Every week Daily Kos diarists write dozens of environmentally related posts. Many don't get the readership they deserve. Helping improve the odds is the motivation behind the Green Diary Rescue. In the past seven years, there have been 254 of these spotlighting more than 15,467 eco-diaries. Below are categorized links and excerpts to 72 more that appeared in the past seven days. That makes for lots of good reading during the spare moments of your weekend. [Disclaimer: Inclusion of a diary in the rescue does not necessarily indicate my agreement with or endorsement of it.] |
Biomimicry scientist Janine Benyus
From Soaps to Cities, Designing From Nature Could Solve Our Biggest Challenges—by
citisven: "Imagine this assignment, says Bill McDonough in a recent TED talk: Design something that makes oxygen, sequesters carbon, converts nitrogen into ammonia, distills water, stores solar energy as fuel, builds complex sugars, creates microclimates, changes color with the seasons, and self-replicates. Sound impossible? Well, nature’s already completed this one. It’s called
a plant. And the fact that it does these things safely and efficiently is inspiring engineers and designers to reconceive the ways we manufacture such basics as soap bottles, raincoats, and wall-to-wall carpeting. Biomimicry and Cradle to Cradle, the two fields of inquiry that frame this emerging discipline, stem from the work of biologist Janine Benyus, architect William McDonough, and chemist Michael Braungart, who realized that the very models they considered key to making safer, more environmentally friendly products were sitting right before us, in the natural world. The trio wrote two pivotal books—Benyus’ Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature and McDonough and Braungart’s Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things—which laid out their beliefs and touched a nerve. 'What would nature do to design lasting and regenerative materials?' asks Benyus. 'How does a river filter fresh water and a spider manufacture resilient fiber?' Braungart, picking up on the theme, wonders: 'Why aren’t we designing buildings like trees and cities like forests?'"
New GAO Report: Federal Government Not Collecting a "Fair Return" from Drilling on Public Lands—by
Liberty Equality Fraternity and Trees: "In a report issued last week, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) criticized the continued reliance on nearly century-old policies that prevent the federal government from collecting a "fair return" from the oil and gas extraction on public lands. The U.S. government has one of the lowest return rates for federal leases, and the Department of Interior lacks clear, modernized procedures for collecting such royalties. From the Huffington Post's review:
"Without documented procedures, Interior will not have reasonable assurance that it will consistently conduct such assessments in the future and, without periodically conducting such assessments, Interior cannot know whether there is a proper balance between the attractiveness of federal leases for investment and appropriate returns for federal oil and gas resources, limiting Interior’s ability to ensure a fair return," the GAO concluded. This means that the federal government is missing out on lots of money in royalties from oil and gas operations. Last year, companies made $66 billion on the sale of oil and gas they produced from public lands, and paid $10 billion to the federal government, according to the GAO report—but it could make a lot more."
Wind power generation almost at par w Coal as Buffet spends $1 Billion on new Iowa wind generators—by
Lefty Coaster: "Wind Power has arrived at a point where it is almost competitive with Coal for generation. Warren Buffet's electrical utility is poised to spend $1 Billion on new wind turbines in Iowa. [...]
The decision by Warren Buffett’s utility company to order about $1 billion of wind turbines for projects in Iowa shows how a drop in equipment costs is making renewable energy more competitive with power from fossil fuels. Turbine prices have fallen 26 percent worldwide since the first half of 2009, bringing wind power within 5.5 percent of the cost of electricity from coal, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co., a unit of Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc., yesterday announced an order for 1,050 megawatts of Siemens AG wind turbines in the industry’s largest order to date for land-based gear. 5.5% is a relatively small premium to pay to buy sustainable green energy over dirty coal power generation. Coal is the most destructive fuel available for generating electic energy of any fossil fuel."
More rescued green diaries can be found below the fold.
Climate Chaos
50 years from now, will people remember the health care website or the effects of climate change?—by citisven: "In another powerful article just published in Rolling Stone Magazine entitled Obama and Climate Change: The Real Story, Bill McKibben makes the compelling case that the President and his Administration, to put it mildly, aren't doing enough to deal with the devastating reality of climate change. When the world looks back at the Obama years half a century from now, one doubts they'll remember the health care website; one imagines they'll study how the most powerful government on Earth reacted to the sudden, clear onset of climate change. He argues that instead of becoming a leader in weening the world off fossil fuels, the United States, while taking some positive steps like investing in green technology, better mileage standards, and stricter EPA regulations on coal-fired plants, is fueling the global warming machine. To stay within the stated goal of a maximum two-degree rise in global temperature, McKibben says that every reputable group that has looked into the question concurs that 'we'd need to leave undisturbed between two-thirds and four-fifths of the planet's reserves of coal, gas and oil.' But the President's talk does not match his actions, and that might be the biggest problem in that it gives people concerned with climate change the false hope that he's 'got this' and we can all just relax a little because he understands the gravity of the problem and is on our side."
The Climate Change Scorecard—by Dahr Jamail via TomDispatch: "I grew up planning for my future, wondering which college I would attend, what to study, and later on, where to work, which articles to write, what my next book might be, how to pay a mortgage, and which mountaineering trip I might like to take next. Now, I wonder about the future of our planet. During a recent visit with my eight-year-old niece and 10- and 12-year-old nephews, I stopped myself from asking them what they wanted to do when they grew up, or any of the future-oriented questions I used to ask myself. I did so because the reality of their generation may be that questions like where they will work could be replaced by: Where will they get their fresh water? What food will be available? And what parts of their country and the rest of the world will still be habitable? The reason, of course, is climate change—and just how bad it might be came home to me in the summer of 2010."
Ice skating on melting glaciers—by maggid: "All this holiday cheer is tempered by the sobering realization that unless we put a rapid end to the burning of fossil fuels in the next few years, the planet's climate and ecosystems will be thrown out of whack for thousands of years, most known species will go extinct, and most people alive will die over the rest of this century. All this prosperity I have told you about is largely driven by one industry, which nowadays calls itself the energy industry a/k/a the oil and gas industry a/k/a the global warming industry. Remember the those two generous corporate sponsors mentioned above, Devon and Chesapeake? That's Devon Energy and Chesapeake Energy, the two largest private employers in town. Those jobs pay well, and those prosperous employees contribute billions to the local economy."
Disease is spreading due to Climate Change—by Pakalolo: "Climate Diseases such as West Nile virus, Cholera and Lyme disease are spreading rapidly to Europe and North America due to an increased temperature range where mice, mosquitoes and ticks can thrive. [...] Various germs, insects and parasites may find the coming years a time to live longer and prosper. Rising temperatures are changing environments and removing some of their natural impediments. For example, in the SW USA the soil carries a fungus named Coccidioides. In dry months the wind stirs up dust which can be breathed in by humans, dogs, cats as well as other animals. According the CDC, reported cases of this disease have increased tenfold from 1998 to 2011. Once inhaled the fungus can cause Valley Fever. Most people infected do not show symptoms. But for those who do, it can mean blindness, skin abscesses, lung failure and even death."
