This post is by Tony Kreindler, media director for the National Climate Campaign at Environmental Defense Fund.

As promised, here's a look at the other TV ad we've launched as the full Senate prepares to debate the Climate Security Act.

This ad shows a naysayer literally melting away: "Melt" TV ad.

What do you think? Yesterday's ad, "Grounded", is my personal favorite. Please pass along whichever one you like better!

This post is by Tony Kreindler, media director for the National Climate Campaign at Environmental Defense Fund.

The Senate floor debate about the Climate Security Act is scheduled to start next week, so we have two new ads running in key states.

This one has gotten good reactions (and a few winces): "Grounded" TV ad.

What do you think? If you like it, make sure to rate it and share it! Tomorrow, I'll post another ad, called "Melt."

This post is by Tony Kreindler, Media Director for the National Climate Campaign at Environmental Defense Fund. It's the fifth in a series on Why a Bill in 2008, and was also posted today on Grist.


1. Same Politics in 2009
2. Good versus Perfect
3. The Price of Waiting
4. The World is Waiting
5. Best Answer to High Gas Prices

Over the past few months, I've made the case for passing climate legislation in 2008. Now we're finally on the doorstep of Senate action on a comprehensive climate change bill. Floor debate over the Climate Security Act (was S.2191, now S. 3036) will begin Monday, June 2.

If opponents of meaningful action have their way, the debate will be nothing more than a short, partisan fight over gas prices. You can already hear the predictable scare tactics: "Why would we want to raise gas prices now, when working Americans are already suffering at the pump?"

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This post is by Sheryl Canter, an online writer and editorial manager at Environmental Defense Fund.

A new report by researchers at Tufts University (commissioned by NRDC) presents two ways of estimating the costs of inaction on climate change. Both lead to staggering totals - far more than the cost of addressing the problem:

New research shows that if present trends continue, the total cost of global warming will be as high as 3.6 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). Four global warming impacts alone - hurricane damage, real estate losses, energy costs, and water costs - will come with a price tag of 1.8 percent of U.S. GDP, or almost $1.9 trillion annually (in today's dollars) by 2100.

This report on the cost of inaction is a good companion to our own report on the low cost of an effective policy to fight climate change.

This post is by Sheryl Canter, an online writer and editorial manager at Environmental Defense Fund.

Memorial Day is the start of the summer travel season. With gas prices approaching $4 per gallon across the country, you might want to think carefully about how you get where you're going. Should you take one, big, packed car, or two smaller, half-empty cars? How much gas can you save by driving slower and making sure your car engine is properly tuned?

For answers to all these questions and more, check out our Eight Ways to Green Your Road Trip.

This post is by Sheryl Canter, an online writer and editorial manager at Environmental Defense Fund.

Last week I posted links to some ads we're running on the importance of passing climate change legislation. We have a new group of ads running now in Florida, and they're really interesting to watch.

Each of the nine new ads features a different business person in Florida who is either manufacturing something green or using green technology in his or her business. The spots are interesting and encouraging - and short (it won't take you long to look). What do you think?

Today's post is by Derek Walker, deputy director of the State Climate Campaign at Environmental Defense Fund.

On June 3rd Californians will vote on two competing ballot initiatives that purport to prevent abuse of "eminent domain" - the power of a government to take private property for public use.

But only one of these - Proposition 99, the Homeowners Protection Act - would limit the government's ability to use eminent domain to take a home to transfer to a private developer.

The other - Proposition 98 - is a deceptive scheme financed by wealthy landlords that would make it easier to evict people from their homes to make way for new developments. Plus Proposition 98 is filled with hidden provisions that would seriously harm the environment.

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This post is by Sheryl Canter, an online writer and editorial manager at Environmental Defense Fund.

Ideas for businesses, and hope for everyone concerned about global warming - that's what you get with our just-published, first annual Innovations Review. This new report highlights innovative processes, products, and technologies in a range of different industries.

Green business practices can drive cost savings and create new markets, giving companies a competitive advantage. But what's next after the basics, like switching to energy-saving light bulbs and printing double-sided?

Here's one example that caught my eye - a southern California Web hosting company powered entirely by the Sun.

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This post is by Lisa Moore, Ph.D., a scientist in the Climate and Air program at Environmental Defense Fund.

In IPCC's Third Assessment Report (2001), scientists reported that carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane levels were higher than at any time in the past 420,000 years. In their latest report (2007), IPCC scientists raised the number to 650,000 years.

Last week, scientists again revised the number upward. New research shows that CO₂ and methane levels are higher today than they have been in at least 800,000 years.

Here's how they know.

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This post is by Tony Kreindler, media director for the National Climate Campaign at Environmental Defense Fund.

The main reason to pass climate legislation as soon as possible is that the fate of the world is at stake. We're in a race against time to stop global warming, or face irreversible climate catastrophe.

But there's also another race - the race to develop the clean energy technologies that will power our future. The world is at the dawn of a technological revolution, and we need the economic incentive of climate legislation to fully participate.

Read more »