The article highlights the hurdles to rooftop solar adoption in the United States, contrasting it with more efficient processes in other countries. Despite the decreasing cost of solar panels, bureaucratic red tape and local permitting processes significantly inflate costs and delay installations. These delays and added costs, coupled with political opposition, hamper the growth of rooftop solar, despite its potential for economic and environmental benefits, putting the US at risk of missing out on the global solar boom. The article emphasizes the need to streamline permitting, promote innovative solutions like SolarAPP+, and mobilize communities to advocate for rooftop solar to combat these challenges and embrace clean energy.
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The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed lawsuits against Hawaii, Michigan, New York, and Vermont, alleging their climate-related actions contradict federal authority and the Trump administration’s energy agenda. The lawsuits challenge Hawaii and Michigan’s planned litigation against fossil fuel companies and New York and Vermont’s “superfund” laws requiring fossil fuel companies to contribute to state-based climate funds. The DOJ argues these state actions improperly regulate out-of-state emissions and interfere with the Clean Air Act. Legal experts express concern over this unprecedented move, viewing it as an aggressive tactic to support the fossil fuel industry and potentially intimidate states from pursuing climate action.
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The Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal from fossil fuel companies seeking to dismiss a Honolulu lawsuit alleging a decades-long misinformation campaign regarding climate change. This allows the lawsuit, which claims violations of state law including public nuisance and failure to warn, to proceed to trial. The decision is a significant victory for climate accountability lawsuits nationwide, representing the fourth time the Court has rejected similar appeals from the industry. The industry expressed disappointment, while supporters of the lawsuit hailed the decision as a crucial step toward holding fossil fuel companies accountable for their actions.
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The Arctic is changing, and these changes are deeply concerning. Scientists are observing dramatic shifts in the region’s ice and weather patterns, and these aren’t isolated incidents; they represent a cascading effect with global implications. The melting ice caps are a stark visual representation of the problem, and the implications extend far beyond just rising sea levels.
The lack of widespread, urgent action is baffling and disheartening. It feels as if the world is sleepwalking towards a precipice, lulled by complacency and a prioritization of short-term gains over long-term survival. The alarm bells should be ringing incessantly, yet the response has been muted, suggesting a profound disconnect between the urgency of the situation and the actions (or lack thereof) of those in power.… Continue reading
As I sit here reading through the latest revelations about the fossil fuel industry’s knowledge of climate change as early as 1954, I can’t help but feel a mix of anger, frustration, and disappointment. It’s shocking to think that these companies were aware of the dangers of their products for decades and yet chose to hide this information. But perhaps what is even more disturbing is that nothing has been done about it.
This isn’t the first time that powerful industries have hidden the harmful effects of their products. Just like with leaded gas, which they also kept hidden from us, it seems that profit always takes precedence over the well-being of the population.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood