See Missys Brother'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 20,680 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.
Insight into energy policy (& a wish)—by
HannahMiller: "About 80 percent of energy regulation goes on at the state level, estimates Jeff Lyng, senior policy analyst at the Center for the New Energy Economy in Denver. But until last year, finding out exactly what states were doing was incredibly labor intensive: One had to go to each individual state government website separately. Last year, however, the center unveiled the
Advanced Energy Legislation Tracker—a simple, comprehensive, easy-on-the-eyes database of state-level public policy from across the nation. You can check the status of PACE in Arkansas, feed-in tariffs in Hawaii, or gas-tax replacements anywhere: free and searchable. (The kind of thing that the American Legislative Exchange Council has had for a while.) 'Most of the energy business is regulated at the state level. And states are leading. The mission of this center is to work with states,' said Lyng. (CNEE is a part of Colorado State University, with former Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter as its director.)"
America's nuclear power utilities seek big ratepayer bailouts—by
nirsnet: "America's nuclear power utilities are increasingly saddled with aging, uneconomic reactors. Their operating and maintenance costs are rising, and in many locations they're no longer able to compete with low-cost natural gas and the growing use of wind and solar power. For a year now, Exelon, the nation's largest nuclear utility, has been complaining–loudly–that at least five of its 11 Illinois reactors are uneconomic. And the nuclear giant has threatened to close some or all of these reactors if it can’t get some form of bailout (a word Exelon despises, but is nonetheless accurate). Of course, there are many who would feel much better if those threats were actually promises … But Exelon hasn’t said what it wants Illinois to do about these threats. The utility has said it wants Illinois to institute a vague “market-based solution” to Exelon’s economic problems. Last year, Exelon floated the idea that it needs some $580 million/year in additional revenue to make up for its nuclear fleet’s losses."
The Senate Voted on 15 KXL Amendments Last Night. Here's How the Votes Went.—by
Liberty Equality Fraternity and Trees: "Last night, the Senate voted on fifteen amendments to the Keystone XL pipeline bill (S.1), bringing the total number of amendments voted on so far to twenty-four.
At around 6 PM last night, when the Senate cast its fifteenth roll call vote on an amendment to the Keystone XL bill, Mitch McConnell highlighted the fact that the Senate had just reached a milestone: 'We’ve actually reached a milestone here that I think is noteworthy for the Senate. We just cast our 15th roll call vote on an amendment on this bill, which is more votes—more roll call votes on amendments than the entire United States Senate [did] in all of 2014,' he said. Despite allowing votes on so many amendments, McConnell did not allow debate on them, angering Democrats. You can watch McConnell rudely turning down Democratic requests to talk about their amendments here. The Democrats ask to talk, McConnell and other Republicans object, and the Republicans then move to table the amendment."
This Sunday: The Threat of Oil Trains in San Jose—by
Glen the Plumber: "If Phillips 66 gets approval to expand its railway spur and refinery, the tracks in San Jose and other California cities will get a lot busier. Five days a week mile-long trains carrying crude oil to the Santa Maria refinery in San Luis Obispo county will roll through downtowns, residential areas, and across valuable farmlands. Although the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) claims the risks of derailment, fire, or explosion are 'less than significant,' residents along the route are concerned. Not without risks, pipelines are safer than rail, but for better or for worse, there are no pipelines to get crude from oil producing states like Texas and North Dakota to the refineries in California. As demand continues to rise and production throughout the state decreases., the state is likely to see a large increase in oil-by-rail traffic. Annually the state has approximately 70 'total derailments' and hundreds of 'near misses,' with more oil being transported by rail, the likelihood increases that an oil-carrying train will be involved. If the train that derailed last November spilling the contents of eleven cars into the Feather River had been carrying oil instead of corn, it could have been an environmental disaster taking years to cleanup."
You can find more rescued green diaries below the orange garden layout.
Trade & Eco-Related Foreign Policy
Sierra Club opposes TPP over the extended Rights it grants Corporations—by jamess: "Among other things ... the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) empowers Corporations to sue local Government over 'lost profit'—that result from environmental regulations. Sierra Club: The United States is currently negotiating an expansive free trade agreement, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), with Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. Eventually, every Pacific Rim nation may be included. The Sierra Club is deeply concerned about the lack of transparency in the TPP negotiations and the environmental implications agreement. Here's why: • Extreme Secrecy. […] • Threat to Forests, Wildlife, and Fish. […] • Unfettered Rights to Corporations. The TPP will include provisions that give corporations the right to sue a government for unlimited cash compensation -- in private and non-transparent tribunals—over nearly any law or policy that a corporation alleges will reduce its profits. Using similar rules in other free trade agreements, corporations such as Exxon Mobil and Dow Chemical have launched nearly 600 cases against nearly 100 governments. Dozens of cases attack common-sense environmental laws and regulations, such as regulations to protect communities and the environment from harmful chemicals or mining practices. Read more here about how harmful investment rules included in other trade pacts have led to the attack of climate and environmental policies. • Increase in Dirty Fracking."
TPP, Keystone XL, Fast Tracking and ALEC—by Bob Sloan: "Since 2009 I've written about ALEC's involvement in attempting to establish themselves as players on an international playing field. With 'Free Trade' as their primary mantra—just above that of 'Less Government'—they have been quietly and steadily supporting and advancing the Trans Pacific Partnership deal and the Keystone Pipeline project. In 2011 ALEC issued a resolution in support of the TPP as I wrote previously. From ALEC's perspective it makes sense to support any 'trade agreement' that opens the door to profits for their multi-national corporate members. Nobody should be surprised to learn that many of ALEC's current (and many of those that have abandoned ALEC) corporate members are supporters and endorsers of the TPP agreement...and stand to rake in huge profits from it."
Stop The TPP!—by
StewartAcuff: "It was ironic watching Robert Reich, now a reliable progressive, criticize the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) when 20 years ago he led the fight for The North American Free Trade Act (NAFTA). NAFTA cost 700,000 jobs and wiped out manufacturing all over the US, forced down manufacturing wages in Mexico by 10 percent, forced the Mexican government to remove subsidies for the growing of corn and beans, and created a tortilla shortage in Mexico City. The TPP is a trade deal being negotiated amongst the US and 11 countries that would cover 40 percent of the world’s economy, and benefit the elites in every country that signs it. It will be NAFTA on steroids. It was cited by extremely right-wing Republican Paul Ryan as an issue the Republican Congress and the President could work on together. I well remember 20 years ago when Robert Reich came to Atlanta for a couple of speeches. I was fortunate enough to get invited to dinner with him and other labor leaders and the city’s most prominent business leaders. At this supposedly cordial dinner, I challenged Reich on NAFTA–very inappropriate. We argued about five minutes. So it is ironic to me, but very welcome that Reich is not supporting the TPP."
TPP: Obama against Warren, Reich, Baker, Krugman... but with GOP—by doomvox: "If you read anything at all about this, you'll find people ranging from Robert Reich to Dean Baker to Paul Krugman all pointing out that the trade barriers with asia are already low: the borders are not closed off. So what is this really about? Robert Reich explains: Tariffs are already low. Negotiations now involve such things as intellectual property, financial regulations, labor laws, and rules for health, safety, and the environment. It’s no longer free trade versus protectionism. Big corporations and Wall Street want some of both. They want more international protection when it comes to their intellectual property and other assets. So they’ve been seeking trade rules that secure and extend their patents, trademarks, and copyrights abroad, and protect their global franchise agreements, securities, and loans."
