OUTSTANDING GREEN STORIES
A Historic Climate Win, Keystone XL's Unfinished Business and Obama's Shaky Climate Legacy written by Renewable Rider: “Echoing sentiments expressed by famed biologist Sandra Steingraber at a victory party celebrating New York state’s historic fracking ban, everyone who blockaded, went to jail, bird-dogged the president, led a nonviolent direct action training, filed a lawsuit, erected a spirit camp, held a vigil, attended a public hearing, wrote a report, organized a press conference, marched, rallied, submitted a public comment, wrote a letter, made a phone call, signed a petition, or otherwise took a stand against Keystone XL is part of this win. No amount of PR spin by the oil lobby can minimize the magnitude of what just happened. For Keystone XL is not just any pipeline. It is the poster child for the fossil fuel industry. Stopping Keystone North was not just any environmental fight. It was the iconic environmental battle of the decade. As a social movement, we drew our line in the sand, and TransCanada did not pass. Presidential historian Douglas Brinkley said it well when he told The New York Times: ‘Once the grass-roots movement on the Keystone pipeline mobilized, it changed what it meant to the president. It went from a routine infrastructure project to the symbol of an era.’”
Paris COP21: Another World Is Possible written by boatsie: “As the usual battles over climate finance continue to dominate events at COP21, with a new negotiating text scheduled for release this morning. the highlight of my yesterday was my visit to Paris de L’Avenir, an en plein air space showcasing tangible solutions to the impacts of global warming at Hotel de Ville. I arrived just as workers hustled to install entry gates and turnstiles and security forces began roping off the outdoor exhibition, scheduled to open today. Without doubt, the most striking part of the event were the huge illustrations highlighting the entrances to the exhibit which juxtaposed how major global cities and ancient historical sights might look by the end of the 21st century. Innovations in the open square providing exhilerating examples of how coupling creative and scientific development can advance the shift to a carbon neutral future.”
The Lights of Paris written by Michael Brune: “Greetings from Paris, where history (we hope) is being made. [...] Much of the outside attention leading up to the conference has been focused on the two worst carbon polluters (the U.S. and China), as well as other major developed and developing economies like the E.U, Russia, and India. Yet the most powerful voices in the first days here have come from elsewhere -- from artists, from activists, from young people, from indigenous peoples, and most notably from small nations that have contributed very little to the problem yet have everything to lose. The Climate Vulnerable Forum represents 20 least-developed nations that are already dealing with the consequences of climate change. Some, like the Marshall Islands, could be inundated out of existence. My friend Kumi Naidoo of Greenpeace said it perfectly: These poorer nations have "put richer countries to shame." Amid the fuss over whether current climate commitments will keep us on track to limit warming to 2 degrees Celsius, these countries have correctly pointed out that a 2-degree goal is not even ambitious enough, and that the real objective should be to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and to achieve 100 percent clean, renewable power by 2050. That's why the final outcome here in Paris should be judged both by how much it does to accelerate the global transition from dirty fuels to clean ones. How quickly we do that will be determined, in part, by whether developed nations shoulder responsibility for how the climate change they have caused is harming the rest of the world.”
CRITTERS AND THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Daily Bucket: this bucket has a hole in it. written by Besame: “Look past the green lilac sprouts, between the two woody trunks and into the shadows under the stairs where the metal panels touch the earth. There’s a hole dug in the clay soil and rocks there. Here’s a closer view. The house occupies a slope and the hole is on the down-slope side where a concrete pier supports stairs leading to a sunroom. Here the distance between the ground and the inside house floor is three feet. The hole itself is about four inches high and six inches wide but instantly expands inside to much larger. It’s probably as high as the distance between ground and floor support beams, and as broad as the entire underside of the house. I’m not willing to thrust my arm in there to explore and then discover someone with teeth and an attitude of solitude. The new resident came to my attention weeks ago when I heard wild clanking and bashing beneath the floor beginning at sunset. Sounded like a herd of tiny horses, crashingly loud. Since then I’ve heard the same bashing sounds at the opposite end of the house (below my bed). I hear theanimal enter at sunset, make a bunch of noise for an hour or so, be quiet most of the night, then more noise before leaving at sunrise.”
Dawn Chorus: Canadian Closeups written by matching mole: “Good morning chorusers. Eight days, on the tale end of our trip to Vancouver, we visited the Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary near the town of Delta, British Columbia. As the town’s name indicates the sanctuary is located within the estuary of the Fraser River, a nutrient rich habitat that is good for both agriculture and birds. The sanctuary is run by the Waterfowl Protection Society of British Columbia. Although ducks and geese are the main focus there are plenty of other birds there as well. Our goal for the day was Saw-Whet Owl a bird I have never seen. We didn’t see any of those but I did get an unexpected lifer in the form of two Rough-legged Hawks soaring with a group of juvenile bald eagles. They were much too high for photos. The striking thing about this sanctuary is that, within restrictions, feeding the birds was encouraged. You weren’t allowed to do it near the entrance and they sold the food so that the birds didn’t get junk. I know people have greatly differing views on feeding birds. This did make parts of the walk seem more like being in a zoo as many of the ducks were absurdly tame as well as a few birds you wouldn’t necessarily expect to beg for handouts. It did make for some good photos though.”
2015 Backyard Science Yardbird Race Tally #9 written by bwren: “Welcome to the 2015 Daily Kos Backyard Science Yardbird Race. This is the ninth tally for 2015, and is the official place to post your sightings, ask for help, and brag as much as you wish. Here's what the race is all about: 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. Everyone is welcome—new birders, experienced birders, and anyone in between. We're a very supportive group and will help as much as we can. If you're not sure about an ID, just do your best to give us a good written description. Images, even mediocre ones, can be a great help, too. There are a number of categories, so that people who live in urban centers don't have to compete against others who have a lot of open space or waterfront views.”
The Late Fall Chinooks Of The Capital City written by Dan Bacher: “The fresh-run salmon ripped the line off the reel as I grabbed the long rod and struggled to keep up with the fish on the icy late November morning. James Netzel of Tight Lines Guide Service reeled in the line on the other rod so it wouldn’t tangle with the hooked fish. The fish kept running and running and I did my best to keep the line tight so the fish wouldn’t get off. Finally, I started to gain line on the salmon as I worked it closer to the boat. ‘Don’t tighten the drag,’ Netzel cautioned. ‘I’ve set the drag light because a light drag works best with the Cut Plug set-up we’re using.’ When I got the silvery fish next to the boat, it went berserk, making several fast, short runs before I was able to lift the fish’s head up and Netzel was able to net it. If it weren’t for tireless folks like the late Zeke Grader, Executive Director of the Pacific Coast of Fisherman’s Associations (PCFFA) and the late Troy Fletcher, Executive Director of the Yurok Tribe, there wouldn’t probably be any salmon left to catch in California’s river and ocean waters.”
