Carolyn Fortuna, Author at CleanTechnica

New York State Wants To Divest From Everything Tesla

Carolyn Fortuna — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 19:08:44 +0000

They are lawmakers who originally stood behind Tesla’s request to sell directly in the state to consumers. It was part of a larger picture in which New York would meet its state’s net zero green energy transition goals. Then CEO Elon Musk inserted himself into the Trump 2.0 regime as ... [continued]

The post New York State Wants To Divest From Everything Tesla appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Trump’s Climate Policy Decisions: Fruit Of The Poisonous Tree

Carolyn Fortuna — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 02:42:01 +0000

“Fruit of the poisonous tree” is a doctrine that extends the exclusionary rule to make evidence inadmissible in court if it was derived from evidence that was illegally obtained. As the metaphor suggests, if the evidential “tree” is tainted, so is its “fruit.” The fruit of the poisonous tree analogy ... [continued]

The post Trump’s Climate Policy Decisions: Fruit Of The Poisonous Tree appeared first on CleanTechnica.

The US Continues To Be At Odds With Its Allies Over Renewable Energy

Carolyn Fortuna — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 18:07:01 +0000

To hear Donald Trump brag about it, you’d think that coal is an energy savior. After all, he has recently signed four executive orders aimed at increasing coal production and saving coal-burning power plants from retirement. Yet what the Trump administration isn’t admitting is that the growth of solar has ... [continued]

The post The US Continues To Be At Odds With Its Allies Over Renewable Energy appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Riding On The Freebee: Public Transportation Can Be Electrifying

Carolyn Fortuna — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 21:11:52 +0000

When we moved to our retirement home, hubby and I decided we could make do with one vehicle. Most of our appointments can be synced, and, as we’re both freelancers, the need to commute has vanished. That being said, there are the rare occasions where life interferes and we have ... [continued]

The post Riding On The Freebee: Public Transportation Can Be Electrifying appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Tesla’s Competitors Move Ahead with Affordable EVs — Not Skimpy Promises

Carolyn Fortuna — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 17:57:46 +0000

Tesla announced its Q1 2025 earnings report this week, and many questions continue to hover over the all-electric carmaker. While experiencing a momentary resurgence since the first quarter report, the company’s share prices have tumbled with a significant profit decline since the first of the year. There are many reasons ... [continued]

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At Rally For America, Climate Activists And Others Erase The Silence

Carolyn Fortuna — Sun, 20 Apr 2025 18:23:33 +0000

So many people I talked to who did not attend the Rally for America admitted they were afraid. They feared walking into a confrontation with violent Trump supporters. They were anxious about being targeted personally by the Trump administration. They worried that their activism might have devastating consequences for family ... [continued]

The post At Rally For America, Climate Activists And Others Erase The Silence appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Sustainable Practices For Earth Day — And Everyday

Carolyn Fortuna — Sat, 19 Apr 2025 03:47:59 +0000

As we celebrate Earth Day 2025, we all have to acknowledge the chaotic political climate that threatens democracy, offers regressive thinking, and seems a stranglehold on climate action. Yet we as leaders can help each other to understand the nuances of the major social and environmental issues of our time. ... [continued]

The post Sustainable Practices For Earth Day — And Everyday appeared first on CleanTechnica.

The Road To Renewable Energy Continues On — Even Against The Political Tide

Carolyn Fortuna — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 16:25:28 +0000

If you have worried that the US road to renewable energy will halt under the corrupt Trump administration, you do have cause for concern. But there is also hope. A series of newly released analyses indicate that, yes, the US renewable energy transition will slow down, but forces already in ... [continued]

The post The Road To Renewable Energy Continues On — Even Against The Political Tide appeared first on CleanTechnica.

We Need To Save Earth’s Soil — Changing Our Food Choices Can Help

Carolyn Fortuna — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 20:47:38 +0000

There is a really strong relationship between meat consumption and the Earth’s rising temperatures. If you choose to eat a chicken breast over a filet mignon, you make a dent in temperature rise; if you choose a meatless meal, you are making an even greater impact. Changing food choice patterns ... [continued]

The post We Need To Save Earth’s Soil — Changing Our Food Choices Can Help appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Formula E Miami E-Prix: A Look Inside Jaguar TCS Racing — A CleanTechnica Exclusive

Carolyn Fortuna — Sun, 13 Apr 2025 00:24:22 +0000

In motorsport, Formula E is still new to a lot of sports fans. It was conceived as being net zero carbon right from the start, and it is an organization that is trying to advance electric vehicle (EV) technology while providing a competitive racing spectacle — after all, that’s what ... [continued]

The post Formula E Miami E-Prix: A Look Inside Jaguar TCS Racing — A CleanTechnica Exclusive appeared first on CleanTechnica.