Eco-Action & Eco Justice
"The Representative wants to talk with Climate Hawks Vote."—by RLMiller: "'I was hoping to speak with someone at Climate Hawks Vote," reads the email from a staffer for a Democratic member of Congress. A handful of tweets can catch the attention of Congress, reports a study, and here it took just one tweet. Turns out that the Representative thinks of himself as strong on climate, but his score on our very tough scorecard is only in the teens (scorecard goes from +100 to -100). We've been tweeting scores of potential contenders for the open California Senate seat, like this:
Climate Action Hub: 2015; The World We Want, #snowmanselfies & #Action2015—by
boatsie: "In less than ten days, the Action2015 Coalition has rolled out unprecedented actions from a network of UN groups and governments, billionaires and NGOs in a monumental mega-push to ensure 2015 is a game-changer in social and economic investments to create 'The World We Want' within the next 15 years. Here are some highlights: The UN launch of 'The World We Want' is calling on citizens everywhere to sign up and share their priorities to build 'a collective vision that will be used directly by the United Nations and World Leaders to plan a new development agenda launching in 2015, one that is based on the aspirations of all citizens!' Climate change threatens to destroy the lives of millions more and undo all the progress we have made so far. Inequality is growing everywhere and human rights are being undermined in the worlds most fragile and conflict affected countries while the world economy continues to falter. Despite all of this, for the first time in history we do have the resources to end poverty and grow our world sustainably. It will take the work of all of us to make this happen and we must make our Governments listen and take action on the things that matter most to people everywhere!"
Divesting America of Ozone-Destroying Energy Sources—by brasch: "Long before the price of gas and oil began to plummet, socially conscious churches, universities, non-profit organizations, and local governments began to divest themselves of fossil fuel stock and shock the fossil fuel industry to understand the environmental and public health concerns. The World Council of Churches, which represents about 590 million Christians in 520,000 congregations, decided in July that to continue to hold fossil fuel stock would compromise its ethics, and recommended that the 349 member denominations consider divesting oil and gas stock. Six of the eight Anglican dioceses of New Zealand and Polynesia, and four dioceses in Australia divested their portfolios of fossil fuel stock. In the United States, the United Church of Christ and the Unitarian Universalist churches became the first denominations to begin to divest themselves of fossil fuel stock. Both denominations have a long history of fighting for social justice."
Open thread for night owls: Peoples Climate March still changing global warming debate—by Meteor Blades : "The debate on climate change has changed radically in the past several months, especially since the September 22 People’s Climate March that took place in New York City on the eve of the United Nations Climate Summit. Voices of anti-fracking activists are taken seriously, the United Nations has inched forward on addressing climate change, as has President Obama. The march alone did not move the conversation along, but its impact was not negligible. While it received surprisingly little attention from corporate media, huge numbers of activists found it profoundly inspiring. At the very least, the march brought a ray of hope in the face of so much pain and struggle—endless war, police brutality, violence against women and queers, economic inequality, and yes, climate disasters. But that hope, and the overall success of the event, seemed to come as a surprise to many participants, including me. What was noteworthy about the march and what might it tell us about contemporary social movements?"
Climate Chaos
Rivers Are Draining Greenland Quickly—by Pakalolo: " According to scientists, rivers of melt water are draining Greenland quicker and contributing to sea level rise more than all the other processes that drain melt water from the glaciers combined. As a South Floridian I find this news to be very scary stuff! Eighty percent of Greenland, which is about the size of the United States west of the Rocky Mountains, is covered by ice, which has the potential to make a significant contribution to sea level rise as it melts. Because Greenland's ice sheet is vast and difficult to study from ground level, scientists are still learning about the many processes by which its melting water reaches the ocean. This is the first study of the drainage system of rivers and streams that forms atop the ice sheet in summer. […] They were especially interested in learning how much of the meltwater remained within the ice sheet and how much drained to the ocean. Virtually all of the flowing water drains directly to the ocean through sinkholes, the researchers found."
Glaciers melting from the bottom is not good news—by don mikulecky: "How many more surprises can we handle? It seems that every time we look we find more bad news. This one certainly surprises me. Scientists Drill through 2,400 Feet of Antarctic Ice for Climate Clues. […] The team has drilled into a submerged area called the “grounding zone,” where the massive Whillans Ice Stream (located on the continent) oozes off the coastline of West Antarctica, feeding into a vast slab of glacial ice that floats on the ocean. This slab, called the Ross Ice Shelf, covers an area equal to that of France. […] The grounding zone—where the ice lifts off the muddy bottom of what would be the Antarctic shoreline if there were no ice, and begins to float on the ocean—serves as a brake, controlling the speed of the glaciers feeding into it. And speed is crucial when it comes to global warming. Glaciers on the perimeter of West Antarctica are receiving increased heat from deep, warm ocean currents, which melt ice from the grounding line, releasing the brake and causing the glaciers to flow and shed icebergs into the ocean more quickly. Some glaciers along the Amundsen Sea coast of West Antarctica have already accelerated by up to 60 percent due to this process."
The Climate Action Hub: Welcome to The "Paris Year"—by tomathanasiou: "Welcome to the Paris year! After Lima, it’s definitely time for an update. […] What will happen in Paris? After Lima, we know at least that Paris isn’t going to be a scripted affair in which a minimal accord—now almost universally known as 'pledge and chat'—can be taken as the given result of the inevitable late-session showdown. Rather, there will either be some sort of breakthrough—on the structure of a “balanced” accord that includes adaptation, on international financial and technological support for developing countries, on the all-important 'differentiation' battle—or there will be a real chance of a delegitimizing train wreck. This is because—as we stress in both these reports—climate change is a global commons problem, and as such it can be addressed only if each actor sees the others to be doing their best to achieve their fair shares of emission reductions."
If it's melted, it's ruined—by VL Baker: "Statement from Ben & Jerry's. We need more businesses like this. Today, our economies are overly dependent on products and manufacturing processes that create large amounts of greenhouse gases. Much of the global economy relies heavily on fossil fuels for transportation and industry, harmful gases for refrigeration, and damaging chemicals associated with agriculture. When we consider the feed crops, waste management, and natural biological processes that livestock require, including dairy cows, farm animals are also significant sources of gases that contribute to climate change. What’s the solution? We are already seeing the effects of a warming planet. It is more urgent than ever that we take steps to dramatically reduce global greenhouse gas emissions—and to do it in a way that equitably shares the burdens and risks of climate change among the nations of the world. Ultimately, we have to break the link between economic growth and development from natural resource extraction and depletion."
Scientists set 'Doomsday Clock' at 3 minutes to midnight—by VL Baker: "Today, a group of prominent scientists and Nobel laureates issued a warning to the world. They said that climate change and nuclear war are bringing our civilization closer to 'doomsday'. 'It is now three minutes to midnight,' said Kennette Benedict, executive director of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, as the group moved its symbolic 'Doomsday Clock' two minutes forward. The Doomsday Clock was created in 1947. It has changed 18 times since then, ranging from two minutes to midnight in 1953 to 17 minutes before midnight in 1991. The clock has been at five minutes to midnight since 2012 and the last time it was three minutes to midnight was in 1983, during the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. 'Today, unchecked climate change and a nuclear arms race resulting from modernization of huge arsenals pose extraordinary and undeniable threats to the continued existence of humanity,' Benedict said."
Risky Ridley Taken to Task—by ClimateDenierRoundup: "In the Guardian, Dana Nuccitelli takes on Matt Ridley, who recently penned a piece in the London Times full of the standard 'zombie arguments' (lines that, although thoroughly rebutted, keep parading about). One might wonder why someone would repeat debunked claims. Well, in Ridley's case, DeSmogUK looked into it and found that not only does he have a coal mine on his family estate, but Ridley 'will earn an estimated £4.1 million each year from opencast coal mines on his Blagdon Estate with income guaranteed until 2020.' Getting back to Ridley's writing, Dana shows it runs the gamut of denial—Ridley claims observed warming has been lower than it actually is; he mischaracterizes sea level rise; discounts simple science on water vapor; and basically covers all the classic tropes. Dana offers the easy answers to these claims and highlights how Ridley is advocating a high-risk strategy for climate by accepting the chance that all the scientists are wrong to avoid undertaking relatively low-risk mitigation and adaptation efforts. With risk in mind, Dana's piece ends by recalling one of Ridley's past experiences with risk assessment. Turns out he chaired a British bank 'that in 2007, was the first in over 150 years to experience a run on its deposits.' Ridley's leadership guided the bank to a high-risk business strategy."