Big win for bees, thanks to Pop Secret written by pagenotes: “Move-on sent me an email that I’d like to share with my Facebook friends, but they didn’t provide a web address for it. So I will: ‘We’re on a roll, James! Thanks to your tremendous support, Pop Secret has agreed to phase out bee-toxic neonicotinoid pesticides from their popcorn production! In a statement to Center for Food Safety [1], Pop Secret (owned by Diamond Foods) committed to “removing 50% of its neonicotinoids usage in 2016, 75% in 2017, with a long-term commitment of further reducing usage by working with agricultural universities and those companies supplying neonicotinoids to the seed industry.” ‘Pop Secret is the second popcorn company to make this pledge thanks to your pressure. Last month, Pop Weaver became the first company to phase out bee-toxic insecticides from their popcorn supply.[2]’”
337 whales beached on Chile's coast in largest stranding ever written by Walter Einenkel: “The largest known single whale stranding event has been recorded by scientists in Chile. A total of 337 dead sei whales were seen during an observation flight over a remote area in southern Chile’s Patagonia. Because of the remoteness of the area and the roughness of the seas, scientists have not been able to examine the whales directly, but aerial and satellite photography identified 305 bodies and 32 skeletons in an area between the Gulf of Penas and Puerto Natales, toward the southern tip of the continent. Many of the remains were in advanced states of decay so it’s unclear what species they are, says lead scientist Carolina Simon Gutstein of the Universidad de Chile and Consejo de Monumentos Nacionales in Santiago. But based on their size and location, they are probably sei whales, she says.”
Daily Bucket: squirrel sez “your nuts or your life" written by Besame: “Marin’s mellow has been harshed by squirrels. In the past weeks, eight people and one school classroom have reported squirrel attacks in Novato, a Marin County city across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. What’s up in squirrel world? Is it a lone squirrel or a squirrely gang? And what is the motive behind these stochastic strikes? A newspaper report of the incidents includes Marin Humane Society’s (MHS) description: ‘The attacks are described as a squirrel suddenly running up to the victims, crawling up their bodies, and biting them in various areas,’ the humane society said in a statement, noting that victims have suffered injuries to their hands, arms, legs and head. At least eight people have been injured, with one requiring a trip to the emergency room. Residents of the Novato area will want to keep their heads on a swivel as not all of the attacks have come from below.”
#OpWhales temporarily shuts down 5 government sites to stop the slaughter of whales written by Leslie Salzillo: “The collective entity known as Anonymous is on yet another mission. This time the goal is to end the slaughter of Fin Whales off the shores of Iceland. The Anonymous operation called #OpWhales took place over Thanksgiving and is going strong. Although there is a 1986 ban against commercial whaling, via the International Whaling Commission, Iceland continues to hunt whales. AnonHQ reports: Over the weekend, a group of online hacktivists launched a 13-hour DDoS attack on five government websites in Iceland to protest against whale-hunting by the North Atlantic nation. The sites, which included the prime minister’s official website and that of the environment and interior ministries, went offline on November 27 and remained down until the afternoon of November 28.”
Daily Bucket: How Do You Make Lots of Birdie Friends...? written by Lenny Flank: “...Carry a box of Cheerios with you. ;) A few days ago I was wandering around the seaside parks in Titusville FL, and thought I’d bring a box of Cheerios with me to feed the birdies. Most people who feed wild birds in the park probably give them bread or popcorn or french fries or something else that is probably not good for them. Cheerios, I figure, are at least mostly healthy. Anyway, there are usually so many birdies gathered round that most of them don’t get anything anyway, and those who do, only get a little bit. I doubt people feeding the birds really has all that much effect, pro or con, on their diet. Whaddya think?”
The Daily bucket: Lake Chelan, Beauty and Fire written by RonK: “Lake Chelan, Washington State. October, 2015. Having traversed the North Cascades Highway (previous diary), I continued east, through the Methow Valley to Pateros on the Columbia River. From there I headed South on U.S. 97 to Chelan. This area, nestled in the foothills of the Cascades is arguably the center of the largest and best apple growing region in the country and maybe the world. They grow about one billion pounds of apples each year and export them to 60 countries. Although the region’s apples are impressive, I believe that Chelan’s major attraction is their 50.5 mile long, fjord-like lake. Lake Chelan is the third deepest lake in the U.S. at 1,486 feet, behind Lake Tahoe, and Crater Lake. More remarkable is its setting within the Cascade Mountains. At the southwestern edge of the lake, Pyramid Peak rises to 8,245 feet above sea level and below, just off shore the lake bottom falls to 386 feet below sea level. This peak to bottom differential of 8,631 feet renders it the deepest gorge in the U.S., surpassing Hell’s Canyon which is the deepest river gorge. Further, the bedrock floor, covered with silt and sediment is several hundred feet deeper yet. The lake’s surface at “full pool” lays 1,100 feet above sea Level and the deepest point, as noted above is the 386 feet below sea level. Five percent of the lake’s water is below sea level which lays 76 miles, due west through the mountains to Puget Sound/Salish Sea. The lake’s clear blue water is fed by 27 glaciers and 59 creeks.”
The Daily Bucket - murmurating dunlins written by OceanDiver: “At this time of year a detour across the Skagit River delta nearly always rewards us with wonderful bird life like Snow Geese and Trumpeter Swans, although wild creatures are unpredictable and you never know what you might see. On our visit last week we witnessed something new and incredibly spectacular — a murmuration of shorebirds filling the sky. Crossing the flat delta, mostly soggy fields now, I could see a wispy black cloud out over the mudflat. We found a place to park, climbed up onto the berm and were nearly knocked over by thousands of Dunlins swirling across the whole sky, swooping inshore then up and around in a single mass. This flock of about 5000 birds flew in concert, creating eerie constantly-morphing three-dimensional shapes. We stayed until the sun began to set. I took some photos, in between exclaiming incoherently... whoa...unreal...incredible...and just watching. Such a spectacle is beyond words, as anyone who has seen this in life will agree. But I will describe a bit of what’s happening and why.”
