Spotlight on Green News & Views (previously known as the Green Diary Rescue) appears twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The most recent Spotlight can be seen here. More than 23,225 environmentally oriented diaries have been rescued for inclusion in this series since 2006. Inclusion of a diary in the Spotlight does not necessarily indicate my agreement with or endorsement of it.
Beneath the Wildfires in Alaska, Melting Permafrost is Releasing Massive Amounts of Ancient Carbon—by
Pakalolo: "'The atmosphere thought it lost that carbon and all of a sudden it's being returned to the atmosphere after a prolonged period of time. That's the kind of carbon pulse to the atmosphere that actually can invoke additional climate change, above and beyond human emissions.' Merritt Turetsky, a research ecologist from the University of Guelph in Canada. [...] Land with underlying permafrost is called tundra and tundra covers the northernmost fringes of North America and Eurasia. The arctic tundra is treeless. Roots can’t penetrate the frozen soil, so only moss, lichen, and low shrubs can grow there. In summer, the topmost layer of the permafrost melts, leaving behind soggy ground, marshes, bogs, and lakes. Wildfire rarely start on the tundra, because the ground is cold and wet and resistant to burning. Until recently, tundra burning had not happened in 11,000 years. Now, with Climate Change, summers are getting hotter, the tundra is getting drier. The warmer weather also has increased lightning strikes, which start more fires."
Republicans Who Cut and Tried To Defund EPA Now Attack It For Not Preventing Colorado Mine Spill—by
Dartagnan: "
Here's Republican Congressman, Scott Tipton, whose district is next to the river:
'If a mining operator or other private business caused the spill to occur, the EPA would be all over them,' Tipton said. 'The EPA admits fault, and as such must be accountable and held to the same standard. In the coming days my staff and I will be working to get a full picture of what happened, as well as an answer to a question on many people’s minds: what resources and funds will the EPA dedicate to clean up the site and provide restitution for damages?' Except Tipton has a
heinous voting record with respect to the environment, including several votes to defund 'resources and funds' from the same EPA from which he is is now claiming entitlement to assistance and restitution.
Here is an account of his anti-environment actions, along with those of former Colorado Congressman, now Colorado's Republican Senator, Cory Gardner, both of whom are lapping up
media coverage for themselves by heaping blame on the EPA for the disaster."
You can find more excerpts from green diaries below the orange spill.
Climate Chaos
Glacier National Park Funds its Own Demise Buying Koch—by Doctor Jazz: "As many of us know, for ten thousand years the topography of what is now Glacier National Park, in northern Montana, has remained about the same. But the warming climate is melting the park's glaciers, threatening to change the tourist mecca into a Glacier Free National Park. [...] Ostensibly, besides taking our annual camping vacation to have father/daughter bonding and deepen our connection with the natural beauty of our country, we were going to Glacier Park in hopes of seeing a glacier before they all disappeared. Imagine my dismay when I found that the park restrooms were stocked with Georgia Pacific toilet paper and dispensers, made by the very same jerks who were the face of climate change denial. Every time we wiped our asses it was with Koch tissue and with every wipe we were putting money in their bank accounts, making us unwittingly complicit in their nefarious anti-government, anti-science, anti-National Park activities. I had to swallow hard. Glacier National Park was funding its own demise. The glaciers may be gone in 15 years, which would be equivalent to Redwood National Park having no redwoods or Crater Lake having no lake."
"Marry Before Your House Is Swept Away:" The Ripple Effect of Climate Change—by Dartagnan: "When Americans think of 'climate change,' they think of it in terms of the physical effects caused by rising temperatures--the higher incidents of wildfires, the impact of droughts and beach erosion, the discomfort of higher heat and humidity, and cost spikes of certain goods and services. We are blessed with living in one of the richest countries in the world and the direct effects of a warming climate don't, as a rule, pose an immediate threat to our lives. One somewhat perverse reason for this is that our highly-developed, if rampant continued use of fossil fuels enables us to escape or ignore the more immediate physical effects of global warming. But there's a lot more to climate change than raw data about temperature increases, carbon dioxide levels and altered weather patterns. In the low-lying areas of India and Bangladesh, the destruction caused to crops and fields by rising sea levels has had a ripple effect, leading to far-reaching consequences in child marriage, malnutrition, infant mortality, child depression and child trafficking. These are the seldom acknowledged, real-world results of human society continuing to gorge itself on fossil fuels, and while far-removed American politicians continue out of political expediency to deny that the problem exists, the reality on the ground in these countries is undeniable."