Conservative Catholics working selves into a lather over Pope's upcoming environmental declarations—by Hunter: "We call people like this 'cafeteria Catholics,' and they should be very ashamed of themselves and probably prominent church officials need to start threatening to withhold Communion from them if they don't immediately reverse their stance: Conservative distrust of Pope Francis, which has been building in the U.S. throughout his pontificate, is reaching a boiling point over his plan to urge action on climate change—and to do so through a document traditionally used for the most important papal teachings. For months, Francis has been drafting an encyclical on the environment and global warming which he hopes to release by June or July. Encyclicals are written with the help of a small group of advisers working under strict secrecy. ... and are considered a Very Big Deal. It seems the new Pope is not on board with the Drill, Baby, Drill theory of God's plan for the planet, and if you think the same publicly devout followers of the faith that have stapled themselves to the Church's edicts on abortion and contraception are going to put up with any environmental stance short of what the good people of ExxonMobil have paid for, good luck with that. Those other rules apply to the womenfolk and are thus, of course, reasonable and inviolate, but these new rules may affect our holy smokestacks."
Denial ramps up in face of 2014's record heat—by ClimateDenierRoundup: "Clinging desperately to the pause, deniers have rolled out their messaging to combat the fact that 2014 was the hottest year on record. From full-blown deniers at Climate Depot and WUWT to skeptics like Curry, the new message appears to be that even if 2014 was hot, it still wasn't as hot as the models (which were, of course, tweaked for their purposes) predicted, and besides, the satellites disagree with NOAA and NASA. Others, like the Daily Mailfocused on parsing statistical margins of error. Now a savvy climate watcher will point out that models aren't meant to predict anything; rather, they provide projections of what could be over a long time period. What's more, averaged model runs are misleading because they combine the worst-case, most-likely, and least-likely scenarios all together as though they're the same. The satellite record is similarly limited in what it can tell us. Satellites only capture atmospheric temperature way above the ground and could well be capturing some of the mixing between upper and lower atmospheric layers, which would make it cooler than actual surface temperatures. Plus they don't measure the oceans, which absorb 90% of the heat. Oh, and the UAH satellite record is kept by Spencer and Christy, who have had to revise the satellite record upwards over and over again as other scientists point out errors, so they're probably not the most reliable source, considering it's their (chronically wrong) word against the scientists at NASA and NOAA."
2014's Record Heat Boils Denier's Blood—by ClimateDenierRoundup: "As expected, deniers are all furiously attempting to discredit the news that 2014 was the hottest year on record. While the day-of and day-after coverage was a little more varied in its approach, this week, deniers seem to be coalescing on a single line of attack: the statistical margin of error and NASA's uncertainty. Taking the Daily Mail piece as their cornerstone (which, for those unaware of the Daily Mail's reputation, is like citing The National Enquirer), bloggers and pundits are hyping up the hottest year 'hoax.' The Federalist calls it, 'The Most Dishonest Year on Record,' while Morano went on Fox News claiming, 'It's statistical nonsense," and that people promoting the hottest year are, 'talking about statistically meaningless temperature records,' that are, 'way within the margin of error.' However, as reported in Mashable, deniers are 'twisting the meaning of uncertainty ranges and making it seem like there is far less confidence in temperature data than there actually is.' Well-known uncertainties in the global temperature data make it difficult to calculate the exact likelihood that a given year is the warmest on record. But, among the three hottest years on record—2014, 2010 and 2005—there is the greatest amount of certainty (38 percent) that 2014 was the hottest on record. What's more, if you compare years, the chances that 2014 was warmer than 2010 is about 60 percent, according to NASA's director, Gavin Schmidt."
Hottest Year, 'Statistical Blip', or a Warming Hiatus about to end?—by jamess: "That 'Hottest Year on Record' claim for 2014, may be just a 'Statistical Blip'. As much as we all like simple 'recording breakers' to boost the hyperbole—the temperature 'record' that was broken in 2014, is measured in hundredths of a degree.Hardly 'earth-smashing' ... statistically speaking.[T]he BEST boffins have broken ranks with the NASA/NOAA/UK Met Office climate establishment and bluntly contradicted the idea that one can simply say '2014 was the hottest year on record.' According to BEST's analysis (pdf) [Berkeley Earth Surface Temperature]: Our best estimate for the global temperature of 2014 puts it slightly above (by 0.01 C) that of the next warmest year (2010) but by much less than the margin of uncertainty (0.05 C). Therefore it is impossible to conclude from our analysis which of 2014, 2010, or 2005 was actually the warmest year. That may seem like not such a big deal, but it is really. At the moment the big debate in this area is about the 'hiatus'—has global warming been stalled for the last fifteen-years-plus, or not?"
Global Warming Crisis—by John B Des Moines: "We no longer have any excuse to debate the extent of Global Warming. The only question is what we should do to combat a problem which could be a threat to civilization and potentially much of life on Earth. None of this, naturally, will prevent radical Conservative Republicans from debating a question which is not in doubt. No part of this bad-news trifecta is likely to change the minds of the rump faction of climate deniers—particularly in Washington. Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who is set to assume chairmanship of the committee that oversees science in general and NASA in particular had this to say to CNN about climate change: 'The last 15 years, there has been no recorded warming. Contrary to all the theories that they are expounding, there should have been warming over the last 15 years. It hasn’t happened.' He’s wrong on the facts—as the new temperature readings demonstrate—and wrong on his interpretation of the science which shows that the rate of atmospheric warming has indeed slowed a bit in the past decade and a half. The reason for that seeming happy development is not that climate change isn’t real, but that the oceans, for now, are sopping up more heat than anticipated—see, for example, those migrating fish."
Critters & the Great Outdoors
Daily Bucket: Florida's Invaders--Armadillo—by
Lenny Flank: "The prehistoric-looking Armadillo is such a familiar part of the Florida landscape (most often as squashed roadkill along the highways) that it has become accepted as a normal part of the scenery. In reality, it is an invader in Florida, but one of the very few that got here on its own as a natural extension of its normal range. The Armadillos are a group of about 20 mammals in the family Dasypodidae, an ancient group related to the sloths and anteaters dating back to the time just after the dinosaurs, which is characterized by a turtle-like leathery shell studded with small bone platelets that form a protective armor. At this time, sea levels were higher than they are now, so most of what is now Panama was underwater, and North and South America were separated from each other and went their separate evolutionary ways. Then about 3 million years ago, ocean levels dropped and tectonic forces pushed the land up to form the Isthmus of Panama, connecting the two continents. The result was what paleontologists refer to as the Great American Interchange, when wildlife from each continent now had a land route to the other. Deer, horses, camels, tapirs, bears and cats went south, while sloths, armadillos, giant birds and giant rodents went north."
Backyard Science Yardbird Race: 2014 Grand Bragging Rights and the first official tally of 2015—by bwren: "The Daily Kos Backyard Science Yardbird Race is a birding competition where, over the course of one year, participants strive to identify the most bird species—by sight and/or by sound—from the confines of their yards. […] Here are the final results of the 2014 Backyard Bird Race! 2014 brought in a number of new participants, all of whom will start out with a personal record to beat in 2015: Lenny Flank (12); Attack Gardener (49); weezlegirl (42); ninety wt (25); Joieau (18); greycat (30); profewalt (76); DarkHawk98 (33); nom de plume (64); wood gas (39); as well as Benny Toothpick (25), who started over again in a new location halfway through the year. A good number of personal records were broken this year, too: Benny Toothpick (29, +2) in his original location; most awesome nana (57, +9); PHScott (48, +10); burnt out (78, +3); 1. bwren (55, +5), AZ Sphinxmoth (73, +30!); chantedor (56, +10); lorell (47, +11); 6412093 (30, +10); political mutt (91, +26!); Dr. Arcadia (87, +9); Mark Sumner (80, +11); and OceanDiver (72, +1)."
The Daily Bucket: Signs of Spring—by PHScott: "One of the first plants to leaf out early each year is Red Buckeye. Here is one I found Sunday along the rim of the Apalachicola River floodplain at Torreya State Park. Another early bloomer at the park is the endemic Leatherwood. Noted for its 'bend but don't break' branches, this understory shrub has small yellow flowers that bloom as the leaves emerge. We saw one flower way down the slope in a protected area, a micro-environment so to speak. No photos tho. Switching over to my backyard, the day before I saw a Red Maple flowering down in the wettest area. These trees also bloom before leafing. While at Torreya, I showed my friend the river and floodplain from the campground up top. You could barely make out in the distance the red glow of Red Maples almost open."
