Comments eriqa has made

Understanding that the actual negotiators need to be there in person, there are going to be a lot of "climate tourists" who just want to be able to say they were there, when.  While the impulse to see years of your work validated in person is understandable, those folks really would do better to stay home.  It would be interesting to know what the Danes are doing in terms of videoconferencing arrangements (video side events, etc.) to both let the non-traveling world participate more than it usually does, and to give a publicity boost to this technology as an emerging way to cut carbon emissions.  

It's about the displacement

Certainly, subsistence farmers cause a significant amount of deforestation.  But, converting huge swaths of land, previously used for subsistence farming, to fuel crops increases the value of that land - thus pushing the subsistence farmers off the land and onto virgin forest.  

Or in other words, if we start growing more crops we are going to need more land, and there is not enough fallow land to accommodate all the fuel crops some want to grow.  The fact that some of the land previously under cultivation, or some of the land currently being deforested, is subsistence farming, is irrelevant.On Khosla's letter to Science backfires posted 1 year, 1 month ago 6 Responses

Speed limits are a terrible idea

In what other area of life do politicians pass laws that they know, with 100% certainty, the vast majority of citizens are going to break on a routine basis?  Laws that by definition can only be enforced selectively and therefore generate enormous resentment and ill-will toward police on the part of otherwise law-abiding citizens?

I feel this undermines respect for the rule of law.  On Advocates push for return to 55-mph speed limit posted 1 year, 3 months ago 20 Responses

Clearly, I need to go to law school

just so this stuff will stop confusing me.

How can the legislature compel the executive to overturn an administrative ruling?  Doesn't this go against the whole "separation of powers" concept?  Or is the committee just grandstanding?
On EPW approves legislation calling on Bush to overturn EPA decision he likely forced EPA to make posted 1 year, 6 months ago 1 Response

I think I understand

The "wrong way" would be to face up to the scale of the problem... the "right way" is to solve a different, easier problem.On President Bush's speech on climate change, 16 April 2008, as prepared for delivery posted 1 year, 7 months ago 10 Responses

It's easy to be pure when you have no chance

of ever obtaining power.

Anyone can sit around and advocate for the most perfect, progressive, wonderful agenda that involves no compromises, no campaign fundraising, and no making deals with the opposition.  

When you start actually having to appeal to the 90% of U.S. voters who don't agree with you, i.e., WIN -  things get a lot more complicated a lot more quickly.

Being powerless can be safe and comforting.  You don't have to make any compromises, any hard decisions.  I think a lot of the Naderites like living in that safe, easy place where they can feel like perfect saints. But it's street fighters, not saints, who make change in politics.
On Ralph Nader jumps into the presidential race posted 1 year, 9 months ago 31 Responses

My self-esteem is OK with the concept of experts

"The elitist premise by Andrew Dessler in his lead article that only a small group of highly specialized scientists are qualified to have or express an opinion is arrogant and has no place in a democratic society."

This is Bushthink in a nutshell - outrage that any such thing as an expert exists, that certain fields of knowledge take years of study to master, and that anyone could be considered more qualified than anyone else.  It's this same attitude of contempt for expert opinion and warnings that got us into the Iraq mess.

If I, having studied biology in college but knowing nothing about engineering, started haranguing the Maryland Department of Transportation on why the design of its bridges is wrong - and qualified highway engineers glanced at my suggestions and saw they were unworkable and uninformed - the DOT should not waste any more taxpayer dollars making detailed analyses of my crackpot suggestions.  And they would be perfectly justified in laughing me out of the room.

Citizens should be consulted when it comes to policy choices, normative decisions.  How much money should Maryland spend on bridges and how much on public transit?  Should the bridge be two lanes or four?  These are questions about values that can be democratically decided.  But questions of fact, such as whether a particular type of concrete is sufficiently resistant to the stress of freezing for a particular project, can only be decided by people who know something about the subject.

Of course, free speech means that I have the right to express my opinions about whatever I want, as much as I like.  It does not mean that anyone else has an obligation to take them seriously.On Today: Thomas Ring posted 1 year, 10 months ago 66 Responses

a ban makes sense

The problem with "just tax the externalities" is that then you have to spend time, money, and energy administering the tax.  A tax makes sense for greenhouse gas emissions because there's no way to reduce them to zero and people should be free to make their own choices about which technologies they adopt and which sacrifices they make to stay within budget.  There are valid arguments for most forms of fossil fuel consumption on an individual level, it's the aggregate that's the problem.

