Barred owl mantles a rabbit. See OceanDiver's post here.
Many environmentally related posts appearing at Daily Kos each week don't attract the attention they deserve. To help get more eyeballs, Spotlight on Green News & Views (previously known as the Green Diary Rescue) normally appears twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. This week,because of the election, there was no Wednesday Spotlight. The most recent Saturday Spotlight can be seen here. More than 20,000!!! environmentally oriented diaries have been rescued for inclusion in this weekly collection since 2006. Inclusion of a diary in the Spotlight does not necessarily indicate my agreement with or endorsement of it.
IPCC's Most Important Finding: We Need a Total Emissions Phase-Out—by
Kelly Rigg: "As a concerned citizen, let's say I decide I want to play my part and reduce my CO2 emissions by 10 percent this year. Or 40 percent by 2020. Or whatever (because really, as a resident of a wealthy Western country, how much is my fair share of reductions?). How do I figure out what that actually means in practice? What are my total emissions? What percentage emissions reductions could I achieve by giving up meat once a week, or by becoming a vegetarian altogether? Or by replacing my old refrigerator with a new, more energy-efficient model? Or by driving an electric car? To be sure, there are online emissions calculators which could help me figure those things out. But I suspect only a hard-core few, relatively speaking, would go to the trouble. If I know that ultimately I will need to phase out my CO2 emissions entirely, however, and that 'ultimately' means sooner rather than later, my outlook changes entirely. I don't need an emissions calculator to figure out what I need to do. This holds true not only for individuals, but even more importantly for corporations, investors, utilities, governments and others whose actions will literally determine the fate of our children, grandchildren and future generations."
Richmond, CA, my town, again shows America how it's done!—by
whataboutthosesheep: "A strong get-out-the-vote effort by the Richmond Progressive Alliance costing less than $200k defeated Chevron's $3 million campaign to put its handpicked candidates in office. That's $72 per voter, about a tank-and-a-half of gas. Obscene amount of dough but a lot's at stake for Chevron. They are in a fight with the city after the 2012 refinery fire that sent more than a thousand to the hospital. To the good people who labor at the Chevron refinery in Richmond, we are honored to have you work in our happy, unified little city. Just keep it safe please."
G20: Action on Climate Change is #OnMyAgenda—by
boatsie: "As the 2014 G20 Leaders' Summit agenda fails to prioritize global climate change as significant enough to rank stand-alone status at its annual mid-November meeting, organizers such as the World Wildlife Fund, 350.org, Greenpeace, Oxfam, and 1 Million Women are collaborating on a campaign to synthesize messaging around the urgency of action prior to the official UNFCCC Paris 2015 Climate Talks. Their hope is to create "the perfect social media storm," one which creates one voice, one message: Action on Climate Change is #onmyagenda. The OnMyAgenda page provides expertly designed scaffolding to enable participation in this campaign. Visitors are motivated to participate via various actions from a single page which launches their efforts while explaining the impact of each action they suggest. Initially, for example, organizers stress the importance of sharing the #OnMyAgenda campaign message with friends, neighbors, and co-workers: A recommendation from a friend is far more trusted than an ad, or even a story in the media. This conversation on climate change does not need to be limited to the world leaders at the G20. Simply sharing this campaign with your friends will have a significant impact and help to drive action."
Southern Illinois asks legislative committee to reject weak fracking rules—by
willinois: "Yesterday Illinois was facing an environmental and economic crisis from fracking that was greenwashed by a Democratic Governor who told us regulation can make it safe. Voters were asked to choose between two pro-fracking candidates for Governor. Bruce Rauner won after many downstate voters decided they didn't like either choice and stayed home. Illinois is now faced with an environmental crisis to be overseen by a Republican Governor who's unlikely to strictly enforce regulation. There's no more greenwashing fracking in Illinois. No politician can credibly claim they're protecting the environment with the weak law passed by the legislature. It's the state's top environmental threat. The next politicians who may claim they can make fracking safe are legislators on JCAR. After delaying action until after election day, they're expected to vote on fracking rules Thursday. They must reject the rules to prevent poorly regulated fracking from moving forward under Bruce Rauner. Even strong rules would be meaningless if overseen by state regulatory agencies captured by industry."
Bush Family, Inner Circle at Center of Lawsuits vs. Denton, TX Fracking Ban—by
Steve Horn: "On November 4, Denton, Texas, became the first city in the state to ban the process of hydraulic fracturing ('fracking') when 59 percent of voters cast ballots in favor of the initiative. It did so in the heart of the Barnett Shale basin, where George Mitchell—the 'father of fracking'—drilled the first sample wells for his company Mitchell Energy. As promised by the oil and gas industry and by Texas Railroad Commission commissioner David Porter, the vote was met with immediate legal backlash. Both theTexas General Land Office and the Texas Oil and Gas Association (TXOGA) filed lawsuits in Texas courts within roughly 12 hours of the vote taking place, the latest actions in the aggressive months-long campaign by the industry and theTexas state government to fend off the ban. The Land Office and TXOGA lawsuits, besides making similar legal arguments about state law preempting local law under the Texas Constitution, share something else in common: ties to former President George W. Bush and the Bush family at large."
You can find more rescued green diaries below the orange garden layout.
Critters & the Great Outdoors
I cry for the puffins, marine life & fishermen devastated by extreme north Atlantic warming—by FishOutofWater: "North Atlantic waters, which have been stunningly warm this summer and fall, were 2.75°F above normal on the first of November. The waters off the coast of New England and Canada's maritime provinces are among the most rapidly warming waters on earth. This extreme warmth is causing the very productive cold water ecosystem of the Gulf of Maine to collapse. Every New England fisherman knows what's in their nets. And they know that they aren't catching cold water species like herring and cod that they used to catch. They know that they are not bringing in northern shrimp because northern shrimp require cold water to breed. They know that the waters are warming. Scientists at the University of Maine, Johns Hopkins University and Woods Hole all have strong evidence of warming waters. The U.S. Navy has the most powerful evidence of all of what's causing the waters to warm. I am gobsmacked by the stunningly disingenuous debate performance of Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Baker. If Mr. Baker had actually talked to fishermen, if he had talked to university scientists, if he had read local newspapers, he would know damn well that rapidly warming waters were devastating New England fisheries."
