Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Check This Out!



Please check out this link for a larger version of the below infographic on green jobs. It is definitely worth a look at.






Tuesday, November 29, 2011

We Wanted Change We Could Believe In

Yesterday in New York saw a record breaking high temperature. 70 degrees. In late November. That is definitely the warmest November day I have ever personally experienced. While it is just one day, and cannot be definitively linked to climate change or global warming, one can't help but see some correlation. This month, on average, has been warmer than normal for New York City, with many days at or above 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Although it makes for pleasant days, it makes me eye the skies with suspicion.

We had a crazy, unheard of October Nor'easter at the end of that month. It wreaked havoc on the region and it decimated over 1,000 trees in Central Park. We had Hurricane Irene (it hit the city as a tropical storm) in early September, and we have had the third wettest year on record so far. The weather is definitely unstable and it is the direct result of climate change.

When many of us voted in the American elections of 2008, we wanted a leader who would make strides in curbing emissions and push for an increase in the development of cleaner alternative energy sources. That choice for us was Barack Obama. I was sure that we would see major changes in the way Americans treated the environment and that an actual energy policy would be developed which used the emerging clean energy technologies. He believed in the science, so it was seen as a sure thing. I have to say that I, like many others, have been disappointed at the overall picture President Obama has provided on his environmental policies.

While he has made progress in helping alternative energy companies get off the ground, he has done other things that aren't so good. He has proposed more oil drilling - before that huge oil spill last year - and has teased the idea of huge pipeline carrying tar sands from Canada down to Texas. He has blocked stronger ground ozone regulations, and has not really stepped up to the plate to defend the EPA from the onslaught of attacks it has received from the Republican Party. Treehugger.com has a link to a report that puts President Obama on the same level as former President George W. Bush when it comes to environmental issues.

Mr. President, we expect more from you. You are a knowledgeable individual and we expect your actions to match your words. Stop giving into the fossil fuel lobbyists and other anti-environment cronies and do the best thing for our nation and our environment. Listen to the scientists. There is a majority agreement there about what needs to be done to help mitigate and slow down climate change. Also, listen to the people who voted you into office. We have placed a hope in you to do better than the last administration, not to be the same. You can still be the change we believe in, but you actually need to start following through all the way on your campaign promises. The time for change is now, not after 2012.



Monday, November 28, 2011

Consider This

As the holiday shopping season has shifted into fast gear, I would like to offer some suggestions for gift giving this year. Many of us are already intent on getting eco-friendly items for ourselves, but I want to remind us all that we can give these types of items as gifts to our friends and family as well. Inhabitat.com is a great website that has several "green" gift guides available for the person you are shopping for. It offers suggestions for the more eco-friendly items that are also tasteful.

Sometimes, we want to encourage our family members or friends to be more environmentally friendly, but we don't know quite how other than to share our convictions on the environment. One way that you might be able to get them started in the right direction is to buy them gifts such as recycling bins or a good sturdy recycled and reusable tote bag. You'd be surprised how many people would like to recycle or use a recycled product but lack the motivation to get these items themselves. Giving this type gift is a loving way to get them started in the right direction.

I know many people like to buy a car for themselves or for the family during the holidays. Green.autoblog.com is an amazing resource that points shoppers and car enthusiasts alike to the alternative vehicles to the normal gas-guzzling behemoths of metal. It has very cool cars that are very good to the environment. Spend a little extra to get fuel savings in return and to do your part to reduce the carbon footprint of humankind.

One final suggestion. On the train ride up to our Thanksgiving destination last week, my partner over heard two men speaking about the EPA and how it needed to be done away with. This reminded me that we are well likely to encounter a conservative or misinformed person in our holiday festivities. Whether it is at an intimate family dinner or with friends or the company Christmas party, we may well encounter someone who thinks climate change and global warming are hoaxes and that environmental regulations kill jobs. Instead of just letting the comments slide by, arm yourself with the facts and gently point them out to whoever it is. Lies and misinformation can only prosper when they go unchallenged. By no means should we be combative or condescending, but don't pass up the opportunity to share the truth with people, especially when they are your own family and friends. I hope this Holiday season is a joyful one and that we can all remember the best qualities in human kind and what good we are capable of.


