Tunnel near Rio Grande Village in Big Bend National Park.
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) normally appears twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The most recent Saturday Spotlight can be seen here. More than 20,120 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.
NOTE: The Green Spotlight will not appear on Saturday, Nov. 29. Environmental diaries written between today and Dec. 3 will appear in next Wednesday's Spotlight.
How The Oil Industry Bought And Trashed North Dakota—by
Dartagnan: "North Dakota doesn't contain a whole lot of people. Situated adjacent to the Canadian border and landlocked, with few major towns, it's not much of a tourist destination. It gets extremely cold there in the winter. Many buildings in Fargo have enclosed walkways between them so you can maneuver across town without having to go outside, where a minute's exposure in February can freeze your skin. It's not a place that gets much attention, so when its residents found themselves on the receiving end of such adulation from billion dollar oil companies, offering jobs and revenue to a state where its young people spent their time daydreaming about leaving, well no one wanted to risk insulting them by bringing up the environment: Since 2006, when advances in hydraulic fracturing—fracking—and horizontal drilling began unlocking a trove of sweet crude oil in the Bakken shale formation, North Dakota has shed its identity as an agricultural state in decline to become an oil powerhouse second only to Texas. A small state that believes in small government, it took on the oversight of a multibillion-dollar industry with a slender regulatory system built on neighborly trust, verbal warnings and second chances."
The Daily Bucket - Big Bend National Park - Photo Diary #3—by
foresterbob: "The Santiago Mountains angle along the northern park boundary. US Highway 385 slips through a low point known as Persimmon Gap before settling into a long flat stretch. I suspect that most tourists stop at the Visitor Center and then move on, knowing that more interesting terrain lies ahead. As the mountains rise from the flatlands, wavy terrain beckons the curious. A geologist would have a field day here, literally. A description of the park's geology can be found on the park's website. Some of this unforgiving desert was once grassland owned by ranchers. Overgrazing and flash floods ate away at the vegetation and soil, leaving the brushy terrain we see today. The Park Service is experimenting with methods of restoration, but undoing such damage in a fragile place will not happen overnight."
Before the Lima climate conference: good developments and question marks—by
JoyHyvarinen: "Countries have signalled that they prefer a bottom-up agreement based on self-defined NDCs. How to improve what might be a seriously flawed design and make the agreement strong enough to slow climate change to a safer level is the big question. Civil society could help to fill the likely gap in the place where the 2015 agreement should have a strong review system. Not only that: strong rules to involve civil society in the 2015 agreement could help to make the agreement more than the sum of its probably rather weak parts. It should include rules to help civil society organizations and other non-state actors to be part of implementation and start new initiatives of their own. The recent special report by the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU) argued for democratizing the international climate regime. Strong rules for civil society involvement is part of that."
Sprinting to Extinction - Has human activity and climate change nailed the coffin shut for Cheetahs?—by
Pakalolo: "Long legged, retractable claws, sleek with a tan coat and black spots, exotic, fastest land animal on earth, muscular, sharp sprints of speed and surprisingly docile, the cheetah has stirred human imagination for millennium. One hundred years ago there were 100,000 of these magnificent animals today less than 10,000 remain in the wild. Historically cheetahs were found throughout Africa and Asia from South Africa to India. They are now confined to parts of eastern, central and southwestern Africa and a small portion of Iran. The cheetah hunts by knocking their prey to the ground and than suffocating it with a vice like bite to the neck. Like most species on this planet, rapidly accelerating Holocene epoch or 6th mass extinction events have become a grim reality. We may be looking at the end time for the cheetah (at least in the wild). A new study from Queen's University Belfast into how cheetahs burn energy suggests that human activity rather then lions or hyenas killing cheetah offspring is responsible for their frightening decline."
You can find more rescued green diaries below the orange garden layout.
