"A two-decade-old crackdown on smog and soot under the Clean Air Act will yield about $2 trillion in annual benefits by 2020, according to a study that was released by U.S. EPA this morning and was touted as proof that the embattled agency's rules are an economic boon for the American people."

A new coalition of clothing retailers, manufacturers, environmental groups, and academics is developing a database which they hope will eventually allow them to give every garment a sustainability score.

"With no say in their chamber's agenda but an ambitious goal of reclaiming the majority, House Democrats are turning to energy and environmental issues in their latest bid to promote an alternative to the GOP economic agenda ahead of the 2012 election."

In Wisconsin and other embattled states, environmental groups have joined labor unions in mass protests against conservative attacks which threaten 'green jobs' as well as bargaining rights.

Oil prices rising because of turmoil in the Middle East and other factors pose a new and serious threat to the recovery of the U.S. economy, experts say.

"Oil-price swings have doubled this year as unrest spreads through the Middle East, source of one- third of global crude supply, hampering producer and consumer efforts to stabilize the world’s biggest commodity market."

"Climate change could put trillions of investment dollars at risk over the next 20 years, a global study released on Wednesday said, calling for pension funds and other investors to overhaul how they allocate funds."