Saturday, November 26, 2011

What Are We, Bigfoot?

This image is available and developed at the Power Supersite. Make sure that you really take a look at the big numbers. It is a bit mind boggling that those numbers even exist. Then look at what info is provided to help us reduce our energy consumption and let's work together on making our footprint smaller.

Friday, November 25, 2011

It's Only Going to Get Weirder

This morning on msnbc.com there is a report on Scandinavia having a lack of snow and record warmth for this time of the year. Scandinavia is usually covered in snow by this time, and the animals have evolved for such changes by turning white so that they are camouflaged. The article points out that the animals have already changed their colors, but there is no snow to coincide with this annual event.

My friends in Malmö, Sweden (located in the very southern portion of the country, directly across the sea from Copenhagen, Denmark) have said that they don't usually see too much snow, but inland they get a lot of snow. Nonetheless, all parts of the Scandinavian region are seeing well-below averages for snow. The articles even points to the fact that late autumn temperatures for that region are 12.6 degrees F above average. That definitely holds the difference between snow and no snow.

This type of odd and abnormal weather is just more evidence of an unstable global climate. It also accentuates the fact that this is a global event. Scandinavia is a global leader in the push to completely move to clean, renewable energies and be environmentally conscious. However, since a great deal of other countries are nowhere near that level, or aren't even trying to make the change, they still feel the affects of global warming and an evermore unstable climate. This is a global problem and, therefore, requires the real effort of each nation. With the world's human population topping 7 billion now, even the smallest nation can have a real impact on increasing greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere.

The U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change is meeting in Durban, South Africa beginning next week. This two week conference needs to push and admonish all world nations to make the necessary changes. The evidence and facts telling us that we are at the crossroads of taking real action is piling up. With time running out before permanent and dangerous climate change takes hold, it is up to us as individuals and nations to develop much smaller carbon footprints. The time is now to make renewable energy technologies the cornerstone of energy production. The time is now to put tough emission standards in place worldwide and give regulators the power to discipline those companies and nations that refuse to follow the standards. I urge the U.N. Climate Change convention to do the right thing and stop waffling on these very tough issues. The choices will only get tougher and narrower if we do nothing now.



Thursday, November 24, 2011

Here's Something I Would Express Gratitude For

It appears that right wing Fox News TV host Bill O'Reilly is interested in converting to solar energy. Treehugger.com has the story with video of O'Reilly talking about his interest in having solar panels installed on his home. We still don't know if this is just some sort of weird ploy to denigrate the solar energy sector, as he claimed he couldn't find anyone who would install the panels. I mean, Fox News and its hosts don't have the best record when it comes to fairly and accurately portraying clean, alternative energy and climate change.

However, when many solar workers responded to his comment that he couldn't find anyone to install the panels, he went on-air again to say he was going forward with the project. If Mr. O'Reilly does this and finds that solar energy is effective and provides cost-savings, which he will, I would hope that he would commend the industry and become a "green" energy advocate on the nation's favorite "climate-change denier" television network. He might not. He could like it, but then bash it on air. (I have heard it from several people who have worked at Fox News that he has no problems with homosexuals off-air, but as soon as the camera is on, he starts heckling them). He might find any number of reasons to not like it.

I think though that Mr. O'Reilly will be very pleased with his decision to convert to solar power. I would be very grateful if he did, and I would be even more pleased and thankful if he went on record with such a conclusion. I think even the hardiest of green energy opponents can be shown the effectiveness and wisdom in using the different forms of that energy. I think once they see the productivity, areas of cost-savings, and other benefits of green energy, they will convert. It might be a long shot, but I think that most people would not choose something that is against their better interests.

