Comments tboggia has made

There are tons of issues with LNG as well. It doesn't seem to be that much better than coal in terms of GHG emissions once you count in the energy needed to liquify and transport. 

I respect WRI for much of the work they do, but putting so many of their resources into a position to research how we can save the coal industry is somewhat infuriating to the many grassroots organizers working to reign in Coal's political power and clean up the trail death and destruction they leave behind. 

Furthermore, the coal industry has enough resources to do this work themselves, while renewable energy companies barely have any access on Capitol Hill and are struggling to be taken seriously. Who is out there talking to legislators about the dangers of remaining dependent on coal? How it's harming communities and whole states (check out David Robert's piece on West Virginia). 'Think' Tanks need to do more thinking for the little guys, not for King Coal. 

As was mentioned in this interview, CCS is not just an environmental nightmare, it would also be a financial non-factor if it wasn't for the copious amount of public money going towards it and coal companies (just check out the American Clean Energy and Security Act!). Try telling a private investor in a carbon controlled market without additional government interference to choose between:

• Generating a Kw by creating new infrastructure to a scale larger than that now in place to move oil internationally, to move a gas to places where can be pumped it into the ground. Plus, put up enough money so that the power plants have enough investments to guarantee cleaning up after any potential leak (if even possible!), contamination, or other unforeseen problem that could arise in the future (remember? the point of this is to take CO2 away from the atmosphere, not just to wipe it under the rug). Then have the plant that received investment burn more of the finite coal we have on this planet that has been getting increasingly expensive over the years per Kw than they currently do because it runs so inefficiently.

OR

• Generating a Kw by investing in the systems, infrastructure and technology research, development and deployment to generate the cheapest form of energy in the world (efficiency), generate clean energy that never runs out, has a certain and and predictable return on investment, and puts an end the boom-bust cycle of poisons and destruction perpetuated by the fossil fuel industries since their inception. These are mostly technologies that are available right here, right now and that we are being out-competed for from a bunch of nations most Americans wouldn't even be able to point out on a map. 

Now, in light of this, why are the World Resource Institute and other supposed 'Think' Tanks doing the work of the coal industry instead of helping make renewable and clean energy the form of energy that federal legislators just can't avoid supporting?

Tommaso, Campus Progress 

Tool

Joe, you are such a tool.

Especially when you take into consideration the advances that we are making with advanced clean coal technologies to capture and store CO2 from power plants.

Really? What are these advances? Are you finding a way to put the tops of mountains back on after you blow them up? Or maybe a way to store toxic sludge so it doesn't contaminate people's drinking water? How about turning particulate matter into fairy dust so we can all fly?

Good points there buddy, "the exact extent that human-made emissions will contribute to climate change is less certain". Sure, "less certain" is a good talking point. Too bad that the difference is between 100% certainty and more than 90%.

Joe, you are a tool. Why don't you research how to capture and store coal executives so they stop paying you to spew lies?

www.campusprogress.org

Si se puede

haha, REALLY?

<quote> As they filed out, they shouted, [...] "Si Se Puede, Si Se Puede" -- a pointed translation of Obama's campaign slogan, "Yes We Can, Yes We Can."</quote>

Are you kidding me? I hate to pick at straws here, but "Si se puede" is the landmark chant of the United Farm Workers and Cesar Chavez's movement.

Obama is the one that pointedly translated the slogan. If I was a mexican farmworker I'd be pretty pissed. Being an Italian immigrant, I can only stand in solidarity.

Great article by the way.

www.campusprogress.org

Has anyone ever considered...

... training wheels? They would give you that extra level of stability in the snow.

Anyone tried that?On Umbra on winter biking posted 1 year ago 18 Responses

Dirty who?

I'd rather be a dirty hippy in a clean world than a clean as*h*le on a polluted earthOn Umbra on deflecting eco-insults posted 1 year, 1 month ago 18 Responses

Divide and conquer, the right's triumph

I don't know anything about Canadian politics, but what the hell is the green party doing by not backing Dion?!

Climate is not a traditional environmental issue where taking a principled stance and handing the government back to conservatives is honorable, especially not when you have someone like Dion running for the Liberals.