Extreme Weather
Photo Diary: Super Typhoon Yolanda's fury still evident on Busunga Island one month later—by Lefty Coaster: "One of Busunga and Coron Town biggest tourist attractions is the fabulous coral gardens around nearby Coron Island (a National Park). Now after Yolanda's fury they're more like coral clear cuts. One boat guide said they may take several years to recover."
Typhoon damage in Busunga
Food, Agriculture & Gardening
Macca's Meatless Monday: It's so easy to be part of the solution to climate change—by VL Baker: "Not only is it easy to become a part of the solution to climate change but it can be fun! Today I'm sharing some recipes that are fun to prepare and serve. Your friends and family will appreciate your effort to prepare an Earth friendly meal which includes a little humor. [...] Before we get to the fun we gotta get rid of the winter cold that so many of us caught with the blast of cold weather this past weekend. For me, having a winter cold brings back thoughts of Mom's noodle soup; usually from the red and white can. Trouble is nowadays it's scary to think of eating chicken, much less a can of processed crap from who knows where. So below I have an Earth friendly, healthy, delicious alternative to those childhood comfort memories."
Food Safety rules to get a second look—by 43north: "The National Organic Program (NOP) has manure-use standards which have proven safe and successful. Same for rotational grazing, followed by crop planting. The NOP has a working standard. The FSMA rule was to completely discourage the use of organic and manure-based fertilizers. Petrochemicals are good, trust us. We're Concerned Moms, we know. My BABY deserves to eat clean food that I shouldn't have to wash. THINK of THE CHILDREN!! Well, Congress bought that. Or was paid to bought that. Someone with a background in soil science and conservation has obviously bent Mr. Taylor's ear, and he's bucking the 'all chemicals are good chemicals' mantra. I hope you Kossacks will lend your support to this much-needed revision."
Saturday Morning Garden Blogging Vol. 9.44—by Frankenoid: "Welcome to Saturday Morning Garden Blogging. We did another of those weird Denver weather turnarounds this week. On Wednesday, December 18, we hit a record high of 68°; yesterday the high was 22° and a few lazy snow flakes were floating around. We'll have cold and bits of snow through mid-week — indeed, may even have falling snow for Christmas Eve and morning. And at 10:11 a.m. MST today is the Winter Solstice — a reason for the season. Well, actually, you know, the season itself. Like, WINTER. And isn't that the greatest gift of all — that we're heading towards spring, rather than towards winter?"
Energy & Conservation
51 US Navy Sailors Sickened 3 Years After Participating in Fukushima Rescue Effort—by sangemon: "I am just going to get a a quick diary up on this because I have not seen it reported on anywhere else. From Aljazeera: Fifty-one crew members of the USS Ronald Reagan say they are suffering from a variety of cancers as a direct result of their involvement in Operation Tomodachi, a U.S. rescue mission in Fukushima after the nuclear disaster in March 2011. The affected sailors are suing Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), alleging that the utility mishandled the crisis and did not adequately warn the crew of the risk of participating in the earthquake relief efforts. There is a conspicuous media blackout on news about Fukushima and what is going on there, and solutions to the slow motion disaster that is taking place in Japan are not being discussed anywhere."
Stopping the Radioactive Leaks at Fukushima—by Rich Lyles: "My credentials are limited to a fundamental knowledge of Transition Metal Chemistry, some Thermodynamics, and Electrical Engineering. Estimates are that it will take 40 years to decommission these reactors. Efforts are underway to stop the leakage of contaminated water to the ground and the ocean nearby. Mainly, an array of coolant pipes extending 100ft down and a mile in circumference around the plant are under construction to create an ice-dam to contain further radioactive water leakage. If the ice dam works to contain further leakage, then the slower more pragmatic approach they have in mind is probably the best way to go. However, if this plan fails then it might be worth considering a roll of the dice on an alternative approach with at least one of these reactors. The following idea has inherent risks that may not be worthwhile if leakage of contaminated water can be substantially slowed."
Los Angeles first major city to require 'cool roofs'—by VL Baker: "Think Progress is reporting that this week the Los Angeles City Council unanimously passed a building code update that will require all new and refurbished homes to have cool roofs, which use sunlight-reflecting materials. Los Angeles is the first major city to require such a measure. The resolution was pushed by Climate Resolve, a local organization which works throughout Southern California to prepare the region for the impacts of climate change. According to the Climate Resolve press release, cool roofs, 'can be more than 50°F cooler on the surface of the roof during a hot summer day and can cool the interiors of buildings by several degrees Fahrenheit, reducing chances of heat-related injuries or deaths.' 'Cool roofs are a win-win-win for the people of Los Angeles,' said Jonathan Parfrey, Executive Director of Climate Resolve. 'Keeping temperatures down on Extreme Heat Days will protect lives; energy efficiency will save millions of dollars; and cool roofs will help Los Angeles combat global climate change at the local level.'"
Renewables
EIA Renewable Energy Forecast Isn't Just Wrong, It's Wildly, Laughably Too Low—by lowkell: "I hate to criticize the federal agency I worked at for 17+ years, especially since the Energy Information Administration (EIA) does great work in many areas (e.g., data collection, energy market and oil supply disruption analysis). But when it comes to long-term energy forecasting (whether we're talking prices, production, consumption, imports, whatever), I'm sorry to say, EIA has been not just wrong, time and time again, but laughably, outrageously wrong. And, sadly, their latest Annual Energy Outlook (the AEO - with 'forecasts,' using the word VERY loosely, out to 2040) continues that abysmal tradition. More on the AEO shortly. But first, let's review EIA's track record on long-term forecasting, from a recent article by Old Dominion University Professor Steve Yetiv and me in the Journal of Energy Security."
Response to Buffet's Investment in Wind Power—by Edward L Cote: "If some genius invents a small efficient windmill that can simply be stuck on top of each power pole and pipe directly into the grid, well that might be game over for Big Coal right there. Noise? Any worse than the highway that's like five feet away? Land use? What land use? Eyesore? Dude, it's a power pole, not a marble statue. Seriously, problem solved, that simple. But we can't just make the investment to figure out how to do it. Weren't we problem solvers at one point? Man on the moon and all that? Ugh."
Fracking
PA Supreme Court Rules Major Provisions of Fracking Law are Unconstitutional—by ericlewis0: "The Pennsylvania Supreme Court today declared unconstitutional major provisions of the state’s Marcellus Shale drilling law, Act 13, including one that allowed gas companies to drill anywhere, overriding local zoning laws.
The court’s decision, on a 4-2 vote, also sent back to Commonwealth Court challenges by townships and individuals to the Act 13 provisions that would have prevented doctors from telling patients about health impacts related to shale gas development."