Critters & the Great Outdoors
Open thread for night owls: Giving up on the Florida panther—by Hunter : "There are approximately one to two hundred wild Florida panthers left on earth. Last year alone, 24 of the endangered animals were killed—not by hunters, but in collisions with Florida automobiles. This year's tally will likely exceed that. In the midst of such daunting conservation efforts, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission is considering a bold new tactic: giving up. 'Panther populations are straining and currently exceed the tolerance of landowners, residents and recreationists in the region,' the memo reads. It suggests reconsidering the panther's 'endangered' status under the federal Endangered Species Act. [...] "The current recovery criteria are aspirational rather than practical in nature," the Commission writes. "Under this federal recovery plan, Florida will never be able to accomplish the goals necessary to recover panther populations to a point where the subspecies can be delisted." The proposal calls for the state of Florida to stop dedicating staff and funding to the federal conservation plan."
The Daily Bucket - recent dragonflies—by
OceanDiver: "August 2015. Pacific Northwest. In a recent Bucket I showed dragonflies as food for a family of swallows (Purple Martins). Here are some closeup looks at local dragonflies they might have been feeding their nestlings. Ponds are drying up where I live in western Washington, especially as we had so little rain this spring, so the dragonflies are becoming concentrated in small areas. I don't know the Odonata, so perhaps you readers will be able to better ID these, knowing their features and their location in western Washington. I have books, and I can narrow them down, but some features are obscure to me, and frankly may not be visible in a photograph. All photos by me. In Lightbox...click for better resolution. This dragonfly is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. Such bright colors and patterns! Embiggen for full glory. I think it is a female darner ovipositing. She moved from stem to stem by the side of this nearly dry pond."
Grizzly Bear Kills and Eats Hiker in Yellowstone National Park—by ban nock: "A hiker found over the weekend in Yellowstone is now thought to have been killed by a griz as evidenced by wounds to his arms in trying to fend off the attack. [...] Already I detect a slight spin saying how long it has been since the last fatality. Actually in the Yellowstone ecosystem which is how you look at critter populations, they have one every year or so. [...] Right now there is a typical controversy on whether to delist the griz (I'm not sure how many years scientists have been trying to do this, ten, maybe more). This weekend the Sierra Club and the Center for Biological Diversity put on an outdoor movie in Jackson replete with frolicking cubs and serious talks by experts on whitebark pine beetles and cutthroat trout food sources (nary a mention of hiker entrails) attended by a faithful 200. I suspect the concept that grizzly bears don't exist on organic local fair trade berries probably comes to some as a revelation."
Cecil: the lion who changed the world—by Marty Essen : "With some humanoids, the only time something is important is when it’s about them. And furthermore, isn’t it possible to speak-out about more than one subject at a time? But what really worries the conceited branch of our species is that the success of speaking out for Cecil will not only encourage more of such activism, but it will also present a different way of looking at the perpetrators of injustice. And most worried about this is the gun industry. Years of concerned citizens speaking out against guns in the United States has had little effect, as the massacres of people continue. Trophy hunters, however, don’t have lobbyists as powerful as the NRA. So while trophy hunting was brought to its knees in less than two-weeks, the NRA has made it possible for the mass murder industry to continue in the United States with no end in sight."
Calling All Naturalists—by
cigale: "This mystery flower showed up in my yard recently and I'm at a loss to identify it. I live in the Pacific Northwest, on the rainy side of the Cascades, and have been in this house for 20 years. I've never seen anything like this. We have had volunteer daturas for years but other than the shape of the flower, this is nothing like them. Anyone recognize it? The curious thing to me is the lack of leaves, only stem and flower." [
MB: Hopeful4Life and
cany idenitified the flower as
Amaryllis, and
Besame specfically said it is Naked lady, Amaryllis belladonna.
The Daily Bucket - Critters of Mt. Rainier—by
Milly Watt: "Mt. Rainier National Park has got wildflowers, geology, and glaciers. And there is wildlife too! [...] Ground squirrels were always evident at popular hiker snack stops. These were just going about their business."
