What Not To Do If You're In Policy-making

I apologize for my absence this last week. I have been incredibly busy with work and preparation for school (I'm going back to get an advanced degree) that any free time I had was quickly swiped up by some other task. I am currently visiting my family in Utah, so my posting may still be a little spotty until the middle of next week. I thank you for patience.

Now, on to more important things. So I arrived in Utah last night, and this morning when I looked at the newspaper my father subscribes to (the LDS-owned Deseret News) I found an article that discusses Utah's recent placement of states preparing for and dealing with climate change. Utah was placed in the bottom 12 states, as the Natural Resources Defense Council ranked all 50 states based on water management policy, as well as other factors, in determining that state's preparedness to help its citizens navigate climate change. The NRDC suggested that Utah's current water plans are not enough to help it deal with excessive water as was seen last year, or in the case of too little water, as happened during the multi-year drought during the aughts.

As typical in western state/Republican strongholds versus environmentalism, Utah Governor Herbet's office released a reply to the NRDC's report saying, "We do not need a New York City-based organization to tell Utah — based on their ideological agenda — that we are not taking steps to address our water 'vulnerabilities.'" The fact that the NRDC did this based on current policy adopted by each of the 50 states is negligible to Utah policy makers. They see this as leftist, liberal, tree-hugging environmentalists imposing their "viewpoints" on their state.

I put viewpoints in quotation marks, because the state actually believes environmentalists haven't any ground to stand on. In fact, as the newspaper article points out, in 2010, Utah resorted to stating opposition to anything that could be seen as pro-Obama by passing a series of resolutions. One of those resolutions was that the state legislature did not believe global warming and climate change were real things, and that they are not happening. So, it is hard to encourage a state to do something more about impending events that will affect their citizens when they refuse to accept the fact-based science, and continue to maintain the us vs. them mentality that they create between themselves and scientists/environmentalists.

Instead of rejecting what the NRDC is suggesting before you even consider it, policy makers in all 50 states, especially Utah, should go through their policy and the suggestions offered up point by point. You may be surprised to find some new ideas or new brainstorming time to create new ideas that will actually work better than the ones you currently have in place. Only when you have exhausted every option should you resort to suggestion-making with incredulity and character assassination of the suggesters. This is what we expect of our policy-makers, because when policy is unalterable it is no longer policy, but a dictator's edict.

Go Green

Loss of Biodiversity Infographic

Thanks to MNN for creating this infographic. It is three years old, but the good thing about this teaching tool is how it points out which countries are most at fault for loss of species and species most in danger of being lost. It is staggering. We need to make sure that we stop this precipitous loss in biodiversity.

Sometimes It Really Feels Like This

While I try and keep the videos I find and post here purely educational, I just find this one too entertaining and the content all too common to pass up. Neil deGrasse Tyson is on the Bill Maher show, and he has to educate a obstinate skeptic - a former GM executive  - on the realities of global warming and climate change. The executive spouts the same old rhetoric used by denialists, and, despite being told the facts, insists that it is all made up, scientists are wrong, or that the green movement is going to fade away because it is all based on lies. Dr. Tyson, a highly respected astrophysicist, works hard to identify with this car exec to get him to understand that global warming is real, but in the end, the man refuses to change his mind - or to even admit that he just spoke a falsehood. Bill Maher is visually beside himself as the denialist rattles off falsehood after falsehood and refuses to budge.

Many times our conversations with denialists, skeptics, and even fence-sitters can seem like this. While I advocate educating people by focusing on the facts, producing evidence, and the like, some people will be like the car executive and will refuse to listen, budge, or reconsider even a small facet of their take on the issue. Why do they do this? I have no idea, but in these instances, it is just best to agree to disagree, encourage them to look at the real facts, and go on your merry way. We will never convince everyone. The droughts will get worse, the oceans will rise, biodiversity will falter,  and food and habitat will become scarce, but there will still be those who will deny it has anything to do with climate change and global warming. Our job is not to convince those people, but to convince enough people of the truth so that we can make the needed changes to reduce our impact and prepare for climatic shifts.

Strong Goals Make For Strong Possibilities

It's no secret that America has fallen behind in the movement to lower human impacts on the environment - particularly global warming. Well, we aren't going to be catching up anytime soon unless we implement bold plans such as Denmark is doing. Treehugger.com reports that the Danes have set some lofty goals for themselves over the next 8 years. By 2020, 35% of energy production will come from renewables, carbon emissions will be brought down to 34% below 1990 levels, more money will be allocated to clean energy development, and all buildings will be free of oil and gas heaters.

As part of the "green-thinking" Scandinavian region, the Danish government continues to keep the bar high.They recognize the threat, they believe the science and understand the facts, and they are making the necessary adjustments to how they power their daily lives. When I was in Copenhagen last year, I marveled at the amount of wind energy and green architecture among the new developments. While I know - and we should all recognize no government is - that they are not perfect in their goals, or implementation of goals, the Scandinavians are doing their overall best to become better stewards of the environment and lessen human impact. America and the rest of the world should take note of such bold steps and follow suit.

The Oil Spill That Keeps On Giving

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

I just had to share this video from  msnbc.com about how sea life is still being affected by the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico nearly two years ago. Animal life is still suffering from the toxic sludge that permeated such a large portion of the Gulf. As we have seen with the Exxon-Valdez oil spill, animal life will be affected decades into the future. BP doesn't seem to be too concerned with that, however. They're more focused on advertising on TV that it is okay to come back and visit the Gulf region. Oil spills are a real danger, and they are much more frequent than we are led to believe. It is a testament to the power of PR and a disinterested media over smaller spills that the public knows little about the frequency or the environmental magnitude of spilled oil. We need to stop embracing this substance and turn to more friendly energy sources.

All Of The Above

President Obama has been out West looking at various energy production facilities. Early this morning, The New York Times reported that Mr. Obama was touring and promoting energy production of all sorts. He was seen at the nation's largest solar power plant, and he was also seen at a location in Oklahoma where a portion of the Keystone XL pipeline is to be built (more on that later). Obama has adopted an "all of the above" energy policy, as he puts it in his own words. Knowing that Republicans would slam his "policy" and the energy tour, the President decided to refer to them and others against clean technology as the "flat earth society". (Now that is a clever phrase. So clever I might just use it myself.)0

However, Mr. Obama may be alienating both sides of the spectrum with his "all of the above" energy policy. This afternoon, msnbc.com reports that both Republicans and environmentalists are stirred up about the plan. With the Republicans it is the same old story of "Why are we wasting our time with alternative energy? We have plenty of oil and gas locked up beneath our feet. Let's just drill some more. Ease up those regulations." It's easy to see why President George W. Bush loved saying "stay the course" in reference to the war in Iraq. These Republicans just can't seem to think of different ideas.

