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<channel>
	<title>the Clean Air blog: general</title>
	<link>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/</link>
	<description>the Clean Air blog</description>
	<language>en-us</language>
	<managingEditor>blog@iwantcleanair.com</managingEditor>
	<webMaster>blog@iwantcleanair.com</webMaster>
	<pubDate>Fri, 09 Nov 2007 11:01:56 PST</pubDate>
	<lastBuildDate>Fri, 09 Nov 2007 11:01:56 PST</lastBuildDate>
	<ttl>15</ttl>
	<copyright>copyright (c) 2007 the Clean Air blog</copyright>
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	<image>
		<title>the Clean Air blog</title>
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		<link>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/</link>
		<width>88</width>
		<height>31</height>
		<description>the Clean Air blog</description>
	</image>

	<item>
		<title>Green Cars</title>
		<link>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=736</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Jonathan Goodwin is using off-the-shelf technology to turn Hummers from lumbering gas-guzzlers into swift and thrifty eco-cars.He uses a combination of biodiesel fuel, hybrid-electric motors and hydrogen injection to get performance and economy out of his tricked out rides.  And his customers include Governor Swarzenneger and Neil Young.The feature article in Fast Company is a great read and ultimate asks the question... if this mechanic in Kansas can do this with off-the-shelf technology and a small team of mechanics, why can't the Detroit car makers with their billions in capital and thousands of employees?]]></description>
		<category><![CDATA[general]]></category>
		<author>blog@iwantcleanair.com (IwantcleanAir)</author>
		<pubDate>Sun, 04 Nov 2007 13:21:00 PST</pubDate>
		<comments>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=736&#35;comments</comments>
		
		
		
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		<title>Universities as Greenwash Tool?</title>
		<link>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=495</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Regular readers of this blog know that we often comment on stories about the acceptance of global warming in the business community and the things that global corporations are doing in the battle to prevent catastrophic climate change.  Generally, the movement in the business community is a positive thing as it brings the world's capital into ventures that are seeking to provide effective weapons against the very real threats to the environment and human society.  Even many of the big oil companies seem to have accepted reality, and are funding research into solutions.  As our friend Bill Walker at the Envrironmental Working Group's Enviroblog points out, the line gets a little blurry when the corporations are funding research at leading universities.  At issue is whether universities can maintain independence when funds are coming directly from corporate checkbooks.  I am right there with Bill when he says, &amp;quot;once I would have automatically and vociferously denounced anything that smelled of greenwashing. But it certainly is right that the companies that created the global warming crisis help bankroll the search for solutions,&amp;quot;  and that universities must &amp;quot;build in rigorous safeguards against corporate influence.&amp;quot;       Read more at Enviroblog The question, it seems to me, is whether BP's money will fund real research that is scientifically valid and academically open.   Update:  UC publication Berkeleyan has an in depth look at the Energy Biosciences Institute.
 Some prior posts on business and global warming  On the US Climate Partnership   On Richard Branson and Virgin  On Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson ]]></description>
		<category><![CDATA[general]]></category>
		<author>blog@iwantcleanair.com (IwantcleanAir)</author>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 Mar 2007 10:19:00 PST</pubDate>
		<comments>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=495&#35;comments</comments>
		
		
		
