Comments el mono has made
climate change
Actually, removing the boreal forests would increase the albedo of the earth and help slow global warming. But that would be short-sighted for a myriad of other reasons.
Way to go Canada ... this conservation effort sounds great!On Ontario protects gigantic forest area posted 1 year, 4 months ago 6 Responses
Good news!
I hate to be picky, but isn't that a nuclear power plant in the picture?On Landmark ruling halts Georgia coal plant on basis of CO2 emissions posted 1 year, 5 months ago 7 Responses
What a dick ...
On Cheney: 'Drill, drill, drill' posted 1 year, 5 months ago 12 Responses
Waxman
Waxman has done a lot of good exposing Bush's follies over the years. I'll cut him some slack over the transit issue.On Waxman discloses evidence that White House influenced EPA California waiver posted 1 year, 6 months ago 3 Responses
As a Minnesotan ...
I am proud of these legislators for taking this action. Gates needs to put his money where his mouth is.On Legislators protest Gates family's stake in Big Stone II posted 1 year, 7 months ago 9 Responses
biodiversivist
Someone has been reading their New York Times.
No question that a change in biofuel policy would be the low-hanging fruit, but that doesn't change the fact that we ought not misrepresent the situation when it comes to high food prices.
And ... we may not be able to control the weather, but we can do something about our climate (and the drought in Australia is likely climate-change induced).On Why Michael Pollan and Alice Waters should quit celebrating food-price hikes posted 1 year, 7 months ago 27 Responses
The Blame Ethanol First Crowd
Tom, great article. I do have to take issue with the portrayal (and not just in this article, but in many news stories about this topic) that the ethanol boom is the only factor leading to high food prices. Don't get me wrong, corn-based ethanol is a thoroughly worthless enterprise, but as I understand it there are actually four main reasons why we are facing high food prices (in descending order of importance, as I understand the situation):
- The rising middle class in China and India is consuming a greater amount of meat and - if we all think back to ecology class - it takes a lot of energy from the lower trophic level (grains) to raise those cows and chickens. This is pushing both grain and meat prices higher.
- More corn is being used for ethanol, and more land is being used for corn.
- The economy is bad, and so investors have been increasingly investing in commodities (i.e. corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, oil, etc.) - they were considered the safe fall-back option when the credit crunch hit. Now we have a bubble in these markets and prices have gone sky-high. Oil is the same way - there is actually no reason from a production/capacity/reserve standpoint why we should have oil prices this high. It is just that investors have gone crazy for the commodities. (For more on this: the "Marketplace" program on public radio did a great story on the bubble in the rice market a few weeks ago.)
- The high price of oil raises costs for both production and distribution of food.
- The rising middle class in China and India is consuming a greater amount of meat and - if we all think back to ecology class - it takes a lot of energy from the lower trophic level (grains) to raise those cows and chickens. This is pushing both grain and meat prices higher.
That is dumb.
Thankfully we still have our library at the EPA lab where I work. The Administration needs to start funding the Agency's research arm, which has been hit with some nasty funding cuts recently ... perhaps then we wouldn't have people in Washington deciding to close libraries just to keep the ink black.On EPA closure of research libraries was a stupid idea, says GAO posted 1 year, 8 months ago 3 Responses
I've been there ...
... and there aren't a lot of natural predators in Canberra.On Australia military will kill hundreds of kangaroos posted 1 year, 8 months ago 16 Responses
why?
Why does she seem hell-bent on dragging this thing out even longer? She can't catch Obama's delegate lead, so all she'll be is a spoiler. With Obama being attacked by both Clinton and McCain for another couple months ... I can't see it boding well for the Dems in the fall.
If McCain wins - I'm blaming Hillary.On Primaries thread posted 1 year, 9 months ago 22 Responses
thanks
Thanks Joseph,
I certainly hope the author of the WaPo article reads your post. Climate policy is a difficult enough issue without shoddy journalism getting people confused and discouraged.
I think Obama's climate plan is top notch, and I sincerely hope we get to see it in action.On The Washington Post lamely attacks Obama's climate ideas posted 1 year, 9 months ago 12 Responses
winner take all
In America's winner take all system, I contend that it is close to impossible for a viable third party to emerge.
If Ralph runs, we could potentially lose Obama as our pres (LCV score in the 80s, I believe) and end up with McCain (LCV score of 0). I hope Nader supporters put this in perspective. Would we have been better off with Gore as president instead of Bush in 2000? I rest my case.On Ralph Nader might jump into the presidential race posted 1 year, 9 months ago 129 Responses
LCV likes Obama
He has a higher score from the League of Conservation Voters than any other candidate for president.On Huckabee and Obama win Iowa caucuses; what's the green angle? posted 1 year, 11 months ago 19 Responses
I'm not surprised ...
... but still sad.On U.S. EPA won't let California enact vehicle greenhouse-gas limits posted 1 year, 11 months ago 9 Responses
What a fantastic state!
It is a proud day for all Minnesotans. Here is a related article from the Star Tribune: http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/12483471.html ...On Minnesota will ban mercury in cosmetics posted 1 year, 11 months ago 6 Responses