The Daily Bucket: Wild Florida--The Bottlenose Dolphin—by Lenny Flank: "One of the best-loved marine animals in Florida is the Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin, which can often be seen playfully following boats or riding along on the bow wave, and sometimes interacting with human divers or swimmers. There are about 40 different species of Dolphin, all in the family Delphinidae. They are mammals, not fish, and are closely related to the whales (in fact the 'Killer Whale' or Orca is actually not a whale, it is the largest member of the Dolphin family). The fossil record shows that Dolphins are some of the most recent whales to have evolved, appearing only within the past 9-10 million years. In that time they have diversified to fill nearly every available aquatic habitat, from shallow tropical seas to ice-filled Arctic oceans to large freshwater rivers. The Atlantic Spotted Dolphin and the European Common Dolphin can sometimes be found in Florida's coastal waters, but by far our most often-encountered is the Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). This species is familar to everyone from its many TV and movie appearances, from "Flipper' to 'A Dolphin Tale.'"
i'iwi
Dawn Chorus: Birds of Hawaii—by
cardinal: "A few months ago I asked Haole in Hawaii for advice on Hawaii birding. He suggested that I contact conservation biologist and renowned bird photographer Jack Jeffrey for a tour of the Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, a limited-access preserve with a high concentration of Hawaii's rarest birds. This was great advice! My wife and I spent a full day hiking with Jack—a delightful guide—through the high-elevation forest on the eastern slope of Mauna Kea (accessible only by permit), watching and learning from an expert bird photographer while trying to get some of our own shots. The weather held up nicely, though the usual fog eventually rolled in."
Energy
Coal, Oil, Gas & Nuclear
PR Pushes Continue for Pipeline, Polluters—by ClimateDenierRoundup : "The Canadian government spent public money on a public relations campaign to support tar sands operations, according to documents uncovered by a freedom of information request. According to the Guardian's coverage of the scandal, Canada's 2013 budget saw investments of $30 million over two years on advertising and 'outreach activities.' Outreach activities were not publicly disclosed and cost $4.5 million, and they included efforts to 'advance energy literacy amongst BC First Nations communities.' Essentially, the Canadian government used public money in an attempt to soften opposition among First Nations communities that were fighting the construction of pipelines on their lands. At the same time, the government also used public money to lobby the European Union to try and block a measure that would limit the export of Canada's tar sands. Canada also ran an ad campaign to solicit support in the US, Europe and Asia. Meanwhile, fossil fuel interests in the US are also attempting to influence the public discourse, this time by exploiting minorities. Media Matters' Cristina Lopez debunks a Washington Times story that relied on fossil-fuel-funded voices to claim that the EPA's Clean Power Plan 'faces opposition from black [and] Hispanic leaders.' Lopez linked to three different polls indicating exactly the opposite of what the story claimed."
Lifting the Oil Export Ban - How will your Senator Vote?—by Justin Mikulka: "At the beginning of this year Jack Gerard, president of the American Petroleum Institute (API) said that his organization's top priority this year was to lift the existing ban on exporting crude oil that is produced in the United States. Of course, if something is a top priority for the API it means it has to do with making more profits for the oil industry. So who then is looking out for the rest of us? The oil industry. If you believe them. They have been waging a massive public relations campaign to pressure politicians to vote to lift the export ban. The message is that lifting the export ban will lower gas prices and help the U.S. consumer of gasoline. However, according to polls, the U.S. consumer isn't buying this. And thus the idea of exporting oil to other countries while we still import it from places like Saudi Arabia is unpopular with the American public."
President Obama: make your own one simple decision: Reject Shell's Final Arctic Drilling Permit.—by e2247: "President Obama, Your climate 'legacy' can be partially secured when you deny Shell's final permit to drill in the Alaskan Arctic. Scientists have warned us that we all have to keep fossil fuels like Arctic oil in the ground if we hope to avoid runaway climate change. We also must avoid releasing volumes of methane equivalent to a major oil spill from rising to the surface each year as warmer waters heat the frozen ocean bed. Volume for volume, methane is at least 20 times more potent a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Shell must not be allowed to heat any northern oceans (Pacific, Arctic, and Atlantic) through any so-called 'development' work on sea bed exploration and extraction."
