How green is the White House? Despite the intense pressure on an incoming administration as the financial crisis takes a huge toll on the US, environmentalists say Barack Obama understands that bail-outs for financial institutions and the auto industry must be attached to sound environmental actions. [News Source]

Sensible climate legislation. Experience with one regional cap-and-trade program suggests a federal program to control greenhouse gas emissions can be enacted that avoids energy price increases, at least until the economy has had time to recover. [News Source]

N.J climate plan for future. New Jersey has seen firsthand the effects of global warming, such as devastating floods, increased drought conditions and Japanese bark beetles destroying our forests. If global warming is left unchecked, more than 9 percent of New Jersey will disappear under water. [News Source]

Rudd on his game with emissions horsetrading. It is the conclusion of the environmental movement that Kevin Rudd’s commitment to a 5 per cent cut in 2000 emissions levels by 2020 is way too low. However, is it? [News Source]

Why a carbon tax is key to an energy policy. Now that gasoline is down to $1.60 a gallon, and the suppliers and refiners are still making a profit, just think about how well they were doing at $4. Also, reflect on the decisions that must be made about what kind of an auto industry the country needs. [News Source]

Kuwait exploring alternative energy. While the government mainly focuses on petroleum, it is also actively seeking alternative energy sources or new methods of conserving energy. We are currently exploring renewable/alternative energy sources like solar, ocean, and wind power. [News Source]

Tar sands threaten birds. Up to 166 million of the birds we see in our back yards could disappear as a result of extraction and refining of oil from Canadian tar sands, according to a new report. [News Source]

Disaster management now is going mobile. More than three years after Hurricane Katrina flooded its two emergency mobile command units, St. Bernard Parish is preparing to roll out a new mobile center that will help authorities manage disasters. [News Source]

Tidal power gets a boost from propeller and wind turbine techonology. Propellers on ships have been tried and tested for centuries in the rough and unforgiving environment of the sea: now this long-proven technology will be used in reverse to harness clean energy from the UK's powerful tides. [News Source]

Arizona hoping green initiatives will blossom into new jobs. While the nation waits to see how environmentally friendly President-elect Barack Obama's proposed stimulus package will be, Arizona's economy already is greening up. [News Source]

Steven Chu to lead Energy Department. President-Elect Barack Obama's choice for energy secretary has a crystal clear stance on climate change: It's a big problem that needs to be addressed now. [News Source]