Patterson’s Bold Gamble

California’s state budget gap was about $40 billion this year. New York’s some $50 billion. Every state in the Union is struggling with drastically lower revenues and higher costs for services of every kind, washing state capitals with red ink.

The Supply Chain – An Environmental Story

n law school, Professor Firestone prompted his environmental law class to consider the supply chain for everything we did, bought or consumed. 

He encouraged us to consider the full lifecycle for everyday products.  

You Can Only Manage What You Measure

A few weeks ago, USEPA Administrator Lisa Jackson announced that 10,000 facilities would soon have to measure and register their carbon emissions.

Carbon Poker

I had a dream about watching one of those high stakes poker games that you see on TV these days. There were bit players who you knew, from the few colored chips in front of them, would soon fold — but the two “whales” at the table were Barack Obama and Hu Jintao. They each had so many chips on the table that you could barely see their cowboy shirts, but the purpose in their deadly stares could not be obscured, even by the dark black Ray Bans that shaded their eyes.

Just a Reminder

In the past few months, climate change has lost some attention.

Many distractions have caused the issue to be overlooked (ie. the healthcare debate).  While healthcare has stolen climate change’s limelight, it is important to remind ourselves that these issues cannot be the “flavor of the week,” but are ongoing challenges that need continued attention and support in order to create real actions. 

What’s Happening On The Fifth Floor?

Millions of people come and go from New York’s iconic Empire State Building every year. 

The 102 floors bristle with keyboard-clicking, ballpoint-wielding, paper-shredding cubicle dwellers, none of which would appear out of place in an episode of “The Office”. But something very different is happening on the fifth floor – – a magical workplace that may soon transform the entire skyline of a big city near you.

The Myth of Battery Cars

As the world beats a path to Copenhagen for the December 2009 UN meeting to craft a new deal on climate change solutions, one of the biggest challenges remains our addiction to oil.  About 40% of global greenhouse gases come from oil, when you include exploration, development, refining, transportation, and combusting it. 

Nori’s Eco Salon

A few months ago, I was running some errands in my neighborhood and saw a sign for Nori’s Eco Salon. I made a note to Google search as soon as I got home. Much to my surprise and satisfaction, turns out I live five minutes away from “LA’s first full service green Hair Salon.” What a treat! I poked around the website, and was rather impressed with the story.

Small Changes/Big Impact

Not too long ago, I left my career in hotel management and found myself working for an environmental non-profit organization.  I have to admit that the reason I wound up there had less to do with my passion for the environment than my need for a steady gig to support myself. However, when I read the job posting working as the executive assistant to an environmental “power player,” I thought that perhaps I might benefit from exposing myself to a little green culture. Boy, did I have a lot to absorb!

Agree to Disagree

Each week I compile a newsletter of carbon and climate related articles. As I sift through articles about cap and trade, energy efficiency, renewable energy, etc., I always find myself drawn to the reader comments that follow the article.