Comments Vincenze has made

Timeseries of environmental expenditure?

That is disheartening... especially after hearing Branson and Google's pledges of a mere few billion between them, spread over the next decade or so, and being so excited by that.

Dreaming about it the other way round though is still mind-blowing!

Also, anyone have handy a report (or chart) on annual environmental expenditure by the US (I tried hard but couldn't find anything coherent), we hear about the budget being cut or increased but It'll be interesting to see a timeseries.

For example you said in one of your articles there was a cut of about 4% to the environment budget in '06 but according to this report if I read correctly, there was a huge increase of about 42% in '05... a timeseries would help to make more sense of these annual fluctuations.

Regards,

Vincenze.On How would you spend it? posted 3 years, 2 months ago 5 Responses

great news!

I think this is a great pioneering step forward, and hopefully it will do just as you say... cause a domino effect.

Vincenze.
On California passes Global Warming Solutions Act posted 3 years, 2 months ago 4 Responses

ahh the irony

"Same way as oil is found, by looking for appropriate geological areas. Because this method had produced results before, there is confidence it will work again."

so you plan to use up all the oil, then the Uranium... then what?

I can see the headlines in 2050:

Scientists pioneer Solent-Green Energy Technology: Our energy crisis is final over.On No nukes is good nukes posted 3 years, 5 months ago 62 Responses

Forgive me, I'm lost...

It'll run out in 75 years but many still think it a viable long term energy solution?

What is the pro-nuclear response to the estimated range of nuclear power?On No nukes is good nukes posted 3 years, 5 months ago 62 Responses

interesting and...

Interest point on the funding and at the same time not suprising.

also I've rounded up a few definitions of pollutants, just to hammer it .

I'll add the points on Ford to my article. :)

v.On Ford and CEI posted 3 years, 6 months ago 3 Responses

a different take

Ok...

I'm not sure if Patrick and I read the same article cause I took it to mean something different entirely, maybe I missed something.

I took this article to mean that Americans (or westerners in general) should stop pointing their fingers at China for being such a big polluter of the world.  That is of course since much of China's manufacturing that results in pollution is a result of western companies shipping their labour to China cause it's cheaper.  Um, so really it's "our pollution".

That's how I took it and I agree totally, in fact, and picture a light bulb above my rusty head if you would... it proves how hypocritical the US government was in rejecting Kyoto, based on the whole "it's unfair economically, sob, sob, that the developed world don't have to make their targets sob, sob"...

Yes, much clearer now and to think how many times I've looked and seen "made in China", thanks.

Vincenze.

http://vincenze.comOn America outsourcing its pollution to China posted 3 years, 7 months ago 2 Responses

Simplify it...please

I think people (us environmentalist types included) need to stop focusing on the problem and start on potential solutions.  

We've know about these problems for decades, sure you need to prove it fine, but now we need to focus on fixing it...i.e.

Global warming is a problem, here is how we can fix it, but we need your help...

Vincenze.

http://vincenze.comOn Hope: the new fear posted 3 years, 7 months ago 12 Responses

power of numbers

If everyone (from affluent countries) did 1% of what the author did, indefinately, it would have a huge positive impact.

Vincenze.

http://vincenze.comOn Could you go without shopping for a year? posted 3 years, 8 months ago 3 Responses

pacing problem?

wedjr, what do you mean by pacing problem?

cheers

Vincenze.

http://vincenze.comOn Plug-in hybrids go viral posted 3 years, 8 months ago 6 Responses

simple:

Gadgets and governments won't do much.  

Labels (as meander said) on products saying how energy efficient, and hence dollar efficient will do lots.

The power lies with the consumer to choose more energy efficient products, but of course they have to be informed of the efficiency before they can make a valid decision.

As for the microwave... don't buy one.  Ask yourself; do I really need a microwave?  Personally, I'd never go back to using one, the food tastes much better cooked the old fashion way and it ain't all that much quicker either.

Vincenze.

http://vincenze.comOn Giant power sucking sound posted 3 years, 8 months ago 4 Responses

what about...