The environmentalists are upset because we were all led to believe that Obama put a kibosh on the Keystone XL pipeline that would run from Canada to Texas. Well, it turns out he only put an end to the northern leg - Canada to Oklahoma - but his administration is allowing the pipeline to be built from Oklahoma to Texas to carry regular crude oil instead of tar sands. Instead of putting a foot down against further dependence on fossil fuels, they see Obama continuing to expand its dominance.

To Obama's credit, I believe, for the time being, in his "all of the above" strategy. Until we get solar, wind, geothermal, fast liquid metal nuclear reactors, etc. up to the point of being the dominant and clean energy consumed, fossil fuels are going to be a part of our reality. Also, as oil supplies dwindle, there is going to need to be some expansion in order to cover us until that bridge is made. Notice I said "some expansion". We do not need huge drilling and pipeline building projects.

I do not believe that the Keystone pipeline is a move in the right direction and it was wrong of the President to mislead the public in this manner. Continuing to treat oil as the "dominant" energy force in our society only serves to keep it there. If we were to make a goal to actually phase it out, we could make the switch to cleaner, more sustainable energy much quicker. I know the President wants to be re-elected, but he needs to stand on firmer ground when it comes to his position of fossil fuels. He needs to stop flailing around and actually create a policy that doesn't put oil on equal or higher ground than solar, wind, and other clean sources of energy.

To Speak And To Be Heard

Dr. James Hansen is the man! To listen to him speak, and speak plainly, about global warming and climate change is to hear a voice of reason.  He knows the facts, but is not a man of such ambition as to be pretentious and off-putting when he relates what he knows. He does an excellent job in this TED lecture. Let us speak with our minds from the heart, for we cannot be heard unless we speak in such a way.

All Things Under The Big Blue Sky

Treehugger.com has a very unique post about how climate change is affecting other animal species. While I believe the argument needed to convince other humans about the need to do something to mitigate human impact and prepare for the coming changes lies in showing them the impacts to humans, it is important to remember that there are other living things on this planet. This planet has been home to millions of different species over a span of 2 billion years, and the modern human species has only been around for about 300,000 of those years.

Plants and animals have been dealing with slow and small, large and sudden changes for hundreds of millions - even billions - of years. To not recognize the plight that we are putting them under now, and to not understand the effects it will have on future life on the planet, is to deny biological life its place in the universe. Biological life has survived some of the toughest conditions this planet and space could throw at it, but can it survive one of its own members? I invite you to follow the link to the Treehugger site and read the short list with examples of how climate change is impacting other forms of life.

Beach Front Property

On Wednesday, The New York Times had a front page article on the threat of rising sea levels on Americans. The article was in response to a new study that has predicted that 3.7 million Americans living along the coastline will be greatly impacted or displaced by the rising water. Those of us who understand climate change know that sea level rise is an inevitability, as it has already been occurring. 99% of our politicians are unwilling to prepare now for such changes.

The article points out that flooding in coastal areas that commonly occurred with many decades in between episodes will see an increase of flooding episodes to every few years. What this means, in reality, is that these areas will become uninhabitable. Taxpayers and insurance companies will not pay for homes and other buildings to be continually replaced every three or four years. Cities will run out of funds to constantly repair roads and utilities damaged by flood waters. Unless your city, of course, is willing to through a lot of money at building a "wall" to keep out the ocean.

Skeptics continue to say there is no danger, and if sea levels are rising, it's because of natural climate processes, and we will be more than able to handle the problem. If the situation we are in wasn't so dire, those kind of words would be comedic. However, these skeptics continue to have influence over policy implementation, which continues to hold back even the most believing of politicians from developing a plan to help the 3.7 million of our own citizens who will be affected by this symptom of global warming and climate change.

Sure, some of us wouldn't mind the beach front coming to us, instead of the other way around. But we would all feel the impacts of 3.7 million refugees, even residents in tightly land-locked states such as Iowa. We would all see the impact on our taxes and national budget. With this information - based on facts - fresh in our brains, it's time we tell the skeptics to be quiet so we can now present the truth to those who create policy and urge them with all the passion one can muster, to develop and implement a plan to deal with this problem. Let's tell them it's time to do something well before the eleventh hour and the fifty-ninth minute. Maybe then they can have our trust back.

The Black Rock is Burning Out

I did a "double-take" when I saw this report. It stated that coal-generated power dropped below the 40% mark in more than 30 years. While this is most welcome news, it comes with a qualifier. Coal, gas, and other "fossil-fuel" driven energy is still the dominant force in America and around the world. Until we see many of these type of energy sources brought below 30, 20, and even down to 10%, we still face the consequences of a warming world and a changing climate.

Sustainable and green technology is getting better with every month. New energy innovations abound, but they must be implemented at a much quicker pace. Also, it is not just technology and switching to a different type of energy production that will save us from an incapacitated planet. It is a shift in thinking by the public consumer. We must learn to temper our diets from more, more, more to enough, enough, enough. Instead of believing marketers that we need another big car, or another form of bottled drink, we need to consume less and realize when we have enough. As we consume less, not only will the demand for energy be lower, but the demand on the Earth's resources will be much lower as well.

Fossil fuels are on their way out. That much is a given. However, it is us who decide whether we will continue the path of unsustainable growth and consumption, or whether we will embrace a more evenly balanced future of sustainability in energy production and consumption.

A Liter of Light

Here is another video, a great TED lecture about creative ideas that lead to a more sustainable and environment-friendly future. I am supporting A Liter of Light as it is one of those innovative and helpful ideas that will help us now and tomorrow in battling our environmental issues. I encourage you to jump on board and become part of this fascinating endeavor.

Biodiversity, Climate Change, and Human Health

Linktv.org has many great videos on environmental issues. This video shares the threats that may arise to human health via medicine development because of loss of biodiversity. We get many of our medicines from the natural world. As we lose the species that produce these chemicals, we not only lose current medicine, we lose the chance to develop further medicines to help cure diseases. This is another page in the document we call "Why Climate Change, Global Warming, and Habitat Loss are Bad".

On Tides

I walked out to the Christopher Street Pier in Manhattan yesterday. You can see the Freedom Tower (1 WTC) being built on the far left and Jersey City, NJ on the far right. You may also be able to make out the Statue of Liberty and the Verrazano Narrows Bridge in the far distance. It's doubtful that you can make it out from the picture, but as I arrived at the pier, the tide was coming in.

I became entranced as I watched water coming from two different directions and meet. The Hudson River flows to the south and empties into New York Harbor. The tide pushes sea water north up the river, sometimes well past the island of Manhattan. Eventually, the clashing water flow gave way to the stronger tidal advance and the river looked as if it was now flowing northward. Closest to the pier, however, you could still see fresh water from the Hudson trying its hardest to flow south.

Maybe it was the warmer-than-usual March air, or maybe it was my recent faith (belief system not religion) change, but the experience became a little of what you could call spiritual to me. I was left starry-eyed as I thought about how this happens everyday, multiple times a day, and has done so for thousands, if not millions of years. The species of the earth go by, but the planet tries its hardest to keep up with its rhythms. Nature is truly a spectacular, if not spiritual, experience.

