Every week Daily Kos diarists write dozens of environmentally related posts. Many don't get the readership they deserve. Helping improve the odds is the motivation behind the Green Diary Rescue. In the past seven years, there have been 248 of these spotlighting more than 15,103 eco-diaries. Below are categorized links and excerpts to 51 more that appeared in the past seven days. That makes for lots of good reading during the spare moments of your weekend. [Disclaimer: Inclusion of a diary in the rescue does not necessarily indicate my agreement with or endorsement of it.] |
Green Diary of the Week
Fish ladder built by Padden Creek Alliance.
The Daily Bucket - Padden Creek Salmon Habitat Restoration Project—by
RonK: "Among the icons associated with the Pacific Northwest are evergreen trees, rain, streams, and salmon. These PNW icons have existed in symbiotic relations with one another for probably millions of years. A change in one can affect the others. But apparently this fact was unknown or at least unappreciated by the early American settlers of this region. They over-logged the trees which allowed the abundant rain to wash mud and whole hillsides into the streams which became uninhabitable for the salmon that had used these streams for eons to maintain their life cycles. They also dammed up spawning rivers to provide electricity to run their sawmills and salmon canneries. The irony is that they destroyed the very things that made them wealthy. The salmon’s life cycle not only sustained the settlers until they degraded it, but also was the primary source food of indigenous populations to whom they were sacred. Further, salmon were critical to the very environment itself as they were an integral component of the larger ecosystem."
••• •• •••
Michigan Releases Report on Renewable Energy Benefits Amidst Front Group Attacks—by elsner: "On Monday, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder unveiled a new study by the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) detailing how renewable energy is saving consumers money and leading to robust business investment. The new report states that it is feasible for Michigan to achieve a 30% renewable energy standard (RPS) by 2035. MPSC Chairman John Quackenbush said, after the release of this new report, that Michigan is capable of reaching that goal with resources located right in the state of Michigan...' according toMichigan Live. It also goes on to report that wind energy technology improvements have resulted in a decline in wind generation prices from over $100 per MWh in 2009 to $50 to $60 per MWh today. The MPSC's latest report cements that the state's clean energy laws are generating positive economic opportunities and creating jobs—a pattern found across the country with pro-clean energy policies like RPS."
••• •• •••
We are standing at the cusp of the Holocene and the Anthropocene Epochs—by Lefty Coaster: "The transition periods from one Geological Epoch to a new Geological Epoch are are relatively rare events separated by many millennium. The last time this kind of transition happened was at the end of the Ice Ages approximately 11,500 years ago that marked the beginning of the current Epoch the Holocene. The Holocene brought profound transition in the earth's climate that nurtured the rise of human civilizations. Now the current Holocene Epoch is being brought to its conclusion by those same human civilizations that it gave rise to. Human civilization and its increasingly powerful the technologies have grown to become the most dominant force shaping the planet's climate. We are changing the Earth's Nitrogen cycle. We are changing the Earth's carbon cycle. Mankind is now conducting a vast experiment with our planet's atmosphere, its oceans, and its soils. The cumulative result of all these changes is we've moved our planet into an new Geological Epoch, the Anthropocene named for the human species who created it."
Climate Chaos
James Cameron's new Climate Change series on Showtime: Years of Living Dangerously—by AntonBursch:
Historic Climate Resolution - SF Bay Area Commits to Home Run 80% Carbon Reduction—by RandW: "On Wednesday, a little piece of climate protection history was made-a potential game changer. With congressional gridlock, one regional regulatory agency has just declared that they are going to hit the ball over the fence. The Board of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) unanimously resolved to commit the San Francisco Bay Area to an 80% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050 (compared to 1990 levels). Air Districts in California are a different kind of player. They can enforce regulations more stringent than state or Federal limits, and can directly charge polluters. This resolution has TEETH."
Good News/Bad News on Global Warming—by xaxnar: "There are several encouraging things going on here—the global economy is starting to pick up, but greenhouse gas emissions are NOT increasing at the same pace. This gives the lie to the oft heard claim that "We can't do anything about Global Warming because it would hurt the economy." It does seem to be possible to decouple the two. Second, this is happening without a strong international framework to force such a change, which means—although such agreements couldn't hurt—progress is still being made."