Climate Chaos
Plutonium Inventories at Fukushima Dai-ichii Nuclear Power Plant: Did Unit 3's MOX Fuel Matter?—by MarineChemist: "The purpose of this diary is to provide estimates of the plutonium (Pu) isotopes present at the Fukushima Dai-ichii nuclear power plant (NPP) at the beginning of the disaster in March 2011. The diary is part of an ongoing effort to communicate facts about Fukushima obtained through scientific study of the impact of the meltdowns on the environment. Comments on this site and in other public forums highlight the fact that Unit 3 at the NPP was burning mixed oxide (MOX) fuel at the time of the accident which, because it is enriched in Pu, suggests that these releases are potentially more harmful. Here I report estimates of Pu present in the reactors (Units 1, 2 and 3) and spent fuel pools (Units 1-4) at the site based on burnup calculations. Because fission of low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel produces Pu isotopes during operation there was a significant amount of Pu on site in Units 1-4. During extended operation a MOX fuel burning reactor can produce multiple times the Pu of LEU but this was not so at the time of the Fukushima meltdowns. The amount of additional Pu present due to Unit 3's MOX fuel is small compared to the other reactor cores and the inventory of the spent fuel pools. The differences between environmental impact of MOX versus LEU reactor core meltdown in this case are small. Estimates of the release of Pu isotopes from Fukushima, based on measurements of air, soil and water suggest 100,000 fold less was broadcast to the environment compared to Chernobyl and 5,000,000 fold lower than releases from nuclear weapons testing in the 20th century."
Energy, Efficiency & Conservation
Has the US Navy Discovered an Alternative to Oil?—by Gwennedd: "It seems the US Navy has discovered how to turn seawater into fuel!! Say what?! Yes, they have. The process takes carbon and hydrogen from seawater and recombines them, essentially re-burning the carbon that's already in the oceans. It will recycle the CO2 we have already put into the oceans. Using an innovative and proprietary NRL electrolytic cation exchange module (E-CEM), both dissolved and bound CO2 are removed from seawater at 92 percent efficiency by re-equilibrating carbonate and bicarbonate to CO2 and simultaneously producing H2. The gases are then converted to liquid hydrocarbons by a metal catalyst in a reactor system."
Things Are Looking Brighter For Hydrogen—by Xaxnar: "Hydrogen is getting more attention these days as a carbon-free fuel; you can put it in a fuel cell to generate electricity, or burn it directly without creating anything except H2O. Plug Power has been working to establish a market for its fuel cell technology and is making progress. While fuel cells can run on a variety of fuels, hydrogen has that advantage that the only waste product is water. As reducing carbon emissions becomes an increasingly unavoidable necessity, generating power with hydrogen is getting more attention. Unlike wind, solar, hydro, nuclear, it's usable in portable applications and can be also used as a dispatchable power supply. It's not without drawbacks - but more on that below."
Fracking
"I Hate That Oil's Dropping": Why Miss. Governor Phil Bryant Wants High Oil Prices for Fracking—by Steve Horn: "[At the industry-sponsored convening with a speech by outgoing Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC) chairman Phil Bryant] which I attended on behalf of DeSmogBlog, it was hard to tell the difference between industry lobbyists and regulators. The more money pledged by corporations, the more lobbyists invited into IOGCC’s meeting. [...] 'I know it’s a mixed blessing, but if you look at some of the pumps in Mississippi, gasoline is about $2.68 and people are amazed that it’s below $3 per gallon,” [Bryant] said. 'And it’s a good thing for industry, it’s a good thing for truckers, it’s a good thing for those who move goods and services and products across the waters and across the lands and we’re excited about where that’s headed.' Bryant then discussed the flip side of the 'mixed blessing' coin. 'Of course the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale has a little problem with that, so as with most things in life, it’s a give and take,' Bryant stated. 'It’s very good at one point and it’s helping a lot of people, but on the other side there’s a part of me that goes, ‘Darn! I hate that oil’s dropping, I hate that it’s going down. I don’t say that out-loud, but just to those in this room.' Tuscaloosa Marine Shale’s 'little problem' reflects a big problem the oil and gas industry faces—particularly smaller operators involved with hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”)—going forward.”
