Many environmentally related posts appearing at Daily Kos each week don't attract the attention they deserve. To help get more eyeballs, Spotlight on Green News & Views (previously known as the Green Diary Rescue) appears twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
The most recent Wednesday Spotlight can be seen here. So far, more than 19,360 environmentally oriented diaries have been rescued for inclusion in this weekly collection since 2006. Inclusion of a diary in the Spotlight does not necessarily indicate my agreement with or endorsement of it.
What to Do When You're Running Out of Time—by
Rebecca Solnit via TomDispatch: "There have undoubtedly been stable periods in human history, but you and your parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents never lived through one, and neither will any children or grandchildren you may have or come to have. Everything has been changing continuously, profoundly—from the role of women to the nature of agriculture. For the past couple of hundred years, change has been accelerating in both magnificent and nightmarish ways. Yet when we argue for change, notably changing our ways in response to climate change, we’re arguing against people who claim we’re disrupting a stable system. They insist that we’re rocking the boat unnecessarily. I say: rock that boat. It’s a lifeboat; maybe the people in it will wake up and start rowing. Those who think they’re hanging onto a stable order are actually clinging to the wreckage of the old order, a ship already sinking, that we need to leave behind. As you probably know, the actual oceans are rising—almost eight inches since 1880, and that’s only going to accelerate. They’re also acidifying, because they’re absorbing significant amounts of the carbon we continue to pump into the atmosphere at record levels. The ice that covers the polar seas is shrinking, while the ice shields that cover Antarctica and Greenland are melting. The water locked up in all the polar ice, as it’s unlocked by heat, is going to raise sea levels staggeringly, possibly by as much as 200 feet at some point in the future, how distant we do not know. In the temperate latitudes, warming seas breed fiercer hurricanes."
Climate March Blogathon: Decisive Action meets Decisive Action—by
Sam Sutter: "On September 8th, environmental activists Ken Ward and Jay O’Hara came to Fall River District Court to stand trial for criminal charges that included disturbing the peace and conspiracy. The two men had anchored a lobster boat – aptly named the “Henry David T” – at the entrance to the Brayton Point Power Station in Somerset, Massachusetts a year earlier in order to block a shipment of coal from reaching the plant. The Brayton Point Power Station is a coal burning plant which has, over the last fifty years, emitted more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than any other coal plant in New England. As a result of the actions of Mr. Ward and Mr. O’Hara, the Somerset police and the Massachusetts State Police dive team had to respond to Brayton Point to remove the anchor of the lobster boat from the riverbed floor so that the entrance to the plant was once again clear. As the District Attorney of Bristol County, I oversee the prosecution of approximately 25,000 criminal cases each year, as well as the investigation of several hundred matters, including all unattended deaths, suspicious deaths, homicides, major drug trafficking, gun trafficking, and the like. We have in Bristol County four cities, sixteen towns and a population of approximately 550,000. As I walked into Fall River District Court last Monday accompanied by the trial prosecutor, Robert Kidd, I was acutely aware of the various responsibilities I had to fulfill on this case. The first was to my oath, sworn to at the outset of my term, to uphold the law in each case. The second was to those whom I serve every single day: the people of Bristol County. And standing alongside these imperatives was my responsibility to my conscience, to my own personal set of beliefs. These beliefs naturally and necessarily inform every decision, every policy and every practice I have authority over as the district attorney. Finally, I also wanted to take into consideration the taxpayers of Somerset who had to foot the bill for the overtime costs for the local officers who responded."
Bárðarbunga: You All Are So Dang Awesome.—by
Rei: "Yesterday, we launched a one-week Daily Kos Styrktarátak Slysavarnarfélagsins Landsbjargar - the Daily Kos fundraiser for ICESAR, Icelandic Search and Rescue. I was hoping we might raise $500-1000 for their critical work saving lives. You guys totally knocked out out of the park in the first day. As of 6:13 PM last night (the last point I have figures for), donations from 77 individuals had raised $2,975. That's bloody incredible. Later in today's article, I'm going to sweeten the pot. But first? How good are those gas forecasts anyway? Where is this magma really coming from? How can we find the answers? And why have I taken to asking a bunch of questions at the start of each article?"
The Importance of the People’s Climate March in NYC—by
StewartAcuff: "The value of the People’s Climate March in New York City on Sept 21st cannot be overstated. The march is the face and representation of millions of Americans who know we are killing our planet and expect action at the highest levels. The March is a huge step in a growing popular demand that the United States squarely face the still growing crisis, the science, the evidence, the necessity that humanity, human beings, act now to save our only planet from our own seemingly blind destruction of it. [...] As former Chief of Staff at the Utility Workers Union, I was at the table as we tried to push President Obama’s climate change legislation through the US Senate. We knew that legislation would address both our natural and our economic crisis by creating upwards of 200,000 jobs. That legislation was ready to be passed when Mitch McConnell and other radical right-wing Republicans decided that no matter how important for America, they would deny the President any more victories. As a result, Lindsey Graham did what his boss John McCain told him to and pulled himself off the legislation, denying us the votes to break the filibuster."
You can find more rescued green diaries below the sustainable squiggle.
