Mount Baker. See OceanDiver's
post.
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
20,350 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.
[As we are on our vacation schedule, the Green Spotlight is only being posted on Saturdays for today, Dec. 27 and Jan. 3.]
How Some Really Smart NYS Fracktivists Beat Cuomo and Won the Fracking war—by
lipris: "Something amazing happened in Albany today, something very few people thought possible just a few months ago. New York State will indefinitely extend it's moratorium and essentially ban fracking. We aren't kicking the can down the road for more studies. We're basically banning the process outright. That's a huge victory for many thousands of anti-fracking 'fracktivists' who have been fighting hard and smart, against really long odds, for years now. Here's how they did it. It wasn't that long ago, say 2007 or so, when fracking was an issue that wasn't really on anyone's radar, though there was enough concern for the state to place a moratorium on the practice in 2008. That began to change with the release of Josh Fox's 'Gasland' documentary in 2010. That film brought the issue into focus for many people across the country and especially here in New York. That footage of tap water catching fire opened many, many eyes to what was at stake and one could sense a movement beginning to build not long after the film's release."
Predators—by
Desert Scientist: "I am not by nature a person who marches or demonstrates, but even my introverted personality can be inspired occasionally to take action. So I found myself twice taking part in demonstrations supporting the Mexican wolf and its expanded reintroduction to the arid Southwest. At the public comment session organized by the Fish and Wildlife Service in New Mexico I found myself among the first to speak. Most of the speakers supported the Mexican wolf and I, like them, testified to the importance of expanding the program so that the wolves would have more territory. Then I listened as several people got up and stated flatly that even the few wolves that now exist in the Upper Gila are a danger to both livestock and human children. One man implied that the very idea of wolves had terrified the younger set along the Gila so much that they were afraid to wait for a school bus and that one town had erected cages so that the children could wait inside and be safe until the bus came. They had heard of Red Riding Hood and did not want to be eaten. This despite there being no records that anyone could point to of a non-rabid Mexican wolf ever attacking a human! On the stock predation they were on more solid ground, but then one
rancher spoke in favor of the expanded introduction, saying that she could manage her stock to minimize losses. […] Wild canids, such as foxes, coyotes and wolves are also not liked much in certain quarters. In my neighborhood we have occasional sightings of gray foxes, the most recent of which allowed me to get some closeup photos of both the mother and her kits. I have always liked the old folksong 'The Fox,' which starts out 'The Fox went out on the chilly night. Prayed for the moon to give him light….' It seems to embody the spirit of the wild."
Does your iPhone have an impact beyond the energy used to recharge it?—by
citisven: "One of my beloved British pals proudly sent me a link to this encouraging news about UK energy use.
New analysis of government statistics for BBC News shows that the average person in the UK is using 10% less electricity than five years ago. That is despite the boom in large TVs, computers, smartphones and tablets. I don't want to be the energy Grinch, but this sentence…
'despite the boom in large TVs, computers, smartphones and tablets' begs another question. Namely, how much energy is used to manufacture all those new and frequently replaced devices Brits (and the rest of us in wealthy consumer nations) are enjoying? This is one of the key issues in (global) energy and greenhouse gas accounting, and one that once again almost tripped up the recent UN climate change negotiation process. Developed countries like the US, UK, EU, or Australia point to exactly the kind of energy savings mentioned in the article as a reason why they are doing their part, while developing nations insist they should be graded on a larger scale that also includes manufacturing & shipping footprints, as well as rich nations' historic burning of fossil fuels that made them wealthy enough in the first place to now invest in renewable energy grids."
It’s Raining in California – Is the Drought Finally Over?—by
liberaldad2: "Ordinarily, a blog about the weather would be boring and inappropriate for DKos. However water is a political issue in California for 2 reasons. First is the history of water rights and the tactics used by the Metropolitan Water District to bring water to LA, which rankles many around the state and the West, but is not the subject of this diary. Second the extreme drought/deluge pattern we have been observing here may or may not be related to global warming and climate change, depending on who you ask. It’s been raining in Los Angeles this month. A lot. Through December 15, there have been 3 days with measurable rainfall, and 2 of them broke records at LAX (Dec 2 and 12). (Update: it is raining today, even as I write this—more good news.) Other parts of California have also seen similar weather patterns, with rainfall records broken in many places. For instance, Palmdale airport saw 1.18 inches on December 2, which shattered the previous record of 0.46 inches for that date. So, does that mean our 100 year drought is over? Well, not actually, but at least the news is good for a change."
You can find more rescued green diaries below the orange garden layout.
Climate Chaos
Not Breaking News: Arctic is Warming Twice as Fast as Rest of World Says NOAA—by Steven D: "Unfortunately, climate scientists who have done the research have known for some time that the effects of greenhouse gas emissions have had their greatest warming effect on the Arctic, and this year's report from NOAA, the 2014 Arctic Report Card provides further confirmation of that fact: The latest word from scientists studying the Arctic is that the polar region is warming twice as fast as the average rise on the rest of the planet. And researchers say the trend isn't letting up. That's the latest from the 2014 Arctic Report Card—a compilation of recent research from more than 60 scientists in 13 countries. The report was released Wednesday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The scientific explanation for this rapid warming of the Arctic region isn't hard to understand, if one bothers to take the time to learn. It comes down to the the principle of feedback loops, or as some refer to it 'Arctic amplification.'"
Deniers Miss Message of New Paleo Study—by ClimateDenierRoundup: "Anthony Watts has reposted a press release from the University of Utah about a new paleoclimate study—which is something he generally does when press releases can be misconstrued to provide 'evidence' against climate change. According to the study (published in Nature Geoscience), there were two pulses of CO2 released 55 million years ago at a rate somewhat similar to the current CO2 emissions trajectory. The study found that during the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum (PETM) temperatures rose 5-8°C, and 'it took almost 200,000 years before things got back to normal.' […] This might all seem confusing—why would Watts post something that shows it will take hundreds of thousands of years to undo the damage caused by emissions, and why would he promote a study that "tightens the link" between CO2 and climate? Because he knows his audience, and by looking at the comments it quickly becomes clear: 'They must have had massive coal-fired power stations 150,000 / 225,000 / 300,000 years ago!' Deniers frequently fall prey to faulty logic, and in this case they think the fact that warming happened naturally in the past means it can't be man-made today. To them, evidence indicating the path we're on could be really bad somehow translates to 'it's all natural and so there's nothing to worry about.'"
First China now India; US single-handedly brokering climate change commitments from major players—by VL Baker: "In an about face the US is reversing its obstructionist stance on climate change progress and trying to single-handedly broker commitments from the major carbon emitting economies. Just last month the US brokered a milestone, unprecedented carbon reduction commitment with China which even a year ago seemed an impossibility. […] And now, Suzanne Goldenberg, is reporting from Lima for the Guardian UK that the US and India are planning to announce an agreement on Indian emissions reduction when President Obama travels to India next month."
