When the Delaware City Refinery complex opened in 1957, the petrochemical trade press hailed it with superlatives. It was the largest single refinery project ever built, and became a hub for an industry that sprawled into Pennsylvania and New Jersey. "Today, most of Delaware City's chemical plants have closed, the result of tougher economic conditions and environmental laws."

"Despite the worst U.S. recession in decades, sales of organic and sustainable products have continued to grow, experts say, with shoppers willing to spend a few more dollars in a bid to become more green."

"A consortium of Chinese and American companies announced a joint venture on Thursday to build a 600-megawatt wind farm in West Texas, using turbines made in China."

"Prisons probably aren't the first place you'd expect to find organic gardens or beekeeping. But in some prisons in western Washington, inmates are being taught new skills and getting involved in conservation work."

"Uncle Sam looks to eliminate the biggest hurdle to expanding renewable energy – the need for suitable sites to place commercial-scale wind and solar farms – by reusing hundreds of old mines, landfills and industrial sites."

"Silicon Valley investors are pointing to something called cleantech -- alternative energy, more efficient power distribution and new ways to store electricity, all with minimal impact to the environment -- as a candidate for the next boom."

"HONG KONG -- Companies that import solar panels to the United States are facing up to $70 million in unexpected tariffs."

"Green-technology firms attracted the largest share of venture capital in the third quarter, with global investments rising to $1.59 billion, according to a survey released Wednesday by Cleantech Group and Deloitte & Touche."

"Solar photovoltaic module production world-wide almost doubled in 2008, according to the European Commission's Joint Research Centre's eighth Annual Photovoltaics Status Report."

"Global investment in clean technology roared back in the third quarter, driven by solar power and a public offering that underscores growing enthusiasm for the sector, Greentech Media reported on Monday."

"A 50 percent leap in the shares of lithium-ion battery maker A123 Systems Inc on their first day of trading looks likely to jumpstart the market for clean-tech share offerings."

"Companies are beginning to show increased willingness to disclose the extent to which they're contributing to global warming and what they're doing to keep it from harming their business."

"A strong shift toward renewable energies could create 2.7 million more jobs in power generation worldwide by 2030 than staying with dependence on fossil fuels would, a report suggested Monday."

"European police agency Europol expects further arrests in connection with suspected carbon credit tax fraud after Britain's tax office said two more people were arrested in London late on Wednesday, bringing the total to nine."

Critics complain that "McMansions" have ruined neighborhoods. The McMansion fad fizzled with the real estate bust -- but could it return?