Exxon Mobil Changing Its Tune?

Fortune published this online piece, "Exxon Mobil greens up its act" today about how Exxon Mobil is trying to reach out to its critics around the issue of climate change. After years of trying to distort the science of global warming and funding think tanks that did the same, they have begun to meet with leaders of environmental groups and NGOs that deal with social issues like human rights.

The article does mention the public relations nightmare they've had to deal with due to their past behavior. Such behavior, its mentioned, helped to cause more press for their support of the think tanks over their support "for a $225 million Global Climate and Energy Project at Stanford, which is researching alternative energy and transportation fuels."

The article also points out that Exxon Mobil is probably reacting to the change in political leadership in both houses of Congress and to the leadership of some of the other Fortune 500 companies who are calling for a cap on greenhouse gas emissions.
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On the sidebar in the article, you will find a link to "What's next in energy: Vinod Khosla" (Khosla's a venture capitalist) concerning his thoughts on the future of energy (he's betting on cellulosic ethanol and solar thermal energy).