CLIMATE CHAOS
GWPF Pushes New China Report With Glaring Omission written by ClimateDenierRoundup: The Global Warming Policy Foundation has just released a new report on “The Truth About China” by Patricia Adams of Probe International, who is lauded as an expert on Chinese policy and who seems to be relatively untainted by the Kochs or other free-market think tanks. Is this new voice a genuine, unbiased expert, free of denier influence? Not quite … The report is circulating in the usual circles, with WUWT having published the press release and the ‘churnalists’ at the Daily Caller and Breitbart having repurposed the release for their own articles. So far, the closest to mainstream media Adams' report has gotten is an op-ed by Adams herself in the Financial Post. (It's perhaps worth noting that FP columnist and denier, Lawrence Solomon, also writes for Patricia's employer, Probe International, and apparently all the proceeds from his online organic coffee bean store go to PI.) The thrust of the report is that China’s Communist Party leaders will never sacrifice economic growth for the global good, lest they lose the support of the population. But, according to the report, the leaders do recognize the need to reduce air pollution and will tackle that problem by controlling sulfur and nitrogen emissions (using smokestack scrubbers), though not by limiting the burning of fossil-fuels, which are responsible in the first place for the SOx and NOx emissions.”
Exposed: ExxonMobil Funding Influential Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy written by Steve Horn: “In a sentence buried at the very bottom of a story making headlines nationwide, Politico revealed for the first time one of the funders of Columbia University's influential Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP). The funder: ExxonMobil, the company embroiled in a New York state Attorney General investigation for its extensive internal knowledge of the impacts of climate change since the 1970s, followed by Exxon's funding of climate change denial campaigns to the tune of $31 million. Politico got its numbers from ExxonMobil's 2014 Worldwide Contributions and Community Investments report. While Politico reported on Exxon's grievances about the Los Angeles Times' two-part investigation conducted by students and staff at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism that exposed what Exxon knew about climate change science and when it knew it, it also touched on what money currently flows into the University's coffers via the ‘private empire.’”
Islamic Terrorism is Not the Greatest Threat We Face - Atmospheric CO2 at 400 ppm (and climbing) is written by Steven D: “We are in a world of shit. Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels climbed above the 400 parts per million (ppm) at the Mauna Loa Observatory and it’s distinctly possible they won’t be back below that level again in our lifetimes. Humans have burned enough fossil fuels to drive atmospheric CO2 to levels that world hasn’t seen in at least 400,000 years. That’s driven up temperatures, melted ice and caused oceans to acidify. Some extreme weather events around the world have become more likely and stronger because of it, and some will likely only get worse as the planet continues to warm. Because CO2 sits in the atmosphere long after it’s burned, that means we’ve likely lived our last week in a sub-400 ppm world. It also means that the reshaping of our planet will continue for decades and centuries to come, even if climate talks in Parisin two weeks are successful. If anything, those statements are too mealy-mouthed. Things are already much worse than climate scientists expected based on their computer models from only ten years ago.”
Misleading Press Release Hands Deniers Supposed Victory written by ClimateDenierRoundup: “There's a new paper out declaring that, "climate change foes [are] winning [the] public opinion war.” At least, that's what the title of the press release states. Judging by the press release, one might expect the study to involve some sort of survey or poll that tracks public sentiment over time, perhaps showing a decrease in support for action, or an increase in public adoption of denial.
But that’s not what this is. Instead, the study looks at the effect of including denial in stories about climate change. So instead of showing that deniers are winning, it shows that the simple inclusion of denier messages in news coverage makes people more likely to doubt the veracity of climate science as well as less likely to support emissions reductions. The study then finds that pro-climate frames of economic opportunity, national security, public health and Christian stewardship were not particularly effective in changing anyone’s mind. The study authors also included fake news articles as part of the experiment—articles they wrote for control purposes—and these trials confirmed that people, when presented with denial messages (like that the climate threat is exaggerated, or scientists are corrupt, or Democrats just want more regulation) were more likely to doubt climate change.”
Denial Duo Deceive WSJ Audience About Climate Debate written by ClimateDenierRoundup: “COP 21 has begun, and denier forces have failed to distract the media with a major faux-scandal. This is despite the best efforts of deniers like Lamar Smith (R-TX), whose NOAA witch-hunt was recently criticized by his hometown paper’s editorial board and lauded by a coal CEO. Without a scandal upon which to report, the WSJ editorial board has resorted to its time-tested tactic of spreading misinformation via opinion articles, like the ‘Complete Guide to the Climate Debate,’ written by Matt Ridley and Benny Peiser, two men short on expertise but long on bias. In a small step forward, the WSJ does make an effort to disclose the authors' bias, noting that Ridley ‘has an interest in coal mining on his family’s land’ and that Peiser ‘is the director of the Global Warming Policy Forum.’ That said, and despite the considerable length of the piece, which clocks in at over 1,800 words, the WSJ couldn't find space to mention the full extent of Matt King Coal Ridley's coal mining interests—estimated at an annual 4.1 million British pounds ($6.1m)—nor did it see fit to mention that the Global Warming Policy Forum is the political campaign arm of the Global Warming Policy Foundation. UK charity laws necessitated the split between the Forum and the Foundation once it was determined that the Foundation's charity work was actually promoting a political agenda.”
Paris COP21
Thousands Defy #Paris Global Climate March Ban, Face Gas, Arrest #COP21 written by divineorder: “Defying a new law that Amnesty International and French Human Right groups fear will trample civil liberties unnecessarily, thousands came to participate in violation of the march ban. Almost all the demonstrations were peaceful but, after the human chain protest in Paris, riot police fired tear gas and clashed with about 200 protesters, some wearing masks, in the Place de la Republique. Demonstrators carried banners calling for the defense of the climate and democracy. The square has been a gathering place for Parisians since the Nov. 13 attacks. Using the state of emergency rules, police put 24 green activists under house arrest ahead of the summit, saying they were suspected of planning violent protests.”
Hope in Paris written by Mary Anne Hitt: “This week I’m in Paris for events around the international climate summit. It’s an honor to be here at all, but it’s even better to be here representing the powerhouse grassroots movement that’s moving America beyond coal. Here in Paris, there’s a lot of buzz about coal, which is the number one source of the carbon pollution that’s throwing our planet into chaos, both in the US and internationally. As the New Yorker pointed out this week, everyone knows the coal industry is on the ropes, but we’re still digging up and burning a lot of the stuff. The New York Times reported on a study finding the coal industry is in a permanent decline. Another report released in Paris this week found if all planned coal plants are built around the world, it will truly be game over for the climate. But the good news is that, thanks to clean air safeguards, the transition to a clean energy economy, and grassroots activism all around the world, that coal pipeline is going bust. The bottom line is no matter what path you take to a safe climate, all roads lead to much bigger reductions in coal use as an essential part of the solution. Can we do enough in time to leave a safe world for our kids? I’m here to answer that question with a resounding yes.”