Give the "wonderful gift" of fracking to China, says new report—by JesseC: "Richard Muller, an University of California Berkeley physicist known for renouncing hisclimate change 'skepticism,' has recently released a report that positions fracking as a cure for air pollution concerns, especially in China. The report claims that shale gas, accessed by the fracking process, is a “Wonderful gift that has arrived right on time.” The report comes as Muller, along with co-author and daughter Elizabeth, are starting a new venture called the China Shale Fund, which seeks to promote shale drilling and fracking in China. The third member of China Shale Fund is Marlan Downey, a longtime Shell executive who specializes in opening up oil and gas operations in developing countries. Downey currently serves on the board of Roxana, a shale gas drilling company and Berkeley Earth, the nonprofit by whom Richard and Elizabeth Muller are currently employed. Through his connections with Downey, Richard Muller has made several trips to meet with Shell in Texas, and has visited Shell’s drilling sites in China."
New "Frackademia" Report Co-Written by "Converted Climate Skeptic" Richard Muller—by Steve Horn: "The conservative UK-based Centre for Policy Studies recently published a study on the climate change impacts of hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) for shale gas. The skinny: it’s yet another case study of 'frackademia,' and the co-authors have a financial stake in the upstart Chinese fracking industry. Titled 'Why Every Serious Environmentalist Should Favour Fracking' and co-authored by Richard Muller and his daughter Elizabeth 'Liz' Muller, it concludes that fracking’s climate change impacts are benign, dismissing many scientific studies coming to contrary conclusions. [...] This isn’t the first time Liz Muller has unapologetically sung the praises of fracking and promoted bringing the practice to China. In April, she penned an op-ed in The New York Times titled, 'China Must Exploit Its Shale Gas.'"
Keystone and Other Fossil Fuel Transportation
Dollarocracy: U.S. Congressmen Refuse to Address Keystone XL Southern Half Spill Concerns—by Steve Horn: "What's the U.S. congressional response to the safety issues with the 485-mile southern half of TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline raised by Public Citizen's Texas office? Mostly what Simon & Garfunkel called "The Sound of Silence" in their famous song. DeSmogBlog contacted more than three dozen members of the U.S. Congress representing both political parties to get their take on Public Citizen's alarming findings in its November investigation (including dents, metal that had to be patched up and pipeline segments labeled "junk"), but got little in the way of substantive responses. Set to open for business on January 22, approved via an Executive Order by President Barack Obama in March 2012 and rebranded the 'Gulf Coast Pipeline Project' by TransCanada, the southern half of the pipeline has garnered far less media coverage than its U.S.-Canada border-crossing brother to the north, Keystone XL's northern half."
Keystone XL Fork in the Road: TransCanada’s Houston Lateral Pipeline—by Steve Horn: "Only Barack Obama knows the fate of the northern half of TransCanada’s Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. But in the meantime, TransCanada is preparing the southern half of the line to open for commercial operations on January 22. Yet, there’s a fork in this controversial pipeline system that has largely flown under the radar: TransCanada’s Houston Lateral Pipeline, which serves as a literal fork in the road of the southern half of Keystone XL’s route to Gulf Coast refineries. Rebranded the 'Gulf Coast Pipeline' by TransCanada, the 485-mile southern half of Keystone XL brings a blend of Alberta’s tar sands crude, along with oil obtained via hydraulic fracturing ('fracking') from North Dakota’s Bakken Shale basin, to refineries in Port Arthur, Texas. This area has been coined a “sacrifice zone” by investigative journalist Ted Genoways, describing the impacts on local communities as the tar sands crude is refined mainly for export markets. But not all tar sands and fracked oil roads lead to Port Arthur. That’s where the Houston Lateral comes into play. A pipeline oriented westward from Liberty County, TX rather than eastward to Port Arthur, Houston Lateral ushers crude oil to Houston’s refinery row."
Keystone contractor gives us 5 more reasons they have a conflict of interest—by RossHammond: "Politico just broke a big story. Environmental Resources Management, the firm hired by the State Department to do the environmental review of the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, is a member of five oil industry booster groups that have advocated for the approval of the pipeline and spent millions to lobby for its approval. The groups include the American Petroleum Institute, American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, and the Western Energy Alliance, all of whom signed a letter to Congress calling for approval of the pipeline. API has spent upwards of $16 million lobbying for the pipeline since 2011, not a small sum by any standard. These latest revelations should be the final nail in the coffin for the State Department’s flawed review which had already come under fire from the EPA and environmental groups for downplaying the climate impacts of the pipeline. Add theongoing inspector general inquiry into ERM’s conflicts of interest which was launched in August, and it’s clear that Secretary Kerry and President Obama should scrap ERM’s environmental review and start anew."
Hot Rails To Hell, Pipelines To Perdition—by joe shikspack: "Do you live near a railroad line? How about a pipeline? You might want to check into your proximity to those things. Because America is the new Saudi Arabia, soon to be the world's number one oil producer, the infrastructure that used to carry our energy products around is straining to meet the demand created by the new production. This pressure is translating into pipeline accidents which are shockingly destructive. There are on average 1.6 pipeline accidents a day in the US, and the rate of pipeline accidents in Canada has doubled in the past decade. There are also rail disasters, like the recent Lac Megantic rail tanker explosion which killed 47 people and devastated a small town and the recent explosion in rural Alabama when a train carrying 2.7 million gallons of North Dakota crude oil derailed and exploded, sending up 300 foot flames."
Break in XL-Pipeline supporters—by afisher: "Keystone XL pipeline loses support from U.S. customer. The article details the comments from Harold Hamm, CEO of Continental Resources. [...] Oil companies have been strong advocates of Keystone in order to help alleviate oil supply bottlenecks, but Hamm's remarks raise the question of whether regulatory delays have eroded the industry's enthusiasm for the line, which has faced aggressive resistance from environmentalists. When asked whether Keystone XL is still needed, Hamm said 'not for our Bakken (crude). And is it needed for the industry? I don't think so ... not in the U.S.'"
Eco-Related DC & State Politics
6 Senators and 15 Representatives Want Answers from USTR Froman about His Tar Sands Lobbying—by Liberty Equality Fraternity and Trees: "USTR Michael Froman, whose confirmation Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren opposed because of his lack of transparency, has been purportedly lobbying the EU to accept North American tar sands. As part of its plan for emissions reduction, the EU adopted a Fuel Quality Directive, which requires a 6 percent reduction in emissions from transportation fuels like gasoline and diesel by 2020. In order to put this into practice, the EU is considering a proposal to assign different values to fuels based on their emissions. Bitumen, the oil extracted from tar sands, has 12 to 40 percent higher life-cycle emissions than standard crude oil. The Keystone XL pipeline has not yet been approved, but if it is approved, it will need an export market. And that's what Froman is trying to create. In response, a group of 21 Democrats--6 senators and 15 representatives--led by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Rep. Henry Waxman (CA-33) have sent a letter to USTR Froman expressing concerns that his actions are directly undercutting the goals expressed in the President's Climate Action Plan."
