Daily Roundup

Power On: Ausra opened a solar power plant in Bakersfield, California today. Expected to generate enough power for 3,500 homes, it's a small fry compared to the 177 megawatt facility planned for 2010. MSNBC

Mass Gridlock: Americans have taken more trips on public transit this year than anytime since the Model T hit it big. Now transportation funding is on the chopping block and fares are on the rise. Will the new straphangers revert to gas guzzling? Salon

Locally Grown, DC Edition: The White House grounds cover 18 acres. What if a few of them were converted to grow food? A runner up in a contest on Vimeo.com challenges the next "eater in chief" to plant an edible landscape. Red Green and Blue

Potent Stuff: New research finds a greenhouse gas used to make flat-panel monitors and thin-film solar cells has become four times more concentrated in the atmosphere than previously thought. Uh oh. Mongabay

Mobile Home: It has six legs, runs on solar and wind power, and can creep away from a flood on any terrain. Designers say their "Walking House" prototype could offer a housing solution as sea levels rise. Daily Mail