
Earth Talk: The bright future of wind power
Hydroelectric sources of power dwarf other forms of renewable energy, but wind power has been a dominant second for years, and continues to show “hockey stick” growth moving forward.

Hydroelectric sources of power dwarf other forms of renewable energy, but wind power has been a dominant second for years, and continues to show “hockey stick” growth moving forward.

President Barack Obama delivered his State of the Union address last night, reiterating his commitment to industrial carbon pollution standards and declaring, “Climate change is a fact.”

It’s the impossible dream – making government more efficient. Against a backdrop of the high-profile failed rollout of the $394 million-and-counting HealthCare.gov website, Terry McAuliffe released his plan to make state government more efficient.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management completed its live auction to lease an area off the coast of Virginia as the site of the nation’s second offshore wind energy lease sale. The winner of the lease sale is Dominion Virginia Power, which bid $1.6 million for the lease.

Americans care more about the environment than ever before and the overwhelming majority of us acknowledges that climate change is real and human-induced. But still we continue to consume many more resources per capita than any other nation and refuse to take strong policy action to stave off global warming—even though we have the power to do so.

The fruit trees aren’t budding on the hill and the bees aren’t buzzing around their hives as Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) settles into winter 2013 in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. But EMU has tilled its soil for a flourishing “edible campus” in the spring.

Professional sports, like many other pursuits, are getting greener every day. While pro leagues and teams have traditionally been the last to go green, it has all changed in recent years. Maybe it’s the fact that wasting less saves money. Or that going green generates good public relations. Or that it’s just the right thing to do. Whether it’s any or all-of-the-above, professional sports certainly have never been greener.

When the South River Fly Shop opened in Waynesboro, the proximity to the South River, the downtown walking environment and the Waynesboro community were all their greatest assets.

President Obama talks to voters at a campaign event in Virginia Beach on Friday

Given the importance of abundant amounts of energy for Americans, the federal government tends to subsidize all forms of energy development, including fossil fuels and renewables. A recently released report by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) found that in 2011 the federal government spent $16 billion of our tax dollars in subsidies for the development of renewable energy and increased energy efficiency, and only $2.5 billion in subsidies to the fossil fuel industry in the form of tax breaks
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