Musings from Paris: On the Outside Looking In written by boatsie: “Coming to Paris for this COP was my dream since Copenhagen and I remain overjoyed just to be here for what is without doubt an historic happening. And due to official access to previous conferences, my inboxes have been overflowing for months now with reports from listservs on expectations and insider scoops and hype surrounding the Paris Talks. So I am keeping abreast of all the inside scoops as well as the ‘messaging.’ So I came this time to help out at the buzzing off-site Creative Factory and co-working mecca underway at Place To B, where evening live streamed PlaceToBriefs debuted Monday and Tuesday with appearances by one and onlies Naomi Klein and James Hansen. (Hansen, not a believer in the COP process, was persuaded of the need to come to Paris to share his latest findings and appeared at Place To B while also speaking earlier at the official venue.) I am also here to attend what I have always considered the highlights of the COPs: this weekend’s Global Landscape Forum and Saturday’s Global Health And Climate Alliance. And lastly, but most important to me, for meetings to solicit potential connections for my pioneering non-profit 2050kids.”
Hundreds of thousands demonstrated worldwide Sunday as climate activists were suppressed in Paris written by Meteor Blades: “In the wake of the November 13 terrorist attack in Paris, French authorities ordered the cancellation of all demonstrations during the climate talks that began in the city on Monday. The cancellation included the massive protest march that had been set to take place on Sunday in Paris. Climate Coalition 21 organizers had expected some 200,000 protesters to turn out. So as an alternative, protesters arrived before dawn Sunday to place 22,000 pairs of shoes on the pavement at the Place de la Republique in Paris: There were work shoes and tiny ballerina’s slippers and high equestrian boots and even the occasional swimming flipper. (Ominous.) Eloi—age 11, according to his note—had donated sandals, and Marie—age 41—her sneakers. Among these sat a pair of the Pope’s finest, donated to express his fellowship with those protesting climate change, and rebuking the laws that prevented the march. In addition to the shoes, Climate Coalition 21 organized thousands of protesters to form a human chain throughout the city.”
Anti-COP21 Columnist: “These conferences should be numbered" written by ClimateDenierRoundup: “While the news reporting on COP21 has largely avoided the trap of false balance, deniers have managed to secure a surprising amount of ink in the opinion section. Pieces in The Wall Street Journal are to be expected, of course (though the WSJ did publish this particularly odious op-ed, which not only claims that climate change is an imaginary issue, but also doubts the existence of college rape and structural racism). More surprising are some of the pieces in outlets like CNN—which you'd hope would have higher journalistic standards than to run an op-ed by the fossil-fuel-funded conspiracy theorist, Senator James "Snowball: Inhofe—and USA Today, whose policy to run ‘opposing views’ for their editorials gave “Climate Hustler” Marc Morano room to spread misinformation and plug his movie. Presenting two sides to an argument makes sense, but publishing ill-informed misinformation that flies in the face of all the experts doesn’t. Speaking of ill-informed contrarian misinformation, the Financial Times ran a piece by Bjorn Lomborg. At least there's one good thing we can say about it—it's already been debunked!”
Obama pledges to help poor nations finance their transition away from fossil fuels written by Meteor Blades: Obama: “One of the enemies that we'll be fighting at this conference is cynicism, the notion we can't do anything about climate change. Our progress should give us hope during these two weeks—hope that is rooted in collective action. Obama vowed to provide money to assist the world’s poor nations make the necessary transition away from fossil fuels. He said: ‘For I believe, in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., that there is such a thing as being too late. And when it comes to climate change, that hour is almost upon us.’ As the president didn’t say, but knows full well, there is good reason for that cynicism given the outcome of past climate conferences. There are certainly fresh signs of hope this time around—such as the just announced proposal by India and France, a 120-nation alliance for a big expansion of solar power worldwide. But skepticism is still warranted when all the pledges nations have given for cutting their carbon dioxide emissions aren’t enough to keep the planet’s average temperature from rising no more than 2°C (3.6°F)—the level at which scientists say climate change impacts would still be livable for humans.”
ENERGY
Nuclear, Coal, Oil and Gas
Fukushima: Child Thyroid Cancers Up Again written by Joieau: “Eleven new cases of thyroid cancer among young people in Fukushima Prefecture have been confirmed after completion of Stage 2 of the medical monitoring effort there in the wake of the nuclear disaster of 2011. The Asahi Shimbun reported on December 1st that these new cases bring the confirmed number to 115 in a population of ~380,000 in the monitoring program that began in April of 2014, more than two years following the disaster. For comparison, the 'normal' rate of childhood thyroid cancer in industrialized nations is between 2 and 7 per million per year depending on several factors. The current rate in Fukushima Prefecture works out to a bit more than 67 per million per year. According to US government statistics, childhood thyroid cancers represent 4% of all childhood cancers diagnosed each year, and WebMD notes that rates have increased 5% in recent years (attributed to obesity and increased radiation exposures). 4% of the 171 childhood cancer diagnoses per million children per year is a 'normal' rate of 6.84 : 1 million/yr here in the US. Fukushima is pushing 10 times that rate.”
Head oil regulator resigns amid latest Brown administration scandal written by Dan Bacher: “As Governor Jerry Brown reels from a series of scandals involving the capture of the regulatory apparatus in California under his administration, Brown announced the resignation of his head oil regulator, Steven Bohlen, on November 30. Brown also announced the appointment of Ken Harris of Davis to replace Bohlen as California Department of Conservation Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) supervisor. Bohlen’s resignation took place after an Associated Press story revealed that Jerry Brown ordered Bohlen to survey the land on the Governor’s private ranch about the potential for oil drilling. This investigation raised questions about whether the Governor was illegally using state resources for his own personal gain. ‘The AP reported earlier this month that Brown directed Bohlen in June 2014, days after appointing Bohlen to the job, to investigate and map out the oil, gas and mineral potential and history of the Brown family ranch in Northern California,’ according to Ellen Knickmeyer from the Associated Press.’ The Governor's Office did not cite a reason for Bohlen's departure, but did say Bohlen will return to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. He will also continue to assist the Administration as an ‘unpaid science advisor’ to the Division.”