Overall, we who want to see the global conversion to clean, sustainable energy should be thankful that someone from the "climate change denial" sector would even express interest in converting. It is a rare move, but it might set a precedent. It might not, but we can hope. In the meantime, we will do all we can to help others see the vast number of benefits in switching to "climate healthy" energies.



Tuesday, November 22, 2011

We Aren't Just the Problem, We Are The Solution

There is another great post over on treehugger.com. This one details ways that technology can help endangered species come back from the brink. With plant and animal species going extinct in record numbers, it is imperative that we do things to protect the biodiversity we have left. Technology has helped humans to bring plant and animals to extinction, now some are realizing it can be used to save species.

The people - whether scientist or not - who develop these ideas are paving the way for a more stable future. They are the ones we should be paying attention to. They see a crisis and they do something about it. We can't just wait for someone else to do these things and come up with these "far out" plans. We have to be the remedy.  Thank heavens these kind of people exist and we all must hope that they keep coming up with these great actionable ideas. We also need to follow in their footsteps.

Use the brain to come up with a storm of change. We may not be able to control every aspect of our destiny, but we can control what we do to affect it.

 The Javan Rhino: Extinct 2011



Monday, November 21, 2011

To Fish or Not to Fish

Treehugger.com reports that ICCAT (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna) has increased the protections on bluefin tuna and other large fish that have been subjected to overfishing in the last five decades. It is interesting that this ruling has come down, as I just watched the 2009 documentary The End of the Line. This film chronicles the massive overfishing that our world's oceans are facing and while many of us are aware that bluefin tuna are approaching endangered status, I don't think the majority of us are aware of what is going on to protect the fish and how those protections keep getting sidestepped.

Indeed, the film even points out the weakness of ICCAT in declaring the acceptable quota of bluefin tuna harvested each year. A group of scientists who know the ecosystem the tuna live in, and what is required to sustain them - including population numbers - recommend two numbers to ICCAT to use as their quota. One number is to sustainably fish and keep the fish around, the other number is much lower and allows the tuna population to rebound. In the documentary, ICCAT uses neither number but creates a quota that is double the number for simply keeping a sustainable fish population. Even worse, what is actually caught is more than two times the quota that ICCAT allowed.

I love fish as many others do. It is healthy and delicious. I understand that international government leaders (who make up ICCAT) are nervous about curtailing an industry that has an important link to a national economy. However, it behooves both us as consumers and government leaders who determine the quotas of fish to demand better. We all lose out if we bring a species we have used as a food source to extinction because of our gluttony. No one gets to eat the fish, the fisherman who fish the tuna are out of a job, and the world's oceans lose more diversity.

World governments need to enforce the quotas - which they should be able to do a better job of with their new protections added today. They also need to take a cue from the scientists, who know what they are talking about, and provide the necessary quota to at least keep the bluefin around in a way that we are still able to fish them sustainably. We as consumers must choose wisely when we dine out and consider the fish options. Many of the fish we see on the menu, such as Chilean sea bass and bluefin tuna, are actually on the verge of population collapse due to overfishing. If we abstain from eating these fish, no matter how delicious, the restaurants will get the picture and stop serving them. If demand goes down, just perhaps the fish may be given a new lease on life and existence. So before you bite into that savory piece of fish, just remember the battle that species is waging just to survive the human race.







Sunday, November 20, 2011

Remember to Work Toward Hope

Over on the Climate Access blog is a great post about how we need to think not just about sustainability but regeneration. The whole post is great and has a lot of good things to say. There is one thing that stands out to me, however:

 Ecological fatalism, unfortunately, is on the rise in North America. As a communicator, to me this means we need to emphasize the symbols of hope and possibility that are emerging in our culture. It also means moving beyond the idea that we need simply to lessen the harm of human activity (i.e. the public’s role in sustainability is to try to reduce their harm by purchasing the right products and then hope for the best) to the notion that human activity may actually have a regenerative role to play with ecosystems as well as in our communities.
This first paragraph draws attention to the fact that a lot of us who try to effect change speak of the horrors of global warming and environmental threats and forget to speak of the hope that lie within the actionable ideas of the human race. I am guilty of this. It is easy to see how bad things have gotten and that nothing is being done to really combat this and get in a rut.

