<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for Environmental champion Philip Clapp, dead at 54]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by sue tierney http://www.grist.org/article/philip-clapp-1953-2008/ Wed, 17 Sep 2008 12:40:27 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/philip-clapp-1953-2008/1 Phil Clapp

What a loss - but how he will be remembered for his good work.  

]]> Phil Clapp

What a loss - but how he will be remembered for his good work.  

]]> Comment #2 by Marianne Lavelle http://www.grist.org/article/philip-clapp-1953-2008/ Thu, 18 Sep 2008 01:49:59 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/philip-clapp-1953-2008/2 Phil's own words

There was no more articulate spokesman for climate concern than Phil Clapp. I've thought often of this since hearing the terrible news yesterday, so I thought I'd share some of his best quotes from my many interviews with him when I was energy writer at U.S. News and World Report:

On the 2007 kickoff of U.N. negotiations to replace the Kyoto treaty at Bali: "The world has one shot at getting an effective mechanism in place, and this is it. The future of millions of people and the climate hinge on this."

On the money being poured into Canadian oil sands, the efforts to exploit the oil shale of Colorado and elsewhere in the West, and the proposals for coal-to-liquid projects: "We're fundamentally scraping the bottom of the oil barrel. Every dollar we put into recovering more oil weds our economy more and more firmly to oil as an energy resource and actually makes us more dependent on the Middle East."

On the reasons behind the U.S. energy stalemate: "Energy is the most special-interest-driven field that the federal government wrestles with. The U.S. has been absolutely paralyzed on energy policy because of the power of coal, oil, auto, and utility industries on the Republican side and [unions] on the Democratic side."

And my personal favorite, from my notebook though it somehow never made it into a published story, on policymakers who say that a technology breakthrough is needed to address climate: "For every administration, not just this one, "technology" has always been another way to say, "mañana."

Marianne Lavelle, energy and climate writer, The Center for Public Integrity http://www.publicintegrity.org

]]> Phil's own words

There was no more articulate spokesman for climate concern than Phil Clapp. I've thought often of this since hearing the terrible news yesterday, so I thought I'd share some of his best quotes from my many interviews with him when I was energy writer at U.S. News and World Report:

On the 2007 kickoff of U.N. negotiations to replace the Kyoto treaty at Bali: "The world has one shot at getting an effective mechanism in place, and this is it. The future of millions of people and the climate hinge on this."

On the money being poured into Canadian oil sands, the efforts to exploit the oil shale of Colorado and elsewhere in the West, and the proposals for coal-to-liquid projects: "We're fundamentally scraping the bottom of the oil barrel. Every dollar we put into recovering more oil weds our economy more and more firmly to oil as an energy resource and actually makes us more dependent on the Middle East."

On the reasons behind the U.S. energy stalemate: "Energy is the most special-interest-driven field that the federal government wrestles with. The U.S. has been absolutely paralyzed on energy policy because of the power of coal, oil, auto, and utility industries on the Republican side and [unions] on the Democratic side."

And my personal favorite, from my notebook though it somehow never made it into a published story, on policymakers who say that a technology breakthrough is needed to address climate: "For every administration, not just this one, "technology" has always been another way to say, "mañana."

Marianne Lavelle, energy and climate writer, The Center for Public Integrity http://www.publicintegrity.org

]]> Comment #3 by JRup http://www.grist.org/article/philip-clapp-1953-2008/ Thu, 18 Sep 2008 06:17:50 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/philip-clapp-1953-2008/3 Philip Clapp

This news is worse than the financial markets mess - he died much too young, but I am encouraged that so many are lined up to step up all around the world. Here's to having lived well!

"Barefoot Girl Out of Ohio - A memoir of survival and overcoming" by Carole Estrup ask for it at your local library or bookstore

]]> Philip Clapp

This news is worse than the financial markets mess - he died much too young, but I am encouraged that so many are lined up to step up all around the world. Here's to having lived well!

"Barefoot Girl Out of Ohio - A memoir of survival and overcoming" by Carole Estrup ask for it at your local library or bookstore

]]> Comment #4 by paul gorman http://www.grist.org/article/philip-clapp-1953-2008/ Thu, 18 Sep 2008 17:08:08 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/philip-clapp-1953-2008/4 Phil Clapp

Saviest of strategists, raciest of observers, wittiest of wonks, repository of buzz, and connaisseur of the human comedy, Phil may well
have reincarnated here from some European court. From epic scheming of privy counsels, he would as easily retired to chapel and confession, since he could name his own venalities, or to evening musicales for he knew the entire chamber music oeuvre; thought late Beethoven "peevish"; was envious of Mendelsohn's innocence; and knew his own wounds well enough to keep a healthy distance from Chopin.  

For all the dharmic intentions, his accumulatedmindful breaths at Zendo retreats did not outnumber his gossipy whispers in philanthropic hallways, legislative lobbies, or diplomatic corridors.

His yearnings would always dwarf his victories; his realism rescued him from resignation; his versatility made him mercurial, he suffered far more from what he hid than what he showed, he inspired and comforted his close colleagues but rarely comforted his own wounded and fractious soul.

For so durable a warrior, he was more fragile than many knew and his Achilles heal was his heart.  So when he fell it was both earlier than we ever would have expected but perhaps no surprise given that he was gentle while our country is mean; pure and our culture is corrupt.  In the end, he was not entirely at home here, which made his service deeper than even he appreciated.    


]]> Phil Clapp

Saviest of strategists, raciest of observers, wittiest of wonks, repository of buzz, and connaisseur of the human comedy, Phil may well
have reincarnated here from some European court. From epic scheming of privy counsels, he would as easily retired to chapel and confession, since he could name his own venalities, or to evening musicales for he knew the entire chamber music oeuvre; thought late Beethoven "peevish"; was envious of Mendelsohn's innocence; and knew his own wounds well enough to keep a healthy distance from Chopin.  

For all the dharmic intentions, his accumulatedmindful breaths at Zendo retreats did not outnumber his gossipy whispers in philanthropic hallways, legislative lobbies, or diplomatic corridors.

His yearnings would always dwarf his victories; his realism rescued him from resignation; his versatility made him mercurial, he suffered far more from what he hid than what he showed, he inspired and comforted his close colleagues but rarely comforted his own wounded and fractious soul.

For so durable a warrior, he was more fragile than many knew and his Achilles heal was his heart.  So when he fell it was both earlier than we ever would have expected but perhaps no surprise given that he was gentle while our country is mean; pure and our culture is corrupt.  In the end, he was not entirely at home here, which made his service deeper than even he appreciated.    


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