GE Turning Green; Unplugs Light Bulb Plants

Weirdest entry on list: digital picture frames

(NEWSER) - You're probably spending $100 per year on energy costs for devices that are plugged in—even if they're switched off, an EPA spokesperson tells Mother Jones . She lists six of the worst offenders you should consider unplugging first if you want to save energy—and cash:

• Cable boxes: Yes, these seemingly innocent devices suck up a lot of electricity , about as much as your refrigerator. If you can't bring yourself to unplug it, at least ask for a multi-room box so you can use just one for all your TVs.
• A/V equipment: Worried your DVD player or iPod docking station will forget what time it is when you turn it off? Many Energy Star-approved devices will remember what time it is, so try using those instead.

Executive order requires federal agencies to reduce waste, conserve energy

(NEWSER) - Federal agencies have until 2020 to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 28% under an executive order President Obama signed today. The order also calls for improvements in energy efficiency, water conservation, and waste reduction. "As the largest energy consumer in the United States, we have a responsibility to American citizens to reduce our energy use and become more efficient," Obama said before signing the order. More»

Would focus sun's energy to produce heat, steam

(NEWSER) - Google is working on new mirrors to make solar thermal power significantly cheaper, Reuters reports. If it works, the technology could reduce the cost of building a plant to draw power from the sun by 25% or more. “We've been looking at very unusual materials for the mirrors both for the reflective surface as well as the substrate that the mirror is mounted on,” says the Internet giant's green energy boss. Working prototypes should be ready in a few months. More»

States seek to become lithium-ion capital of US

(NEWSER) - Some 165 companies and states are battling for a $2.4 billion Obama administration grant aimed at making the US a leader in electric-car batteries, the Wall Street Journal reports. General Motors, Dow Chemical, and General Electric are among the firms vying for the money; states like Michigan, Kentucky, and Massachusetts are on board, hoping to become the center of an industry that promises big things. More»

(NEWSER) - Clean coal is a myth, and the companies selling it “have their heads stuck in the mine,” Thomas Kostigen writes on MarketWatch. Although Americans generate close to 50% of their energy from coal, the technology is so yesterday—and the industry is not poised to move forward. It “should be looking to invest in its own replacement,” Kostigen writes, “because someone somewhere is going to invent it, and then where will they be?” More»