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In New Orleans, blogs become crucial decision-making tool (576 diggs) NEW ORLEANS — The fearful weather reports about Hurricane Gustav did not persuade Sheila Moragas to leave Old Jefferson, a suburb just west of New Orleans. It was the 38-year-old mother's dwindling ranks of online friends on the micro-blogging network Twitter.

Japan to Build Massive Floating Generators for Food & Power (864 diggs) Battered by soaring energy costs and aghast at dwindling fish stocks, Japanese scientists think they have found the answer: filling the seas with giant “eco-rigs” as powerful as nuclear power stations. The project, which could result in village-sized platforms peppering the Japanese coastline within a decade reflects a growing panic in the country.

4,000 Oil Rigs at Risk From Storms (652 diggs) A sobering look at the potential impacts of Mother Nature on off-shore drilling - let alone gas prices.

Global Warming Estimates May Be Seriously Underestimated (1,050 diggs) [Reported by Diggers as Possibly Inaccurate] If the lessons being learned by scientists about the demise of the last great North American ice sheet are correct, estimates of global sea level rise from a melting Greenland ice sheet may be seriously underestimated.

Peru’s First Major Alternative Energy Project (579 diggs) The Peruvian alternative energy company Iberoperuana Inversiones SAC has commenced construction on a 240 megawatt wind energy farm. It is Peru ’s first major alternative energy project.

First Time in History: Arctic Becomes an Island as Ice Melts (1,730 diggs) The North Pole has become an island for the first time in human history as climate change has made it possible to circumnavigate the Arctic ice cap. The historic development was revealed by satellite images taken last week showing that both the north-west and north-east passages have been opened by melting ice.

Eiffel Tower's Lights Are To Go Out (1,093 diggs) The Eiffel tower is to lose its sparkle as thousands of its twinkling light bulbs are cut in a new green initiative, it has emerged.

Hurricane Gustav becoming Category 5 storm (1,104 diggs) [Reported by Diggers as Possibly Inaccurate] WASHINGTON - Hurricane Gustav is growing into a monster Category 5 storm, the government's disaster relief chief said Saturday. The storm could reach landfall along the Gulf Coast by early Tuesday.

Could Solar Highways Power Our Cities? (1,018 diggs) It is expected that the installation will produce 18.7 megawatts per year, which is enough to cover its cost in about 15 years. The innovative application has netted Going Solar the ATRAA ’s award for best grid-connected system.

Something Wild Is Happening On Christmas Island (1,104 diggs) Driving south on Christmas Island's lone north-south road, Tonga Fou and I are heading to the spot where, 50 years ago, the British military detonated a couple of thermonuclear weapons. Fou, 81, smokes USA Gold Full Flavor 100 cigarettes. As he runs a leathery hand across his forehead, he recalls his experience during one of the test explosions.

9 U.S. Presidents With the Worst Environmental Records (693 diggs) Some presidents have used their influence to promote environmental protection and good stewardship of natural resources. Others have not made the environment much of a priority, while a few have rolled back protections and allowed captains of industry to pollute and plunder at will.

Plastic Electrical Grid Will Generate Power at Bottom of PA (650 diggs) Vandergrift, PA is ditching its longtime reputation as a steel town to become a model of sustainability. First up in the transition: installing a grid of electricity- generating smart materials on the bottom of the Kiskiminetas River.

Could a Category 6 Hurricane Strike? (815 diggs) Hurricane Gustav, churning toward the Gulf Coast now, has a small chance of becoming a Category 5 storm, according to the National Hurricane Center. That would put its winds at 156 mph or stronger. Such winds would devastate most buildings and trees in the storms path. Little would be left standing.

Over $400 M Poured Into Thin-Film Solar Tech In One Week (739 diggs) Don’t think that this is the last you ’ll hear about thin film solar funding—the field is projected to produce an estimated $22 billion in revenues by 2015

Scientists Find Ancient Lost Settlements in Amazon (781 diggs) A vast region of the Amazon forest in Brazil was home to a complex of ancient towns in which about 50,000 people lived, according to scientists assisted by satellite images of the region. The scientists, whose findings were published on Thursday in the journal Science, described clusters of towns and smaller villages connected by complex road

10 Greenest Presidents in U.S. History (697 diggs) Which Leaders Fought to Protect the Environment?

Images of the Arctic Ocean as We Will Know It (771 diggs) With the Arctic Ocean ice melting rapidly, this summer it's already at the 2nd-lowest level on record, and still shrinking — it's time for us to start imagining what life will be like in the Arctic Circle when all the ice is gone. Some scientists predict that the Arctic Ocean could beice-free all summer by 2030 or 2050.

Man Heats 4,000 Sq. Ft Home for Just $2.50 Per Day (1,444 diggs) Why spend lots of money heating your house when nature can do it for you?

Another Airline Joins Race for Alternative Jet Fuel (675 diggs) Add another contender to the alternative aviation fuel race: Swift Enterprises. The company, which is based in Indiana, has developed a renewable jet fuel made from landfill waste, sorghum, algae, woodchips, and other feedstocks.

New Geothermal Technology Could Tap 120,000MW of Energy (928 diggs) On August 22nd, Raser Technologies and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson broke ground on New Mexico ’s first geothermal power plant. Situated at Lightning Dock near Animas, the new plant will incorporate an innovative binary liquid technology that allows it to make use of the site’s low levels of geothermal energy.

5 Diseases that are Thriving Thanks to Global Warming (745 diggs) Global climate change is extending the reach of diseases once found only in tropical regions.

Green Gym Uses Human-Powered Energy (1,204 diggs) Adam Boesel, the gym ’s owner, doctored up spin bikes with weed whacker motors and truck alternators so that patrons can create energy to help power the 2,800 foot space.

Why US must invest against climate change (738 diggs) "We don't think we have the right kind of tools to help decision makers plan for the future," said Jack Fellows, the vice president for corporate affairs of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, a consortium of 71 universities.

Ford Tests Improve Gas Mileage 24% with EcoDriving (758 diggs) Recently, Ford and a group called Pro Formance decided to take on ecodriving in the form of a 4-day long seminar with 48 different drivers taking part. Using the ecodriving tups taught by Pro Formance, the participants increased their fuel economy between 6-50%, with and average increase of 24%.

Want To Go Green? Have Fewer Children (1,027 diggs) There are dozens of ways to go green; however, one study proposes a controversial option for families to minimize their carbon footprint.