EcoTalk's Archives

Powering the planet

Powering the planet (pdf) is the title of the inaugural speech given by Nathan Lewis at the California Clean Innovation Conference. At this point we don't have a recording.

Lester Brown: Ethanol is NOT the Answer

Earth Policy Institute President (and author of Plan B: 2.0) Lester Brown reacts to the effects of climate change now infecting the cover of Time Magazine, and his thoughts on Ethanol being number one on their list of tools to fight global warming: "What we're beginning to see is a realization that ethanol is not the answer, despite the ethanol euphoria that one sees and feels here in Washington." LISTEN (12 min)

Solar + Business= Debate

Today's EcoTalk featured a compelling debate on long and short term viability of Solar Power. Severin Bornstein, Director of the University of California Energy Institute, says that although solar shows long-term promise , it requires more research and development before it's ready for prime time. On the other hand, JP Ross, Policy Director for the Vote Solar Initiative, takes the egg to Bornstein's chicken, citing increased use and demand as the engines that will drive technological innovation. But these two explain everything better than I can.
Listen for yourself! PART ONE (11 min)  PART TWO (7 min)

TXU Buyout Makes Utility Greener

Good news! NRDC's Climate Center Director David Hawkins tells Betsy how the two private equity firms who are in talks to buy energy giant TXU wanted to talk to Environmental Defense and NRDC about how they could satisfy rising public opposition to proposed coal power plants in Texas.
This is a major victory for grassroots organizing, and the blueprint is clear: citizens make themselves heard in the streets, online, on the air, and in their state capitols; public opposition brings stock prices down; corporations are then forced to meet environmental groups at the bargaining table. Americans, you helped save the air you breathe! LISTEN (11 min)

The 18 Second challenge: Change A Bulb, Change Everything

Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Good Will Hunting, and An Inconvenient Truth Producer Lawrence Bender stops by to talk about his 21st nomination for an Academy Award, and why his global warming movie was more controversial than the ultra-violent flicks he's made in the past. Lawrence is also one of the prime movers and shakers behind the 18 Seconds campaign to get people to set aside 18 seconds of their time to screw in a Compact Flourescent Lightbulb, the gateway drug that will get them hooked on energy conservation: "Naturally you're gonna feel good. So you start to think, 'What else can I do?'"  PART ONE (11 min)  PART TWO (7 min)

Suzzi Paynter & Texas Baptists vs. TXU & Coal-fired Power Plants

Director of the 2.3 million-strong Texas Baptist Christian Life Commision, Suzzi Paynter tells Betsy how, more than anything recent like An Inconvenient Truth, her denomination's efforts to protect Texas from TXU's 18 planned coal-fired power plants is the natural articulation of a faith that requires its faithful to act as stewards of all creation. LISTEN (11 min)

Lisa Margonelli: Oil on the Brain

An antidote to sometimes wonkish energy books, Lisa Margonelli's Oil on the Brain takes the reader from Margonelli's local gas station to an Iranian oil platform in a refreshing up-close and personal style. Here she sits down with Betsy to highlight some of her most revealing journeys. LISTEN (10 min)

Jeff Barrie: Kilowatt Ours

Film maker Jeff Barrie talks about Kilowatt Ours,a plan to reenergize America.
LISTEN (10 min)

Frank O'Donnell on the State of the Union: Cars, Coal, and Corn

EcoTalk's very own Clean Air Correspondent Frank O'Donnell waxes funny and fiery on President Bush's State of the Union speech: "He's starting to talk the talk, but he's a long way from walking the walk. He's tip-toeing in the right direction, but he is not coming forward with any plan at all to actually limit emissions related to global warming." LISTEN (11 min)

ExxonMobil: Manufacturing Uncertainty

Freelance Environmental Journalist Seth Shulman was commisioned by the Union of Concerned Scientists to write a report on the tactics ExxonMobil uses to encourage public skepticism of the dangers posed by climate change. Today the Union of Concerned Scientists released his report titled Smoke, Mirrors, and Hot Air: How Exxon Mobil Uses Big Tobacco's Tactics to Manufacture Uncertainty on Climate Science.  LISTEN (11 min)