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		<title>California&apos;s Global Warming Solutions Act Will Be Law</title>
		<link>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=254</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Republcan Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Democratic leaders of the legislature have announced agreement on final language for the California Global Warming Solutions Act.This could be the biggest historical turning point in our lifetimes.  Partly because of the subject matter, but mostly because it signals the return to a functioning democracy.&amp;ldquo;I am happy to announce we have reached a historic agreement on legislation to combat global warming,&amp;quot; Gov Scwarzenegger said,    &amp;ldquo;it&amp;rsquo;s amazing the work that can be done for the people of California when Democrats and Republicans work together.The California leaders of the two parties worked together to implement a viable solution to a problem that a vast majority of the population wants to see solved.The previous trend, where elitist conservative forces turn closely contested electoral victories into broad mandates to pursue unpopular policies, has brought us toward fascism.  ABC News put it this way,  &amp;quot;A president who doesn't acknowledge the virtually universal consensus among  scientists that mankind is dangerously overheating its home planet stands to be  upstaged by a governor &amp;mdash; a fellow Republican &amp;mdash; who does.&amp;quot;  California's Global Warming Solutions Act will not only help slow global warming, it will boost the economy and improve local air quality.  All this, and it starts the country on a trend toward a more effective democratic political environment.  Many goups were involved in getting this legislation passed.  First of all, it could not have been done without leadership from co-author of the bill Fran Pavley.  NPR has a nice story about Assemblywoman Pavley.  Environmental Defense was another co-author.  Listen to Fred Krupp, director of Environmental Defense, talk about the Act on NPR.  The Union of Concerned Scientists helped pass the legislation.  Read their summary of the law (pdf) as passed by the legislature.]]></description>
		<category><![CDATA[general]]></category>
		<author>blog@iwantcleanair.com (IwantcleanAir)</author>
		<pubDate>Thu, 31 Aug 2006 06:19:00 PST</pubDate>
		<comments>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=254&#35;comments</comments>
		
		
		
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		<title>California to Lead America.</title>
		<link>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=251</link>
		<description><![CDATA[This week just may be one for the history books.  

In California, the Democratic legislative leaders and the Republican Governor are working out the final details of two bills that would place California back in the national spotlight as an economic, social and environmental leader.  The two bills will essentially create a system that will bring the state into compliance with the rest of the planet's initiative on Global Warming, known as the Kyoto Treaty.  

The Bush Administration has made their oil business corporate donors happy by keeping the entire country out of the Kyoto Treaty.  This has created an opportunity for moderate Republican Governor Schwarzenegger to step away from the destructive partisan politics of his national party bosses.   

Action on Global Warming is "not happening on the federal level," said Dan Kalb of the Union of Concerned Scientists. "So states are forced to take action."

Where else but California could this type of grass-roots effort get started.   Two-thirds of the state's voters supported the Global Warming reduction legislation in a recent survey.  The Governor is clearly aware of the need for action.  Speaking on Global Warming at the UN last year, Schwarzenegger said, "I say the debate is over.  We know the science. We see the threat. And we know the time for action is now."

Historically, California has played a leadership role in many economic and environmental actions.  As the California bill passes, environmental activists like Dan Kalb "hope to see citizens throughout the country take similar action."

The bipartisan nature of the legislation could signal a turning point in American politics.  We have been a nation divided by an imperialistic war-time President who has rallied Americans against Americans to deflect any and all criticism of his policies.  California's political, business and environmental leaders are showing that we can all come together to tackle serious threats to our economy, welfare and quality of life. 

Years from now, we may look back to this very week with pride, and say, "it all started then." 

If you are in California, please find out how to make a phone call to the governor TODAY reminding him of his historic opportunity to lead the nation in the fight against global warming and asking him to support passage of this important legislation as it currently is written.
]]></description>
		<category><![CDATA[general]]></category>
		<author>blog@iwantcleanair.com (IwantcleanAir)</author>
		<pubDate>Tue, 29 Aug 2006 13:17:00 PST</pubDate>
		<comments>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=251&#35;comments</comments>
		
		
		
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		<title>Take action for clean air</title>
		<link>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=227</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Today, we present a few letter writing campaigns that can use your support.  They come to us via the Natural Resources Defense Council, one of America's effective environmental nonprofit organizations. 


Tell Congress to get serious about ending America's addiction to oil
Besides causing gas prices to soar, America's oil addiction is sapping our nation's economic strength, threatening our national security and exacerbating global warming. Urge Congress to help pass oil savings legislation and put us on a clean path to oil independence.