Climate Chaos
New Denier "Society"—by ClimateDenierRoundup: "Anthony Watts of the denier blog "Watts Up With That" has started a new project, The Open Atmospheric Society (OAS). This will be a membership-based "professional" society, mimicking real organizations like the American Geophysical Union or the American Meteorological Society. But instead of being open to scientific inquiry, the OAS is only "open" to claims that oppose the consensus on climate change. They're even committed to publishing a (nominally) peer-reviewed journal, which they are very insistent will have strict rules about reproducibility, requiring all source data, software code, etc. upon submission. Greg Laden points out that if deniers creating their own journal because no one else prints their pseudoscience sounds familiar, that's because it is. Back in January, the denier-run journal, Pattern Recognition in Physics, was shut down by its publisher due to quality concerns. So again we see that deniers know they can't compete with real science and prefer instead to create their own version of reality—a version that is only open to questioning the consensus so long as the answer is 'climate change isn't a problem.'"
OMB striving to 'get wonky stuff' right on climate change costs—by A Siegel: "Shaun Donovan, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and former Secretary of the Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) along with lead on Hurricane Sandy relief, gave his first public talk as OMB Director this this morning at the Center for American Progress. A notable point: this first talk focused on climate change issues, the costs of inaction, and the payoffs from incorporating climate in our decision-making processes. [...] Perhaps, however, the most important part of Donovan's visit to CAP came at the very end, when he spoke to 'the incredibly wonky stuff that we do at OMB' and the need to get cost-benefit analysis right. This arena is one where, almost without exception, we see too pessimistic analysis: even strong advocates for climate mitigation / adaptation typically over-estimate the costs for acting while underestimating the benefits. Donovan stated that the OMB staff, under his direction, are seeking to get the cost-benefit analysis correct when they review government policies, regulations, and programs. To insure 'that we are appropriately pricing in climate change in all that we do.'"
The 'Politics of Power'—silencing dissent—by Eric Nelson: "While searching for the Chris Hayes documentary 'The Politics of Power: the evidence of climate change' I ran across this posting by D.R. Tucker @ Brad Blog called: MSNBC's 'Power' Outage: Chris Hayes' Climate Change Documentary STILL Unavailable Online | The curious blackout of the cable net's one-hour 'Politics of Power' special ... D.R. Tucker explores several aspects of this problem, includes links to short video clips and conversations, questions and answers from Chris Hayes and others with some very telling transcribed excerpts from the program itself. [...] If the story is about war that feeds the military industrial complex it will be almost unavoidable to see and hear as the MSM pounds out story after story, each building on the next until it reaches a crescendo. But when it comes to challenging Big Corpo monopolies it's an uphill battle just to be heard."
People's Climate March
People's Climate March Has Begun All Over the World—by Bill McKibben: "So things are starting to hum in New York City: I'm wandering between the Village and Alphabet City to hear one panel after another. It feels like the march is going to be big tomorrow—do whatever you can to make it bigger. And louder: bring something to make some noise. But the real fun right now is watching the images flood in from around the world—there are going to be 2900 'solidarity actions' and from the early returns they are going to be both big and beautiful."
Announcing PeoplesClimate.tv: March Livestream and People's Videos—by ClimateBrad: "I'm excited to announce that I will providing livestreamed, on-the-ground coverage of the People's Climate March this Sunday and at follow-up actions in the days ahead at PeoplesClimate.tv. The world needs a wake-up call. Climate change, and the destructive economy that propels it, must finally be taken seriously. The People's Climate March hits New York City and hundreds of locations across the globe in less than 48 hours. Activists and organizers have labored for months to make this -- not just the biggest climate march in history—but the wake-up call the world's been waiting for. All sorts of amazing creative activism is in store, all with the singular goal of saving the world. The Act.tv team, the people behind PeoplesClimate.tv, are collecting the best #PeoplesClimate videos making it easy to find, share and amplify the most powerful messages."
Why I march: Is Congress marching with me?—by RLMiller: "The People's Climate March will be the largest climate march in history. Marchers are traveling to New York City from 50 states. While there are dozens if not hundreds of satellite marches throughout the world (I'll be marching at the other end of the country in a place as vulnerable to sea level rise as New York), all eyes will be on New York. Who's marching? Climate Hawks Vote has a new kind of scorecard measuring not just votes, but also leadership in confronting the greatest challenge facing the next few generations of humanity. We've scored every Democratic member of Congress, looking at their records since January 2011, to see who's engaging the public on climate change. We score bills authored and cosponsored (including bills that have no chance of passing this Congress), websites, press releases, and internal work groups joined, but we weight public engagement far more than any of the other factors. Have you spoken on the House floor? Have you held a community roundtable with concerned business owners? Have you done a photo-op at a local wind farm's ribbon cutting ceremony? If so, you'll score well. Sadly, most of the New York City members of Congress have ducked the climate change issue. That may have worked in pre-Hurricane Sandy days. But the storm has blown a gaping hole in the myth of the city's ability to triumph over whatever the world threw at it. There's no excuse for silence any longer. Will Congress march in the streets? Or will the Democratic members of Congress representing New York City maintain their silence?"
Twenty-six senators sign letter to People's Climate March organizers praising their effort—by Meteor Blades: "The People's Climate March got some unusual support Friday. Twenty-six senators signed a letter praising the march's organizers and participants for their call to action on global warming this coming Sunday in New York City. Led by the Committee on Environment and Public Works chairwoman Barbara Boxer of California and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, all signers are Democrats except for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats. Signers also include 19 of the 24 members of the Senate Climate Action Task Force established in January by Boxer and Whitehouse to make global warming a central focus in Congress. Organizers of the march predict a large turnout—at least 100,000 people—for a peaceful protest against the relentless foot-dragging over policy changes on climate. If marchers appear in such numbers, it would be the largest protest in the city since opposition to the U.S. invasion of Iraq brought at least 200,000 to the streets there on March 22, 2003. The largest demonstration ever in the city was the 1982 anti-nuclear weapons march, when even notoriously low police estimates put the crowd at over a million."