ABB FIA Formula E Miami E-Prix Empowers Young Women In Motorsport

Carolyn Fortuna — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 21:31:09 +0000

Women in motorsport have traditionally faced significant barriers to entry, according to a 2023 study by non-profit organization More Than Equal. Their research determined that motorsport culture is often unwelcoming to women. That translates into too few women and girls participating and a lack of female role models within the ... [continued]

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Want An Immersive Vacation Experience? Try An Ecolodge

Carolyn Fortuna — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 03:11:20 +0000

The Dominican Republic is a major tourist destination, with free-trade zones appealing to many people who travel there. The landscape is a variety of mountains and forests, resorts and beaches, rustic towns and expanding cities. It has pristine lakes, tropical rainforests, dense vegetation, and even desert-like areas. The country is ... [continued]

The post Want An Immersive Vacation Experience? Try An Ecolodge appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Automakers Delay US Plans As They Dance With The Trump Administration & Consider Their Global Footprint

Carolyn Fortuna — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 22:30:52 +0000

At first, it seemed like it was little more than another automaker press event. General Motors announced yesterday that it has expanded its global footprint with the official opening of a new advanced design studio in Royal Leamington Spa, about 20 miles from Birmingham, England. The Big 3 company revealed ... [continued]

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Tesla’s Loyal Following Has Vanished — Will Musk Capitulate?

Carolyn Fortuna — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 03:44:43 +0000

On Saturday Night Live this week, alum Mike Myers played Tesla CEO Elon Musk. “Suddenly, no one likes Tesla cars,” Myers muttered. “So I asked myself why, and then I answered myself: because of me.” Alluding to the disintegration of Tesla’s loyal following, he also played a video of a ... [continued]

The post Tesla’s Loyal Following Has Vanished — Will Musk Capitulate? appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Trump’s Fraud & Efficiency Lies Bring Out Mass Protests

Carolyn Fortuna — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 02:05:05 +0000

We’ve had a lot of bad news since the Trump inauguration. For those of us in the clean energy camp, there’s been the revocation of our Paris Agreement pledges. Trump issued a series of sweeping executive orders including “terminating the Green New Deal” via funding in the Inflation Reduction Act ... [continued]

The post Trump’s Fraud & Efficiency Lies Bring Out Mass Protests appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Trump Is In Violation Of An Injunction That Allows Approved Grant Funds To Flow, Says RI Judge

Carolyn Fortuna — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 01:15:17 +0000

Yesterday a Rhode Island federal judge ordered the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to stop withholding grant funds to states. Rhode Island US District Chief Judge John McConnell has found President Donald Trump’s administration in violation of a preliminary injunction he issued last month, as reported by WPRI in Providence. ... [continued]

The post Trump Is In Violation Of An Injunction That Allows Approved Grant Funds To Flow, Says RI Judge appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Frankly, It’s Time To Talk About The Built Environment And Climate Change

Carolyn Fortuna — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 02:33:51 +0000

While the current political rhetoric dismisses substantive climate dialogue, cities are in crisis because of climate change. Extreme weather is leading to calamitous consequences. Now more than ever, in the absence of federal funding support, cities must focus on reconciling the norm of civic pride as symbolized in the built ... [continued]

The post Frankly, It’s Time To Talk About The Built Environment And Climate Change appeared first on CleanTechnica.

The Economic Benefits Of Renewables That Trump Is Ignoring

Carolyn Fortuna — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 03:36:25 +0000

Remember when the JFK declared that innovation wasn’t easy — but it was necessary? He described how organizing and measuring the best of our energies and skills would be a challenge that we were willing to accept. Innovation like this asks people to reinvent themselves — it’s a contemporary adaptation ... [continued]

The post The Economic Benefits Of Renewables That Trump Is Ignoring appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Why Are So Many Banks Backing Away From Net Zero Goals?

