National Jobs Protests, August 20-26

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Cantwell touts camelina crop to farmers

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Farmers are being urged to join a federal program that pays them to grow camelina, a crop that some researchers consider a potential alternative to overseas oil.

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Sweet Deals For High-Efficiency Retrofits In Sour Economy

With fuel prices soaring, and aging infrastructure that needs to be replaced, an idea that started small during the 1970s and 1980s--independent companies offering free high-efficiency retrofits paid for with energy savings--has finally hit its stride. They're called ESCOs, or energy service companies, and their multibillion dollar market has been growing more than 26% annually in recent years, according to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and shows no sign of slowing.

What's the ideal economic environment to get a free high-efficiency upgrade worth tens of millions dollars? It's not when things are flush. "I think we're in it right now," says George Sakellaris, CEO of Ameresco, a company that installs high-efficiency energy infrastructure for institutional customers like governments or universities around the country. "The more concerned people get about their operating costs, the better we are." 

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Dan Kildee, leader of the ‘shrinking cities’ movement, on saving distressed cities

Watch the full episode. See more Need To Know.

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4 yrs In The Making, A Tough Cardboard Jug For Laundry Soap

Chances are, you've thrown out some plastic already today. And you're going to throw out a lot more. In fact, Americans generated 30 million tons of plastic waste in 2009. That's more than 12% of our total waste. Try as you might to lessen your contribution to that giant pile of plastic, though, and you might find it difficult. A bottle of water here or there, sure, but most of what you consume comes in plastic, and there aren't many alternatives.

One major one is the new cardboard bottle with an internal plastic pouch from Ecologic Brands. Though it looks like your standard bottle, its outside is made from entirely recycled cardboard and its inside pouch--which uses 70% less plastic than a plastic jug--is fully recycleable. After four years of development, you may see it soon, holding Seventh Generation detergent.

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