Ode, but not Abode to North Dakota—by whatsamatta u: "Now, North Dakota is lot bigger than your grotto of gratuity, and a lot more toxic. But thanks to its oil boom, it's all owned by Big Oil, Big Bank's and for all you know, Bob's Big Boy now. It's the place where Roughnecks and Single Moms can bang bonanza bucks. It's now a place of business. You can work there. You can't live there. Except while you work. But don't despair..."
Oil company to file $1.2 billion lawsuit against county with 57k people–for banning fracking—by Walter Einenkel: "I've written before about oil interests threatening lawsuits against municipalities trying to ban fracking. Frequently the threat of financial violence (and a boatload of money in campaigning) is enough to dissuade people from voting to ban. Well, San Benito County, in California, voted on Measure J, to ban fracking from their county a couple of weeks ago. Yeehaw! Democracy! Hold the phone. Citadel Exploration has filed a $1.2 billion claim against the county. The claim is a precursor to a much broader lawsuit expected to be filed by Citadel Exploration. The company is hoping to extract millions of barrels of oil from south San Benito County fields, just west of Bitterwater, Calif., with their plan called Project Indian. $1.2 billion is a lot of money for a municipality of 57,600 people."
Keystone XL & Other Fossil Fuel Transportation
Arizona, the Keystone XL Pipeline and the Kochs—by AugustFireDog: "I wrote to my US Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) politely requesting a 'No' vote on the Keystone XL pipeline authorization; my reason being because the pipeline would not benefit the USA very much. Mr. Flake wrote back to me in a timely manner and politely explained his view disagreeing with me and stating that he supported the pipeline because it would: 'enable the private sector to create jobs at a time when unemployment is at staggering levels' and 'enhance our trade relationship' (with Canada), 'bolster our national security' and 'reduce our dependency on foreign oil.' That did not quite sound right to me; for one thing Canada is a foreign country, so then wouldn’t we still be using 'foreign oil'? Also I thought we already had good relations with Canada anyway and didn’t know we needed more trade with them promoting 'better relations.' Looks like Mr. Flake is getting our two governments mixed up with our private business relationships."
Agriculture, Food & Gardening
Arguments that GMO opponents should delete from their brains—by SkepticalRaptor: "Personally, I can buy into certain arguments against GMOs. For example, I think that monoculture agriculture is extremely susceptible to an introduced or novel pest, which could be devastating to our food supply. I am also concerned about certain unintended consequences such as evolved pest resistance (but then again this has been a war since the first day genetic modification occurred 10,000 years ago), lower crop productivity, or other issues. So far, science hasn't uncovered any problems so far, so there's that. If the anti-GMO environmentalist community wants to engage in a reasoned conversation about GMOs with those of us who have scientific evidence supporting our discussion points, then they have to quit using five bad arguments, which they seem to pull out of the manual of science deniers everywhere: 1. GMOs are dangerous to eat; 2. Labelling is necessary; 3. Only Big Agriculture benefits from GMOs; 4. GMO supporters are shills for Monsanto; 5. GMOs are unnatural."
All eyes (and gavels) on Maui's initiative—by Skyprogress: "Cue up lawsuit number three concerning Maui's recently passed voter initiative for a Moratorium on GMO production and testing throughout the county. This one has been filed at the federal level by Earthjustice and the Center for Food Safety. During the run-up to the local elections, Monsanto et al played marketing games with the title of Maui county's GMO initiative, which officially was the Maui County Genetically Modified Organism Moratorium Initiative. Monsanto's campaign was, "Vote No on The Maui County Farming Ban", with a strong negative spin that passage would harm small, organic farms and turn backyard growers into criminals. Not. An adequate majority of voters saw through the fear tactic and voted Yes anyway. But karma being karma, Earthjustice et al have now applied their own PR spin: ...to defend the County of Maui’s recently passed genetically engineered (GE) crop safety initiative from a legal challenge by multinational chemical companies. Touché."