Japan is restarting its safer, modernized nuclear plants. Positive impact against Global Warming—by Hudsagger: "Japan is ending a two-year moratorium on use of nuclear power plants. One of the reactors is running today as part of the power grid. Some 30 of the country's 48 reactors are scheduled for reactivation. Sendai Nuclear Power Plant is in Kagoshima prefecture. The design features automated provision of cooling water from very large pools at the reactor buildings. TEPCO and Kyushu Electric Power have agreed to support the highest level of security at the reopened plants. The Abe Administration issued a one-page statement referring to economic impact and the negative environmental impacts of using carbon-fired plants. Overall this seems sensible. Global warming is too dangerous for countries to go on burning carbon where they can avoid it. Power engineers learned what parts of nukes are vulnerable from the Fukushima flood out, so it makes sense to apply these lesson going forward."
Japan begins nuclear restarts—by Keith Pickering: "Unit 1 of the Sendai nuclear power station in Japan began the process of restarting today, ending a period of nearly two years without nuclear power generation in Japan. The reactor is expected to reach criticality later today, and to begin sending electricity to the grid on August 14. Full commercial operation will begin by early September. Following the Fukushima accident, reactors in Japan were gradually taken offline for routine refueling or inspection, but were not restarted again pending safety reviews. The lost nuclear generation was replaced mostly by fossil fuel imports, causing the price of electricity to rise significantly. The Sendai reactor, on Kyushu island, was chosen for the first restart because of local support for restarting the reactor. At least 20 more reactors are proceeding through the steps necessary for restart under the new National Regulation Authority (NRA)."
Chesapeake putting Ohio gas production on hold; US refineries refining at a record pace..—by rjsigmund: "as a lot has happened with the price of oil since the last time we discussed it, we'll include a graph of US oil prices over the past year, so you can all see what has been happening...the graph below shows the past year's track of the near term contract price per barrel of the US benchmark oil, West Texas Intermediate (WTI), sitting at or to be delivered to the oil depot in Cushing Oklahoma...we can see that oil had been falling most of last summer, even as drillers were still adding rigs and expanding production....and we know that oil drilling continued into the fall, with the rig count peaking in October, even as oil prices slipped below $80 while the global surplus was developing...we can then see the first collapse of prices beginning in the last week of November, when the price of oil fell from $78 to $65 in the days immediately following the OPEC decision to continue their level of production...oil prices then fell below $45 a barrel in intra-day trading in mid January, a level at which 97% of US shale wells became unprofitable, before climbing back up above $58 again in February...they touched the January lows again in March before moving back up to near $60, in a range where they stayed for most of the second quarter...but even at those prices, most independent drillers reported losses during that period, and now they've fallen another 28% from the $61.01 price of June 23rd..."
Laura McKay
Update: Sampling for Fukushima Derived Radionuclides in the Northeast Pacific and Arctic 2015—by
MarineChemist: "The purpose of this short diary is to update readers on the activities of the Integrated Fukushima Ocean Radionuclide Monitoring (
InFORM) project. This post is the most recent in a
series documenting scientific research into the impact of the Fukushima Dai-ichi disaster on environmental and public health. Surface seawater samples were collected from the icebreaker
CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier as it traveled between Victoria BC to Dutch Harbor Alaska during July 2015. These seawater samples will be analyzed to characterize the distribution of Fukushima derived radionuclides 137-Cesium (
137Cs half life ~30 years), and 134-Cesium (
134Cs half life ~2 years). As in previous years this information will help to determine how well
model predictions of the activities and progression of ocean borne contamination across the Pacific Ocean match with
observations. Understanding the spread of this contamination provides important information on the impact of the Fukushima Dai-ichi disaster on the health of the Pacific ecosystem and the North American public. The evolution of the contaminant plume in time and space also helps the scientific community to better understand ocean mixing which is a key parameter toward understanding the oceans role in mitigating atmospheric greenhouse gas increases and climate change."
Going Nuclear on CO2—by doomvox: "The argument in favor of nuclear power at this point is pretty obvious: global warming is bad news, so a major power source that doesn't emit greenhouse gasses sounds good, right? An odd counter-argument has emerged from the anti-nuclear side: they claim nuclear power actually is a source of CO2 emissions. They say that if you look at the full life cycle of a nuclear power plant, so much work is done in mining, transport and decommissioning and so much concrete is used in its construction that nukes shouldn't be considered a low-emissions power source. Fortunately, quite a few studies have been completed doing full-cycle analysis of the CO2 emissions for different power sources."
