Green Options

Jimmy: When we chose the recently-passed Senate Energy Bill for our Red, Green and Blue discussion this week, I really didn’t expect it to be such a great illustration of what not to do to secure our energy future. Since this is the same crew who left our last shot at reasonable immigration reform this decade to die on the vine, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.This bill is all about government and [...]

Photo Credit: Whitehouse.govJimmy: Well… since President Bush is SOARING in the polls with his approval rating hovering in the 30% range I thought it might be interesting to take a look at his environmental record and his perceived Turn-Around on the environment, particularly on climate change. As I have noted before Bush doesn’t always earn the enmity the environmental community harbors against him. One personal anecdote that [...]

Image source: WikiMedia Commons: Photographer: Dider Gentilhomme Editor's note: Fair Trade is a topic that GreenOptions.com has been covering for some time now, so we thought it might be interesting to debate from the progressive vs. conservative perspective. Brady and Alicia offer us some excellent background on the discussion. Now, it's Jimmy and Shirley's turn… Jimmy: Although I am generally conservative on fiscal matters and would normally lean toward [...]

Editor's note: In the newest edition of Red, Green and Blue, writers Jimmy Hogan and Shirley Siluk Gregory take a look at the "big issue" of environmentalism vs. humanitarianism.Jimmy: I was thinking the other day, and it struck me that I don’t have a very well-formed stand on the distinction between environmental and humanistic issues. Is there a point where being green comes at the expense of human welfare? The statement [...]

Image from Blood Diamond Jimmy: I really love Leonardo DiCaprio. In addition to being a great performing artist, he is sincere in his effort to champion the world environmental cause. And not only is he an excellent spokesman, he also walks the walk even to the point of flying commercial rather than by private jets. He ranks with Ed Begley Jr. and others who live by example, and [...]

ShowerStart: Shower Smart!Editor's note: Red, Green and Blue will take a break this week, but that doesn't mean Ryan and Jimmy are! RG&B will return, though, in a new format that we really think you'll like… It is not often that you run across a green item that is painless to use, inexpensive, and such a simple idea that you hit yourself and say, “Darn, why didn’t I think of that?”. [...]

Editor's note: Red, Green and Blue is Green Options' weekly take on politics and the environment from both sides of the aisle. Jimmy Hogan represents the conservative position. Ryan Thibodaux's progressive take on this issue is here. I’ve run the numbers and done the math. Because of our progressive tax structure I could easily quit my job and do just as well financially as I do now. My wife and I [...]

Myth 1: Ethanol costs substantially more than gasoline.There are many studies that have placed the whole cost of ethanol including cost to plant, fertilize, harvest and refine crops; higher than gasoline. There is some truth to the studies but what they fail to consider is the WHOLE cost of gasoline. Currently oil energy imports represent 40% of our trade deficit. Worse, we are spending this money both directly and indirectly in a way that [...]

Photo Credit: TCSDailyThere is a vast perception in the environmental community and the population at large that George Bush is a slash and burn industrialist who destroys the environment for pleasure. Nothing could be further from the truth. Bush’s environmental record, though highly criticized, is reasonable and right; and is contributing greatly to the well being of Mother Earth. Much of Bush’s criticism comes from undoing many of the things Clinton/Gore never really [...]

Editor's note: Please welcome our newest writer, Jimmy Hogan, publisher of The Rational Environmentalist. We brought Jimmy on to begin a new feature: Red, Green and Blue. Every Tuesday, Jimmy and current political writer Ryan Thibodaux will address a specific green political topic. Ryan will take the progressive/liberal position, while Jimmy will take the conservative side. We hope you enjoy their commentary and their friendly debate, and that you add you thoughts to the [...]