James Hansen: "Yes, Nukes."—by Laughing Planet: "A rather surprising new item was released today. Prominent climate scientist James Hansen and 3 other climate scientists are imploring world leaders and environmentalists to back an increase in nuclear power to offset climate change. They believe that wind and solar cannot deliver enough clean energy quickly enough to cause the necessary decrease in fossil fuel (read: coal) electricity. "Those energy sources cannot scale up fast enough" to deliver the amount of cheap and reliable power the world needs, and "with the planet warming and carbon dioxide emissions rising faster than ever, we cannot afford to turn away from any technology" that has the potential to reduce greenhouse gases. The move can be seen as unexpected because so many env'al groups like Greenpeace are staunchly opposed to nuclear power."
And now a financier weighs in on global warming—by Cassiodorus: "Grantham's real emphasis is upon global warming, and he mentions James Hansen and Bill McKibben and Gus Speth, appropriately at a time when the IPCC is about to tell us that the world as we know it is over. Thus his conclusion befits his title, with a tentative call to action: It is crucial that scientists take more career risks and sound a more realistic, more desperate, note on the global-warming problem. Younger scientists are obsessed by thoughts of tenure, so it is probably up to older, senior and retired scientists to do the heavy lifting. Be arrested if necessary. This is not only the crisis of your lives—it is also the crisis of our species’ existence. I implore you to be brave. There it is, folks. Even the capitalists are starting to get it."
IPCC Report: Climate Change is very likely to create critical Food Shortages in this century—by Lefty Coaster: "Human caused Climate Change is likely to usher in a new era of increasing food shortages according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. [...] As always the poor will be the most vulnerable to falling victim to the coming disruptions in the food supply and the resulting turmoil those shocks will produce. The Tropics will be the latitudes that will be subjected to the most devastating effects of Climate Change first. That will be likely to produce overwhelming pressure for population migrations from tropical regions to the less climate damaged higher latitudes."
Boston Globe Exposes Climate Denier Willie Soon—by cgibosn: "Here's one climate change denier who really doesn't want you to think twice about his funding from Koch, coal and oil: Dr. Willie Soon, freshly profiled in today's Boston Globe. In this video, we asked Dr. Soon about his fossil fuel funding at a climate denial event hosted by the Heritage Foundation last month--the event that wraps up Christopher Rowland's article in the Globe. [...] There is a bizarre sense of urgency in Dr. Soon's statements, both in our video encounter with him and in the Boston Globe article. He is a man whose profession has developed far outside of his actual expertise as an astrophysicist. After Greenpeace revealed that Willie Soon has taken over $1 million in payments from fossil fuel interests on 'research' intended to undermine climate science, his credibility has evaporated. Professionals in the field of climate have been hugely critical of Dr. Soon's predetermined 'research.'"
NSA was thrilled about their 2007 Climate Conference score -- But Why?—by jamess: "No Morsel Too Minuscule for All-Consuming N.S.A. The Global Phone Book. No investment seems too great if it adds to the agency’s global phone book. After mounting a major eavesdropping effort focused on a climate change conference in Bali in 2007, agency analysts stationed in Australia’s outback were especially thrilled by one catch: the cellphone number of Bali’s police chief. [...] Don't ask why, unless you have the 'need to know.' And unless you have HUGE commercial interests in the Energy Status Quo—YOU (as in us the Energy Consumer) apparently have 'NO need to know.'"
Extreme Weather
Climate Science Deniers, Super Typhoon Haiyan Is Looking At You—by TheGreenMiles: "One year after superstorm Sandy became the largest Atlantic hurricane on record, Super Typhoon Haiyan just became the strongest landfalling tropical cyclone on record, hitting the Philippines with sustained winds of 190-195mph and gusts to 235mph. That's as strong as a top-of-the-scale EF-5 tornado ... except Haiyan's eye is eight miles wide. Why is the storm so historically strong?"