Full Lifecycle GHG Emissions Intensity of Electricity Generation Methods, WNA July, 2011
Renewables & Conservation
Washington State Open Thread - Geothermal in our Midst—by John Crapper: "Under the Forest Service's proposal companies could apply for permits to harness the heat beneath the surface. Geologists Dave Tucker and Pete Stelling recently hiked to the Mount Baker Hot Springs, located within the national forest. The faint smell of sulfur greet them as they arrive at the hot springs. If you are picturing a beautiful, bubbling pool surrounded by ferns, stop. The springs are trashed—beer bottles and cans, orange peels, a discarded bra in the mud next to a waist-deep pool of murky water. This isn't just a hot spot for geothermal activity. It's also a hot spot for local college kids who are looking for a soak in the springs. It makes sense to take advantage of nature's heat at our disposal. At this point, no leases have been issued. Companies are awaiting Forest Service's final decision. Once this happens companies can begin applying for permits to develop geothermal plants in the area.Each project will have to go through a full environmental review. And some environmentalists are raising concerns."
World In Frantic Pace To Develop Clean Energy—by VL Baker: "There are massive projects worldwide to accelerate clean energy development. There is now no question that we are in a mega transition from our dirty fossil fueled past to green, clean energy. It's still a rocky road with yet some pushback from the discredited fossil fuel industry but there is no turning back. [...] Meanwhile, China—the world’s largest producer and consumer of coal—has taken a big renewable energy leap with the construction of its first commercial large scale solar power plant that will spread across 25 square kilometers in the Gobi desert in the Qinghai province. Once complete, the 200 megawatt 'Delingha'—developed by BrightSource Energy from California and the Shanghai Electric Group in China—will surpass California’s Desert Sunlight Solar Farm as the world’s largest and be able to meet the electricity needs of one million Chinese homes."
Top Comments: Solar Array Edition—by gizmo59: "Last month we had a solar array installed on the roof of our house. It consists of 27 solar panels (made in the USA!). We had been talking about installing solar panels for years, nearly since we bought the house 10 years ago. There are several reasons why it took so long. First, other renovation projects took precedence (the kitchen, the bathrooms, the deck, etc). Second, once those other projects were done, we had to wait until we were sure we had the money to cover the project. We also wanted the installation to happen during a period of time when not too much else was going on in our lives (unlike last year, when we had multiple trips throughout the summer, including our wedding). Finally, I was just a little wary of how cost effective, and trouble prone, a system of solar panels is. In fact, I needn't have worried on that last point."
Candidates, DC, State & Local Eco-Politics
17 billionaires and businesses have contributed $62 million to 8 GOP candidates for prez—by Meteor Blades: "The U.S. coal industry is hurting financially, tar sands investors may be suffering from low oil prices and renewables may be expanding as never before, but the oligarchs of fossil fuels are not on the ropes yet. And they are determined to get a Republican elected to the presidency in 2016 who shares their interests. They are putting a bit of their ample treasure into candidate campaign warchests in the hopes of making that happen, according to a study of Federal Election Commission filings by the Greenpeace/Center for Media and Democracy reported on by Ed Pilkington at The Guardian: Eight out of the 17 GOP figures currently jostling for their party’s presidential nomination have between them attracted a bonanza of at least $62m so far this year from sources either directly involved in polluting industries or with close financial ties to them. Three Republican contenders stand out as recipients of this fossil fuel largesse: the Republican climate change denier-in-chief, Ted Cruz; the party establishment favorite Jeb Bush; and the former governor of Texas, Rick Perry."
‘Most Trusted’ Professionals’ Union Endorsed Sanders Because Of His Opposition To XL Pipeline—by VL Baker: "National Nurses United (NNU) has endorsed Bernie Sanders as its chosen candidate for President of US. Other candidates had sought the Unions endorsement and so it is interesting to hear the back story of how the NNU made its decision. But why did Sanders secure union members’ votes over Clinton or O’Malley? In the minutes following the announcement, Buzzfeed News reported that the Keystone XL pipeline was 'the deciding factor,' noting Clinton’s now-infamous refusal to say whether she would approve the controversial project. Conversely, Sanders has staunchly opposed the pipeline for the same reasons NNU has, saying a spill would exacerbate health problems like asthma and nosebleeds. However, NNU spokesperson Martha Wallner said the decision to choose Sanders ran deeper than Keystone XL."