Tipping Point closes in on US coastal cities. Nuisance flooding to become routine and cost trillions—by Pakalolo: "Sea level rise has given high tide flooding of our coastal areas a significant boost. It is expected that nuisance tides will increase dramatically in the next 15-30 years causing significant damage to urban infrastructure and making some neighborhoods uninhabitable. NOAA Tide level gauges from Portland Maine to Freeport Texas, show that daily nuisance floods have increased dramatically and are rapidly accelerating. NOAA scientists Sweet and Joseph Park established a frequency-based benchmark for what they call “tipping points,” when so-called nuisance flooding, defined by NOAA’s National Weather Service as between one to two feet above local high tide, occurs more than 30 or more times a year. Decades of tipping point crossings. Based on that standard, the NOAA team found that these tipping points will be met or exceeded by 2050 at most of the U.S. coastal areas studied, regardless of sea level rise likely to occur this century. In their study, Sweet and Park used a 1½ to 4 foot set of recent projections for global sea level rise by year 2100 similar to the rise projections of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change, but also accounting for local factors such as the settlement of land, known as subsidence."
Now Climate Change Deniers Can Blame the Squirrels!—by Lib Dem FoP: "Those climate change deniers who claim the warming is part of a natural cycle and not because of man's activities have a new excuse. Blame the squirrels! 'They are soil engineers. They break down the soil when they are digging their burrows, they mix the top layer with the bottom layer, they are bringing oxygen to the soil and they are fertilizing the soil with their urine and their faeces.' The team found that this activity meant that their burrows were warmer than the surrounding ground. Mr Golden said: 'We saw an increase in soil temperature in the soils where the arctic ground squirrels were occupying.'"
Lima climate talks: Optimism going in, skepticism coming out—by Meteor Blades: "The Lima Accord that finally emerged in the wee hours of the weekend's overtime sessions is being called 'modest,' 'weak,' 'the bare minimum' by critics in the civil society organizations who attended the conference. Oxfam said 'the decisions made in Lima do not foreclose the possibility of an agreement in Paris, but do little to improve the odds of success.' Climate delegates are slated to meet in Paris late next year to complete a final global climate change pact. By agreeing in Lima, each nation has pledged to present an emissions cutback plan in March, with a grace period until June. The resulting aggregation of plans would be the foundation of the long-sought global pact. But this breakthrough in the Lima talks has one very big problem. The pledges are voluntary. There's no punishment for failing to meet them. There is, so far, no comment metric for determining whether a nation has failed. No formal arrangement for measurements. This lack of an adequate enforcement and measurement regime was the chosen path to a final document because it was the only way negotiators could get everybody to sign on."
Migrating 'supraglacial' lakes could trigger future Greenland ice loss—by Pakalolo: "The melting of Greenland's ice sheets is becoming more and more dire with fears that the entire sheet may collapse into a big pile of mush similar to what happens when snow and ice slide off a roof. Wiki defines a supraglacial lake as follows: 'A supraglacial lake is any pond of liquid water on the top of a glacier. Although these pools are ephemeral, they may reach kilometers in diameter and be several meters deep. They may last for months or even decades at a time, but can empty in the course of hours.' 'Predictions of Greenland ice loss and its impact on rising sea levels may have been greatly underestimated. Supraglacial lakes are darker than ice, so they absorb more of the Sun's heat, which leads to increased melting. When the lakes reach a critical size, they drain through ice fractures, allowing water to reach the ice sheet base which causes it to slide more quickly into the oceans. These changes can also trigger further melting.'"
Denier-for-Hire Preaches About Prostituting Science—by ClimateDenierRoundup: "While we would normally ignore the low-grade blogs like NoTricksZone as well as bottom-tier, fossil fuel spokesmen-for-hire like Dr. Willie Soon, the two have come together for a post that is just too good to pass up. NoTricksZone wanted a comment from Soon about how 2014 is shaping up to be the hottest year on record. His reply was a perfect example of a classic defense mechanism identified by Sigmund Freud called psychological projection—where one projects a problem of their own onto others. […] In this case, it's Dr. Soon implying that the World Meteorological Organization and anyone else who notes this year's record heat is ' prostituting science.' […] So here we have someone who's taken literally hundreds of thousands of dollars from the American Petroleum Institute, ExxonMobil, Charles G. Koch Foundation and other fossil fuel interests with the express purpose of casting doubt on man's influence on climate, saying independent scientists are 'prostituting science.'"
What Climate Change Asks of Us: Moral Obligation, Mobilization and Crisis Communication—by The Climate Mobilization: "Our first moral obligation is to assess how we can most effectively help. While climate change is more frequently being recognized as a moral issue—the question, 'How can a person most effectively engage in fighting climate change?' is rarely seriously considered or discussed. In times of crises, we can easily become overwhelmed with fear and act impetuously to discharge those feelings to “do something.' We may default to popular or well-known activism tactics, such as writing letters to our congress people or protesting fossil-fuel infrastructure projects without rigorously assessing if this is the best use of our time and talents. The question of 'how can I best help' is particularly difficult for people to contemplate because climate change requires collective emergency action, and we live in a very individualistic culture."
Energy
Looking For Fukushima Contamination in Mushrooms and Soil of Western North America—by MarineChemist: "The purpose of this diary is to report results from a recently published, peer reviewed study (behind paywall) examining the degree of Fukushima contamination in fungi and soil of western North America. The diary is the most recent contribution to an ongoing series which aims to provide evidence from scientific studies assessing the impact of the Fukushima Daiichi disaster on the environment and the health of residents of North America. Trappe and colleagues measured the activity of cesium isotopes (134-Cs half life ~ 2 years; 137-Cs half life ~30 years) in wild mushrooms, soil and leaf litter of the west coast from California up to Vancouver Island. The conclusions of the study were as follows: 1. No activity measurements exceeded levels thought to impact human health. 2. 137-Cs activity increased in fungi and soil towards the north. 3. 134-Cs increased to the south in leaf litter. 4. Chanterelles did not significantly bioconcentrate Cs isotopes. 5. 137-Cs and 134-Cs activities were highly variable from sample to sample. 6. 137-Cs levels largely reflected non-Fukushima sources from either atmospheric weapons tests in the last century or the Chernobyl disaster in 1986."
Fossil Fuels, Their Transportation, Emissions & Wastes
Let the Executive Actions Roll--POTUS signs Bristol Bay protections—by akmk: "Using his legal authority to protect certain offshore areas from oil and gas leasing, President Obama today signed an executive order to do just that for Bristol Bay in Alaska.President Barack Obama announced Tuesday that he's removing more than 52,000 square miles of waters off Alaska's coast from consideration for oil and gas exploration or drilling. The president said in a video announcement that Bristol Bay and nearby waters, covering an area roughly the size of Florida, would be withdrawn from consideration for petroleum leases. He called Bristol Bay one of the country's great natural resources and a massive economic engine. 'It's something that's too precious for us to be putting out to the highest bidder,' Obama said."