The Daily Bucket - Real Backyard Science, Starting Tomorrow—by enhydra lutris: "This session of Project Feeder Watch starts tomorrow. If you aren't already a participant, you can still sign up and get started with online reporting by going to feederwatch.org. Locally (Castro Valley, CA) it has been cool and crisp in the morning of late, down in the fifties. These temps frequently result in a tiny bit of condensation on appropriately oriente metal surfaces which are no doubt getting colder than dew point an some time in the early morning. My redbuds continue to shed leaves, steadily and daily, but my apple and apricot not so much. The pineapple sage is blooming like crazy (it does so most of the year, it seems), and I have white crowns and golden crowns as well as a new mystery bird."
The Daily Bucket - It's On—by enhydra lutris: "Feeder Watch has begun and, of course, nothing much has changed, except: There is an incentive to pay extra attention to what is going on outside; There is an incentive to make sure that the feeders are kept full; and, There is an incentive to make sure that the fountain-bird-bath is sufficiently full and running smoothly. As a result, by the time I had finished my shower on a lazy, slept in, morning, I had already seen a chickadee, a titmouse, multiple american and lesser goldfinches, never aggregating more than 2 of each at a time, a California Towhee, and many housefinches, with the maximum aggregation standing at 6 so far. The latter (HOFI) are also indulging in disputatious behavior on occasion."
Dawn Chorus: Worth the trip—by lineatus: "A great friend is moving away. We've had a few adventures together over the years, shared some rough times but many more good times. I'll be sad to have so many miles between us, but happy for the reason behind his move. Before he starts packing in earnest, there was time for one more birding trip. And what a trip it was. We went to Santa Ana Valley, just south of Hollister. It's not a particularly large area, but it supports a crazy number of wintering raptors, several of which are great rarities in his home-to-be. [...] After an initial trip down Santa Ana Valley Road, we headed for Pinnacles with hopes for condor glimpses (no luck) and other treats along the way. We had our first treat soon: A prairie falcon perched on a power pole near the road. [...] I noticed motion in the field and realized it was a bobcat. The color was unusual—very grey and not very spotty—and at first I thought it might have been a fox. The cat hunkered down in the stubble close enough for photos. When it glanced our way, I was surprised to see that it was blind in one eye. Even so, it appeared to be doing okay."
The Daily Bucket - mantling owl—by
OceanDiver: "
Autumn 2014. Pacific Northwest: Returning to the car from a walk in the woods, we saw unexpected movement by the side of the road. Zooming in with my camera, I saw it was a Barred Owl, just standing there. It's really cool to see an owl that close, but it's strange behavior and possibly a sign of trouble. For one thing it was daytime (about 4 pm), and for another, it was holding its wings awkwardly. What to do if it was hurt, like hit by a car? The nearest wildlife rehab place is on another island and would be unreachable til the next day. I backed away and returned to the car. As we drove slowly past it on our way, we saw the reason for this strange behavior: it had a large rabbit beneath it. The owl was 'mantling,' spreading wings over its food to protect it from theft.
My rabbit...don't even think about it."
Daily Bucket: Wild Florida--Barracuda—by Lenny Flank: "Perhaps no fish has had a worse reputation—or deserved it less—than the Barracuda. With its large size, long torpedo shape, big eyes, and large mouth and protruding jaws full of conical teeth, the Barracuda may look sinister and dangerous, but in reality it poses little threat to humans. The Barracudas make up the family Sphyraenaidae. There are 27 species found around the world, including the European Barracuda (Sphyraena sphyraena), the California Barracuda (S. argentea), the Sawtooth Barracuda (S. putnamiae), the Yellowtail Barracuda (S. flavicauda), the Pickhandle Barracuda (S. jello), and the Bigeye Barracuda (S. forsteri). The Barracudas all have long tapering streamlined bodies, large eyes, and protruding lower jaws. Species range in length from 3 or 4 feet to as large as 7 feet. They are all fish-eaters, who ambush their prey with a burst of speed up to 35 mph, seizing it in their needle-sharp teeth."
The Daily Bucket: Birdies at the Lake—by Lenny Flank: "The always-photogenic Anhinga."
Three From The World of Nature—by
xaxnar: "I thought I'd take a break from stories of Doom & Gloom for a moment, and write up three recent news stories that are good news. First up, New Scientist reports rebounding sea otter populations are having a big effect on areas where they have returned. Their favourite food is sea urchinssome of which may be a century old—and the result of their feasting is striking. Around the rocky islet, the ocean surface has been transformed, with bulbous kelp bobbing in the water where there was none a few months ago. With the remaining kelp-grazing sea urchins hiding in rock crevices to avoid otters, the ecosystem reaches a tipping point and the kelp forests return. 'The urchins become lazy, scaredy-pants drift feeders and eat dead kelp as it passes them by,' Rechsteiner says. 'They no longer graze on kelp in the open or get out to mow down the kelp forest because if they're out in the open, an otter eats them.' The return of kelp forests greatly improves habitat for fish and other marine organisms—plus kelp growth helps tie up CO2."
Sharp declines in European bird populations revealed in new study—by
Walter Einenkel: "University of Exeter, the Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme (PECBMS), and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) are reporting steep declines in European bird populations over the last 30 years:
The study, published today [Nov. 2] in the journal Ecology Letters, reveals a decrease of 421 million individual birds over 30 years. Around 90 percent of these losses were from the 36 most common and widespread species, including house sparrows, skylarks, grey partridges (pictured above) and starlings, highlighting the need for greater efforts to halt the continent-wide declines of our most familiar countryside birds. While this news is very distressing there are also positives:
The majority of the declines can be attributed to considerable losses from relatively few common birds, but not all common species are declining. [...] Conservationists are usually fighting for rarer species. In doing so, the legal protections are, more often than not, only helping the less common bird. This study shows that there is a clear need to figure out ways to extend environmental protections."