I cannot forget - we cannot forget - however, that there are those who are making the changes. There are those who lead. There are those who, as the article points out, are not just working to sustainability, but actually helping to regenerate the hurt environment. Ideas and methods and solutions are being developed and brought to fruition. What we need to be doing is calling on our leaders to encourage these type of activities, just as they have encouraged what brought the human race to this era of "greatness". This is about knowing we can move forward as a species that recognize they are a part of the planet, a part of the environment. This is about recognizing we can be better stewards of what we are a part of.

We are in a terrible, crucial point when it comes to climate change and global warming, to be sure. We can however, emphasize the hope and the reality that we have the ideas and solutions to deal with the issues we have brought about with the environment. We are the cause, but we can be the cure. There is hope for the future, there is hope for the environment. Let us work toward a more prosperous clean, renewable, and sustainable future for ourselves and the environment.




Saturday, November 19, 2011

An Open Letter to My Elected Officials


Dear Representative Nadler and Senators Gillibrand and Schumer,

As I know that you have all been effective leaders and elected officials, I want to encourage at least one of you, if not all of you to take up the banner of climate change legislation. This nation lacks a clear energy policy that looks forward. I am positive that all of you have a clear idea that America needs an energy policy that puts its stock in clean, renewable resources and strives to significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions. So, instead of waiting for someone else in your great body to take up the task, I am asking that you come forward with your position to the floor and introduce a bill that does exactly this.

The fact of the matter is, we are at a very critical juncture in our ability to stop – or in the very least mitigate – human-caused global warming. Time and time again, the science has been proven, most recently by the Berkley Earth Surface Temperature project. Global warming and subsequent climate change is happening and it is due to human activities. For decades, scientists, politicians, and activists have been trying to get this country to lead the way in developing solutions to the problem. So far, however, we have only continued pumping and consuming massive amounts of fossil fuels, and only given little recognition to cleaner energy sources. While we have done this, many other nations have surpassed us in moving toward clean, renewable energy. America has been left behind.

I know it is not only America that is contributing to global warming. All of the world’s nations are. However, America continues to be a lead consumer of fossil fuel products and a lead emitter of greenhouse gases. Because we continue to not make strides in improving our emissions and energy solutions, many other countries think they don’t have to either. If they see us take the necessary steps (and yes, risks) toward clean energy and highly regulated emissions, it is very likely that they will then follow along the same course.

The time to act is now, not tomorrow. Not after the election cycle. Not when there is less to do on our plate. The International Energy Agency has determined than unless the nations significantly improve their emissions standards and take leaps away from the fossil fuel industry as an energy source within five years, we will face certain and dangerous climate change. So far this year, our nation has endured 14 “Billion-Dollar” natural disasters, all of which can be attributed to a changing and unstable climate. Imagine that number going up every year.

Not only is an energy policy that focuses on clean alternatives better for the environment, it is much better on our wallets. Our nation will go broke if we continue to experience these expensive natural disasters. Cities and towns that are threatened already by rising sea levels will continue to feel the economic and financial pinch to the breaking point. As such, the changing climate and economics will also change the landscape of this nation and how it is represented. Indeed, the whole world faces this issue. More and more, if we do nothing, if we just tempt fate and see if dangerous climate change will happen, the world faces dangerous political upheaval as well. Yes, taking action now will also save you and others the political turmoil which is guaranteed to happen due to a dangerously unstable climate.

