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Environmentalists Turn On Obama As Compromiser

2009-07-11T03:19:56Z

For environmental activists like Jessica Miller, 31, the passage of a major climate bill by the House last month should have been cause for euphoria. Instead she felt cheated.

Cash-Strapped Boston Zoo May Be Forced To Close Doors, Euthanize Animals

2009-07-11T02:11:13Z

The Franklin Park Zoo, an inner-city Boston institution that has drawn generations of city and suburban families, may be forced to close its doors and possibly euthanize some of its animals as a result of the deep budget cuts imposed by Governor Deval Patrick, zoo officials said today.

20 Green Fashion Designers You've Never Heard Of (SLIDESHOW)

2009-07-10T23:27:46Z

Embracing an "ecocredo" of sustainability, ethics, and local production, London-based Elena Garcia constructs her exquisite and dramatic multifunctional pieces by hand from organic silk, linen, and wool, along with low-impact dyes.

Join The Panda Birthday Party (SLIDESHOW)

2009-07-10T23:24:54Z

Tai Shan the panda goes after a cake made for his fourth birthday celebration at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, DC. Tai Shan was presented with an ice cake made of water, bamboo, shredded beets and beet juice. The cake was topped with a sculpted bamboo.

LA Vows to be Coal-Free by 2020: Can It Be Done?

2009-07-10T23:21:10Z

Yesterday, Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced his intention to make the city entirely coal-free by 2020, and turn to clean and renewable energy instead. Inspiring? Yes. Possible? Maybe not so much.

Woman Who Had 150 Cats in NJ Mansion Fined $35,000

2009-07-10T22:41:04Z

CHESTER TOWNSHIP, N.J. — A woman accused of keeping 150 cats in her New Jersey mansion has been ordered to pay more than $35,000 in fines and restitution. Wanda Oughton pleaded guilty Thursday to two counts of animal cruelty for failing to provide adequate shelter. The judge in Chester Township Municipal Court also told the 62-year-old she's not allowed to own more than six cats over the next three years.

Authorities in March found the cats living in urine- and feces-covered rooms in Oughton's home, once valued at $1 million.

Oughton's lawyer Lawrence Fox told the judge the problem arose because of Oughton's love for animals and she became "overwhelmed by the situation."

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Information from: Daily Record, http://www.dailyrecord.com

In California's Central Valley: Rich Land, Poor Nutrition

2009-07-10T22:34:38Z

California's Central Valley produces many of the fruits and vegetables consumed in America. It is also one of the poorest areas of the country.

This Week In Animals: Genius Crows, Turtle Gangs, Drunken Badgers And More! (SLIDESHOW, VOTE)

2009-07-10T21:40:18Z

HuffPost Green had another wonderful week in animals. Check out these photos, catch up on the stories you may have missed, and vote on your favorite.

How Pork Rinds Are Made (VIDEO)

2009-07-10T18:39:06Z

In case you haven't gotten enough behind-the-scenes industrial food production footage from Food, Inc., we've got a video for you. Highlights include flying pig pellets, food coloring talk, and large vats of lard.

Don't say we didn't warn you.

WATCH:

U.S. Postal Service Gets 6,500 New Alternative Power Vehicles

2009-07-10T17:01:50Z

As part of the U.S. General Services Administration's recent $210 million purchase of new vehicles from Chrysler, Ford and General Motors, the U.S. Postal Service is set to replace some 6,500 vehicles from its current fleet with more fuel efficient models.

Only Six Percent Of Scientists Are Republicans: Pew Poll

2009-07-10T16:11:54Z

A new study by the Pew Research Center finds that the GOP is alienating scientists to a startling degree.

Only six percent of America's scientists identify themselves as Republicans; fifty-five percent call themselves Democrats. By comparison, 23 percent of the overall public considers itself Republican, while 35 percent say they're Democrats.

The ideological discrepancies were similar. Nine percent of scientists said they were "conservative" while 52 percent described themselves as "liberal," and 14 percent "very liberal." The corresponding figures for the general public were 37, 20 and 5 percent.

Among the general public, moderates and independents ranked higher than any party or ideology. But among scientists, there were considerably more Democrats (55%) than independents (32%) and Republicans (6%) put together. There were also more liberals (52%) than moderates (35%) and conservatives (9%) combined.

"These results were not a complete surprise," said Scott Keeter, Director of Survey Research at Pew, in an interview with the Huffington Post. He said they can be mostly attributed to "the difference between Democratic and Republican parties with respect to issues."

The wide ideological and partisan gap among scientists may have been exacerbated by the Bush administration, which often disputed broad scientific consensus on topics such as evolution and climate change.

Keeter acknowledged this factor, but said that "many of these disputes probably predate the Bush administration," noting that scientists have favored liberal views in numerous past studies.

Religion also plays a role. Republicans tend to promote the centrality of religion more often than Democrats, and while 95 percent of the public said they believe in "God" or "a higher power," only 51 percent of scientists claimed either.

"Many Republicans, especially the Evangelical wing of the party, are skeptical of evolution, and have argued for the teaching of creationism and intelligent design in school," said Keeter.

The results could merely be a reflection of how scientists see the world, rather than of partisan loyalties. In a series of questions posed, the study found that the answers of scientists were consistently more in line with liberal viewpoints than those of the general public.

"The Republican Party has a number of leaders within it who have challenged the accuracy of scientific findings on issues such as climate change, evolution and stem cell research," Keeter told the Huffington Post.

"It suggests that scientists who are Republicans might feel some dissonance from the party's position on some things that are important to them. And while there are Republicans in the scientist sample, there are really not that many," he said.

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NY Food: How Hard Is It To Get Fruits And Vegetables In The City?

2009-07-10T14:14:42Z

Who knew finding an apple would be so difficult in the Big Apple?

Less than a quarter of New York City food retailers -- everything from your local bodega to the neighborhood Key Food -- are likely to sell fresh fruits and vegetables, according to the city's health department. That number becomes even more rotten since the amount of supermarkets in the five boroughs has been slashed by a third in the past six years.

Now The Huffington Post and Gotham Gazette want to know how the city's supermarket drought affects you.

How hard is it for you to get fruits and vegetables? On average how many blocks do you have to walk to get fresh produce? Do you think it's easier in your neighborhood than other areas? More difficult? And has access to food stores changed since the recession?

Send your responses to nyfooddrought@gmail.com and sign up here to join The Huffington Post's New York citizen reporting unit.

We will analyze your responses and report back later this week.

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Handbags Upcycled From Old Leather Jackets

2009-07-10T13:52:46Z

A company born of passion, based on the concept of upcycle rather than brand new, reMade USA makes handbags that hit the eco target.

Government Giving The Go Ahead On Stimulus Money For Renewables

2009-07-10T13:48:02Z

The Treasury and the Energy Department today unveiled long-awaited new rules under which the government will pay up to 30 percent of the cost of renewable energy projects.

The Driverless Car (SLIDESHOW, POLL)

2009-07-10T13:34:47Z

The designers who contributed to the Google Phone, Mike and Maaike are in the preliminary process of coming up with the ATNMBL (autonomobile). To be released by 2040, the all-wheel-drive car doesn't have a steering wheel, brake pedal or drivers seat and drives entirely by itself. The size of a parking space, the electric powered car will have an internet sitting room and can fit about seven people. Upon entering the ATNMBL, passengers are asked where they want to go and the car finds the quickest way to the destination.