"Prince Charles Demands Governments End Fossil Fuel Subsidies" written by Superpole: “Fossil fuel subsides totalling $500 billion globally must be scrapped to prevent catastrophic climate change, the Prince of Wales’s Corporate Leaders Group told the COP21 conference today. ‘It doesn't make sense that, at the same time, governments artificially deflate the cost of coal, oil and gas, the primary cause of GHG emissions. Fossil fuel subsidies must be ended to stop this contradiction and enhance a real transition to low carbon energy.’ The announcement was made shortly after Charles addressed the COP21 conference.”
In the spirit of Year-End Countdowns: TOP COAL RETIREMENT STATES OF 2015 written by Wisper: “2015 SAW 17 STATES RETIRE 94 COAL-POWERED GENERATING UNITS AT 39 DIFFERENT PLANTS FOR A COMBINED GENERATION CAPACITY OF 17.6 GW. If you live in a coal plant-free state, congratulations! Allow me to speak for the rest of us and say that we have heard some really wonderful things about both Rhode Island and Vermont; they seem like nice places. The other 48 all have existing coal plants. (including the ones that have the plants powering the regional grid that supplies electricity to Vermont and Rhode Island...just sayin.) But this year 17 states saw some of those Black Rock Burn Stations pack it in. If your state is on this list, that’s fantastic! Your air should be some what cleaner, but you still have work to do. If your state is not on this list, I am sorry …and you have a LOT of work to do!”
Emissions Controls
Republicans (mostly) once again display their stubborn climate idiocy by rejecting Clean Power Plan written by Meteor Blades: “Some of them are ignoramuses who really don’t accept the science of climate change. Some of them know full well that human-generated greenhouse gas emissions are raising the planet’s average temperature and creating other impacts, but they have their fossil fuel campaign contributors to worry about. Or they think the Environmental Protection Agency is the Green Gestapo and they are determined to rein it in (and, in their fevered dreams, demolish the agency altogether). Or (and there’s quite a lot of overlap here) they hate Barack Obama so much they’ll do anything to undermine him. ‘They’ are the cabal of congressional Republicans (and a few Democrats) who, whatever their actual views, behave like deniers by blocking or delaying even modest actions designed to ameliorate or adapt to the impacts of climate change. The latest instance of their handiwork came in the House of Representatives Tuesday when they—mostly along party lines—voted on two resolutions to smash the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan. The CPP mandates that by 2030 existing and new power plants will have reduced CO2 emissions from their 2005 level by 32 percent.”
While Climate Talks Continue in Paris, the House Votes to Lock in Fossil Fuel Extraction written by Liberty Equality Fraternity and Trees: “This week, as the COP 21 climate negotiations begin in Paris, Congressional Republicans and their dirty Democratic allies have taken it upon themselves to proudly show their commitment to the fossil fuel industry. On Tuesday, the House voted to block Obama’s carbon regulations on existing and future power plants. And today, the House passed the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act of 2015, a bill designed to expedite and lock-in fossil fuel extraction. Here's a summary of the bill: H.R. 8 would require that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) decide on natural gas pipeline applications within 90 days, regardless of the complexity of the application. Currently, FERC conducts thorough inspections and surveys to ensure that people and the environment are protected. Also, H.R. 8 would make it easier to build natural gas pipelines through national parks such as Yosemite and Yellowstone.”
Which 4 House Dems Voted to Block Obama's EPA Carbon Regs? written by Liberty Equality Fraternity and Trees: “Two weeks ago, the Senate passed two resolutions, both 52 to 46, to block Obama’s recent carbon regulations for power plants. One resolution focused on the EPA rule for existing power plants, and the other focused on the EPA rule targeted at future power plants. Today, the House brought the two resolutions up for consideration, and, as expected, both passed. The first, on existing power plants, passed 242 to 180, on a mostly party line vote. 4 Democrats , however, voted for it: Brad Ashford (NE-02), Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), and Collin Peterson (MN-07). And 2 Republicans voted against it: Bob Dold (IL-10) and Richard Hanna (NY-22). The second, on future power plants, passed 235 to 188. The same 4 Democrats voted for it, but now 10 Republicans opposed it.”
Renewables & Conservation
Biomass, Biofuel, Biopower, and Bioenergy: Sound So Cool But Are Not written by Ellen Moyer: “Governments continue paying industries huge bonuses to release carbon into the atmosphere by burning fuels from fossilized plants and—increasingly—live plants (“biomass”). According to theInternational Monetary Fund (IMF), global subsidies of fossil fuel use this year total an astronomical $5.3 trillion. The IMF estimates that eliminating subsidies would reduce global carbon dioxide emissions by 17 percent, reduce premature deaths from air pollution by 50 percent, and increase social welfare—from reduced environmental damage and higher revenue—by $1.8 trillion. Governments also heavily subsidize biopower, biofuels, and other bioenergy technologies. In this discussion, biomass energy, or ‘bioenergy,’ refers to the use of energy primarily generated from plants and plant-derived materials. ‘Biopower’ refers to electricity generated from the burning of biomass. ‘Biofuel’ refers to liquid fuel such as corn ethanol (the primary biofuel in the U.S.) and biodiesel made from algae, animal fat, grasses, municipal solid waste, sugars, palm oil, vegetable oil, and wood. This article excludes other types of bioenergy—such as methane collected from landfills and wood burned for heat—and focuses on biopower fueled by wood and ethanol made from corn. Governments justify subsidies for bioenergy by flawed carbon accounting policies and a myth that bioenergy is ‘carbon neutral.’ This myth asserts that the regrowth of plants recaptures the carbon released from bioenergy, thereby preventing carbon from accumulating in the atmosphere. However, regrowth of plants can never be guaranteed, and even if regrowth occurs, it takes too long for bioenergy to be carbon neutral.”
Keystone XL and other Oil Transportation
House passes sweeping energy bill to fast track pipelines and exports with reduced review written by Septima: “The House passed a sweeping energy policy while the media is mired in terrorism of every stripe. I no longer think this is coincidental. Export pipelines with MASSIVE land takings for private profit are already being issued by FERC and these entities are barely held to fulfilling the superficial paperwork they are supposedly held to under the law. It’s pretty clear that a lot of Dems along with the Republican party are only interested in turning this nation into another extraction colony for the .01%.”