A Hunting Ban?—by higgsbozo: "I would be a terrible politician. Put me in a room with someone I mostly agree with and I will quickly find where we disagree and argue about that. So this is probably a terrible idea I have, but here it is: hunting is not a constitutionally protected right. We should make hunting illegal absent gun control legislation."
Rescue Me - Northern Lights Wildlife Society - Golden, BC V0E 1H1, Canada—by Pam LaPier: "The Northern Lights Wildlife Society is dedicated to give injured and/or orphaned wildlife a second chance at survival. The Founders of the society, Angelika and Peter Langen immigrated to Canada in 1982. Both trained animal keepers, they had previously worked in zoos in Germany. After living in Smithers for several years, they became aware of the fact that there was no place for injured and/or orphaned wildlife to go to and that such animals ended up being killed. With great enthusiasm they approached the local wildlife branch only to find out that rehabilitation programs were met with great uneasiness by the government. After years of discussions and formulating permits, their dream finally became true in 1989. At first the shelter was used very reluctantly by the authorities. But as first success became apparent and as the public became aware of the shelter's existence, the demands on the shelter grew rapidly. With the Langen’s covering most of the costs and almost all of the work involved, the shelter soon reached dimensions that required a new approach in order to secure adequate housing and care for the animals in need. [...] In addition NLWS has begun communications with the government to address rehabilitation of large carnivore mammals. As a result of these talks, BC is now world leading by offering the first Grizzly Rehabilitation project."
Climate Chaos
IPCC Synthesis: It's Getting Hotter, We have to ACT NOW!—by boatsie: "Earlier this morning, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its 5th Synthesis Report, calling for immediate action and large investments to shift from a fossil fuel driven world economy to one sustained by renewable energies. [...] To ensure the global temperature does not rise about 2 degrees, scientists suggest a shift in the global economy, calling for a $147 billion annual investment in low carbon renewable energies and a concurrent annual decrease of $30 billion in fossil fuel generation. [...] Seven years in the making - and including 31,000 pieces of research - the IPCC report finds there is a 66 percent chance to maintain global warming below 2 degrees by 2100 if atmospheric CO2 concentrations remain between between 430 and 480 parts per million (ppm)."
Sunday's climate report on hell and high water makes it clearer than ever that delay is denial—by Meteor Blades: "The consequence is that the delayers—those people with political clout who accept the scientific consensus about global warming but are too chickenshit to take action to reduce its impacts—have been aided in their procrastination by the IPCC's striving not to appear alarmist in the five assessments it has issued over the past 24 years. Grim as the latest 116-page report officially released in Copenhagen Sunday is, and strong as the warnings in it are, it still gives delayers room to hem and haw and whine about how moving too quickly will ruin the economy. Still pretending that the environment and economy are two separate entities. The report's bottom line? The carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide that the industrial age has poured into the atmosphere is now at its highest levels in at least 800,000 years, hundreds of millennia before modern humans emerged."
Déjà Vu and the UN's Latest Climate Report—by Liberty Equality Fraternity and Trees: "A new report comes out, highlighting the dire future impacts and current realities of climate change (which both get worse each time) and sounding a clarion call for action (which gets more urgent each time). With the new report, we'll hear UN officials, environmental groups, and liberal politicians sounding the alarm about the seriousness and severity of climate change and the need for action. Many will say, in whatever words that "the science is settled"--as it has been for a while. We'll see appeals to "enlightened self-interest" in the business community---as though self-interest is ever enlightened. And yet the politics remain the same. Because reports do not (and cannot) in and of themselves change political realities."
Warning: The most comprehensive scientific report on climate ever, while Republicans ignore and deny—by Laurence Lewis: "The scientists have spoken: Climate change is set to inflict 'severe, widespread, and irreversible impacts' on people and the natural world unless carbon emissions are cut sharply and rapidly, according to the most important assessment of global warming yet published. The stark report states that climate change has already increased the risk of severe heatwaves and other extreme weather and warns of worse to come, including food shortages and violent conflicts. But it also found that ways to avoid dangerous global warming are both available and affordable. 'We have the means to limit climate change,' said Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). 'The solutions are many and allow for continued economic and human development. All we need is the will to change.' The scientists have been speaking. And speaking. And speaking. And speaking. And the Republicans have been ignoring the scientists."
Coleman Cacophony Continues—by ClimateDenierRoundup: "John Coleman, whose claim to fame is that he helped start The Weather Channel, is still making the most of that accomplishment. He was recently on CNN's "Reliable Sources" to discuss his denial of climate science. For balance, the current CEO of The Weather Channel David Kenny was also there to talk about their recent reaffirmation of the scientific reality of climate change. This was undoubtedly a response to Coleman's common denier tactic of using their brand as credibility camouflage- associating himself with TWC to provide the credibility he lacks. Kenny said that TWC is 'grateful that he got us started 32 years ago. But he hasn't been with us in 31 years. So he's not really speaking for The Weather Channel in any way today.' Continuing to make it clear that The Weather Channel isn't pleased with Coleman, Kenny said, 'I think we can all be proud of our résumés, but I would prefer people use the credentials they have today, not the credentials of three decades ago.'"
Tax Carbon, as Milton Friedman Would—by steventodd: "What would ultra-conservative nobel prize winner Milton Friedman do about climate change? He would do what many, and the growing number across the political spectrum, would do: Tax Carbon. Friedman’s rational is as important to the public debate on this issue as was his advocating an end of the US-led Drug War many decades ago. His logic - and ally base - again very similar on this issue, are in perfect keeping with the farthest Right political philosophy and economic theory. And on both issues, farthest Right find common ground with, or at least do not inherently conflict with desired result of the farthest Left."
