Articles by Sarah Laskow
Sarah Laskow is a reporter based in New York City who covers environment, energy, and sustainability issues, among other things.
All Articles
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Critical List: Rich countries renege on Copenhagen promise; solar panels get cheaper
Remember when, at Copenhagen, richer countries responsible for most carbon pollution promised to supply aid to poorer countries suffering the consequences? Yeah, that's not happening.
People want to give Tony Hayward, the ex-BP head, money to buy oil and gas firms in emerging markets, perhaps because the idea of rich people fiddling with the economies of less-wealthy nations gives them warm fuzzy nostalgic feelings of colonialism.
The debt limit fight is going to kill any chance of climate legislation, forever. -
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The Senate likes ethanol slightly less than it used to
For years, Washington has been really gung-ho about putting corn (America’s crop!) into cars (America’s bikes!), and has supported corn ethanol production with a suite of subsidies. But now senators are ready to say: “With food prices rising, we're not so comfortable with that! Maybe people should eat the corn instead, in the form of some kind of high-fructose syrup.” esterday, the Senate passed a measure that would end a 45-cent-per-gallon tax credit for ethanol producers.
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Critical List: Senate could cut energy subsidies; organic lipsticks fail to meet criteria
Energy tax breaks are on trial in the Senate, amidst a weird vogue for Republicans opposing them. What are they planning?
People outside of Washington do believe in climate change, whatever their political beliefs. They also overwhelmingly support bike lanes and expanded public transportation. Even people who vote Republican like this stuff. Congresspeople, take note.
Cheap natural gas is making it hard for money-minded people to invest in renewable energy. -
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Dying to save the rainforest
At the end of May, José Cláudio Ribeiro da Silva and his wife, Mario do Espírito Santo, were killed. Both lived in Brazil's Amazon rainforest and had fought back against loggers illegally harvesting wood. Da Silva had expected death for a long time, but said he wouldn’t let that stop him: “[M]y fear does not silence me. As long as I have the strength to walk I will denounce all of those who damage the forest."
That same week, another activist, Adelino Ramos, was shot and killed. The week after that, an activist identified only as Marcos was shot. When witnesses tried to take him to the hospital, gunmen stopped them on the way and killed the wounded man.
