Now that Obama has been elected president, environmentalists worldwide are wondering if the planet will benefit. Andrew Revkin of the New York Times’ Dot Earth blog is concerned about the world’s population growth and resources. He has requested proposals from the public on how Obama can help the planet on a limited budget.

While others are wondering if Obama’s plan to help the Big 3 Detroit automakers invest in fuel-efficiency research and develop a new generation of clean cars. His idea would cost $3 billion dollars over 10 years. Obama is also calling on more plug-in hybrids. Can Detroit automakers meet the challenge?

Green Congress? Most environmentalists seem to think the world will get a bit greener with Barack Obama. But how green is the newly elected Congress? After all, the prez has to get his bills through both the Senate and the House. Some key Senate additions for green initiatives are Tom Udall of New Mexico, Mark Udall of Colorado, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Kay Hagan of North Carolina, who took seats from Republicans who opposed environmental measures. There were several House upsets (like Betsy Markey of Colorado) that may also help to change the balance of green power in Congress.

No green light for two California green propositions. Both Prop 7 and Prop 10 didn’t pass on Nov. 4 by 60% or more. Proposition 7 would have required California electric utilities to get half of their power from renewable sources by 2025. And Proposition 10 would have given rebate incentives to Californians who purchased natural gas or alternative fuel vehicles. Experts say many state residents found the initiatives ill conceived or too expensive.

And in other environmental news…

Fuel from fungus? Yes! According to a Montana State University researcher, a microorganism found in a South American plant contains a fungus with an essence of diesel. And this “myco-diesel” could power a whole bus without processing it all.

Thinking about buying a more fuel-efficient vehicle? Check out The Daily Green’s list of the most fuel-efficient cars and SUVs. It’s no surprise that the Toyota Prius came in first with 48 mpg in the city and 45 on the highway. But check out the rest of the list.

Also posted on Pop + Politics

Now that gas and oil prices drop, will America keep its push to “go green?” A recent NPR article investigates whether American energy consumers will revert back to their old, gas guzzling, non-recyclable ways with low oil prices.

Speaking of fossil fuels, a new study by Greenpeace and the European Renewable Energy Council claims the world could be free of fossil fuels completely by 2090. What would it take? Only trillions of dollars worth of investments in renewable energy and a worldwide support, that’s all.

Google going Green? Google’s CEO, Eric E. Schmidt, joined forces with GE’s CEO, Jeffrey R. Immelt, to announce their “green” collaboration effort to generate renewable electricity. Additionally, Google’s nonprofit arm, Google.org, has already invested in clean energy startups like harnessing wind power with kites.

Ready for your next all-electric car? Well, chances are you might have to wait until 2012. The recent 2008 Paris Motor Show revealed the new generation of electric cars. It featured the electric Chevrolet Volt, gas-electric hybrids like 2009 Honda Insight. However, the show stopper was the 2012 Volage electric car by Venturi, Monaco’s only automaker. In addition to the Volage, Venturi also makes the Fetish, an all-electric, 2-seat sports car, available in 2009. Both the Volage and Fetish sell for a hefty price, $500,000 and $400,000 respectively. Hmm.. how’s that gasoline or hybrid car looking?

(more…)

The dangers of global warming strike the penguins. According to a recent World Wildlife Fund (WWF) report, if the earth’s climate increases by only two degrees Celsius (or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) half to three-quarters of Antarctic penguin colonies could be wiped out or severely harmed. Sadly, a United Nation report predicts the climate change will occur by the end of the century if greenhouse gases aren’t decreased. Poor, poor penguins.

Could greener fuels cause world hunger? A United Nations food agency is asking the same question in its call for a review of biofuel (cleaner, plant-based fuel) subsidies and policies. The examination will look at biofuel’s role in higher food prices and hunger in poor countries. With the biofuel subsidies in place, many farmers plant more crops for fuel than food because it brings in more dough.

Speaking of dough, green technology is where it’s at. Venture capital is pouring into the clean tech industry that focuses on alternative energy, pollution reduction, recycling and conservation. Biotechies and biopharma workers are headed over to the green side. According to VentureSource, venture funding in clean technologies increased from $216 million in 2002 to $2.5 billion last year.

Financial crisis threatens climate change. A lack of credit and limited capital may result in fewer developed countries investing in green initiatives to help poorer countries upgrade to clean energy technology. In an AP interview, Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the U.N. climate secretariat summed it up best when he said, “You can’t pick an empty pocket.”

(more…)

From time to time, all of us have been guilty of sending an email we didn’t mean to send. You know, a gushy love letter to a guy or girl we just met. Or perhaps you sent a piece of “rage mail” to someone who really pissed you off. We really didn’t mean to send it. Or rather, we wish that we hadn’t.

Well, smarty pants Google has invented a sent-to-soon, whoops or drunk email saver. It’s called “Mail Goggles.” What it does is simple and slightly irritating but helpful to those of us prone to sending out emails that we regret. (I can’t be the only one that’s done this before.)

When enabled (read: turned on) “Mail Goggles” requires the sender to solve a couple of math problems before the email is sent. And according to Gmail’s blog, this method will help verify you’re in the right state of mind. Their logic: If you can figure out the answers to math problems, you are probably sober enough to send the email.

(more…)

Yesterday while in the shower, I came to a very interesting conclusion. My addiction and constant checking of my Blackberry is causing me anxiety. (And yes, I have been clinically diagnosed as a “Crackberry” addict by my husband.) Although this revelation may be obvious to many, I began to isolate my recent onset of anxiety and nervousness to my incessant email checking. Now, I don’t believe that email alone is to blame for stress and anxiety. (My main stressful part of my life at the moment is graduate school and journalism commitments.) However, I am often checking email when I can’t be “actionable.” And glancing down at a Blackberry email doesn’t really equal reading and digesting it. In fact, I often forget that I’ve even looked at the email. Simply, there is no point of checking email on my blackberry when I can’t reply with a thoughtful response or follow-up in a manner appropriate to the email. Meaning, I can’t take action on the email. I can’t do anything. So, if I followed my own advice, I wouldn’t check my Blackberry during meals, while on the phone (yes I do this), during class, and even while driving (hey, I’m stopped at lights). Multitasking just might be the death of me.

(more…)