I know that economics are a lot more complex than I can ever imagine. I know we must do this in a smart and prudent way. I, myself, am feeling the effects of an anemic economy. However, we cannot ignore the bigger picture which points to the fact that if we do nothing, or if we don’t do enough, the economy will only get a lot worse. It is in our national interest to do this. Please, devise a bill that develops a clear energy policy that is heavily reliant on clean energy alternatives and brings tougher regulation on emissions. Let the bill be forward thinking and provide a good transition from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy. Then introduce the bill and get it voted on. If it doesn’t pass the committee, those of us concerned with a clean energy policy can then use the power of the vote to get leaders in our legislature who will be for a well-defined clean energy policy. The same goes for a vote before the body of the different legislative houses. It is imperative for ourselves and our future generations that we fight for this to the very end.

I thank you for your service to the people of New York. I thank you for your service to the people of this great nation. I realize that you have other tasks and policies that you work on. However, I am asking you to see the seriousness of the situation and to see that the chance to do this is now. Be a leader in this cause and don’t give up when it gets hard. I look forward to seeing you all bringing an energy bill to the floor.

Your fellow citizen,
Richard Walton

Friday, November 18, 2011

Congressional Climate Briefing - The End of Climate Skepticism?

Congressional Climate Briefing - The End of Climate Skepticism?

This is a very interesting article and if you have not had the chance to read it on either treehugger.com or skepticalscience.com here is the link. The article details why we must put pressure on the House and the Senate to do something about lessening our contributions to climate change. We are making little to zero headway with the current majorities. It is nice to see that two representatives are at least drawing attention to the fact that we must do something, even if we don't believe in climate change. Let's ensure that this actually moves climate change initiatives forward by putting tough pressure on all our elected officials. Let's tell them that they will lose their job if they don't. If enough of us say that, for long enough, they'll cave. I promise you that. One thing an elected official wants more than anything is to get re-elected. Make them earn it.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Enjoy Them and Let Them Live

I just wanted to share this little video. All life is amazing, and we should pay special attention those forms of life that are endangered because of our activities. Remember the Polar bear is endangered and habitat loss is its greatest threat. We can save it from its ultimate demise if we make the necessary changes in our energy consumption. Let's learn from the bears and enjoy our surroundings, not shut ourselves off from them.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Blowhard

Last weekend's episode of energyNOW! was all about wind energy. It delved into some very good areas of the growing wind power industry. It also reminded me of one of the reasons I started this blog - my belief that wind energy needs to be spread across the nation.

Wind power  is a great clean energy technology that makes use of the winds that are abundant here on planet Earth. It uses a very old technology of capturing the wind with an arm with "sail-like" qualities. The wind turns the arm which then turns a generator to make electricity. With the combined effort of all the wind turbines that have been erected thus far, 430 Terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity have been produced. That's a lot of energy.

There are some flaws with the technology though. The most notable of those is that when the wind doesn't blow, electricity isn't being produced. Also, currently, when electricity is produced it must be used in real time. You can't store the electricity for later. The energyNOW! show talks about a new project which is trying to bring about storable wind electricity.

There are people who claim that there are additional flaws and try to prevent wind turbines from going up near their towns.  An article dealing with a proposed wind farm in Lake Michigan provides a good example of the silly arguments people raise in order to try and stop wind farms from being erected. The list includes noise, unsightly, flickered light at certain times of the day, and more dead birds.

Now, I've heard all these arguments before. The only one that is slightly considerable is the one about the birds. People claim that birds get chopped in half by the spinning blades. Yes, some do. However, more birds die from getting hit by cars or flying into windows or sitting on existing power lines than they do by flying into the spinning turbines. The argument that I had heard time and time again was that they were noisy. I've been around them and never heard them make a sound. This summer, I was visiting friends in Sweden and we took a trip over the Oresund Sound to Copenhagen and I got to stand under a newly erected wind turbine. It wasn't until I was directly under the spinning blades that I could actually hear anything. When I experienced that, I just shook my head in disbelief that people would buy that argument.