Ed Markey and 23 Other Senators Push for Extension of Clean Energy Tax Incentives—by Liberty Equality Fraternity and Trees: "The budget deal crafted by Patty Murray and Paul Ryan puts the 1.3 million long-term unemployed Americans in a state of limbo as their benefits will get cut with the new year and Democrats are only making tepid promises to rectify the situation in later months. The casualties of the budget deal also include a number of clean energy tax incentives. The Renewable Electricity Production Tax Credit (PTC) and Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which were extended through the "fiscal cliff" deal in January, will expire at the end of the year. Tax credits for hybrid trucks and energy efficient homes and appliances will also expire. Yesterday, Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) led a group of 23 other senators in calling for an extension of these tax incentives. Frankly, I don't see the extension as likely considering that Patty Murray didn't care enough to push for it in budget negotiations and the whole idea of "tax reform" was stillborn from the start (and often misguided). Markey and his colleagues could also have pushed for the extension as an amendment to the budget deal or, more forcefully, have threatened to vote against it if the provisions are not included. Nevertheless, I'm happy that these senators are calling attention to the issue."
Christie's Jersey: Blacks, Latinos disproportionately rejected for hurricane Sandy relief—by VL Baker: "The cherry on the top of Chris Christie's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week is the news that New Jersey has disproportionately rejected Black and Latinos for hurricane Sandy aid. [...] Some of those rejected might be explained by the fact that many are renters, and renters don't usually have insurance and minorities typically represent a higher proportion of renters. But it’s impossible to tell from the data provided by the state. The state released the information as part of litigation in late November, followed by several weeks of analysis by the Fair Share Housing Center."
The Great Outdoors
The Daily Bucket - Hello! Glad to finally meet you—by bwren: "Seattle. December 19, 2013. Rain came again this week, not a lot, just enough to quiet the autumn layer of fallen leaves as we make our way through the Forest. I am content just walking in the damp, letting Bill-the-Dog lead me. He stops again and again and again, devouring the earth with his nose. The newly thawed duff must have released a delight of aromas, though I cannot comprehend them. We meander, down by the now defunct hatchery and then up onto one of the most hidden trails. There is a log up this path where I like to sit in a still way. It's a good destination. The trail is steep at first, levels as it cuts around an old Doug Fir then opens for a bit, just wet Salal and Sword Fern brushing my legs. I am glad to have pulled out my rain boots, rubber up to my knees. Bill moves ahead of me, following his nose. A shadow breaks from the lowest branches of a young Cedar as he passes underneath. Owl. This trail belongs to the southern pair of Barred Owls. I found the remains of their eggs nearby one spring, and watched one of them hunt here earlier this year, but have not seen either of them since this year's kids moved on."
i freeze my a❄❄ off so you don't have to—by blueyedace2:
Climbing Ben Nevis in the Scottish Highlands—by
BobboSphere: "As mountain ranges go, the Scottish Highlands are not very high. None of its mountains top more than 4409 ft (1344m). In contrast Mt. Mitchell in the Southern Appalachians is 6,684 feet (2,037m). Denali in Alaska is 20,320 feet (6,194m) and Everest in Nepal is 29,029 (8,848m). Yet because of its northern location and ferocity of its weather, the Scottish Highlands is a center for training Everest-bound mountaineers. I had come to Scotland with Estelle Carol to see the land where some of my extended family still live. And to climb Ben Nevis. As a young boy I was made aware of my Scottish ancestry in a general way and had developed a sense of what it should mean to be Scottish-American."
Daily Bucket--Outsmarted by Trees—by
6412093: "I live in a 60-year-old suburb in northwest Oregon. The developer actually did a little planning. There are many large trees there of similar species, often smartly planted in the far corners of the lots, away from the houses. Since I spend many hours looking out my windows or over my fence at these trees, I decided to identify the species of the largest, nearest trees.
This turned out danged hard to do. [For instance, on the left is a redwood: Then what's in the photo on the right]? They're both redwoods. The [lfet] one is a coastal redwood, that grows as a native in the fog belt along the Pacific Coast from about Santa Barbara to the California/Oregon state line. The second photo is a Sequoia Redwood, native to the Yosemite Park region. Yet they both grow in my neighborhood 100 yards apart, although they probably grow at least 100 miles apart in nature. And this is the easier example."
Tropical waters...Celebration of light (photodiary)—by OceanDiver: "Winter Solstice is a time to celebrate the return of the light. In northern latitudes, our days have been getting very short and the angle of the sun very low. I thought this would be a good day to share some bright colorful tropical light, bejeweled by water. Bathe yourself in warmth and sensual watery colors. Some background: After I first began seeing the beautiful images created by the reflection and refraction of nearby features by water (some of which I posted in this earlier diary), I've been carrying a camera whenever I'm on the water - at the ready for ephemeral moments of beautiful water movement and sunlight. My first attempt in the tropics was in 2010, on a dive trip to Roatan, Honduras. These are some photos from that trip. In future I'll post some photos of subsequent trips to the tropics and also some from local waters where I live in the Salish Sea. How do I take these photos? Straight down into the water. On dive trips, I go out to the dive sites on a boat. Usually the water looks like this as you're cruising along: pretty, but it's only the surface of the water you see, not the depths."
The Daily Bucket: Late Fall or Early Spring?—by PHScott: "So despite the winter storm approaching from the west, the rain held off long enough for us to go out on a volunteer workday and pull invasive plants along the slopes and floodplain of the Apalachicola River where it crosses the Georgia border on its short run to the Gulf of Mexico. Someone new, Ms Diana, has taken over the organizing duties but still there were 5 of us today. A small group but I am sure she will add more volunteers as we go along. We filled 7 big bags with mostly coral ardisa, some nandina, and a few privet seedlings. A lot more got pulled and piled too but for sure the red berries got bagged and hauled away. Ok, that's where we were, here is what I saw. First off is a small yellow aster, a holdover from fall that should have bloomed and gone to seed 2 months ago. Apparently down in the shady floodplain, time goes slower."
Critters
Insects—by Desert Scientist: "I have spent a considerable amount of my time over the years studying the largest known class of living things, insects. My interests have ranged from dragonflies to beetles and from butterflies to wasps, bees and ants. Although my major research was in an allied arthropod class, arachnids (primarily spiders,) I earned my living primarily through my work with six-legged critters. [...] Insects seem foreign, even otherworldly, to many if not most people. However one could argue that we, ourselves, are among the strangest of potential aliens of all. Life on our planet ranges from super tiny viruses (which some would argue are not living in a "normal" sense,) through amoebae, bacteria, archaea, fungi, vascular plants, sponges, cnidarians, worms of several phyla, mollusks, arthropods (including insects, spiders, crustaceans, and others) echinoderms, and vertebrates, including us. If we were honest we would see these varied life forms as really strange products of a very strange history on the most remarkable planet in our system. Insects are just one manifestation of the basic weirdness of the planet and of the universe. That they seem alien to us is an artifact of our rather provincial views. Perhaps they should be considered as more typical of life on earth than the vertebrates, especially since they outnumber these both in individuals and species."
