mdwalsh’s Recent Comments

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  They'll do it

  I have no doubt this administration will get behind transit funding. With the number of Obaministration people coming from Chicago, many will be familiar with the funding needs of different types of transit (Chicago has bikeways, buses, regional rail and light rail) and will be easily convinced. Ad that Pelosi will have her californians barking to keep that project moving, and the head of the House Transit Committee is a Dem and just got Midwest "High-Speed" rail through, we will be golden.

  This is a great article, one of the few that I've seen tie together energy, the economy, infrastructure and what not, though I think it could have said more about the social equity impacts of mass transit.On How investing in transit could save Obama's butt posted 1 year ago 7 Responses

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  Minnesota Clean Water, Land and Legacy Act

  http://www.yesformn.org/?gclid=CPLh5szg1pYCFSMeDQodrg3i2Q ...

  This is a constitutional amendment in Minnesota that would pass a 3/8% sales tax that would go towards funding lake and river clean up, state parks, trails, art centers, and a whole bunch of other good things. It is supported by many groups including Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, the Guthrie Theater and hundreds of other arts and outdoors organizations.

  The one problem with this ballot measure: if you don't vote, it counts as a 'no'. Vote Yes for MN!On A guide to 2008 environmental ballot measures posted 1 year ago 6 Responses

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  Haber-Bosch

  While yes, the HB process is pretty remarkable, especially for something that came from making a bomb. And you can keep throwing Nitrogen at soil and it will keep making stuff grow more..sort of. There are a few problems

  1. Excessive plant growth may happen, but that does not mean the soil has all the micronutrients like vitamin A and Iron to make all those veggies and grains as good as they need to be.

  2. As we grow all those crops, that over intensive, industrial system (it has to be industrial, or it defeats the purpose of fertilizing the crap out of it) degrades the physical structure of the soil, leading to massive erosion. Witness the decline in midwestern topsoil in the last century

  3. All the nitrogen does not often get absorbed into the soil and usually runs into streams where it eventually becomes giant algae blooms and dead zones.

  So, in summation: Haber-Bosch, impressive, but not perfect.On A food/climate manifesto presents new visions for responding to climate change posted 1 year ago 30 Responses

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  Midwest High Speed Rail

  http://www.winonadailynews.com/articles/2008/10/17/news/0 ...

  Here is an article with some info about MWHSP, pretty good job laying out the basics. Us Midwesterners don't need fancy graphics!On KQED takes a look at California's high-speed rail ballot measure posted 1 year ago 13 Responses

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  Grist covered this years ago

  I just found (but now can't find) an article from November 2000 about a farmer who does exactly this. They calculate his GHG reduction garnered from his organic gardening plot.On A food/climate manifesto presents new visions for responding to climate change posted 1 year ago 30 Responses