The Daily Bucket: Bird Call Counting—by
PHScott: "
January 22, 2014. Sunny day in North Florida, temps in the mid-60s, heavy rain expected Friday. I've been outside working with my recycled leather crafts, gluing and riveting, and listening to birds. The thought came that maybe I could note the species and times just to see what I get. These are birds I hear everyday, each sound registers in my head and a species name comes out. I automatically catch direction and distance. Update Saturday. Friday ended with 3 & 1/3" of rain. Right now a strong wind is blowing the last of that storm away and the sun is peaking thru. Hope y'all up north enjoyed your snow. I wandered my woods this morning and came across a mess of Japanese Honeysuckle—about basketball size once pulled and stuck in the crotch of a tree. Also pulled 3 Nandina—thanks so much to my neighbor from hell for letting hers go to seed."
The Daily Bucket--Nature Red—by 6412093: "Lord Tennyson famously wrote, '...Tho' Nature red in tooth and claw...' in his poem In Memoriam. He referred to the violence of the natural world, in which the weak are sometimes torn asunder by the strong. However, this is not a Bucket of blood. Can't we all just get along?"
Happy National Squirrel Appreciation Day...Srsly.—by Gwennedd: "Yup, those chattering, noisy, bossy little animals have their own holiday! Well, why not. We often live around squirrels daily, so maybe we should appreciate all they do for us. Let's explore a little, beginning with the history of the squirrel: Squirrels are members of the family Sciuridae, consisting of small or medium-size rodents. The family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots (including woodchucks), flying squirrels, and prairie dogs. Squirrels are indigenous to the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa, and have been introduced to Australia.The earliest known squirrels date from the Eocene and are most closely related to the mountain beaver and to the dormouse among living rodent families. Ah … they're rodents, huh? Okay. Rodents are sometimes pets. While some people think of squirrels as destructive and aggressive, in some North American Indian tales, they are revered as caretakers of the forests, and some northwest coastal Indians consider them to be messengers of danger. However, in many of their mythological tales, Mikew (squirrels) are not the cute, but frenzied little creatures we know today."
Daily Bucket: A Florida Beach in Winter—by Lenny Flank: "I recently took a walk along Indian Rocks Beach … While the water temperature out in the Gulf of Mexico can get down in the 60's in the winter, here in the shallows near shore the sun usually keeps it above 70 degrees. The reefs in this part of Florida are pretty far offshore, so most of the seashells get pretty busted up by wave action before they make it to shore."
Sea shells down by the sea shore
Your tax dollars used to make animals suffer and to exacerbate climate change—by
VL Baker: "
The New York Times has prepared an investigative report on a remote research facility on the Nebraska plains. The project was begun because of a whistleblower who had worked at the facility for 24 years. The whistleblower, James Keen, a scientist and veterinarian, was concerned about the disregard for animal mistreatment and the the frankenstein tactics of research done at the center. Dr. Keen approached
The Times a year ago with his concerns and
The Times proceeded to interview two dozen current and former center employees, and reviewed thousands of pages of internal records obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.
Pigs are having many more piglets—up to 14, instead of the usual eight—but hundreds of those newborns, too frail or crowded to move, are being crushed each year when their mothers roll over. Cows, which normally bear one calf at a time, have been retooled to have twins and triplets, which often emerge weakened or deformed, dying in such numbers that even meat producers have been repulsed."
Steelhead begin to trickle into American River—by Dan Bacher: "More steelhead are finally showing at Nimbus Fish Hatchery on the American River, although the fish reported to date are just a fraction of what would normally be trapped by hatchery staff to date. The hatchery trapped 18 new fish on Tuesday, January 20, bringing the total to date since December to 38 adult steelhead. 'About half of the fish were under 5 pounds and half were over 5 pounds,' said Gary Novak, hatchery manager. In contrast, the hatchery had trapped 377 adults to date last year, a severe drought year. In a banner year, the hatchery would have already trapped thousands of fish by this time."
The Daily Bucket - What's This Stuff?—by enhydra lutris: "Discovered in the front yard Saturday the 17th. It is growing from the ground and is beside some kind of salvia. Any Guesses?"
Energy
Shale oil investors in denial—by gjohnsit: "A new Bloomberg poll shows investors believe that OPEC will blink before shale oil drillers will. Not only does this show that shale investors aren't paying attention to the headline, it shows a basic misunderstanding of what OPEC will do to adjust to a price decline. […] A good example is this story from Iraq today. Iraq, the nation adding more new oil to global markets than any other supplier in OPEC, said it needs to boost production and exports of crude to compensate for collapsing prices. […] The nation is pumping at about 4 million barrels a day, already a record, Oil Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said Jan. 19."
frack patch and tar sands cutbacks continue—by rjsigmund: "there were a number of stories indicating a continuing pullback by oil field operators last week … probably the most notable of those was the announcement by Schlumberger, the world’s largest oilfield-services company, that it will cut 9,000 jobs, which is roughly 8% of their worldwide workforce … their biggest competitor, Halliburton, also announced it intended payroll cuts in Houston, but it didn't specify how many would be laid off … in the tar sands, Shell started the week by announcing that they'd be cutting up to 300 jobs at their Athabasca Oil Sands Project's mining operations, but the big job cut there didnt come till midweek, when Suncor, the single largest tar-sands producer (formed from the merger of Sunoco & Petro Canada), announced that they’d be cutting 1000 jobs from their tar sands mining projects, and reducing capital spending on their MacKay River oilsands project in northeastern Alberta and their White Rose development off Newfoundland by $1 billion."
Here's a Thought...—by tlcpro : "I was just out burning my trash when I wondered to myself, Why don't we burn trash for power? I may not know enough about this stuff, but it seems to me that if we can scrub pollutants out of coal fired plants, why couldn't we do the same thing for trash? I'm not saying all trash, just the burnable stuff. Why not separate it and burn the burnable stuff, rather than taking it to a landfill? Just put the glass and plastics in the landfill, not a good thing, but better than nothing, and put the burnable stuff to good use."
Oil Takes Over the World - Part One: Oil Booms and Goes to War—by ruby red shoes: "Historians mark the end of the Three Stone Ages with the advent of metal working. When modern people began tapping the earth for an unfathomable volume of petroleum, or 'rock oil,' to be used in nearly every aspect of life—from lighting to heating to transportation to manufacturing to warfare—it became reasonably arguable to say that we entered a 'Fourth Stone Age.' Compared to other historical eras, the Age of Petroleum is bound to be brief: either by exhausting the supply; by the toxicity of its waste stream, air pollution and devastating spills; or by innovation and enlightened rationale. Of all the extractive industires (logging, mining, drilling, dredging, qaurrying), drilling for oil has historically returned maximum profits for the least amount of labor. Thus a man like George Getty could rush to Oklamhoma to extract oil discovered on Indian territory and amass a huge fortune in just two years."
Oil Takes Over the World - Part Two: Inventing the Need for an Unlimited Oil Supply—by ruby red shoes: "A timeline is one of the best ways to present a complicated history. It allows the reader to see the progression of change and the relationships between time and events. The following timeline is meant to accompany a narrative version of the industry's history up to WWI: Oil Takes Over the World - Part One: Oil Booms and Goes to War. Both are by no means complete and are bound to be over-simplified, given my own biases and shortcomings as a researcher. But I have tried to distill a very complex and wide-ranging history, involving multiple industries and inventions, empires and individuals, into a more or less organized and straightforward presentation. I learned a great deal in the process—that is my hope for the reader as well."
What's the big deal about Tar Sands?—by delphine.
Renewables & Conservation
China doubled Cambodian electricity production last Monday—by benamery21 : "A Chinese state owned firm began generating power last Monday at a new 338MW hydroelectric facility in Cambodia that will dramatically increase electricity availability to Cambodians at prices well below those currently prevailing. Almost all Cambodian electricity has been either imported (from Vietnam and Thailand) or generated from diesel or fuel oil. This individual project, the 5th completed and largest of 6 projects either constructed or under construction by China, will provide 1.2 million MWh annually, more than generated in the country in 2012, and about 40% of current national consumption including imports (enough to serve the 40% of Cambodians with no electricity, or displace the 93% of domestic production from diesel and fuel oil, and/or reduce the average cost of power dramatically, and/or meet the next two years of demand growth)."