Sunday Shutterbugs: South Africa Photo Diary, Kruger Park—by
Lenny Flank: "Kruger is the premiere wildlife park in South Africa. I was lucky enough to spend five days there, staying at the Skukuza Camp and the Lower Sabie Camp. I was also fortunate enough to see all of the Big Five of Africa—lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and Cape buffalo, as well as many other species. Seeing elephants or giraffe in a zoo is one thing—seeing a herd crossing the African veldt at sunset is an entirely different thing. I may be spoiled for zoos forever. :) I was taught two simple rules for wildlife photography, many years ago by a photography teacher who was also a sometime pro wildlife photographer. Those rules are: 1. Get as close as you possibly can--then get closer. and 2. Always include your subject's eyes--they are what brings the photo to life."
Daily Bucket: Sawgrass Lake Wildlife Refuge—by Lenny Flank: "Pinellas County, Florida, which contains the city of St Petersburg, is the most densely populated area in the state. But even here, we have islands of green in our sea of cement. Last week I spent the day in Sawgrass Lake Wildlife Refuge, in the middle of St Pete. Here are some photos."
Florida softshell turtle
Dawn Chorus: Baby, it's cold outside!—by
tgypsy: "Watching birds on this trip got me wondering about why and how birds' feet and legs don't freeze when they are exposed to sub-freezing temperatures for days on end. Geese, ducks, and Sandhill Cranes even stand or float in water for extended periods of time, especially at night, to avoid predators. Makes my feet ache just thinking about it! Googling a bit, I discovered the term 'rete mirabile,' Latin for "wonderful net." Both terms sound a little magical to me—sort of like birds standing in a near-frozen pond all night and not ending up with icicles to stand on. [...] We spent two and a half days at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, near Socorro, New Mexico. Large numbers of both Sandhill Cranes (mostly Rocky Mountain population of greater Sandhill Cranes) and Snow/Ross's Geese overwinter here so November is wonderful time to visit—just bring lots of layers for the cold. There's a pond near the entrance to the NWR where Cranes spend the night to avoid coyotes and other predators. The first morning, we arrived before sunrise to watch them fly out to nearby cornfields to graze during the day. The flock included crane families like this one."
Sandhill cranes
The Daily Bucket - Salmon Habitat Restoration Continued: Squalicum Creek—by
RonK: "Squalicum Creek drains 22 square miles of multi-use land, starting in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. On its 9.7 mile journey before emptying into Bellingham Bay, it runs through forest, farms, light industrial areas, residential areas, by shopping malls and their parking lots, and along and under highways. It currently supports Pink (humpy), Chum (Keta) and Coho (silver) salmon along with a population of resident and sea-run cutthroat trout. Chinook (king) and Sockeye (red) salmon, and the occasional steelhead trout are found in the creek as well. The state of this creek as a viable salmon habitat is a harbinger of our area's environmental future. As goes the health of Squalicum Creek (and hundreds of similar streams), so goes the health of 62 different species that inhabit the creek's watershed including 36 types of birds, 6 fish, 3 amphibian, and 2 reptile species. And of course
homo sapiens, who, although an invasive species have become part of this ecosystem as well. The habitat is clearly worth saving for all concerned."
What about the Elephants? Maybe something!—by sherman54: "If I had a million dollars I would initiate a North American education project for all school children that focused on wildlife awareness and protection, starting with E for extinction, and followed by E for elephants, and followed by all the beautiful and wonderful creatures that we have been so careless about in today's world. (to say nothing of our sad and shameful historical deeds.) I understand that it is part of the natural order that species succumb to natural selection and thousands of species have become extinct since man has walked the earth, … the operative word here is 'natural.' Elephants are losing the war, we can affect this if we act now. The first thing we must do is to stay on top of the story and to know the facts. Then we can spread the word and invoke response and action in others. That is what I hope I can do here. The lack of awareness is crushing in the face of the facts before us."
The Daily Bucket: Whitewater Draw Wildlife—by
AZ Sphinx Moth: "Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area. Sulphur Springs Valley, Cochise County, AZ. Dec. 18, 2013. Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area is one of Cochise County's premier birding sites and one of my favorite spots to see wildlife that I'm not likely to see in my backyard. I've been making the 40 minute trip at least once for each season. I had such an unexpectedly fine outing that I thought it might be of interest to the good folks here. Follow me over the orange tumbleweed to see some more photos of the evening. We set out late in the afternoon on an overcast day. To reach the wildlife refuge, we turn on Central Highway, the road I affectionately refer to as raptor road. Sure enough, three hawks were perched on telephone poles. I believe all of them were Red-tailed hawks. You might be wondering if it is a windup toy. I assure you the wire loop is a part of the telephone pole."
Bird Count—by crose: "The local Audobon Christmas bird count is going on today. My neighbor and his counting partner just stopped to scope the hollow snag where a screech owl often shelters. If they had been through ealier, they would have seen 37 honks and Mr. and Mrs. Woodeagle drift by, heading into the light breeze. Now there are mountain dees and black-jacks, white-breasted and red-breasted hatchets, a female chitterabob, and about 3 dozen featherbrains, plus any number of Harrisburgs, redbobs, tree-flutes and redhammers. Translation? Obviously honks = Canada geese (high-honks are snow geese). Woodward and Wilhelmina Woodeagle are the bald eagle pair who have made their families for 5 years at the woods/pasture interface. Black-jacks are chickadees, hatchets are nuthatches, the chitterabob is a kingfisher, featherbrains are red-headed merganzers, Harrisburgs are Harris's sparrows, redbobs are hoary redpolls; tree-flutes = tree sparrows and redhammers = common flickers. These are the nicknames I and, when they were still alive, my folks made up to call the visitors to the feeders and other flying denizens of the place."
The Daily Bucket: fine sandy tracks—by OceanDiver: "All the reports I've been hearing from snowy parts of the country - and the pictures of animal tracks in snow - got me to thinking about the tracks I see around here, the decidedly non-snowy Pacific Northwest. There aren't many places to see tracks very well, but the best track material is damp fine sand freshly cleaned by the latest tide. A nearby beach is one of the few places on my island with those conditions. [...] River otters are back and forth between the shore and the water a lot on this beach, sometimes singly but more often in a group. I think these are otter tracks."
