Polluter PR 101: Buy glossy magazine ads promoting green values

What do you do if you’re an oil company, an auto maker or an agricultural giant taking criticism for your environmental practices? You buy ads touting your environmental practices in glossy, well-respected, national-circulation magazines.

A…

Biomass projects under scrutiny

Politics have overshadowed discussion of the environmental pros and cons in the debate over the Midtown Eco-Energy project. The proposed wood-burning power plant would be built in the Phillips neighborhood of south Minneapolis. Steve Brandt…

Not so fast: Blogs that speak too soon

I’m one of the pokier bloggers on the block, so I read with a dash of glee last month when New York Times reporter/blogger Andrew Revkin pondered whether now might be the time to consider a “slow blog”…

Midtown biomass backers ask city for more time

The developer proposing a wood-burning power plant in south Minneapolis is asking for more time on its option to buy the property from the city, the Star Tribune reports today. Kandyohi Development Partners…

Rybak to candidates: Stop thinking of cities as “basket cases”

The Nation magazine quotes Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak this week in a short article (sub. req.) about the lack of attention to urban issues in the presidential campaign. “I hope when the presidential candidates talk about cities they…

Oil reaches another record high

Neither supply nor demand is the main driver of recent oil price spikes. It’s the weakening dollar, which, as it loses value causes us to pay more for anything we buy from other countries — including oil. The…

Podcast: Oil prices will hinder economy until new energy sources emerge

The word stagflation has been on the minds of economists in recent weeks. The term describes the unusual condition when the economy is slowing but prices are increasing.

Dr. Stephen Leeb, author of the…

Gun legislation: It could be worse. A lot worse.

A bill to expand the self-defense definition that lets gun owners use deadly force failed a House committee vote yesterday. Rep. Tony “Stand Your Ground” Cornish, R-Good Thunder, says he still might try inserting the legislation…

Podcast: Mayor picks “stand-up” guy to lead fire department

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak announced this week that he will appoint Alex Jackson interim fire chief when current Fire Chief James Clack departs on March 29. Jackson, 50, is a 27-year veteran of the Minneapolis…

Who said it?

“Let me start first by telling you that America has got to change its habits. We’ve got to get off oil. And the reason why is, first, oil is — dependency on oil presents a real challenge to our economy.…