Carolyn Fortuna — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 14:29:20 +0000

Net zero is an accounting term. It represents a goal that, if reached, would stabilize the Earth’s climate. The equation is simple, even for those of us who are math-challenged: for every ton of carbon emitted into the atmosphere, another one must be removed. The methods to achieve a net ... [continued]

The post Why Are So Many Banks Backing Away From Net Zero Goals? appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Robert McChesney’s Media Literacy Work Was Prescient — Why Didn’t More People Listen?

Carolyn Fortuna — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 21:34:47 +0000

Generally, on April Fool’s Day I try to write a clever, tongue-in-cheek article that allows us to laugh at ourselves. This year, however, there is so little that could be made to feel light and easy. Instead, I’m going to remember the media literacy guru, Robert McChesney, who paved the ... [continued]

The post Robert McChesney’s Media Literacy Work Was Prescient — Why Didn’t More People Listen? appeared first on CleanTechnica.

A Rallying Call For The UAW To Reject Trump’s Tariffs & Protectionism

Carolyn Fortuna — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 00:01:20 +0000

President Donald Trump is all smiles as he prods senior advisers to expand his tariff policy. The White House has labeled the April 2 enactment day of tariffs “Liberation Day.” An anonymous Washington Post source has revealed that administration officials are preparing tariffs on “trillions” of dollars in imports. “It’s ... [continued]

The post A Rallying Call For The UAW To Reject Trump’s Tariffs & Protectionism appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Insurance Industry Predicts More Future Losses — Now Tariffs Add To The Impact Of Climate Claims

Carolyn Fortuna — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 02:17:19 +0000

My condo community in Florida has been struggling with our insurance premiums. While our east coast location hasn’t put us in the path of any significant damage nor submitted climate claims since Hurricanes Jeanne and Francis in 2005, we have — like so many places across the US — been ... [continued]

The post Insurance Industry Predicts More Future Losses — Now Tariffs Add To The Impact Of Climate Claims appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Anonymous Survey Of Oil & Gas Executives Says Geopolitical Uncertainty Clouds Their Outlook

Carolyn Fortuna — Sun, 30 Mar 2025 00:30:11 +0000

Of all the constituent groups in the US, wouldn’t you think that oil and gas executives would be supporting President Donald J. Trump’s policies? Well, an anonymous survey released late this month by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas says otherwise. Oil and gas company executives, it seems, are complaining ... [continued]

The post Anonymous Survey Of Oil & Gas Executives Says Geopolitical Uncertainty Clouds Their Outlook appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Debunking Electric Vehicle Misinformation Is So Much Fun!

Carolyn Fortuna — Sat, 29 Mar 2025 13:07:09 +0000

Electric vehicle misinformation is rampant in the media, but it doesn’t show the reality of the electric vehicle marketplace. New data from the UK shows an increase in retailers stocking used electric vehicles, signs of market confidence, and many other revealing statistics that debunk myths about EVs. Auto Trader, ChargeUK, ... [continued]

The post Debunking Electric Vehicle Misinformation Is So Much Fun! appeared first on CleanTechnica.

What Can Be Done To Save Pollinators From Extinction?

Carolyn Fortuna — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 15:05:09 +0000

Don’t you love to watch the birds returning with the new spring season? They dart around, seeking out nests and planning for soon-to-bloom food sources. Birds — as well as bees, butterflies, beetles, and other small mammals — are pollinators, and they are responsible for out of every three bites ... [continued]

The post What Can Be Done To Save Pollinators From Extinction? appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Just Climate’s Climate-Led Investing Approach Attracts New, Big Investors

Carolyn Fortuna — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 12:45:42 +0000

For more than 40 years, former US Vice President Al Gore has been at the forefront of the movement to solve the global climate crisis. It’s amazing to think how different the US might be right now if 2000’s Bush v. Gore had been settled apart from everyday partisan politics. ... [continued]

The post Just Climate’s Climate-Led Investing Approach Attracts New, Big Investors appeared first on CleanTechnica.

A Primer On Sea Level Rise

Carolyn Fortuna — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 17:03:46 +0000

Sea level rise refers to the average increase in the water level of the Earth’s oceans. As ice sheets and glaciers melt, they add more water. A huge toolkit of increasingly sophisticated instruments, deployed across the oceans, on polar ice, and in orbit, reveals significant changes among globally interlocking factors ... [continued]

The post A Primer On Sea Level Rise appeared first on CleanTechnica.