I know it all sounds so cliché or trite, but for me it was another reminder of why I love this planet, of why I consider it so precious. I wish everyone could have at least one moment in their life where they connect with nature in such a primeval way. And then I wish they could have more of these moments. Honestly, we need many of these moments to realize how connected we are to this planet and to other species. It may sound like I'm spewing New Age love words about nature, and maybe I am, but the reality is this is our only home. This is the only planet we have, so shouldn't we treat it as if it is expendable.

For me, this is why global warming, climate change, loss of biodiversity, deforestation, ocean acidfication, etc. are such important issues that need to addressed. This is why solutions need to be implemented and new solutions need to be continually devised. Yes, I can find the romance in nature, but when it boils down to it, this planet has been around a lot longer than we have, so we shouldn't be the ones to bring it to its knees. It's our home too, so we are only doing our species a huge disservice by continuing to disregard and correct our impacts on it. Tides come and go, but a home never should.

The Past Is Not the Present

Skepticalscience.com has a link for the top ten arguments against climate change and global warming. Each argument is linked to an article that specifically addresses and dismantles that argument. I clicked the link to the argument "Climate has changed before" and was brought to a brilliant analysis of the argument. Even better, the article allows you to choose the level of "science-speak" you are comfortable with. The basic level provides a general outline of what is wrong with that argument in the case of our current situation. The intermediate level involves a lengthier discussion as well as some graphs.

I find it quite refreshing that this website has dedicated the time, energy, and science to truly informing those who would come across their site about these urgent environmental crises we face. To see them deconstruct each of the main arguments used against believing in (or doing anything about) climate change in a responsible manner, and then go on to provide the real interpretation of the data and evidence, is laudable. This is how peoples' minds can be changed regarding this matter. I know it doesn't make for easy soundbites, but for those that take the time to read, review, and research, they will find that to not believe in and not do anything about our warming world and changing climate would be the zenith of irresponsibility.

Yes, the earth has had changing climates before. However, it has never been so rapid, and it has never been brought on by human activities. The fact is the evidence proves beyond a reasonable doubt that human activities are causing the major jump in CO2 levels, which is in turn raising the global average temperature, which in turn is altering global and regional climates. It is happening faster than any other time in geologic history, and it is happening at a rate faster than even scientists have projected it to. By knowing the facts, we learn that this current episode of climate change is attributable to our impacts on the planet, that it poses great threats to how we live our lives, and we also learn that we can do something about it. Information is a great and wonderful thing. Please share it as much as you can.

Renewable Energy Solutions

I just found a cool playlist on Climate Denial's Crock of the Week YouTube channel. It's called the Renewable Solution of the Month. It has great videos showcasing the innovations and technological developments that are helping us move from the fossil fuels to cleaner, greener energy. This is their latest video. Enjoy!

What The Stats Say

Climate change infographic

View more documents from aimeew

Take a look for yourself at the stats. Do you think the "debate" is balanced? Or is there even a need for an ongoing debate?

Moving Towards a Greener Suburbia

In the New York Times today is an article about what is and what has happened in Copenhagen, Denmark regarding the development of new areas close to the city. It is a well-done article, though I feel it could have focused on the greener elements of these urban planning projects. Denmark, and Copenhagen especially, is part of the leading trend in uniting green living and efficient design.

My partner and I actually stayed in the Orestad region of Copenhagen when we visited last summer. We were both amazed at the quality of the place. Yes, everything is new, and those "starchitects" know how to dazzle, especially in architecture friendly Scandinavia. However, the quality was more than that. There were abundant wind turbines around; green spaces other than undeveloped lots were graciously and plentifully weaved into general planning of the area. The metro line was convenient and easy to use, and took us quickly into the city center.

As the article points out, there is still some work to be done, but this newish development of Orestad could and should be used as a blueprint for other communities looking to expand, renovate, or appear. I do wish the article would have mentioned the redevelopment of the Malmö, Sweden waterfront in detail. We also visited that city and saw the amazing transformation that took place on its waterfront, with green designs and energy efficiency through and through. Scandinavia, definitely has a lot to be proud of while it continues to work toward a greater environmentally-friendly future. My hope is that our nation and others can look upon these grand projects and implement them in a way that increases local flavor and prosperity, while reducing human impacts on our beloved planet.

This is Global Climate Change

It's important to be reminded of the immediate threats that other nations face within the scope of climate change. While we are not immune for immediate threats, there are certain nations, such as Bangladesh that face a clear and present danger. This video is an important component of understanding the global impact of climate change.

Breaking the Bonds

I was provided an article from the new issue (Mar/April 2012) of Foreign Affairs Journal that was very intriguing. This essay laid out in one fell swoop what can be done to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, and how we can transition over to cleaner energy technologies. The essay's author, Amory B. Lovins, draws upon innovative brainstorming and newly available technology to make the case that we can successfully - and pretty painlessly - switch from an economy dependent on fossil fuels to an economy that is buoyed up by clean, efficient, and renewable energy production.

This essay resonates well with reason and it shows us that this is doable. The beginning of the essay points out this was done before in American history when we switched from whale oil for fuel to the fossil fuels. Innovation and brainstorming breed solutions to the tough problems we face. As the essay points out, we have the technology and the know how today to make these changes, and it doesn't have to be an economic apocalypse that follows.

As we combat those companies who are protecting their own interests, we must take heart knowing that we have solutions that are just waiting to be used. We have the solutions, we just need to be heard and allowed to proceed. Sweden is doing it. Germany is doing it. The UK is doing it, as well as several other nations. Success is around the corner, and soon we will no longer be slaves to the fossil fuels.

Oil Subsidies

Treehugger.com has an interesting post on President Obama becoming ever more vocal in his calls for oil companies to lose their tax breaks and governmental subsidies. While it can be certain that the President's recent increase in intensity and frequency in the call to eliminate these subsidies can be traced to this being an election year, it is a really good time to end this absurdly long "free-ride" that oil has received from the government.

Oil subsidies for the companies that drill and refine our fuel source made sense when the companies were beginning. However, oil and gas companies (and coal) have done so well for the last many decades that it is an insult to regular citizens such as you or I, to watch them make record profits every single year and pay significantly less in taxes, plus get additional money from the government on an annual basis. It is a slap in the face.

Meanwhile, oil and gas companies are working hard to convince the Legislature and the President to eliminate tax breaks and subsidies for the emerging clean alternative fuel companies. They, however, insist on keeping their tax breaks, by throwing around the scare tactic that gas prices will jump sky high at the pumps. The hypocrisy and the lies are unbelievable. If this wasn't such a normal routine, I would think this was out of some fictional story.

The President may be ramping up his rhetoric for his own benefit, but I'm one who agrees that oil subsidies and tax breaks have got to stop. The fossil fuel companies have long made profits at our expense. They don't need the government's help. We need a government that encourages responsible use of our natural resources and promotes companies that serve our needs and treat all environments with a bit of respect. If the President's rhetoric actually leads somewhere productive, I would say it's a campaign promise kept.

