According to a government report released today, struggling states have been using their piece of the stimulus money pie to solve immediate problems, rather than to establish the framework for fiscal strength in the future. The Government Accountability Office report reveals that many states have been divesting money from long-term programs to prevent layoffs and keep state initiatives afloat.
 
One of the hardest-hit sectors of most states is education, with states funneling money from education to other needs. School district officials across the country have expressed their concern over the lack of funding that has left many of them unable to …read more

Vermont, Washington and Oregon were ranked the top three greenest states by Forbes in regard to energy efficiency, low carbon emissions and green building. The magazine looked at each state in six equally weighted categories: carbon footprint, air quality, water quality, hazardous waste management, policy initiatives and energy consumption.
The ranking evolved with information from the American Lung Association, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, PIRG (water), U. S. Green Building Council and the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, Department of Transportation, Natural Resources Defense Council and the Sierra Club.
On top: Vermont, Oregon and Washington. All have low carbon dioxide emissions …read more