Speak out to support clean, affordable wind energy.
The Long Island Offshore Wind Project would produce pollution-free energy and reduce the area's dependence on oil and natural gas. Urge officials to conduct a thorough environmental review of the project and make offshore wind energy a reality on Long Island.


California: Urge your state legislators to put a lid on global warming pollution in California
California residents only.  The California legislature has until August 31st to pass AB 32, which would help the state curb its global warming pollution and spur economic growth. Urge your state assemblymember and senator to support this important bill.
]]></description>
		<category><![CDATA[general]]></category>
		<author>blog@iwantcleanair.com (IwantcleanAir)</author>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Aug 2006 09:31:00 PST</pubDate>
		<comments>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=227&#35;comments</comments>
		
		
		
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		<title>Smart cars are coming to America</title>
		<link>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=170</link>
		<description><![CDATA[I received an email today from Mercedes-Benz.  They are announcing today that they will start selling their Smart car in America next year.The Smart car is a small &amp;quot;city car.&amp;quot;   It gets excellent gas mileage  and is perfect for city or commute driving.Hugely popular in Europe and Canada, it has been puzzling as to why it has taken so long to bring the vehicle to the world's largest automotive market.  The first models to arrive in America will have gasoline engines getting 40 MPG.  The model on sale in Canada is has a diesel engine which gets 60 MPG.  Eventually, the diesel model will become available in the US.At Canada.com we learn that the company sold more than double the number of Smart cars than they expected.]]></description>
		<category><![CDATA[general]]></category>
		<author>blog@iwantcleanair.com (IwantcleanAir)</author>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Jun 2006 12:25:00 PST</pubDate>
		<comments>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=170&#35;comments</comments>
		
		
		
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		<title>Cape Wind back on track</title>
		<link>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=161</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Language that would have given Massachusetts Governor Romeny, a Cape Wind foe, the power to veto the alternative energy project has been removed from the Coast Guard appropriations bill.

According to the Wind Farmer's Almanac, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee leaders Pete Domenici and Jeff Bingaman were able to remove any reference to the governor from the legislation. 

This is a big victory for America and the people of New England.  The Cape Wind project will provide enough pollution-free electricity for 75% of Cape Cod region residents.  The region's electricity grid relies heavily on fossil fuels (such as coal and oil) for power generation.    Any non-polluting source of electricity will help the country become energy independent and reduce contribution to global warming.

]]></description>
		<category><![CDATA[general]]></category>
		<author>blog@iwantcleanair.com (IwantcleanAir)</author>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 Jun 2006 06:28:00 PST</pubDate>
		<comments>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=161&#35;comments</comments>
		
		
		
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		<title>Germany ensures big win for planet at World Cup Tournament</title>
		<link>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=159</link>
		<description><![CDATA[The FIFA World Cup, the world's most watched sporting event, features the best football (soccer) players in the world, each playing for their home country. 
Watching these national teams play, one often gets some insight into cultural attributes of the different countries around the world.   
In this year's tournament we also get a view into the environmental leadership role played by host country Germany.   
For the first time ever, the entire World Cup tournament will be carbon neutral.  Not only have event organizers minimized environmental impacts by implementing energy efficiency, using renewable energy sources and encouraging clean transportation, but they have offset any unavoidable emissions by investing in climate projects.
The carbon neutral initiative falls under the umbrella of the Green Goal campaign which has made pioneering efforts to keep the environment in mind throughout the event.   
Other initiatives include the installation of solar power, use of green business management methods at stadiums and progressive water management.
In terms of the environment, Green Goal has already made winners of the German people.]]></description>
		<category><![CDATA[general]]></category>
		<author>blog@iwantcleanair.com (IwantCleanAir)</author>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 Jun 2006 16:02:00 PST</pubDate>
		<comments>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=159&#35;comments</comments>
		
		
		