Eco-Essays & Eco-Proposals
Climate Change and Capitalism written by dilligentbureaucrat: “As the Paris climate talks close next week, there will probably be little discussion of capitalism. Although it is the economic structure that got us here today, with its inherent need for endless and unsustainable growth and immediate profit, most political leaders wouldn’t even think about challenging the system that has created such material advancements over the past century. As far as most Western leaders are concerned, the question of whether capitalism is the system of the future was squashed a quarter century ago with the collapse of communism. But as we are quickly learning, history is not over, and free market capitalism is far from sustainable in the long run. It is like a ship that has sailed civilization into modernity and provided humans with immeasurable material advancements; but today, it is full of holes and in need of modification, or, better yet, complete replacement. There is no doubt that humanity has experienced unparalleled material progress since industrial capitalism developed in the eighteenth century. Life expectancy, for example, has nearly doubled in developed countries since the nineteenth century. Innovation is inherent within the system, where capitalists must constantly revolutionize the means of production (and other technologies) to stay afloat. The endless need for growth and capital accumulation is what fuels the system, but this growth also requires energy and natural resources.”
TRADE AND ECO-RELATED FOREIGN POLICY
No mention of climate change in the TPP: Sierra Club report shows written by Mike Taylor: “Salon 12/02/15: The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is more than 6,000 pages long, but does not mention the words ‘climate change’ once. This is one of the many findings in a new report by leading environmental organization the Sierra Club. 12 nations on both sides of the Pacific Ocean negotiated the TPP, including the U.S., Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Vietnam, and more. The comprehensive pact will establish trade, economic, and political policies for approximately 40 percent of the global economy. And the deal is a ‘docking’ agreement, which means other Pacific Rim nations, such as Indonesia and potentially even China, could later join.”
ECO-Activism & eco-justice
Over 3,000 people march for climate justice in Oakland before Paris conference written by Dan Bacher: “Over 3,000 people from a coalition of over 100 labor, environmental, faith, and social justice groups held a march and rally Saturday, November 21, 2015 to demand a legally binding global agreement to implement ‘rapid, effective and just’ responses to climate change at the 2015 UN Conference of Parties in Paris (AKA COP21). The Northern California Climate Mobilization started with a gathering at 10:30 am at Lake Merritt Amphitheatre in Oakland, followed by a march at 12:00 noon to Oscar Grant Plaza at 14th St. and Broadway. The march was led by indigenous leaders holding a colorful array of signs proclaiming, ‘Defend the Earth,’ ‘Leave It In The Ground,’ ‘Despierta – Awake,’ ‘Idle No More’ and other slogans.”
Big "Conservation" violates tribal rights from Africa to California written by Dan Bacher: “From the Bay-Delta Estuary and the marine waters of California to wildlife "parks" in Botswana, Africa, large conservation NGOs and neoliberal governments are collaborating to violate the rights of Indigenous Peoples under the guise of ‘conservation.’ Stephen Corry, Director of Survival International, the global movement for tribal peoples’ rights, has criticized big conservation groups, including some of the corporate ‘environmental groups’ that I have challenged in many of my articles, for ‘routinely violating’ tribal peoples' rights while they fail to achieve their conservation objectives. In an article published on February 3, 2015 by the U.S.-based journal Truthout and British magazine The Ecologist, Corry writes that governments, with the support of ‘conservation’ organizations, are forcing indigenous peoples off their ancestral homelands in the name of ‘conservation.’ The illegal evictions of tribal peoples in India, the torture and abuse of indigenous Baka ‘Pygmies’ in Cameroon, and the mistreatment of the Bushmen in Botswana are just a few examples evoked by Corry as part of Survival's ‘Parks Need People’ campaign.”
Global Climate Week Seattle Action: Delivering a Divestment Petition to Gates Foundation HQ written by Assaf: “The Gates Foundation, one of the world’s largest charities and nowadays the most well-known one, is headquartered right here in the Gates’ hometown. The Foundation has done a lot of good deeds, but its policy of separating the ‘strictly financial’ aspect of investing its funds, from its humanitarian work, has long attracted the fire of activists and organizations. After all, what’s the value of, e.g., delivering aid to a tribe devastated by deforestation, when your funds might be heavily invested in a company engaged in deforestation? In particular, there has been a campaign spearheaded by 350.org and The Guardian newspaper, calling upon the Gates Foundation and the British health charity Wellcome Trust, to divest their funds from fossil fuel companies. Earlier this year Bill Gates rejected divestment, claiming it would have “little impact” (Ya…. Right….), even as he announced a $2B investment in renewable energy. Seattleites being no strangers to environmental and climate action, it was only a matter of time before Gates’ intransigence would be met with local pressure. Since September there have been regular vigils in front of the foundation HQ. Former Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, among the organizers, quipped about the Foundation’s policy: ‘You can’t drive by hitting the brake and accelerator at the same time.’
Food, AGRICULTURE & Gardening
Salmon Fishermen, Consumer Groups Criticize FDA Approval of Frankenfish written by Dan Bacher: “The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on November 19 approved genetically engineered salmon, ‘Frankenfish,’ as being ‘safe’ for human consumption, in spite of massive public opposition to the decision. The Golden Gate Salmon Association (GGSA) announced it was ‘disappointed’ in the decision, joining a broad coalition of fishing groups, environmental organizations, Tribes and consumer groups in criticizing the approval of the first-ever genetically engineered animal for the dinner table. The FDA approved the controversial AquaBounty Technologies’ application for AquAdvantage Salmon, an Atlantic salmon that reaches market size faster than non-GE farm-raised Atlantic salmon, claiming it is safe to eat, safe for the environment and safe for the fish itself, in spite of a huge amount of evidence provided by GMO opponents challenging this contention. The company added a growth hormone-regulating gene from a Chinook salmon and a promoter from an ocean eel pout to the Atlantic salmon’s 40,000 genes, allowing the fish to grow year-round instead of only during spring and summer.”
Bananas May Be Doomed written by TheOrchid: “At least the kind currently on the market, the Cavendish banana. As reported in the Huffington Post, a disease known as the Panama Disease, caused by a fungus (Fusarium oxysporum), largely wiped out stands of Gros Michel bananas, the principal banana imported to the US until the early 1960s. Thereafter, the then-resistant Cavendish banana was imported instead, even though it had a blander taste. Now, however, a more virulent strain of the fungus has emerged (now called Tropical Race 4), and is steadily devastating banana plantations worldwide, except for Latin America. However, its jump to this last bastion is almost inevitable given the pace of world trade.”