IPCC Release Roundup—by ClimateDenierRoundup: "The IPCC's release of the Synthesis Report this weekend concludes its Fifth Assessment of climate science. As you can see from mainstream media coverage, it finds that climate change is man-made, here already and that we must bring all fossil fuel emissions down to zero by the end of the century. In the denier sphere, the reaction is as dull as it is predictable. WUWT has a number of posts that can be used as a representative sample of denier responses. First there was the requisite disparaging of the mainstream media for reporting on the report, followed by a guest post from Bob Tisdale that's just a half-baked joke about the IPCC (literally half-baked, as it encouraged the readers to supply punchlines.) Then there came a press release from the industry front group"International Climate Science Coalition" that invokes the 'warming pause' and calls for the defunding of the IPCC, and a 'cartoon' from Josh that portrays the Synthesis Report as a ransom note."
2 °C doesn't sound so bad—by Simplify: "Americans don't get the metric system. When you're trying to point out to an American audience how dire the consequences of human-caused global warming are, please use terms that Americans understand viscerally. 3.6 °F is, roughly speaking, the international consensus for the likely amount of warming that is physically feasible for humanity to stay under and keep global civilization substantially intact. Much hotter than that, and we'll be beyond mere worldwide environmental disaster and into existential threat range. 3.6 °F is still a lot of warming. Think of a hot summer day, and then add 3.6 °F to it. Pretty damn hot! Picture of a cold winter night, and then make it 3.6 °F warmer. Changes things quite a bit, doesn't it? Maybe not in Minnesota, but you get the idea. 2 °C? Whoop dee doo. 3.6 °F? Damn!"
Dear Planet Earth: Thanks for the memories...—by FischFry: "I've lived a half-century now—I know that's a blink of an eye in geological terms, and even much less significant in comparison to cosmic chunks of time....but it's been an eventful period for me. When I started out here, there was all sorts of dread and fear, and mostly, we were scared that we'd kill off this planet in a fiery exchange of nuclear weapons. We—by 'we,' I mean humans—we didn't understand back then, the myriad other ways we were slowly choking the planet to death. Now, even only 50 years later, we know what we're doing to you—we can't really pretend that we don't—but there's a cult of sociopaths that is really only concerned with their comfort and is hell-bent against doing anything to stop this planetary death spiral. I'm sorry about that. I probably didn't do nearly as much as I could have, but then I'm just one man."
Collect Call from Cassandra—by oddmike: "And finally, and worst of all, two more years of doing nothing to address the changes we need in our economy and our technology to move away from the petroleum-based civilization we know is fouling our nest. The Republicans will continue to say the science isn't settled, as they point to the conclusions of the 3% of scientists who don't agree with the concensus of the other 97%. The models are wrong, they say. Yes, the models are wrong! Benchmark after benchmark predicted by climate models have arrived years before they were predicted to be reached. All those grant-grubbing hoaxsters, thousands of them around the world, across dozens of fields in the realm of the earth sciences, have been wrong. We don't have another fifty years to work on the problem."
Energy & Conservation
Debating doing an Ask Me Anything about the Oilsands—by FrozenNorth: "Reason I want to do this is because, frankly, I'm tired of watching and reading and listening to people bloviate about this when they know nothing about how anything up here works. I will also not be an apologist for what is done up here. I will lay out the facts as best I can. If you're gonna bitch and complain ... At least have your damn facts right, is my opinion. Swear to FSM I see one more asshat call it the 'Tar Sands' with a snide tone of voice, I will beat them with a shovel until I can see the sunrise out the other side of their head, and the sun don't rise till late here right now."
Why I Write Diaries Regarding the Fukushima Disaster—by MarineChemist: "The reason I started summarizing the peer reviewed scientific literature with respect to the Fukushima disaster was in response to questions from friends and family about the likely impacts on the North Pacific Ocean ecosystem and residents of the North American west coast. My writing was also a response to the volume of stories that either misrepresented or misunderstood scientific inquiry into the impacts of the disaster on our environment. I post the following youtube movie, recently brought to my attention through a rather nasty email, as an example of what happens when individuals rely on websites like Energy News as their primary source for information about the Fukushima disaster and the need for the general improvement of scientific literacy in our society. The video below the fold is offered without further comment. My purpose in posting this is not to reply to personal attacks or threats within the recording but to point out what some fraction of the public believes about the disaster based on the misinformation they are being fed."
Breaking Big Oil's Grip—by Michael Brune: "Unfortunately, though, the real costs of oil aren't just keeping pace with our oil use—they're outstripping it. The oil industry's increasing reliance on risky, high-carbon, extreme sources like tar sands, fracking, and Arctic and deepwater drilling means that we're paying an ever-steeper price—not just in dollars, but in disasters. On top of that, it's clear by now that, unchecked, Big Oil will stay on this destructive course like an out-of-control automaton. If we let them, oil industry executives will keep drilling long past the point where the planet as we know it can recover. And let's stop right there, because we are not going to let that happen."
Renewables
Denmark wants to phase out coal by 2025–and they can do it—by Walter Einenkel: "Welcome to Denmark:
Denmark has already taken big steps to break reliance on high-polluting coal - wind turbines are set to generate more than half of all electricity by 2020 and 41 percent of people in Copenhagen cycle to work or school, higher than in Amsterdam. 'The cost (of phasing out coal) would not be significant,' Climate, Energy and Building Minister Helveg Petersen told Reuters of a proposal he made this week to bring forward a planned phase-out of all coal use to 2025 from 2030. This is really tremendous news. Denmark has been a global leader in creating and applying greener policies; and they need to since they have relied so heavily on coal for so long. But Denmark looks to be traveling the right path."
