Daily Green

Good afternoon, all. In the news today:

• Brown makes consumer-friendly PUC appointments;
• Santa Monica, Marin County ban plastic bags;
• West Coast Senators push for Pacific shore drilling ban;
• Many, many reactions to the State of the Union;
• And more...

Top of the Ticket

Multiple Sources 1/26/11
Brown names consumer advocate Mike Florio, Catherine Sandoval to PUC
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/25/MN401HE6MK.DTL
http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_17195973
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-appoint-puc-20110126,0,3982655.story
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/01/jerry-brown-appointes-florio-s.html
http://www.capitolweekly.net/article.php?xid=zg2wjpboox56i5

California Environmental News

Los Angeles Times (Greenspace blog) 1/25/11
West Coast senators push Pacific shore drilling ban
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2011/01/west-coast-senators-introduce-pacific-coast-drilling-ban.html

Los Angeles Times 1/26/11
Santa Monica approves ban on single-use plastic bags
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/01/santa-monica-approves-ban-on-plastic-bags.html

Spouting Off (Heal the Bay blog) 1/26/11
At Last, a Bag Ban in Santa Monica
http://spoutingoff.wordpress.com/2011/01/26/at-last-a-bag-ban-in-santa-monica/

Marin Independent Journal 1/25/11
Marin County bans plastic bags, imposes 5-cent paper bag fee
http://www.marinij.com/business/ci_17195907

San Francisco Chronicle (Open Forum) 1/25/11
Huffman: Don't give stadiums a pass on environmental laws
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/24/EDCJ1HDK0G.DTL

KQED Climate Watch 1/25/11
CA Doubled Pace of Renewables Last Year
http://blogs.kqed.org/climatewatch/2011/01/25/ca-doubled-pace-of-renewables-last-year/

Los Angeles Times 1/26/11
Democrat Barbara Boxer, Republican John Mica plan second 'date' -- in Los Angeles
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2011/01/boxer-and-mica-to-team-up-in-la.html

Sacramento Bee (Capitol Alert blog) 1/26/11
Will Schwarzenegger's next job be in the Obama administration?
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/01/will-schwarzeneggers-next-job.html

San Francisco Chronicle 1/26/11
CPUC Foundation to raise money from utilities
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/26/BAEI1HE615.DTL

State of the Union

Grist 1/26/11
Obama's energy gambit: a call for less coal
http://www.grist.org/article/2011-01-26-the-significance-of-obamas-energy-gambit

Time Magazine (Ecocentric blog) 1/25/11
Politics: The State of the Union Is All About Energy—Not Climate
http://ecocentric.blogs.time.com/2011/01/25/politics-the-state-of-the-union-is-all-about-energy%e2%80%94not-climate/

Hearst 1/26/11
Obama wants billions more put in 'clean energy'
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/25/MNC91HECVV.DTL

California High Speed Rail Blog 1/26/11
President Obama Touts HSR in State of the Union Address
http://www.cahsrblog.com/2011/01/president-obama-touts-hsr-in-state-of-the-union-address/

Talking Points Memo 1/25/11
Big Oil: 'The Administration Seems Poised To Stifle' Our Job-Creating Industry
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/01/big-oil-the-administration-seems-poised-to-stifle-our-job-creating-industry.php

Fast Lane (US DOT blog) 1/26/11
LaHood: America has a future to win; DOT stands ready to help
http://fastlane.dot.gov/2011/01/last-night-in-his-state-of-the-union-address-president-obama-said-we-are-poised-for-progress-the-president-offered-five-w.html

NRDC Switchboard blog 1/25/11
How the U.S. Can Win the Global Electric Vehicle Race
http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/smui/how_the_us_can_win_the_global.html

Repower America 1/26/11
A Response to the State of the Union
http://repoweramerica.org/blog/a-response-to-the-state-of-the-union/

Transportation for America 1/26/11
President Obama calls for fixing 20th century infrastructure while building for the 21st
http://t4america.org/blog/2011/01/26/president-obama-calls-for-fixing-20th-century-infrastructure-while-building-for-the-21st/

More Environmental News

Los Angeles Times 1/26/11
Carol Browner stepping down as Obama's climate and energy czar
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-browner-20110126,0,2468617.story

California Watch 1/25/11
Air filters may reduce heart risk
http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/air-filters-may-reduce-heart-risk-8251

David Allgood's Cure for Insomnia

LOCAL NEWS FROM THE GOLDEN STATE:

S.F. Bay mercury tied to historic mining.
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2011/01/25/SF-Bay-mercury-tied-to-historic-mining/UPI-48211296001581/