I think your version sounds fine, very positive.

But I think it will give the impression that consumers and individuals can sit back while the scientists and engineers fix everything.

I think you could maybe add a part on what the consumer can do, such as choice of product purchases, transportation, lifestyle etc

Vincenze.On What would your global warming ad look like? posted 3 years, 8 months ago 18 Responses

New URL

Sorry, it should be http://vincenze.com/?p=48.

Cheerz,

Vincenze.On UCS presents interactive animation about auto lobbyists and fuel economy posted 3 years, 8 months ago 8 Responses

thanks

Thanks David, I'll check it out.

Vincenze.

http://vincenze.comOn The party that can see into the future posted 3 years, 8 months ago 4 Responses

Even more 'not quite', but

Not exactly global warming but relevant none the less.

Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell

They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique
And a swinging hot SPOT
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
`Til it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

They took all the trees
And put them in a tree museum
And they charged the people
A dollar and a half just to seem 'em
Don't it always seem to go,
That you don't know what you've got
`Til it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

Hey farmer, farmer
Put away that DDT now
Give me spots on my apples
But LEAVE me the birds and the bees
Please!
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
`Til its gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

Late last night
I heard the screen door slam
And a big yellow taxi
Took away my old man
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
`Til it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

I said
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
`Til it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

Vincenze.

http://www.vincenze.comOn Pop songs about global warming posted 3 years, 8 months ago 13 Responses

Interesting

You can sell a gun, you can buy a gun, you can own a gun...

but you can't name names?

Hmmmmm.

Vincenze.

ps good point Jeff.

http://www.vincenze.comOn 'Eco-terrorism': Careful with that website, Eugene posted 3 years, 8 months ago 25 Responses

Captain America pull your head in!

Captain America,

Your comment left a bad taste in my ear...

No one said we all should go and live in the jungle like hippies, heat your home fine...do it by buying the most energy efficient heater.  Drive your car, fine.  Buy a hybrid and catch public transport when it's available.  

Not heating your home out of spite is not the answer, what will that achieve? Supporting, promoting and discussing new eco-friendly technologies, is part of the solution.  

Talking about the problems in the world is part of the process; it's not going to change over night!  I'm sure that most environmentalists would stop using fuels if there was a better alternative.

A hypocrite is someone who is against something but then does exactly that, so if I preached about the effects of fuel then jumped in my V12 Ferrari and yell burn-fuel-burn!!! ok, hypocrite...

I can't speak for anyone else, I know that I recycle, I catch public transport (as much as it sux) and I would buy a hybrid if I could afford it.  Am I a hypocrite because I drive a normal car on weekends?

It's not about pointing the finger, blaming people it's about working together to find solutions, we all admit we've been living beyond the earths capacity...we were all born into it...no one is saying they are saints...

But it's time to make changes...

Vincenze.On The evolutionary reason for humans? posted 3 years, 9 months ago 27 Responses

Bring back Bruce Willis!!!

Oh Jeff,

I agree with you, so it pains me to say this, but I think Chris was really on to something when he started this debate.  Check out the latest news headline:

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,18334189-401,00.html

Perhaps this is just to distract us while they finish off what's left of the Amazon...

Vincenze.On The evolutionary reason for humans? posted 3 years, 9 months ago 27 Responses

A missing perspective

The article is interesting, but I think it lacks some biological reasoning in terms of why fertility rates differ between sub-populations.  Factors such as stress, increased likely-hood of survival in more affluent communities and disease in poorer communities are some common biological factors that can affect population dynamics, in particular fertility rates.

It's also interesting that towards the end of the article it's mentioned that under one particular model 5 billion humans can be supported on earth, but with technological advancement we can extend this number.  A few comments:

1. Even according to this model we are already over-populated and we don't even need to say that the estimate is very optimistic.

2. The model doesn't account for the impact we have on other species, i.e. extinction of species is occurring at a ridiculously high rate, largely cause by the humanising of the world.

Vincenze.On 6,500,000,000 posted 3 years, 9 months ago 1 Response