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It’s Time to Bust the Myths Surrounding the Clean Energy Economy

Summary

This article challenges misconceptions about the clean energy transition, arguing that it can spur economic prosperity rather than sacrifice. Ben Jealous highlights the success of the Qcells solar panel factory in Georgia, showing how U.S. clean energy manufacturing creates well-paying jobs and boosts local economies. The Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law have catalyzed growth in the clean energy sector, with indirect job creation across various industries. Jealous emphasizes the need to dismantle myths about environmentalism being anti-worker or exclusive to certain communities, calling for an inclusive movement to address the climate crisis.

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October 4, 2024
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has reached an agreement with Alabama's transportation department over claims that a highway expansion caused flooding in the historicall

October 4, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change

Hurricane Helene's estimated damage cost has skyrocketed to $225-250 billion, making it one of the deadliest storms in U.S. history. The destruction spans from Florida to Tennesse

October 3, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change

The Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township, Maine, received $7.5 million from the EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program to develop a distributed microgrid. This

October 3, 2024
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

A carbon capture monitoring well at Archer-Daniels-Midland’s (ADM) facility in Decatur, Illinois, leaked CO2, but most residents only learned of it through media reports. The EPA

October 2, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change

This article explores the ethical dilemmas surrounding "managed retreat," where local governments offer buyouts to residents in climate-vulnerable areas. While some communities

September 30, 2024
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

A shelter-in-place order affecting over 90,000 residents near Atlanta, Georgia, was lifted after a weekend chemical fire at the BioLab plant in Conyers. The fire produced a toxic

September 29, 2024

This article challenges misconceptions about the clean energy transition, arguing that it can spur economic prosperity rather than sacrifice. Ben Jealous highlights the success of

September 28, 2024
Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice

Richmond, California, a predominantly minority, low-income community, fought a 20-year battle for environmental justice, culminating in the creation of a protected public park at

September 27, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change

Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy has updated its MiEJScreen tool, which maps how environmental contamination intersects with health

September 26, 2024

Black homeowners in Elba, Alabama, face a worsening flooding crisis as insurance companies pull out of the region due to climate change.

September 26, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change

Germany has equipped over 550,000 apartments with balcony solar systems, known as “balkonkraftwerk”, providing renters an accessible way to generate renewable energy.

September 26, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change

Nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent but often overlooked greenhouse gas, has drawn increased attention as global efforts to combat climate change intensify.

September 26, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change

The EPA has awarded $53 million in grants to 133 community groups to monitor air quality in underserved areas, aiming to address gaps in air monitoring.

September 26, 2024
Climate Change
Climate Change

Following the tragic death of 12-year-old Yahushua Robinson during an extreme heatwave, California has enacted a new law aimed at protecting students from extreme weather.

September 23, 2024

An MIT study examines the increasing risks of heat exposure in U.S. prisons, highlighting how climate change worsens the vulnerability of incarcerated populations.