Six indicted for Clean Water Act violations in West Virginia's Elk River chemical spill—by Meteor Blades: "In January, a rusty holding tank owned by Freedom Industries leaked thousands of gallons of a coal-washing chemical into the Elk River of West Virginia. Consequently, drinking water supplies were tainted for more than 300,000 of the state's residents. A month after the spill, traces of the chemical—4-methylcyclohexanemethanol, or MCHM—were still being found coming out of the faucets at certain locations, including two public schools. Millions of dollars were lost because of temporary business shutdowns related to a spill that could have been avoided if the company had paid attention to controlling the chemical. In a 37-page indictment made public Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice charged four former executives and two former supervisors of the plant with various counts."
Eco-activists fear EPA will announce Friday that it won't regulate coal ash as a hazardous waste—by Meteor Blades: "The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to announce Friday what it plans to do about regulating and setting a standard for coal ash. Environmentalists fear it won't be enough. Around the nation, there are more than 1,000 unlined pits and ponds filled with fly ash, a byproduct of burning pulverized coal. The stuff is laced with arsenic, mercury, copper, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, nickel, thallium and other toxins—all of which can leach into the soil and groundwater. These dumps are barely scrutinized by regulators. As a result, small spills occur frequently, tainting water supplies and poisoning the ground. Occasionally, a bigger spill will occur, such as the one in Tennessee in December 2008. That sent 5.4 million cubic yards of coal ash—1.1 billion gallons of slurry—into a river and 300 acres of the surrounding land."
Let Them Eat Oil—by ruby red shoes: "Why are villagers in Bangladesh using spoons and sponges to clean up an oil spill? Oil coated the Shela River near Mongla, Bangladesh on December 12, 2014. Thousands of gallons of oil have spilled into the protected Sundarbans mangrove area, home to rare Irrawaddy and Ganges dolphins, since a tanker collided with another vessel there on December 9. [See Devastating Oil Spill Threatens Rare Dolphins and Bengal Tigers]. To answer that question—why are they using spoons and not silver spoons?—you have to ask why an area of the world once called 'The Paradise of Nations' by a Persian emperor, once possibly the richest region in the Indian subcontinent, would be dubbed a 'basket case' by former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger."
Koch Puppets Attack EPA—by ClimateDenierRoundup: "Recently Robert Bradley Jr., CEO and founder of the Institute for Energy Research, wrote an oped arguing against the EPA's Clean Power Plan. Since IER is the research arm of the lobbying group American Energy Alliance, and both are funded by Koch and other industry money, this is no surprise. In the piece (which was originally published on Dec 10th at the Montgomery Herald and then reprinted at GrandRapidsMN.com on Dec 16th) Bradley cites various utility and industry groups to claim that the plan will be too pricey, something that industry has said about pretty much every regulation ever (here are some examples.) On the bright side, at least this piece isn't quite as disgusting as the American Energy Alliance's cartoon that compared EPA regulations to CIA torture."
Enbridge pipeline ruptures 1,350 barrels of oil spilled at Regina, Saskatchewan pumping station—by Lefty Coaster: "Enbridge's pipeline number 4 ruptured last night releasing 1,350 barrels of oil from a pumping station in Regina, Saskatchewan. Pipeline number four, the largest pipeline carrying Canadian oil into the U.S. remains shut down this morning."
Oil industry stoking fears about gas price spikes—by Dan Bacher: "Consumers Union (CU) in Sacramento is cautioning state regulators to keep a "close eye" on oil markets in the new year. CU, the policy arm of Consumer Reports, delivered a letter Tuesday to the California Energy Commission’s Petroleum Advisory Committee asking them to be on the lookout for possible price manipulation starting in January 2015. A CU news release stated, 'In January 2015, the state is scheduled to extend cap and trade to include transportation fuels. Oil companies must hold enough allowances to cover their emissions, and are free to buy and sell allowances on the open market. Despite knowing this timeline for years, oil interests have been vocal in their opposition to capping emissions on transportation fuels and have tried—and failed—numerous times to delay the start of the program.'"
Report Calls On California Officials To Watch For Oil Company Production Cut Backs—by Dan Bacher: "The nonprofit Consumer Watchdog released a report chronicling the tactics California oil companies are likely to use to undermine implementation of climate protection laws and warned state officials they include artificially hiking the price of gasoline. 'In addition to unprecedented lobbying and campaign contribution expenditures in recent years, California's oil companies are likely to use their extraordinary power over the gasoline market to artificially inflate gasoline prices as a way of driving political pressure against the new legal obligations refiners will face beginning in January 2015,' Consumer Watchdog reported. The report—'Pump Jacking California's Climate Protection: The Threat of Oil Industry Influence & Market Manipulation'—can be read here.
Oil Spill Tragedy Unfolding on World Heritage Site—by akmk : "The Sunderbans in Bangladesh continues to reel from a major oil spill after an oil tanker sank in the Shela river on Tuesday. The tanker was retrieved on Thursday. Major impacts to this riverine mangrove forest habitat include threats to tigers, dolphins, otters, lizards, crocodiles, and the people living there. These words sum it up: 'This catastrophe is unprecedented in the Sundarbans and we don't know how to tackle this,' Amir Hossain, the region's chief forest official, told AFP. 'The oil spill has already blackened the shoreline [and is] threatening trees, plankton, vast populations of small fishes and dolphins.' The Sundarbans is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and contains the largest mangrove forest anywhere in the world…"
say NO Shell Drilling—by e2247: "The Interior Department of the United States is considering a disastrous plan to allow Shell to drill for oil in the Arctic Ocean (Beaufort and Chukchi seas) in 2015. Submit via CREDO Action a public comment now, today, before 11:59 p.m. Monday, December 22 deadline. Or via Office of the Federal register (Regulations.gov) Fill the required fields and then preview and/or before 11:59 p.m. Monday, December 22 submit your comment to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management for review. All comments are considered public and will be posted online once the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has reviewed them."
Renewables
Solar Microgrids and Water Biomonitoring for Christmas—by gmoke: "I met Bob Lange at a presentation by Paul Polak, a social business entrepreneur for the bottom billion customers, hosted by MIT's D Lab, Design Lab, in April 2008. Bob was then combining cleaner cookstoves with solar electricity in a village on an island near Zanzibar: 'About a mile from Unguja, the southern major island of Zanzibar, there is the Island of Tumbatu. There are two villages on Tumbatu. Neither has electricity and there are no roads or cars on the island ... Jongowe, on the southern tip of Tumbatu, has 625 households and a population of several thousand people.' Previously, he had worked in Africa on science education. Since then, I've seen him start the Maasai Stoves and Solar Project which has helped a number of people, households and villages build their own cleaner cookstoves and chimneys and install their own solar lights and power systems. Now he is building microgrids on a compound, boma, or village scale in Tanzania: 'our boma-scale microgrid is really loved by the local people. ... the boma owner has to put clean stoves in all the houses of the boma, as we are not going to electrify a network of unhealthy homes. and he has to provide a room or building for the panels, the battery, charge controller, and shared appliances. we provide the rest."