Fracking
Federal Reserve Policy Keeps Fracking Bubble Afloat and That May Change Soon—by Steve Horn: "'The Federal Reserve will employ all available tools to promote the resumption of sustainable economic growth and to preserve price stability,' the Fed stated in a press release announcing the maneuver. 'In particular, the [Federal Reserve] anticipates that weak economic conditions are likely to warrant exceptionally low levels of the federal funds rate for some time.' That free money, known by economics wonks as quantitative easing, helps drilling companies finance fracking an increasingly massive number of wells to keep production levels flat in shale fields nationwide. But even with the generous cash flow facilitated by the Fed, annual productivity of many shale gas and tight oil fields have either peaked or are in terminal decline. This was revealed in Post Carbon Institute‘s recently-published report titled, 'Drilling Deeper: A Reality Check on U.S. Government Forecasts for a Lasting Tight Oil & Shale Gas Boom.' Were it not for the Federal Reserve’s policy, the ever-accelerating drilling treadmill would likely slow down, making shale oil and gas production a far less lucrative endeavor for oil and gas companies and the financiers bankrolling it."
Voters approve fracking bans in San Benito and Mendocino Counties!—by Dan Bacher: "In election victories for the environment and public health, voters in San Benito County and Mendocino Counties approved ballot measures that will ban fracking and other extreme oil-extraction techniques. Measure J in San Benito County passed with 57% of the vote, while Measure S in Mendocino County passed with 67%. The victory in the San Benito was achieved despite a massive ad campaign funded by the oil industry, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. Anti-fracking measures also passed in Denton, Texas, and Athens, Ohio."
Denton, Texas Passes Fracking Ban—by FOYI: "In a state where oil and gas is king, voters in Denton, Texas, beat both big money and big oil passing a ban on hydraulic fracking by an astounding 59 to 41 percent margin. The campaign was, by far, the most expensive in the city’s history, with opponents of the ban far outraising and outspending the ban’s proponents. Pass the Ban raised nearly $75,000 through Oct. 25, but that was dwarfed by the amounts raised by Denton Taxpayers. Denton Taxpayers pulled in close to $700,000 through Oct. 25, the latest campaign finance reporting date. Chevron and Occidental Petroleum kicked in $95,000 even though neither operates any gas wells in Denton. EnerVest, XTO Energy and Devon Energy all made six-figure donations that totaled more than $540,000. Denton sits in the center of the 5,000 square mile Barnett Shale gas field and is already home to 272 gas wells with another 212 in the surrounding areas operated by 19 different companies."
Small Victories: Denton, Texas #NoFracking Passes—by LieparDestin: "Voters in the oil-rich North Texas city of Denton voted Tuesday to ban further permitting of hydraulic fracturing, upsetting a campaign backed by big oil and gas companies opposing the measure. The vote made Denton, which sits atop a large natural gas reserve, the first city in Texas to pass such a ban. Citizen action is how we will win the big fights, and this is a perfect example for Texans. We cannot rely on anyone flooding our inbox with donation requests, or D triple C's, or 3 dimensional chess players.... it is up to us."
Keystone XL & Other Fossil Fuel Transportation
GOP now has the votes to pass the Keystone XL Pipeline—by Pakalolo: "I am so weary of fighting these climate change enablers on so many issues. But, I carry on because of the children. I really do. I want my toddler nieces to have a full life, extinction sounds so very dire. A Republican Senate could pass a clean Keystone bill outright, or tether approval of the oil sands pipeline to a must-pass spending bill or broader energy package. The latter would make it harder for President Obama to veto the pipeline. Republicans wouldn't appear to have a veto-proof majority if Obama rejects the pipeline. But they are getting close to 67 votes, suggesting that if they can woo a few more Democrats to their side, such as Sens. Tom Carper (Del.), Chris Coons (Del.) or Bill Nelson (Fla.), they could get there."
The Keystone Pipeline Has a Filibuster-Proof Majority, But Does It Have a Veto-Proof One?—by Liberty Equality Fraternity and Trees: "Since taking back the Senate and expanding their majority in the House on Tuesday, Mitch McConnell and John Boehner have both established the approval of the Keystone XL pipeline as a central component of their agenda for the next Congress. Obama has refused to say whether or not he would veto the approval of the pipeline if Congress passed it, and his opposition to Congressional action in the past has been related to the usurpation of presidential power over the review process rather than support for the carbon intensity of tar sands or fossil fuel lock-in. But, assuming he did decide to veto it, could he? In the Senate, we would start with 54 supporters—the Republican caucus. Earlier this year, 11 Democratic senators sent a letter to Obama demanding that he approve the pipeline. [...] Assuming (as I did in my “54”) that Begich does not win (ballots are still being counted), then only 6 of those 11 are returning."
Agriculture, Food & Gardening
CA Dept of Food and Ag, Monsanto Exec Targeted at Protest—by Dan Bacher: "Environmental and anti-Monsanto activists—and citizens seriously concerned about the safety of their food sources—have targeted the CA Dept. of Agriculture's “Listening Forum” today, November 6, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel downtown (1209 L St.) to protest the cozy relationship between Monsanto and other industry polluters and government. [...] Those now representing the government in food safety have long histories with Monsanto and other corporations, who have been poisoning people, charge activists, who recently shut down part of the Nestle Bottling Plan in Sacramento and Monsanto's facilities in Davis."
Maui wins at polls but Monsanto & Dow file a lawsuit—by Karen from Maui: "The citizens of Maui county were able to pass the GMO Moratorium (which can be lifted with an environmental study) despite $7.9 million dollars spent to defeat it by Monsanto and Dow. Monsanto and Dow immediately announced they will be filing a lawsuit to prevent the GMO initiative from going into effect. This follows the pattern of the chemical companies in Hawai'i. Kaua'i county passed an ordinance creating a buffer zone between the chemical spraying and schools. Syngenta, Dow et al sued and got it overturned on the basis that the state's 'right to farm' law pre-empted the state from regulating pesticides. The judge ruled that that was the only reason to overturn the ordinance and that there were valid concerns."
'Made In China' now extends to your chicken dinner—by VL Baker: "While you have been gnashing your teeth about the mid-terms there is important news that you need to know which has been flying under the radar. On Wednesday, the Agriculture Department told stakeholders it had certified four poultry processing plants in the Shandong province of China to export fully cooked, frozen and refrigerated chicken to the United States.Only Canada and Chile are able to export raw chicken to U.S. due to their approval by the USDA’s Food and Safety Inspection Service (FSIS)."