26 Senators Show Support for People’s Climate March in New York City—by SenatorBoxer: "Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and I, Co-chairs of the Senate Climate Action Task Force, spearheaded a letter signed by 26 Senators offering support for the People’s Climate March. The March, which is expected to be one of the largest demonstrations about climate change in history, is taking place in New York City this weekend."
Congress: Gets Serious about Climate Change—by Barbara Lee: "It is time for Congress to enact real solutions, here at home, while global leaders work for greater global action on climate change at the United Nations. Congress must invest in a sustainable energy future that protects our planet and grows our economy. Building down that path, I introduced the Incentives for our Nation’s Veterans in Energy Sustainability Technologies Act (H.R. 5494) – also known as the INVEST Act. This legislation takes a small step by providing a tax credit to sustainable energy companies that hire veterans which green technology expertise. It is a win-win. Our veterans have world-class advanced technology training and a proven desire to serve our country and build a better world. We should tap into that expertise to build our sustainable energy future."
The Urgency of the UN Climate Summit—by Raul Grijalva: "So the urgency behind this UN Climate Summit could not be more pronounced. We may have thought America was ushering in renewed environmental stewardship when Bush left town, but oil and gas interests, and the Republicans they donate to, aren’t about to roll over. Climate change is undeniably the greatest challenge of our time—the question is not whether our planet is warming but whether we are committed to meeting this threat head-on. It’s up to us to not just fight for sound environmental policies, but to do right by those who will inherit the earth when we are gone. We owe it to them to solve this problem before the effects are irreversible."
Why we’re marching: lessions of the lobster boat blockade—by Ken Ward: "At every step in the action and subsequent judicial proceedings, we were guided by climate action principles sharply different from the approach of virtually every environmental and climate action organization, some of the same unspoken ideas which suffuse the Peoples’ Climate March. We believe that: Fuzzy, upbeat, comfortable climate efforts aimed at winning majority public support and pushing for moderate change dishearten supporters and cannot work. Sharp, discomfiting and meaningful actions by small determined numbers demanding emergency action at an appropriate scale, embolden supporters, create crises of conscience and might change the whole playing field, without which there is no hope. Twenty years of dumbing down climate science has left us with a mix of the uneducated and the clued-in-but-disillusioned. If you want to know where we are on the carbon emissions, warming atmosphere, warmer oceans, melting glaciers to sea level rise equation, don’t turn to environmentalists or climate activists. None of our major organizations, including all the main sponsors of this March provide any analysis or reporting on this crucial matter (see The Climate Science Blackout of U.S. Environmentalists) and every major organization endorsed President Obama’s terribly inadequate coal emissions proposal without a quibble."
Climate Change - Think Globally - Act Locally—by John Crapper: "This September 23, world leaders and representatives from big business, finance and civil society are convening in New York City for a landmark one-day Climate Summit. The summit was convened by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to catalyze action to ensure an agreement is reached at the Paris 2015 UN Climate Talks to keep the global temperature from rising over 2 degrees Celsius.Tens of thousands of people will be in NYC two days before the summit to participate in the September 21 People's Climate March. And I am hoping you will join the tens of thousands who are coming. Buses, trains, and ride boards have been established across the country and churches, homes and other spaces are providing numerous housing options. The goals are simple. Marchers are demanding a world economy which supports all the people and the planet; a world which can begin recovering from the ravages of climate change, with good jobs, clean air and water and healthy communities."
Houston climate change march—by Mosquito PilotFollow: "Yesterday, about 100 souls took to the streets of the petro metro. We marched in support of the upcoming UN climate conference in NYC and to raise awareness of the need for action to dramatically reduce the amount of carbon we're putting into the atmosphere and to mitigate the effects we know are coming as the result of the carbon we've already put into the atmosphere. [...] Popular chants were—'Change the system not the climate,' and 'The sea is rising and so are we.'"
Town of 52 Joins NY City Climate March—by timethief: "The small central valley town in the Capay Valley will hold a climate action to coincide with the climate march in New York City September 21st. The town of Rumsey in the Capay Valley has always been politically active. Community members have frequently taken action to protect and support their agricultural interests. This time it is the world changing challenge of global warming. California is experiencing its third year of drought with no relief in sight. This is a farming community and the weather determines success or failure. The Rumsey town Hall sits along scenic Hwy 16. This will be the site of the climate action. Community members are encouraged to bring signs and their support. The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Our numbers may be small but this is an 'all hands on deck' sort of issue and we are going to do our part."
Why I March: An American Symbol Threatened by Climate Change—by mimi: "If even the Bald Eagle, an American symbol, is threatened by climate change, there shouldn't be any hesitation for any of you to come to NYC and participate in the People's Climate March, sign up here and stop the policies that cause the climate to change. A report released by the National Audubon Society estimates that about half of North America's bird species may be forced to find a new habitat over the next 65 years because of the impact of climate change. Some will survive the move, but many others will not. [...] Maybe you want to look up which birds in your state or in your neighborhood will be threatened or endangered through loss of livable habitat ranges caused by climate change. See the fantastic interactive map that the National Audubon Society has provided."