Fracking
The winners and losers of the oil price crash
—by gjohnsit: "Frackers: Permits to drill new oil and natural gas wells using newly developed techniques such as fracking and horizontal drilling fell by more than 1,000 in November from October, a decline of 36 percent that was pronounced in West Texas and North Dakota, according to DrillingInfo, an industry researcher. The average price at which a producer in North Dakota can earn a 10 per cent return is $65 a barrel, according to an analysis of 10,000 wells by a team of analysts led by Manuj Nikhanj at ITG Investment Research Inc. U.S. oil fell below $60 last week for the first time since 2009. It's still early in the oil price collapse, so there is little fear in the shale oil industry, but unless oil prices bounce back and soon, tens of thousands of jobs will soon vanish. Energy companies are slashing spending for fracking. Chevron is pulling out of a $10 Billion shale gas deal with Ukraine. This is terrible news for Ukraine because they are bankrupt and will probably default on their debts soon without another bailout."
New York's Grassroots Triumph—by Michael Brune: "In New York State, at least, sanity has prevailed. By banning fracking, Governor Andrew Cuomo has acted to protect his state's citizens from a rapacious industry whose presence would inevitably result in significant health and environmental consequences. It's hard to overstate how important this victory is. For the past five years, New York has been one of the few states wise enough to maintain a moratorium on a practice that has devastated thousands of neighborhoods and thousands of square miles of landscapes across the United States. Fortunately, after receiving a report from the state's Health Department that found fracking could pose "significant public health risks," Governor Cuomo concluded that even a single fracking site in New York State would be one too many."
Governor Cuomo extends New York fracking moratorium—by Dan Bacher: "After spending nearly two years and 4,500 hours reviewing scientific research, New York’s Department of Health on December 17 concluded that fracking poses significant risks to human health and safety. With unprecedented deference to public health experts, New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo extended the state’s moratorium on high-volume fracking operations. Citing unknowable threats to air, water and the health of communities, New York’s Commissioner of Health, Dr. Howard Zucker, declared that, “there are questions that remain unanswered from lack of scientific analysis, specifically longitudinal studies of [fracking].' Zucker concluded, 'Would I live in a community with [fracking] based on the facts that I have now? Would I let my child play in a school field nearby? After looking at the plethora of reports behind me ... my answer is no.'"
NY Gov. Cuomo Bans Fracking—by ericlewis0: "Thanks to this tweet from Mark Ruffalo: Moratorium! Bravo NYS! Bravo DOH! Bravo @NYGovCuomo ! Bravo NYS Antifracking movement. You worked hard and relied on science. #fracking Corroborated by a short post in Newsday: Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced his administration will block drilling for natural gas using a technique called horizontal hydraulic fracturing, which environmentalists have warned is a threat to public health, but upstate residents saw as a much-needed boost to the economy. Administration officials made the announcement Wednesday at a cabinet meeting after a five-year moratorium … I realize there are myriad ways in which Governor Cuomo is awful, but credit where credit is due. Yippee!!"
Cuomo chooses the right path by making New York's hydraulic fracturing moratorium permanent—by Meteor Blades: "Citing health concerns, New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced at a cabinet meeting Wednesday that his administration is banning hydraulic fracturing—fracking. Most environmentalists oppose the technique, which uses chemicals and water under high pressure to pry oil and gas from tight geologic formations of shale. The governor had recently hinted he would present his decision on the matter before year's end. The decision is almost certain to create waves well beyond New York. The state has maintained a moratorium on fracking since 2008, recently renewing it in May 2013 with a two-year extension. A poll commissioned by the Natural Resources Defense Council found nearly 80 percent of New Yorkers supporting the moratorium across party, gender, race and geographic lines."
What Banning Fracking in New York Means for California—by LindaCapato: "New York state’s top health official just declared that he wouldn’t allow his children to be near fracking based on the scientific data that he’s reviewed. Governor Jerry Brown needs to follow New York’s lead by listening to the experts and banning fracking in California. Over the last few years of campaigning on fracking, what has been the most shocking everyday is that very notion. Governors, legislators, even our President, has been pushing the idea of expansion of the fracking industry at the cost of our children and climate. Very rarely do we see states take into consideration the precautionary principle of thinking and reviewing before fracking. Based on NY’s decision on Wednesday- Governor Cuomo has said that the health of New York’s children are far too important to risk for the economic greed of the oil and gas industry. In California, we’re asking, why are New York’s children too precious but 352,724 children in California go to school within a mile of a fracking well?"
25 homes evacuate an unstoppable gas leak in another Ohio fracking 'incident'—by FaithGardner: "Another day, another toxic spill thanks to fracking: About 25 families in eastern Ohio have been unable to live in their houses for the past three days because of a natural-gas leak at a fracking well that crews cannot stop. Bethany McCorkle, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the state agency that regulates oil and gas, said crews lost control of the Monroe County well on Saturday. […] The well is not on fire, but the gas could be explosive. Ohio has had its share of fracking accidents this year. In May, a blowout resulted in an oil spill into an Ohio river tributary."
Climate change denial—by Mark Holmboe: "Before fracking began, earthquakes almost never happened in Oklahoma. Since fracking, Oklahoma has become one of the most active earthquake zones in the world. Climate change is not just in the arctic. Climate change is perhaps most obvious in the microclimates of tropical mountains. Yet, some still think it’s the height of conceit to think human activity can change world climate. I would say the opposite. It’s a very common conceit to think our actions have no consequences. People don’t like admitting they were wrong, don’t like being told they are part of the problem (we all use fossil fuels), and don’t like having to change their ways, particularly when so many have a vested interest in resisting change. When the danger (and the connections) are not immediate and not obvious, most people prefer to think they don’t exist—or can be dealt with later."
Agriculture, Food & Gardening
A closer look at HR 4432 (GM Foods)—by Skyprogress: "Here is a link to HR 4432 in its entirety, so that you can read and draw your own conclusions. My observations are from reading the entire bill, and especially Sections 103 and 425. This bill starts by banning states from unilaterally creating GMO labeling laws to inform consumers. It proposes a federal law. But the real intent lies deeper than that imho. First, the bill redefines terms like "natural" to allow GMOs, if the manufacturer can establish that the presence or absence of bio-engineered DNA is the only material difference. Second, the bill sets a strong burden of proof on organic small farms that wish to grow and market their products as GMO-free. More on that below. Third, the bill bans any mention of organic natural foods as being safer or better than their GMO counterparts. Where's the line between saying "Our lettuce won't kill you" versus 'If you prefer foods that have not been genetically modified through in vitro recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) techniques, then you'll love our lettuce'? According to this bill, there is none."