Sustainability & Extinction
Environmental awareness and ethical consumerism—by Earth Accounting: "If environmental awareness became more prevalent, the system would be forced to change. But the "system" is not just DC politics. One way of looking at the 'system' activity is to do it from the point of view of the economy. 70% of the economy is consumption. The final stage of most of the economy is consumers purchasing products and services. When consumers spend on a product or a service they make a decision. According to at least 2 studies, as many as 15% of all consumers in the US would make a purchasing decision based on the sustainability of a product. Here is one by the UN and Accenture. Certainly 15% is far from a majority. Most consumers live from paycheck to paycheck which makes it difficult to think in terms of sustainability including climate change. But what if the information to make a purchasing decision based on the sustainability, again including climate change, was easily available? What if a consumer could obtain the environmental footprint of a product and compare it with other similar products? What if environmental awareness did not require hours of research about the impact on the environment of one product vs. another?"
Eco-Related Candidacies, DC & State Politics
The Biggest, Most Censored Environmental Story: Big Oil's Domination of California Politics—by Dan Bacher: "You will rarely see the biggest, most explosive story in California environmental politics covered in either the mainstream media or most so-called 'alternative' media. This giant environmental scandal is the dramatically increasing power of the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) and the oil industry in California - and how corporate "environmentalists" and state officials helped facilitate the oil industry's domination of California's politics by greenwashing the key leadership role that the WSPA president played in the creation of fake "marine protected areas" from 2004 through 2012. The oil industry has spent over $70 million on lobbyists in California since 2009, including record amounts of money spent during the third quarter of 2014, according to a new report written by Will Barrett, the Senior Policy Analyst for the American Lung Association in California."
Cuomo, in his typical fashion, tries to create a phony middle ground when it comes to climate change—by Meteor Blades: "While that may not quite sound like outright rejection of what the International Panel on Climate Change and the overwhelming majority of scientists with relevant credentials say is happening, his remarks have to be taken in the context of what else Cuomo has said, or not said, on the subject. In his memoir, All Things Possible, under the section indexed 'global warming,' Cuomo also avoids taking the position that human activity is warming the planet and changing the weather. Instead, he writes that the ramifications of extreme weather are among his 'most daunting' challenges. This is a simple matter. At such a late date, anyone who doesn't accept the scientific consensus that human activities are at the root of global warming has to be counted among the climate-change deniers. That's no place for any Democrat to be, particularly the chief executive of the nation's third most populous state with hopes of someday being in the big chair of the Oval Office. Just one more reason for ensuring that those hopes go unfulfilled."
Martin O'Malley DQ's Self from 2016 on Fracking in MD—by HamptonRoadsProgressive: "ThinkProgress has a piece up that says that outgoing Democratic Governor of Maryland, Martin O'Malley, is ready to allow Fracking in Maryland. 'We’re committed to ensuring that Marylanders have access to the economic opportunities associated with fracking, while also putting the most complete practices into place to ensure the highest level of protection for Maryland residents.' O’Malley said in a statement to the Baltimore Sun. This piece repeatedly makes mention to the reported 'strictness' of the rules that are being proposed, but contains some information that, in spite of whatever strictness is imposed, should be cause for alarm. From the Baltimore Sun link: The report estimates that drilling and extraction could generate as many as 3,400 new jobs and millions in tax revenues for the region, but notes that those benefits are likely to last only a few years and that energy development could hurt tourism and outdoor recreation, two other industries on which the region relies.. The report also said there is 'no doubt' that fracking has the potential to harm public health, the environment and natural resources. But it says regulations and enforcement can limit those risks."
Eco-Justice & Eco-Action
CULTIVATING CLIMATE JUSTICE FROM THE FRONTLINES OF THE CRISIS: THE PHILIPPINES AND AUSTRALIA—by Bev Bell: "It’s been a year since Super Typhoon Yolanda (often called Typhoon Haiyan in other countries) swept through the Philippines, killing more than 6,000 people and destroying the homes of many more. As UN negotiator for the Philippines Yeb Sano explained in his address to the United Nations: for many people, this is what climate change looks like. Following the typhoon, survivors in impacted communities in the Philippines came together in a deep expression of solidarity to help each other rebuild their homes and lives. Using only reclaimed materials—remains of their homes and other disaster debris—residents of the municipalities of Bantayan and Madridejos worked together to reconstruct their neighborhoods, one house at a time. Salvacion Fulmenar, a resident of Bantayan Island, explained that fifty of her neighbors built her house with her. The residents also worked together to increase resiliency against future disasters, particularly around the issue of waste management."
