Friday, 23 Feb 2007

What, Me Warring?

President Bush visits North Carolina lab, burbles about alternative fuels

Tired of explaining why other countries are pulling troops out of Iraq, President Bush switchgrassed to a favorite topic yesterday: alternative energy. A photo op at a North Carolina research facility saw the Commander in Chief don a lab coat, squint thoughtfully at a jar o' science, and proclaim, "Fission accomplished." OK, we made that quote up, but the rest is true. Bush used his visit to Novozymes North America, which is developing enzymes to make cellulosic ethanol, to tout his carefully nuanced vision of America's future: "I like the idea of a president being able to say, wow, the crop report is in, we're growing more corn than ever before, which means we're importing less oil from overseas." Neato! The trek came on the heels of the release of a controversial fiscal year 2008 budget that would boost research and development spending on energy, including nuclear, by 30 percent. Hey, looks like we have time for one more quote from Bush's tour: "So is this like a distillery?" Not made up.


Ask Chinese officials, and they'll tell you that the new Qinghai-Tibet train -- which traverses the world's highest-elevation track -- is a marvel of environmental engineering, a pleasure trip for the burgeoning middle class, a super way to see the sights. Ask concerned observers in Tibet and elsewhere, and they'll say it's a thinly veiled attempt by the Chinese government to get at Tibet's oil and mineral riches. Erica Gies reports on what it's like to ride the new train, and what's really going on behind the scenes.

Now That's a Bald Spot

Demand for air conditioning in developing countries hurts ozone

Remember when Britney had just broken up with K-Fed, and she seemed happy and healthy and getting her life back on track, and then things ... took a turn for the worse? Let us draw a slightly strained analogy to the ozone layer. As ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons were banned in Europe and began to be phased out in the U.S., the yawning ozone hole seemed to be closing -- but now demand for air conditioning in India and southern China is slowing the healing process. The main offending gas is refrigerant HCFC-22, which developing countries are allowed to continue using through 2040; experts estimate that HCFC-22 output in developing countries is rising 20 to 35 percent each year. Ozone-effing air conditioners are, of course, much cheaper than cleaner modern ones, and chemical companies dole out HCFC-22 willy-nilly to repair shops. Says one Mumbai repair-shop manager, "If it were something so bad, they would not legally sell it." Oops, they did it again.


Setting out to remove a flock of birds from your community? Don't go about it all loosey-goosey, says this week's InterActivist: the nonprofit GeesePeace has all the resources and protocols you'll need to humanely send 'em flying. In response to reader questions, GeesePeace Director David Feld covers poisonous poop and killer Kool-Aid, and lauds the most effective form of goose control. (Hint: Its bark is worse than its bite.)

Detroit Should Get an Award for Ending Every List

New report ranks U.S. cities on environmental and social realities

A new report ranks 72 U.S. cities on their greenness -- but we're not talking just parks and bike paths. The Urban Environment Report, put out by the Washington, D.C.-based Earth Day Network, includes a "vulnerable population index" that takes into account the segment of a city's population that is most susceptible to environmental changes, including those who are unemployed and uninsured. "This study is the first of its kind, not only because of the sheer quantity of environmental data analyzed, but also because it redefines the term 'environmental' to include public health, poverty, education, and other quality-of-life issues," said Earth Day Network President Kathleen Rogers. Other factors studied include climate-change action, air quality, transportation, toxics, and human health. Topping the list of green go-getters is Fargo, N.D., with Burlington, Vt., Portland, Ore., and Colorado Springs, Colo., close behind. Languishing at the bottom: El Paso, Cleveland, Miami, and Detroit.