Flora's Organic Seeds,Flowers&Veg Plants - Kickstart Now,Place Orders for Spring,Who's YOUR Source?—by mettle fatigue: "Flora's Organics is the first Certified Naturally Grown Nursery in Kern County, California and set to becoming the first certified organic nursery too, with a Kickstarter page here (video included), and now taking orders for your spring and summer 2015 growing season in the immediate area (further around the southern San Joaquin/central valley if you don't mind driving here to pick up your purchases—delivery is limited to Bakersfield at this time). Of the 50 nurseries in these 8,161 square miles, none are certified organic, leaving local gardeners and homeowners few organic options. That's shortsighted and unconscionable in this world-class food-source region, because so many crops depend on pollination for optimal yield, and non-organic nursery stock is strongly associated with death and damage to bees, beehives, native pollinators, and migrating pollinator species."
Seemingly early Camillias—by enhydra lutris: "So last night my wife brings in a perfect camillia blossom neatly flanked by nice bright shiny leaves. We both agreed that our camillia had been blooming for over a week already and that it seemed early. That's all I got."
Understanding GMO as two distinct issues—by
Skyprogress: "Upon reading some thoughtful discussion in my last diary about GMO development and testing, I see an opportunity to present this as two distinct issues. One is arguably a bit more esoteric and the other more tangible. If you're interested, please continue past the blip."
GMO Free Idaho vs. Monsanto at City Club of Boise—by The Book Bear: "Almost everyone has an opinion about GMOs. The biotechnology industry says the genetic modification of food crops can increase yields, extend shelf life and reduce food waste. Advocates believe GMOs may be the key to feeding a growing global population. Yet, genetically modified organisms remain controversial because of conflicts over labeling and the threats they pose to organic and non-GMO food producers. Several nations have required labeling or banned the import of GMO foods. Voters in several U.S. states have defeated GMO-labeling measures. City Club of Boise and Idaho Environmental Forum are having a forum called: The Effects of GMOs on Idaho Agriculture with Trent Clark, Monsanto and Jenny Easley, GMO Free Idaho."
Sustainability, Biodiversity & Extinction
Sustainable Building #5: Echoes of Ruthless Capitalism—by LeftOfYou: "From the 1890's until after World War II, all over America, more than 100 privately owned and operated streetcar companies ran cheap-to-ride, convenient, electrically powered urban transit. The streetcar lines fueled the growth of America's first suburbs, including Streetcar Suburbs in St Louis, MO, where the picture above was taken. In those days, suburb meant something different than the auto-dependent sprawl known today. Instead, the Streetcar Suburbs represented a more positive, more sustainable way of life. Mixed-use neighborhoods sprang up within a 10-15 minute walk of the streetcar lines. Working class people mixed with middle class, owners mixed with renters, single homes mixed with multifamily residences, residential mixed with commercial use, above the storefronts along the car lines as well as in local shops, bars and restaurants on the corners in the neighborhoods. Busy pedestrian sidewalks connected everything. The streetcars sustained a style of life that endured for over a half century, through boom, bust, war and peace. The history of these neighborhoods became very personal when the Left household recently made a contract to buy, for purposes of a sustainable, historical conservation and rehabilitation, the residence pictured above, in an historical Streetcar Suburb of St. Louis, MO."
Republicans Enact Anti-Science, Anti-Biodiversity Legislation in Michigan—by LakeSuperior: "This is a very brief note to inform the Daily Kos community that the majority republicans in the Michigan Legislature have enacted SB 78, a bill to prevent Michigan from advancing biodiversity and scientific management on state-owned lands. The bill is on Governor Rick Snyder's desk and the Michigan environmental and conservation community is calling on all Michigan citizens to write and contact Snyder asking him to veto the bill. […] The Michigan Environmental Council today condemned the Legislature's passage of a bill that prohibits state agencies from managing any acre of public land specifically for the purpose of sustaining biological diversity, and undermines foundational scientific principles that guide state land management. SB 78, approved by the House today after clearing the Senate in 2013, amends the definition of "conservation" in the state's 1994 Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, removing key provisions regarding restoration, distribution and the "continued existence" of native species and communities. It also removes the conservation of biodiversity from the forest management duties of the Department of Natural Resources and requires the department to balance its management activities with economic values."
Eco-Related Federal and State Politics & Policies
Warren, Markey, and Baldwin Demand Answers from USTR on Backdoor Financial Deregulation in the TPP—by Liberty Equality Fraternity and Trees: "On Tuesday, before leaving town, the Senate voted to pass H.R. 5771, the so-called Taxpayer Increase Prevention Act. The House had voted for this corporate tax giveaway two weeks ago in a strong bipartisan vote of 378 to 46 because everybody loves giving out tax cuts for Christmas. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) gave a strong floor speech on the folly of the bill […] Let’s take for example the production tax credit for wind energy, a program I strongly support that encourages the construction of wind farms. The provision in the extenders bill offers this incentive for properties for which construction has commenced by the end of 2014. That’s three weeks from now. Instead of giving energy companies time to plan and prepare wind projects, we’re saying: if you happen to have one ready to go, you’ve got until the end of the holiday season to break ground. The clock is ticking. In contrast to Congress’s temporary, year-to-year treatment of the wind tax credit and other incentives for renewable energy, Big Oil and Gas enjoy permanent subsidies in the tax code. It’s long past time to reform the tax code so it reflects America’s 21st Century energy priorities. Permanent incentives for oil and gas and temporary programs for renewable energy is simply upside-down public policy."
Not Just Public Lands: Defense Bill Also Incentivizes Fracked Gas Vehicles—by Steve Horn: "DeSmogBlog recently revealed how Big Oil’s lobbyists snuck expedited permitting for hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) on public lands into the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2015, which passed in the U.S.House and Senate and now awaits President Barack Obama’s signature. A follow-up probe reveals that the public lands giveaway was not the only sweetheart deal the industry got out of the pork barrel bill. TheNDAA also included a provision that opened the floodgates for natural gas vehicles (NGVs) in the U.S.—cars that would largely be fueled by gas obtained via fracking. The section of the bill is titled, 'Alternative Fuel Automobiles.' The 'fuel described in subparagraph (E)' refers to natural gas, found within Title 49 of the United States Code‘s section 32901. It means, as with electric vehicles, natural gas automobile manufacturers will now also receive financial credits under the new Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards introduced by President Obama in May 2009."
Washington Governor Jay Inslee proposes a Carbon Charge for big polluters—by Lefty Coaster: "I had the opportunity to talk with then Congressman Jay Inslee at length at Netroots Nation 2009 in Pittsburgh. We spent most of that time talking about transitioning to sustainable energy. He coauthored a book about that very subject and named Apollo's Fire. I read Inslee's book. Jay Inslee gets it like few other politicians in this country do. Today as Governor Inslee proposed a Carbon Charge assessing the state's largest GHG emitters when they exceed set emissions levels to help pay for transportation infrastructure projects, in a time when gas taxes are diminishing due to more efficient vehicles and other factors. After two years of watching gas-tax increases tank in the Legislature, Gov. Jay Inslee proposed Tuesday to take a new approach: Charge major polluters for the right to emit carbon. Inslee’s plan, featuring a 'cap-and-trade' system, would generate $400 million a year, he said, to cover nearly 40 percent of his $12 billion, 12-year transportation improvement plan. The remainder would come from bond debt, existing gas taxes, tolls and an assortment of vehicle fees."