Food, Agriculture & Gardening
Macca's Meatless Monday: Everybody out there can make a difference—by VL Baker: "Want to opt out of conspicuous consumption? It can be done. Want to opt out with the fastest, most effective and easy solution? You can be a part of the solution to repairing our planet with a simple decision to eliminate meat and meat products each day. I can attest that it's liberating to be a part of the solution to the most critical issue of climate change. Macca's Meatless Monday/Meatless Advocates is a solution oriented activist group, with solutions for some of the most pressing issues of our time including: climate change, global food/water insecurity and public health. Here we don't just talk about the severity of the crisis. Armed with knowledge about how our actions can contribute we become part of the solution."
There is mold in your food and nobody cares—by Jimmy Rustler: "[T]his place I work for? Wal-Mart. And I will explain to you why your favorite thing is NEVER on the shelf anymore. [...]Some of those pallets were there for what could be whole MONTHS, unworked and unmoved. The sugar-soaked wood and the dark, undisturbed environment made it an ideal breeding ground for mold; some employees started complaining about the smell, but not too much, because they didn't want to get drafted to fix it. Well, one day, time ran out. I and another associate were "volunteered" to turn that chaos into order. My coworker's solution was to line half of the back hallway with temp bins and then sort out the pallets. Sounded easy enough in theory. Unfortunately, he's one of those people whose immune system doesn't play nice with certain families of mold. This mold may or may not have been out of the penicillin family but it was close enough that he had to take frequent breaks to step back and wheeze to himself with a red face and watering eyes. When we started carefully moving those pallets, I would describe the smell as a combination of rotted sugar, mothballs, and the time that mouse decided to hide in the cardboard baler. A sane person would probably have called a Haz-Mat team at this point, or at least started sending whole pallet-loads to Claims. But I do not work for sane people, and my orders stood: create more perilous stacks but at least put the product in the system this time."
Why I Think Mandatory Labels for GMO’s is Bad Policy and Why I Think It Might Be Good Strategy—by marc brazeau: "My biggest problem with mandatory labeling is this: Why would you want to create new government regulation and bureaucracy to do something that can already be accomplished with a free phone app?"
50 billionaires received $11.3 million in farm welfare, could get more in new farm bill—by Joan McCarter: "That's a list composed by the Environmental Working Group, using their database of farm subsidy recipients compared to Forbes 400 list of the country's richest people. Between 1995 and 2012, these 50 people—who have have a collective net worth of $316 billion—received $11.3 million in farm subsidy payments. They've probably have even received more in crop insurance payments, but we don't know because the law doesn't allow prohibits the disclosure of the identities of crop insurance policyholders. While a congressional conference committee meets to decide if they're going to cut $40 billion (House bill) or $10 billion (Senate bill) from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, they are probably going to give billionaires even more!"
Energy
Nuclear Power is our Friend—by Cream Puff: "First, an inconvenient truth from the climate scientists we like to quote when debating Jim Inhofe: Experts say nuclear power needed to slow warming. Do these guys have professional integrity all the time, or only when you agree with them? I believe the relative worthiness of energy sources should be judged according to three main criteria: economics, safety and environmental impact."
US Oil Production and Energy Security—by gmoke: "Diamond: electric vehicles are a "holy grail" of energy solutions. After 40 years from first oil crisis, US oil production is growing at historic rates while demand for liquid fuels (oil) is declining or flattening. We now import about 40% of our oil and do not export crude, by law, but lightly refined products. We spend the same percentage of our economy on oil as we did 40 years ago. Bush tax cuts and Obama payroll tax holiday both equaled the higher oil prices in those periods. Extra cost of OPEC is on the order of $7 billion per year now. Every recession since 1973 has been preceded or coincident with oil price increases. 92-93% of our transportation sector is oil. By 2030, the projection is 91% oil for transport."