Tipping Points

Dr. James Hansen shares in this video various tipping points we need to be aware of concerning climate change and the ever-warming world. Dr. Hansen is a notable expert in global warming and climatology. He knows what he is talking about and he speaks to the public in terms that we can all understand.

It's important to know the tipping points, where climate change becomes irreversible, or severe and out of control, or when ecosystems face failure. If we know the generalities of these tipping points, we can work to avoid them. Tipping points are the guidelines to let us know how we are doing. If we pass too many of them, we face living (or dying) in a radically different world, one that is not pretty, nor fun to live in.

Climate Change and the Power of You

350.org PowerPoint Slideshow

I came across this old slideshow from 350.org meant to inspire others to join an effort to bring about change to the way humans impact the environment. The slideshow includes dates for the 2009 climate conference, so in that regard this is outdated. However, the bulk of this slideshow is helpful in showing the evidence of a warming globe and changing climate. It is also a massively important slideshow in that it calls to mind that there are solutions and that, we, the average person, can effect change. The situation may be dire, but we are not gone, so we can still do something about it. We are the hope for the future. Enjoy the slideshow and venture over to the 350 website. Nothing is better than the power of you!

Weather and Climate Change

There is another great article on the BBC. This one involves a just-released study that has linked some of the recent cold and snowy winters in Europe with melting ice in the Arctic. In brief, the study has found that with larger portions of the Arctic ocean staying ice-free longer into the Autumn season the atmosphere warms which then creates easterly winds which block milder, moister air that usually makes its way north in the winter. This blocking effect then allows cold air from the Arctic region to spill in, bringing with it heavy snow and bitter cold. During the mid-winter season this year, more than 200 people died when a deep freeze settled over Europe.

This study helps draw another link to the dangers of melting Arctic ice. It can radically change weather patterns, which can ultimately affect a regional, and then global, climate. It is also important to note, however, that weather and climate change is not global warming. For all the skeptics out there, snow and cold do not disprove a warming globe.

One scientist interviewed in the BBC article has pointed out that the changing climate and the extreme weather patterns are part of a amalgamation of changes from the "norm" which are working together to drive a changing climate. Each of these changes can ultimately be traced back to human impacts and activities. These changes are working together synergistically to create a far different world than we are used to as humans.

Studies like this are important, and the more they are done, the more they confirm that the planet is warming, and that there is a link between that warming and climatic patterns. As the human race continues to experience more and more extreme weather, I am confident that they are going to turn on the governments that aren't doing anything proactively to reduce human impacts on the environment and to encourage its citizens and businesses to change its bad environmental habits. I feel sorry for those in power at the time, because they will have to reckon with truth that day at the cost of their career. Science continues to show us that the truth will come forward.

What Climate Change influences Outside of the Environment

We often do not think of the social and civilization implications of a changing climate. In this video we see that climate change doesn't just affect the environment. Serious climate change will reach right into the heart of society. I like this video because it shows how skeptics, who weren't scientists, became believers as they looked at the trends and threats from their field of expertise, in this case National Security.

66 Square Feet: The Jamaica Bay Gas Pipeline

I have just learned via 66 Square Feet that a gas pipeline has been approved by the U.S. House of Representatives. This natural gas pipeline is proposed to run through very sensitive marine and coastal ecosystems in both Queens and Brooklyn, here in New York City. This pipeline has not made it onto the radar for most individuals. My partner, who is on Manhattan's Community Board 2, chairs the committee on Environment, Public Health, and Public Safety and is fighting a similar pipeline that will run from New Jersey through the Hudson River and terminate in Manhattan's West Village. Even that proposed pipeline is not very well known by the general public.

This sort of steamrolling by oil and gas companies, along with their cronies in the legislatures of states and the nation, is all too common. Why was no public hearing held on this pipeline and the neighborhoods they will serve? Where is the environmental impact study? Surely with the pipeline running so close to wildlife reserves and known fragile ecosystems, there is an environmental impact study condemning such pipeline construction, or any other type of construction for that matter. We've got to send the message this election year that we are tired of such sneaky, back door deals that threaten the well-being of our natural environment and of our future health and safety. Vote the cronies out!

Please visit the above link to 66 Square Feet and read the important news with accompanying pictures. I thank Marie for being a valiant guardian and guide of the natural beauty this planet has to show us. Without her posting, I doubt any of us would know about what has happened.

A Little Humorous Truth

Here is a funny cartoon that aptly sums up what is going on in the media and politics about a variety of issues, especially global warming. This fits in with yesterday's post on Dr. Krosnick's expert viewpoint on why people are having a hard time accepting the reality of global warming. The cartoon is also sadly pointing out how scientific research is being marginalized in this nation by those in media, politics, and the public who would rather listen to pundits and special interests than experts with evidence. The cartoon is on ClimateBites.org which has several hilarious cartoons dealing with climate change.

Why It Is The Way It Is

Treehugger.com has a very good article with an accompanying video on why we have a continual debate in this country about global warming and climate change. It is a very informative video interview with Jon Krosnick who is a social psychologist. I'm including a similar interview video with Dr. Krosnick in this post, but I encourage you to visit the Treehugger post as well, in order to see the new interview. Remember, it's about understanding our opponents in order to make progress with them.

A Novel Idea

On Friday, The New York Times published an editorial that brought to light a change at the way scientists and politicians combat global warming. For the longest time, the largest scapegoat - justifiably so - has been Carbon Dioxide, or CO₂. While it is the main greenhouse gas, CO₂ is not the only one. The three other big contributors to raising global temperatures are soot, methane, and hydrofluorocarbons.

The Times editorial correctly identifies a problem that is happening with focusing our goal of stopping global warming by cutting CO₂ emissions. With all the haggling and obstructions caused by the skeptics and denialists, it is hard to put into place meaningful reductions of this most odious of greenhouse gases. Also, CO₂ stays in the atmosphere for a very long time. Between these two factors, we are seeing little effect on the atmospheric content of CO₂ and so the globe continues to warm.

Now, scientists and politicians are banding together in a few nations to reduce their emissions of the three other greenhouse gases. While we can continue to work on reducing carbon dioxide emissions, we can also focus attention on reducing these other gases that warm the planet, but don't stay in the atmosphere for nearly as long as CO₂. Not only can we combat all the major greenhouse gases, but we can actually have a chance at getting some of those gases out of the atmosphere sooner, giving us a chance to make the 2 degree Celsius cut that scientists say is the last acceptable temperature rise before disastrous climate change really sets in.

This solution fits into the regulatory category that many people despise. However, we must look at our approach to mitigating global warming - which is warming because of our energy activities - in a balanced way. We cannot just rely on technology, and we cannot just rely on regulations. We need both cleaner and more sustainable technologies to reduce our greenhouse gases, but we must also do all we can to make sure that our current practices of energy consumption do not continue to massively increase atmospheric greenhouse gases. I applaud the efforts of United States, Canada, Sweden, Mexico, Ghana and Bangladesh in creating a solution that is just another part of the grander solution in dealing with global warming. I encourage more of this brainstorming and implementation to take place, worldwide.

