Five Reasons to Put Solar on Your RoofWhat's not to like about a source of energy that doesn't have to be mined, refined, gasified, or blown out of a mountain? Solar's about as green as it gets, and -- unlike a coal plant or a hydroelectric dam -- you can even put it on the roof of your house! Even better, it might not cost you anything to start saving on electricity.
Read Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune's list of five reasons
why every homeowner should seriously consider buying or leasing solar panels. You've got nothing to lose but skyrocketing electric bills.
No Sun on Wall StreetGarvin Jabusch at
Green Alpha Advisors, who manages the Sierra Club Green Alpha Portfolio, regularly blogs about green energy and the emerging green economy. His latest post, which has been attracting a lot of attention, takes a look at what he describes as "
Wall Street's Irrational, Dangerous Hatred of Solar Stocks."
Although we can't believe he used the word "irrational" right after "Wall Street," Garvin does make a good case for his conclusion: "Aggregate solar power demand in the global economy is huge and growing. Any way you slice it, the solar industry is currently very undervalued by analysts and traders, even though overdependence on oil is threatening to return us to recession."
Sounds like it's time for Wall Street to see the (sun)light.
Hybrid Humvees? The U.S. military is going green -- but not necessarily because the top brass is worried about climate change. Up to half of the yearly American casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan have been incurred guarding fuel convoys, and officials will no longer tolerate oil's "burden in blood." Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Edward Humes
looks at the Pentagon's embrace of alternative energy in the latest issue of
Sierra.
Photo: U.S. Navy/Petty Officer Third Class Peter Merrill/Released
7 Billion and CountingThis October, the world's population is expected to hit 7 billion people -- just barely staying ahead of the total number of Facebook profiles. Seriously, though, as our planet experiences rapid growth, unsustainable resource consumption, and a changing climate, World Population Day (July 11) is a good time to think about how global population affects health, economic inequity, and the environment.
To learn more about World Population Day visit the Sierra Club
Global Population and Environment Program's website or
sign up for their mailing list.
Now, That's Just Grand!On the last day of spring, the Sierra Club
closed in on a long-sought victory when Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced that the Obama administrations intends to protect more than 1 million acres of public lands bordering Grand Canyon National Park from new mining claims and mineral exploration for the next 20 years.
"This is a great day for the Grand Canyon, its wildlife, and everyone in the Southwest who relies on the Colorado River for drinking water," said Sandy Bahr, director of the Grand Canyon Chapter.
Hiking caps off to the thousands of Sierra Club members, supporters, and volunteers who made this victory possible !
Click! Let's Save GasDuring the next month, the Obama administration will decide how strong to make the fuel-economy standards for new vehicles sold between 2017 and 2025. We need your help to ensure that those new cars meet a high standard of at least 60 mpg.
To send that message to President Obama, we're creating a photo petition that shows what's at stake. Add your own photo that illustrates
why you want to see 60-mpg standard, whether it's high prices at the pump or a child who deserves a clean-energy future.
Get Outdoors -- on FacebookIn celebration of National Get Outdoors Month, the Outdoors Alliance for Kids (which includes the Sierra Club) has released a new Facebook application designed to inspire and encourage young people to leave the safety of their screens and get outside.
Called
Get Your Nature On, the app aims to inspire young people to commit to more outdoor activities by making it easy to track and share their adventures with their friends, earn badges, and (if they're active at least five days a week) even earn a Presidential Active Lifestyle Award.
