Thursday, 20 Apr 2006

We thought about being earnest this Earth Day -- compiling some sort of inspiring list of in-the-trenches eco-heroes who need recognition and encouragement -- but then we remembered: we're Grist. So we bring you instead a capricious rundown of our favorite highs, lows, and wacky bits of the last year. Who's the hottest eco-model? The mustachiest geo-green? What's the kinkiest eco-innovation? The most self-defeating anti-Kyoto argument? Survey our superlatives to find out, then add your own ideas in Gristmill.

One for the Record Books, If They Survive the Floods

U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions hit record high

This week, the feds quietly -- as in, tiptoeing in socks, holding breath -- released annual stats on U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions, as required by the U.N. climate-change convention. The news is roughly as good as you would expect: The U.S., with only 5 percent of the world's population, is its biggest GHG polluter; emissions rose 1.7 percent between 2003 and 2004, the biggest increase since 2000, part of a 15.8 percent rise since 1990; in 2004, the U.S. spewed the equivalent of 6.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide. Not surprisingly, fossil-fuel combustion was responsible for the bulk (94 percent) of the emissions. Demand for electricity in the U.S. keeps on rising, as does the number of cars on the road. Said U.S. EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson: "[T]he U.S. is making significant progress toward the president's greenhouse-gas reduction goals." Said us: What the hell are you talking about?


In case you haven't noticed, we're pretty dang excited that our own Chip Giller made the glossy green pages of the latest issue of Vanity Fair. And Vanity Fair's pretty excited to exclaim to the world that they're turning an environmental corner. This week, they did that by hosting a swank soiree at a luxury home-goods store ... but hey. One step at a time. Emily Gertz was there, and dishes the dirt on the beautiful people.

Knock, Knock. Hu's There.

Oil issue looms as Chinese prez visits White House

Buying oil from unsavory regimes, thus ensuring their grip on power. Attempting to lock up oil supplies to increase geopolitical influence. Growing heedlessly and unsustainably, polluting the air and water. These are the kinds of behaviors the world can no longer tolerate from ... China. Wait, whaaa? Seriously: During Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to the White House today, President Bush was expected to lecture him about oil. You see, the U.S. doesn't appreciate China's "mercantilist" policy of buying oil from places like Sudan, Burma, and, most significantly, Iran, with no heed for those countries' geopolitical misbehavior. The U.S. is attempting to build international support for economic sanctions against Iran over its budding nuclear program, and China could potentially stymie those plans. Bush planned to encourage Hu to get on board about Iran, quit buying oil from suspect regimes, and concentrate on energy efficiency. Hu planned to teach Bush the Chinese terms for "pot," "kettle," and "black."

Death Rides a Slightly Less Pale Horse

Climate change may not totally wipe out the human species

In what passes for good news on global warming these days, a new study has determined that climate sensitivity -- the extent to which climate will react to increased greenhouse-gas levels -- is likely within the mid-range of predictions. That means an atmospheric doubling of GHG levels, which everyone expects, will raise the global average temperature between roughly 2.5 and 8 degrees -- not the wacky 16-degree jump some had warned of. "This still commits us to quite a bit of climate change, but it leaves the door open to avoiding the largest and most devastating consequences," said lead researcher Gabriele C. Hegerl. Of course, a rise of 7 or 8 degrees in global average temperature will ensure massive storms, droughts, and sea-level rises, sufficient to hobble human society. But a 16-degree rise would be much more likely to wipe us out entirely. So, um ... we have a chance of maybe surviving! Who says the media never reports the good news?