Thomas Friedman’s Gasoline Tax: Not Just Good for the Environment—by Joliem: "If Friedman sounds like a broken record, its because this is genuinely a good idea. Obviously, the most important benefit that comes from a high gasoline tax is lower carbon emissions, a necessity if we wan to avoid a higher than 2-degree Celsius rise in average temperature. Read his article, Why 2014 is a Big Deal, for an impassioned, elegantly written explanation as to why this is a good thing. But beyond his arguments, other reasons exist why we should reduce the tsunami of cash flowing into the Middle East. It has to do with how a dependence on high priced commodities such as coffee, diamonds, narcotics, and oil foster civil war."
Twas the night before Congress—by Lefty Coaster:
"Twas the night before Congress, when all through the House
Not a creature was stirring, not even a louse.
Lobbyists were busy writing new bills with care,
In hopes that their words would make things unfair
Members of Congress nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of big donors danced in their heads. […]
With a little old driver, so orange and slick,
I knew in a moment that this guy's a dick
Then more corrupt than any other his caucus they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!
'Now McCarthy! now, Issa! now, Chaffetz! Walker!,
On, Gohmert! On, Grothman! on Duncan! and Ryan!
We've got both Houses, and we'll make you crawl!
Now slash away! Slash away! Slash away all!'"
California Leading the Way on Climate Change by Divesting in Coal--and Lots of Other Ways #CCLF14—by Doctor Jazz: "California Governor, Jerry Brown, spoke this week at the California Climate Leadership Forum in Oakland, the city he governed before returning to state office as Attorney General and Governor. The forum was organized by billionaire environmental activist, and founder of NEXTGEN CLIMATE, Tom Steyer. Perhaps the biggest, most actionable idea of the conference was for the state to divest pension investments in coal which Brown said, along with other actions the state is taking, will face strong opposition from very powerful people. With Republicans threatening to shove climate change to the back seat as they take control of the U.S. Senate, state officials including Gov. Jerry Brown huddled with one of the nation’s leading Democratic donors Monday to talk up ways to keep it on California’s agenda — including legislation that could send a shiver through the coal industry. Other efforts include "bringing gasoline sellers and distributors under the state’s landmark cap-and-trade climate law as of Jan. 1, requiring them to purchase credits to emit greenhouse gas pollutants." The Western States Petroleum Association has targeted this as a “hidden gas tax” and is lobbying to delay its implementation."
See which companies support the Congressional Climate Denial Caucus as you browse—by thinkcontext: "The Climate Denier Caucus is a list put together by ThinkProgress of members of Congress that have in some way denied climate change. Disrupt Denial is an excellent campaign from Forecast the Facts which identifies the biggest corporate donors to this dubious caucus, attempting to shame them to no longer donate to such candidates. […] thinkContext is a web browser extension which notifies users of progressive campaign information related to what they are viewing. It includes information on a variety of labor, LGBT, environmental and political campaigns and recently added support for Disrupt Denial. As you can see in the screenshot, when you visit the website of a company listed in the campaign it will show you how much money they have donated to members of the Climate Deniers Caucus."
The 'smart brother' who wants to be president is a climate denier—by VL Baker: "The 'smart one', Jeb Bush, has declared his interest in becoming US president and has assembled an exploratory committee to determine his viability. The title of 'the smart one' seems to have gone to his head. Anyone who aligns himself with the corrupt plutocrats who are on track to destroy our civilization is living a pipe dream. Jeb doesn’t just want to keep burning fossil fuels while the planet burns. He’s an out-and-out flat-earther – just like the other Republicans seen as leading contenders in the 2016 presidential race – and he’s been on the record denying climate science for years. 'I think global warming may be real,' Jeb Bush said in 2011, in what seemed like a promising start to the subject in a Fox interview. But he followed it up with the false statement that there is some kind of dispute among scientists about the causes of climate change—which there is not."
Big Oil lobbyist courageously defends the First Amendment!—by Dan Bacher: "In her eloquent salute to the First Amendment recently printed in the S.F. Chronicle, Catherine Reheis-Boyd, the distinguished President of the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA), has finally convinced me that the oil industry only has the best interests of the Constitution, the people and the environment in mind when it does anything! Her touching prose in defending the free speech 'rights' of Big Oil to be free of pesky 'climate change' labels on their gas pumps in the City of Berkeley brought a deluge of tears to my eyes. 'One of the underlying tenets of our cherished right to free speech is that everyone is entitled to it—even people with whom we disagree,' gushed Reheis-Boyd. 'It seems fitting—indeed essential—to remember this important principle as the city of Berkeley and the city and county of San Francisco debate whether to compel service station owners in those Bay Area cities to display so-called 'climate change labels' on their gas pumps,' she said. Reheis-Boyd courageously invokes the 50th anniversary of the Free Speech Movement to stand up for the First Amendment rights of the downtrodden oil companies!"
American Energy Alliance compares carbon regulations with, yes, torture—by Hunter: "I want to take all the people who came up with this campaign and put them on a cruise ship with malfunctioning toilets for a week or ten. That still won't be torture, but it'll be nearer to it than "oh noes, the government might make us pollute less.' A conservative energy group is comparing regulations to curb carbon pollution proposed by the Obama administration to CIA torture tactics recently detailed by a controversial Senate report. The American Energy Alliance (AEA) posted a cartoon and brief comment on its website over the weekend, comparing the Environmental Protection Agency to the CIA. 'Whether it’s the costliest regulation in history or the coal-killing power plant rules (that [President] Obama’s law professor says raise 'constitutional questions'), it’s clear that the CIA isn’t the only government agency engaged in torture,' AEA said."
Eco-Justice & Eco-Action
Greenpeace Violates its Own Pledge to Stop Using its Nazca Line Atrocity Imagery—by LakeSuperior: "In the so-called "Greenpeace" non-apology concerning the Nazca Line vandalism and criminal conspiracy to deface this artifact, Greenpeace flacks made this promise: 'Greenpeace will immediately stop any further use of the offending images.' That statement was from 12/10/2014, but looking today at the @Greenpeace twitter feed for 12/08/2014 Greenpeace shows us this tweet: This, of course, is Greenpeace continuing to use imagery created from their organized and planned criminal conduct down in Peru—which has to be the worse thing ever done by an alleged environmental organization in the history of the entire environmental movement. The link from the tweet also shows that Greenpeace continues to use their Nazca atrocity imagery at their Facebook site as well. As long as Greenpeace maintains these images in the public domain on Twitter, on Facebook or anywhere on Greenpeace servers, such continued public web availability is clearly Greenpeace utilization of these images. ... all of which are a product of Greenpeace's criminal conduct."