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		<title>Lighting the way to carbon reductions</title>
		<link>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=157</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Environmental Defense has launched a campaign to encourage Americans to swap out old incandescent light bulbs, replacing them with energy efficient compact flourescent  bulbs.Their goal is to reach a million new compact flourescents which will provide economic savings and prevent tons of greenhouse gas emissions.Compact  flourescents produce the same amount of light while using a fraction of the electricity.  They work in your regular light fixtures and there a variety of sizes and shapes.If you replace one 100 watt incandescent bulb with an equally bright 30 watt compact flourescent, you will cut more than 1300 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions.  Replace two bulbs and your house will lower greenhouse gas emissions by more than a ton.We are working with Energy Federation, a national nonprofit, to make compact flourescents, and other energy efficient products, available at the lowest possible price.  On special now, we are offering a free shipping special on a 15watt bulb 4-pack in association with Al Gore's film, An Inconvenient Truth.Find more great light bulbs at great prices, or feel free to browse our online catalog.]]></description>
		<category><![CDATA[general]]></category>
		<author>blog@iwantcleanair.com (IwantCleanAir)</author>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 Jun 2006 10:21:00 PST</pubDate>
		<comments>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=157&#35;comments</comments>
		
		
		
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		<title>Clean Air Alerts</title>
		<link>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=156</link>
		<description><![CDATA[As summer begins, we can expect worsening air quality throughout the country.  Knowing your the air quality in your area can help you plan your outdoor activities.As air pollution increases, it is advisable to limit your exertion outdoors.  Children and other sensitive groups should take special care to limit outdoor time when pollution worsens.   
The IwantCleanAir site is dedicated to bringing you information on your air quality.  Each day we will post the national air quality forecast for the following day at or around 5:30pm eastern time.  Just look in the right column.   
You can also find forecasts for your state or city.
We also post each day's forecast in our air quality archives.]]></description>
		<category><![CDATA[general]]></category>
		<author>blog@iwantcleanair.com (IwantCleanAir)</author>
		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Jun 2006 20:46:00 PST</pubDate>
		<comments>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=156&#35;comments</comments>
		
		
		
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		<title>Business Case: Ecomagination is GE success story</title>
		<link>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=121</link>
		<description><![CDATA[What if some of the world's largest corporations built environmental protection directly into their business plans?  Surely the pro-business &amp;quot;head-in-the-sand&amp;quot; political crowd would take the lesson to heart, seeing that environmental protection is profitable.  Well, we can only hope. 
 General Electric (GE) launched its Ecomagination business strategy in May of 2005 with ambitious goals to 1) increase R&amp;amp;D in environmental technologies, 2) increase annual revenue from products that &amp;quot;provide significant and measurable environmental performance advantages&amp;quot; to $20 billion per year by 2010 and 3) dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy efficiency. 
  One year later, the company is reporting revenues of $10.1 billion from Ecomagination products, leading CEO Jeffrey Immelt to proclaim that &amp;quot;Ecomagination is driving growth for GE, and our customers, and providing the strong bottom-line results investors expect from GE.&amp;quot; 
 The 2006 Ecomagination report from the company states: 
"Ecomagination puts into practice GE&amp;rsquo;s belief that financial and environmental performance can be integrated to accelerate profitable growth for the Company, while taking on some of the world&amp;rsquo;s biggest challenges." 
 General Electric is a huge conglomerate with many business units.  One example of the environmental benefit flowing from the Ecomagination strategy is in wind power.  The company has a global installed base of wind turbines that provides enough energy to power 1.5 million U.S. homes... avoiding the need for the equivalent of 9.5 million barrels of oil each year, and producing an annual reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 11.4 million tons. 
 The fact that the world's largest company is delivering financial and environmental results based on making sustainable decisions stands as a real-world rebuttal to the mythical argument that environmental protection is bad for the economy.   
 When will the politicians start paying attention? 
  Source:
General Electric Ecomagination 2006 Report ]]></description>
		<category><![CDATA[general]]></category>
		<author>blog@iwantcleanair.com (IwantcleanAir)</author>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Jun 2006 21:15:00 PST</pubDate>
		<comments>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=121&#35;comments</comments>
		