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe Invited to Join People's Climate March on Sunday—by lowkell: "The following letter has been sent to Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe from numerous Virginia-based progressive and environmental groups (see signatories below), inviting him to join with tens of thousands of others in New York City this Sunday for the People's Climate March. I certainly hope he accepts the invitation! Given that you will be in New York this weekend, we invite you to join us at the march. You can show true leadership and add your voice as we demand immediate, strong action to combat climate change. As Hillary Clinton explained earlier this month, global warming constitutes "the most consequential, urgent, sweeping collection of challenges we face.â She's absolutely right, of course. Now it's time for action."
Power to the people. Tomorrow we change the world!—by don mikulecky: "I can't be there. I remember all the Marches of the sixties and seventies I was at. My spirit will be there. As I approach the end of my time here I am more and more concerned about what we are leaving behind for future generations. I may be naive, but I believe that the world will change tomorrow. Awareness is irreversible. Once you know you can not go back. We are in big trouble and the forces of greed and oligarchy want to keep us marching to our destruction. Capitalism is unsustainable, inequality has to be reversed, and we need to change the way we live."
Climate Change March sign rules—by eeff: "I got an e-mail from the Charlotte organizer on what to bring & not bring today. What to bring: Water bottles and non-perishable food. We will provide bus snacks but meals will be on your own. Shoes you can walk in. A rain jacket and sweater, just in case. blankets, pillows, earplugs and whatever else you need to be comfortable on the bus. Any signs and banners you like as long as they don't contain wood or metal poles (request of the NYPD). A sense of humor and compassion. A little bit of cash. What not to bring: wood or metal poles. weapons (obviously). amplified sound systems. So I'm going to have to figure out a way to carry/wear my sign & follow the rules!"
Why I March – The Future of the Latino Engagement Against Climate Change—by jarbelaez: "Low-income communities and communities of color, are often over looked when it comes to environmentalism. Often times, they may be disregarded as not caring, or difficult to engage, or simply forgotten because they are not considered potential funders. This, however, is not true. They often bear a disproportionate amount of the negative impacts of environmental problems, yet have enormous passion to protect their environment and help their fellow citizens. As the world debates how to tackle to the problems of climate change, we must remember that it is these communities who will bear the brunt of the impacts. As the climate changes, it is the poor who will struggle to cope the most with increased prices for food, extreme events that affect their homes, or the geopolitical instability that arises from it. [...] As a Latino who works with Latino communities on environmental issues, I am here to tell you that we are very concerned. We are passionate, and willing to work hard to protect our environment. We understand that climate change is a global problem that needs all of us."
People's Climate March Blogathon – Blog Team Thanks Meteor Blades—by rb137: "Our UN Climate Blogathon starts tomorrow—and we have a great panel of guests, as well as some Daily Kos writers planning to post. This summit is a big deal. The US has been blocking international progress toward curbing carbon emissions in the past, and is making noises like their tune is changing a bit ... NYC Kossacks Meet-up Location for The People’s Climate March. The NYC Kossacks will be meeting at 69th Street and Central Park West. We will have a banner (and some will be wearing orange) so that you can identify us. Sidnora and joanbrooker will be there at 9:30 a.m. and we encourage anyone who wants to march with us to be there by 10:30 a.m. There are estimates of 100,000 plus marchers and if people arrive too late, it may be difficult to get through the crowds to our location. After the march, there will be an NYC meet-up at our usual haunt, Spitzer’s Corner @5 p.m. Here is a link to the diary from KathNY, who will also be updating with relevant information regarding the march. Please check out KathNY's diary for location information."
What happens after the march?—by Kim in PA: "This week's People's Climate March is going to be incredible. As many as a quarter of a million people will come together to say that now is the time to shift to a cleaner, healthier, and more stable future. And then what? What happens after we go home? How do we capture the energy of participants and take advantage of our fleeting moment in the spotlight? How do we grow our movement? For many of us, once we get home, we'll continue—or begin—working with Citizens' Climate Lobby, a national—and now international—organization with more than 200 chapters that is working to build the political will we need to create a stable climate. [...] CCL is very welcoming to new members and supportive of new chapters. We are working towards a chapter in every Congressional District in the country, and we're well on our way."
Extreme Weather & Natural Phenomena
Bárðarbunga: Saving Lives—by
Rei: "What's so special about Hekla? Well, let's jump briefly back in time. Helka managed to really get a bad reputation in the Middle Ages: How did she manage to do that? Well, she's a very powerful, very ashy volcano. She's produced about 10% of the tephra (solid matter ejected into the plume) in Iceland in the last thousand years, including all of the largest single-event deposits. Hekla alone is responsible for 1/3rd of the ash falls in Scandinavia. Her andesitic (moderately silicon rich) tephra ranges from fine ash to lava bombs with a range of dozens of kilometers, and contains large amounts of fluorine. While ancient eruptions have been much worse (such as the 1159BC H3 eruption which left a decade long gap in Ireland's tree rings), the eruption that made her famous was the 1104 H1 eruption. In Iceland, the H1 eruption's 2.5 cubic kilometers of tephra caused Sandfallsvetur, or the "Sandfall Winter." In Europe, tales of Hekla ranged from allusions to her being like hell to the concept that she was the literal entrance to Hell. [...] Hekla hasn't erupted since 2000, and her eruptions have of late come at about 10 year intervals - 2000, 1991, 1980/81, and 1970. So why are we talking about this - are there danger signs that Hekla could be getting ready to go off? No. And that's precisely the problem. Helka doesn't usually give warning."