What Happens When Menu Design Accentuates Plant-Based Choices?

Carolyn Fortuna — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 22:35:43 +0000

Given the higher footprint of meat-based food consumption, plant-based foods are better choices in so many ways. Yet it’s been difficult to inspire diners to choose vegetables and fruits when they’re ready to order. Could menu design affect the way that people choose their meals? Yes, it does, says new ... [continued]

The post What Happens When Menu Design Accentuates Plant-Based Choices? appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Could Microplastics Become A Thing Of The Past With New Supramolecular Plastics?

Carolyn Fortuna — Fri, 21 Mar 2025 19:45:59 +0000

Supramolecular chemistry, also known as “chemistry beyond the molecule,” focuses on the study of molecular recognition and high-order assemblies formed by noncovalent interactions. It’s in the news lately due to a study that focuses on solving the problem of plastic degradation into microplastics. Supramolecular plastics — polymers with structures held ... [continued]

The post Could Microplastics Become A Thing Of The Past With New Supramolecular Plastics? appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Will Tesla’s Pivot To MAGA Crash The Company? Has Musk’s Reach Exceeded His Grasp?

Carolyn Fortuna — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 20:38:46 +0000

Let me start by saying that I love my Tesla Model Y. It’s a great car: reliable, inexpensive to drive, comfortable, speedy, high tech. But I’ve been heartbroken over the turn of events of the company, to the point that I put on one of the “I bought this car ... [continued]

The post Will Tesla’s Pivot To MAGA Crash The Company? Has Musk’s Reach Exceeded His Grasp? appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Don’t Use The Phrase “Climate Resilient” If You Want US Federal Funding

Carolyn Fortuna — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 15:30:39 +0000

Farmers and ranchers are finding themselves immersed in a battle over the way they choose their words as they hope to maintain US federal funding. An internal USDA spreadsheet obtained by The Washington Post shows that more than $400 million of climate resilient projects administered through the Natural Resources and ... [continued]

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Fossil Fuel Companies Ramp Up Influence In The Food System

Carolyn Fortuna — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 19:06:27 +0000

Political leaders have failed to confront the driving force behind the climate crisis: the fossil fuel industry. As a result, fossil fuel producers are now free and clear to reinvent their oil and gas holdings in many sectors, such as the food system. In fact, the fossil fuel industry is ... [continued]

The post Fossil Fuel Companies Ramp Up Influence In The Food System appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Price Gouging Is Everywhere — From EVs To Eggs And Presidential Golf Excursions

Carolyn Fortuna — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 03:46:54 +0000

“I’ll lower your costs on Day 1,” candidate Donald J. Trump exclaimed. Instead, we’re experiencing price gouging and cuts to everyday services. In the same way that we’re not supposed to pay attention to the man behind the curtain in the White House, US residents aren’t expected to be able ... [continued]

The post Price Gouging Is Everywhere — From EVs To Eggs And Presidential Golf Excursions appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Another US City Bans Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers

Carolyn Fortuna — Sat, 15 Mar 2025 20:28:57 +0000

Gas-powered leaf blowers are a real problem for the environment. They discharge toxic chemicals and planet-warming emissions into the air and disrupt natural habitats. If you have any skepticism, a 2023 report makes it clear: the impacts of gas-powered lawn and garden equipment generated more than 600,000 tons of carbon ... [continued]

The post Another US City Bans Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Tesla Says Trump’s Tariffs May Have A Harmful Impact On Its Company & Other Automakers

Carolyn Fortuna — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 20:06:46 +0000

What a difference a day makes. Tesla now says that Trump’s tariffs are bad for business. How can this public statement make any sense, since the company’s CEO is leading the federal dismemberment? The only way to figure out what’s really happening behind the scenes is to do a methodical, ... [continued]

The post Tesla Says Trump’s Tariffs May Have A Harmful Impact On Its Company & Other Automakers appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Get ‘Em While You Can! Desperation Over Tesla EV Sales Is On Display On The White House Lawn

Carolyn Fortuna — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 15:52:53 +0000

The scene was something out of Barnum and Bailey — and why not? The cast of characters are consummate showmen, torn out of the pages of the carnival and snake oil circuit. C’mon down! Tesla EV sales have plummeted around the world as their CEO sucks the toes of autocrats ... [continued]

The post Get ‘Em While You Can! Desperation Over Tesla EV Sales Is On Display On The White House Lawn appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Are We Imagining It, Or Were Winters Colder & Snowier When We Were Kids?