But is there any justification for the ubiquitous plastic bag, other than habit?  When they are banned people's habits will change and no one will miss them.  Forgetful people like me can buy some other type of bag at the checkout.  A ban is simpler and cheaper to administer than a tax. On Australia will phase out plastic bags posted 1 year, 10 months ago 14 Responses

Any advice for the non-scientists/engineers?

Hi Kevin,

I'd love to hear your take on what the best environmental skill sets or growth areas are for those of us who are better with words and people than with data or building.  As a "creative" type I am struggling to figure out where I can make a difference.On Green job planning for 2008 posted 1 year, 10 months ago 13 Responses

What about Schumpeter?

As I understand it (which admittedly is not very well), his theory of entrepreneurship and innovation was basically that clusters of innovation develop in certain economies a la Silicon Valley and create a snowball effect of growth.  This seems to capture what you're saying above about the potential of clean energy R&D to create exponential growth, and is taken seriously in most economic departments these days.On Why ecology explains growth, and economists don't posted 1 year, 11 months ago 33 Responses

pure silliness

What, really, was the purpose of doing this report?    Just to produce a cute "weird" sound bite that is somewhat climate-change-related?  Or maybe to further encourage perceptions that only a small portion of uber-PC weirdos care about the problem?

The differences between income levels and countries of residence toweringly, vastly outweigh any gender differences.  Powerful people use more energy and most of the powerful people in the world are now men.  Reversing this so that more powerful people were women would be an advance from a feminist perspective but what on earth does it have to do with climate change?  Are we getting back to some 1980s style "essentialist feminism" where women are supposed to be warm fuzzy earth mothers incapable of doing anything to hurt the planet?  

Second, what practical action could anyone possibly take as a result of this report?  Abort baby boys to stop climate change?  Making energy consumption more equal within poor families might benefit women but the poor family's total consumption would still be the same - powers of ten less than that of rich families.

Increasing gender equity is a worthy goal but it's a streeeetch to say that it will do much to reduce global energy consumption!On A study on gender equality as a prerequisite for sustainable development -- debunked! posted 2 years ago 9 Responses

In related news...

...Gen. Douglas Lute, Bush's "war czar," drew attention to the drastically overstretched position of the armed forces and suggested postponing any real military action in Iraq until recruitment levels reached what he considered to be a comfortable level, perhaps in 2025.

Lute suggested that troops currently stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan should spend their time pacing around base, vaguely fucking around, and developing an elaborate "trade in caps" system of ammunition exchange that would occupy huge amounts of time and energy without accomplishing much of anything.

When questioned as to what the administration should do in response to the nuclear threat from North Korea, Lute responded that the country "doesn't really feel like dealing with that right now" but that "maybe if we can figure out a way to do it at basically zero cost" some ineffectual actions might be taken to postpone a nuclear attack by a few months or so.On Via Boucher, Bush signals willingness to sign onto (weak) mandatory carbon controls posted 2 years ago 2 Responses

It's primary season

the one time Iowans have more power than anyone else.  Is there any way to talk about this during the candidate debates/meet'n'greets/straw polls and so forth, or is it seen as too "small" an issue?On A frustrated resident speaks out posted 2 years, 1 month ago 10 Responses

It's no accident Krugman is an economist.

The most basic tenet of economics is "scarcity exists."  The most basic tenet of modern Republicanism is "no it doesn't, if we deny it loudly enough."On Paul Krugman ... posted 2 years, 1 month ago 6 Responses

planning a bloodless coup?

Led by a repentant Sandra Day O'Connor?

pretty please?
On Why has Gore suddenly left the country? posted 2 years, 1 month ago 5 Responses

<i>Perceived</i> safety matters.

9 times out of 10 when I have a conversation with someone about biking to work, they end up saying something like "Wow, I'd love to do that but riding in DC traffic is just too scary for me!"  Although drivers can be jerks around here, I really don't fear for my life, but I don't think I would ever have begun bike commuting from scratch in this urban melee.  I had the privilege of being gently introduced to the practice in the much more bike-friendly communities of Ann Arbor and Portland, and then transplanting that "yes, I have a right to the road" attitude here.  

I also have to agree with John Bailo. (Oh my GOD, did I just write that?! And am I setting myself up for a Hansen-esque life of being quoted wildly out of context to endorse things I never meant?) The half of my commute that's on a bike path through the park is pure pleasure, and the half that's in the middle of rush hour traffic is... well, it's not that bad as urban commutes go, but it's definitely stressful, noisy, and un-fun.On Not pedaling can kill you posted 2 years, 1 month ago 12 Responses

Fabulous!