I would much rather look at the graceful, sleek windmills of today than the smokestacks and oil refineries of yesterday. I know different people have different aesthetics, but this is another one where I can't help but think that the argument was introduced by the fossil fuel propagandists. Whatever. There are facts. Here is a link to the facts about wind energy. It is time we all considered and recognized the facts. Please arm yourself with the facts. If you find someone opposing wind power, give them the facts. If you don't think wind energy is good, look at the facts. The facts are amazing and the facts are undeniable. It's amazing what facts can do when they are looked at.







Monday, November 14, 2011

Something Fun and Green

I came across this small report on New York City's news station NY1. Two apps have been developed which will help you find out how you can be more friendly to the environment and more "green" in your practices. Both apps were developed by students who participated in a competition called Apps for the Environment sponsored by the EPA. This is really cool to see, and it shows us that good things can be accomplished. This is something that people will be able to use and relate to. This will be especially useful to our up and coming generations. Thank you to the students who designed these phone apps so that we can all become more environmentally conscious!

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Take the Plunge

I know that in America the most important priority has been, and will be for a very long time, the economy and jobs. It is definitely a high priority to any nation, since an unemployed workforce drags down the whole economy, mass poverty sets in, and a whole slew of social problems begins to manifest itself. Yes, jobs are important. So far, in our current debate on the economy, the Republicans and denialists have done a good job divorcing better environmental stewardship from job creation and the economy.

They say that tight regulations and proposed further legislation are stifling job creation. Some even go so far as to say that current regulations are making companies lay off their workers. Remember that commercial the clean coal alliance put out. While the Democrats and those in the clean energy sector have said job growth in the alternative energy sector would boom, the Republicans have been able to gloat because job growth in that sector hasn't yet boomed. While there has been some jobs added, it hasn't been enough to make people stop and look.

We must ask ourselves why. Former President Bill Clinton was on the Daily Show and explained how if you translated the growth in the solar energy job market over in Germany to the U.S. it would provide an estimated 2.5 million jobs (visit treehugger.com for the full story). We get more sun, and we have a lot more unemployed people over here. Why aren't we making huge strides in the solar industry? I think we all know the answer. It might be more complicated than the following statement, but I think when you boil it down it does amount to this: the fossil fuel energy giants control the energy policy in this country and are not about to give any real growth room to their replacements.

They have got their hands around our elected officials, in our law books, and, worst of all, in our pocketbooks. How can we think of fighting that kind of power? Well, one sizable community has. Treehugger.com reports that Boulder, CO voted in this week's election to break free from their utility providers and start creating the kind of alternative energy sources they want to be supplied. They know that the utility company is not going to provide them with the kind of choices they want to the energy grid, so they took the plunge and broke free.

Yes, it will be a lot of work initially. Even my mind has a hard time wrapping around how they will handle this in a country that doesn't like to make things easy. How will they afford the supplies? Which alternative energies will they choose? Will all these things go into one mass grid, or will everything be separate and independent? These are all questions they have to answer and solve. But, Boulder is setting an example. They knew they couldn't wait any longer and so they took matters into their own hands.

This is an amazing thing. We should be in charge of our energy choices, and we should be allowed to have easy access to clean, renewable energy sources. Let us lend a hand and our minds to Boulder in their development of a new energy program, and let us learn from them and get this spread across the nation. The types of green jobs that are capable of being created far exceed the 2.5 million in the solar industry alone. We must create our destiny if we are to achieve it.




Friday, November 11, 2011

Right Before Our Eyes

This a video which shows the progression of land temperatures over the last two hundred years. This is all data which has been recorded and documented. The video doesn't look too shocking until the last twenty years. It is a very sharp contrast to the beginning of the video and it is a good visual to show how the Earth is indeed warming. Watch this video and use it to take action by lobbying your elected officials to create and pass a viable, climate-friendly energy policy.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Classic Corporate Twist

So it turns out that those who are actively opposed to hydrofracking have been coined by industry insiders as "insurgents". The story over on treehugger.com shows how companies skew reality and do not listen to those with valid concerns. Instead, they would rather liken us to Iraqi militants opposed to occupying rule.  A quote mentioned in the blog by the man who labelled anti-frackers as insurgents goes a step further in this corporate attack on consumer awareness.