Getting There

A recent report on Treehugger.com finds that the European Union's total gross energy consumption using clean renewables rose to 12.4% by the end of 2010. It may seem like a small number, but that is all of the energy consumed by Europeans: cars, homes, offices, water treatment plants, power plants, etc. The use of  "green" electricity rose to 19.8% in 2010. That is nearly a quarter of electrical consumption powered by clean alternatives to fossil fuels.

While it this is a laudable achievement for the Europeans, the rest of the world is still far behind. It would take major - maybe even radical - changes for the rest of us to catch up. That includes the United States. Beyond that, the small percentage raise in total energy usage from 2009 to 2010 (11.5% up to 12.4%) means it would take a much longer time than the 5 years the IEA projects we need to significantly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by in order to stave off disastrous climate change. We need stronger and more significant jumps into producing and consuming clean energy worldwide.

We are getting there, but instead of taking the slow boat to China, let's get on the A-380. It requires bold decision making on the part of world leaders and it demands better ethics and morals from business and energy leaders. We must make the noise that is necessary (peacefully) in order for everything to come together. It's doubtful that we will see the perfect solution come about, compromise will be certain. However, we must ensure our world leaders get the compromise right in developing a clean and livable course for the future of humanity and every other living thing on this planet.

Eagle Webcam

Video streaming by Ustream I apologize for the ad that plays, but enjoy the live video of the Bald Eagle, an amazing bird of prey. Live webcam by Decorah Eagles

The Tiger

 The tiger is a fearsome, but mysteriously magnificent, creature. Ranging from Siberia to India, tiger species have long been a part of several ecosystems. They are ferocious, to be sure. They are beautiful, beyond doubt. Because of their tendency to kill, and because of their amazing fur, tigers have been hunted and killed to the brink of extinction. There are only six subspecies left, and from those six subspecies, we get a meager 4,000 tigers today.

Approximately 100 years ago, there were more than 100,000 tigers in the world. It doesn't seem like a huge number, but there was a greater viability and diversity in that population than there is today. In the last decade alone, tiger populations have dropped 40%. It is sad to see this most elegant and mysterious predator brought to its knees.

Poaching for tiger parts is one of the leading causes in the decline of tiger populations. Combine that with habitat loss and understandably angry humans (when a tiger eats one of us), and you have a recipe for disaster. Fortunately, the BBC reports that the 13 countries wherein tigers reside have agreed to toughen up their laws for, and enforcement of, tiger protection. They are diverting money and manpower to crack down on poachers and the illegal tiger trade in an effort to keep tigers from the brink.  While many of these countries are considered "developing nations", it is heartening to see them take this stand. Without the support of wealthy nations, however, many of these 13 countries will have a hard time finding the money and retaining the political willpower to keep up the fight to save the tiger.

It is up to us to donate to organizations, such as the World Wildlife Fund, WWF, that can help these nations, and to encourage nations with the money and manpower (such as Russia) to help lead the way in habitat protection and effective crackdowns on poachers. Tigers have been a part of human cultures for so long, and unless we do something, several of the six subspecies are projected to become extinct in 20 years. To lose this predator would be to lose a part of ourselves and another predator which plays an important part in many ecosystems.

Coral Reefs

The above video is a bit vintage, but it helps identify the wonders of the coral reef ecosystem. Coral reef take up 0.1% of the ocean's subsurface, but they are home to 25% of marine life. That is a huge deal. Coral reefs are also thought to be more biodiverse than even tropical rainforests because the specialization of each species that inhabit the reef system.

I bring up coral reefs because they are in danger of becoming the first actual ecosystem that humans drive to extinction. While coral reefs are suffering from a range of maladies, each one can be traced back to human impacts. It is true that coral reefs are very sensitive, and in all other mass extinction events that have occurred on this planet, reefs were one of the first things to go. However, never before have another species been the cause of the ruin of this entire system. If we lose the corals, it could be tens of millions of years before they return.

I would like to share two excerpts from Dr. Peter F. Sale's book, Our Dying Planet. Dr. Sale is an expert in coral reef ecology. The first excerpt is about the importance of coral reefs to humans now. The second excerpt is what coral reefs are actually telling us about ourselves.

Hectare for hectare, coral reefs are economically the most valuable of all coastal marine ecosystems, whether one measures only the products we obtain from them or includes the environmental services they provide. With a growing world population that is increasingly coastal, these valuable ecosystems are only going to become more valuable if we can keep them with us. Their shoreline protection value alone will increase as sea levels rise and storm intensity increases. The economic cost of their loss will be felt.

Coral reefs are already telling us that pollution and overexploitation of biological resources can act synergistically to tip an ecosystem from one state to another, one of substantially lower economic value for us. They are also showing us how local stressors of various types can interact with climate change factors to result in less satisfactory outcomes for an ecosystem than if each operated separately. And their obvious decline in many locations over the past half-century is driving home to us just how serious our overuse of this planet may be.

We need coral reefs to survive and we need to get the whole globe on board. We couldn't live with ourselves if we lost the rainforests of the world. Why should we let their marine equivalents disappear? Help raise awareness of the dire state of coral reefs by bringing it up in conversation. They aren't gone yet, so there is time to save them.

Transportation Is For Schmucks!

I have heard mutterings around New York City about outrage over a proposed transportation bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would take away the majority of funding for mass transit provided by the federal government to cities and states throughout the nation. I didn't know much more about it, until I came across this blog post on Triplepundit.com earlier this morning. House Bill HR 7 is another Republican attempt, it seems, to hand this country over to the fossil fuel industry, namely Big Oil.

While the bill is touted by the Republicans as an effective means of saving time and money in getting road projects done, there are a few snippets of information within the "propagandized" summary version of the bill made available to the public that gives away what they don't want you to know. The Republicans are proposing that environmental assessments be reduced so that there isn't so much red tape when it comes to renovating, expanding, or building a new roadway. They are also proposing much freer regulations that allow a more privatized approach to highways and other forms of public transportation (you should read that as higher costs to the public consumer).

What they don't tell you within their summary - at least I failed to find it - is that they want to free up most coastal areas, including the much hotly debated Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, to oil and gas drilling. That is the key. The Republicans are puppets, and the fossil fuel industry is the puppet master. Many coastal areas where drilling isn't allowed have unique and fragile ecosystems that would be unalterably hurt by any kind of drilling, even exploratory drilling. The bill does take away funding from mass transit programs by allocating the funds obtained from a federal gas tax to other "more important" issues. You know that there is a problem with the bill when even Transportation Secretary, and Republican, Ray LaHood refuses to stand by the bill, saying that there are serious flaws with it.

Republicans, Republicans what shall we do with you? You have no good ideas to share with us. You feign patriotism and morality, but you push ecologically, economically, and socially immoral legislation our way. It's time the American public woke up to your tricks and slimy ways. I think it's time America found two new political parties to represent them.