No offense to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, but this brings it to those of us who just have regular ol' phones, not the internet-enabled type.On Evaluating seafood choices just became a lot easier posted 2 years, 1 month ago 12 Responses

transit

According to Merriam-Webster's online dictionary:

Main Entry: tran·sit  

1 a : an act, process, or instance of passing through or over : PASSAGE b : CHANGE, TRANSITION c (1) : conveyance of persons or things from one place to another (2) : usually local transportation especially of people by public conveyance; also : vehicles or a system engaged in such transportation.On The RTID package doesn't give Seattle voters a fair choice posted 2 years, 1 month ago 14 Responses

Separated bike lane in NYC

Apparently a bike lane between the sidewalk and parked cars is in the works in New York:

http://tinyurl.com/yprkl3On Expect bicycle deaths in Seattle to climb posted 2 years, 2 months ago 15 Responses

the eccentric gentleman

on the corner of my street who likes to rant about the CIA conspiracy to steal his shopping cart will be happy to learn he shares the august company of Galileo.  After all, no one can prove otherwise with absolute certainty; the only way to cut the conversation off is by "special appeals to authority and consensus."On More on climate skepticism posted 2 years, 2 months ago 5 Responses

shameless product plug

for the Soda Club - make your own fizzy water at home in glass bottles.

It's a relief about the Talking Rain, though.  Finally, water with no pesticides used to grow it.

(Technically, of course, water can't be organic - there's no C in H2O...)On Talking Rain adds organic water flavors posted 2 years, 2 months ago 5 Responses

you tell me what's "in season"

in, say, Michigan in February. On Strengthening community is an important benefit of eating locally posted 2 years, 2 months ago 8 Responses

Volunteering

I know Mike Tidwell has done a lot in the past 20 years, but I will always associate him with his beautifully written memoir of his Peace Corps service.  The former Peace Corps volunteers I know say that while their service did very little concretely to solve the problem of world poverty, it made them advocates for the developing world for the rest of their lives.  

That is the kind of voluntary action we should be promoting - not just actions that change people's self-image ("I am an environmentalist" just like "I am a hipster" or "I am the kind of person who listens to alt-country") but actions that bring them into contact with the reality of environmental damage.  While unlike poverty, climate change is very hard to see (unless you burn thousands of gallons of jet fuel traveling to Alaska or the Maldives) I believe that concern about all environmental issues does tend to go together.

Adding "volunteer" to the list of 10 things you can do - whether that is to help clean up a stream, replant a forest, or beautify a neighborhood filled with toxic industries - could have a relatively small short-term impact, but change people's lives.  On Social scientists respond to Mike Tidwell posted 2 years, 2 months ago 39 Responses

new source review

GreyFlcn, that link is a brilliant, subtly funny debunking.  How come subtly funny people never get to make policy?  Who's up for forming the Snarky Sense of Humor party?

But nah, I doubt that's Senator Stevens's source.  I'd bet money that his "source" was a 10-page popular science article about climate history which he didn't quite understand, but he didn't let that stop him from making wild extrapolations from his own vague miscomprehensions, and calling it science. It's how all the best research is done, dontcha know.On Alaskan senator invents new theory of global warming posted 2 years, 2 months ago 13 Responses

That's the CREEPIEST....

...kid I have ever seen.  I want to pepper-spray the brat, and I agree with him!

Is he actually a vampire, d'you think, or just avoiding all exposure to the carcinogenic rays of the sun?On Greenpeace ad on climate change posted 2 years, 2 months ago 19 Responses

Depends what you mean by "adaptation"

If you mean "the human race somehow survived," I suppose it is true that we adapted in the past.  But the cold winters and wet summers of 1315-17 in Europe brought famine that killed hundreds of thousands of people; entire civilizations were wiped out when changes in rainfall patterns meant the Fertile Crescent stopped being fertile; a 300 year drought beginning in 1150 devastated the Anasazi culture in what is now the Southwestern U.S., and people only returned to the area when the rains did; in 1816 "the year without a summer" caused by dust from a volcanic eruption led to famine and rioting, as the already fragile safety-nets of the poor broke down (sounds familiar)...