 The comment was simply suggesting the industry embrace a broader move toward more active community engagement and increased transparency, as it's very important to build fact-based knowledge to maintain public trust amidst special interests that often use misinformation to create fear.
It really upsets me when these corporate managers treat us as if we are stupid. By referring to those opposed to hydrofracking as special interest groups using misinformation, they transfer the guilt from their own special interest which spreads half-truths and lies to get what they want. Sadly, there are many who do not see through this type of speech and buy into the corporate web of lies. A great majority of those believers I like to call congressmen and senators.

This is an outrage and I urge anyone reading this to see that corporate big wigs view those of us who are holding them accountable as the enemy. They think it is an actual battle and they cannot even see past their own lies. They would rather blame us for impeding their progress toward larger profits than take responsibility for the fact that they are harming the environment. Instead of finding a solution that makes everyone happy, they just want to call us names. Boycott their businesses and encourage your friends and neighbors to do the same. We should not be held captive by corporate greed any longer.

Oh, and to show you why we need to get energy companies and automaker's to make the jump away from fossil fuel, here is the latest report from the International Energy Agency (IEA). People, we've got to get from talk to action stat!





Tuesday, November 8, 2011

"Mama, What Happened to the Dodo?"

Of the many things concerning the environment that are close to my heart, biodiversity is at the top of the list. Biodiversity is what makes any ecosystem unique and it is what gives this Earth such an amazing plethora of life. Biodiversity, in a nutshell, is what helped bring us into existence. Biodiversity is everything.

It turns out, however, that biodiversity is fragile. It is easy to lose numerous types of animal and plant life if the parameters of an ecosystem are changed. Throughout Earth's history, mass extinctions have occurred which have significantly reduced biodiversity. Even now, the Earth's biological creatures are only a fraction of the diversity that existed in the far reaches of biological history.

Earth is in the midst of a sixth mass extinction level event.  This time it can be directly traced to human activity. While things like hunting rhinoceros' and elephants are what the general population tend to think of, this mass extinction extends beyond the large Safari mammals (by the way, the Javan Rhino in Vietnam has now become extinct). From bacteria to redwood trees to Blue whales and everything in between faces the extinction of its species.

While we lose these great forms of life (yes, even bacteria is a great form of life), we are also decreasing the surviving species' (including our own) ability to adapt to the coming climate changes. A detailed and sobering article on treehugger.com provides information that the higher biodiversity is, the greater the chance many species can survive a life-changing event. When biodiversity drops, so does life's ability to respond to strong alterations in the environment. We now face the greatest threat to life on Earth. A rapidly changing and unstable climate and low biodiversity.

We don't know what the outcome will be, as we as humans have yet to know what we are going to do about climate change. One thing is clear, though. We must not only work to change our activities with regard to emissions and energy standards, we must also work to protect the biodiversity we have left on this planet. Both plants and animals are threatened with habitat loss, poaching, and over harvesting. We must continue to safeguard what is left and enforce the Endangered and Threatened Species Acts. Globally, each nation and its citizens must stand up to those who willingly destroy the environment and the life within it for their own material gain. This is a global crisis and it has direct influence on how we deal with the other great global crisis of climate change. Write to your elected leader and tell them to leave the Endangered Species Act and the Threatened Species Act alone.








Sunday, November 6, 2011

Get Out Your Checkbook

The events of natural disasters this year has proven to be costly. Over on climatecentral.org, Andrew Freedman reports how expensive it has been to clean up from several natural disasters this year nationwide. All of these events can be linked to an unstable climate due to global warming. As global warming continues - and it will as long as emissions are not broad-scale curbed - these climate related disasters will only continue and get worse. There will be more of them and they could become costlier and costlier. Remember, these natural disasters not only take our money, they take human lives as well.