Grassroots Activists Across Globe Condemn World Bank President’s Continued Support of Tata Mundra—by nicoleghio: "After a yearlong investigation, the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman (CAO), the independent accountability mechanism at the World Bank Group's International Finance Corporation (IFC), issued a damning report that found serious lapses in the IFC's $450 million loan for the 4,000-megawatt Tata Mundra coal-fired power plant in Gujarat, India. The CAO report upheld the complaints of local fishing communities, which have been struggling with severe health effects and the loss of livelihoods due to the project. But instead of withdrawing from the Tata Mundra power plant, or at a minimum, offering reparations to residents and drafting a rehabilitation plan, World Bank President Dr. Jim Yong Kim abandoned his obligation to the affected communities and instead signed off on a response—written by the same people who approved the project at the IFC—dismissing the CAO findings. Today, 68 groups from 28 countries across six continents sent a letter to Dr. Kim condemning the World Bank Group's continued support for the deadly project. This action comes on the heels of a letter from over 100 groups in India demanding that the IFC withdraw from Tata Mundra."
Putting Fukushima in Perspective: A primer on radioactivity in the Ocean—by MarineChemist: "We must recognize Fukushima Daiichi for what it is, a disaster resulting from the application of nuclear technology. The impact is immense at the site and consequences for the terrestrial environment are dire. There is impact in the ocean as well. For example, bottom dwelling fish near the reactors are so contaminated that they can't be sold or consumed and the local effects near and in the reactors are acute and terrible. But when I read that the west coast of north America is now dying because of radionuclides leaked from Fukushima I have a responsibility to communicate to the public that this is not so. Radioactivity that we are exposed to here every day, by being on or in the water or consuming seafood is the same as if the terrible events at Fukushima never took place."
Out of Sight, Out of Mind -- Oh Fu-ku-shima!—by jamess: "If a thousand nuclear fuel rods rest precariously in a unmelted tank, and nobody cares about it -- are they really dangerous? [...] Engineers are preparing to extract the first of more than 1,000 nuclear fuel rods from one of the wrecked reactor buildings."
Putting risk of Fukushima to human seafood consumers in perspective—by MarineChemist: "Radioactivity (e.g. Cesium 134 and Cesium 137) from the compromised Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant have been detected in bluefin tuna that migrate between Japan and California. Despite the fact that levels of reactor bred isotopes were still well below national food safety limits there was widespread alarm broadcast through various media outlets. There are many outlandish claims being made as to the environmental damage being caused on the west coast or predicted to result from radiation leaking from Fukushima. Some or the more fringe theories are debunked by biologist Andrew Thaler here."
The "Electrifying Movement" that Continues to Fight Coal Exports—by Mary Anne Hitt: "There are a handful of decisions that are going to be made in the U.S. this decade that will be pivotal in the fate of our climate. The six proposed coal export terminals in the Pacific Northwest are among them. If these terminals are approved, they will unleash one of the biggest carbon sources on the planet, by creating a new pathway for Western US coal to reach Asian markets, and it will be hard to put the genie back in the bottle. That's why I traveled to Tacoma, Washington, in late October for a public hearing against the proposed Longview coal export terminal. I was floored and inspired to see the sea of red shirts marking the hundreds upon hundreds of clean energy supporters attending and speaking out at the hearing. It's an electrifying movement that has stopped three of the six proposed terminals to date - the climate pollution equivalent of stopping 35 new coal-fired power plants. When we stop all six projects, that will equal the carbon impact of stopping 105 new coal plants."
Fracking
Boulder, Colorado Rejects Fracking, Despite Being Outspent 30-to-1—by ericlewis0: "Residents of large and small communities across the northern Front Range area of Colorado voted Tuesday to halt fracking in their backyards. These defeats for the oil and gas industry came after a campaign in which the industry outspent supporters of the measures by a 30–1 margin."
The Illinois Fracking Debate Goes On—by julesrules39: "Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, a Democrat who is currently running for re-election in 2014, has not been able to avoid the conflict. The fracking issue has enraged many, would be supporters. In a 10/7/2013 article in the Midwest Energy News, Will Reynolds explains: Quinn’s most controversial action on energy is to enthusiastically launch the Illinois fracking industry, which will become one of the most expansive assaults on the environment in state history. Quinn brags that his fracking rules will create jobs while protecting the environment. But, even groups who supported the bill admit it’s inadequate. Residents will now be subjected to a massive science experiment as we wait for more proof that fracking can’t be safely regulated in a region prone to flooding and earthquakes."
