http://www.greatnewsnetwork.org http://www.greatnewsnetwork.org/images/gnn_logo_rss.gif http://www.greatnewsnetwork.org/ 249 31 News of a better world editor@greatnewsnetwork.org great news network en editor@greatnewsnetwork.org Copyright 2012 2012-02-07T08:36:01-08:00 http://www.greatnewsnetwork.org/index.php/news/article/bicycling_and_walking_benchmarking_report_2012_bicycling_is_on_the_rise/?source=rss The Bicycling and Walking in the United States: 2012 Benchmarking Report shows that bicycling is getting more popular as a method of transportation; the number of commuters who bicycle to work increased by 57% from 2000 to 2009. Top Headlines, Top Stories, Environment Top Stories, Health Top Stories, USA Top Stories, Environment, Air Quality, Climate and Energy, Health, Regions, North America, United States 2012-02-05T09:17:00-08:00 http://www.greatnewsnetwork.org/index.php/news/article/california_orders_hike_in_number_of_super_clean_cars/?source=rss California, long a national leader in cutting auto pollution, pushed the envelope further Friday as state regulators approved rules to cut greenhouse gas emissions from cars and put significantly more pollution-free vehicles on the road in coming years. Top Headlines, Top Stories, Environment Top Stories, Health Top Stories, USA Top Stories, World Top Stories, Environment, Air Quality, Climate and Energy, Health, Regions, North America, United States, California 2012-02-01T20:31:01-08:00 http://www.greatnewsnetwork.org/index.php/news/article/the_cleanweb_takes_off/?source=rss This past weekend in New York, a group of high tech companies, venture investors, hackers, college students held the second Cleanweb Hackathon -- a gathering where software developers and serial entrepreneurs, fueled by coffee and burritos -- or similar fare -- stay up one, two or more nights writing code for apps that just may change the world. Top Headlines, Top Stories, Science Top Stories, USA Top Stories, Science, Technology, Feel Good, Heroic Stories, Regions, North America, United States, New York 2012-01-26T17:06:00-08:00 http://www.greatnewsnetwork.org/index.php/news/article/leatherback_sea_turtles_granted_massive_protected_area_along_us_west_coast/?source=rss The U.S. federal government has designated 108,556 square kilometers (41,914 square miles) as critical habitat for the leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), the largest of the world's marine turtles and one of the most endangered. Top Headlines, Top Stories, Environment Top Stories, USA Top Stories, Environment, Wildlife, Regions, North America, United States, California, Oregon, Washington 2012-01-24T19:00:00-08:00 http://www.greatnewsnetwork.org/index.php/news/article/support_wanes_in_us_congress_for_anti_piracy_bill/?source=rss Eight US lawmakers have withdrawn their support for anti-piracy laws, after 'blackout' protests on thousands of internet sites. Top Headlines, Top Stories, USA Top Stories, World Top Stories, World, Human Rights, Politics, Regions, North America, United States, Washington D.C. 2012-01-19T08:21:00-08:00 http://www.greatnewsnetwork.org/index.php/news/article/keystone_oil_sands_pipeline_rejected_for_now/?source=rss The Obama administration rejected a bid to expand the controversial Keystone oil sands pipeline Wednesday, saying the deadline imposed by Congress did not leave sufficient time to conduct the necessary review. Top Headlines, Top Stories, Environment Top Stories, World, Politics, Environment, Land, Water, Business, Regions, North America, United States, Washington D.C. 2012-01-19T08:17:00-08:00 http://www.greatnewsnetwork.org/index.php/news/article/businesses_seek_californias_new_benefit_corporation_status/?source=rss On the first business day after a state law took effect, a dozen companies committed to social and environmental causes file papers to legally put those efforts on par with their goal of making profits. Top Headlines, Business Top Stories, Top Stories, Special Interest Top Stories, Feel Good, Inspirational Stories, Regions, North America, United States, California 2012-01-09T21:56:00-08:00 http://www.greatnewsnetwork.org/index.php/news/article/mit_to_offer_free_education_online_courses_to_all/?source=rss The disruption of higher education just got very interesting. It appears that the disruptors — private, online universities — are being disrupted at their own game. One of the pantheons of traditional on-site learning, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has announced it will be launching online courses that will be free and open to the world. Top Headlines, Top Stories, Special Interest Top Stories, World, Feel Good, Regions, North America, United States, Massachusetts 2012-01-02T18:29:00-08:00 http://www.greatnewsnetwork.org/index.php/news/article/southern_california_whale_census_yields_record_number/?source=rss Migrating gray whales are swimming through Southern California waters in record numbers this winter, longtime whale watchers say. Top Headlines, Top Stories, Environment Top Stories, USA Top Stories, Environment, Wildlife, Regions, North America, United States, California 2011-12-29T20:45:00-08:00 http://www.greatnewsnetwork.org/index.php/news/article/new_plasma_brush_may_mean_painless_cavity_filling/?source=rss We've been keeping an eye on efforts to make the dreaded dentist's drill a thing of the past for some time, and now there's more good news on the horizon for the cavity-prone (and pain-phobic). Engineers have successfully lab-tested a plasma "brush" that can painlessly clean and prep cavities so well, there's no need for mechanical abrasion prior