By Anthony Giancatarino
Researcher

42 years ago, Earth Day was established because of active citizens and politicians coming together to advance national policies to protect the environment.

Today, Earth Day empowers thousands of individuals and communities who are searching for solutions to our energy needs, while continuing to respect and honor the planet that we call home.

But all of us could do more to support these people. 

Take, for example, Phillip Barker, an African-American farmer in North Carolina.  Facing increased fuel costs and a terrible economy, Mr. Barker faced an uphill battle to keep his dairy and vegetable farm operational and profitable.  His solution – create his own biodiesel.  Using restaurant oil and planting canola crops, Mr. Barker has been operating his farm petroleum-free for four years, keeping his farm profitable and environmentally cleaner than ever before.  For more of his story, click the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpQ4MDxYYOM

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by Anthony Giancatarino
Researcher 

The policy debate over the Keystone Pipeline is continuing to look more like an episode of the Keystone Cops.  Unfortunately, the pipeline is no joke.  And if it gets built, we will not be laughing.

We desperately need jobs in America. Many are supporting the Pipeline as a job creation strategy, even President Obama who endorsed a partial expansion of the Pipeline this week.  But studies have shown that the pipeline will not be a major source for jobs in the US.  At best, these jobs will be temporary with about 2,500-4,650 temporary direct construction jobs for two years.  Additionally, there is strong evidence to suggest that a large portion of the primary material input for the Keystone Pipeline—steel pipe—will not even be produced in the United States.

Further, it is unclear who will actually benefit from these jobs , as past TransCanada projects …

By Anthony Giancatarino
Researcher

Energy Democracy is truly a 21st century idea.  It has the potential to democratize the way we produce and consume energy.  And it has the potential to bring everyone into a clean energy future. 

Just Imagine the possibilities.  Imagine all of us acting as producers, planners, and decision-makers on how to create and use local and renewable energy.  By making our energy solutions more democratic, we can make places environmentally healthier, strengthen local economies, and help stem the tide of climate change – all at once.

It is possible.

But Energy Democracy will only work if we make the right policy investments to ensure that everyone can participate in our clean energy future.  While some folks are taking the lead in developing local, renewable energy projects, the movement to adopt and scale up these projects is operating with too little support, particularly in …

Rufus Stokes (image via Wikipedia)

by Anthony Giancatarino
Researcher

February is Black History Month – the country’s way of recognizing and celebrating the contributions of African Americans that have made America more cultural rich, more prosperous and more democratic.

This month, let’s also remember the role that African Americans played in improving the way we use and create energy.

Lewis Howard Latimore improved the production of carbon filaments to create a much more stable and reliable light bulb in the 1880s. David Crosthwait laid the groundwork in the 1920s and 30s for efficiently heating large buildings by creating a better boiler and thermostat control for heat pumps. Because of Crosthwait’s innovative work, Radio City Music Hall was known for years for its heating efficiency. In the 1960s, Rufus Stokes helped lay the groundwork for reducing gas and ash emissions from power plants, helping to protect the air and …