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1955: Why the US Chose Nuclear Energy Over Solar

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This amazing excerpt from the book, Let It Shine: The 6000-Year Story of Solar Energy, provides fascinating context to energy choices the US made in the 1950s. It was a pivotal moment for the advent of solar energy, but the US supported nuclear instead. What’s most interesting is all-out backing the US government gave the nuclear energy industry to get it off the ground. Similar histories are likely written about government support for oil and gas when they first emerged. Renewable energy industries have had no such support – infinitesimal by comparison. It’s a testament to pioneers in the solar and wind industries and a handful of supportive governments that they are nearing grid parity today. Prelude to the Embargo For almost three decades after the end of WWII, the US had few problems with its energy supply. Its industry, commerce, and homes all had ready access to oil and gas from both domestic and foreign sources. Most of the oil was close to the surface, easy to tap, and economical to extract. Foreign governments sold their oil to American companies at extremely low prices, and US government subsidies also helped to keep prices low and profits high. Natural gas […]

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Is Climate Change Coverage Evolving in Big Media?

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by Rona Fried One of the biggest barriers to addressing climate change is "spin" – how the news media does or doesn’t cover it and how PR firms promote industry messages. While we can observe media coverage, the role of public relations (PR) is much less visible. In a survey of the world’s 25 largest PR firms conducted by The Guardian and Climate Investigations Center, the 10 that responded say they don’t take on clients that want to promote climate change-denial or block regulations that would bring emissions down. It’s a strong position to take considering that disseminating misinformation regarding climate change and the role of fossil fuels has become a multi-billion dollar industry. "We would not support a campaign that denies the existence and the threat posed by climate change, or efforts to obstruct regulations cutting greenhouse gas emissions and/or renewable energy standards," says Michelle Selesky of Weber Shandwick. "We ensure that our own work complies with local laws, marketing codes and our own code of business conduct. These prevent advertising that is intended to mislead and the denial of climate change would fall into this category," says UK-based WPP, the world’s largest advertising firm, which owns Burson Marsteller […]

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