Agriculture, Food & Gardening
Agroecology as a Tool for Liberation: Transforming Industrial Agribusiness in El Salvador—by Bev Bell: "An interview with Miguel Ramirez, National Coordinator of the Organic Agriculture Movement of El Salvador. We say that every square meter of land that is worked with agro-ecology is a liberated square meter. We see it as a tool to transform farmers’ social and economic conditions. We see it as a tool of liberation from the unsustainable capitalist agricultural model that oppresses farmers. We in the Organic Agriculture Movement see the soil as Mother Earth, a living organism, which gives birth to all kinds of life. Mother Earth is agonizing, and needs to be rescued. Even a new small plot of land under organic management is part of the effort to revive her."
Judge Rules State Must Do Much More to Curb Agricultural Pollution—by Dan Bacher: "Superior Court Judge Timothy Frawley has ruled that California is not doing enough to curb the 'witch’s brew of pollution' pouring from California farms, according to a news release from coalition of fishing and environmental groups. Judge Frawley ordered the State and Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board to create new rules protecting human health and the environment, surface and groundwater, from agricultural pollution."
Transportation & Infrastructure
Sunday Train: The New Gulf Wind, NOLA to Orlando—by Bruce McF: "The New Orleans to Orlando service was 'suspended,' about a decade ago, due to a bridge wash-out during Hurricane Katrina. The infrastructure damaged during Hurricane Katrina has been repaired, but the 'suspended' status continues. However, this was not the first suspension of service along this corridor, as Bob Johnston relates. At the time of the formation of Amtrak, when private railroads were relieved of their passenger service obligations in return for (ahem, "formally") granting corridor priority to Amtrak service, the Louisville and Nashville together with the Seaboard Coast Line were operating the Gulf Wind from Jacksonville to Orlando. However, Amtrak did not choose to include this service among its initial service offerings. Service between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama was restored in 1984 for the Louisiana World Exposition in New Orleans, but this state-supported corridor did not last through to 1986, due to a withdrawal of support from Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Then in 1991 there was a congress-mandated study of establishing service, which found that the cheapest option in terms of Amtrak's operating budget was to extend the three-times-weekly Sunset Limited."
200 Gigafactories Part 3—by Unenergy: "Elon Musk, Google, Tesla, Solar City, Uber, let's imagine for a minute, just what they could be thinking about? Just a few short weeks ago : Elon Musk Says Autopilot And Self-Parking Almost Ready For Release. According to a couple of announcements via Twitter from Elon Musk earlier today (July 31, 2015) self steering on the highway as well as self parking are all but ready to be thrown at Tesla Model S owners via an over-the-air update soon. Additionally, Tesla Model S’s will learn to adapt to changing road conditions that might alter how the Tesla sees the white painted line on the side of the road as a guide marker for steering the car."
Hudson River Rail Tunnel Chugging Along With A Schumer Boost—by D L Ulloa: "Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) took the lead on the new Hudson tunnel project yesterday, proposing that a new entity, the Gateway Development Corporation, manage the construction of two new rail tunnels under the Hudson River. Officials from Amtrak and US Department of Transportation (USDOT) have endorsed the idea as a means to access different federal funds available. While Governor Chris Christie has recently supported the project despite past reluctance, Governor Cuomo of New York remains reluctant to pony up the cash. Even though this has been a problem for a while, it’s gotten worse in recent years. Given that the tunnels are 105 years old, this isn’t surprising."
Eco-Essays and Eco-Philosophy
The "former" Monsanto company . . .—by Karen Hedwig Backman: "Agent Orange was a powerful mixture of chemical defoliants used by U.S. military forces during the Vietnam War to eliminate forest cover for North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops, as well as crops that might be used to feed them. The U.S. program of defoliation, codenamed Operation Ranch Hand, sprayed more than 19 million gallons of herbicides over 4.5 million acres of land in Vietnam from 1961 to 1972. Agent Orange, which contained the chemical dioxin, was the most commonly used of the herbicide mixtures, and the most effective. It was later revealed to cause serious health issues–including tumors, birth defects, rashes, psychological symptoms and cancer–among returning U.S. servicemen and their families as well as among the Vietnamese population."
