Comments Chris McMasters has made

I once heard a speaker declare herself - not as a consumer - but as a steward:

"One who administers anything as the agent of another or others."

This would get my vote before 'consumer.'

I think a farmer's market outside of the White House is a great idea.

I'm hoping Obama will turn the White House into a net-zero building. At the very least he should put PV on the roof like Carter did thirty years ago.

And what about the motorcade? Are all those black cars hybrids?

Hmmm... I dunno... tough call...

Is the wooden leg FSC?

(Sorry - just kidding.)

Does the cat use litter made from corn-husks? (Hey now, it's better than using corn for cow feed, high fructose corn syrup, or ethanol.)

Drawing appropriate lines may be the biggest challenge facing enviros and policy makers. If this home were net-zero, is it okay to exist as an obvious behemoth? What if a family of ten did live here... How does 'having a family of ten' help the environment, even in a net-zero home? What do they eat? How big are their closets? Complexities like these will undoubtedly continue to be a burden for those searching for a path to a cleaner, sustainable world. What this home does illustrate is that despite our political woes, our cultural ones may be a bigger hurdle to clear.

We may get regulations on carbon, but you still can't regulate integrity...

(However, I do think LEED has some limits on square footage.)

I grew up in Nebraska and heard Senator Nelson speak a few times. He was very vocal in his support for Obama during the presidential election. However, his current lack of support for meaningful climate change legislation doesn't surprise me. Nebraska is largely conservative except for portions of Lincoln and Omaha. The Huskers love their 'corn-fed-edness' and have NO meaningful incentives for solar and wind production - and that's coming from a very windy and sunny state. Governor Heineman has shown no leadership for wind and solar production and continues to prop up dirty ag and feed corn production. Monsanto has even occupied a LEED platinum development in downtown Lincoln (ouch).

Senator Johanns is certainly a NO vote on any progressive issue. That you can depend on.

Senator Nelson needs to hear from YOU. Nebraskans stand to gain a great deal from climate legislation - if they could just open their eyes to the opportunity.

Meanwhile, they continue to drain the Ogallala aquifer to water bovine feed corn and create corn syrup products hoping the Huskers will once again enter the top 10 in college football...

Go Big Red!

President Obama inherited a plethora of extensive problems: the environment, energy, health care, economy, illegal Bush policies, wars, puppy choice, education, etc. These issues require immediate political attention and leadership. I commend him for aggressively dealing with all - ahem - many of them.

What is important to note (and equally frustrating) is the inability of our congress to make meaningful policies quickly. Except when it comes to agreeing to blow things up, we continue to see examples of petty politics and watered down compromises slowly meandering along like a drunk tortoise - hiccup.

To answer your questions, no, Obama does not risk losing momentum on energy - no more than he would lose momentum on health care if we were dealing with energy. It is what it is. Congress clearly does not multi-task well.

A Waxman-Markey-like bill is hardly a done deal. I don't think the White House thinks that it is. I do think that whatever happens with health care will also happen with climate legislation. H(w)e'll get either two wins or two losses.

As health care and climate are related, I don't see how we can prioritize one over the other. As I said, congress does not multi-task well. The missing piece, however, is with regard to food. Our food system is largely an environmental and health debacle. Correcting this unsustainable system would be a great way to prevent future problems associated with these issues (see WALL-E).

Both issues are doable. Be active. Call your senators and representatives. It's hard to imagine we'll get a second chance at either of these with our existing circumstances.

Despite the distinction between NPR and APM, this is a very important piece, Meredith. Monsanto's ad is completely bogus and should be examined by NYT, APM, NPR, etc. I believe it taints their journalism by accepting these types of sponsors. I'm glad Grist is calling them out.

NPR is pretty good about reading listener comments. I encourage anyone who disagrees with their advertising sponsors to contact them and express their concern. I have done so on many occasions as their website has posted BP, Fiji Water, Cargill, etc. This Monsanto ad goes too far, especially based on the type of reporting NPR prides themselves in.

Be sure to direct donations to Grist, not NPR, in the future.

The effects of our current industrial food system are also negatively impacting our health. Diabetes, obesity, and heart disease are all additional drains on our society. When you consider the failings of our health care system as well, you begin to see just how far reaching this system is. It's too bad Waxman/Markey gave big ag the pass in their bill. To really achieve sustainability, we are going to have to deal with the industrial food system.

Great Ideas & Comments

But don't forget to include our nation's 'cheap food' system. Big food needs to be decentralized just as the energy system does. By focusing on localized food production and consumption, we would reduce our dependency on fossil fuels, increase our national security and improve our health and environment.