Fracking
Oil lobbyist/former marine protected area chair praises release of fracking EIR—by Dan Bacher: "The oil industry welcomed the release of the California Natural Resources Agency’s draft environmental impact report of fracking operations in California, while environmental groups slammed the report for failing to address the many major risks posed by the controversial well stimulation technique. Catherine Reheis Boyd, President of the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) and former Chair of the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative Blue Ribbon Task Force to create so-called 'marine protected areas' in Southern California, praised the Brown administration's release of the regulation in a statement. 'The release of the draft EIR on Well Stimulation Operations marks an important milestone in meeting the deadlines set by Senate Bill 4. WSPA and our members are reviewing the details of the draft EIR and will continue to participate in workshops and public discussion regarding SB 4,' said Reheis-Boyd."
“Organizing at the Crossroads: What Real Climate Leadership Looks Like”—by Dan Bacher: "When Governor Jerry Brown began his fourth term this month, he vowed to position California as a leader in the fight against climate change, in part by moving the state to 50% renewable energy by 2030. But Brown’s environmental vision is undermined by continued oil industry development in California, including fracking and other extreme oil production methods in urban and residential areas, wastewater injection into deep disposal wells, the continued expansion of oil refineries, and the prospect of a dramatic increase of oil transport by rail. Community leaders and expert speakers will inform Bay Area residents about how these dangerous oil industry practices affect our health and safety. The forum is the last stop on the statewide 'California Crossroads Tour,' hosted in partnership with the Californians Against Fracking coalition to bring awareness to these issues and to increase pressure on Governor Brown to protect our water, our health, and our communities by ending fracking, standing up to Big Oil, and moving beyond fossil fuels to 100% renewable energy. The tour also promotes the February 7 March for Real Climate Leadership in Oakland, Governor Brown’s hometown. What: Panel discussion event as part of statewide 'California Crossroads Tour: Taking Back our Health and Communities' to promote the February 7 March for Real Climate Leadership."
Keystone XL & Other Fossil Fuel Transportation
Federal Court Order: Explosive DOT-111 "Bomb Train" Oil Tank Cars Can Continue to Roll—by Steve Horn: "A U.S. federal court has ordered a halt in proceedings until May in a case centering around oil-by-rail tankers pitting the Sierra Club and ForestEthics against the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). As a result, potentially explosive DOT-111 oil tank cars, dubbed 'bomb trains' by activists, can continue to roll through towns and cities across the U.S.indefinitely. 'The briefing schedule previously established by the court is vacated,' wrote Chris Goelz, a mediator for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. 'This appeal is stayed until May 12, 2015, or pending publication in the Federal Register of the final tank car standards and phase out of DOT-111 tank cars, whichever occurs first.' Filing its initial petition for review on December 2, the Sierra Club/ForestEthics lawsuit had barely gotten off the ground before being delayed."
Senate almost accepts climate science—by ClimateDenierRoundup: "The Keystone XL amendments are causing some confusion as to whether or not Congress accepts the reality of climate change. This is because some stories went out saying 'Senate Votes 98-1 That Climate Change "Is Not A Hoax",' but as usual, reality is slightly more complex. So far, the Senate has voted on three climate amendments, with another from Sanders (I-VT) in the works. The first simply stated that climate change is real and not a hoax. That one passed 98-1, with stalwart denier Sen Inhofe (R-OK) jumping in at the last minute as a co-signer. While initially surprising, his follow-up commentary asserted that all climate change is natural, not man-made. So Inhofe's modus operandi here was to ignore the universally adopted UNFCCC definition of climate change—which states that it is 'a change of climate attributed directly or indirectly to human activity'—to pretend natural climate change (which occurs slowly over thousands of years) has any relevance to policymaking and the debate at hand. The other two amendments, which included language saying climate change is human-caused, failed."
Support Keystone XL Pipeline—by Sailorman3200: "I have decided to support the Keystone XL pipeline after reading Eileen B's article on the Yellowstone oil spill. I am a retiree, not connected to the oil industry or any other group for or against. WHY? Simple … If your car is old and unsafe, you replace it with a new one. If a bridge is old and unsafe, you demand the government build a new one. If one or more of the existing pipelines is old and unsafe, you should demand it be replaced with a new one."
Poll busts conventional wisdom: Support for Keystone XL pipeline contingent on completing review—by Meteor Blades : "One of the biggest complaints expressed by congressional backers of the Keystone XL pipeline is that the delays in a presidential decision are unwarranted since the State Department's environmental impact statement gave the $8 billion project a green light. What's been happening, they say, is merely President Obama stalling what should be a slam-dunk approval. That view, however, misunderstands the review process for authorizing or rejecting the required presidential permit for cross-border pipelines (as well as tunnels, bridges, etc.). The impact statement, put together by a firm with a record of stamping 'okay' on oil and gas industry projects, is just part of that process. The review also requires the input of eight federal departments and agencies, including that of the Environmental Protection Agency, which found the first environmental impact statement to be insufficiently critical of various aspects of the pipeline project. While the majority of Americans support building the pipeline, Aaron Blake at The Washington Post points out that a new survey shows that the majority also wants the review to be completed before a decision is made."
DC, State & Local Eco-Politics
Hillary Clinton: "You won't get me to talk about Keystone Pipeline"—by VL Baker: "So, Hillary Clinton was in Winnipeg and continued her commitment to non-commitment regarding Keystone Pipeline. She is definitely not a climate hawk; witness her thorough support and influence in implementing fracking globally. […] 'We have differences and you won’t get me to talk about Keystone because I have steadily made clear that I’m not going to express an opinion,' she said. 'It is in our process and that’s where it belongs.' If/when she is presidential nominee, what can we expect? The world needs the US to become a climate leader, there is no one else. Civilization is dependent on the next US presidential election."
Ohioans Stand Up in Force to Oppose Bailing Out Old, Dirty Power Plants—by Mary Anne Hitt: "As coal plants around the U.S. become increasingly filthy and decrepit with old age, some utilities want ratepayers to pay billions of dollars to keep them running. We're already paying with our health, our air, and our water—plus, Americans want clean energy like wind and solar. Why should we shell out billions to prop up harmful fossil fuels, when we could instead create thousands of good clean energy jobs that will protect the health and livelihoods of workers and communities? Well, Ohioans have recently come out in force to three public hearings to ask just that question. Right now Ohio utility FirstEnergy is embattled in a high-profile case before the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. The company is requesting, along with other Ohio utilities, sweeping bailouts for its aging coal and nuclear power plants—to the tune of $3 billion! Instead of competing in the open market where clean energy and efficiency are driving down prices, FirstEnergy wants customers to be stuck paying the bill to bail out old plants that can no longer compete in the marketplace. What's worse, the way they want customers to pay for this bailout."
15 Rs Voted to Acknowledge Human Impact on Climate Change, Still Don't Care to Do Anything About It—by
Liberty Equality Fraternity and Trees: "This is a follow-up to the Keystone XL amendment diary I posted yesterday. I wanted a separate diary to highlight the climate change amendments from yesterdsay and have been waiting for the roll call for one amendment to be formally posted. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)'s amendment to say that the Senate believes that climate change is 'real and not a hoax' passed 98 to 1 because it is such weak tea that it is actually water. The amendment says nothing about who is causing climate change, making it meaningless. Jim Inhofe trolled Democrats by coming out in favor of it, noting that 'the climate is always changing.' The only NO vote was Roger Wicker (R-MS). John Hoeven (R-ND)'s amendment saying that Keystone XL would not have a significant impact on the environment was apparently altered to include language that 'Climate change is real; and human activity contributes to climate change.' As such, Hoeven voted against his own amendment. 15 Republicans did, however, vote for it: Lamar Alexander (R-TN); Kelly Ayotte (R-NH); Susan Collins (R-ME); Bob Corker (R-TN); Jeff Flake (R-AZ); Lindsey Graham (R-SC); Orrin Hatch (R-UT); Dean Heller (R-NV); Mark Kirk (R-IL); John McCain (R-AZ); Lisa Murkowski (R-AK); Rand Paul (R-KY); Rob Portman (R-OH); Mike Rounds (R-MT); Pat Toomey (R-PA)."