Oceans, Water & Drought
Secretary Laird announces release of Marine Protected Areas 'Partnership Plan'—by Dan Bacher: "If you just yearn to hear proponents of corporate greenwashing, neo-liberal environmental policies and the alleged 'marine protected areas' created under the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative spread their disinformation, you should attend the next meeting of the California Ocean 'Protection' Council (OPC) in Sacramento on Tuesday, December 2. John Laird, Secretary for Natural Resources and Chair of the Ocean Protection Council, announced that the final Draft MPA (Marine Protected Area) Partnership Plan is now available on the OPC website and will considered for adoption at the meeting. 'I am happy to announce that the final DRAFT version of "The California Collaborative Approach: Marine Protected Areas Partnership Plan" (Partnership Plan) is now available on the OPC website,' said Laird."
Critters & the Great Outdoors
Dawn Chorus: My Friend Flicker—by lineatus: "Somehow, it seems appropriate for a Flickr Flicker to go viral. But it's a lot easier to get attention when you're a golden boy. Last weekend I attended a passerine banding workshop led by Peter Pyle. Though I have been banding hawks for 20+ years, my only experience with handling songbirds was from living with zebra finches for about 8 years, and the some songbirds we encountered while raptor banding. Even though I've had them in hand, I've never actually banded one. This was all new ... and great."
Flicker intergrade, banded at Richardson Bay Audubon Center
Daily Bucket: Water Lilies—by
Lenny Flank: "Some photos of Water Lilies I've encountered. The only ones I know for sure are native to Florida are the Spatterdocks, but I think we have a few native Water Lily species too."
Fur Again—by
shrnwhlr : "Fur is back. When I tried to buy coats for my grandchildren, I found an incredible amount of fur/fake fur collars, vests, etc. in stores. I wrote to Macy's to complain and got the following reply (which was part of a longer, snarky e-mail):
'The consumer will ultimately determine whether fur will continue
to be a viable product in the American retail marketplace if no one wants to buy fur,
retailers will not sell it. Right now, this is not the case.' Consumers must inform retailers that they choose not to participate in this cruelty."
The Daily Bucket, Otters come for lunch—by Wood Gas: "This is the local River Otter Posse they come by once a week or so to scent mark the point just to the south of us. Yesterday, they stopped in for lunch. Usually they just swim/play on by both directions or stop for a minute on a mussel covered rock for a bite for the road. This time, they got serious about something. Something whitish and blobular(a new word in the BYS lexicon) on the left and maybe a little fishie on the right. [...] Blobular indeed, could that be a.....naw, nothing eats anenomes."
Dow's New Poison Threatens Bees—by
jtietz: "The EPA approved a powerful new poison from Dow Chemical this week. This sounds like a previous story, but it is not. In this case, the new poison is Dow's Sulfoxaflor—another neonicotinoid pesticide. We have previously drawn attention to dangerous chemicals produced by Dow,and the approval of Sulfoxaflor appears to be one more instance of the EPA supporting the corporate interests of industrial chemical producers over and against the interests of the general public, organic farmers, natural systems and sectors, and (of course) bees. [...] Dow wins again and the bees (and the rest of us) lose again. Well, not quite yet. All is not lost, because a number of champions have stepped forward to challenge the EPA and Dow on behalf of the bees."
