Monday, 24 Apr 2006

Hydrogen Fidelity

Bush stumps for hydrogen on Earth Day

For Earth Day, President Bush visited a California hydrogen fuel-cell project, decrying the danger posed to the planet by ... high gas prices. Predicting a "tough summer" and calling the scourge at the pump "a serious problem we've got to do something about," he pledged immediate action. And by immediate action, he meant immediately talking about running cars on hydrogen fuel cells, a technology most analysts say won't be ready for widespread use for another two or three decades. (Californian consumers currently driving hydrogen cars: one. Cost: $1 million.) "I strongly believe hydrogen is the fuel of the future," said Bush -- and really, why bother with the present when you've got the future totally handled? Responding to Bush's speech, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) proposed more aggressive measures like raising vehicle fuel-economy standards to 40 mpg, which isn't very futuristic at all.


When it comes to eternal quests, advice maven Umbra Fisk ranks right up there with Don Quixote. But she's after something a little less romantic than the ersatz knight: she wants to help readers understand the ins and outs of climate change. In part 67.5 of this month's "Climate Change Until We're All Deranged" series, she explains how the greenhouse effect is good, even while global warming is bad. Not sure why that is? You're not alone.

The World Bunk

World Bank report urges cleantech boost in developing countries

The World Bank is turning its attention to helping developing countries meet their growing energy needs without, you know, frying the globe. At the request of the G8 nations, the World Bank produced a report on the subject, released at this weekend's meeting with the International Monetary Fund. (The G8, IMF, and World Bank ... it's the New World Order trifecta!) The report encourages a new regime of loans and investments to promote just about every clean-energy source out there, from renewables to nuclear fission to good old-fashioned energy efficiency. "We've got a wide range of technologies," said World Bank chief scientist Robert Watson. "The issue is energy policy reform." The National Wildlife Federation commented favorably on the far-reaching goals of the report, but added that "sadly, this rhetoric is essentially the opposite of the bank's current energy portfolio which is all about big oil and gas."


This week's InterActivist, David Ford, began his career as a forest firefighter. He then moved on to fight political fires as a lobbyist for the forest products industry. Now he's CEO of Metafore, a nonprofit that helps businesses adopt more forest-friendly and sustainable practices. In answering questions from Grist, Ford chats about how the spotted owl turned his world upside down, why every business is in the forest business, how he's passing his competitive streak on to his kids, and more. Send Ford a question of your own by noon PDT on Wednesday; we'll publish his answers to selected questions on Friday.


Industrial dairy farms deplete groundwater, fill the air with bacteria-laden dust, and, what with the massive lagoons filled with manure (ew), kinda stink. If goings-on in New Mexico -- the nation's seventh-largest milk producer, fastest-growing dairy state, and home to the nation's biggest cheese plant -- are any indication, Big Dairy's free ride may soon be over. Mark Winne reports on the New Mexico Environment Department's long-overdue clampdown.

When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Blaming

Rising oil prices send lawmakers into frenzy of empty gestures

The American public will take lots of things lying down -- inaction on climate change, ill-conceived wars, erosion of civil liberties -- but expensive gas? Hell no! With oil prices topping $75 a barrel, gas prices sneaking up on $3 a gallon, and some East Coast gas stations running dry, Americans are demanding demagoguery from their lawmakers, and lawmakers are asking "how high?" Some legislators are pushing for a windfall tax on oil companies; others are calling for inquiries into price gouging; still others want to loosen environmental regulations on gasoline. House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), of all people, is complaining about the compensation package of outgoing Exxon honcho Lee Raymond, of all things. Gas types blame the shift from MTBE to ethanol; oil companies blame the market. President Bush says prices are only going to get higher, and there's not much the government can do about it. When Bush is the voice of reason, you know we're in a world of trouble.