Monday, 08 Nov 2004

Ray Matter

Sustainable biz pioneer Ray Anderson InterActivates

Ray Anderson, founder and chair of modular carpet company Interface, was an early proponent of corporate sustainability, thanks to a propitious encounter with the work of Paul Hawken. Initially his green aspirations were met with much skepticism, but his success now serves as an example to would-be eco-friendly companies, and he travels the globe speaking to corporate boards and enviros alike. He answers Grist's questions and talks about the winding road to green industrial enlightenment in InterActivist -- today on the Grist Magazine website. Send him a question of your own by noon PST on Wednesday.

See You Later, Regulator

Bush victory portends big and enduring changes in environmental regs

U.S. EPA chief Mike Leavitt is touting last week's election as "a validation of our philosophy and agenda," and his agency and others that oversee environmental matters are expected to move aggressively to relax mandatory regulatory limits in favor of market-based systems and voluntary targets. Expect action on Bush's languishing Clear Skies initiative and energy bill, as well as substantial revisions of the Endangered Species Act and increased energy development on public land. Bush's changes to the regulatory system will outlast his administration, says Georgetown law professor Lisa Heinzerling. "You embed the personnel, you embed the methodologies, and pretty soon you can't imagine the world looking any different."

Where There's Heat, There's Fire

Massive forest fires may be caused by global warming

The massive forest fires that have ravaged the American West in recent years may be caused by global warming, according to a new study in the journal Nature. The Bush administration has argued that the fires are unnatural, caused by overgrown forest ground cover, and more logging, er, "thinning" is needed to prevent them -- thus the Healthy Forests initiative passed last year. But according to the study, such arguments assume that the "Little Ice Age" from around 1350 to the early 20th century, which was characterized by cool, wet conditions, is the norm. An analysis of 8,000 years of sediment on Idaho forest floors shows that, prior to that period, average global temperatures were higher and massive forest fires were common. Maintaining Little Ice Age conditions "will be difficult in the face of global warming," said study author Jennifer Pierce. As global warming accelerates, massive, destructive forest fires are only likely to increase.

Fat Accompli

Overweight passengers lead to higher airplane CO2 emissions

Everybody knows the U.S. is in the grips of an obesity epidemic. And many folks know that airplanes are major sources of atmospheric carbon dioxide, which exacerbates global warming. But did you know that the former is contributing in a significant way to the latter? Neither did we -- until now. Americans' average weight rose by 10 pounds during the 1990s, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that caused airlines to burn 350 million more gallons of fuel in 2000, costing them $275 million and producing an estimated 3.8 million extra tons of CO2. With fuel reaching record high prices, airlines are taking steps to reduce weight, but they haven't put StairMasters in airports. Yet.

Terry on, My Wayward Son

Schwarzenegger promotes environmental advocate to Cabinet secretary

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) will elevate self-described tree hugger Terry Tamminen from his current position as environmental protection secretary to the more powerful position of Cabinet secretary, where he'll serve as a liaison between the governor and department and agency heads. While Tamminen made decisions opposed at various times by the business and environmental communities in his tenure as head of the state EPA, he is respected by both sides, and particularly by the governator himself, who calls him "one of the jewels of my administration." Tamminen, who formerly headed the environmental groups Santa Monica Baykeeper and Environment Now, makes no secret about his disdain for the oil economy -- in fact, he's at work on a book about it. Enviros had kind words for Tamminen upon hearing of his promotion, and they hope his replacement at Cal/EPA will be as eco-friendly.