The Results Are In

2011 was another hot year. The 10th hottest on record actually. According to a report published on Skepticalscience.com, while many places on the planet were a bit cooler due to La Nina, the overall global temperature continued to be hot. The report also tears apart a scientific prediction put forth by a climate skeptic three years ago that the planet would cool due to La Niña.

This is another piece of evidence that should tell us, the general public, that global warming in separate from local weather. While global warming does bring about climate change which can affect local weather habits, even to the extreme, it is in reference to global average temperature increasing. Many skeptics of global warming point to local weather as proof that it is all a "hoax". However, the science is in the planetary average, hence, global warming. It is important to point this out if you happen to find yourself in a conversation with an "unbeliever." This is scientific data that has been gathered again and again. Are we really going to discount it?

"Sir, Is This The Entire Bill?"

If you travel the world outside the United States, more often than not, you will have no idea how much a tank of gas costs in a foreign country. You may see a station sign advertising gasoline at a number that looks much lower than ours over here. However, you should be reminded that they sell gasoline by the liter, not by the gallon. One gallon is 3.79 liters. Many of us have been told that gas prices are higher in foreign countries, via the news, but do we really know the cost of a gallon of gas in a different nation? The current price for a gallon of gas in the UK, after all the conversions, is $8.15. In Turkey, it is roughly $9.63 a gallon. Only in very, very oil rich countries do you see gas prices sink below $1 a gallon.

So, how is it that in the U.S. our gas prices have always been significantly lower than the majority of the world? On Treehugger.com is a startling, and thorough, exposé on why fuel prices (coal and oil) remain so low, and why they don't reflect the true costs of obtaining the material, refining, and transport. This post delves into what the actual cost of our tank of gas should be per gallon based on what goes into getting making that product available to us at the pump or when we turn on the lights at home. When you think about it, you realize that we have become a nation that is addicted to fossil fuels because the fossil fuel industry has joined with the government in baiting us with prices that we can't resist.

If Americans were to pay an amount equal to Great Britain or Turkey for that gallon of gas, I think it is safe to say that the general public would demand better forms of public transportation to get them around, and more of it. They would be clamoring for biofuels, wind energy, solar energy, and other cleaner alternatives, because these newer technologies are actually bringing their associated energy prices below those of fossil fuels. We wouldn't be so hesitant to leave the bed of fossil fuels.

I know the economy is tough, but I think it's about time Americans pay the true cost of oil, gas, and coal like much of the world does. I'm confident that it would make the public angry enough they would demand a change from a fossil fuel based economy to a clean, renewable energy based economy. Until then, America will continue to lag behind the movement to lessen human impacts on the environment because we are just too comfortable with our inexpensive fossil fuels to give them up.

Make the Future Sustainable Now

Here is a great video of Dr. Paul Raskin describing what it will take to create a sustainable world in which we can live and reduce our negative impact on the global environment. It takes knowledge and imagination to create the solutions to our problems.

Conservatives Are the Same Everywhere

It seems that the UK has a large share of conservatives within Parliament that have also been bought out by the fossil fuel industry. According to the BBC news, more than 100 members of Parliament, known as MPs, signed a letter to Prime Minister David Cameron  asking him to reduce subsidies to the wind farm industry. They also asked Mr. Cameron to make it easier for residents to derail plans for new wind farms. Gee, that sounds like something the Republicans would do over here in the States.

For the time being, Mr. Cameron's office has made clear that it believes the UK needs to encourage the move to clean, sustainable energy. That is comforting, for now. 99% of the signatures on the letter were from members of the Tory party, the Prime Minister's own party. If these MPs continue to make noise over this, Mr. Cameron may bow to pressure if he feels his authority is threatened. Any readers in the UK should make diligent effort to let Mr. Cameron know that wind farms should not be suppressed, and that policy regarding wind energy should not be dictated indirectly by the fossil fuel industry.

Interestingly enough, The Guardian posted a map that shows all wind farms which are operating, under construction, or proposed. The map also shows the districts the conservative MPs are from within the UK.  It is intriguing to see that the conservatives who wrote and signed the letter were from England and Wales only. The Scots and Northern Irish don't seem to have too much of a problem with the wind farms as no one from those countries signed the letter.

As I have said before, wind energy is one of many solutions to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions while producing usable energy. It deserves to be lifted up by the same subsidies that has benefited the fossil fuel industry for so long. I don't see conservative leaders, regardless of which nation they are in, proposing to cut subsidies for oil, coal, and gas companies or to make it easier for residents to oppose a new oil or gas derrick from going up. If you want to be a leader, then lead. You don't get points for being a puppet to a company, especially if that company happens to be a part of an industry that wants to deny scientific reality.

Our Dying Planet

I've been reading the book Our Dying Planet by Peter F. Sale and I must say this is definitely a book that everyone should read. I am not yet finished with the book, but I am very impressed with what I have read. Dr. Peter Sale is an ecologist and he writes about the various forces that are converging upon our global ecosystems that threaten the very balance of life. When we think of things like global warming, climate change, loss of biodiversity, overfishing, etc. we tend to make it a separate entity, brought about by one or two influences, and solvable in a direct, if not isolated, way. What Dr. Sale brings to the table as an ecologist, is a knowledge of how all of these things are interconnected, are influenced by many various factors, and are not easily solvable because of their interconnectedness.

One may be afraid that because Dr. Sale is a scientist and expert that the book would be largely written in "science-speak". That is hardly the case. Dr. Sale writes with ease, confidence, and an ability to make the scientific data absorbable to the general public and those unfamiliar with scientific methods. Ecology is a science that deals with the interconnectedness of all living things and the environment that they live in. Therefore, this discipline is essential in helping us understand what is happening to our planet - with the great threats that lie ahead - and in developing the solutions to the problems.

Despite the title being a bit gloomy, the author is quite adamant throughout that we can help solve the mounting problems and there is no need to be in complete despair. We all need to be aware of the cacophony of issues our planet is facing ecologically. We also need to know that we can be a force for positive change. We don't have to continue on the present path, we can both be prosperous and respect the other living things on this planet. I encourage you to either buy the book, or check it out from your local library. It is worth the read, and it is one more tool in becoming informed. Remember, when we become correctly informed, we can then effect change for good.

How Do You Deal With Illogical Thinkers?

A very interesting news article was posted yesterday on The New York Times website. It was also re-posted on msnbc.com. It deals with a very specific issue concerning various individuals and groups who are linking up with the Tea Party over green projects being instituted by local and state governments. These groups are fighting the implementation of green initiatives adopted by the government on the basis that these projects are part of larger plan by the United Nations to take over the world. Their view is that the U.N. is bent on world domination and will take away our freedoms, and they will do it by encouraging green technology being used by federal, state, and local governments as a means of spying on the people.