Republicans say no to American-made steel for Keystone XL—by Laura Clawson : "Republicans like to point to Keystone XL as one of their signature jobs bills and, when oil prices are high, like to imply that it would mean cheap oil flowing free in America. But Tuesday afternoon they voted down two Democratic amendments aimed at just those issues. Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey's amendment to the Keystone bill would have prohibited oil shipped through the pipeline from being exported. It was killed by a 57 to 42 vote. Minnesota Sen. Al Franken's amendment would have required that the pipeline be built with American steel. It was killed by a 53 to 46 vote. Seriously. 'It's a jobs bill! It's a jobs bill!' 'Okay, let's require that it be made with American materials, creating more jobs.' 'Hell, no.'"
Sen. Ernst pushes myth of the Keystone 'jobs bill'—by Kerry Eleveld: "In the GOP response to President Obama's State of the Union address, Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst called the legislation to approve the Keystone XL pipeline the 'Keystone jobs bill.' Certainly, that's what Republicans want the American public to think—that it's a 'jobs bill.' Unfortunately, they haven't checked in with the State Department, which found that the project would amount to only 35 permanent, full time jobs. And here's the Politifact breakdown on the 42,100 temporary construction jobs that Keystone would generate."
Heidi Heitkamp and Joe Manchin Really Want to Pollute Your Air, and So Do Some Other Dems—by Liberty Equality Fraternity and Trees: "Dick Durbin (D-IL) offered an amendment to ensure that the storage and transportation of petroleum coke is regulated in a manner that ensures the protection of public and ecological health. Back in 2013, he, along with Senators Levin and Stabenow of Michigan and Senator Brown of Ohio, had introduced a bill that would have required a study of petroleum coke (petcoke), which is a byproduct of petroleum refining used in energy production. The legislation was, in part, a response to the public health and environmental concerns raised about three-story high pile of petcoke on the banks of the Detroit River. But petcoke is also a problem closer to home for Durbin. Later in 2013, he visited a petcoke storage facility in Southeast Chicago. […] The Senate voted against the amendment 58 to 41. One Republican—Mark Kirk (R-IL)—voted for it. Five Democrats voted against it: Joe Donnelly (D-IN); Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND); Joe Manchin (D-WV); Claire McCaskill (D-MO); Jon Tester (D-MT)."
The allowable land grab—by joe quigley: "Recently, the Nebraska Supreme Court overturned a lower court that had ruled that the property rights of landowners who do not want the Keystone XL pipeline built on their land and fear that a spill could devastate the region’s drinking water and agriculture-based economy should not be violated, and the XL Pipeline should not cross their property. But, even though the 7 judge panel had voted 4-3 to back the lower court’s ruling that such use of eminent domain would be unconstitutional, it wasn’t the super majority needed to uphold it. Now the Canadian oil firm TransCanada is free to 'seize property using eminent domain from any landowners who deny the developer access.' This effectively allows a foreign company to take over land owned by American citizens. Conservatives are thrilled that the president has no more excuses to delay the XL Pipeline. They seem to have completely ignored that a foreign company now has power over American citizens, and support the move."
Senate Kills Two Democratic Amendments to Keystone XL Bill—by
Liberty Equality Fraternity and Trees: "The Senate moved forward with its consideration of its Keystone XL bill (S.1) today by killing two amendments and passing one of them. The first amendment that the Senate killed was the amendment offered by Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) to prevent the oil transported via the Keystone XL pipeline from being shipped abroad. House Democrats have traditionally introduced a similar amendment during Keystone votes, and it always (unsurprisingly) fails. It was not different today. The Senate voted to table the amendment (i.e. kill it) 57 to 42. Three Democrats sided with the Republicans to kill it: Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Joe Manchin (D-WV), and Mark Warner (D-VA). The second amendment killed was one by Senator Al Franken (D-MN) to require the use of iron, steel, and manufactured goods produced in the United States in the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline and facilities. The Senate voted to table (i.e. kill) the amendment 53 to 46."
Unhappy with Just Shilling for KXL, 14 House Dems Vote to Force Approval of Natural Gas Pipelines—by Liberty Equality Fraternity and Trees: "As the Senate continues its work on the Keystone XL pipeline bill, the House decided to get into the pipeline action today by passing the so-called Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act. The bill would require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to approve applications for natural gas pipelines within 12 months. It would also require other related agencies to approve related permits within 90 days, with the approval becoming automatic if the deadline is missed. Obama has already said he would veto it. Here is his statement from November when the House last voted on the bill: 'The bill's requirements could force agencies to make decisions based on incomplete information or information that may not be available within the stringent deadlines, and to deny applications that otherwise would have been approved, but for lack of sufficient review time,' the administration said this week. 'For these reasons, the bill may actually delay projects or lead to more project denials, undermining the intent of the legislation.'"
Congressman Maloney & his Keystone Reply—by FromRedtoBlue: "OK folks, I have heard back from my Congressman, Sean Patrick Maloney, and why he supported Keystone ... below the orange filagree … Thank you for contacting me about the Keystone XL pipeline. As your representative in Congress, I appreciate hearing your thoughts on the issues most important to you and my neighbors in the Hudson Valley. As you may know, one of my top priorities has been protecting the Hudson Valley's delicate environment. Currently, there are billions of gallons of oil traveling through the Hudson Valley by train and barge, and I have serious concerns about this de facto pipeline. We've actually seen a 40 fold increase of crude by rail since 2008, and a derailment in our area would have catastrophic consequences for both our communities and environment. Much of this crude traveling through the Hudson Valley from the Bakken Shale is simply being transported to refineries in Canada and outside of New York. By building the Keystone Pipeline, I believe we can actually reduce the amount of highly explosive Bakken crude traveling by our rail system, which are more dangerous than pipelines."
Republican Senate KXL Bill May Get Damaging Rider for Coal-Waste Burning Power Plants—by LakeSuperior: "On behalf of the coal industry, United States Senators Pat Toomey (R-PA) and Bob Casey (D-PA) are advocating a damaging rider for the Senate KXL bill which Attorney Walke outlines in a blogpost from yesterday: Toomey and Casey are advocating that coal waste-fired power plants be exempted from EPA requirement recently upheld on appeal. The coal industry seeks to exempt itself from emission limitations addressing NOX, SO2 and acid gas emission in EPA's Cross State air pollution rule and the Mercury & Air Toxics air pollution rule."
PA-Sen: PennEnvironment Goes After Toomey (R) & Casey (D) On Mercury Pollution Limits—by poopdogcomedy: "Received this e-mail today from PennEnvironment: Only days into a new Congressional Session, our senators have proposed that some of the dirtiest coal-waste power plants should no longer be required to meet critical health-based mercury pollution limits. These limits were designed to protect our health: 1 in 10 women have enough mercury in their blood to put a child at risk of serious developmental damage. And it doesn't take much pollution. Studies suggest that even a gram-sized drop of mercury can contaminate an entire 20 acre lake. […] We've made real headway over the years to reduce mercury pollution from the worst source—dirty coal-fired power plants. Those efforts culminated in a new law in 2012 that would slash this pollution by 90%. That's why I was so shocked to hear that senators Casey and Toomey were pushing to exempt some of the dirtiest power plants from meeting the health-based standards that will protect us from mercury pollution."
House Republicans Censor President's references to Climate Change from #SOTU Video—by Frank Vyan Walton: "As if people wouldn't notice. As if doing such a thing could possibly happen without people who actually heard the President's State of the Union this week standing up and saying—'Who do they think they are fooling here?' Well, besides their own very well fooled and pandered too Wingnut Constituency that is? It appears that the House GOP took the time to edit out portions of the President's State of the Union which specifically discussed Climate Change before they posted on John Beohner's Official Youtube Channel. They left in the bit about ;I've run my last campaign. I know because I won both of them,' even though we all know they'd like to erase those facts, they apparently just could not resist the urge to try and erase these and let them slip own the memory hole."
