by Sarah Laskow. Phoenix was hit by a 5,000-foot-tall, 50-mile-wide wall of dust. What does Virgin Australia have in common with koala bears? They're both very interested in consuming eucalyptus leaves , which hopefully will not get the airplanes as stoned as they get the koala bears. Car companies don't trust drivers with 10-year-old cars to steer clear of 15% ethanol, which can damage older vehicles. So they think nobody should get it. Solar leasing companies want to bundle their solar panels into asset-backed securities . When future generations go into foreclosure, not only will they not know which banks own the house, they won't know which (likely totally different) banks own the solar panels. Quick, what's better than a Prius? How about… an electric Prius ?

More here:
Critical List: Dust storm hits Phoenix; Electric Prius hits the roads

More on SKCEA.org:

• The Warm Ocean
  Often when going to the beach the common complaint is that the ocean is too cold. They appear to be warming up a bit. The upper layer of Earth's ocean has warmed since 1993, indicating a strong climate change signal, according to a new international study co-authored by oceanogra...
• Texas’ fracking disclosure law has huge omissions
  by Christopher Mims. Yesterday we told you about Texas governor Rick Perry doing something right for once -- he passed of a law forcing drillers to disclose the chemicals used in the controversial and environmentally destructive practice of hydraulic fracturing. Turns out the la...
• MMS gets a makeover, smell lingers
  by Randy Rieland. It's a classic Washington paint job: new name, new leader, new promises about tossing bad apples. And so Minerals Management Services, the Interior Department agency that's become the poster child of government corruption and ineptitude has been disappeared. We...
• Vietnam Cracks Down on Illegal Wildlife Trade
  Last week, more than 100 police officers raided restaurants in Da Lat City, Vietnam. What they found was unappetizing: illegally poached animals of nearly 20 species. The authorities arrested more than a dozen restaurant owners for planning to serve meals of pangolins, porcupines...
• South Pacific islands are in water crisis
  by Jess Zimmerman. Man, Tuvalu just can't catch a break. The island nation is getting slowly submerged by climate-related sea level changes -- and now, in addition to having too much water, they have not enough water. Tuvalu and nearby Tokelau have declared water emergencies...