Advancing Food Sovereignty to Transform Economies written by Simone Adler and Bev Bell. “From an Interview with Mamadou Goïta: ”We [in the food sovereignty movement] are in the midst of developing the food web, a concept that local products should let the population of that area feed itself first. These local food systems are linked with local markets. When local markets are well-provisioned, they’ll feed national markets, which will feed regional markets in places like West Africa. This doesn’t exclude the international market, but it does not prioritize it. Seventy percent of the food in the world comes from family farms, from local herders, from artisanal fishers. We ask the authorities to support the organization of local food systems as food webs, and help us create a local to national to regional market ladder. Public investment needs to be oriented toward local systems for access to food and equipment. Small producers also need social infrastructure such as health, education, clean water, as well as different modes of production. The international market can be useful for industrial products, when production in the country is given first priority and jobs are created. But when we speak of grains and providing food security, we have to prioritize local food systems. Instead of worrying about what the United States wants, we concern ourselves with what the population wants first.
The High Country Orchid: Getting Started written by Phoenix Rising: “Not quite two years ago I decided I’d take a(nother) stab at growing orchids in my home. I had tried several times when I was younger, poorer, and less patient, and while I hadn’t immediately killed any of them, they never thrived under my care. Still, I always loved the look and the mystique of orchids. As a photographer I spent many days looking for orchids in the wild and trying to photograph their rare and, at least here in Colorado, somewhat fleeting beauty. To raise them in my house was going to be a challenge. This diary is the first in a series showing off my ever-increasing collection while talking about the challenges of growing orchids, learning from anyone who is more experienced, and helping others who might like to get in to growing these beautiful plants. At some point I’ll probably spend some time on wild orchids in North America (and specifically around Colorado) as well, but there’s lots to talk about indoors while it’s cold.”
Saturday Morning Garden Blogging Vol 11.41: Do you live near a community garden? written by rb137: “The Seattle area has an extensive collection of community gardens, in fact, if you combine the spaces in the near suburbs with the P-Patch system within Seattle city limits, there are about 100 community gardens publicly available. I happen to grow my vegetables at one of these garden spaces. I live in a wooded area and do not have enough sunlight to support a kitchen garden, and if I didn't have access to a sunny area, I'd have to cry. At my house, vegetables become poor little plant victims. The darlings try so hard, but they just turn spindly and fall over. Apart from providing all day sunlight for people like me, community gardens serve the greater good in a lot of ways. The space where I garden devotes more than 3000 square feet to grow produce for our local food bank — where we donate more than 9000 pounds of fresh, organic produce every year.”
Agribusiness Wins Big as Senate Votes 77 to 22 to Keep $3B in Crop Insurance in the Highway Bill written by Liberty Equality Fraternity and Trees: “The House and Senate conferees who worked on the transportation bill decided to give a big gift to Big Ag by undoing the $3 billion cut to crop insurance that was in the recent budget deal. The $3 billion cut is, in reality, quite modest. The federal government spends $8.5 billion a year on crop insurance, and this cut—$300 million a year—would be only a 3.5% reduction. Government expenditures on crop insurance have tripled over the past decade as a result of increases in the cost of subsidizing both the insurance companies and farmers’ premiums. The Environmental Working Group has argued that the modest cuts would help make the industry more efficient and would have no effect on farmers’ premiums.”
CANDIDATES, STATE AND DC ECO-RELATED POLITICS
Republican stance on climate change has devolved since Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush written by Meteor Blades: “We’ve all become inured to the pronouncements of prominent Republicans, including most of this year’s crop of presidential wannabes, regarding climate change. They’ve pretty much tracked the path that the propagandists at Heartland Institute, the Koch Industries and Exxon have laid out for them. That is, they’ve adopted some version of denying that climate change is happening or they concede that it’s happening but say it’s the natural order and that even if it isn’t nothing can be done about it. ‘Twas not always like this in the GOP. Eleven newly declassified memos from the Reagan and George H.W. Bush presidencies prove it. [...] What the declassified memos demonstrate is that it’s possible for Republicans to break free from the string of lies with which climate-change charlatans such as the Kochs and their media marionettes have saturated public discourse. Possible, but improbable. They see with some clarity the crisis facing the bottom lines of fossil-fuel producers. But they remain blind to the depth and breadth of the climate crisis.”
S.F.Bay-Delta written by Dan Bacher: “HR 2898, a deadly bill that would strip environmental protections for Central Valley salmon and steelhead and Delta smelt, is back for the third time, according to an action alert from Restore the Delta (RTD). Despite the efforts of Central Valley House Republicans to push the bill through, Senator Dianne Feinstein and Senator Barbara Boxer have spoken out against the bill. Senator Barbara Boxer released this statement: ‘It is outrageous that Congressman McCarthy is making a last-minute attempt to place a complicated and unvetted water bill that impacts millions of Californians on the omnibus at the 11th hour.’ Senator Dianne Feinstein also released the following statement on the bill: ‘I understand that late Thursday night a drought bill was proposed as an addition to the omnibus. I am told it was proposed in my name, which I did not approve. This is regrettable, not only because I believe we remain close to an agreement on a broader bill, but also because it stands in opposition to my desire to do a bill in an open and public manner.’”
Transportation & infrastructure
Clinton proposes $275 billion spending for infrastructure written by Meteor Blades: “During a speech Sunday at Boston’s Faneuil Hall, Hillary Clinton announced a few details of her proposal for restoring the decaying U.S. infrastructure. Clinton told a crowd packed with members of the Laborers International Union and Carpenters Union that, as president, she would boost federal infrastructure investment by $250 billion over the next five years to "bankroll upgrades to roads, bridges, airports and public transit." She said she would also put $25 billion into an national infrastructure bank. Sen. Bernie Sanders, Clinton’s only real competition in the race for the Democratic nomination for president, proposed in January a trillion-dollar infrastructure investment plan—the Rebuild America Act of 2015—over five years, which includes money for an infrastructure bank. He has said he would pay for this by closing business tax loopholes. Clinton said she will cover her plan with business tax reform, which would also mean closing loopholes. The infrastructure bank concept dates back to the 1980s and the campaigns of Gary Hart and Michael Dukakis. Bill Clinton proposed the idea in 1992. It was raised again by Democratic Sen. Christopher Dodd and Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel in 2007. In 2008 and again in 2010, President Obama backed their $60 billion bank proposal. But congressional Republicans blocked the legislation. The idea behind the bank is to leverage private investment in infrastructure.”