		
		
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		<title>Pests to prosper in carbon rich world</title>
		<link>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=123</link>
		<description><![CDATA[The results of a six year study done by scientists at Harvard and Duke University warns that Poison Ivy will grow bigger and be more poisonous if the amount of Carbon Dioxide emitted into the atmosphere is not reduced.  Media coverage of the study has been widespread.

All manner of pests are projected to thrive under the conditions we are creating with our emissions.  Mosquitos, ticks and other insect pests thrive in the variable type of climate that is projected.  Pollen from faster growing weeds will increase allergies and asthma reactions. 

So, when Exxon and the Big Oil folks behind the recent Competitive Enterprise Institute telvision ads that showed kids blowing on dandelions while praising carbon dioxide as "essential to life" really meant to say "essential to the life of pests."



 ]]></description>
		<category><![CDATA[general]]></category>
		<author>blog@iwantcleanair.com (IwantcleanAir)</author>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Jun 2006 23:50:00 PST</pubDate>
		<comments>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=123&#35;comments</comments>
		
		
		
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		<title>World&apos;s largest solar photovoltaic farm breaks ground</title>
		<link>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=122</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Construction has begun on what will be the world's largest solar photovoltaic (PV) power generating facility.  The 11-megawatt solar farm will be comprised of 52,000 PV modules located in Serpa, Portugal on farmland that will continue to be used for farming.

The project is financed by General Electric (GE) through its GE Energy Financial Services business unit.   The project will use advanced solar technology from PowerLight Corporation that tracks the sun's progress across the sky maximizing energy collection and conversion.  

The Serpa power plant will be slightly larger than PowerLight's Bavaria Solarpark in Germany, currently the largest solar PV plant in the world.

The facility is part of GE's Ecomagination initiative which seeks to integrate business and environmental concerns into solutions for global challenges.  With no fuel cost or emissions, the Serpa solar installation will produce electricity sufficient to power 8,000 homes and save more than 30,000 tons a year in greenhouse gas emissions compared with equivalent fossil fuel generation.

"The Serpa solar power plant is a clear example of GE's commitment to cleaner, reliable renewable energy," noted PowerLight CEO Tom Dinwoodie. "PowerLight is pleased to be partnering with GE Energy Financial Services to achieve this solar industry milestone."

The plant is expected to be online in January 2007.

]]></description>
		<category><![CDATA[general]]></category>
		<author>blog@iwantcleanair.com (IwantcleanAir)</author>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 Jun 2006 11:39:00 PST</pubDate>
		<comments>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=122&#35;comments</comments>
		
		
		
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		<title>Hank Paulson a realist for US Treasury</title>
		<link>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=118</link>
		<description><![CDATA[President Bush has nominated Henry (Hank) Paulson, currently chairman of Wall Street firm Goldman Sachs and The Nature Conservancy, to lead America's financial house as US Treasury Secretary.

This is notable because as a leader of one of Wall Streets big firms, he has 1) recognized that global warming is a problem and 2) helped his firm to profit nicely with investments in clean energy technologies.  

Amanda Griscom Little has a great story up at Grist Magazine that quotes Mr. Paulson extensively.  Here is one of the best:

Paulson believes environmental health and financial well-being are inextricably linked. "The environment and the economy have been totally misconstrued as incompatible," he told Muckraker in an interview earlier this year. "They are opposite sides of the same coin -- you can't consider one without the other."

Read the whole article... it will give you hope for the future.  It is also on Salon.com.

On Huffingtonpost.com, Sierra Club Executive Director Carl Pope makes some keen observations.  He so eloquently and insightfully points out why our Treasury Secretaries have been clear-eyed on the issue of global warming.  