Now, you need to read the New York Times article to really appreciate the length of time these groups have been about this business, what some of their specific concerns are, and how they have been gaining momentum with the help of the Tea Party in the last two years. It is a bit scary to me, even though their numbers may be small, how these individuals can be this reckless in their reasoning and their claims. Everyone has a right to their opinion and point of view, and I'm sure they found some sort of basis for their claims, but I am baffled by this. This very loud minority of individuals is gaining sway with an even louder Tea Party that wants to stop any further implementation of government backed "green plans". Many have dismissed the Tea Party, and many more have dismissed these groups afraid of a U.N. take over, but even the Times article points out that they have started to actually become effective because we haven't taken them seriously.

My question is how do you deal with these people? They are obviously not thinking in reality, and no matter of reasoning with them will make them see the error of their logic. However, we now know that we cannot just ignore them, because they are starting to cause chaos in the move to a more sustainable and eco-friendly future. I have absolutely no idea how to deal with this problem. We need to think of a solution, because we risk the chance of having a "greener" future derailed by people who view global warming as a hoax and the U.N. as an evil "Orwellian" empire-in-the-making. Let's brainstorm this for a bit, and will someone in the smart think tanks of the nation also take this up and help develop a solution? We cannot let crazy and unfounded claims guide our society or the human race. We risk our future and we risk our lives by giving into such misinformation and falsehoods. This much is clear from the last three years though, we cannot just dismiss them, because they will cause massive damage. Developing a good solution to deal with these groups is the only correct course of action.

Wind On The Water

Today's post will be brief. On Treehugger.com is an article about how the Obama administration has finally put into motion an off-shore windfarm in the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. The article points out how this would be the very first off-shore windfarm to actually be built in the U.S. The article also draws attention to the fact that it has taken nearly a decade just to move forward with this one project. Across the world, many nations have already built off-shore windfarms. The U.S. is making steps, but it is showing how far behind it has fallen.

Remember Reality

Skepticalscience.com referred yesterday to the latest op-ed written by climate skeptics on why nothing should be done to address climate change. The author of the blog article pulled apart the skeptics and their tactics one by one, showing both their lack of knowledge and ties to the fossil fuel industry. The author then proved point by point that the "facts" that these skeptics used in their op-ed were completely cooked up.

It's important to be reminded that disinformation continues to be spread to the general public regarding global warming and climate change. It is done in a way that tries to mask reality and present it as the truth. Because there even continues to be a debate about global warming proves that these tactics are effective enough. The longer that action and solutions to addressing the warming globe are deferred, the more fossil fuel giants and other industries win.

These climate skeptics may indeed be scientists, but their ties, their outdated credentials, and their fake facts prove that they don't speak for science. The consensus among scientists has been communicated to the public, and the real facts are disseminated for our consumption. Reality is in front of us, and even if skeptics try to disguise it to throw us off the trail, it is still reality. Unmask those who try and offer you this false reality.

This Is The Year To Get Serious!

Here is an interesting and provocative video about what is, or rather what is not, being done about climate change. This video really starts to penetrate the question as to why more is not being done about global warming and subsequent climate change. It's time to make this the year of real action on every level possible.

Back to Black

After traveling for a week, I'm back and able to get blogging again. I have just come across an article on Treehugger.com that expounds how much the oil giant BP knew about the amount of spillage into the Gulf of Mexico. They knew that nearly 3.4 million gallons of oil a day could potentially spill in the ocean and the evidence coming forth is that they did all they could to cover up that knowledge. Two years after America's worst oil spill, we are still dealing with the damage that was inflicted on the environment and the Gulf's economy. BP, Halliburton, and the other involved companies were reckless in their attempts to obtain oil and after the spill, it was very apparent that they weren't doing all they could to stop the oil from spilling and spreading, and it was also apparent that they weren't giving us the whole story.

BP and the other companies involved with this spill need to really be held accountable. Fines have been issued yes, but no one has gone to jail. No executives have been made to personally clean the animals and beaches harmed by the black goo. Instead of pumping money into the actual revitalization of the environment and economic area, I've only seen the advertisements paid for by BP telling people to go visit the Gulf. This is what is wrong with the system. Those who have done wrong, regardless of whether they are a corporation or an individual or a group of individuals within a corporation, need to held accountable for their misdeeds. It's time to further boycott BP. I know some people may still be boycotting their product, but those who have returned to buying their gas need to return to the boycott. We must also encourage others, friends, family, and coworkers to boycott this corporation and it's products. We cannot allow businesses that flagrantly disobey and disregard rules and morals to continue in existence.

Science is Still Science

After being out of the loop for a couple of days due to travel and sickness, I found an article on Treehugger.com about science and personal bias. I thought it was a really well written piece which accurately describes how many people, both educated and not, feel that if they don't believe in a scientific claim then it's just not true. They then go forward screaming loudly about their disbelief in the hopes that it will make others believe that it is not true. This goes against everything science is about.

Regardless of our different biases, science is destined to rise above the fray as it relies on empirical evidence to make its claims. We know that animals and plants can be grouped into different "similar" categories based upon the evidence science has found using anatomical and genetic markers. We know that the planets orbit the sun because of the overwhelming evidence we have obtained from telescopes and satellites. We know that global warming and climate change are real events taking place right now due to human activities because of the vast evidence scientists have found over time. Science is not a consensus. Science is what the evidence says is really happening. It is the explanation of causality in the universe and world around us. Yes there are incongruities, as there are in all things. Even those incongruities are eventually explained as more evidence is gathered on the phenomenon.

For those who want to continue to believe that climate science is "made up" and that it is some sort of vast conspiracy, fine. However, it does not make your belief correct. Scientists have drawn these conclusions after analyzing the data and the evidence. Records show the average temperature of the globe is rising and the evidence is also there showing the growing rise in greenhouse gases. Scientists have been able to make the correlation between greenhouse gas emissions and the rise in global temperature and subsequent climate changes. The only reason they are very vocal about this is because they realize the danger we are in and they know we are the only effective solution to the problem. Science will always be science. There will always be people who disagree with what conclusion is drawn. However, we cannot let those who disagree with science be the ones who get to dictate to the rest of the world what science is and what science is actually right about.

The Unseen Fight

Until late last year, I was under the assumption that carbon offsetting credits you or I purchase would go toward helping develop clean technologies or help out nature protection funds. However, as I learned a while ago, these funds are often used in developing nations to help energy companies there. These energy companies in turn displace residents and harm the local environment. They also aren't very "atmosphere" friendly in their emissions. Many of these carbon credits are overseen and awarded by reputable and governing international organizations, such as the U.N. I bring this issue up to raise awareness to the fact that one of our ideas has been hijacked and may be doing more harm than good. We need to make sure there is oversight and accountability with carbon offsetting. When I purchase these credits, I should be able to track the money exactly to where it goes. World organizations should review where and for what purpose this money should go toward. We shouldn't be shooting ourselves in the foot with this type of program. Let's demand a reform of the carbon offset credit system so that we ensure healthy, stable, and clean lives for all human beings. Please watch this video for more information.