Saturday Morning Garden Blog Vol. 10.37: Why a Garden?—by
kishik: "Now, as the season has ended in the northeast part of the country, of course I have visions of next year. Gardens involve a lot time which means a lot of sweat, achy muscles, wear and pain on my bad knees, lots of cursing for various reasons (ie, squirrels, weeds, mosquitos...) and lots and lots of hours spent NOT cleaning inside my home! So, why do I have a garden? Why fill up the space with stuff that constantly needs to be maintained ... and the majority winds up as being removed through the year with trimming and clipping and weeding and pulling out when its dead and gone. Isn't it easier to maintain unplanted space?"
Transportation & Infrastructure
With no new rail tunnel on the horizon under the Hudson, New York faces a looming transport crisis—by LeftistSkeptic: "From Yonah Freemark: New York’s dependence on its rail system is why Amtrak’s announcement last week that damage from 2012’s Hurricane Sandy would require the eventual renovation of the North River (Hudson River) tunnels, which connect New Jersey and New York, is such devastating news. The $700 million expected cost of the renovation, which includes improvements to tunnels under the East River, isn’t the problem, for once, as the price is expected to be covered by insurance. Rather, the problem is that Amtrak noted that the renovation of the North River tunnels would require shutting down one track at a time (there are two), reducing peak capacity from 24 trains an hour to just 6 (there are four tracks under the East River so there is far less of a concern there)."
Eco-Related Candidacies, DC & State Politics
Cory Gardner REVEALED: Behind the Smile, Radical Views—by ClimateBrad: "The only thing the media seems to be able to write about Cory Gardner, who's threatening Senator Mark Udall in Colorado, is how pretty his smile is.(Actually, the Denver Post just published a story about how Cory sometimes cries when he's sad—I'm not kidding.) But an online video that has been TOTALLY IGNORED BY THE MEDIA shows what the media has been missing—Cory Gardner is an uncompromising, angry ideologue. [...] Gardner was the keynote speaker at the Steamboat Institute Freedom Conference in June 2013, an event headlined by Dick and Liz Cheney. In his speech, Gardner denounced 'radical environmentalists,' 'social engineers,' and the "United States of Entitlement." He took credit for the idea of the House of Representatives suing President Obama. He even said 'we will win' because oil and gas executives will 'rise up' together in the 'shale revolution.'"
Sapping ALEC's Power: Group Loses Chair of Corporate Board With Latest Defection—by ClimateBrad: "The tech exodus from the American Legislative Exchange Council continues, with German software giant SAP ending its membership in the anti-climate lobbying group. The blow is especially harsh as ALEC's corporate board was chaired by SAP lobbyist Steve Seale. SAP's departure comes in the wake of Google, Microsoft, Facebook, and other tech companies leaving in quick succession this fall.
German business journal Manager Magazin reported the departure on Wednesday. "We have decided that we will leave the organization today," an SAP spokeswoman told the magazine. The spokeswoman told Manager that the company abandoned ALEC because of its 'merkwürdigen' (strange) positions—such as its support for Stand Your Ground laws, climate denial, and opposition to solar energy deployment. Germany's state-supported solar-power revolution (part of its 'Energiewende' transition) is in stark contrast to the United States, in no small part because of the work ALEC has done for decades to oppose renewable energy."
Jim Inhofe can be toppled from his new environment committee post if Democrats wise up on climate—by Meteor Blades: "As a consequence of Tuesday's election, the most aggressive climate change denier in the Senate, Republican James Inhofe of Oklahoma, will be replacing Barbara Boxer of California as chair of the Committee on Environment and Public Works. That's like having an arsonist at the head of the local fire brigade. Except that arsonists usually hide in the shadows. And that's one thing Inhofe doesn't do. If we were going to have a replacement for Boxer, who has shown excellent leadership on the committee and introduced climate legislation with Sen. Bernie Sanders, it should have been Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island. Starting in October 2011, when he gave this bullseye speech, he has been speaking every week on the floor of the Senate about climate change and what should be our response. Of course, most of those speeches are given to an empty chamber. Whitehouse also plans to introduce carbon pricing legislation in the near future. Obviously, that bill will go nowhere. It may not even get a hearing on the EPW committee. This cannot all be blamed on Republican know-nothings."
A fresh batch of global warming deniers will add themselves to the existing Senate cohort in January—by Meteor Blades: "First and foremost, there's Sen. Jim Inhofe, the "star" of this cabal, not a newcomer but rather the Senate's denier-in-chief based on the fact he's the only one who has gone so far as to write a book claiming global warming is not just a hoax but a plot. He's likely to replace Sen. Barbara Boxer as chair of the Committee on Environment and Public Works in two months. [...] It's always tempting to call deniers ignorant or know-nothings. And some no doubt are dumb on science. But for many of them, keeping their fossil-fuel industry buddies happy is the main reason for their stance on global warming. Some of those guys surely recognize the idiocy of denying climate science, but they do it anyway for the campaign cash, for the possibility of positions they'll be offered when they leave their elected jobs or because they are out to block anything environmentalists or the left proposes. Emissions controls? Commie meddling. Wind turbines? A blight on scenic views. The spread of solar rooftops? A financial affront to private utiilities."
Inhofe Takes Environment Chair—by ClimateDenierRoundup: "As a result of his re-election and the GOP takeover of the Senate, longtime denier Jim Inhofe (R-OK) will be the next chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. New Republic has a brief history of Inhofe's denial, starting back in 2003 with Inhofe's assertion that warming 'may have a beneficial effect,' to 2010 when he had a hand in trumping up the manufactured scandal of Climategate, to 2012 when he cited the Bible as evidence against climate change. And, of course, the article mentions his book, The Greatest Hoax: How the Global Warming Conspiracy Threatens Your Future. One thing it doesn't mention is the fact that Inhofe has received $1.7 million in campaign contributions from the oil and gas industry."
