Wonk Room » Live Q&A With Rep. Donna Edwards: Energy, Climate, And Environment

Q (Brad): The media has depicted global warming as a scientific debate, when the science is in. Still, people like George Will are recyling old columns and denying global warming. Why is the media still giving space to these deniers?

EDWARDS: Amazing. For most of us who have to actually make policy and spend precious taxpayer money on things that will make a difference, the science is settled. Finally, we have an Administration that also understands that this is not a science debate — it never was. This is an important conversation about making investments in research and technology and in those technologies that don’t reproduce old problems. This is true across disciplines. Tax and other investments to create incentives for renewables and disincentives for industries that continue to pollute. It’s the traditional carrot and stick — only it’s time for the federal government to carry a bigger stick because time is running out. We’re still giving tax breaks to oil and gas companies, and we gave tax breaks to people buying SUV’s — those are not policy choices that have any hope of real change for the earth.

I think the challenge for media is to use the science and the facts and for us to challenge them. I’m hopeful that while the old talking heads are still singing the “anti-science” tune, most of America doesn’t really believe it. This is the reason that President Obama did not get push back from the public about the significant investments on energy and climate in the Recovery and Reinvestment package — aka, stimulus.

Just what is it with evangelical Christians and global warming? | Environment | guardian.co.uk

A poll this week [actually, 2008?] showed that only 34% of America's white evangelical Protestants accepted there is solid evidence that global warming is real and that it is attributable to humans

DNA: Entertainment: Jennifer Aniston goes green, gives home eco makeover

London: Actress Jennifer Aniston has given her Beverly Hills mansion a USD 15 million [!?] eco friendly makeover using solar panels liberally.

The Marley and Me actress has installed a reflective metal roof in her house in a bid to conserve energy. Aniston has even swapped her Range Rover car for a Toyota Prius doubling her fuel efficiency for half the price, the Daily Mail online reported.

The USD 15 million renovations are said to be just part of the Friends star's environmentally friendly projects.

The 40-year-old actress is also said to be equipping her new Malibu pad with eco-friendly devices including drought-resistant plants.

Despite owning a swimming pool, Aniston has confessed that she is keen on saving water and confesses to taking only three-minute showers.