If you have been affected by a natural disaster this year, either through your pocketbook or otherwise, I urge you to send your elected officials a message that this cannot continue. Demand that they make the tough but necessary decisions to curb emissions and mitigate the climate changes that are already taking place.  Remind them that soon it will not just affect your pocketbook, but theirs as well.


Saturday, November 5, 2011

Who Turned Out the Lights?

It is reported that China is moving to ban all incandescent light bulbs by 2016 in an effort to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. I know China is a totalitarian government that gets away with this sort of thing that goes against the grain of free capitalism. But just perhaps they are on to something. Over 90% of the energy produced by these type of light bulbs is lost as heat, not light. It consumes more energy than similar fluorescent light bulbs and it produces a lot more types of light that we cannot see with the human eye (more wasted energy).

China is just the latest country to join in the effort to phase out these inefficient light bulbs. Yes, even the U.S. is scheduled to do something it rarely does, and make a widely used product unavailable. Starting at the beginning of 2012 and finishing up into 2014 and beyond, depending on the wattage and type of light, incandescent light bulbs will go the way of the dinosaurs. This will help every American save money, reduce their energy consumption, and help the environment. Of course, we can't think the fight stops there.

I know a lot of people might be upset when they find out they can't buy their 100-watt and 60-watt incandescent light bulbs anymore. My partner despises the fluorescent light bulbs because they only ever offer them in bright white at the stores. He likes soft mood lighting. However, I'm sure they will be able and have already come out with these type of lights.  The bars, clubs, and restaurants of the world will demand it.

I'm glad this phase-out/ban is going into effect. It's definitely a big step in the right direction. Next, can we phase out oil from our lives?




Friday, November 4, 2011

A New Ally

Go here for a brand new website that looks to be a promising new ally in the struggle to inform the public about global warming and climate change. ClimateAccess.org is forging ahead in bridge building to link up ideas and actions. Every ally helps. Visit treehugger.com for a write-up and review of the Climate Access website.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Yeah, It Really Is That Bad

I just came across this article detailing the fact that global emissions have increased. What's worse, they have increased more than scientists' worst-case-scenario projections for how emissions would affect continued global warming. It has globally gotten worse, despite the weak economies in most of the world. While it is true that China and India may be emitting more because of productive economies, they are also taking steps to turn to cleaner, more "atmosphere-friendly" forms of energy. On the other hand, it is quite possible that the western world's hobbling economies have caused them to become lax in their regulation of greenhouse gases.

In fact, that makes the most sense, especially here in the U.S. We are quite preoccupied with our bad economy, as we should be. However, some politicians have made it their by word that environmental regulation is bad for the economy and have pushed to loosen those rules that already exist. In addition, with massive layoffs in the government job sector in our nation, and in others, because of budget cuts, it is quite likely we don't have the needed workforce to make sure companies are complying with regulations. What we have got ourselves into is a mess indeed.

The most striking quote to me in the article was this:
"The more we talk about the need to control emissions, the more they are growing," said John Reilly, co-director of MIT's Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change.
Mr. Reilly is correct. We need to actually do something, not just talk about doing it, if we should do it, how to do it, etc., etc. There have been ideas suggested by the leading scientists who have worked with politicians who recognize we can and must make a change. They just need to be put into place. We need to get the attention of our elected officials and tell them to stop pussyfooting and actually implement these ideas. The time for action is now. If we are already emitting beyond "worst-case" estimates, we are in dire trouble indeed. It's time that we Occupy Earth and demand immediate change from environmentally harmful practices to friendly ones. We shouldn't expect any less, and our future generations surely won't.



Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Just A Reminder

I wanted to share a photo I saw on the web that reminds me of why I consider the fight for the environment so important. I've been to places like this. I grew up near places like this. I can't imagine living in this world without places like this. The beauty, the unseen diversity of life, and the careful balance in these natural states are simply delightful to me. I can't help my desire to protect the environment from further damage and to make sure we can mitigate whatever damage we may have already caused. We all need reminders.