Keystone and Other Fossil Fuel Transportation
Alberta Tar Sands Northern Gateway pipeline proposal-deal is done—by Roger Fox: "The Northern Gateway pipeline would deliver 525,000 barrels of Alberta oil to a tanker terminal in Kitimat, on the Pacific coast of British Columbia. The proposed pipeline route goes thru First Nations lands. THe First Nations and the Yinka Dene have been solidly opposed to to the pipeline proposal and have refused to let the pipeline go thru their land. opposition on a number of fronts in B.C., including from First Nations, environmentalists and the province’s NDP opposition. [...] The premiers of British Columbia and Alberta say they’re prepared to work through some of the differences that stand in the way of oil pipelines through British Columbia, but they’ve effectively agreed to drop the most contentious issue: B.C.’s desire for a larger share of government royalties associated with the project. So B.C. folded, and its not clear what the response will be from the Yinka Dene."
Eco-Related DC & State Politics
Coal Baron and Major Ken Cuccinelli Campaign Donor Sues Blogger for Defamation, Invasion of Privacy—by Steve Horn: "Robert Murray, owner of the Ohio-based coal giant, Murray Energy Corporation, filed a defamation lawsuit against a prominent liberal blogger and The Huffington Post. Filed on September 25 in Belmont County’s Court of Common Pleas, Murray’s complaint accuses Mike Stark, creator of FossilAgenda.com and Stark Reports, and The Huffington Post of defamation and invasion of privacy stemming from Mr. Stark’s September 20 article, 'Meet the Extremist Coal Baron Bankrolling Ken Cuccinelli’s Campaign.' [...] The rationale behind the defamation suit for Murray boils down to Stark and The HuffPost referring to Murray as an 'extremist' and pointing to the firing of the 150 Murray Energy workers as a potential 'fulfillment of a promise' after the 2012 presidential election."
Far Right responds to news that Obama issued an Executive Order on Climate Change
—by Lefty Coaster: "The was a piece in the Washington Times today titled:"Obama orders government to prepare for impact of global warming "Obama orders government to prepare for impact of global warming.' This alarming news ignited a wave of Fright Wing poutrage generating close to 4,800 angry comments over this new Obama step toward the dictatorship they're convinced is the President's hidden agenda. The comments are unintentionally comical to match any Saturday nutpick-a-palooza."
Winners of Whatcom County, Washington, council races could nix proposed coal-exporting terminal—by Meteor Blades: "Fossil-fuel and related concerns poured money into the campaigns of pro-development candidates, but they faced an uprising of Bellingham-area residents and a determined coalition of Washington conservationists and the local Democratic Party. That coalition spent $250,000 on the contest and its four candidates won their races handily. [...] Although neither the pro-conservation nor pro-development candidates in the race mentioned the coal terminal in their campaigns because their quasi-judicial decision in the matter requires what Connelly labels the "appearance of impartiality," it's apparent that Gateway will now face some official opposition. Eric de Place of the Sightline Institute said: 'It’s a signal: Nationally, the coal industry is in a death spiral, and cannot find buyers for its product. They cannot even buy an election right now. They’re grasping at straws.'"
Shhhh.... Don't tell the media, but 2013 marks the first climate election—by Mike Stark: "Your typical political junkie, I spent most of last night manically clicking between twitter, email, websites maintained by the relevant state election boards, newspaper websites, and blogs. And, of course, all the while the television was tuned to cable news. Out of all that coverage, I was struck that nobody noted the extent to which climate issues permeated this election cycle. There was plenty of analysis of how the government shutdown turned voters against Republicans and the Tea Party. For some reason, the media thought it was important to note the victory of the Chamber of Commerce Republican over the Tea Party candidate in Alabama… Seriously? There’s a difference?"
Winners and Losers—by Michael Brune: "Perhaps the biggest message from these elections is that, given the chance, voters will support clean energy and climate action with their ballots. And, as we saw in Virginia, actively opposing climate action is a losing strategy. Although we can be certain that the opponents of clean energy aren't ready give up just yet, it's equally true that those running for office must now decide whether they want to stand with solutions or stand in the way. Those who continue to insist on the latter will do so at their peril."
