photo: Jonathan McIntosh via flickr With all the increased attention Canada's tar sands projects have been getting--both in terms of environmental impact and distributing them through pipeline into the United States--it's not surprising that many people are calling for a boycott on oil and fuel produced from tar sands. But is that really possible in a meaningful sense? ...Read the full story on TreeHugger

Credit: Mike Baird Asian carp aren't the only invasive species causing trouble in the United States. While the monster fish captures headlines as it inches toward the Great Lakes, other species have already colonized other parts of the country, and are costing plenty of money to control. A finance website has totaled up the toll, listing "10 Invasive Species That Cost the U.S. a Bundle." See if you agree, disagree, or are just surprised by some of the choices. ...Read the full story on TreeHugger

Image: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Look at How Much Energy is Wasted! The image above (see the full size version in this PDF) is a snapshot of energy use in the United States in 2009. On the left, the different sources (solar, nuclear, hydro, wind, etc) and how many quads of energy they contribute, and then by following the lines you can see how that energy is used, and how much of it is wasted. Read on for more details....Read the full story on TreeHugger

Passive House, or Passivhaus design is finally becoming really active in North America, and is popping up in communities across the country. Just recently we showed a traditional one in Oregon, but are back to form with the R-House, the winner of a design competition "provide a new model for formerly vital, urban residential neighborhoods throughout the United States through the creation of sustainable, affordable housing." Read the full story on TreeHugger

Photo: Nissan Only 3,300 LEAFs in U.S. Until March 2011 One of the things that makes the Nissan LEAF electric car so promising is that Nissan was aiming for mass-production from the very beginning (f.ex. The Smyrna plant is expected to produce up to 150,000 vehicles annually, and there are other high-capacity Nissan EV plants in Oppama, Japan and Sunderland, England). Other car makers are no doubt thinking about big numbers for their upcoming EVs, but so far they've been more timid... In any case, it looks like would-be buyers of the LEAF in the United States will have to be patient,...Read the full story on TreeHugger