Bad smell prompts EPA probe.
http://www.pe.com/localnews/stories/PE_News_Local_D_odors26.1bd0426.html

Menlo Park tree plan not hugged by park users.
http://www.mercurynews.com/peninsula/ci_17202556

Napa to put gross polluting police car back on street.
napavalleyregister.com/news/local/article_965ad412-291d-11e0-93f6-001cc4c03286.html

Azusa residents approve new mining plan.
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_17196746

Oil spill ruled out as source of “brown muck” on Humboldt beach.
http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_17202891

NEWS FROM THE HOMELAND:

Obama sets 2035 clean electricity target.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE70O50V20110126

Feinstein re-introduces Desert Protection Act.
http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/renewable-25588-energy-desert.html

Proposed Markey bill would ban BPA.
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2011/01/markeys_bill_wo.html

New form of computing could lead to greener computers.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12265550

Dan Lungren dumps House composting program.
http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2011/01/lungren-dumps-house-composting.html

Grackles not welcome at Super Bowl.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/01/25/107411/grackles-not-welcome-at-fort-worths.html

In face of Federal inaction, 29 states considering action to protect children, workers from toxic chemical exposure.
http://www.wickedlocal.com/medford/newsnow/x104388834/Medford-state-rep-supports-chemical-safety-law

Mercury called big threat to southwest Pennsylvania region.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11026/1120614-114.stm

Mercury levels in southwest Colorado found to be high.
http://durangoherald.com/article/20110125/NEWS01/701259941/-1/s

FDA, dairy industry spar over testing milk.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/26/business/26milk.html?_r=1

Obama calls for effort to "win the future".
http://www.mercurynews.com/politics-government/ci_17198965?nclick_check=1

Democrats, Republicans divided over speech.
http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_17199588

NEWS OF THE WORLD:

Survey to probe Arctic ice melt.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12279028

FOSSIL FUEL FUNTIME:

West coast Senators push for Pacific offshore oil drilling ban.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2011/01/west-coast-senators-introduce-pacific-coast-drilling-ban.html

Henry Waxman presses global warming skeptic on source of funding.
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/25/waxman-presses-climate-skeptic-on-industry-funds/

Climate change skeptic lied to Congress about fund from oil industry.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/25/michaels-climate-sceptic-misled-congress

Presidential oil spill commission chairman to appear on Capitol Hill.
http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/

Climate benefits of natural gas doubted.
http://www.propublica.org/article/natural-gas-and-coal-pollution-gap-in-doubt

Pennsylvania fracking blowout spews toxic fluids on forest lands.
http://www.pressconnects.com/article/20110125/NEWS01/101250370/Pa.

NEWS FROM THE EU:

Italian solar capacity may hit 8,000 megawatts by end of year.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE70O6LX20110125

CO₂ registry awaits security reports before reopening.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE70O61Q20110125

Dutch MP’s investigate who messed up Niger delta.
http://www.rnw.nl/africa/article/niger-delta-who-messed

New chemicals pose environmental threat.
http://www.hs.fi/english/article/New%20environmental%20toxins%20a%20growing%20threat/1135263318863

1.3 BILLION STRONG... AND GROWING:

Guangzhou wins sustainable transport prize.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2011/01/110124-guangzhou-china-sustainable-transport-prize/

NEWS FROM THE DAMP ISLES:

Call to end use of pesticide responsible for bee deaths.
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/pesticide-linked-to-bee-deaths-should-be-suspended-mps-told-2194480.html

Common weed found effective in treating skin cancer.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12275507

Sustainable fish targets called inadequate.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/25/unacceptable-target-sustainable-fish-government

NEWS FROM THE LAND OF THE 4 O’CLOCK SUN:

Mining giant reports tailings leak.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/greenpage/environment/mining-giant-vale-reports-tailings-leak-at-voiseys-bay-nickel-mine-in-labrador-114585679.html

Saskatchewan reports clean coal, carbon capture scheme.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/greenpage/environment/saskatchewan-and-japan-agree-to-work-together-on-clean-coal-carbon-capture-114577614.html

NEWS FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD:

Major gas field discovered in Kurdistan.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12285513

Iran’s cheetahs a unique subspecies.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9365000/9365567.stm

FROGS IN THE NEWS:

Invasive Florida frogs floated in from Cuba.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/...

BEST HEADLINES EVER:

Killer storks eat human babies.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2011/01/25/133178380/killer-storks-eat-human-babies-perhaps

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