The Great Outdoors
Frosty Fall morn...(photo diary)—by abbysomething: A chilly Midwest morning.
Winter be a'coming
Tillandsia air plants. The clublike
growths are the seedpods.
Tillandsia: Florida's Air Plants—by
Lenny Flank: "The Tillandsia are odd little plants. They have no stems, they have no roots, and their leaves don't look anything at all like leaves. Oh, and they require no soil at all, either, and don't live in the ground. And they are related to ... pineapples. There are over 500 different species of Tillandsia found in South and Central America, the Caribbean, and the southern US. Five species are found here in the Tampa Bay area, though only two are common—
Tillandsia usneoides, well-known as 'Spanish Moss,' and
Tillandsia recurvata, called 'Ball Moss' by botanists. The two look nothing alike, and you'd never know from looking at them that they are in any way related: the familiar Spanish Moss forms loose dangling clumps that drape over tree branches like a greenish waterfall, while Ball Moss (better-known by most people as 'air plants') takes the form of loose globular balls, ranging from golf-ball to softball size, which often grow along twigs and small branches, like beads on a necklace."
Autumn in the Ozarks—by burnt out:
Critters
Leucistic Red-tailed Hawk
Dawn Chorus: w00t! Winter's almost here!—by
lineatus: "Fall migration has been interesting this year, to be sure. The blue-footed boobies are still hanging out up and down the coast. Unfortunately, the shutdown screwed up our enjoyment somewhat by closing parks and beaches. But that's all in the past, and now we can look forward to visiting our favorite spots and welcoming our winter visitors. Just as bird migrations are driven by basic needs (food above all), my winter wanderings are primarily driven by a search for raptors. That the quest takes me to beautiful places and lets me see many other great birds is just icing on the cake."
The Daily Bucket, road trip birds—by
burnt out: "It's rare that the schedules of all three of us come together so that we all have two consecutive free days so when that rarity popped up a couple of weeks ago we took advantage of it and took a two day rode trip. We drove north, starting just above St. Louis, and ending just above Burlington Iowa, following the Mississippi river as close as the highways allowed us and checked out several wetlands along the way. We were hoping to see waterfowl that might have stopped over to rest and feed during their southerly migration. Although we did see a few, we were a bit early and not too many birds had made it this far south yet, and the majority of those were hanging out in inaccessible regions deep within the refuges. But never-the-less we had an enjoyable trip and were pleasantly surprised at the upper end of our trip when we lucked into a large concentrations of birds, which although they weren't the ducks we had been hoping to see, were just as interesting and were delighted to unexpectedly come upon them. [...] We also came upon blue herons along our route although many of them have already headed south. The ones we saw that day may have not been local to that area and might have been only stopovers from farther north."
Bringing Wolves Back: Snatching Victory From the Jaws of Defeat—by Dan Chu: "In the mid-1990s, I was the head of a statewide Wyoming conservation organization when wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park. In Yellowstone, wolves quickly reestablished a natural order to the park, culling out weak deer and elk, and out-competing coyotes. Areas that were once overgrazed by elk and deer recovered and birds, beaver, and other wildlife are bouncing back. The return of the wolf has pumped new tourism dollars into local communities around Yellowstone as people from all over the world come to see and hear wolves in the wild. Unfortunately, the hatred for wolves from a small, yet politically powerful group of western state leaders in Wyoming prompted efforts to establish a state funded wolf bounty, and eventually categorized wolves as essentially 'vermin.' Such state 'predator' status means wolves are regarded as pests outside of Yellowstone. No longer protected as an endangered species outside of park boundaries, hundreds have been trapped and shot, ensuring that they will not recover as a viable species in most of the West. Last June, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed no longer protecting gray wolves as an endangered species in the vast majority of the country, threatening any chance of wolves returning to much of their former range. Putting the fate of wolves back into the hands of the western state politicians will not keep them on the road to recovery, but send them down a path to destruction."
2013 Backyard Science Yardbird Race Tally # 10—by bwren: "Welcome to the 2013 Daily Kos Backyard Science Yardbird Race! This is the 10th tally for 2013 and is the official place to post your sightings, ask for help, and crow some if 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. Remember, anytime is a good time to join in, even if you're just a beginning birder."