Bye Bye Polar Vortex, Hello El Nino Modoki—by pollwatcher: "Most of the heat from Global Warming is going into the oceans. You have to wonder what that heat is going to do to the normal ocean currents that drive a lot of the weather events on the land surface. Most of us are pretty familiar with El Niño. The term itself originated with the fisherman off the coast of Peru when the waters there became warmer than usual. El Niño was originally recognized by fisherman off the coast of South America as the appearance of unusually warm water in the Pacific ocean, occurring near the beginning of the year. El Niño means The Little Boy or Christ child in Spanish. This name was used for the tendency of the phenomenon to arrive around Christmas. But now scientists have recognized a similar El Niño-like pattern that takes place more in the middle of the Pacific called El Niño Modoki."
Energy & Conservation
POTUS Announces 14 Executive Actions to Deploy Solar Energy—by ericlewis0 : Among them: "Strengthening Building Codes: In May 2014, DOE preliminarily affirmed that industry’s latest commercial building code – the ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1 - 2013 – provides more energy savings than the previous Standard. Today, DOE is issuing the final determination for this action. Additionally, DOE is issuing a preliminary determination that the latest residential building code—the 2015 IECC—provides at least the same energy savings as the 2012 version. The updated ANSI/ASHRAE/IES code will help states and the Federal government save money and energy on building operations and cut emissions by 230 million metric tons of CO2 through 2030. Improved codes for residential and commercial buildings have already saved U.S. homes and businesses $44 billion on their energy bills, and today’s action builds off of this progress."
New solar, efficiency programs will curb millions of tons of emissions and save billions of dollars—by Meteor Blades: "The Obama administration took several small steps in the right direction on energy policy Thursday when it announced the Department of Energy's proposed new standard for commercial air-conditioning units, the Department of Agriculture's plan to add 540 new renewable energy and efficiency projects in rural areas and a plan to train 50,000 solar installers. The DOE estimates that the air-conditioning rule alone would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60 million metric tons by 2030, and that the whole energy package could cut them by 300 million metric tons. Plus save consumers $10 billion."
Aren't Fossil Fuels Just Dreamy?—by ClimateDenierRoundup: "In a virtual love letter to oil and gas, Alex Epstein has a post in Forbes about how the People's Climate March is misguided because, really, fossil fuels are great. Apparently, Epstein is the author of a forthcoming book titled, "The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels." He's also President of the 'Center for Industrial Progress,' a for-profit think-tank. (Yes, you read that correctly, a FOR-profit think-tank, unless the 'about' portion of the website's homepage contains a particularly Freudian typo…) Epstein lists six 'facts' about fossil fuels, which imply that all gains in life expectancy, prosperity, air quality, and water availability are entirely thanks to fossil fuel burning. He further suggests that because fossil fuels were beneficial in the past, we should continue using them forever. But that doesn't logically follow. People once found radiation wonderfully futuristic and convenient until we realized it was poison and came up with better alternatives. Epstein also misrepresents Bill McKibben's views on energy policy, selectively quoting a piece McKibben wrote back in 1998. Epstein claims, "McKibben endorsed a scenario" involving strict fossil fuel rationing, but he dishonestly leaves out the bit where McKibben wrote it was 'just for argument's sake.'"
Renewables
Wisconsin Electric's War on Solar: A Case Study—by Windtalker: "In Wisconsin, WE Energies has proposed rate changes to the state's Public Service Commission (PSC) that will increase monthly facilities fees on all customers and add crushing tariffs to those who produce grid-tied renewable energy. Their latest attempt to gain support for their proposals was contained in a brochure that went out to all of their customers with this month's billing ('Learn about Our 2015-16 Rate Request'). In short, it contains information that is simply not true in order to demonize solar customers as unfair moochers. How do I know it's not true? We are having a grid-tied solar array installed this week, and I know exactly what it will cost us to use the grid. The truth needs to get out before the PSC hearings in Madison on September 24 and Milwaukee on October 8. Follow me below the jump and tell all of your friends in Wisconsin the truth!"
Using school roofs for solar could increase US solar capacity by a third—by VL Baker: "Think Progress/Climate has the good news. Solar installations on school roofs is a no-brainer if there ever was one. According to a new report by the Energy Department and the Solar Foundation—the research arm of the Solar Energy Industries Association, a solar trade organization—if schools took advantage of their full potential for solar, they would add 5.4 gigawatts to the country’s solar capacity. That’s just over a third of the 16 gigawatts of total capacity America currently boasts. That would be enough to power roughly one million homes, and a carbon emissions reduction equivalent to taking around one million passenger vehicles off the road."
Fracking
Fracking cannot fail, but only be failed—by danps: "We've known for a while that fracking wells have serious integrity issues. A couple of years ago Anthony Ingraffea reported(PDF) on extensive well failures in Pennsylvania's Marcellus shale. In June Ingraffea and a team of researches at Cornell followed up with a study estimating forty percent of Marcellus wells will fail over time. Newer wells appear to show higher leakage rates than older ones, so structural integrity is an increasing risk. Since there is no financial or regulatory incentive to build them well, they are getting less and not more reliable. The team also noted that the oil and gas industry was not exactly forthcoming on this topic: Due to the lack of publicly available structural integrity monitoring records for onshore wells from industry, more recent studies have used data from state well inspection records to estimate the proportion of unconventional wells drilled that develop cement and/or casing structural integrity issues. This is terrible, but at this point it is not news. So it was a little surprising Monday to see a new study about the structural integrity of fracking wells getting lots of play. Not that I'm complaining - better late than never—but it just seems like something to be treated as further confirmation of what we already knew, not some startling new discovery."