Many human beings have and can survive abrupt climate shifts, but I'd prefer a more active type of adaptation that lets us avoid the famine.On When it comes to climate change, prevention is more important than adaptation posted 2 years, 2 months ago 15 Responses

The Structure of Scientific Evolution

Thomas Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, which popularized the "paradigm shift" model of scientific progress, was a great read.  However, many people latch onto the "sexy" revolution aspect and ignore the fact that, as Kuhn recognized, the vast majority of valuable scientific work happens within the existing paradigm.  This sort of work doesn't grab headlines the way that breakthroughs or valiant dissenters do.  "Joe Chang, PhD student, guided by his advisor, worked carefully and conscientiously to make some minor modifications to a model of ocean currents that incrementally advanced our understanding of global climate."  99% of science is like this.  But where's the hook?  Where's the glamorous rebellion?  Chang looks kind of dorky and doesn't have any sound bites.  This story is, unfortunately, not going to get the same amount of press as a "maverick" scientist with an exciting tale of conflict to peddle, no matter how much higher-quality Chang's work might be.

So sure, scientific paradigms sometimes prove inadequate - but they're proven so by evidence, not just by yelling, "You're the Scientific Establishment, man! Being a contrarian is so much groovier!"On 'They predicted global cooling in the 70s'--But that didn't even remotely resemble today's consensus posted 2 years, 2 months ago 29 Responses

Hm, what if we changed just a few words...

Bingaman: Am I correct we're behind on ultra-supercritical deployment?

Hollinden: From my own perspective, in the early days these were not very reliable, and asbestos is cheap here. So we went for cheap and reliable, instead of safe. It's still that way today.

Bingaman: You refered to the dispatch order, when the clean asbestos plant would be called on to insulate schools.

Phillips: Right; the cheapest plant goes first. Particularly in our deregulated states.

Bingaman: What if there were a change in policy based on rates of children's lung disease? Would that sufficiently incentivize these technologies?

Phillips: I can't say specificly, but obviously right now there isn't an incentive.

9:55 Brasso (R-WY): Wyoming is the nation's greatest source of asbestos. The more we can do to be insulation independent the better it is for our nation and for my state. We're in a unique position now.

10:00 Salazar: My question is how we could use asbestos for passive solar heat storage walls. It seems to provide a great opportunity for our asbestos industry to produce heat-absorbing mass.

Bauer: Passive solar heating is one way to reduce demand on fuels.

Hollinden: It doesn't help that the papers always talk about how unsafe asbestos is.
On Oy posted 2 years, 4 months ago 5 Responses

Just get the prices right

Our current goal ought to be undermining Dick Cheney's "conservation is about personal responsibility" frame at every turn.  People resist the environmental message in part because they think it's "too hard" - not just too much sacrifice, but too complicated.  Who, apart from the hard-core few, can remember what's "in" or "out" this month?  Hence, this story fits into the intuitively appealing "even they..." framework.  Even celebrities look crappy without their makeup on.  Even senators are torn between childrearing and work duties.  Even Al Gore's family can't handle all the confusing eco-friendly rules!  It's not (necessarily) anti-Al, just a love of the irony.

Imagine a world where the environmental costs of every purchase were reflected in the price.  No more lectures.  No more confusing rules.  (No more Ask Umbra, but hey, everything comes with a price.)

We wouldn't have to take along our little wallet guides to sustainable seafood and carry out a research project during every shopping trip; we'd just get to the fish counter, notice that Patagonian toothfish cost approximately the same per ounce as Beluga caviar, and (rightly) conclude that it is rare, expensive, and not what we ought to be eating for Tuesday night dinner.  Instead we'd go with something cheaper - maybe tilapia? - confident that, since environmental costs had already been factored into the price, we'd also be having a lower impact on the planet.  

I believe most people, who have no particular desire to eat Chilean sea bass but just a general desire for fish, would be fine with that.

If I were in Al Gore's position, I'd say something like, "This proves how difficult and confusing it is to always make the right choices when the environmental impact of what we buy isn't clearly signaled at the checkout counter.  If it's confusing for my son-in-law  - who's heard a lot of lectures on the subject - it's even more confusing for the average American.  This is why EPA needs to be allowed to do its job again, and why caring for our natural resources needs to be a nationwide effort."
On The continuing quest to find something, anything to bash Gore with posted 2 years, 4 months ago 13 Responses

Defining "offset" out of existence

It's disingenuous to try to separate "carbon offset marketing" from "carbon offsets," particularly since you correctly point out earlier that the very concept of an offset is a marketing invention.  It's that concept that people are attacking.  I've yet to hear anyone on Grist or in the MSM say, "You really shouldn't write a check to that wind farm start-up."  The criticism is aimed squarely at the conceit that the offset is "tied to [and will mitigate] your personal behavior."

