Top Ten Ecoble Articles of All Time

From recycled water bottle islands to the latest developments in sustainable transport, Ecoble has shared the coolest green gadgets, current eco politics, and our favorite sustainable innovations with you for nearly a year-and-a-half now – here’s the 10 posts our readers have enjoyed the most. Let us know which Ecoble article is your favorite in the comments!

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20 Amazing Images Attributed to Global Warming

Global warming has been discussed and debated until we’re all about sick of hearing the debates and discussions. Instead of analyzing scientific data or arguing over who’s to blame for climate change, take a look at these intriguing global warming images of the shocking and unusual changes we’ve experienced in recent years. These oddities may or may not prove that global warming is real in your book, but they’re amazing nonetheless!

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Green Politicians: 10 eco-friendly additions to Washington

Change is coming to Washington. Greed is out, and Green is in!

Here are 10 of our favorite fresh new faces:

Steven Chu, Secretary of Energy

Here’s a nice change, blasting the Energy Department out of its fossilized, fossil-fuel state and into the 21st Century. Instead of an oil company exec, Obama has appointed a Nobel Prize-winning physicist with a track record in working toward energy efficiency. As Director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Chu gained a national reputation as a speaker; among other things, he liked to point out that companies who claimed they couldn’t possibly cut back energy use suddenly manifested miracles of efficiency when they stopped paying lobbyists and hired engineers instead.

Lisa Jackson, Director, Environmental Protection Agency

After years of neglect, bending over backward to industry demands, and interference in basic science by political hacks, Jackson will be a breath of fresh air at the EPA. As head of New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection Jackson has been implementing that state’s climate plan, which aims to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. If New Jersey can do it, there’s hope for the U.S. “I can think of few people more qualified and ready to lead the EPA during these challenging times,” notes Senator Tom Carper (D-DE)

Carol Browner, “Global Warming Czar”

The longest-serving EPA Director in history (all of Clinton’s eight years) and a “well-known environmental wonk”, Browner brings her geeky science background to the White House, where she will head a new council to coordinate White House energy, climate and environment policies. She’s been lauded by everyone from the Audubon Society to the Center for American Progress; the conservative American Enterprise Institute, in contrast, finds her “excessively partisan”, which must come as a shock after the easy-going, non-partisan environmental policies of the Bush years.

John Holdren,  Science Advisor

Can you imagine a world in which the President’s science advisor publishes articles with titles like: “The Future of Climate Change Policy: The U.S.’s Last Chance to Lead”? Science was not exactly respected during the Bush years; it was more swept under the rug, then beaten with the broom. Holdren, a physicist-turned-environmental-policy-expert, is better than “change we can believe in” – he’s “change we can demonstrate with empirical proof”.  Oh – the subtitle for that article, which appeared in the October Scientific American? “McCain or Obama can end shameful U.S. foot-dragging and rally the world against climate change.”

Nancy Sutley, Chair, White House Council on Environmental Quality

As Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles, Sutley has been working on that sprawling city’s climate change initiatives; prior to that she worked at the EPA, the California EPA, and served as energy advisor to California Governor Gray Davis. She’s also a woman of color, born in  South America, and an open lesbian. Says Warner Chabot, CEO of the California League of Conservation Voters: “Nancy Sutley rocks!… one of the most ethical, effective environmental policy leaders in government.”

Jeff Merkley, Oregon Senator

What a nice concept – a Senator who, instead of being a former business exec, is a former executive director of Portland Habitat for Humanity. As Speaker of the Oregon House, he racked up such an impressive record that the Oregon League of Conservation Voters named him “Caretaker of the Year”. He’s bringing in a plan to fight climate change by, among other things, having U.S. cities adopt some of the initiatives he pushed through in Oregon, such as investing in renewable energy and conservation.  Merkley took out incumbent Senator Gordon Smith, whose League of Conservation Voters score of 37 percent was much improved by an election-year conversion that might not have lasted had he been re-elected. Ironically, Smith was the black-as-dirty-coal sheep of the generally very green Udall family – cousins Mark (D-CO) and Tom (D-NM) are newly-minted senators themselves, with Mark a former director of Colorado Outward Bound.

Paul Tonko, New York Congressman

A familiar face in Upstate New York, Tonko brings a solid progressive vote to this solidly Democratic district (a nice change after years of hawkishness under Sam Stratton and moderateness under Michael McNulty). Tonko is an engineer, spent years in the NY State Legislature, and then was head of the New York Energy Development Authority.

Phil Shiliro, Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs

You probably haven’t heard of him, and probably don’t even know his job exists – there are no YouTube videos, or even a pic of him on the White House website [update - they've finally got one up!]. But he’s the guy that schmoozes with the Congress, making sure that Democratic lawmakers (and maybe even a Republican or two, you never know) are on board so that legislation gets passed. Effective liaison was one of the big failures of the Clinton White House, and Obama is already making smarter choices – Shiliro is a former chief of staff to Henry Waxman (more on him in a moment) with nearly 30 years of Capital Hill experience. An environmental lawyer, he joined Waxman’s staff in 1982 to work on the Clean Air Act.

