Tuesday, 14 Nov 2006

The Appliance of Their Aye

U.S. DOE will phase in energy-efficiency standards for household appliances

After years of thumb-twiddling, the U.S. Department of Energy will phase in more stringent energy-efficiency requirements for 22 household appliances and other pieces of equipment over the next five years. Congress requires ramped-up efficiency standards according to periodic deadlines; this update is only a dozen or so years late, so you'd think critics would cut the DOE some slack. But steely-eyed green groups, joined by 15 states and New York City, sued over the delay last year, and now a settlement is forcing the department to get off its arse. Gizmos with better energy efficiency -- including dishwashers, fluorescent lamps, ovens, and the like -- could stave off the construction of dozens of new power plants and save enough juice to meet the needs of 12 million homes once fully in place. Under the settlement, the department must set standards at the maximum technologically feasible and cost-effective level possible. What a bright idea.


While many Americans remain complacent about climate change, a few are rustling up the energy to storm the streets. In early September, Bill McKibben reported on a march he helped organize in Vermont. Now Mike Tidwell weighs in with an account of a protest at the Washington, D.C., headquarters of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Could a trend be brewing? Signs point to yes, if the U.K. is any indication: Mike Wendling reports that climate protests there are heating up, with passionate groups shutting down power plants and blocking airport runways.

Herd It Through the Decline

Climate change ravages land and livelihoods of Kenya's nomadic herders

As climate talks continue in Nairobi, Kenya, the world's climate-change canaries aren't far away. Severe floods in the country's northern and coastal regions have killed more than 20 people and forced 60,000 to relocate over the last few weeks, and a flood-drought cycle is disrupting a traditional way of life for 3 million nomadic herders in the north. "These kinds of extreme flooding are the kind of events that are consistent with scientific forecasts on climate change," says Nick Nuttall of the U.N. Environment Program. When the floods go, drought comes: one region has seen a fourfold increase in drought in the last 25 years, according to research by Christian Aid, and drought has also forced some 500,000 people to abandon their wandering ways. Not surprisingly, things are getting ugly: livestock raids have killed at least 150 people in the past five months, and violent clashes have erupted over water. It is, says Christian Aid's Andrew Pendleton, the "climate-change version of Rwanda."


What if there was a public transit system one-tenth the price of conventional light rail, available 24 hours a day within minutes, suitable for both urban centers and suburbs, safe and comfortable, and most important, faster than auto commuting? Think you'd prefer it over that stinky city bus? Meet CyberTran, an automated, driverless ultra-light rail system being developed in California. It could spark a virtuous cycle of demand that draws people out of their cars, says Gar Lipow. He investigates the details in Gristmill.

No More McDonald's For Them

French prime minister proposes an import tax on Kyoto-averse countries

We'd like to preface this story on French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin with an amuse bouche: his name always makes us think of that Singing Nun tune from the '60s, which led us to a lyrics site today, which featured the offer, "Send the Singing Nun ringtones to your cell phone." What a world we live in. OK, on to the news: the French PM has proposed a European tax on imports from countries that don't play along with the Kyoto Protocol. Some see the idea -- which would require E.U. support -- as a protectionist trade measure, but de Villepin maintains that it's crucial for battling big polluters like the U.S. and China. "Europe has to use all its weight to stand up to this sort of environmental dumping," he said, promising a concrete tax proposal by March. France is also aiming for a new coal tax and increased taxes on polluters. "The environment is a global issue," de Villepin said. "Our efforts will be worthless if we are the only ones fighting for the future of the planet."


Huge thanks to the more than 300 smart, savvy Gristians who came to our San Francisco reader party last week. Connections were made. Ideas were sparked. We even saw some shameless flirting going on. We had so much fun, we might come to your 'hood next. David Roberts fights his organic hangover to offer pictures and a first-person account.