If you haven't done so already, take some time to read Michael Pollan's 'The Omnivore's Dilemma' and 'In Defense of Food.'
http://www.michaelpollan.com/

Also, the new webcast of 'e2 Transport: Food Miles' is available online:
http://www.design-e2.com/

These educational resources help one gain a much needed insight into our unsustainable food and energy systems.

Chris McMasters

Algae Anyone?

I still believe algae is the best short and perhaps long term solution. We don't need the space, or soil for growth - primarily just the sun. We can make it with wastewater.

Shouldn't this be a biofuel we can believe in?

Chris McMasters

This is bad news.

These two sound worse than Vilsack.

Chris McMasters

Jabailo Strikes his Foe Down! Take that Romm!

You posted some brilliant song lyrics, my friend. Props. Nice work as usual. The low temps in your town certainly prove - nothing.

Chris McMasters

Are the crickets corn fed?

At least you improved your grammar on this one...

Chris McMasters

Jabailo, did you proofread this post?

His state and his backers the people that Pollan is talking about.

Give me a break...try reading something before pulling the level in the voting booth....

Did you mean 'lever?'

Anyway, I said I hope the next administration stops subsidizing fossil fuel based farming. Do I expect them to? That's probably too much to hope for. I think they'll do more with regards to energy for electricity and perhaps fuel efficiency than with farming. We'll see.

Chris McMasters

GM should bail themselves out with better cars

I, for one, will not buy a car from GM. They simply do not offer what I want. I want either Prius mileage (or better) or something that burns on something cleaner (and more renewable) than oil.

Electric or hydrogen would be great.

And no, I do not want a flex fuel corn ethanol burner and I don't support more drilling.

I certainly don't support giving more subsidies to big oil companies as they continue to post record profits.

To think that we can't come up with something better is to, well, succumb to 'I can't' mentality. The America I love can do anything.

For now, I'm leaning towards a VW diesel that I can run on soy biodiesel and hopefully on waste vegetable oil.

Does anyone know if soy biodiesel is as bad as corn ethanol?

Chris McMasters

At first glance...

this looks so great.

But the list has got to be more specific. Read 'The Omnivores Dilemma' and let me know exactly how we are going to interrupt the debacle that is American corn.

Silly me, I thought buying organic was a grand solution. Far from it. Industrial organic is not all pure and wholesome.

Inspiring movement though.

Chris McMasters

pinch me pinch me

Somebody pinch me...On Colorado utility voluntarily shuts down two coal plants posted 1 year, 3 months ago 6 Responses

but but but...

How will we continue our totally inefficient process of growing corn for ethanol and eating corn-fed beef? It's not like the fish can't hold their breath or anything... I'm sure the fertilizer is organic... Maybe the offshore drilling will help. Doesn't oil add oxygen?

What a complete debacle.On Number of ocean dead zones increasing dramatically, study says posted 1 year, 3 months ago 3 Responses

Renewable Nukyaler?

Wow, I totally underestimated nukyaler power. I thought it wasn't renewable and had toxic, radioactive 'emissions' that we have to hide away where no one will ever find them...

Bush is so smaht... Will somebody serve him a three eyed fish with a side of coal and a glass of oil to drink?

What a complete failure he continues to be.On Bush praises coal, other fossil fuels in speech to West Virginia Coal Association posted 1 year, 4 months ago 5 Responses

Who needs fish anyway, cows eat CORN...

Maybe we should start drilling for oil and natural gas off of the coast. We could get lucky and strike oxygen. Then, it will fertilize the water and all the yummy fishies will come back to get their third eyes from other toxic wastes...On Gulf dead zone likely to be more gigantic than ever posted 1 year, 4 months ago 3 Responses

Solar Today

'Solar Today' is excellent. I haven't seen it on the zine stands though. It may be a members only rag. Product of ASES: the American Solar Energy Society. I knew I liked it when the first article I read highlighted the advantages of solar over nuclear power (as if they really need highlighting). It was an intelligent piece.

I recently picked up a copy of 'Houses' because it featured a LEED Gold home on Bainbridge Island, WA. It contains a quality piece about the green movement and how difficult it will be to draw lines considering what it means to truly create a 100% sustainable and biodegradable home. I was pleased to learn that many of the articles were all about energy efficient homes.

Otherwise, I still have trouble with magazines in general. Online makes more green sense to me.

Does anyone know if Barnes and Noble recycles their not-sold magazines? I've heard they simply tear off the cover and throw them away. If this is true, we should sic Greenpeace on them!On A quick read on green lifestyle magazines posted 1 year, 5 months ago 13 Responses