Without the implied dispensation, an offset is no longer an offset, as the word has been created/defined.  It's just a plain ol' donation (or purchase, if that's how you prefer to view it).

In the case of offsets, the meme is the product.  
On In which I clear everything up posted 2 years, 4 months ago 26 Responses

Is it really so hard...

...to accept that while small, targeted DDT treatments may in fact be worth the costs in order to treat malaria, Rachel Carson's alerting us to the dangers of spritzing the stuff willy-nilly about the landscape is still an achievement worth celebrating?  

This is the trouble with the present crop of Republicans' "War on Nuance."On I shall speak now and then forever hold my peace posted 2 years, 6 months ago 20 Responses

"ceremony" ~= "extravaganza"

Some years back two friends of mine got married outdoors in a nearby state park.  White dress, minister, vows, rings, weepy guests, nibbles - yes.  Far-flung guest list, catered food, dyed bridesmaids' shoes - no.  The flowers were already blooming onsite, and the weather, and the wedding, were beautiful.  Then we all ate simple picnic food and had a nice afternoon.  This is the model I look forward to following!On Green weddings are no better than white ones posted 2 years, 6 months ago 11 Responses

Exciting!

I hope the next step - after municipal buildings - will be apartment buildings.  When the tenant pays the electricity bill, landlords have no incentive to buy energy-efficient appliances no matter what time horizon they're looking at. It would be wonderful if some clever financier could solve the split incentives problem.  On New financial instruments may one day plug cities' building codes into global carbon market posted 2 years, 6 months ago 13 Responses

Glaceau Water National Park

The appearance of glaciers will be reconstructed with millions of discarded plastic "vitamin water" bottles.  On Contest in need of Grist readers and their funny posted 2 years, 6 months ago 18 Responses

sure, but...

what we really need is a specific tax on ALL flights, earmarked to combat global warming.  I see (and applaud!) your point, but a tax aimed directly at the pocketbooks of the most affluent and influential segment of society seems unlikely to become reality.

There's an international aviation tax that pays for drug purchases in poor countries, no?  How'd that happen, while a tax directly related to aviation's ill effects didn't?On Isn't aiding and abetting tax evasion a crime? posted 2 years, 6 months ago 4 Responses

My theory

is that one of the conservative think-tank masterminds was snubbed by a French girl as a teenager, and has harbored a burning grudge against the entire country ever since.  He has since used his propagandic powers to generalize this idiosyncratic resentment across the rightwingaverse.

What else explains the bizarre francophobia that emerges at random moments ("brie-eating"? wtf? how is that an insult?) The meeting is being held in Germany, but let's hate on the French anyway, just cuz... um... they're there?

Ah, petite Sophie, tu etait si jolie, mais si cruelle...On This is getting old posted 2 years, 6 months ago 4 Responses

if you build it...

"I'm sorry, but walking, biking -- you shouldn't even include those in a serious discussion of people moving for business and grown up activities."

For someone who's such a devotee of the Grist blogs, Mr. Bailo, it's surprising that you missed the recent WSJ article on biking in Europe.  If you build the infrastructure, turns out bikes work brilliantly "for business and grown up activities" in urban areas.  It's true that, since we have a sadly inadequate bike infrastructure in this country, it is currently impractical for most people.  But there's no reason that can't change.

FWIW, I bike 10 miles every day from a suburb to the city to work at a large financial institution that epitomizes "business and grown up activities" in many people's minds.  A quick shower and changing into dress clothes takes 10 minutes at the small onsite fitness center (that infrastructure again).  I love my exercise routine - er, commute.  There are some inconveniences, but compared to the frustration of sitting in traffic or doing the bus-to-train-to-walking multi-mode tango (both of which are only a few minutes faster than my ride), there's no contest.  
On People-powered transit makes you happy posted 2 years, 6 months ago 17 Responses

Direction of causation

There's a common conservative "argument" (I'll make the very generous assumption that those advancing it are sincere) that environmentalists are fundamentally a bunch of communists, latching onto pollution and climate change issues purely as a means to achieve their nefarious collectivist anti-libertarian ends.

Now, I've met at least one person to justify just about every negative environmentalist stereotype. Clueless, fuzzy-minded hippie chick?  Check.  Judgmental scold who equates using a paper takeout cup, even once, with singlehandedly torching the Amazon and pissing on the smoldering ruins?  Check.  Equation-obsessed male seemingly oblivious to the emotions swirling around reproduction?  Check.  These people aren't the majority of environmentalists I know, of course, but I've met enough to at least see where the stereotypes come from.