If Canada doesn't stop Tar Sands and re-join the international community next year, we can kiss our cool planet goodbye. On Committed environmentalist Stéphane Dion faces uphill fight in Canadian election posted 1 year, 1 month ago 4 Responses

haha, funny

Umbra, you are great and never cease to amuse and inform.

Thanks for this informative videoOn Umbra Fisk on commuting by bike posted 1 year, 2 months ago 5 Responses

I <3 you

These guys are awesome. I just got back to D.C. from the Climate Ride (www.climateride.org) and the only reason I survived it was because Clif Bar donated a bunch of their delicious Banana Nut bars.

Thank you for being principled and sticking to your ideals. On Clif Bar's husband-and-wife CEO team talk about staying independent in a Big Organic world posted 1 year, 2 months ago 4 Responses

two things

I like it how she refers to 'Europe' as if it was a homogeneous country. We might all be white, but we have hugely different cultures and even more different energy and food policies. Her blatant generalizations about 'Europe' are somewhat astounding (as if I said that America was poor because I visited a couple of villages in Mexico).

Second, if the Green party attempted to put up the appearance that they cared, then they would get more votes. How is she planning to campaign while working on her PhD? Also, once they build a strong base, get some congressional seats, and play the power game, then I will consider them a serious party. Now they are just rebel-rousers trying to 'make a point', gambling with 8 more years of McBush III. On Green Party presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney talks to Grist posted 1 year, 3 months ago 19 Responses

Coal-is-dirty

If you believe that enviros are being too harsh on clean coal and that it can and should play a role in Climate mitigation, I highly encourage you to check out:

www.ilovemountains.org

Regardless or whether they successfully manage to magically store the CO2 in underground caverns (maybe protected by dragons and spells and curses), COAL IS DIRTY from it's extraction to it's grave. If you still have an inkling of appreciation for that plentiful mercury&lead-laden rock, check out:

www.coal-is-dirty.comOn Umbra on clean coal posted 1 year, 4 months ago 17 Responses

might be a lil late...

Hopefully you will read this Diane, I'm really interested in this issue and would like to see what you have to say about it.

I am not familiar with those studies, but I assume they are psychology/marketing studies which look at how things work. These areas don't tend to focus on the 'why' which is what sociologists do.

Feminist theory is pretty clear about how and why certain gender roles (i.e. women = shopping) happen. These roles are created by our consumerist society and perpetuated with every product and advertisement that targets a certain gender group. I believe that your book (just like ads for cleaning products that feature happy housewives) helps establish the gendered assumption that women are expected to like clothes and shopping more than men. That the main point of my criticism.

This in itself is in no way as problematic as commercials that portray men in corporate board rooms and women buying cooking products, but I feel that as progressive advocates, we should be careful about working with our progressive allies rather than against. I find your book's premise to be just as problematic as a enviro orgs that purchases materials from non-unionized companies. It elevates environmentalism above all other issues and makes us look like tree-hugging cookoos that only care about the polar bears (therefore perpetuating the stereotype of environmentalists being apathetic about all other societal ills).

In response to the comment about effective targeting, I agree, Diane will most likely sell more books because she effectively used present gender roles. But does that justify the advancement and continuation of these roles? I don't think it would. I don't think that the end should justify the means in progressive movements.

Sorry for ranting with theory, just wanted to share some thoughts. What do you think? Other than this small detail, thanks for working to make it easier for people to be sustainable. On Can your pocketbook save the planet? The author of Big Green Purse says yes posted 1 year, 4 months ago 5 Responses

messaging?

"[I felt like] there was a real opportunity to protect the environment by appealing to the issues that women care about"

So you write a book about shopping? wow, way to perpetuate stereotypes. Why is the gendered perspective necessary?

Glad you mentioned the 'cushion in people's budget' idea though. I think this is one of the most effective way that we have to target non-traditional green consumers. On Can your pocketbook save the planet? The author of Big Green Purse says yes posted 1 year, 5 months ago 5 Responses

Don't know the economics but...

When Detroit was asked to produce tanks, the federal government spent lots of money on them. They had a guaranteed return on investment, and they could essentially charge the Government however much they wanted. The situation is kinda different now.