New Conservation Creates Rift Amongst Conservationists—by ban nock: "In the fall of 2012 at the headquarters of The Nature Conservancy, the largest conservation organization in the world, there was a meeting to try to dampen what was becoming a very public squabble amongst the leading conservationists in the US. Mark Terek the head of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) was flanked by his lead scientist Peter Kareiva outspoken ecologist, member of the National Academy of Sciences, and a renown stirrer. Peter with two co-authors Michelle Marvier and Robert Lalasz wrote, Conservation In The Anthropocene, a simple easy to read thirty or so paragraphs that in a very public way gave legitimacy to what some had already been thinking. On the other side was Michael Soule known for being the chief promoter of what is called Conservation Biology, Don Weeden, Stuart Pimm, and Reed Noss. Former Sec or Interior Bruce Babbit wisely pulled out of attending at the last minute. Karieva of the Conservancy had been openly mocking many of the ideas these scientists had spent their careers promoting. Karieva in a very public fashion had been destroying many of the myths of environmentalism, he'd been letting the air out of the inflated pomposity that is modern conservation. Audiences loved it, and in truth Karieva had been taking aim in a very target rich environment."
The Daily Bucket - killdeer on the beach—by
OceanDiver: "With the coming of autumn, my local Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) have returned to nearby beaches. They are actually in the county year-round, rare for shorebirds, but during the summer breeding season they nest away from shore. The beaches are a great source of food for shorebirds at all times of year but they can be hazardous, a narrow strip between the ocean and oceanfront properties. The San Juan islands are a popular summer tourist destination, and most beaches are continuously occupied by people and dogs, a dealbreaker for shorebirds. One of the pleasures of fall for me is seeing the tourists depart and the shorebirds return."
Forests, Wilderness & Public Lands
Glacier National Park May Soon Be Glacier Free—by Doctor Jazz: "For ten thousand years the topography of what is now Glacier National Park, in northern Montana, has remained about the same. But the warming climate is melting the park's glaciers, threatening to change the tourist mecca into a Glacier Free National Park. A century ago, this sweep of mountains on the Canadian border boasted some 150 ice sheets, many of them scores of feet thick, plastered across summits and tucked into rocky fissures high above parabolic valleys. Today, perhaps 25 survive. In 30 years, there may be none. The last glacial period, usually referred to as the Ice Age, ended around 12,000 years ago. Before its retreat 'enough ice covered the Northern Hemisphere to lower sea levels 300 feet. In places near the park, ice was a mile deep.' Over thousands of years these glaciers have not retreated but have remained in a melt and freeze cycle, scouring 'U' shaped valleys and creating horned mountain tops similar to those in the Swiss 'Alps.' According to the USGS, which has documented the glacial retreat with their Repeat Photography Project, the park's glaciers will be gone in 15 years. Glacier National Park’s namesake glaciers have receded rapidly since the Park’s establishment in 1910, primarily due to long-term changes in regional and global climate. In the last century, the five warmest years have occurred in the last 8 years—in this order: 2005, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2004 (NASA). These changes include warming, particularly of daily minimum temperatures, and persistent droughts. This warming is ongoing and the loss of the Park’s glaciers continues, with the park’s glaciers predicted to disappear by 2030."
Is the Navy's electromagnetic radiation warfare coming to a National Forest near you? Could be—by
NWtrueblue: "
Today, the United States Forest Service is poised to grant the Navy their request for a special-use permit for warfare exercises in and above the Olympic National Forest of Washington state in squadrons of EA-18G 'Growler' supersonic warplanes. They’ll fly 260-days-per-year, 16-hours-per-day and as low as 1,200-feet above the ground, working in conjunction with three RV-sized mobile high frequency, electromagnetic radiation emitters at 15 locations on the forest floor. Both the USFS tried to keep local communities under the flight path and next to the ONF unaware of this project. Now that details have been revealed--it's even worse than first thought. [...] If you want to help preserve the peace & sanctity of the people's National Forests for generations to come, we need you! The USFS needs to hear the public's voice, loud & clear."
Trash, Pollution & Hazardous Waste
New Ozone Regs Via Obama Admin—by ban nock: "In yet another of President Obama's long list of environmental accomplishments his administration's Environmental Protection Agency is expected to release sweeping new ozone regulations today. Though not as stringent as some would like the door is left open to further tighten rules says Carol Davenport in a story in today's NYT. The new rules would mostly affect power plants and factories in the midwest, also tailpipe emissions."