to filling. Top Headlines, Top Stories, Health Top Stories, Science Top Stories, Science, Scientific Discoveries, Technology, Breakthroughs in technology, Health, Regions, North America, United States, Missouri 2011-12-26T06:00:00-08:00 http://www.greatnewsnetwork.org/index.php/news/article/us_rolls_out_historic_mercury_limits_for_power_plants/?source=rss Unveiling a historic rule, the Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday announced the first national requirement for the nation's coal-fired power plants to reduce emissions of mercury, arsenic, cyanide and other toxic pollutants. Top Headlines, Top Stories, Health Top Stories, Environment, Air Quality, Health, Business, Regions, North America, United States, Washington D.C. 2011-12-22T16:29:00-08:00 http://www.greatnewsnetwork.org/index.php/news/article/100000_signatures_overcome_coca_cola_in_national_park_bottle_ban_debate/?source=rss If you’re looking for good news for the holiday season, we’ve got something for you. The proposed ban on sales of disposable plastic water bottles in the Grand Canyon National Park, which had been abruptly shelved last year following alleged pressure from Coca-Cola is now moving forward and would take effect next year. Top Headlines, Top Stories, Environment Top Stories, USA Top Stories, Environment, Land, Regions, North America, United States, Arizona, Nevada 2011-12-22T01:42:00-08:00 http://www.greatnewsnetwork.org/index.php/news/article/no_more_corporate_personhood_in_la_unanimous/?source=rss Thanks to ground work by the U.S. Green Party, the wave of Occupy Wall Street empowerment and Human Rights Aler, Los Angeles became the first major U.S. city to vote against corporate personhood and call for a Constitutional Amendment asserting corporations are not entitled to constitutional rights and that money is not free speech. Top Headlines, Top Stories, USA Top Stories, World Top Stories, World, Human Rights, Politics, Feel Good, Inspirational Stories, Regions, North America, United States, California 2011-12-21T19:30:01-08:00 http://www.greatnewsnetwork.org/index.php/news/article/solars_best_quarter_ever/?source=rss For the third quarter of 2011, solar installations in the U.S. broke a record: 449 megawatts of new capacity in just three months, according to a report by the Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA). Top Headlines, Business Top Stories, Top Stories, Environment Top Stories, USA Top Stories, Environment, Climate and Energy, Business, Regions, North America, United States 2011-12-21T17:39:00-08:00 http://www.greatnewsnetwork.org/index.php/news/article/victory_facebook_friends_renewable_energy/?source=rss After 20 months of mobilising, agitating and negotiating to green Facebook, the Internet giant has today announced its goal to run on clean, renewable energy. More than 700,000 people from all over the world joined to make this victory possible! Top Headlines, Business Top Stories, Top Stories, Environment Top Stories, USA Top Stories, Environment, Climate and Energy, Business, Corporate social responsibility, Regions, North America, United States, California 2011-12-19T05:00:00-08:00 http://www.greatnewsnetwork.org/index.php/news/article/us_coal_plant_pollution_down/?source=rss Breathe easier, sulfur dioxide pollution from coal plants in the eastern United States dropped by nearly half compared to 2005 levels, reported a team of researchers in Geophysical Research Letters. Top Headlines, Top Stories, Environment Top Stories, USA Top Stories, Environment, Air Quality, Climate and Energy, Regions, North America, United States, Washington D.C. 2011-12-17T01:33:00-08:00 http://www.greatnewsnetwork.org/index.php/news/article/large_tract_of_old_growth_redwood_forest_protected_in_the_san_francisco_bay/?source=rss 8,532 acres of redwood forest and wildlife habitat in the Santa Cruz mountains will be protected after a coalition of San Francisco Bay Area conservation groups bought the land — the largest private landholding in in Santa Cruz County — for $30 million from building materials giant CEMEX. Top Headlines, Top Stories, Environment Top Stories, USA Top Stories, Environment, Forests, Regions, North America, United States, California 2011-12-16T03:23:00-08:00 http://www.greatnewsnetwork.org/index.php/news/article/giant_nasa_rover_launches_to_mars/?source=rss Nasa has launched the most capable machine ever built to land on Mars. Top Headlines, Top Stories, Science Top Stories, USA Top Stories, Science, Space, Technology, Regions, North America, United States 2011-11-27T23:32:00-08:00 http://www.greatnewsnetwork.org/index.php/news/article/long_term_study_shows_acid_pollution_in_rain_decreased_with_emissions/?source=rss Emissions regulations do have an environmental impact, according to a long-term study of acidic rainfall by researchers at the University of Illinois. Top Headlines, Top Stories, Environment Top Stories, USA Top Stories, Environment, Air Quality, Water, Regions, North America, United States 2011-11-19T07:46:01-08:00 http://www.greatnewsnetwork.org/index.php/news/article/obama_administration_bows_to_pressure_delays_tar_sands_pipeline/?source=rss In what can only be described as a major victory for green activists, the Obama Administration has announced it will delay a decision on TransCanada's controversial Keystone XL pipeline for 12-18 months. Top Headlines, Top Stories, Environment Top Stories, Canada Top Stories, USA Top Stories, World Top Stories, World, Politics, Environment, Climate and Energy, Regions, North America, Canada, Alberta, United States, Washington D.C. 2011-11-12T13:49:00-08:00