Local Activism Pays Off—by Marcia G Yerman: "One of the biggest takeaways from the People’s Climate March was that it was not a one-off. Individuals from all walks of life, who are concerned about the future of their children and the planet, are self-organizing within like-minded communities. Several of the groups that represented New York City’s boroughs have moved beyond their initial mobilization for the Manhattan event. They have demonstrated the importance of grassroots activity and became involved local activists. This month, I attended a general meeting for Bronx Climate Justice North, which has been gathering steam since its inception on October 29. The first hour of the proceedings included a presentation by Clare Donohue, founding member of the Sane Energy Project. She spoke about energy issues throughout New York State, illustrated by a continually evolving map called, 'You Are Here!' The goal of the project is, 'To put a human face on the places at risk or already devastated by fracking infrastructure in New York.' Donohue outlined how residents on the ground were changing the dialogue, while helping others to 'connect the dots.'"
Climate justice – an urgent matter to solve before the next climate summit—by Mattias: "In the UN language 'climate justice' is not used. Instead references are made to 'Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities,' also known as 'CBDR-RC.' The concept 'CBDR-RC' is already agreed, but as there is no agreement about the interpretation, climate negotiations are again and again returning to the questions about how efforts are to be shared. In Lima, and during previous talks, there are two major positions. USA, EU, Canada, Australia and other northern countries wants to end the old division between developed and developing countries, by arguing that capability and current responsibilities develop over time. China, India, Malaysia and a group of other developing countries, wants to keep the so called 'fire wall' between developed and developing countries, based on the argument that developed countries have a big historic responsibility. These two perspectives conflict, and make any discussion about mitigation, finance, adaptation, loss and damage difficult."
Eco-Essays & Eco-Philosophy
I call it as I see it–a denier is not a skeptic—by SkepticalRaptor: "These individuals who pretend to be skeptics are really pseudoskeptics. They pretend to use scientific skepticism, but in reality they wouldn't change their minds with any amount of evidence. It is useful to note that these pseudoskeptics irrationally attack any evidence that rejects their preordained beliefs, but refuse to critically review any evidence that they think supports their point of view. They cherry pick evidence, seemingly from top level sources, to support they pre-existing bias. So-called global warming 'skeptics' use this form of the word, in that they doubt that global warming is real, without being very scientific about it. Sadly, even respected news sources, such as the Washington Post, misuse the term skeptic when applied to global warming deniers when describing individuals who are simply not skeptics. Basically, many of these right wing politicians deny human caused climate change for political expediency. Or because they're ignorant of the volume of science that supports the science."
She’s Pissed, She’s Fighting Back, and She’ll Win.—by Bruce Brown: "Earth’s friends have not only made zero progress since the 70s; we’ve seen unrelenting destruction. No matter how many wind farms and solar arrays we build, our fossil fuel industry keeps getting busier, going at it full blast, drilling, fracking, pipelining, removing mountaintops, spilling, burning, throwing more and more pollution into our oceans, our land, our water, our air. Foundations keep trying to influence legislators, whose constituents keep sending them letters, emails, petitions. Scientists keep conducting studies and issuing reports. Envoys keep flying all over the place—conclaves, conferences, summits—arguing among themselves about protocols, targets, sanctions, blame. Earth’s defenders keep wasting time and energy arguing with Money about crap that doesn’t matter: Real or hoax? Man-made or cyclical? Can we even do anything about it? Where’s the point of no return? Two more degrees Celsius? Four? How soon will we get there?"
An Open Letter to Environmentalists on Nuclear Energy—by Keith Pickering: "Professor Barry W. Brook, Chair of Environmental Sustainability, University of Tasmania, Australia. barry.brook@utas.edu.au. Professor Corey J.A. Bradshaw, Sir Hubert Wilkins Chair of Climate Change, The Environment Institute, The University of Adelaide, Australia. corey.bradshaw@adelaide.edu.au. An Open Letter to Environmentalists: As conservation scientists concerned with global depletion of biodiversity and the degradation of the human life-support system this entails, we, the co-signed, support the broad conclusions drawn in the article Key role for nuclear energy in global biodiversity conservation published in Conservation Biology (Brook & Bradshaw 2014). Brook and Bradshaw argue that the full gamut of electricity-generation sources—including nuclear power—must be deployed to replace the burning of fossil fuels, if we are to have any chance of mitigating severe climate change. They provide strong evidence for the need to accept a substantial role for advanced nuclear power systems with complete fuel recycling—as part of a range of sustainable energy technologies that also includes appropriate use of renewables, energy storage and energy efficiency. This multi-pronged strategy for sustainable energy could also be more cost-effective and spare more land for biodiversity, as well as reduce non-carbon pollution (aerosols, heavy metals)."
Oceans, Rivers, Lakes, Groundwater & Drought
Bay Delta Conservation Plan's Terminal Flaws Remain—by Dan Bacher: "Department of Water Resources officials today unveiled additional changes to Governor Jerry Brown's Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) to build the twin tunnels, including elimination of the northern pumping plants at the proposed water intakes on the Sacramento River. Delta advocates weren't impressed, responding that the "fatal" flaws of the water diversion project remain, including taking water from the Sacramento River above the Delta, violating the Clean Water Act and hastening the extinction of Central Valley salmon and other species. In a news release, the Brown administration and its federal partners claimed they had made "several significant changes" to the water conveyance portion of the proposed Bay Delta Conservation Plan, including elimination of the need to build three pumping plants along the Sacramento River near Hood."
Critters & the Great Outdoors
Daily Bucket: Wild Florida--Osprey—by
Lenny Flank: "The Osprey, also known as the Fish Hawk and sometimes as the Sea Hawk, is one of the most widely-distributed birds of prey in the world, found on every continent except Antarctica. In Florida, it is a year-round resident, and often shares its habitat with the much-larger Bald Eagle. The Osprey, Pandion haliaetus, stands about two feet in height and has a wingspan of about 6 feet. It is strikingly colored in brown, black and white, and the bold dark stripe on the side of the face is a distinguishing marker. Females usually have a darker patch across the upper chest, and are slightly larger in size. The call is a high-pitched repeated chirp, seemingly unbefitting for such a large raptor. Osprey are adaptable birds, found virtually anywhere where they can find a body of water as a source of fish for food. They are commonly found in urban areas such as parks. As the common name 'Fish Hawk' suggests, they feed almost exclusively on fish, both freshwater and saltwater. They can often be seen circling slowly above a body of water, looking for fish near the surface which they then swoop down upon, diving into the water feet-first to make the catch."
Polar bear populations in Alaska and Canada have shrunk 40% since 2004—by Walter Einenkel: "There are hypotheses as to what is happening specifically—disadvantageous ice conditions for the bears (i.e. longer and more stressful swims in search of food and final shelter) and diminishing prey are two posited by the researchers. What is clear is that climate change and yes, global warming in the Arctic, is leading to the potential extinction of the polar bear. Conservationists have predicted that more than two-thirds of the world’s polar bear subpopulations could be extinct by 2050. 'We’re very worried that eastern Alaska’s polar bears may be among the first to go,' Uhlemann said. 'The United States and the world have to get serious about reducing greenhouse gases if we want polar bears to survive.'"