Otter tracks?
breaking: SeaWorld just lost .38 Special—by
foxfire burns: "It's all over for SeaWorld. They just lost their 8th of 10 concerts for 2014. On their Facebook page, .38 Special made the following announcement today:
'Due to concerns raised by the CNN documentary "Blackfish," 38 Special will be canceling its scheduled March 9th concert at Seaworld. We appreciate the outpouring of support and especially apologize to our Orlando fans. We will try and schedule another performance in your area in the near future. The band wishes everyone a happy holiday season and look forward to seeing you all again in 2014.' Blackfish, if you haven't seen it, is a wonderful documentary about the incident at SeaWorld in which an orca killed a trainer. SeaWorld lied to the public, blaming the trainer, but the truth is SeaWorld hires trainers who have little knowledge of animal behavior, SeaWorld gives them little training before putting them in a very dangerous situation, and then SeaWorld blames these trainers when they get killed. SeaWorld is as much a labor issue as an animal rights issue. It's great to see the corporation exposed and to see the public reacting like this."
You don't want to know about your new down jacket—by ban nock: "Because it's not pretty. I don't know why we have to hear this kind of thing, I'd of been much better off ignorant. Digg sends me this email every day or so. Interesting stories or something. Today it was about down, they pluck the geese live, hurts like hell. I'm no softy, I shoot animals, we slaughter chickens, but I make an effort to not have animals suffer needlessly. Supposedly taking the down off the goose alive gives better quality down. Not sure what the deal is. I used to get cheap sleeping bags that said 'duck down with some feathers' worked fine. Maybe some lower quality down would be ok. I guess after the birds are slaughtered the down isn't as good. I'd think just a little bit less than perfect would still be ok."
Daily Bucket--Important Bird Feeder Consumer Warning—by 6412093: "This is an official draft advisory from the Consumer Production Safety Commission regarding safe operations of bird feeders and related accoutrements. This advisory will not be final until a public comment period of 30 days is completed, which will start upon publication in the Federal Register. DO NOT STORE YOUR BIRD SEED OUTSIDE. If you do store bird seed outside, the CPSC recommends a container with 1/2 inch thick steel plate sides. This will slow down a squirrel for approximately one hour. HANG YOUR SUET CAGE HIGHER THAN AN IRISH SETTER CAN JUMP. The CPSC recommends a height of at least ten feet. If bored, an Irish Setter may eventually figure out how to climb a tree, so take that factor into account."
Water
Diverting water in a desperate drought—by RLMiller: "California is facing a desperate situation: the state is likely to close out the year as the driest on record, forecasters see no relief in sight, and Republican leaders in Kern County are begging Democratic President Barack Obama and Governor Jerry Brown to declare a drought. The state Department of Water Resources has named a Drought Management Team (pdf). The State Water Project is providing water agencies 5% - five percent, not a typo - of their requested allocations (pdf). It's only going to get worse. California's fish and farmers will now have to fight with another force: frackers. Last fall, the state passed SB4, a mild disclosure bill requiring frackers to tell us how much water they're using and where they're getting it from. Disclosures have begun to trickle in. I decided to investigate: where is the water coming from and how much?"
California's Dark Connections between Marine 'Protection' and Delta Destruction—by Dan Bacher: "The privately-funded Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative and the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) to build the peripheral tunnels at first may appear to be entirely different processes. [...] However, in spite of some superficial differences, the two processes are united by their leadership, funding, greenwashing goals, racism and denial of tribal rights, junk science and numerous conflicts of interest. When people educate themselves on the links between the two processes, I believe they can more effectively wage a successful campaign against the twin tunnels."
Water ratepayers protest ‘twin tunnel tax’ at L.A. City Hall—by Dan Bacher: "One of the biggest myths about the fight over Governor Jerry Brown's plan to build the twin tunnels under the Delta is that it is a conflict between northern California and Southern California. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. The conflict over the two gigantic twin tunnels is not between northern California and southern California, but instead between the great majority of Californians, both north and south, who oppose the tunnels versus corporate agribusiness interests, developers, water privateers and corporate-backed politicians who support the project."
Governor Brown's Bay Delta Conservation Plan Point Man Resigns—by Dan Bacher: "Jerry Meral, Deputy Secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency and Jerry Brown's point man for the Bay Delta Conservation Plan to build the peripheral tunnels, announced his retirement from 'state service,' effective December 31. The resignation was announced the day after over 400 people, including fishermen, Tribal leaders, farmers, Southern California water ratepayers, and environmentalists rallied at the state capitol against the proposed water export tunnels. [...] Deputy Director Meral became the focus of a huge controversy this spring when he acknowledged on April 15 that 'BDCP is not about, and has never been about saving the Delta. The Delta cannot be saved.'"
Water Conservation And Waterless Urinals: Could They Save Us—by Save the Environment: "We need to stop seeing water conservation as a minor or uninteresting point of environmentalism and instead as a big problem interconnected with other big environmental problems. The solutions to this problem are well worth keeping in mind and talking about. Waterless urinals work with a lighter-than-water liquid inside a cartridge. The sealant liquid works like a seal that automatically closes after urination because the sealant liquid is lighter than the urine. The sealant floats above the urine. A graphic on Wired online says that regular urinals use less water per flush than either traditional or low-flow toilets, but that waterless urinals use no water or almost no water. According to waterless.com a waterless urinal saves an average of 20,000 to 45,000 gallons of water a year."
Water Conservation Part 2—by Save The Environment: "In two or three places recently, I’ve read that clothes that don’t have to be washed are in development, and even a couple such shirts are on the market for $30-$40. The secret is coatings that cause dirt and germs to slide off, similar to coatings that waterproof cell phones. Supposedly they’ve already made a pair of boots that can’t get muddy. If clothing that you don’t have to wash does come to market, just think of how beneficial that will be because people won’t be running their washing machines and drying machines anymore or at least as much (if the technology works for clothes, though, why not for linens, too?)—think of how much energy those mush use, with how often we have to use them, and how they produce kinetic energy for such a long cycle."
Hey man, why don't we just get everybody the adjustable flapper?—by Save the Environment: "If you want to do something that especially makes you feel like a true hippy or true environmentalist or what have you, just start the project on your own, or with a few friends. It's easy to check is someone has a low-flow toilet already (and therefore doesn't need the flapper), whether they know what they have or not, by just giving their toilet a flush and seeing what the flush looks like. You can start out giving them to friends in your area, then by going door to door for 20 or 30 minutes in your community every week or two. You can also try soliciting donations, including from people you gave a flapper to who seemed especially appreciative (remember to offer to install it, too). After a little while you can try getting a municipality or other group, like a fraternal group, etc., to sponsor or take over your efforts. You will have some positive experience to tell them about instead of just some idea you're telling them they should do."
Eco-Activism & Eco-Justice
Fighting Big Energy and the Koch Brothers—by Im a frayed knot: "The energy companies claim to be in favor of conservation and the environment, but they want to do it on their terms. Their terms include maintaining obscene profits, controlling the pace of change (or stopping it altogether), and controlling the people where it they can truly be controlled. Their terms include other types of violence against our environment in the form of fracking, sacrificing the purity of our water for breathable air. This is not a necessary tradeoff. The energy companies want to limit the growth of this type of energy until they are able to capture the market and impose fees, taxes, as it were, on all the people. Their goal is to maintain control and money in the hands of a few. Alternative energy practices put the control and money in the hands of the many."
