Comments MCollins has made

  • Sides to the story

    The NYT blog Dot Earth is doing a great job covering this, and I know they're aware of the contribution grist is making to the discussion--check out the twin posts recently:

    http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/02/paying-the-h ...
    http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/03/paying-peopl ...

    The posts are fueled by an exchange between Andrew Revkin, the NYT author behind Dot Earth, and Peter Barnes, of the socially responsible investment fund "Working Assets," and center around his proposal for a cap and dividend system.

    Editor, www.getsolar.com

    On Peter Barnes looks at carbon-capping methods posted 1 year, 11 months ago 3 Responses

  • Hopeful for 2008

    Whether or not tax credits can get pushed through this administration, this is a great opportunity for the next president to make a real impact on domestic renewable energy. It is only becoming more clear as time goes by how important it is to invest in renewables, and after another year, with ever more examples to look to in Europe and even in Asia, perhaps the US will finally demonstrate the leadership in this area for which we've been waiting. On Tax incentives for clean energy not yet renewed -- but probably will be posted 1 year, 11 months ago 3 Responses

  • Call to action from the blogosphere...

    The last presidential race was perhaps the first one in history that could have been influenced by bloggers--certainly the community has been strong for some time, but it's only recently that it's really picked up momentum. It's good to see that the green portion of the blogosphere is not losing sight of its potential to influence politics; it's satisfyingly democratic. Let's just hope the media listens.

    Editor, www.getsolar.com

    On A new site asks political talk show hosts to address climate change posted 1 year, 11 months ago 3 Responses

  • Is anyone here an ex-cheerleader?

    Or a current one, for that matter? I feel like we need pro-Pelosi cheers to start circulating. Progress on the energy bill has been a real triumph for a party that's been in-fighting and demoralized for too long. The political right has long been more powerful because they present, correctly, a unified front. It's wonderful that the left is beginning to  do the same, galvanized by such an urgent issue. My hope is that the move towards renewable energy will continue to pick up political steam and, as it's been doing in fits and starts, finally become nonpartisan. Woo-hoo progress!

    Editor, www.getsolar.com

    On Greens need to learn how to celebrate their friends and their movement posted 1 year, 12 months ago 31 Responses

  • More to the story

    jbosborn, I'm 100% behind your sentiments, but haven't we seen time and time again that the haves really couldn't care less about the have-nots? The way we treat our poor even in America should be a crime, but it's not. We don't seem to be able to motivate our politicians when there are clear instances of injustice involving dictators, child soldiers, mass amounts of arms trading, etc--so how will we motivate them to deal with this invisible enemy comprising not only the wealthy corporations of the world, but our own lifestyles and choices? If the UN report can raise awareness, great. If we as the most privileged of privileged peoples can agree to finally give up a little something in order to make life a lot better for everyone else, also great.

    But I'm afraid that our approach to climate change will ultimately be determined by economics rather than by morality. I think a best-case scenario is one in which we recognize that it is in the best interests of the continued stability of our governments, our societies, our currencies, and our environment to achieve greater wealth distribution along with shared ownership of the issues of climate change. In effect, everyone needs to have their basic needs met: in a sort of global Hierarchy of Needs, we can't turn our attention to idealism or the abstract--which climate change is for most everyone, despite its physical reality--until we can feed, house, clothe, protect and educate ourselves and our children. Is it safe to call this the economics of true humanitarianism?On World's poor to be shafted most by climate change, U.N. report says posted 2 years ago 2 Responses

  • Making energy affordable

    "Increased energy prices...are an essential part of climate-change legislation": The price of oil has nowhere to go but up, regardless of the soothing sounds emanated by our administration, and charging more for energy derived from fossil fuels is hardly even a band-aid to the core problem. The only way to keep the cost of energy at a reasonable level for homeowners--let alone for people living in subsidized housing, or for the nonprofits running shelters--is to get the ball rolling on widely implemented renewable energy policies so that by the time the real oil crunch hits, we'll have alternatives already in place.

    Editor, www.getsolar.com

    On CBPP launches a climate equity program posted 2 years, 1 month ago 5 Responses

  • Missing the point?

    I think that this blog addendum to the grist article was not trying to make the point that Whole Foods, unlike conventional suppliers, should not be allowed to "go corporate": they clearly are, and will continue to be, and small to medium suppliers will continue to struggle with that. Certainly a focus of the main article was on the detrimental effects of monopsony, but to me it seemed a general condemnation, not one targeted at Whole Foods.

    The point, I think, is that the conventional supermarkets have plenty of competition whereas Whole Foods, if the acquisition survives this next FTC appeal, will not. Meaning that adding to the existing problems of monopsony, which the merger would aggravate, we're looking at a pretty traditional monopoly. Trader Joe's really can't compete on the perishable side--and one thing none of these linked articles is discussing is the size of the stores themselves. Trader Joe's stores simply do not have the square footage of Whole Foods stores in any market I know of. If Trader Joe's were to step up the competition by focusing on perishables, it would require a serious re-haul of existing stores; and with the chain being a largely urban concern, that's a huge hurdle.

    In the interests of full disclosure, I have a private grudge in the matter: a Wild Oats store was literally the only grocery store within walking distance of my home. When it reopens in April as a Whole Foods market, my choices will be to shop there--and despite Wild Oats position as a "premium" retailer, they were nowhere near Whole Foods prices--or drive to a conventional market or to Trader Joe's. I'll have to choose between spending my dollars where I would prefer not to, and adding a new carbon price tag to my grocery expenses. I'm not thrilled I have to make that choice. I'll certainly be keeping tabs on the second appeal.

    Editor, www.getsolar.com

    On Trade consultancy: Whole Foods will 'consolidate supply chains' posted 2 years, 1 month ago 6 Responses

  • How to change?

    I agree with GreenEngineer--not surprising at all. But there has been little in the way of concentrated effort to raise awareness of climate change, its causes, and what we can do to stem the possible effects. That might be changing a little (thanks, Al Gore!), but still, can Americans be blamed for being unaware of something that very few institutions, including their own government, are taking pains to advertise?

    To our credit, we're starting to get both more involved and more interested as a nation, but we've got a ways to go. And while it isn't going to reverse the trends of climate change on its own, recycling isn't all bad! At least it's keeping the issue in the public consciousness. Sort of.

    Editor, www.getsolar.com

    On Poll: Americans deeply, perhaps irredeemably, confused posted 2 years, 1 month ago 10 Responses