Killing Rats to Save Birds as Glaciers Recede—by Pakalolo: "South Georgia, an island north of Antarctica and east of the Falklands was once the richest sea bird nesting areas on earth until the introduction of the Norwegian rat by whaling and seal boats in the 19th century. The rats have devastated the bird colonies by eating the eggs of nesting birds. But the Glaciers on the island had formed a natural barrier denying the rats ability to expand it's territory. Glacier Hub has a fascinating post on the race to save birds on the island by poisoning the rats to death."
The Daily Bucket - floating in the sea, surrounded by mountains—by OceanDiver: "The Salish Sea is a body of inland water surrounded by mountain peaks in every direction. Recently we were out in our boat pootling around off the south end of the San Juan islands, and being a pretty windy day the birds I'd come out to see were mostly elsewhere. So instead of scanning the water surface for scoters and murrelets and such I just gazed into the distance. The skyline was variously sharp and rolling, dark with forest or brilliantly glowing with new snow. Between my personal knowledge of the area and a cool new app I just discovered (PeakFinder), I can give you a little tour of the mountains. […] There's not as much snow on the mountains as usual. Toward the SW (southwest) we are looking at the Olympics beyond the Cattle Point lighthouse on San Juan island one year ago (12/11/2013). The snowpack was low then too. Hope we get more snow this winter. We need it for summer runoff."
The Daily Bucket: Showing off—by
Elizaveta: "Yesterday, I cleaned my kitchen window, which was in sore need of cleaning, and I was rewarded for my industry. This morning I finally captured one of the hummingbirds that has been hanging out at the feeder under the eaves (there are two that I know of). I have a dozen+ shots of a blurry blob, and one with clear detail right down to the little bird's tiny feet, so I have to show it off. The seed feeders are getting regular visits from Rufous-sided Towhees that land heavily and cause the feeders to swing wildly, little song sparrows, and Oregon Juncos. Nothing unusual there, but I've never had hummers here this late in the year. I've also never had my hens produce eggs this close to the winter holidays, but they are, and we're making good use of the eggs while we wonder about the off timing."
Can birds predict severe weather?—by Jen Hayden: "A group of scientists studying golden-winged warblers make an astonishing discovery when these pretty songbirds unexpectedly veered off their migration path: Analysis of the data revealed that the birds took off for Florida several days in advance of a large, severe thunderstorm system that was advancing across the Great Plains. A new study suggests that these warblers detected the severe weather and got the heck out of the way—an ability never before documented in birds."
Transportation & Infrastructure
EVs aren't clean if run on coal—by ClimateDenierRoundup: "In what can only be described as an embarrassing episode of click-baiting, the AP and others have made big news out of a well-known fact. As though they're writing for Buzzfeed, the AP titled their story 'Study: Your all-electric car may not be so green.' Which of course is a very curious title, just begging to be clicked so you can point and laugh at those silly greenies with their expensive Priuses and Teslas and their inflated sense of smug. But, like any clickbait, when you read the piece the title's deception becomes obvious. If your electric vehicle is plugged into a grid powered by coal, it's not clean. Well, duh. It’s unlikely that anyone who buys an EV does so to run it on coal-fired electricity, but obviously we need to keep building up clean energy infrastructure as we build up the EV infrastructure. Also, the study says that if your EV runs on electricity generated by anything BUT coal (including natural gas), it's cleaner and greener by at least 50%, as one rebuttal points out."
Forests, Wilderness & Public Lands
Expanding the National Parks System #23- Minnesota—by MorrellWI1983: "This is the twenty-third diary in my Expanding the National Parks System series. […] This time, I'm exploring Minnesota, the land of 10000 Lakes. Minnesota has 5.6% of its land owned by the feds, which is tied with Wisconsin for 24th, slight;y ahead of Kentucky and slightly behind South Dakota. It currently has 1 national park, 2 national monuments, 2 national forests, 13 wildlife refuges, a 2 historic sites. I will be proposing new monuments to add to Minnesota's tally."
Revealed: How Big Oil Got Expedited Permitting for Fracking on Public Lands Into the Defense Bill—by Steve Horn: "The 1,648-page piece of pork barrel legislation contains a provision — among other controversial measures — to streamline permitting for hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) on U.S. public lands overseen by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), a unit of the U.S. Department of Interior. […]
Streamlined permitting means faster turn-around times for the industry's application process to drill on public lands, bringing with it all of the air, groundwater and climate change issues that encompass the shale production process.
Miscellany
The Daily Bucket - Windfall Wreath—by
Milly Watt: "No trees were deliberately harmed by humans in order to produce this holiday wreath. […] Just after Thanksgiving, I started to think about making my holiday wreath to decorate our front porch. I usually rely on Douglas fir branches that come down during windstorms in late fall to provide the raw materials. So, I walked the trails on our property, but I was disappointed that I didn't find very much fresh greenery. And then the winds came last Thursday night (Dec 11)! And, boy, did they come! The wind was literally roaring. […] Douglas firs seem particularly prone to shedding branches in even moderate windstorms. I have always depended on this "feature" for providing my wreath material and it has been pretty reliable that I can pick up enough in early December to make a wreath without cutting anything off of a living tree. This year? The storm arrived a little later than usual, but it was more intense. I could be making wreaths for the rest of the winter with all the fir branches available."
A scanning electron microscopy image of a pristine
silica support, before the amine is added.
Sponging off the Environment—by
jamess: "File this under 'Great Ideas—in need of more research and promotion dollars,' ... highly effective carbon-trapping 'sponges' (made of micro silica and amine absorbent): Carbon-trapping 'sponges' can cut greenhouse gases. In the fight against global warming, carbon capture is gaining momentum, but standard methods are plagued by toxicity, corrosiveness and inefficiency. Using a bag of chemistry tricks, Cornell Univ. materials scientists have invented low-toxicity, highly effective carbon-trapping 'sponges' that could lead to increased use of the technology. […] The researchers have been working on a better, safer carbon-capture method since about 2008, and they have gone through several iterations. Their latest consists of a silica scaffold, the sorbent support, with nanoscale pores for maximum surface area. They dip the scaffold into liquid amine, which soaks into the support like a sponge and partially hardens. The finished product is a stable, dry white powder that captures carbon dioxide even in the presence of moisture."
Get paid to walk and reduce carbon emissions—by VL Baker: "In a brilliant move, a new insurance startup in New York has come up with an innovative strategy to attract attention, keep its clients healthy and reduce their customers carbon footprint all while beefing up the company bottom line.Oscar Insurance, a New York-based startup, now sends members a free Misfit wristband to track their steps, and whenever someone reaches a daily goal for a certain number of steps, the company pays them."