You may have read about the Marshall Plan, which restarted the economy of Europe following World War II. With the threat of catastrophic climate change hovering over our heads, and with the economy still in tatters in many parts of the world, I\’d like to suggest a worldwide Marshall Plan-style initiative to stave off global […] … learn more→

Media incorrectly report Google is abandoning renewables. In fact, the company is increasing clean energy investments. Buried at the bottom of an innocuous “spring cleaning” post on Google’s blog yesterday, the internet giant made a very important announcement: it will stop funding its Renewable Energy Cheaper than Coal (RE … learn more→

Imagine going down the road in your eco-friendly hybrid car (or better yet, your public transit conveyance or your bicycle), listening to some earnest musician\’s song about global warming. All of a sudden, this commercial is screaming at you: Go green today! Act NOW to lock in your savings! Call 800-555-CASH or visit www.CashBackEnergySavings.com. That\’s […] … learn more→

I’ve known for years that Iceland is a geothermal paradise, so when we went there this summer, I made sure to pay some attention to the power supply. As it turned out, that was absurdly easy to do. You can\’t travel in Iceland without encountering the power of geothermal energy, and many Icelanders we met […] … learn more→

Everyone knows that third-party endorsement is a powerful credibility builder. This is especially true in the green movement, where so much of the marketing process is based on making a strong case that you have other values besides financial gain. Certification is one way to gain that credibility. When an independent agency verifies that you […] … learn more→

In the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts (where I happen to live), you\’ll find a whole lot of farms with signage calling them “Local Heroes.” You\’ll also see similar signs in grocery stores, supermarkets, farmers markets, plant nurseries, and even cafes and restaurants. And you\’ll see bumper stickers all over the region that say, “Be a […] … learn more→

If you\’ve been struggling to build a green business, or to offer green products or services through an existing business, this post might just make your day—because I\’m going to share the single biggest component of determining whether you will have a viable market for your offering. All you have to do is ask yourself […] … learn more→

Among many environmentalists and politicians, even some who ought to know better, it\’s been an axiom that we need nuclear power, because coal is so dirty and toxic and contributes so heavily to climate heating. Unfortunately, nuclear is also dirty and toxic, as well as extremely dangerous. And despite its claims, it\’s far from carbon-neutral […] … learn more→

Every once in a while, I\’ll devote this column to a roundup of some of the coolest sustainability initiatives I\’ve come across anywhere in the world. This is the first installment, featuring five different ventures on five different continents, and business models that include an architect working solo, a manufacturing corporation, a nonprofit, and a […] … learn more→

What do you do when there\’s no clear eco-friendly choice—when you have to balance competing claims of environmental benefit against competing harms? … learn more→