Is That Your Final Answer?

If you haven't heard the good news, Obama has rejected granting the Keystone XL pipeline a permit to build from Alberta, Canada down to Texas. There was some debate as to what the President would decide, and while environmentalists can breath easy for the time being, it is unclear how the labor unions will react. We are sure to hear from the Republicans, calling President Obama a job-killer and the like. We've heard it all before. I am glad the President has decided against the project, and I hope this sets a precedent for him. He needs to show us that he really wants to help the environment and move us to clean, renewable energy.

As Treehugger.com has pointed out on their website, there were many different factors that led to the President's decision. Environmentalists shouldn't take this as meaning that the war is over. As the blog correctly argues, the company(ies) involved in the pipeline project can still come back to the President in the future with better safety features in place and a changed pipeline route. This pipeline can still be built. We should remember that our fight is never over, because there are those who are always willing to harm the environment on a large scale in order to make a profit or for other personal gain. We laud those who are doing things everyday to keep these individuals and corporations at bay, but we encourage you to keep fighting. We need you always.

More About Fracking

Over the last few months I have posted three full blogs on hydraulic fracturing, or hydrofracking (See here, here, and here). Enviroblog has a very good post on more accidents related to hydrofracking. This is a very dangerous practice and as the natural gas and oil companies pursue this method more and more, we will continue to see an increase in harmful and disastrous effects. Natural gas is a clean fossil fuel, but our attempts to retrieve it from the Earth should not trade clean fuel for poisoned water, well fires, and earthquakes. We need to send the message to legislators to give the EPA more power and teeth in regulating this industry. As it stands now, these companies are almost free to do anything once they receive the permit to drill. Fracking takes us one step forward and then five backwards. We deserve better and so does the environment.

The Joy of Life

I don't usually like to do two posts in a row where I include videos, but I just found a video that shares something so cool that I can't resist. This video is of dolphins and humpback whales "playing" in the waters of Hawaii. It isn't aggressive and both species seem to enjoy it. In a world full of "eat or be eaten" and "run or get caught" animal instincts, it is so nice to see other species have fun with each other. It is definitely rare, but for me, it shows how amazing life is. Biological life is the grandest thing I know of because of its complexities, hardships, and triumphs. This is why all forms of life should be preserved from extinction at the hands of humans. I hope you enjoy the video. You may want to enlarge it to read the captions. Visit Treehugger.com for an accompanying story with the video.

Which Mitt Do You Want?

Mitt Debates Mitt on Climate from Sierra Club National on Vimeo.
It's no secret that I really dislike Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor and two-time Presidential hopeful. I don't think he is good for this country, and he doesn't even know where he stands on several issues. That's what I love about this video. Mitt has flip-flopped many times on global warming and climate change. One day he says we should cut back our emissions, the next day he says we shouldn't. One day global warming is real, the next day well it may be real but we don't really know. Mitt is a danger to himself and to the climate and nature as a whole. He represents big business and big profits. That means more oil drilling, more reliance on fossil fuels, and less regulations and protections for the environment. Enjoy the video and remember, you may not know which Mitt you will get if you vote for him.

What's In A Name?

Remember when we had all that snow last year across the nation? When we did have snow, Republicans were scoffing at the whole global warming idea, especially after D.C. got buried in the white stuff. Now this year, as most of the country has yet to see any snow, many are starting to wonder again. Even I am quick to think, "This proves that there is global warming." I usually prevent myself from actually saying this to others. Because local weather is not indicative of global warming. The strange and unpredictable weather we experience in different locales is only indicative of an unstable climate. An unstable climate and climate change bring with them changing weather patterns over time, while in the short term they bring extreme and abnormal weather. Since climate change is being observed on a global scale, scientists have been able to connect climate change with the overall increase in the Earth's temperature - this is global warming.

All of this can be a bit confusing and we all tend to run the words' meanings together and use them as synonyms. However, we should all be informed on the correct meanings belonging to each of these unique and individual words. Fortunately, the Climate Access blog has done this for us. A couple of days ago, they posted a full article on the different meanings of these terminologies. Please visit the link and read up on what these words mean. It is important that we use them correctly so that we can try and pass on our message to the public more effectively. Once we know these words' true meaning, we need to share them with others so they can begin to understand as well. Our message all hangs on a few words.

Have A Look At This

Please enjoy this video. It shows the innovation and hard work that even developing countries are putting into solving the climate change issue. If they can do it, so can we. Thanks to linktv.org for the great informative videos they provide.

The Tortoise and the Hare

I read over on the BBC that a species of tortoise once thought to have gone extinct may actually still be around. Now while there are some questions that need answering in order for scientists to indeed say this tortoise species is, in fact, not extinct, I just get giddy inside when I hear news like this. Extinction is a terrible thing and there should be no question to any reader of this blog as to why that is. Life is the greatest gift and biodiversity is the crucial link to all of life on this planet.

Realistically, if this species is still around, it also means it is still endangered and the threat of extinction is high. This is because the population will not be that large and the threats to biological life are even greater today than when they were first thought to have gone extinct. Scientists are doing what they can to learn how we can best protect threatened and endangered species across the globe. It would be wise for us to listen to their findings and advice. We still have a long way to go before humans are repairing the damages they have done to biodiversity, but Mother Nature shows us sometimes that we can't take everything from her.

A Bold Move

I don't read The Economist as often as I would like. They have informative, balanced articles that I just enjoy reading. I was referred to an article today that deals with the European Union's new airline carbon tax. I encourage you to read the full article via the link. Not many people know about the EU's decision to begin taxing airlines for flying into and through European airspace.

It is a bold move, and an initiative I support. Air travel is the single most polluting form of transportation a human can take. With airlines barely making a move to develop and fly on cleaner biofuels, the Europeans decided it was time that airplanes pay for the amount of carbon they release into the air. The tax goes toward offsetting the effects of global warming by investing in cleaner energies and researching new technologies that will bring us clean energy. As the article points out, many foreign nations are ticked off, including the U.S.

They see this as an unfair imposition placed on them by other world governments. I'm sure those in the U.S. are arguing that this stifles the tourism industry to Europe using American-based airlines, thus hurting our economy. The airlines have already passed the tax to consumers. However, the increase is not that much. As a person who loves to travel, and has a tight budget when visiting places such as Europe, I understand private and individual concerns over an increase in cost for air travel. The good that is being done far outweighs the small increase, however.

Far from seeing this as an annoyance or viewing the EU as a bully forcing its way on us, airlines and entrepreneurs should view this as an opportunity. Why not develop cleaner, more efficient jet fuel? Instead of complaining, use this as a push off toward a new jet industry that focuses on "greener" fuel supplies. Also, perhaps the U.S. can stop whining and reward airlines that make such a forward thinking move. Maybe the U.S. could learn something from the EU about taking bold steps. It seems we have forgotten how to do it. I applaud the EU and encourage them to stick with it despite the complaints.