The Daily Bucket: one rock blooming—by
OceanDiver: "Drifting across Barlow Bay earlier this week birdwatching - Kingfisher and Heron were in the trees along the shore - my kayak eased up against one of the big rocks by the steep hillside. Over the ages, several boulders have fallen from the headland forming little islands. Getting a close look at this rock I discovered that it was blooming with life, quite colorful and variously textured. As I circumnavigated the rock, I also discovered that this life varied depending on the aspect, steepness and proximity to the shore, forming different microhabitats."
An Elk Hunt Gone Wrong—by ban nock: "It’s not as easy as it might sound, to shoot an elk in a herd at 80 yards. You can only shoot one, no pass through and hit another, no ricochet and hit another. You can’t just shoot the elk, or even just kill the elk, you have to shoot it such that the meat is saved, and so the very large animal dies as quickly as possible. Some might look for the largest bull. Ben looked for the very easiest to shoot and legal bull he saw. You might get only a few seconds in which to make a good shot. The herd that ran away from right in front of you is only good for stories. He shot one and it dropped to the ground."
Water
New Texas Prop 6 water fund offers some risks—but also huge opportunities—by Fake Irishman: "Imagine that it's January 2015 and new Governor Wendy Davis announces her first major budget initiative with a speech in drought-ravaged central Texas [...] We'd probably be pretty happy with that speech, right? I know I would. Well, the contents of that speech are essentially what Proposition 6 did. It takes $2 billion from the rainy day fund and uses it to create a revolving loan fund—essentially an infrastructure bank -- for water projects called the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT). The general principle is somewhat similar to existing federal funds. At least $400 million of SWIFT goes to conservation programs and an additional $200 million is reserved specifically for rural and agricultural conservation projects."
Delta fish populations plunge in summer 2013—by Dan Bacher: "The state and federal governments appear to be in a mad rush to drive Delta smelt, winter Chinook salmon and other struggling fish species over the abyss of extinction, according to data recently released by the fishery agencies and reports compiled by the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA)."
Folsom Lake and American River threatened by twin tunnels plan—by Dan Bacher: "Monday, November 4 was a big day for opponents of Governor Jerry Brown's Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) to build the peripheral tunnels. Placer County officials held a press conference on the bed of Folsom Lake criticizing the unpopular plan at the same time that nine elected leaders, a top economist, and water experts told "The Real Delta Story" at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, addressing the impacts of the proposed water export tunnels on the region. Also on the same day, Nimbus Fish Hatchery officials opened the fish ladder so the first batch of fall run Chinook salmon on the American River could enter the facility to be spawned."
Eco-Activism & Eco-Justice
Framing Climate Change Action Now—by SusanCStrong: "There is evidence that a number of American citizens know we have a climate change problem. But many of them experience it as something we can’t fix technically, socially or politically. So they ignore it to keep going day by day. Among the already convinced, that’s where the issue is stuck. But we also have fellow citizens who haven’t heard or thought much about the issue, and of course, we’ve got the fossil fuel gang still funding denial. Recent research shows that the public is primarily focused on jobs, the economy, and D.C. gridlock instead.(1) So, to make any headway on this issue, we will have to get a lot smarter about framing climate change problems and their solutions. For too long climate change activists and professionals have been talking to each other and to the sympathetic. It’s time to get serious about framing the issue in a way that reaches mainstream America."
Plant for the Planet - Growing But Let's Add Fertilizer—by
John Crapper: "Since then Plant-for-the-Planet has grown into a worldwide movement. By the start of 2011 there were children participating in more than 93 countries. It has trained over 19,000 children from all over the word and that number is increasing rapidly. The United States has been a late comer to this children's movement but that is about to change. The ripples Michael Foster started are beginning to feel like waves! He's looking for others to assume the role he's taken on in Seattle. The program has all the elements to be successful and spread quickly."