Anyways, there is a movement growing, with a strong stance, that goes beyond the numbers and addresses all issues of justice mentioned above. This is the Energy Action Coalition with or new Youth Climate Pledge [http://action.energyactioncoalition.org//o/614/t/5737/sig ...]

Focus the Nation on January 31st 2008

Petroleum or natural gas

A question on semantics:

"[Synthetic fertilizer]is petroleum-based and designed for quick action in the soil."

Synthetic fertilizer is made with natural gas (as I have learned from Umbra's blog). I have heard petroleum used interchangeably for nat gas and oil, is that a misnomer or is it an all-encompassing word?On Umbra on soil health posted 1 year, 6 months ago 7 Responses

UC Santa Cruz

As the UC Santa Cruz organizer, I feel the need to brag about what's going on here!

We have over 35 professors speaking in their classes about climate change this week. That means that over 4,000 students will hear learn about the issue from different perspectives. The professors span many different departments, for a truly interdisciplinary event.

We are hosting an all day event and expecting about  300 people to come listen to local climate speakers, eat locally produced organic food, take workshops on reducing their climate footprint and finally discuss  their visions for campus sustainability.

The main environmental group on campus will be hosting a screening of the 2% Solution the night before.

For more info, visit sustainability.ucsc.edu

Focus the Nation on January 31st 2008

love it

Love the idea, it breaks down the price barrier that every non-environmentalist cries out about when talking about hybrids... as if hummers were cheap.

I like jabalio's idea as well, even though I fear it would become a logistical nightmare!
On California considers "feebate" bill to make polluting cars more expensive posted 1 year, 10 months ago 9 Responses

tired of a non-party

I am tired of the Green party resurrecting only during elections. Where are they in the 4 years in between. As much as the dems aren't the solution, they would have spared us from much of the environmental hopelessness caused by the bush admin.

I would not be surprised if Exxon Mobil and Sallie Mae gave anonymous donations to the Green Party.

Build a movement, then run your candidates. All you are doing now is shooting down the least of two evil.

Focus the Nation on January 31st 2008

Its about time the federal government shuts down

The inability of the Democrats to stand up to the Republicans is appalling to me. This is not about backbone, its about survival. If there is one issue that the Dems should filibuster, this is it. If shutting down the government turns out to be the only way to pressure republicans to vote for this bill, then they should be more than ready to do it. What the democrats really need is good PR, to tell the American people the reasons that the federal government is shutting down, why our climate has been heating up unrestrained, and why the war keeps on raging on.

I am so tired of petty politics. This week has deeply radicalized me, between the utter failures at Bali and in the Senate, I am losing faith in our political system. Our current system is a game of patience, and under normal circumstances, I would be happy to work within it and mediate. Unfortunately patience is just another thing that our atmosphere is running out of. If we don't radically change the way we use energy within the next few years the whole world will pay for the inability of the democrats to shake things up for something they supposedly believe in.

Focus the Nation on January 31st 2008

Using Haiku

I'm organizing a climate change event, would the author of the frog Haiku care if I use it on my posters? I can cite your name if you like. e-mail me at tboggia (at) ucsc . e d u

Thanks!

Tommaso

Focus the Nation on January 31st 2008

Seventh Generation?

What about seventh generation detergents? does anybody know?On Umbra on green laundry detergents posted 2 years, 2 months ago 16 Responses

ETA

Just a reminder that the terrorist group ETA tries not to kill people as well. Doesn't make them not terrorists. ELF and ALF need to accept the responsibility for taking violent actions. Not saying that I do not agree with them at times, just saying that I am proud they pleaded guilty.

Tommaso

p.s. still shouldn't be compared to the KKK, that is just a messed up, bigot insinuationOn Or Are You Just Happy to Sue Me? posted 2 years, 6 months ago 5 Responses

Cheers from UC Santa Cruz

Hi Nathan!

You might never get this due to all of the bickering above, but I want to congratulate you on all that you are doing.

I go to UC Santa Cruz and we have had a similar offset program. Unfortunately, we are not buying RECs locally because they were too expensive. We are now working on energy efficiency and finding roofs for on-site renewables.

If environmental thought has any chance of prevailing, it must be through love and positive attitudes. At brown, you and your peers are doing both, keep on kicking ass.

Tommaso

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