Sustainability
Super-consumer Crap Accumulators—by John Crapper: "Scary facts: Self-storage is primarily an American invention. In 2010, self-storage was a $20 billion industry and has been the fastest growing segment of commercial real estate over the last 35 years. Nearly 1 in 10 households use a self-storage unit – an increase of 65% over the past 15 years. A billion square feet of storage facilities was built between 1998-2005. More recently a whole new industry has sprung up to provide storage solutions that allow you to store more crap in smaller spaces. There is even a whole store dedicated to your storage needs. It is rightfully called The Container Store. We've got to start saving our shit and stop buying all this crap we end up storing. We need to break this circle of ass-backward crap accumulating super-consuming behavior! This is essential for our pocketbooks and our environment!"
Creating green cities—by Save the Environment: "When we think of creating green cities, we most likely think of science magazine articles and Internet videos we’ve seen about new or planned buildings that incorporate a lot of impressive new green technologies—maybe a Songdo, South Korea. But here are a couple of suggestions that could make cities a lot greener a lot quicker than rebuilding or refurbishing all the buildings from top to bottom: 1) Start requiring city buildings to go green in more way than they have already (such as changing plumbing codes to require low-flow fixtures) [...] 2) Start exempting hybrids and electric cars from highway tolls and tolls to enter cities and city centers."
Creating green cities part 2—by Save the Environment: "Last night I wrote about creating green cities in ways that are more accomplishable and down-to-earth than what we often may think of-- ways that are calling out for some grassroots activism. Here are a few things I forgot to mention."
Pollution, Hazardous Wastes & Trash
Five Years After Tragic Disaster in Tennessee, Still No Coal Ash Safeguards—by Mary Anne Hitt: "This coming Sunday, Dec. 22, marks five years since the Kingston Coal Plant's ash dam in Tennessee ruptured, sending more than a billion gallons of toxic sludge into homes, onto farmland, and into the Emory and Clinch Rivers in Roane County - one of the biggest environmental disaster in U.S. history. Five years later, we're still waiting—and pushing—for the Environmental Protection Agency to put in place long-overdue protections to prevent more coal ash disasters. We saw the photos of huge 'ash-bergs' in the rivers, of homes decked out with Christmas wreaths buried in toxic coal ash up to their eaves, and of trees and farmland covered in disgusting, dangerous sludge. In the disaster, Americans saw first-hand the consequences of allowing state regulators that lack the will and ability to protect communities, to handle the complex issue of ensuring coal ash pollution is kept in check. We thought this tragedy would be the final straw and that national safeguards to protect Americans from this coal ash would surely follow. Sadly, we were mistaken."
BP and Chevron are accused of dumping toxic radioactive waste into the swamps of Louisiana—by Pakalolo: "Think Progress reports that BP and Chevron have been illegally dumping toxic waste, including radioactive waste, into the waters of Louisiana. The Louisiana parish of Plaquemines is taking on a group of oil and gas giants including BP and Chevron for allegedly dumping toxic waste — some of it radioactive — from their drilling operations into its coastal waters, according to a lawsuit removed to federal court on Thursday. Plaquemines Parish is claiming the companies violated the Louisiana State and Local Coastal Resources Management Act of 1978 by discharging oil field waste directly into the water 'without limitation.' Worse, the companies allegedly failed to clear, revegetate, detoxify or restore any of the areas they polluted, as required by state law. The oil and gas companies’ pollution, along with their alleged failure to adequately maintain their oilfields, has caused significant coastal erosion and contaminated groundwater, the lawsuit said."
Pres. Obama Getting Environmental Protection Done- 70 Year Problem of 56 Million Gallons of RadWaste—by LakeSuperior: "On Friday, President Obama's Department of Energy announced the first of its final findings and determinations for major elements of the cleanup of WWII military radioactive waste tanks at the U.S. Department of Energy Hanford Reservation in Washington State on the Columbia River. DOE also announced its plans to entomb the Fast Flux Text Facility, also at Hanford, which was used to test breeder reactor development. [...] The former U.S. Atomic Energy Commission operated the Hanford Reservation with multiple nuclear reactors and nuclear fuel reprocessing plants during WWII for the purpose of producing plutoniun-239 for use in nuclear weapons. The nuclear fuel processing plants would take spent fuel from the military reactors and dissolve the spent nuclear fuel containing very large amounts of high level radioactive waste in nitric acid. This allowed separation of plutonium nitrate for recovery from the dissolved fuel rods so it could be refined for use as the principle component of nuclear weapons. After plutonium and uranium nitrate was recovered from the solutions, the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission practice was to take high level waste liquids/sludges and store them in carbon steel tanks, some single wall and some double wall. Such acid solutions would be corrosive to tank materials. In the 1970s in a well known incident, 115,000 gallons of such waste leaked from one such single wall carbon steel tank into groundwater under the tanks involved."
Transportation & Infrastructure
High speed rail is the interstate highway system of the future—by Mark E Andersen: " The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 included funds for multiple infrastructure projects across the country. Also included in the act was $8 billion marked for investment in high speed rail. In 2011, Governor Walker (R) of Wisconsin, Governor Scott (R) of Florida, and Governor Kaisch (R) of Ohio rejected federal funds for high speed rail. High speed rail will be the economic engine of our country's future and by rejecting these funds these three Republican governors have in essence crippled their own states economic future. The decision to reject these funds was done as a short-sighted political action without regard to the needs of their individual states or the needs of the country as a whole. Declining these funds has meant missed opportunities and missed job creation. It also means that plans for a national high speed rail system are on hold. Three governors with only a political agenda in mind have disrupted and crippled the future of American transportation. In 1956 it would have been inconceivable that a governor would turn down federal funds for an infrastructure project. Today, it has happened not once but three times."
Dispelling Electric-Vehicle Myths, #4 (and last): Technology Aspects—by Assaf: "Hooray! I am about to achieve a Daily Kos first for me: to actually complete a diary series as promised. This is the 5th and last diary in a series on the current state of electric vehicles (EVs), focusing on the US. The first 4 diaries were posted in September-October. Diaries #1 and #2 dealt with environmental issues. The third and fourth (labeled 3A and 3B) were about EV market trends, business viability and consumer value. Their bottom line was: EVs are very close now, perhaps a single year away, from attaining the critical mass and momentum needed to irreversibly affect the automotive market—and, more importantly—the oil economy itself. This final diary will deal with the technology itself."
