Winter. For many of us, the season means hot chocolate, winter sports, exercise indoors, and the classic American pastime—movie night. So, if you find yourself caught in a chilly day, and are in the mood for popcorn and a good flick at home, check out the following movies that have environmental or clean energy innuendoes/themes:

• Back to the Future—In parts II and III of the popular series, the DeLorean time machine was powered by the Mr. Fusion Home Energy Reactor. In the end of the first movie, we see Dr. Emmett Brown putting a banana peel, beer (and the can), and other waste products into the Mr. Fusion unit, and in turn, suggesting that the car's flux capacitor is run on biomass energy. Another interesting tidbit is that the cool DeLorean car that was featured in the series is actually being made in real life as an electric vehicle.

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Working here at the Department of Energy, I hear a lot about the latest efforts to design and build vehicles for a more energy-efficient future. The clean energy innovations in vehicle technologies that DOE and its partners are advancing will help American families save money at the pump—or even allow them to quit the gas pump altogether. Today, I want to highlight a few of the recent developments that will encourage drivers to be smarter consumers, help industry leaders make the cars and trucks we drive more energy efficient, and allow us to spend less of our hard-earned cash on fuel in the future. [More]

In my November 29, 2010 and my February 15, 2011 blog postings, I described some tools and strategies based on behavioral psychology that some companies and organizations are using to encourage people to use less energy and purchase clean energy. Here's another one.

I was reading an article the other day in which University of Nevada, Reno, psychologist Steven Hayes gave his explanation of why we Americans are so reluctant to adjust our thermostats. He believes our culture has conditioned us to avoid all discomfort. In other words, we believe that we should feel good all the time. [More]

Every Thanksgiving, we hear stories about an imprudent cook deep frying a turkey inside, resulting in fiery disaster. But a more humdrum risk of deep-frying is improperly disposing of the grease. Pouring it down the drain, which can clog municipal pipes and pollute local waterways, is actually illegal in many places. A better option is to have it recycled into biodiesel. Some Clean Cities coalitions, supported by the Vehicle Technologies Program in EERE, have worked with their local governments to make holiday drippings into clean fuel. [More]

On Monday, Shannon told you about biodiesel, a renewable fuel that can power a vehicle using less fuel and producing fewer greenhouse gas emissions. DOE has an Alternative Fuel Station Locator that can help drivers find the nearest fueling station to fill up their vehicles.

Would you consider driving a vehicle that can run on biodiesel? Why or why not?

Each Thursday, you have the chance to share your thoughts on a question about energy efficiency or renewable energy for consumers. Please comment with your answers, and also feel free to respond to other comments. [More]

A few weeks ago, I visited the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair in Maryland, eager to view cute barnyard animals and eat fried food. Among the flashing lights and noisy crowd, a colorful sign caught my eye. I was surprised and pleased by its message: all of the thrill rides were running on biodiesel. As a result, the ride's engines were producing fewer emissions and using less petroleum than they would using normal diesel fuel. As Clean Cities, the area I focus on in the Department of Energy's Vehicle Technologies Program, works to promote alternative transportation fuels including biodiesel, I was happy to see a community event using it. [More]