Watch Bill Maher slam incoming climate-denying senators—by egberto willies: "Bill Maher read from the Climate Change 2014 Synthesis Report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. [...] Bill Maher then went on to point out all the Senators that lost their elections or their position of leadership. As he did that he contrasted the climate stance of the incoming and outgoing senators. [...] After Bill Maher painstakingly contrast these climate denying incoming senators he could not help his exasperation as he spoke to Kristen Soltis. "You have to be ashamed these people are on your team,' Bill Maher said."
Colbert Mercilessly Mocks Republican Climate Change Deniers—by Desi: "The majority of Americans actually do recognize that climate change is occurring and is an issue, even in the red state of Florida, over 7 in 10 voters are concerned about climate. However, not all Republicans are willing to say that climate change is occurring, let alone an issue. Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe, even claims that facts generally accepted about global warming as true are a hoax."
Open thread for night owls: Climate hawk gives 14-term Fred Upton a run for his oil industry money—by Meteor Blades: "The race in Michigan's 6th congressional district between incumbent Republican Congressman Fred Upton and Democrat Paul Clements has become surprisingly close—with Clements trailing the chairman of the powerful House Committee on Energy and Commerce by just a few points. [...]
'It is now possible, if not likely, that this could be one of the biggest surprises coming out of the Midwestern congressional races' said Barry Rabe, an expert on the politics of climate change at the University of Michigan."
How Climate Hawks Vote lost, and won, in Michigan.—by RLMiller: "Climate Hawks Vote launched in June 2014 with the goal of electing candidates who grasp the magnitude of the climate crisis. The fall 2014 elections would be our first test of an explicitly political grassroots climate organization. Could we turn out voters on a shoestring through fieldwork alone? Short answer: yes, by a lot. MI06 poll 10-2014 CHVOur endorsed candidate Paul Clements released a poll 6 days before the election showing him down by only 4 points against Fred Upton, with Upton’s support falling 10 points in a month. Given Upton’s prominent position as the chair of the House Energy & Commerce Committee and the fact that we were the only climate/environmental group on the ground in Michigan's Sixth District, we put all the resources we could muster into the Benton Harbor area of Berrien County during those last few days. No spin—Clements lost. At the same time, we—and I’m pretty sure it was only Climate Hawks Vote— increased voter turnout among Democrats in six precincts by nearly 40%. Not a typo."
Global Warming Deniers in Congressional Driver's Seat—by stonehenge: "Following the midterm elections, Republicans remain firmly in control of the U.S. House of Representatives and now enjoy a majority in the U.S. Senate. Senator James Inhofe (R-Ok) is expected to become Chairman of the Environmental and Public Works Committee (EPW). The EPW controls the Environmental Protection Agency, which is charged with addressing climate change and what to do about it. Inhofe is probably the most idiotic global warming denier in Congress, who has called it a hoax. Given the evidence of global warming, we can only shake our heads at Inhofe’s likely chairmanship of this important committee."
CO-Sen: Watch Cory Gardner (R) Rant Against "Radical Environmentalists"—by poopdogcomedy: "The latest example comes in a previously obscure video, unearthed by Brad Johnson, of remarks Gardner delivered in August, 2013 at a conference sponsored by the Steamboat Institute in Steamboat Springs Colorado. In his kickoff address to the group’s annual conference, Gardner referred to people who question the runaway oil and gas boom In Colorado and elsewhere in the U.S. as 'radical environmentalists' and 'social engineers,' kicking off an energetic call to arms for the fossil fuel industry: We have to stand up to the radical environmentalists, the social engineers who believe that we must stop. And in Colorado we know that threat is real. We know they’re going to try to stop something that is creating jobs on the eastern plains and the western slope of this great state. We know they’re going to try to say no to the Marcellus, no to the Bakken. They’ve already tried to say no to the Keystone pipeline. But you know what? We know we’re going to win because of the power of our individual job creators. They are right, they are with us. And when the individuals realize what is at stake in this country, we will rise up, and we will win! The shale revolution is real!"
Eco-Justice & Eco-Activism
Dirty tactics for dirty fuels—by ClimateDenierRoundup: "The New York Times has broken a very revealing story, thanks to a leaked recording of a closed-door meeting of energy companies and PR men. According to Richard Berman, founder and CEO of Berman & Company consulting firm, energy company executives just need to give him lots of money, and he'll happily create front group charities and use them to make all sorts of nasty allegations against their political opponents. The exact quote: 'We run all of this stuff through nonprofit organizations that are insulated from having to disclose donors. There is total anonymity. People don’t know who supports us.' Which is important, because as Berman says 'you can either win ugly or lose pretty.' By concealing the donors, Berman can provide all the ugly attacks, while Big Oil reaps the rewards of what Berman calls the 'endless war.' Berman met with the energy companies to pitch his Big Green Radicals advertisement and PR campaign. The campaign is focused on smearing anti-fracking groups, and he's already started with ads in Pennsylvania and Colorado."
Local light: Chevron-targeted Progressives Sweep in Richmond CA—by emorej a Hong Kong: "Chevron spent big to [...] defeat the 'Team Richmond' candidates who are hostile to the oil giant's mammoth refinery here, but voters rejected Chevron's efforts. This is the best news of the election cycle, for underwater home-owners (whom Team Richmond seeks to defend from abusive foreclosures, as recognized here by New York Times), for their neighbors, their sympathizers and critics of banker fraud and other abuse of unsophisticated borrowers and other consumers and little people. It's even good news for the theory that 'all politics is local' can overcome the ability of big money to 'fool most of the people most of the time.'"
Chevron Get Butt Whipped in Richmond, California—by Bill Berkowitz: "Despite spending about $72 for each registered voter in the City of Richmond, California, and backing a slate of corporate friendly City Council candidates and a mayoral candidate, Chevron, the city's biggest employer, got its butt whipped by the Richmond Progressive Alliance's slate which won by a landslide. According to Grist magazine's Heather Smith, 'By the end of the night, it was clear that the RPA’s entire slate of candidates had won by a landslide—despite Chevron’s funneling at least $3 million into defeating them (about $72 for each registered voter in the city)."