Congressman Shimkus faces backlash for facebook fracking support—by Willinois: "Illinois' most embarrassing Congressman, John Shimkus, faced an outraged backlash for pro-fracking statements he made on facebook. He's already well known as a climate change denier and conspiracy theorist on the fringe of the energy debate. Although there's a long tradition of coal mining in his district, fracking is very controversial. Shimkus has a steady stream of constituents who regularly respond to his misleading and foolish facebook posts. But several posts supporting fracking attracted unusually strong pushback. The first recent post linked a radio interview in which Shimkus says fracking, 'isn't really new. It's been around since the 40's.' This is a common talking point industry propagandists use to confuse people."
To the Flat-Earthers pushing fracking on LinkedIn—by Bleuz00m: "Dear intelligent, non-Flat-Earthers who have contributed to this discussion about hydraulic fracturing and its short- and long-term toxic impact: In just the past two days alone[4/5-6/2014], two fracking workers were killed on drilling sites in pipeline ruptures, explosions, and fires, and residents had to be evacuated. Thousands of fracking earthquakes continue to shatter OK, AR, TX, WY, ND, CO, OH, WV and elsewhere around the world, including the Netherlands, Poland, and the UK. One need only visit the USGS site to confirm this. Four US states have confirmed irreversible groundwater pollution from fracking, thus destroying property values and the town's tax revenues as a result. And yes, more now-toxic aquifer lawsuits are pending. Just one of thousands: http://www.marcellus-shale.us/.... and http://www.scientificamerican.com/...
Keystone XL & Other Fossil Fuel Transportation
Yet another fossil fueled disaster in Fred Upton's district—by RLMiller: "This time, it's TransCanada of 'our pipelines never leak except when they do' fame, and it's a natural gas pipeline. 500 people have been evacuated in rural Berrien County. The noise sounded like a tornado. The gas line rupture on a large main line destroyed trees and sent debris flying hundreds of feet in the air. A potato farmer's crops have been ruined. Oh, and TransCanada is sorry for the inconvenience. The last time Big Oil spilled in Fred Upton's district, it was the Kalamazoo River. Upton sent out press releases demanding answers for about a week, then shrugged and went right back to doing what he does best - representing Big Oil in Congress."
Is Amtrak Worth Fighting To Save?—by The Gay Blade: "One of my recent story assignments was to gauge the state of passenger rail transportation in the U.S. So I grabbed the wife, booked a couple tickets, grabbed the wife again as she is entirely squeezable, and headed out on a journey of discovery. Unfortunately, what I discovered wasn't pretty. The state of passenger rail in America is dirty, primitive and bewilderingly convoluted. That’s true everywhere outside of a narrow stretch along the northeast industrial corridor where trains are not only a competitive mode of transportation, they’re the preferred method for short-haul trips. [...] The rail cars we rode in were old, dirty and swayed to sometimes heart-stopping angles. Compared to the clean, smooth ride in our local rail transit system, over some of the very same tracks, riding on Amtrak was one step above a hay wagon. In fact, if we could have had it to ourselves, we would have gladly taken the wagon and still beat the train home. Even the nice Amtrak stations were functioning museum pieces. Despite the dismal passenger accommodations, Amtrak was far more expensive than driving to our destination; easily three times as much. It was as if the whole system was deliberately designed to discourage people from riding. To punctuate that feeling, on the last leg of our journey, the rail car was so cold my hands went numb."
Trash, Pollution & Hazardous Waste
Massive Toxic Spill follow-up—by Agathena: "On August 4, 2014 the wall of a settling pond full of toxic mining waste from the Mount Polley mine broke and allowed a river of toxic sludge into Quesnel Lake in northern British Columbia. On August 6, 2014 I wrote a diary Massive toxic sludge spilled into pristine wilderness. The Mount Polley Mine owned by Imperial Metals Corp. has been closed since the spill and continues to be shut down for maintenance and clean-up. Although many experts say a clean-up is impossible, the heavy metals have settled into the lakes and rivers. August 24, 2014: the Health Ministry for the area issued a new ban on drinking water. August 26, 2014: David Suzuki weighs in with a Wake-Up Call for Canada's Mining Industry. September 1, 2014: Imperial Metals Corp. boosted the original estimate of the spill. September 2, 2014: after areal photographs were taken Damien Gillis reported that Mount Polley spill may be far bigger than initially revealed. September 8, 2014: a news conference was held for First Nations and the people of Likely, BC the town near the mine. Some of the residents brought glass bottles full of tainted water from the area."
Agriculture, Food & Gardening
No more “debates” about GMO safety–thanks to trillions of data points—by SkepticalRaptor: "There have been more than 2,000 studies, including over 100 that form the basis of scientific consensus, that have documented that GMO foodstuffs do not pose a threat to human health, the environment or other animals. Genetically modified foods are as safe or safer than conventional or organic foods. Despite that high quality evidence, despite the lack of any plausible physiological hypothesis that would explain how a GMO food could possibly effect a human being or environment, and despite the lack of real evidence that GMOs might cause harm (unless you think that Séralini's retracted article counts for something), there remains significant concern in the public about GMO foods."
The Daily Bucket--Toxic Spill in the Frog Mitigation Area—by 6412093: "I hired my son to paint a sealant onto our new fence. He told me his brush strokes spattered a few drops of the sealant into my newly constructed Pear Pond, which I'd constructed to provide the local frogs a place to chill out. I peered closely at the Pond's surface. I could see an unsettling sheen on the water. More sordid details await those who continue reading below the swirl of orange toxicity. The sealant's tin stated only that it contained petroleum distillates. I looked up the sealant's 'Material Data Safety Sheet.' The sealant's distillates were Ethyl Benzene and Xylene. Ethyl Benzene causes cancer. I fought back my panic and kept reading. [...] Five days later, the two frogs in Pear Pond appear unharmed. In fact they look downright fat."