Bush has had no problem finding EPA Administrators (after Whitman) or Energy Secretaries who can calmly look at melting glaciers or Katrina and say, "Hey, that's just your imagination." So at first blush it's odd that he can't seem to get a Treasury Secretary who shares that gift. Perhaps it's because two traits are essential for someone who's going to do the Treasury job: an appetite for managing and minimizing (not reveling in) risk and an aversion to cooking the books. Global warming denial, at its heart, violates both of those precepts. To deny global warming, you have to love the idea of risking the entire planet to maintain profit margins on oil and big SUVs, and you have to be willing to ignore the numbers and hide the costs.

So it shouldn't be surprising that anyone who is prudent enough that the world's markets will trust him to run the U.S. Treasury would also be prudent enough to think that global warming is a big enough risk that we need to minimize it. Paulson fits in this category -- and he may bring enough clout to the job to force Bush to move beyond global warming denial. The President has already admitted that we are addicted to oil -- he may be ready to admit that one of the costly effects of that addiction is destabilization of the world's climate.

John Heilpren has picked up on the story for Associated Press (via sfgate.com).  He writes:

Henry Paulson may find the tightrope he'll be walking as President Bush's Treasury secretary will span a wider gulf than in his current twin jobs as chairman of Goldman Sachs and The Nature Conservancy.

Both the Wall Street powerhouse and the world's richest environmental group look at global warming as a dire threat requiring government-mandated reductions in carbon dioxide and other gases that trap heat in the atmosphere like a greenhouse.

Bush doesn't.


The quesiton is... are we at some type of tipping point in American political acceptance of global warming?

]]></description>
		<category><![CDATA[general]]></category>
		<author>blog@iwantcleanair.com (IwantcleanAir)</author>
		<pubDate>Fri, 02 Jun 2006 11:41:00 PST</pubDate>
		<comments>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=118&#35;comments</comments>
		
		
		
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		<title>An Inconvenient Truth, global warming film very successful </title>
		<link>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=117</link>
		<description><![CDATA[According to Variety magazine, An Inconvenient Truth, the film about Al Gore and his campaign to wake up America on the issue of global warming, had the highest per-screen average-revenue for any film so far this year.

The film opens into wider distribution this weekend and will continue to roll out across the nation throughout June.

You can see clips here and comments here.

]]></description>
		<category><![CDATA[general]]></category>
		<author>blog@iwantcleanair.com (IwantcleanAir)</author>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Jun 2006 08:00:00 PST</pubDate>
		<comments>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=117&#35;comments</comments>
		
		
		
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		<title>Demand action on global warming</title>
		<link>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=116</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Take Action Now. ExxonMobil shareholders are gathering today at the company's annual meeting to demand that ExxonMobil take climate change seriously and invest aggressively in renewable energy, before it is too late. Exxon needs to know that a broad array of their stakeholders, including consumers, are deeply concerned about the company's impact on global warming, and outraged that ExxonMobil continues to shirk its responsibilities.

Send a letter through Coop America.]]></description>
		<category><![CDATA[general]]></category>
		<author>blog@iwantcleanair.com (IwantcleanAir)</author>
		<pubDate>Wed, 31 May 2006 07:20:00 PST</pubDate>
		<comments>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=116&#35;comments</comments>
		
		
		
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		<title>Hillary Clinton delivers leadership on energy policy</title>
		<link>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=115</link>
		<description><![CDATA[In a speech to The National Press Club,  Sen. Hillary Clinton announced legislation to create a &amp;quot;Strategic Energy Fund&amp;quot; to jumpstart innovation and efficiency in America's energy sector.  

Describing current administration policy as a failure, Sen. Clinton called for &amp;quot;a virtual revolution in our thinking about energy and in the actions that must follow.&amp;quot;

The need for new thinking could not have been communicated more clearly:

Our present system of energy is weakening our national security, hurting our pocketbooks, violating our common values and threatening our children's future.