What Our Deserts Have Taught Me—by mftalbot: "I was traveling once in the high desert in New Mexico, and one night I camped next to a sage bush. I spent most of the next day quietly observing the many lives of creatures for whom that bush was a critical refuge. What I saw was a revelation. That one sage bush was an entire small world — the twiggy branches provided critical shade in the heat of the day, the leaf litter enriched the soil beneath it and provided cover and sustenance for beetles and other insects, which in turn fed the occasional passing lizard, which themselves nourished snakes and coyotes, and so on. Remembering how that austere little world functioned and prospered makes me reflect on my own life, and I see too much empty busyness. Not only that: I see myself too often striving for things that will not make me happy — that, in fact keep me from happiness. I don’t think I’m alone in this."
Oceans, Water & Drought
Would you drink this water or take a bath in it? Because Oklahoma officials say it's totally fine—by Jen Hayden: "About 7,000 Hugo-area residents didn’t have safe drinking water for months because a private corporation failed to properly disinfect the city’s supply and misreported data to city and state officials. The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality discovered Severn Trent Services didn’t use enough chlorine for more than 300 days over the course of two years. Hugo residents were potentially exposed to deadly viruses and bacteria because the company didn’t use the most basic water disinfecting chemical, according to agency findings."
The Delta Tunnels and Bay Bridge Projects Compared—by Dan Bacher: "Do you think the Delta Tunnels are a good deal, like Governor Jerry Brown, Natural Resources Secretary John Laird and other tunnel promoters do? Then Restore the Delta said, "We’ve got a (Bay) Bridge to sell you.' On Friday, Restore the Delta (RTD) released a side-by-side comparison of two massive public works projects in California that looks at the promised costs, seismic risks, outsourcing, and lack of transparency and oversight. The similarities of the projects are notable. 'Both projects were sold to Californian taxpayers as a necessary investment in our future. But as with all public works projects, the costs and time to complete these projects were vastly underestimated in the end,' according to RTD."
Forests, Wilderness & Public Lands
Great Sand Dunes Photo Diary & LWCF—by RockyMtnHigh: "For 50 years, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) has applied dollars from offshore mineral royalties to supporting public lands conservation and state and local parks. It has been a remarkably successful program, and its benefits aren't limited to environmental values. The Outdoor Industry Association has found that active outdoor recreation generates $13.2 billion in consumer spending in my home state of Colorado, along with 125,000 jobs generating $4.2 billion in wages and salaries, and produces $994 million annually in state and local tax revenue. Despite its track record of success, as of today (August 11), the LWCF is now 50 days away from expiring - if Congress fails to reauthorize the program. A proposal from Senators Cantwell (D-WA) and Murkowski (R-AK) for reauthorization has passed out of Senate committee on a bipartisan basis, but ultimate passage is far from a sure thing - Majority Leader McConnell actively politicked against it and got 3 Republicans to reverse their votes when it was on the verge of passing the Senate previously on a bipartisan proposal from Senators Bennet (D-CO) and Burr (R-NC), causing the effort to fail by only one vote."
Oak Flats listed on Endangered Places List—by MorrellWI1983: "Oak Flats has been named as one of 11 endangered sites by the National Trust for Historical preservation. Why is this good news? because of the more than 250 sites the Trust has listed to date, nearly all of them have been preserved, only a handful have been lost. The Trust does the list of 11 every year to draw attention to the sites in question that are at risk. More before the the orange life preserver. The Oak Flats land is part of a 2400 acre swap squeezed into the defense appropriation bill last December by Senator McCain (R-AZ). McCain had tried for years to pass the swap, but Congress overwhelmingly rejected the swap when it was put to a vote. only by putting it into the defense bill did it finally pass. there are two options for overturning the swap."
Apache Land Grab/Oak Flat Petition Week Two—by CA148 NEWS: "The struggle between mining interests and Apaches has been going on for over 450 years. The mines have always won. When necessary they can call on the Government for military might, but prefer to use the veneer of law to get what they want. Arizona law makers have bowed to corporate dictates. In 1542 with Francisco Vasquez de Coronado. Having made a name for himself by putting down a slave revolt in the mines of Ametepeque using the old European tradition of drawing and quartering. He listened to tales from Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca about gold and emeralds in the city of Cibola and set off with a 2,000 man expedition."