Eco-Essays and Eco-Philosophy
Political realignment and the environmental movement—by danps: "Since I've been paying particular attention to fracking in my neck of the woods, I know how communities are having to accommodate a process that brings little benefit to most citizens. On an issue like, say, water supplies, blandly comparing the amount used to the total amount in a state or region is deceptive. The real impact is felt at the community level, and the relative dearth of political leadership on that creates a vacuum. In its absence, ad hoc coalitions have started to form ("It's as if bed and breakfasts, birdwatchers, bicyclists, beef producers, and Bambi killers united against big oil"), traditional environmental groups have come under increased scrutiny, and representatives who try to play both sides are being called out. With the oil and gas industry increasingly willing to do whatever it takes to win, politicians are less and less able to be on the fence. Either declare which side you are on or be presumed opposition."
"We choose to go to the moon."—by expatjourno: "People like Inhofe are idiots. Obama knows better and has more power. His failure to lead is conscious, his failure to lead is deliberate and his failure to lead is unforgivable. The bully pulpit is all Obama has left. Let's hope he finally decides to use it for something constructive in the last two years of his empty, cynical, contemptible presidency. Read, watch or listen to JFK's whole speech here. Watch Obama deliver a stemwinder here and tell me that his leadership on climate change over the past six years would have made no difference."
I Cry Tears of Sadness and Rage—by La Feminista: "I cry when I see tops of mountains torn off and dumped into the valleys for greater profit margins. I cry when I see black oil flood into the rivers and over the land. I cry when aquifers are ruined and polluted for short term energy and profit. I cry when whole areas are turned into lunar landscapes by greed. I cry when the consequences of destruction are denied. I rage when a victim is blamed. I rage when equality is denied. I cry when children scrabble around in the mud to feed our need for stuff. I cry when people die because health and safety is ignored to produce cheaper goods."
Oceans, Water & Drought
What’s Next in CA. Water Politics?—by Dan Bacher: "Prop. 1, Governor Jerry Brown's water bond, is behind us. What do we still need to do? The Delta Tunnels are looming before us: What’s coming in the fight by fishermen, Indian Tribes, environmentalists, family farmers and concerned Californians against the tunnel? Well, Restore the Delta (RTD), opponents of Gov. Brown’s rush to build Peripheral Tunnels that would drain the Delta and doom sustainable farms, and salmon and other Pacific fisheries, announced today they will hold a news teleconference on Wednesday, November 12, to address the looming fight over the BDCP tunnels."
The Daily Bucket - PNW Rain—by Milly Watt: "It's raining in the Pacific Northwest! I can just imagine many of you rolling your eyes and thinking 'Really? What a surprise!' [...] Actually, the 2014 water year (which ran from the beginning of October 2013 to the end of Sept 2014) was quite dry compared to the 30-year average precipitation in this area—the NE corner of the Olympic Peninsula. October 2014 has been quite wet, so we are catching up. [...] we ended the year way below the 30-year average for our area. But then the rains began! For the month of October (2014), we've had almost 3 inches. This is considerably more than we've measured since we started tracking precipitation here in 2011 (more than 2x the previous maximum value) and above the 30-year average for the end of October. [...] So, it has been relatively wet."
Tribal Leaders Urge NO Vote On Prop. 1, the Water Bond—by Dan Bacher: "Four California Indian Nations – the Yurok, Hoopa Valley, Winnemem Wintu and Concow Maidu Tribes – are urging people to vote NO on Proposition 1, Governor Jerry Brown’s water bond, on November 4. The Yurok Tribe, on its Facebook page election recommendations, urged its members to vote NO on Proposition 1. The Tribal Government said it is 'concerned that Proposition 1 may divert more Trinity River water, which harms the Klamath River.' The Yurok Nation is the largest tribe in California, with over 5500 members. The tribe has federally recognized subsistence, commercial and ceremonial fishing rights on the Klamath River, the largest producer of salmon in the state after the Sacramento River."
WSPA spent over $4 million on lobbying in Sacramento this summer—by Dan Bacher: "The oil industry spent millions in political campaigns in California this election cycle, led by the over $7.6 million that they used to defeat a measure calling for a fracking ban in Santa Barbara County. Catherine Reheis-Boyd, President of the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) and former Chair of the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative Blue Ribbon Task Force to create so-called 'marine protected areas' in Southern California, lauded the 'volunteers' of the No on Measure P campaign for their successful efforts in a tweet to her supporters: 'Congrats to the @NoOnMeasureP team & all the volunteers who helped make today reality! Glad Santa Barbara got it right on science & facts!' The oil industry also spent over $3 million in an unsuccessful effort to influence city council elections in Richmond California, as well as nearly $2 million in an unsuccessful effort to defeat a measuring banning fracking and other extreme oil extraction techniques in San Benito County."
Miscellany
Nicaragua's Proposed Interoceanic Canal: A Threat to the Environment and Indigenous Rights—by roberb7: "Article by Hazel Guardado at The World Post (HuffPo): Nicaragua's Proposed Interoceanic Canal: A Threat to the Environment and Indigenous Rights. Some excerpts: 'Because the route would pass through such a vast area of land, one of the main concerns is the displacement of indigenous peoples who have been living in those lands since before the Spanish conquest.' Danish NGO Forests of the World warns that 'the canal is to be built through the Rama and Kriol territory, fragmenting it into two parts.' No formal discussions have taken place with indigenous peoples, and there are concerns about 'inclusion, participation, and receiving their fair share if the canal were to traverse their territory.' Though indigenous groups have appealed to the Inter-American Commission Human rights, 'citing violations of Nicaraguan law and international labour standards,' it is unclear whether their complaints will result in concessions by the Nicaraguan government.'"