Right now, instead of national security dictating our energy policy, our failed energy policy dictates our national security.

We would never leave 10 percent of our military or intelligence assets vulnerable to an easy attack. But that's what we've allowed to happen with oil.

Just one terminal in Saudi Arabia handles about one out of every 12 barrels of the world's oil exports. That's enough to trigger a new crisis beyond the scale of the 1970s if it were cut off. Onem terrorist attack has already been foiled there, and other threats have been made.

We would never deliberately put ourselves in a position that allowed Iran to believe that because of its oil reserves it is invulnerable to sanctions for its dangerous nuclear program, or for Sudan to think that China will protect it from the consequences of genocide in Darfur in return for access to oil, or for Russia to use its energy policy to pressure its smaller neighbors.

But as world demand for oil pushes prices higher and intensifies the competition for future supplies, those are just some of the consequences of our present energy policy.



Fending off the anticipated knee-jerk response from the head-in-the-sand crowd, Hillary went on to say:

But we need to resist the idea that kicking the oil habit will wreck our economy. In fact, the greater risk is that we will wreck our economy by failing to kick the habit.

We can wait for the terrible potential of a terrorist attack to hit a pipeline, to hit a terminal, with all that that will mean to the world economy.

We can see global warming slowly but surely have the incredible effects it's having, from flooding and storms to desertification.

Or we can make a choice. And this is where I come down.

You know, I remember sitting in my office about a year and a half ago. And we were debating the McCain-Lieberman bill on the floor, which I have continually supported.

And one of my colleagues came to the floor in opposition. And he just basically said, &amp;quot;We can't do this. It'll ruin our economy. We'll go backwards. It'll destroy the American standard of living.&amp;quot;

And I just couldn't believe what I was hearing. And I got up and I went to the floor and I said, &amp;quot;Since when have Americans become so fatalistic that we go around saying 'We can't do it, we can't do it'?&amp;quot;

That is not the tradition of our country. We can do it. We just need a commitment to do it. And we need the leadership in both the public and the private sectors to get it done.

And I believe that we definitely can get it done. So from my position today, I hope we make the right choice.



Yes indeed.  We need leadership.

Read the full speech at hillaryclinton.com.]]></description>
		<category><![CDATA[general]]></category>
		<author>blog@iwantcleanair.com (IwantCleanAir)</author>
		<pubDate>Wed, 24 May 2006 20:29:00 PST</pubDate>
		<comments>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=115&#35;comments</comments>
		
		
		
	</item>
	
	<item>
		<title>Texas to lead in offshore wind power</title>
		<link>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=109</link>
		<description><![CDATA[While Massachusetts liberals do their best imitations of Benedict Arnold, the folks down in Texas are doing their patriotic best to become the leading driver of wind power in America. 

A 500 MegaWatt offshore wind farm has been approved by the Texas General Land Office, which manages state lands and mineral rights.  The project will be the largest in the US (80 MW larger than the proposed Cape Wind project in Massachusetts).  Over 30 years, the wind farm will prevent the emission of 1.8 billion pounds of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide,  13 million pounds of sulfer and nitrogen oxides.  It displaces the need to burn 43 billion pounds of coal.

According to greenr.com it will also &amp;quot;conserve more than 30 billion gallons of fresh water over the lifetime of the lease that would have been used in the cooling system of a typical power plant.&amp;quot;

Jerry Patterson, a conservative Republican who was elected to lead the Texas General Land Office in 2003, announced approval of the project saying,  &amp;quot;Texas has been an energy leader for decades.&amp;quot;  Recognizing the need to develop alternatives he said,  &amp;quot;oil and gas someday, whether it's 50, 150 or 1,500 years, will go away. We need to diversify our portfolio to provide electricity to the citizens of the great state of Texas.&amp;quot;

The announcement of this project approval is part of a call for more wind business in Texas. &amp;quot;We want to be the U.S. leader, if not the world leader, in the whole business,&amp;quot; Patterson said. Recognizing the difficulties that Cape Wind is experiencing, he urged companies to post &amp;quot;gone to Texas&amp;quot; signs on their doors and bring their business to the state.