Mining
An Update on the Animas River Catastrophe in Colorado—by Thinking Fella: "Let me begin by saying that The Animas River appears much better today than it did 4 days ago. It is now a somewhat sickly green color. It remains closed to all users today--in fact, we're told no decisions will be made on re-opening the river until August 17th. There are still remnants of orange frothy sludge along the banks in spots, but they are generally spaced far apart. We have gotten some rain since last week, which naturally--and temporarily--raises the level of the river. This in turn provides a means to flush the riverbanks. So to say, the river may look better, but as with many things in life--appearances deceive."
Miscellany
Pope Francis Declares Sept. 1 a Day for 'Care of Creation,' Highlights Global Climate Change—by Chris Reeves: "Pope Francis today made a declaration that Sept. 1 will be marked as a day for "Care of Creation" encouraging Catholics to both pray and work to save our environment. Every September 1, starting this year, will be an annual day of global prayer 'for the Care of Creation,' Pope Francis said on Monday. 'I wish to inform you that I have decided to institute in the Catholic Church the ‘World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation’ which, beginning this year, is to be celebrated on 1 September,' Francis said in a letter released by the Vatican. The Pontiff has set the day to match a holiday celebrated by the Orthodox Christians since the 1980s, who also honor the day to talk about issues of the environment."
TV News—by Bill Day: "I watched a full half hour of national news on tv tonight (ABC). It confirmed for me why I do not watch such news regularly. The commentators spent a full ten minutes on Trump and the Republicans (for at least the fifth or sixth time) but did not even mention that Bernie Sanders drew 28,000 cheering supporters to a campaign event in Portland last night. They mentioned two pro athletes who died recently but failed to mention the death of Dr. Frances Kelsey who, as an FDA official, singlehandedly stood up to drug manufacturer Merrell to take thalidomide off the market. And they gave the impression that the enormous toxic mess that is polluting the Animas, San Juan, and Colorado Rivers was created by the EPA. But they failed to mention the long-gone corporate criminals whose greed for gold left a huge, unstable, toxic lake of waste whose unstable dam the EPA investigators inadvertently breached."
Shell Dumps ALEC, Koch Gets Schooled—by ClimateDenierRoundup: "Frances Oldham Kelsey—an FDA scientist who successfully protected the innocent by fighting off industrial interests—has passed away at 101. A Washington Post obituary tells the story of her heroic efforts to prevent thalidomide from being sold to pregnant women in the US as a cure for morning sickness and insomnia. Her story reveals the importance of government regulation and oversight because without her, countless children would have died or been born with severe birth defects. One would hope the company responsible for the deformity-inducing "medicine" would be grateful for Kelsey's discovery, but instead Kelsey was subjected to the kind of abuse that sadly mirrors the current attacks leveled against climate scientists. As with the fossil fuel industry, the drug industry was only looking after its own interests. We have Kelsey's tenacity and persistence to thank for having shaped some of the most important parts of our modern regulatory system, from the modern clinical trial system to institutional review boards. The importance of this can't be overstated, because as we know, industry is still driven by profits and can sometimes stoop to immoral depths to peddle their product. For example, it was just revealed that Coca-Cola is sponsoring a new front group to shift public attention from cutting calories to getting more exercise, in an effort to blunt the many policies arising to limit consumption of sugar-loaded soft drinks."
The Daily Bucket--More Beautiful than Rubies and Diamonds—by 6412093: "Forty years ago, I lived in rural Northern California and crafted furniture from redwood tree stumps. Logging operations a century ago had left the stumps behind. After a year, I moved back to the city to find work, but I kept a couple of the finest redwood slabs and made them into tables. I just refinished one of those tables. [...] I marvel at the redwood slab's strength. I've owned it for 40 years, and it has spent many of those (post-batchelor) years outside, subjected to Oregon's 4 feet of annual rain, yet it is still sturdy, bug-free, and takes a sanding and varnish with lovely results."
Perverse Incentives and Global warming—by carrow: "I was just looking at my gas bill for July in Texas. We used 42 cents worth of gas and the total with adjustments was $20.19 This billing structure for regulated public utilities is set up to encourage waste of energy and thus insure profits for the monopolies, and incidentally promote global warming. How many other instances where public policy promotes energy waste? Let me list a few that come to mind. Design of road networks to make sure that motorists must pass in front of retail establishments which guarantees congestion and stop and go driving. Stopping doesn't warm the planet but the 'go' part means reestablishing the kinetic energy of tons of metal. (why do you think city driving is so energy wasteful?)"