Jerry's choice: drive into the future, or cling to the past—by dturnbull: "Last week, I had the pleasure of visiting the future. Well, not really, but it sure felt like it. I got to visit the Tesla Motors factory, in Fremont, California. It was my first up close experience with the Tesla Model S—the Motor Trend car of the year for 2013 that also happens to be a luxurious, high performance electric car with the largest range on the market—and I have to say it was pretty amazing. I’m no 'car guy' by any means, but sitting in this car, you feel as though you can seriously see the future. The displays are brilliantly vibrant and informative (including showing the rapidly increasing network of super-charging stations that by 2015 should span every major highway in the country), the integration with mobile internet for maps and other functions is seamless, and even the way the door handles retract to be flush against the car as you walk away seems to be from a movie."
Sunday Train: A Vision for Rail in Sustainable 21st Century Transport—by BruceMcF: "Instead of my regular Sunday Train, I am going to present a draft of a contribution I am working on for a longer white paper that involves the Steel Interstate investment that our country needs to be making in electrified, long-haul freight transport. Longer time readers of the Sunday Train may expect to see familiar themes covered in this draft. Our present transport system relies heavily on refining petroleum into liquid fuels that offer excellent energy density and convenience for decentralized, individual passenger and freight transportation. However, for many specific transport tasks, such as transport of large numbers of people along a common transport corridor or hauling a large quantity of freight over a thousand miles or more, these systems offer substantially lower energy efficiency than is available from existing alternatives, while requiring substantially higher expenditures for right of way maintenance. Further, as discussed above, much of the nation’s most abundant sustainable, renewable energy resources are tapped in the form of electricity, which is most efficiently used in transport by driving electric motors. For corridors with a high frequency of trips, direct supply of electricity along the right of way is the most efficient means of powering transport. When it is practicable to provide the transport using steel wheels running on steel rails, this offers lower rolling resistance and therefore greater energy efficiency per trip, as well as greater durability than asphalt right of way under heavy use. At higher speeds, vehicles operating in connected trains also experience lower air resistance per vehicles than those operating as independent vehicles."
Eco-Philosophy & Essays
This is Why Capitalism Chose China to be the World's Manufacturer—by Keith930: "t's because they allow companies to pollute at will. It wasn't so much labor costs that soured Business on America. It was America's growing unwillingness to continue allowing Business to privatize all of the profits and social all of the costs of doing business. Environmental safeguards force industry to internalize that aspect of their operations. This is what China's lax to nonexistent environmental regulations look like on the ground."
Remembering Nelson Mandela and his fight for climate justice—by
VL Baker: "Nelson Mandela placed climate justice high among his priorities in his Long Walk to Freedom for all peoples. He recognized early on that climate change would impact the most vulnerable first. He understood that the young and unborn must be protected and that we have a responsibility to generational justice. This great leader, who now belongs to the ages, has left a legacy to be emulated. His great compassion extended not only to his fellow man but he had a strong connection to the natural world that supports us all as well.[...] I would like to add another Mandela legacy that is invaluable to climate hawks: that of "idealistic pragmatism." As we inch forward in our fight to stop the destruction of the only planet which can sustain our species, we must keep the moral justification for our struggle foremost but we must also understand as Mandela did so well, that the struggle moves forward in fragmented events and not in completeness."
An Economy that Helps rather than Destroys—by Shawke: "In an ecological economy, people do not go hungry, the tar sands are left right where they are, capital gains are taxed at a far higher rate which gives initiative to invest in the real economy, etc."
Saving Eden – Man’s Covenant with God—by devonnoll: "When chemical pollutants are pushed between the plates of Eden’s crust to force out gas and oil and polluting water tables, Eden reacts and not in a good way. We are seeing it now: fields that are putting off methane gas and are flammable; water that is dangerous because it is flammable and polluted; earthquakes in places where there never used to be quakes. These actions must be stopped before the plates shatter and break apart, splitting up much of the world where these techniques are being used. This will lead to massive deaths and disasters. We are destabilizing the planet, and She will fight back. We have people clear cutting forests around the world, destroying entire ways of life and millions of potential plant and animal life forms that could help mankind in the future. All for the pursuit of farmland to produce one crop to create one product, at the cost of water, clean air, and life in general. Forests were created as God’s air filters, and when we destroy them, we destroy our own air supply. I do not know about you, but I do not breathe carbon monoxide or dioxide well. I need oxygen, and trees produce oxygen in large quantities while sequestering carbon dioxide. We need balance in this world, and trees and forests help to preserve part of that balance."
Looking Back On 2013: Activism Helps Heal—by Marcia G Yerman: "As we enter into the final month of the year, it’s natural to take an inventory of 2013. As I reflected on the environmental front, the nagging image of climate deniers immediately came to mind. There are several members in the United States Congress that I find positively scary…right up there with the Koch Brothers and the power of Big Oil. Then, in a truly Zen moment, I took a deep breath and let that image dissipate. Rather, I thought of all the amazing people and actions that have been on my radar over the past twelve months. They are on the front lines of activism to heal the planet. They are lawmakers and scientists, but also people in all walks of life who are standing up to make a difference through personal actions. Here are a few that are on my radar. They push the boundaries every day and give me hope."
There is no "Balance of Nature"—by ban nock: "The people I'd most like to reach with this message are called science writers. I wish somehow I could paste the statement above their keyboard. 'There is no balance of nature!!' When I read a news account or story on a website and I come upon the word 'balance' I figure I've had fair warning. [...] Now more than ever before, with the looming mass extinction due to climate change, we need people 'able to reason logically about environmental problems.' Below is the tipping point or chaos theory view. [...] Sounds like the predator pit idea from Alaska which is the idea that you can maintain prey and predators at high levels for both unless you allow predators to become so numerous that they deplete prey sending the populations of both on an irreversible downward plunge until they reach a new stability far below their potential."
Products & Miscellany
Solar Christmas Present—by gmoke.
Is there ANY brand of shampoo and body wash without FREAKIN' PALM OIL!?—by Infected Zebra: "The more I learn about how humans have screwed with this planet, the more I realize I know diddily-dick. The first I ever heard about unsustainable palm oil harvesting in Indonesia and Malaysia, which involves slash 'n burn clearing of rain forests and pushing orangutans toward extinction, was a CNN article right before Halloween THIS YEAR. Turns out just about every form of milk chocolate candy outside a good ol'-fashioned Hershey's bar contains palm oil. Yeah yeah, learning about an environmental travesty for the first time from CNN, some liberal I am. So I resolved to simply nix chocolate bars from my diet and leave it at that. That'll stave off adult-onset diabetes for a few more years, I figured. But wait! Turns out palm oil is used in a lot of other foods I typically bought."
Upbeat News About Recycling—by Save the Environment: "some localities and even nations now have recycling rates that are very encouraging for the idea of a zero-waste goal or a goal of carbon neutrality. Countries with leading rates for recycling are Switzerland, Austria, and Germany, each around 50%. Fresno, CA, has 73%. San Jose, CA is 62%. San Jose wants to divert 100% of its waste by 2022. The Flemish region of Belgium is 75%. And the Flemish region also has 110 second-hand shops with 3,861 employees. While all this is encouraging, we need to do more."