Saturday Morning Garden Blogging Vol. 10.30—by
Frankenoid: "The shot of winter that we had a week ago jump-started the change in seasons, even though we switched right back into summertime weather with highs in the 90s, lows in the upper 50s—suddenly the cottonwoods have splotches of yellow, and gusts of wind rustle newly fallen leaves across the sidewalks. It's been a good year for the Autumn Joy sedum; some years I have problems with huge aphid infestations. This year we got melon aphids instead. It's been hell on the melon plants, but the heavy infestation is providing food for a bumper crop of ladybugs. I've never seen so many ladybug larva. I did manage to get one French cantaloupe ripe, and a couple more may make it before frost, or aphids, do the plants in. And it's been a great year for cauliflower and tomatoes."
Eco-Justice and Eco-Activism
Koch Influence over Higher Education—by Kalin Jordan via KochFreeZone: "In September of 2013, I started the Koch Free Zone campaign at Suffolk University in Boston. The Koch Brothers have donated millions of dollars to universities across the country in an attempt to influence higher education. At Suffolk, the majority of this money has gone to the Beacon Hill Institute (BHI), a think tank housed out of the universities economics department. Last year this campaign delivered over 20,000 signatures to President James McCarthy (who recently resigned), questioning the influence the Koch's have over BHI and the university."
Eco-Related Candidacies, DC & State Politics
House Republicans Combine All Their Anti-Environment Legislation into One Big Bill. 9 Dems Join Them—by Liberty Equality Fraternity and Trees: "Yesterday, while the Senate was busy voting for war, the House took a vote on destroying the environment. The American Energy Solutions for Lower Costs and More American Jobs Act is basically a rehash of bills that already passed the House and will go nowhere in the Senate. The House Republicans basically threw together all of the anti-environment legislation they've voted for into one bill, [...] The House voted for it 226 to 191. The vote was largely on partisan lines, but with 9 Democrats voting for it and 7 Republicans voting against it."
Tar Sands Cannot be the Future of Our Energy Supply—by Shenna Bellows for Senate: "While attention has been focused on the Keystone XL pipeline proposal, oil companies have sought approval to reverse two existing pipelines to potentially transport tar sands through the northeast – without even requiring new pipeline construction. ExxonMobil and a Canadian pipeline company called Enbridge want to reverse the direction of two existing pipelines that currently pump oil west, so they can send Alberta tar sands crude to the Maine coast. The first goes from Ontario to Montreal. The second is called the Portland-Montreal Pipe Line and runs from Montreal through Vermont and New Hampshire to South Portland, Maine. The dangers of these proposals to our local economy and environment are significant. The pipeline crosses through the Sebago Lake watershed, the water supply for greater Portland. The shipping plans would have tar sands shipped out of Casco Bay, threatening our tourism, fishing and lobster industries. Given the record oil spills we've seen stemming from pipeline disasters, it is not a question of if but when there will be an accident and not whether but how much damage will be caused. Not only is tar sands oil one of the dirtiest to produce and to consume, it’s also one of the most difficult to clean up, and the companies involved do not have a good safety track record."
Oceans, Water & Drought
A cry of joy from the Bay Area: it's going to RAIN!—by ejoanna: "OMG, I hope so. It was a few days ago when I first saw the forecast of showers for late Wednesday night, 9/17 and into the morning of the 18th. Did I celebrate? I did not. Forecasts are, well, forecasts. And I, we in the drought-parched regions of the Western US didn't want to get up any false hopes. Again. We just want some of this. Now. OK, real soon. Please."
Ich Infections Plague Klamath River Salmon—by Dan Bacher: "The Karuk Tribe this week discovered salmon infected with the deadly ich parasite in the mid-Klamath, many miles above the river's junction with the Trinity River - and called for an end to illegal diversions and water use. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation increased releases from the Lewiston Dam into the Trinity starting Tuesday at 10 a.m. in an effort to dilute disease-causing parasites looking for hosts and reduce high concentrations of fish, all an effort to disrupt the disease life cycle. A news release from the Karuk Tribe stated, 'As the worst drought in California history persists, Klamath River conditions continue to deteriorate. Last week Yurok biologists detected ich infections in the lower Klamath.'"
Did Prop 30 Donors Know Their Money Would Support Debt for Big Dams?—by Dan Bacher: "Opponents of Proposition 1, the State Water Bond, today criticized Gov. Brown and the backers of Prop. 1 for taking nearly $3 million raised to enact a tax increase for public education and diverting it to their campaign to pass the biggest dam-building program in California history. No on Prop. 1 leader and California Water Impact Network (CWIN) President Carolee Krieger said, 'The governor is using a legal loophole to divert donations for public education to back his deadbeat dams, pork programs and subsidies for huge agribusiness. None of the donors of this $2.8 million left over from Prop. 30 could have had any idea their money would be spent on this water bond.'"
Walton Family Foundation gave $9,234,866 to NGOs backing water bond—by Dan Bacher: "An analysis of environmental grants that the Walton Family Foundation gave to conservation organizations in 2013 reveals that NGOs supporting Proposition 1, the water bond on California's November ballot, received $9,234,866 in grants while opponents of the controversial measure received none."