Carolyn Fortuna — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 21:20:06 +0000

The blizzard of 1978 was fierce in New England. As an undergraduate at the University of Connecticut, it was a time for my roommates and me to stuff our bodies into as many layers of clothing as we owned, borrow a toboggan, and plod up the road to the liquor ... [continued]

The post Are We Imagining It, Or Were Winters Colder & Snowier When We Were Kids? appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Business Leaders Target The Trump–Musk White House For Damaging Profitability Margins

Carolyn Fortuna — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 16:42:47 +0000

Instead of embracing the Trump–Musk administration and its supposed pro-business ideology, companies have begun to warn investors in their quarterly reports and conference calls that the effects of federal change in Washington are unsettling and likely to damage profitability margins. Red states seem particularly vulnerable, which is ironic since those ... [continued]

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How To Flip Marketing That Promotes A False “Future Of Energy” Vision

Carolyn Fortuna — Sun, 09 Mar 2025 18:00:39 +0000

To avoid the worst impacts of climate change, emissions need to be reduced by almost half by 2030 and to reach net zero by 2050. The future of energy must focus on renewables. A clean energy transition is powerful and necessary to stabilize the planet, and strong leadership to promote ... [continued]

The post How To Flip Marketing That Promotes A False “Future Of Energy” Vision appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Who Pays For The Environmental Damage When A Starship Falls In My Backyard?

Carolyn Fortuna — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 23:09:59 +0000

Hubby and I were sitting at our dining room table, eating our dinner and watching the sun dip over the Intracoastal Waterway. Then a ball appeared in the sky, heading west to east — a swirling mass of vapors with what looked like a nebula around it. Gold sparks were ... [continued]

The post Who Pays For The Environmental Damage When A Starship Falls In My Backyard? appeared first on CleanTechnica.

The Tesla Ethicist: Should I Sell My Tesla EV To Protest Musk’s Government Interference?

Carolyn Fortuna — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 13:50:13 +0000

In this edition of the Tesla Ethicist, we weigh in on the degree to which our consumer spending reflects our moral compasses. A Tesla owner wonders if that company’s anti-democratic values are an ample reason for selling their proven, premium electric vehicle. Dear Tesla Ethicist, I see a few celebrities ... [continued]

The post The Tesla Ethicist: Should I Sell My Tesla EV To Protest Musk’s Government Interference? appeared first on CleanTechnica.

The Uphill Battle Of Clean Energy Against Musk’s Mighty Disinformation Campaigns

Carolyn Fortuna — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 19:50:59 +0000

Disinformation about renewable energy has become increasingly common in the US. Gaps between Republicans and Democrats on energy policy and clean energy-related issues have widened as more and more prominent Republicans promote or amplify disinformation about the effectiveness and reliability of renewables such as wind and solar, particularly after power ... [continued]

The post The Uphill Battle Of Clean Energy Against Musk’s Mighty Disinformation Campaigns appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Waitsfield, Vermont, Rises Up Against JD Vance & His Embarrassing Bullying

Carolyn Fortuna — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 15:55:13 +0000

Waitsfield, Vermont, is the kind of mountain town where valley homes are tucked next to the Mad River, with granite slopes and rich forests rising up on both sides. It’s a place where locals have survived floods and a manufacturing exodus. Today tourism, especially skiing, sustains the proud, industrious, and ... [continued]

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Musk Mayhem Continues: Tesla Employee Fired For Freedom Of Speech Error

Carolyn Fortuna — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 17:55:44 +0000

What happens if you work for Tesla and you voice your concerns about the CEO’s social media post that jokes about Nazism? You’re told to clean out your cubicle and never again let your shadow cross the gilded Tesla corporate threshold. It’s another example of Musk mayhem at work. Bantering ... [continued]

The post Musk Mayhem Continues: Tesla Employee Fired For Freedom Of Speech Error appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Renewables Or Fossil Fuels: Which Are, Ultimately, More Efficient?

Carolyn Fortuna — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 01:11:04 +0000

Definitions for “efficiency” vary depending on the context of energy discussions. Opinions range widely. Which is more efficient for a nation: renewables or fossil fuels? For advocates of fossil fuel power, global primary energy consumption hit historic highs in 2023, the hottest year on record, with oil and coal dominating ... [continued]

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