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GM's sustainability report highlights conservation efforts

General Motors met many of its goals to reduce its environmental impact and carbon footprint by cutting landfill use, boosting recycling efforts and reduce water use, the automaker said last week in the first sustainability report it's released since emerging from bankruptcy in 2009.

Why the Senate ethanol vote is less than it seems

It's not often that you find environmental writers applauding the actions of Republicans in the Senate, but when 40 Republicans joined 33 Democrats in a bipartisan vote to shut down funding for ethanol subsidies earlier this month, even some on the left were cheering. However, those cheers may be short-lived.

Earth Day honoree: Bill Ford, from crazy environmentalist to industry innovator

Let's sit down for a moment and think back to 1988. Have a clear picture yet? Neither did we, at first, so here's a refresher. Back then, environmentalists were likened to extremists. Their viewpoints were thought to be so far-fetched and disconnected from popular views that they were outsiders, even weirdos. In some ways, Bill Ford fit into that group of crazy environmentalists. Not a major problem, unless you're hired as the director of Ford Motor

Carbon Footprints: Ditch the dog, get a Hummer H2, save the planet?

If you don't like dogs, there's now a new reason to continue avoiding canis domesticus. New Zealanders Robert and Brenda Vale have put forth the hypothesis that the care and feeding of a pooch is more environmentally harmful than rolling in a Toyota Land Cruiser. Those shifty, antisocial felines aren't much better, so don't get any more smug than you already are, cat people. One ten-pound feline's care is the same to the environment as a 3300-pound Volkswagen Golf, the theory goes.

Carbon Footprints: Ditch the dog, get a Hummer H2, save the planet?

If you don't like dogs, there's now a new reason to continue avoiding canis domesticus. New Zealanders Robert and Brenda Vale have put forth the hypothesis that the care and feeding of a pooch is more environmentally harmful than rolling in a Toyota Land Cruiser. Those shifty, antisocial felines aren't much better, so don't get any more smug than you already are, cat people. One ten-pound feline's care is the same to the environment as a 3300-pound Volkswagen Golf, the theory goes.

REPORT: Jeep Wrangler safe from CARB "Cool Cars" proposal

Remember California's "Cool Cars" regulation? Coming into force in 2012, the rule requires manufacturers to install windows that prevent 45% of the sun's energy from entering a vehicle by 2014, and 60% by 2016. It's the law that no one thinks is cool at all. In a minor victory against The Golden State's increasingly severe environmental regulations (and we live there and love it, but still...), the soft-top Jeep Wrangler has reportedly been given an exemption.

It Ain't Easy Bein' Green: traffic din could be ruining the sex lives of frogs

While the automobile's total impact on the environment remains up for discussion, it's apparently pretty clear that cars and frogs don't really mix. Well, not if you're a male frog trying to get your croak on, at least. Scientists in Melbourne have found that due to traffic and machinery, a male frog's call can't be heard at great distances by female frogs. That's cutting down on the amount of frog sex to be had, and that, in turn, is cutting down on the number of frogs.

REPORT: GM gets out from under its polluted sites scot-free

Among those clamoring for attention and payouts from Motors Liquidation Co., the company that assumed General Motors' unwanted assets after its Chapter 11 filing, are the environmental and economic redevelopment departments of state governments. According to reports, when GM exited bankruptcy, its polluted factory and land sites were consumed by the Motor Liquidation, allowing the automaker to avoid the responsibility of cleaning up its mess, and state leaders fear there won't be any money to cl

REPORT: GM gets out from under its polluted sites scot-free

Next in the line of those clamoring for attention and payouts from Motors Liquidation Co., the company that was given all of GM's unwanted assets, are the environmental and economic redevelopment departments of state governments. General Motors was able to exit bankruptcy without responsibility for a number of factory and land sites that are polluted, and state leaders fear that there won't be any money to clean them up.

Nissan Forest air-con utilizes aromatherapy, 'natural' breezes to reduce fatigue

Rolling down your vehicle window to get a breath of fresh air may be unnecessary in your next Nissan. The Japanese automaker just announced the development of its new "Forest AC" air conditioning system, an automotive climate control setup designed to control humidity, aroma, and other ambient factors in addition to the temperature and air cleaning features found with current systems. According to Nissan, the Forest AC is the first automotive system in the world created to make driving more comf

REPORT: Toyota's push to build green cars may destroy 17th century Japanese rice paddies

Toyota has worked hard to cultivate its image as the "green" automaker. And with so many hybrids on the road, it's hard to argue. Some critics have cited the fact that mining for battery components is bad for the environment and the thousands of miles that massive, CO2-spewing ships travel to park those hybrids on our shores more than negate the positive effects. It's hard to argue wi

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