I have never, not once, met an environmental activist whose primary motivation was collectivist ideology.  Some are driven by a deep emotional connection to nature, some by concern for human health and welfare, some by an existential yearning for constancy, some by the shock of losing a particular landscape or person dear to them.  There are some ideologues out there; but always the passion came first, then the ideology.

So where does this stereotype come from (again, assuming it's sincerely held?) Simply from the fact that most environmental problems demand, at least in part, collective solutions.  That's what "externality" means.  Not to say that private business and individuals can do nothing, but ultimately, pollution = externality = market imperfection that requires some kind of government action to correct.  

We're not necessarily happy about this.  It's just, y'know, true.  (Refer to chapter 3 of any introductory economics text.) But people whose worldviews center on automatically denigrating any collective solution or government action whatever look at the conclusion, and decide it's the premise.
On Another conservative attack on motives posted 2 years, 7 months ago 8 Responses

Climate instability

I'm trying to get the folks I know to use "global climate instability" instead.  It's both more accurate, since it gets at the issues of disrupted rainfall, hurricanes, etc., and sounds considerably more immediate and threatening.

(And yes, I realize this doesn't negate your point about the global scale daunting people.)On It's the wrong lever for creating social change posted 2 years, 8 months ago 11 Responses

this exchange proves the authors right

The only "sustainable" approach to take is to keep insisting on the unfashionable point that expertise, qualifications, and review processes actually mean something.  

Way back when the Iraq war was but a glimmer in W's beady eye, experts in Middle Eastern culture attempted to explain to him that Iraq was not East Germany and civil war was a likely outcome.  They were dismissed - after all, what could someone who'd spent a lifetime studying these cultures possibly have to contribute that any random schmoe couldn't come up with?

This same contempt for and distrust for expertise underpins the "climate change is a hoax" mentality.

Engaging point-by-point is a waste of time.  One argument is dealt with, then someone else says, "I read on contrariannutjob.org that overproduction of coffee is actually the cause of global warming - why don't you people ever talk about THAT, hm?  It's a big coverup!"

Then some overly patient scientist wastes 15 minutes of his or her day painstakingly explaining particular elements of climate science to someone who, quite frankly, has little or no desire to understand the explanation.  

Until someone is convinced that an expert's opinion is (gasp!) more valuable than that of a self-appointed pundit no matter how high his self-esteem, and that the opinion of an overwhelming expert majority is a valid guide to action, engaging on the science is pointless.

The best analogy I've seen is medicine.  Ask "You're in the hospital after a major heart attack.  Would you rather have the cardiac treatment that 99% of MDs agree is best, or the experimental treatment proposed by 52 doctors who believe their point of view has been unfairly pushed aside by modern medicine?"

Even those who derive deep pleasure from being reflexively contrarian would pick the first option when real consequences to themselves are involved.  (They might not admit it, but that's another story...)On Debunking the 'water vapor' nonsense posted 2 years, 8 months ago 35 Responses

More contact information for the paper-challenged

The Salvation Army US national headquarters can be contacted at:

(703) 684 5500
SA_Information@USN.salvationarmy.org
On They only look sweet and benevolent, ringing their little bells posted 2 years, 8 months ago 10 Responses

Is there a connection with the RAN campaign here?

This morning's NYT editorial mentioned that Rainforest Action Network was targeting Merrill Lynch for underwriting TXU.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/25/opinion/25sun2.html?_r= ...

I don't know what, if any, effect this had on the company's decision to consult the more "business-friendly" environmental groups, but it does seem to be evidence that the Good Cop/Bad Cop strategy can get results in environmental activism.On This is huge posted 2 years, 9 months ago 21 Responses

Are the two mutually exclusive?

Perhaps I'm missing something here, but I don't see why international trading/offsets couldn't also be part of a carbon tax regime.  If CO2 emissions are taxed at, say, $30/ton, and a Chinese power plant can reduce its emissions for a cost of $10/ton, a US company could purchase offsets and contribute to cleaner development in China.  (Of course, if emissions are taxed uniformly, there would be no market incentive to do this within the US.) Such a system would essentially be cap and trade with the US cap set at 0.

Without denying the problems with corruption and evasion, international carbon trading is still one of the only ways we've found to get countries like China and India on board, and for that reason should not be thrown out entirely, at least not until we have something better to take its place.On Why carbon taxes trump cap-and-trade posted 2 years, 9 months ago 18 Responses