ACTION: Tell the EPA to Use the Clean Air Act to Regulate CO2 and Save Our Future—by Panacea Paola: "The EPA wants to hear from the public about regulating CO2 from coal plants under the Clean Air Act. Comment sessions have been set up in 11 cities nationwide. If you are interested in attending a session, registration is recommended, as high turnout is anticipated (good!). For those unable to attend any of these sessions, as in my own case, comments can be sent to carbonpollutioninput@epa.gov."
Transportation & Infrastructure
Sunday Train: The Cross-Rail Chicago Project and Midwest HSR—by
BruceMcF: "The Midwest HSR Association has long been a Chicago-Centric organization, which is fitting because for many of the urban areas in the nine states that are members of the "Midwest Regional Rail Initiative" intercity rail planning organization, Chicago is included among their top three to five intercity travel destinations. With the Cross-Rail Chicago proposal, the Midwest HSR Association is proposing to start building from the inside out, providing a set of profits in the Chicago Area that will then provide the through-Chicago system for intercity rail avoiding the difficult "last mile" problem that the California HSR has to tackle in getting into downtown San Francisco and to Los Angeles Union Station. The proposed project proceeds in phases, with each phase addressing a Chicago regional transport need, even as the total project provides the infrastructure that 110mph and 125mph Rapid Passenger Intercity Rail and 220mph "bullet train" HSR can use to connect to Chicago Union Station and O'Hare International Airport. [...] The vision of the Midwest HSR Association extends beyond the system of 110mph Rapid Passenger Rail corridors envisioned in the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative to include 220mph bullet train HSR corridors."
Eco-Philosophy & Essays
Neo-liberalism, climate change and militarization: The Perfect Storm—by BobboSphere: "We can see the direct effects of neo-liberalism in the collapsing factories and deadly fires in the Bangladeshi garment industry. We can see them in the privatization of public education in the USA and the proliferation of corporate dominated charter schools.We can see them in the melting polar ice caps as well as the number and intensity of extreme weather events. We saw them in the Iraq war; a war for control of oil resources. Neo-liberalism seeks to reduce everything to a market commodity. Its direct attacks on working class organizations like unions; its privatization of the public sphere; and its dismantling of public welfare have dramatically increased the global gap between rich and poor."
Daily Bucket--Fractured Parable; The Ungrateful Killdeer—by 6412093: "Whenever hawks fly over the open pasture land, the blackbird sentries sound the alarm, and dozens of blackbirds immediately take to the air. They will harass the much larger hawks, squawking, diving in and pecking, and even riding on its back. Usually the hawks will abandon the air space over the pasture, and speed away to shelter in the distant oaks. Not only did the blackbirds frequently drive off the hawks, the blackbirds’ noisy attacks also warned the other birds and ducks that predators were overhead. But some of the birds in the pastureland objected to the blackbirds, and all the birds in the pasturelands and nearby ponds came to a big meeting to discuss it."
Miscellany
MSNBC "Leans Forward" Into Running "Native Ads" Promoting Fracking—by Steve Horn: "Looking to beef up its web presence, MSNBC has brought 'Lean Forward' online with a new and improved website, calling it a ]Platform for the Lean Forward, progressive community.' A key part of funding that platform: running “native advertisements” for America’s Natural Gas Alliance and General Electric. 'General Electric and America’s Natural Gas Alliance are the site’s launch partners,' explained an October 30 MediaPost article. 'GE, the first native ad partner for msnbc.com, will collaborate with MSNBC to deliver a content series that highlights how the "Industrial Internet" and "Brilliant Machines Innovation" are reshaping our world. America’s Natural Gas Alliance will be featured in sponsored polls in the "Speak Out" section of the site centered on natural gas facts.'"
NYT Editorial Board Praises TPP for Environmental and Labor Protections...Which Don't Exist—by Liberty Equality Fraternity and Trees: "The Sierra Club has been particularly critical of the TPP because of its undermining of domestic environmental regulations. Big polluters have used the investor-state process to weaken or void democratically passed legislation. Corporations such as Exxon Mobil and Dow Chemical have launched more than 450 cases against 89 governments, with 70% of the money paid out going to oil, gas, and mining industries. The Sierra Club has also pointed out how the TPP would increase the use of fracking."