Though Congress may have failed to pass an energy bill to reduce the nation's dependence on fossil fuels, the military isn't wasting time developing renewable energy technologies. A Marine company in Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan has become the first to take renewable technology into a battle zone, arriving last week with solar powered tents and chargers.

The military's decision was less about environmental concerns than practicality. In recent weeks, already treacherous supply routes over the Khyber Pass from Pakistan to Afghanistan have become even more fraught with danger, culminating in the attack of several NATO oil tankers on Monday. Military leaders are hoping the push toward alternative energies will save lives in the long run.

The Environmental Protection Agency has given BP 24 hours to find a less toxic chemical dispersant to break up the oil gushing from their ruined pipeline in the Gulf of Mexico. These dispersants are used to break up the crude into droplets that will sink into the water, making them more easily diluted by ocean currents and less likely to threaten shoreline ecoystems or marine life on the surface.

• Washington Takeout: Our friend in Washington, Todd Zwillich, tells us about Sen. Harry Reid's (D-Nev.) next moves for health care reform and new efforts by Congress to create jobs.
• Business Takeout: Louise Story, finance reporter for The New York Times, fact-checks a claim that some families will have to repay some of the stimulus money they received this year. 
• Environment Takeout: The New York Times' Elizabeth Rosenthal reports on the efficacy of carbon offset programs.