Fish are falling victim to decreasing body size due to warming oceans.—by Pakalolo: "Climate change may be responsible for the decreasing size of the oceans fish stocks. This is on top of migrating fish into cooler waters which has been tip toeing behind us for awhile now. The surface temperatures in the Northeast Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem are rapidly increasing. But changes in local fish populations could be caused by any number of things. But now, for the first time, a widespread study concludes that it’s not a local problem.[...] Reporting on the warming oceans impact on the worlds most favored fish species, Clare Leschin-Hoar, 'Widely consumed North Sea species, including haddock, whiting, herring, and others, have shrunk in size by as much as 29 percent over nearly 40 years, as water temperatures have increased between one and two degrees Celsius, researchers from the University of Aberdeen in Aberdeen, Scotland, revealed.' She notes that over-fishing is a component of decreasing fish size, but the elephant in the room is increasing ocean temperatures."
Critters & the Great Outdoors
The Daily Bucket- Walk up a small mountain—by Wood Gas: "My grandsons and I took a little walk in August. These are some of the pictures I took. Memories of that great day caused me to include too many photos. This is an example of alpine muskeg in Southeast Alaska. At about 1600 ft elevation, the trees have opened enough to get some context, though there is a great variety of plant species, grasses are the dominant ground cover. By 1800' the grass is loosing the competition for space. Deer lettuce and mosses along with stunted shrubs and forbes. Already the trees are showing the stress. It's a hard life in the great north woods."
The Daily Bucket - sea lion winter refuge—by OceanDiver: "These are male Steller Sea Lions (Eumetopias jubatus), wintering and feeding in the Salish Sea to regain their massive full size before traveling back to their rookeries in British Columbia, Alaska or Oregon in spring. During the breeding season they do not eat, instead expending their energy defending territories, fighting and mating. A week or so ago they began returning here for the season. Most of time I see them resting a great deal on their favorite haulout around here, Whale Rocks (above). The cormorants and gulls, who use these rocks all year, give them space in winter. Sometimes I'll see the sea lions fishing. They are opportunistic feeders, catching whatever fish is abundant at the time, typically bottomfish, squid and herring. To locate a fishing sea lion, look for a mass of gulls wheeling and diving above the surface. A few days ago we took a trip over to a neighboring island and I saw a flock of screeching gulls to starboard. I was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a sea lion also on his way up the channel, taking advantage of the flood tide as we were. You can just see his small ear flap, one of the features that distinguishes sea lions from seals. Sea lions are somewhat less adapted to sea life than seals. They also have bigger flippers and can walk on land with them to some extent."
Forests, Wilderness & Public Lands
Federal Charges for Recapture Canyon Protest/Trespass—by jqjacobs: "Federal authorities on Wednesday unveiled charges against a handful of the protestors who rode ATVs into southeast Utah’s Recapture Canyon last spring [...] The offenses carry up to one year in jail and $100,000.00 fine. [...] Those charged include San Juan County Commissioner Phil Lyman plus Monte Wells, Shane Marian, Franklin Wells, and Jay Redd."
Glacier Park: Lake McDonald Lodge (Photo Diary)—by Ojibwa: "The Lake McDonald area in what is now Glacier National Park was a tourist destination long before the national park was created. In 1895, George Snyder constructed his Snyder Hotel on the shore of the lake. Since there were no roads along the lake, tourists would travel to Apgar at the foot of the lake and then by steamboat to the hotel. In 1906, George Snyder sold his Glacier House hotel on Lake McDonald to John E. and Olive Lewis who owned the Gaylord Hotel in nearby Columbia Falls, Montana as well as the J.E. Lewis Fur Company which traded with local trappers and Indians. There are a number of different stories about the transfer of the deed. According to one version, Snyder had gotten drunk and lost the hotel to Lewis in a poker game. In another version, Snyder had simply gotten tired of the isolation of Lake McDonald and had sold the facility to Lewis for $1,500. The Lewises renamed the facility the Glacier Hotel. In 1910, Glacier National Park was created which included Lake McDonald. The Great Northern Railway, which had advocated the formation of the park, created a subsidiary company, the Glacier Park Hotel Company, to build an extensive network of hotels and chalets in the Park. This meant that the Lewises’ rather austere Glacier Hotel would have to compete against the new hotels operated by the railway. In order to compete, they hired a prominent architect from Spokane, Washington, Kirtland Cutter, to design a new, Swiss-inspired hotel. One hundred years ago, on June 14, 1914, the Lake McDonald Lodge opened with a gala event attended by 500 people."
One Woman's Amazing Work on Wilderness—by
Michael Brune: "We're right in the middle of Wilderness Week, and this year it's a special one because we just celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act -- which is still a high-water mark for the protection of our most precious wild places. On Wednesday night, I attended a big gala in Washington, D.C., along with Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and plenty of other political, movement, and environmental big shots. For me, though, the real star of the evening was Vicky Hoover, the humble, unassuming Sierra Club volunteer superhero who received the 'A Wilderness-Forever Future" award. Nobody I know has put our motto "explore, enjoy, and protect' to better use. Vicky has done all of those things, with a zest and ageless energy that radiates from her. When I see her well-used blue commuter bike locked up in front of our headquarters, I know stuff is gonna get done. Like so many wilderness champions, Vicky started by falling in love with the wilderness experience. She took up backpacking in the mid-sixties, after she already had two young children. She and her husband brought them along, much as my wife and I do with our kids today. Soon their whole family was climbing Sierra peaks and, by 1981, Vicky had summited all 247 peaks on the Sierra Peaks Section list."