Greed is good: Don’t trust the hippies on climate change? Listen to moneygrubbing insurance companies. Munich Re, the world’s largest reinsurance company, just released a report saying (without the typical dithering) that, yes, the weather has been wackier and more extreme in recent years. And, yes, climate change is “driving the increase” in hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts, and floods (and the costs that come with them). USA Today
Learning curve: Apparently, the U.S. public (if not the politicians) have gotten the memo: a new poll finds that nearly three-quarters of Americans now believe that global warming is already impacting weather and made this record-hot summer worse. Climate Central
Carbon culprits: This may sound dorky, but we swear this new CO2 mapping program is really, really cool. And super useful, too! Until now, urban planners and city govs could only get a general sense of the amount of greenhouse gases their cities spewed. But now, thanks to some researchers at Arizona State University (where all sorts of awesome things are happening in the world of sustainability), we can pinpoint the sources of carbon pollution, down to exact buildings and intersections. (Still don't believe us that this is cool? Check out this video.) NPR Morning Edition
Not-so-free trade: As a solar-craving homeowner who has been eagerly tracking the steady drop in PV panel prices, this Today OnEarth correspondent has mixed feelings about the U.S. slapping some steep tariffs and duties on cheap Chinese PV panels. Good for American solar companies, to be sure, but is raising PV prices really the best way to get our grid off coal? New York Times
Missed a spot!: Well looky here. Nearly two and a half years out, and the Coast Guard is still finding oil sheens in the Gulf from BP's infamous Macondo well. So much for those sparkling beaches those commercials keep telling us about. FuelFix
Acela-rating sales: For all the knocks it takes from opportunistic politicians, you wouldn’t think that the "Commie Rail" Amtrak has set yet another record for ridership. Every year naysayers talk about how taking the train just “isn’t American,” yet every year more and more Americans choose rail.
Cleantechnica
Polar paradox: “But Antarctic ice is growing!” say many climate deniers in rebuttal to news about the Arctic’s astonishing sea ice loss. What they may not realize is that Antarctica’s recent ice increases totally syncs up with global warming models. Sorry guys, find another argument. Associated Press
More profitable than being president: This is just what the climate movement needs: a front page story about how Al Gore has made a $100 million on clean tech investments in companies he publicly championed while giving his global warming presentations. On the brighter side, looks like clean tech is worth investing in! Washington Post
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Image: Arizona State University/Hestia Project