Senate Passes Amendment Declaring Climate Change is Real—by Mopshell: "Bernie Sanders was encouraged by the votes, calling it 'a step forward' for Republicans. I think what is exciting is that today we saw for the first time—a number, a minority—but some Republicans going onboard and saying that climate change is real and it’s caused by human activity. And I suspect that you are going to see in the months to come, more and more Republicans forced to acknowledge that reality. Senator Sanders’ promised amendment will come up for a vote today, January 22nd. It goes much further than Whitehouse’s amendment in that it definitively states that climate change is 'already causing severe problems all over the world, we have a window of opportunity and we have to transform our energy system away from fossil fuels to energy efficiency.'"
Senate: Climate change real, but not people's fault. But maybe Al Gore's.—by Molly Weasley: "And Kirk might have set new flip-flopping records. In 2009, he was one of a handful of Republican representatives voting in favor of a climate bill by former Reps. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass., and now a senator). Of course, Kirk was representing a moderate suburban district north of Chicago, so he couldn't afford to look too wacky. When he ran for Senate in 2010, Kirk reversed himself and renounced his 2009 vote, no doubt scared by Tea Party candidates in the Republican primary. In 2011, he gave this excuse for his flip-flop on global warming in a story in The New York Times: 'The consensus behind the climate change bill collapsed and then further deteriorated with the personal and political collapse of Vice President [Al] Gore.' Aha! It's all Al Gore's fault! Of course, we're not sure exactly what was supposed to be Al Gore's fault—the collapse of his marriage, perhaps, cast doubt on the facts of global warming somehow?—but heck, it must have sounded good to Kirk at the time. Of all of the excuses to deny climate change, that's one of the most original. Just a few weeks ago, Kirk was quoted as saying that climate change isn’t caused by industrial greenhouse gases. And then he switched again and became one of the GOP 'yes' votes on the Schatz amendment."
OH NOES: Gasp! I just called (R) that broke ranks to thank them for Climate change man made votes—by daeros: "Republicans who voted to say that climate change is real and significantly caused by humans included Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Kelly Ayotte. So today I called the Republicans who had the Courage to break rank and Vote with us and Thanked them, reached out with an olive branch. Every single one said thank you for your message. Lemar's said he'd appreciate that greatly. Almost all of their staffers seemed relieved to get a positive phone call. I imagine their officers were probably being bombarded with negativity, seems it was well timed. We should be encouraging this stuff when it happens at the very least, I mean Climate Change should not be a Partisan issue."
These are the Democrats who voted against abortion coverage, Wall Street reform, and the environment—by dreaminonempty: "A little while back, we showed you the House Democrats who voted with Republicans on two key topics: the environment and Wall Street reform. Today we add a third topic: abortion. Yesterday, the House voted on a bill to codify a ban on federal funding for abortion, but with a new twist that would essentially exclude abortion coverage from ACA plans. Three House Democrats voted for this bill: Dan Lipinski of Illinois, Henry Cuellar of Texas, and Collin Peterson of Minnesota. As it so happens, all three of these Democrats also voted with Republicans on approving the Keystone pipeline and gutting Wall Street reform. What will they vote for next?"
In which I take down Jim Inhofe—by CastleMan63: "That famous climate change-denying curmudgeon James M. Inhofe is at it again, and this time his willful denial of facts and slander of scientists is casting a sad shadow over the U.S. Senate as it starts a new Congress with a debate over the controversial KXL oil pipeline. Inhofe, a Republican from Oklahoma, is well-known for his refusal to accept that human-caused emissions of greenhouse gases are changing the climate of Earth. […] Last week, Inhofe added to his infamy. During a debate on a proposed amendment to ban the export of oil carried in the KXL pipeline, Inhofe marred the Senate's deliberation by lambasting scientists and by, again, raising the false accusation that climatologists are lying about mankind's impact on the planet's climate. He also misrepresented the meaning of a scientific paper to give credence to his misguided beliefs."
Agriculture, Food & Gardening
wooden crates of hyacinths - the joy of forcing—by Missys Brother: "This winter I forced so many hyacinth bulbs that I had to corrall them into wooden crates to keep a bit of order. The two crates above are out of the way, resting on top of chairs, below dining room windows. More have circled around the table's centerpiece made from a recycled succulent wreath that had hung on the back gate this past summer. One got trapped in this antique terrarium. Yet others jumped up on a fireplace mantel, some climbing into bookcases, and even gathering in the front entrance hall, some are on coffee tables, and others have seeked the protection of this deer. Not all have made it into water yet. In past years they hung out in my kitchen windows. This is my west facing window."
Food Labels, Fair Advertising & Economy for Majority—by workingwords: "General Mills’ Vanilla, Chocolate and Cinnamon Chex boxes all proudly display a label ... 'no high fructose corn syrup.' ...These General Mills products all contain a super-concentrated sweetener that is made from high fructose corn syrup, and within the Big Ag industry is literally called 'HFCS-90' or high fructose corn syrup-90. But then the Corn Refiners Association changed the name to 'fructose.' And now General Mills is not only disingenuously hiding their corn syrup behind this innocuous alias—the company is bragging that it’s products don’t contain any! The CREDO petition asks the company to stop printing that claim on its products. We should also be asking: Isn't this illegal? If not, why not? What are our elected officials doing about it?"
Saturday Morning Garden Blogging Vol. 10.48 - Self-Seeders—by kishik: "Disasters. Garden disasters. Got any?? I have plenty, but always think of them as learning moments... some more lasting than others! Like one year, some time back, I planted Rue. Why? I can't remember... but I had it sprouting up all over the place for years and years ... finally what took it out was digging a big hole and putting in a pond. Another is lemon balm ... I love to use this for cooking and teas, and still do! But it has spread from backyard to front... I know mint is a bane to many a gardener here, but lemon balm is like 100 times worst! But then there are other plants that have brought me happiness endlessly- like foxglove..."
Dave Vella, Chateau Montelena's Vineyard's
wine manager, smiling at compost that keeps
the soil for his vineyards healthy and consistent
—an essential ingredient for good wine grapes.
Turning Waste into Wine: A Pilgrimage to the Composted Land—by
citisven: "It is said that Jesus was able to turn water into wine. While such truly miraculous skill to this day remains confined to the realm of saints and sages, I bring good news about a wine-making technique that is — especially in light of Pope Francis' recent warning about the destructive consequences of unbridled consumerism on the planet—no less uplifting, and most importantly, attainable by any and all: The composting of municipal food waste into organic fertilizer to provide the nutrients necessary for soils to support healthy vines and carbon-sequestering roots that produce the kind of grapes responsible for heavenly wines, from here to eternity. The revelation occurred to me last Saturday, when I received a last minute invitation by my garbage guru to join a congregation of the compost curious on a pilgrimage to Chateau Montelena, a vineyard located in the heart of the promised wine valley about 80 miles north of the City of St. Francis. […] The biggest concern for farmers like [Dave] Vella who have made the transition to organic fertilizers is about overdoing it. 'I don’t want big, vigorous plants,' he says. 'Just look at the canes on these 40 year old plants—these are perfect and exactly what I want to see. I don’t want to see one that’s 10 feet long and this big around.' (He makes a big circle with his index finger and thumb.) 'I want moderate growth, that’s what gives us great wine. And I want healthy plants. I’m just trying to keep my plants as healthy as I can. And that’s what balanced, healthy soils do.
Labeling "food with DNA", banning "dihydrogen monoxide", and why I'm against mandatory GMO labeling—by mconvente: "Did you know that thousands of people die each year from accidental inhalation of dihydrogen monoxide? Not only that, but it's an industrial solvent and coolant, used as a fire retardant, and over consumption can lead to death. This compound is a danger to our environment and must be banned! If you aren't familiar with chemistry nomenclature, it's entirely understandable why you would call for this dihydrogen monoxide to be banned. […] What's the point of the above exercise? It shows that an ignorant citizenry is susceptible to hysteria campaigns when uninformed, or perhaps more relevant to the discussion as I shift to GMOs, misinformed. Sure, you can argue that the general public should not be familiar with chemistry nomenclature, and thus the above example is absurd. But if you want to stay fair, you must concede that the general public knows what DNA is, even at a rudimentary level. So when 80% of the general public supports 'mandatory labels on foods containing DNA'—the same percentage of people who want mandatory labels on GMOs—I hope you start to see why mandatory labeling of GMOs would cause unnecessary panic among our scientifically ignorant society."