In a direct attack on Massachusetts NIMBYs, Patterson said that &amp;quot;view-shed&amp;quot; is not a problem with this project &amp;quot;unless Teddy Kennedy decides to move down there.&amp;quot;

Sources:
Washington Post
Texas General Land Office
greenr.com]]></description>
		<category><![CDATA[general]]></category>
		<author>blog@iwantcleanair.com (IwantCleanAir)</author>
		<pubDate>Tue, 16 May 2006 09:07:00 PST</pubDate>
		<comments>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=109&#35;comments</comments>
		
		
		
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	<item>
		<title>Living With War</title>
		<link>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=107</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Neil Young has released a new album called Living With War. It is a highly topical and political album that critiques the current ruling party in Washington and its reasons for going to war in Iraq.

And while Neil does not explicitly connect the dots betweeen America's addiction to oil and the war in Iraq, we know that they are connected.

I have not felt more hopeful about America in years. 

Thanks to Neil for standing up and speaking truth to power. It is real and it rocks. The first track is called After the Garden, which asks where people will go after the garden of earth is destroyed. The album is full of insight and strong patriotic statements like 

 Looking for a leader   
To bring our country home  
Reunite the red, white and blue  
Before it turns to stone 


from &amp;quot;Looking for a Leader&amp;quot; which calls us to unite around our shared values (this song was &amp;quot;most added&amp;quot; in US radio airplay for the week).

What makes the album work so well, in addition to the awesome musicianship, is the way that Neil is unafraid to speak truth. Lets hope the Democrats give a listen and learn the lesson. Be real. Talk Peace.  Give hope.  Stand up for what is right. This is what Neil has done. And is resonates with such clarity, in sweet harmony and is right in time.

Living With War on Amazon.com   

Listen to the full album online]]></description>
		<category><![CDATA[general]]></category>
		<author>blog@iwantcleanair.com (IwantCleanAir)</author>
		<pubDate>Thu, 11 May 2006 10:46:00 PST</pubDate>
		<comments>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=107&#35;comments</comments>
		
		
		
	</item>
	
	<item>
		<title>Products to Save Money and the Planet</title>
		<link>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=84</link>
		<description><![CDATA[Amory Lovins, a leader in the movement toward sane energy policies, is credited with creating the term &amp;quot;NegaWatt,&amp;quot; which describes a measurement of the units of energy saved through efficiency.  NegaWatts are an alternative to the MegaWatts that come from building new power plants which can be expensive and dirty. 

Efficiency is key to reducing our dependence on foreign oil.  It is key to minimizing the pollution in our air.  It is key to reducing the catastrophic effects of global warming.

So, we invite you to find energy efficient products in our newly-designed shopping pages.

For many years, the IwantCleanAir site has teamed with the good folks at EFI (EnergyFederation.org) to provide the best energy products at the lowest cost.  EFI is a non-profit organization whose mission is to make energy efficient products widely available at low cost and with excellent customer service.  We are proud to be working with them, and we know that you will be happy with purchasing through the IwantCleanAir shop.

In the shop you will find energy efficient lighting, portable solar power products, air purifiers and many other great products.   Your use of the IwantCleanAir shop will improve your lifestyle and help keep our site going.  Please use the comments link below to let us know how we are doing. ]]></description>
		<category><![CDATA[general]]></category>
		<author>blog@iwantcleanair.com (IwantCleanAir)</author>
		<pubDate>Wed, 29 Mar 2006 11:33:00 PST</pubDate>
		<comments>http://www.iwantcleanair.com/index.cfm?CommentID=84&#35;comments</comments>
		
		
		
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