florida’s Blackwater River State Park is a special place for area residents, and an ecological treasure. Now, area activists are fighting oil drilling on this public land.
Come Hang with sustainablog to Discuss the Climate Summit You Probably Missed
Yep, an international climate conference just ended… but, like most of us, you probably paid no attention at all. Join us on Hangin’ with sustainablog to get caught up, and discuss why we’re not following these annual events like we used to.
Join Us to Discuss & Dissect the Environmental Claims in Last Week's Presidential Debate
If somebody had told me that energy and environmental policy would get the level of attention they did in last week’s presidential debate, I wouldn’t have believed them. Given the areas of focus in candidate advertisements and stump speeches, none of us had any reason to believe that the President’s spending on green jobs and energy, or Governor Romney’s support of “clean” coal and “responsible drilling” would have been front and center in the debate. So let’s discuss…
Victoria, Australia's Generous Feed-in Tariffs Under the Microscope
The amount of money Victorian solar panel owners get paid for selling their excess electricity back to their energy retailer could be slashed if a draft report by the Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission (VCEC) is any indication.
Another Front Yard Garden Raises Hackles at City Hall
Karl Tricamo of Ferguson, Missouri, is challenging the city’s claim that his front-yard organic garden violates city codes.
National Park Service Asks "Where are All the Young People?"
This past week, NBC News reported on a rather upsetting trend among national parks visitors. It seems that instead of the young backpacker often associated with national parks, the average national park visitor is actually middle-aged. What’s the National Park Service doing about this potentially disturbing trend?
Bike Paths and Sidewalks: Transportation Investments that Work
A new report out from the Federal Highway Administration shows that investments in “nonmotorized transportation” – bike paths, sidewalks, trails, etc. – works: more people use this infrastructure when it’s available to them.
Full-Cost Pricing: Getting the Market to Tell the Truth
The key to restructuring the economy is to get the market to tell the truth through full-cost pricing. If the world is to move onto a sustainable path, we need economists who will calculate indirect costs and work with political leaders to incorporate them into market prices by restructuring taxes. Full-cost pricing that will create an honest market is essential to building an economy that can sustain civilization and progress.
Time to Slap a Tariff on Chinese Solar Panels?
Cheap Chinese solar panels are great for installers, but present a challenge for US solar manufacturers. Is it time to put a tariff on panels from China in order to level the playing field?