Why I Don't Eat Mammals—by swellsman: "[This is actually something I wrote for my nephew.] First, there is no question but that humans evolved to eat meat. It is part of our natural diet. You have only to look at our teeth to see how this is so. But DNA and biology are not the same things as Destiny and Fate. Just because we grew up to be what we are, that does not mean that we cannot change what we are. A large part of being a human being—a fully functioning, actual human—is recognizing that we can be different than our biological code. We can choose to be better, if we want to. [...] If Consciousness is the bedrock upon which morality rests, where do we locate Consciousness? Is it the exclusive purview of humans? Extensive amounts of physiologic and anatomical testing indicates that no, it certainly is not. Truth be told, we don’t have a really good handle on what Consciousness is or where it resides. But we know enough to be able to say that most mammals and some birds possess it. Even the dumbest of these creatures have the anatomical structures that seem to make consciousness possible. And because I think that consciousness is the founding block of a morality, I simply make the effort to try and not to eat anything that might be, as I am, crawling and struggling to make sense of this place we live in."
Eco-Essays and Eco-Philosophy
Capitalism Saves the World!—by Robocop: "A whopping 72% of consumers apparently equate the advertising word 'natural' with healthy, which is astonishing in and of itself. What’s more surprising, however, is that a major national fast food chain paid attention to that figure and applied it to their business. To see a Carl’s Jr. television ad, and I usually mute the sound and avert my eyes, that announced a new 'all natural' burger last week shocked me completely. The burger has no hormones, no antibiotics and is sourced from grass-fed, free-range cattle. We don’t do that here, of course, at least not on that scale, so Carl’s Jr. has to import the beef from Australia. The burger is still astonishingly unhealthy—it has 44 grams of fat, 1,220 mg. of sodium and 760 calories—but that fact is almost beside the point, even as most commentators focused on that particular issue. What makes this move profound is how it will affect the U.S. beef and fast food industries. […] Although I persist in denouncing industrial fast food, I realize that this initial move by Carl’s Jr. and its advertising campaign is a major game changer. The beef industry will be forced to respond if they wish to compete, and more and more people will become aware of how the food they eat and feed their children is produced, and how that food affects their health and the environment."
Oceans, Water & Drought
Groups criticize work plan implementing water bond's Chapter 8—by Dan Bacher: "Restore the Delta and the Environmental Water Caucus today released the comment letter that they submitted to the California Water Commission at its January 21 meeting. The groups told the California Water Commission that the Commission's work plan for the regulations and guidelines for implementing Chapter 8 of the recently approved water bond are "too narrow" for eligible projects. They also said the Commission should prioritize storage projects that do not require new surface water rights, and should prioritize sustainable water projects."
Trash, Spills, Pollution & Hazardous Waste
Three-million-gallon drilling waste spill is North Dakota's worst, but far from the state's only one—by Meteor Blades: "Sixteen days ago, Operator Summit Midstream Partners found a toxic leak of salty drilling waste from a pipeline in western North Dakota, the heart of the Bakken oil boom. Although it reported the leak to the state's department of health immediately, it wasn't until Tuesday when officials learned that nearly three million gallons of the stuff had leaked into two creeks. This makes it the largest spill of its type since the North Dakota oil boom began about a decade ago. A clean-up is underway, but the full extent of the environmental damage is not yet known and may not be for a long time. […] While this is the largest such spill, it's far from the only one. Two-and-a-half years ago, the investigative website ProPublica reported that oil companies had revealed more than 1,000 reported spills in 2011. Most of these were said to be small, but the investigation found that in several cases they were much larger than first claimed. In addition, there is considerable illicit dumping."
3 million gallons of fracking fluid spills in ND!—by Senor Unoball: "Great, just damn great. Spill happened almost two weeks ago, at that, but they didn't tell anybody! Nearly 3 million gallons of saltwater generated by oil drilling have leaked from a North Dakota pipeline, an official said Wednesday, the largest such spill since the state's current oil boom began and nearly three times worse than any previous spill. Two creeks have been affected, but the full environmental effect might not be clear for months. Operator Summit Midstream Partners LLC detected the pipeline spill on Jan. 6, about 15 miles north of Williston and told health officials then. Officials say they weren't given a full account of the size until Tuesday."
LCP White-Wash—by hannah: "It has been known for several decades that various industrial enterprises on the coast of Georgia had left a residue of contaminated soils and wetlands. But that the residues continue to be absorbed by the human population, as well, is not readily apparent because some people just get overlooked. The income stream from remediation gets more attention because that keeps a small army of 'experts' in a job. At present, their focus is on extracting some more dollars from the Honeywell corporation, whose executives made an unfortunate decision to acquire some waste lands on the cheap. A pro-forma public hearing to review the most recent 'plans' left all the attendees largely unsatisfied. […] EPA’s “Whites Only” Policy at the LCP Chemicals Superfund Site in Brunswick Georgia and Implications to the Health and Welfare of the Community of Color. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a long history of being protective, proactive, and collecting data about the white population in Glynn County, while being resistant to any efforts to be protective of people of color. The recently released Proposed Plan for the LCP Chemicals Superfund Site is yet another shameful chapter in this long legacy of justice denied for people of color in Brunswick, Glynn County, Georgia."
Cancer-causing chemicals detected in Yellowstone River after oil spill—by FaithGardner: "This past weekend, a 12-inch pipeline burst in Montana and an estimated 50,000 gallons of oil leaked into the Yellowstone River. Now it's being reported that raised levels of the cancer-causing chemical benzene have been detected in the drinking water. Elevated levels of benzene were found in samples taken from a water treatment plant that serves about 6,000 people in the agricultural community of Glendive near the North Dakota border, officials said. Truckloads of bottled water were expected to be brought in Tuesday, and residents were warned not to drink or cook with water from their taps. The most disturbing part about this is that after some initial tests, Montanans were told their water was safe. It wasn't until people complained about the oily smell coming from their faucets that secondary tests were performed, revealing the elevated levels of cancer-causing chemicals—days after people had been told it was safe to drink the water."
Transportation & Infrastructure
The Chip on Staten Islanders' shoulders... miserable transportation—by oxfdblue: "Okay, I know Staten Island is not an independent city, but if we were, we’d be a bit bigger than Sacramento, California (#35) and a little smaller than Fresno (#34). Hell, the entire state Wyoming has just 82,000 more people then Staten Island. We'd be the biggest city in 23 of the fifty states. This rock in NY Harbor that I’ve called home since 1967 gets a perpetually bad rap. Some of it is deserved. We have people here, just like in other parts of the country that continually vote against their own interests. Tons of civil servants that will vote for Republicans who want to kill their pensions and privatize everything. But the island also has an incredibly varied population. The school I teach at has over two dozen student clubs representing different ethnicities, races, nationalities, and religions … and they all get along. So what is it about this place that people here always seem to be angry about something? If I had to look at one problem that is central to everything, it is transportation."
Miscellany
U.S. Board Meets on Chevron Richmond, CA 2012 Refinery Accident & Fire on Wed, Jan 28—by LakeSuperior: "This is a heads up on the steward-to-steward-protocol to those Democrats that now govern on the City Council of Richmond, California and Daily Kos participants from that area. During the last November election, the insurgent political campaign in that community achieved a virtual rollover of the elected city council leadership in Richmond, CA, where a Chevron refinery is located here: Next Wednesday, January 28, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) will hold a public meeting, to present the third and final investigation report and safety recommendations from the August 6, 2012, crude unit fire that occurred at the Chevron Refinery in Richmond, CA. That fire endangered 19 workers and sent more than 15,000 residents to the hospital for medical attention."