Friday, 11 Aug 2006

Sheet Happens ... Faster

Greenland melting faster than five years ago, study says

We hate to give you bad news without some good, so here goes. The bad news from a study published this week in Science is that, by comparing satellite data from 2002-2005 to earlier data, researchers have determined that Greenland's ice sheet is melting about three times faster than it was five years ago. Put another way, about 57 cubic miles of ice melts there each year, enough to cause an annual 0.02 inch sea-level rise. The good news: in time, Greenland may be less of a misnomer. (There, don't you feel better?) Meanwhile, the other side of the world is also going the way of the Wicked Witch: according to recent research, between 2002 and 2005, at least 36 cubic miles of Antarctic ice melted annually. Computer projections had suggested that warmer temps in the region would lead to greater precipitation, compensating for the melt. But another study in this week's Science determined that in the past 50 years, there's been no real increase in Antarctica's precipitation. We've gotta stop reading that rag.


While doing consumer research, clean-energy marketer Brian Keane found that the phrase "green power" conjured images of a political party -- or even a lawn service! Clearly there's more work to be done, and it's all about sending the right messages, Keane says. As InterActivist this week, he answers reader questions about finding clean energy sources near you, convincing detractors that oil spills are more damaging than wind turbines, giving geothermal the respect it deserves, and more.

Party at Jim's House!

Idaho governor says no to coal, yes to whoopin' it up

Exhibiting the flair and confidence only a short-timer can afford, Idaho Gov. Jim Risch (R) has announced that the state don't need no stinkin' coal. Risch, who took office when Dirk Kempthorne resigned in May to head the Interior Department, will step down when the term ends in January. So why not have some fun? The guv will opt out of a federal mercury-trading program Kempthorne committed to, and told a cheering crowd on Wednesday that the state can meet its energy needs without mercury-spewing, coal-fired power plants -- in particular, one proposed by Sempra Energy. "Had that plant been constructed, it would have been the largest polluter of mercury in the state," Risch said. "That is simply not going to happen on my watch." Which ends, as we might have mentioned, real dang soon. But activists in Idaho -- one of only three states without a single coal-fired plant -- have high hopes. Risch's decision "shows what people can do if they care," said a member of the state's Board of Environmental Quality. Aww.

Yukon Fool Some of the People Some of the Time

GM builds world's first LEED-certified auto plant, slows SUV production

If BP went Beyond Petroleum, does that mean GM is Greening Motors? The struggling U.S. automaker recently unveiled two nuggets of eco-friendly news. Its brand-spankin' new Lansing Delta Township assembly plant in Michigan received the U.S. Green Building Council's gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, making it the world's first LEED-certified auto-manufacturing plant. The facility's eco-features -- which include waterless urinals and a lights-out section where robots will work -- are expected to save 30 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and over 40 million gallons of water during the next 10 years. The plant will also churn out more fuel-efficient "crossover" vehicles, which leads us to that second nugget: production of GM's largest SUVs will slow during the second half of 2006, given declining sales, high gas prices, and an inventory of Tahoes, Yukons, and Suburbans that just won't go away. Also, it's really hard for robots to build big stuff in the dark.

Gun in 60 Seconds

China to protect rare animals by killing them

How do you say "cognitive dissonance" in Chinese? This Sunday, Chinese officials will be auctioning off licenses to kill rare wildlife -- including some endangered species -- to raise funds for ... wildlife conservation. Due to the country's gun laws, only foreigners can bid for permits at the auction, which will be supervised by the State Forestry Administration. Starting bids to kill a wolf (the only predator on the list) are $200; red deer start at $6,000, and the right to kill a wild yak starts at $40,000. Only about 15,000 of the yaks remain in the world -- but you could make it 14,999! Some rules do apply: The winning hunters will stalk their prey in five western provinces, and must be accompanied by a guide to make sure they kill only male animals. While paying to hunt rare animals isn't a new trend in China, international groups have previously had to petition for the pleasure on a case-by-case basis. Glad to see that inefficiency smoothed out.