california

A Penny Saved Is…

California is at it again. READ»

CE Association Ruffles Feathers at the Mere Hint of Limiting Flat-Screen Sales

Ed. Note: This piece has been edited significantly from its original version to reflect factual inaccuracies related to exactly what the California Energy Commission has proposed. We regret the earlier error. The Consumer ...READ»

California Polluters Beware: You Will Be Charged for Emitting CO2

Sweeping climate change legislation may have to wait until December's United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, but California is getting a head start on cutting down corporate emissions with the first statewide fee for ...READ»

Sign of the Times: Abandoned KFC Transformed Into Marijuana Dispensary

As the economy worsens and abandoned storefronts continue to pop up on street corners all over the country, we've had the opportunity to learn which industries are virtually recession-proof. For example, California's medical ...READ»

Randy Newman wasn’t quite clear enough…

Why? Because I looooooooooooooooooooooooooove LA. Or more specifically, the people you meet just being in LA (when you’re not stuck in traffic).READ»

Cash for Clunker Buildings

The feds should take a page from the California playbook (again!) and pay for inspections, training, and tune ups of older buildings.READ»

Cash for the Real Clunkers

About 10% of vehicles on the road account for over 40% of the pollution, so getting clunkers off the road makes sense. READ»

Can Twitter Save California's Budget Crisis?

Last week, an embattled Governor Schwarzenegger gave an exasperated thanks to his Twitter followers for suggesting ways California could squeeze revenue into the state budget. As government waste stacks more zeros onto California’s ...READ»

From an Old-Fashioned Bank to an Heirloom Seed Bank

From the crumbling ashes of the fallen financial system rises a new type of bank: one for heirloom seeds. It sounds like the beginning of a post-apocalyptic novel, but it's really happening in Petaluma, California, where an abandoned ...READ»

A Tribute to Architecture's Best Photographer, Julius Shulman

The photos by the late architectural photographer Julius Shulman traced the evolution of the built environment since 1936, giving insight into construction techniques, urban development, the advent of tourism in the jet age, and the history of Los Angeles. We bring you 17 of Shulman's architectural images narrated by L.A. architects, designers, artists, writers, filmmakers, and curators.READ»

Inside Tesla's First East Coast Store

California-based Tesla Motors opened its third retail store today in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, kicking off a rapid retail expansion plan that should land stores in eight major U.S. cities before the end of 2009. Unlike the ...READ»

How the Tech Boom Terminated California's Economy

While the pundits point to real estate speculation and bank insolvencies as the chief cause of California--and the nation's--financial distress, these are both direct results of the late 90's explosion of computer innovation and Internet proliferation. That's right: The Internet crashed the economy.READ»

GE's Building Smart Microgrid for the Military

Military bases are often in isolated or disaster-ridden locations, which makes them ideal candidates for microgrids, or self-contained power grids. GE is capitalizing on the military's need for reliable power in all circumstances with ...READ»

Yes, California Can

I always feel more creative in California. I'm not sure if it's the weather, the entrepreneurial buzz, friendlier people or just the warm mythology I've internalized from decades of listening to the Beach Boys. But whenever I touch ...READ»

American Design, California Style

If the U.S. has its own brand of design, it's California's free-wheeling, try-anything-once culture that's driving it.READ»

• Brett Lovelady's ASTRO Design blog

The Best States in the U.S. for Future Solar Energy Projects

Wondering where the next big solar developments in the U.S. will be located? The Bureau of Land Management released six maps this week that show the best solar prospects in the states most suited for solar power: Utah, ...READ»

Gavin Newsom Wants to Be Governor of California. Would You Hire Him?

The controversial mayor of San Francisco wants to upgrade to the governor's mansion. Would you hire this pretty face to run the world's eighth-largest economy?READ»

Could AltaRock's Geothermal Project Start California's Next Earthquake?

Every renewable energy source has its downside--nuclear power uses radioactive material, wind turbines generate noise complaints, solar production can leach chemicals into water supplies, and geothermal projects...cause earthquakes?READ»

Tesla Hits the Jackpot: $465 Million in DOE Loans

Finally, some good news for beleaguered electric vehicle startup Tesla Motors. Only a day after CEO Elon Musk wrote a long blog post defending himself and his company against rumors and accusations, Tesla has been awarded approval ...READ»

San Jose Developing First U.S. Organics to Energy Waste Biogas Facility

San Jose, California announced yesterday a plan to develop the country's first organics-to-energy waste biogas facility on a 40 acre plot of land. The kinks of the plan are still being worked out, but if all goes well, the ...READ»

The Coda: A Mid-Sized Electric Volt Competitor Made in China

As if bankruptcy wasn't enough, GM has to deal with rapidly multiplying small electric vehicle startups looking to steal attention away from the Volt. The latest competitor is Coda Automotive, a company unveiled Wednesday by Miles ...READ»

Want to Network in Southern California? 2 Organizations to Know

I have not worn a necktie since I moved to California 6 years ago. My sense of punctuality, too, has been collecting dust on my tie rack. My social networking skills, on the other hand, are buffed, shined, and ...READ»

Can a $320 Million Seawater Desalination Plant Keep Droughts at Bay?

San Diego, California authorities approved construction of a $320 million seawater desalination yesterday in a massive-scale attempt to stave off the state's infamous droughts. According to the Pacific Institute, the plant will be ...READ»

PG&E, BrightSource Ink World's Largest Solar Deal

California utility Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) inked a $2 to $3 billion solar deal last year with Brightsource Energy for 900MW of solar thermal power. Now PG&E has furthered its commitment to both Brightsource and ...READ»

Would You Live in a House Made of Sh*t?

Cow dung isn't usually thought of as house-building material, but a team of students from Prasetiya Mulya Business School in Indonesia have managed to build high-quality, low-cost bricks from the stuff. The team's invention, ...READ»