A quick look at the FAST (Fixing America's Surface Transportation) act written by terrypinder: “I’m not surprised we finally will have a new federal surface transportation bill, which will lock in transportation policy and spending at the Federal level through the year 2020 as this was actually expected. Kudos go out to the few politicians who actually managed to do their jobs on this—the transportation chair in the House seems to have a passion for Transportation and actually doing something (rare amongst Republicans) and state-level transportation secretaries also helped, lobbying Congress to do something. However, I’m disappointed at how much it maintains the status quo although there are a handful of surprises. [...] WHAT THE BILL DOESN’T DO 1. Address climate change. Not a damn thing is in there. In fact, the provision about freight corridors appears to be multimodal but only provides funding for the highway side. That’d make things worse, not better. Congress is hostile to the idea of doing anything about climate change (witness the reluctance of the Administration to get something binding out of COP21, because anything binding would have to go through our hostile Congress and would spectacularly fail) so this isn’t a surprise but it would have been nice to see them grow up. I guess it wasn’t going to happen. It does seem likely that any climate action in transportation in FAST would have come at the expense of Federal funding for transit, which almost was axed completely.”
Mining
Blankenship found GUILTY, Faces Maximum 1 Year in Prison written by ericlewis0: “Donald L. Blankenship, a titan of the nation’s coal industry whose approach to business was scrutinized and scorned after 29 workers were killed at the Upper Big Branch mine in 2010, was convicted Thursday of a federal charge of conspiring to violate mine safety standards, part of a case that emerged after the accident, the deadliest in mining in the United States in decades. The verdict reached by a federal jury here made Mr. Blankenship, 65, the most prominent American coal executive ever to be convicted of a charge connected to the deaths of miners.”
Trash, Toxic & Radioactive Waste, Spills
Manslaughter charges dropped in Deepwater Horizon oil spill—no one will see jail time written by Walter Einenkel: “The Deepwater Horizon oil-drilling disaster is still being litigated. They are still on the hook for billions of dollars in fines. As federal judge has said in his ruling—BP was grossly negligent. Unfortunately, yesterday, the string of defeats that BP has faced over the last few months came to an end when prosecutors and the judge in the case agreed to drop manslaughter charges against two supervisors who were on Deepwater Horizon when it exploded.”
Update: Tracking the arrival of Fukushima derived contamination in the Pacific off North America written by MarineChemist: “This short diary summarizes new data from 2014 and 2015 reporting results from the Integrated Fukushima Ocean Radionuclide Monitoring (InFORM) project and our partner organization Our Radioactive Ocean which are tasked with documenting the arrival of ocean borne Fukushima derived contamination along the North American Pacific coast. This diary is part of an ongoing effort to communicate the best science available on the impacts of the Fukushima Dai-ichi meltdowns on the environment. High quality measurements to look for Fukushima derived radiocesium have been made in seawater in the North Pacific and Arctic Oceans from 2011 to summer 2015. Previous data was summarized in an earlier post. Previously unpublished data results from research expeditions in 2014 and 2015 are summarized here.”
Contamination of freshwater fish by the Fukushima Nuclear Accident: Overview of monitoring results written by MarineChemist: “The purpose of this diary is to report the results of a monitoring study looking for Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) derived contamination in freshwater fishes in Japan. The peer reviewed study by Wada and colleagues was recently published in Journal of Environmental Radioactivity is unfortunately behind a publisher paywall. This diary continues a series of postsaimed at communicating the results of scientific investigations of the impact of the FDNPP disaster on public and environmental health. Wada and colleagues measured the amount of 131-Iodine (131I half life ~ 8 days), 134-Cesium (134Cs half life ~2 years), and 137-Cesium (137Cs half life ~30 years) in freshwater fish species collected from rivers, lakes and aquaculture ponds in Fukushima Prefecture between March 2011 and December 2014. A total of 16 species and 2692 individual fish were examined. Between March and June 2011 11 fish were found to have detectable but low activities of131I (<25 Bq kg-1 wet weight) suggesting that radioactive iodine did not accumulate significantly in fish. Given significantly lower radiocesium accumulation in fish reared in aquaculture ponds who were provided with feed compared to fish from lakes and rivers, the major path of concentration for134Cs and 137Cs into fish was likely through the foodweb.”
OCEANS, WATER, DROUGHT
Nestlé: The Grinch Who Stole Our Water written by Dan Bacher: “The ‘Crunch Nestlé Alliance,’ the group that ‘shut down’ the Nestlé Waters bottling plant in Sacramento in March 2015 and October 2014, will be protesting at the plant again on Friday, December 4, but this time the alliance is doubling down on a shut down. This time the group is also going to shut down the Alhambra Water Company, owned by DS Waters of Atlanta, Georgia, located directly across the street from Nestlé Waters. The theme of the protest is ‘The Grinch Who Stole Our Water,’ according to Bob Saunders of the alliance. ‘That’s right,’ said Saunders. ‘In the midst of an extreme drought in its fourth year, an out-of-town bottling company is drawing water from Sacramento to go with the gluttony of Nestlé's water drawing and profiteering actions. Additionally the large amount of plastic waste (water bottles) that is generated by these companies, much of which ends up in our ocean, is another factor in the need to stop these companies from further damaging our environment.’”
MISCELLANY
The Inoculation Project 11/29/2015: Math Toolboxes & Earth Science Round 2 written by belinda ridgewood: “Resources Needed: American Educational Weather Forecast and Recycling Videolabs, Worm Factory Composter, Scott Resources Plate Tectonics Videolab, Geosafari Motorized Solar System, American Educational Hardness Collection with Test Kit, Cross-section Earth Model and other learning resources. School Poverty Level: Highest. Location: A R Johnson Health Science English High School, Augusta, GA. Total Cost: $1,295.05. Still Needed: $269.75 $199.75. My Project: Sixth graders are eager to learn about earth science. Videolabs will help support diverse modes of learning in lab stations. Videolabs will scaffold and engage students in learning about earth's systems. Games will reinforce instructional concepts learned throughout earth science. Students will learn about plate tectonics, weather, and conservation. Students will explore the impact of humans and climate and past/present/future affects on the earth.”
Troy Fletcher, Yurok Tribe's Visionary Leader, Passes Away written by Dan Bacher: “Troy Fletcher, a visionary leader of the Yurok Tribe, passed away suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 53 on the evening of Friday, November 20. I first met Troy nearly 20 years ago at a Fish and Game Commission hearing when he was the director of the Yurok Fisheries Program. From that first time I talked to Troy, I watched him play the key leadership role in building bridges between the Tribe and commercial fishermen, recreational anglers, environmentalists, farmers, other tribes and federal and state government officials who were often in conflict with one another. Troy, who became the Executive Director of the Tribe, was one of the rare people who could truly see the "big picture" of fishery and environmental restoration—and what was necessary to restore the Klamath Basin and Pacific fisheries. He told me several times at protests and meetings, ‘Fishermen will always fight over the fish. Our goal is to see that there are more fish that we can fight over.’”