Henry Waxman, California Congressman

Not exactly a new face, but probably the most significant change in Congress this year. Henry Waxman booted John Dingell (D-GM) from the chairmanship of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, where he had been single-handedly holding up, slowing down and sabotaging any legislation that Detroit automakers didn’t like. Waxman, in contrast, has been the go-to guy on just about all things green: He wrote the Safe Climate Act (which may now be able to pass); he also wrote the Global Warming Statement of Principals and got 152 House members to sign on. He’s also been a key defender of the Clean Air Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act. (Likely key player in helping Waxman oust Dingell: Phil Shiliro)

Jerry McNerney, California Congressman

Not a new face again, but a pleasant surprise – a green face we didn’t expect would stick around. McNerney is a wind power executive (!) and two years ago he knocked off one of the most anti-green Congressman, the scandal-plagued Richard Pombo. McNerney walked cautiously during his first term, thinking he would only be able to hang on in this solidly Republican district as a blue-dog moderate Democrat. But he won re-election over a rock-ribbed conservative, and it looks like he’s here to stay.

Kick Your Commute: Go Green by Working From Home (Or From Somewhere Warm and Sunny)

What if you could eliminate your commute by working from home?

Or, even better, what if you could take your work with you anywhere: to a Hong Kong hotel room or to a warm beach in the Maldive Islands?

Work from wherever you want? Sound too good to be true? For some adventuresome people, it’s reality.

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18 Free Green Ebooks Worth Reading

Whether you like to read, enjoy learning new things, or just need a good resource to make your life a little greener – check out these free eco ebooks and satisfy your literary cravings:

On Transportation

The Green Motoring Guide by Drive offers an in-depth fuel comparison, the scoop on the best green cars available now, and tips to make your drive time more environmentally friendly.

108 Tips to Raise Your Fuel Economy provides a wealth of info that will help you save money and decrease your carbon footprint. The green ebook is free when you subscribe to Wise Bread’s feed.

Gas Saving Devices – Fuel Saver or Consumer Scam is a must-read before you spend money to make your car more efficient. A number of websites sale this ebook for as much as $20, but it’s available free through ebooks Canada. (Warning – link is directly to the pdf file.)

Biodiesel 101 offers all the info you need to brew and use your own biodiesel, specifically in the state of Arizona.

On Global Warming and Climate Change

Global Warming: A Mind Mappers Guide to the Science and Solutions is an easy to read ebook by Jane Genovese, explaining the cause, effect, and solutions of global warming using illustrative mind maps.

The Challenge of Global Warming, written by NASA scientist James Hansen with the help of other contributers in 1989, is now available as a free ebook from Island Press. The book examines scientific proof of climate change and measures that can be taken to reduce the overall global impact.

Gone with the Winds by Jane Air is a unique twist on environmental ebooks. Read all 28 chapters of this romantic, yet satirical, take on global warming from a poetic view.

On Renewable and Alternative Energy

The Solar Energy Guide is an informative ebook from SolReka with everything you need to know about photovoltaic panels and their uses. Again, this link takes you straight to the book.

Biogas Methane Explained by Steve Last is a bit technical but worth the read if you’re interested in learning more about biomass and waste energy.

Sustainable Energy Without the Hot Air, by Cambridge physic professor David Mackay, gives knowledgeable insight into the future of sustainable and renewable energy.

On Green Living

An Inconvenient Doofus by Steve Lee is a 62-page ebook with images, tips for a greener lifestyle, and plenty of humor. The link above will take you straight to the PDF file or you can get more info here.

Living Green is a collection of 101 tips to improve the environment. This link also takes you straight to the ebook.

The Guide to Greener Electronics is a publication by Greenpeace, updated every 3 months. Take a look at the most recent edition, updated Nov.24, 2008, here in PDF format.

On Sustainable Architecture and Green Building

Green Building 101 is a basic guide to sustainable building and remodeling from the folks at Tree Hugger Consulting in Oregon.

How to Buy a Solar Hot Water Heater by John Van Doren has all the info you need to make an informed purchase of solar hot water heaters. (PDF link)

On Green Business

You Can’t Afford Not to be Green – 51 ways your business can save money and the planet. Read it online.

State of Green Business 2008 provides a summary of the latest advancements in eco-friendly business practices, including telecommuting, energy efficiency, and alternative transportation. This link takes you to the PDF version.

Of course, ebooks are only good for the environment when you print less.  The Green PDF is an initiative to reduce greenhouse emissions by urging changes in our printing and reading habits.

If you know of a green ebook worth reading, let us know in the comments!