As we approach the largest gift-giving season in the world, a top U.S. evangelist from the American Family Association (AFA) tells us that we need to be willing to accept one of the greatest gifts that God has bestowed upon mankind: Fossil fuels.
Bry…
Author: Farron Cousins
DeSmogBlog: Patriot Coal To Stop Destructive Mountaintop Removal Mining In Appalachia
Patriot Coal, one of the largest coal companies in America, recently announced its decision to end mountaintop removal mining (MTR) in the Appalachian Mountains.
To date, Patriot Coal is the only major coal company in America to pledge to stop mounta…
DeSmogBlog: Media Matters Explains Media’s Climate Silence In Election Coverage
Polls over the last year tell us that the vast majority of Americans (70%) understand that climate change is taking place, with 54% saying that they believe human activities are to blame. 72% of Americans believe that the government should make deali…
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Arch Coal Mine Will Destroy Colorado Wilderness in ‘Roadless’ Forest
In a devastating blow to the Colorado wilderness, the U.S. Forest Service has agreed to allow Arch Coal to expand their West Elk mine into 6.5 miles of roadless forest in Colorado. This means that as soon as Arch Coal gets the “ok,” they will beg…
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: EPA And TVA Nix Coal Ash Spill Cleanup Efforts
Four years after a coal processing plant operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) accidentally released tons of toxic coal ash into waterways in Kingston, the cleanup has finally come to an end.
But just because cleanup efforts have ceased, …
DeSmogBlog: The Real Winner Of US Election – Dirty Energy Money
As Democrats crawl out from their election night hangovers, still riding the high of President Barack Obama’s re-election victory, it appears that a reality check is due. Obama might have won the election, but the battle was won by the dirty energy…
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Why Is North America Behind The Curve On Climate Change and Energy?
Just three short years ago, it appeared that North America was on the verge of finally kicking that nasty dirty energy addiction that was crippling our economies and our energy independence. The United States had elected a president (Barack Obama) who set incredibly lofty goals for renewable energy targets, and
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Groups Call On EPA To Close Fracking Disclosure Loopholes
Seventeen public interest groups, including the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP), have petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to close a loophole in U.S. laws that allows hydraulic fracturing operations to be exempt from disclosing the pollutants they release each year. Under the current code, the fracking industry is exempt
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: What To Expect When You’re Electing – The Candidates’ Energy Plans
With only a few weeks left for American voters to decide between President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney, more and more attention is being paid to the candidates’ respective energy policies. We’ve reported in recent months that Mitt Romney has stacked his energy team of advisors with dirty
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Public Pressure Helps Disney End Destructive Environmental Practices
After several years of talks, the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) scored a major victory this month, when they were finally able to convince the Disney Corporation to give up their destructive environmental printing practices. Disney is one of America’s top ten publishers of children’s books, and an analysis by RAN
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Heritage Foundation Distributes List Of Fallacies Regarding Obama’s Energy Policies
In an attempt to paint President Obama as bad for the U.S. economy, the Heritage Foundation recently released a list of the top ten ways in which the President’s energy policies are ‘destroying’ both the economy and our domestic energy production. The list contains numerous falsehoods coupled with half-truths and
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Are Coal Mine Employees Forced To Support Romney?
According to a Federal Election Commission complaint filed by the Democratic Party of Ohio, employees for coal mining company Murray Energy have been coerced by their bosses into not only voting Republican, but also helping to fund Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign. From Eric Dolan of Raw Story: Two Murray Energy
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: BP Settlement Deal Could Put Taxpayers On The Hook For Spill Costs
A proposed settlement deal between the federal government and BP over their involvement in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion and subsequent oil leak could shift the burden of cleanup costs away from the oil giant and onto U.S. taxpayers. The current settlement option is just one of several
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Top Romney Advisor Touts Coal, Fails To Mention His Role As Coal Lobbyist
Jim Talent, a former Republican Senator and one of Mitt Romney’s top campaign advisors, has played an instrumental role in the Romney camp’s positions on energy. Specifically, Talent has pushed for greater consumption and mining of coal to meet America’s energy needs. What the campaign failed to mention is that
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Climate Skeptic Attacks PBS For Not Reporting Irrelevant Information
Recently, PBS found itself on the wrong side of the climate change discussion, when it chose to air a one-sided, misinformation-laden interview with climate skeptic Anthony Watts. During the interview for PBS’s Newshour, no attempt was made to air a differing opinion from a credible source, leaving Watts’ incorrect statements
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Psychological Study Reveals Why Misinformation Is So Effective
An intriguing new study released last week in Psychological Science in the Public Interest reveals why people are more apt to believe false information being fed to them by the media and politicians. According to the team of psychological scientists working on the study, led by Stephan Lewandowsky of the
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: National Parks At Risk Of Exploitation From Oil And Gas Drilling
The U.S. National Park System currently encompasses more than 84 million acres of land in the United States, and if oil-funded politicians in Washington, D.C. get their way, those millions of protected acres could soon become the playground for the dirty energy industry. According to a new report by the
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: PBS NewsHour Falls Into “Balance” Trap, Provides Megaphone For Anthony Watts
PBS – the network that conservatives have regularly attacked for “liberal bias” for more than 40 years – finally put that myth to rest tonight by airing a one-sided interview with climate change denier Anthony Watts. The former weatherman-turned business owner and blogger Watts, was given close to ten minutes
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: U.S. Government Significantly Underestimating Costs Of Climate Change And Dirty Energy
A new study released today shows that the U.S. government is using faulty calculations and outdated information to determine the costs of energy and climate change in America. The study was written by Chris Hope from the University of Cambridge and Laurie Johnson of the Natural Resources Defense Council, and
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Thousands Gather In DC To Stop Mountaintop Removal Mining
Thousands of protestors descended on Washington, D.C. today to send a simple message to the Obama Administration – stop mountaintop removal coal mining (MTR). The protestors included citizens from throughout Appalachia and representatives from more than a dozen environmental groups who were protesting in honor of longtime MTR opponent and
Continue reading