Climate Change

It's the end of the Antartic Summer

Jim's Notes — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 17:30:07 GMT

It is the end of the Antarctic Summer, and you know what that means.... ice shelves are collapsing.

Tags:Climate Change

Climate Change and Public Policy

Jim's Notes — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 01:51:23 GMT

Here is a great article about the helplessness of talking about climate change and it's potential devastating effects on the environment, economy, etc, etc. Basically it goes like this: if people don't experience any tangible effects of global warming the warnings go largely unheeded. Can people do things to combat global warming? Sure. Are they? Who knows. I know that I am not nearly as active as I could be. I don't know who said this, but it brings to mind an analogy that I heard: if you put a frog in boiling water, he'll jump out, but if you put a frog in cold water and gradually raise the temperature that sucker will cook. Unless we can feel the effects of global warming, we are not likely to do anything about it.

So what is the solution? Policy change. As the article states, you have to give people more options. If you present them with an affordable fuel efficient car that costs less to maintain than a big gas guzzler, people will jump all over it. If you work with developing countries by providing them with cheap eco-friendly fuel then you will not only be doing a benevolent act and helping combat climate change, but you will also be earning valuable allies; which if the current political landscape persists, will be at a premium for a long time to come.

Green News Round Up

Jim's Notes — Thu, 10 May 2007 01:02:26 GMT

Love the world. Here are some recent green headlines:

Japan Donates to Combat Climate Change -- Physorg.com

Japan has donated $100 million to a fund dedicated to combat climate change and increase emphasis on green technology.

Murdoch Goes Green -- MotherJones.com

Rupert Murdoch, Australian media mogul, has promised to increase coverage of climate change in his news outlets including the oft controversial Fox News.

GM Joins United States Climate Action Partnership -- AutoSpectator.com

GM, US auto maker, as well as several other companies including Shell and AIG joined the US Climate Action Partnership. (USCAP) Tips to kelly.

Migratory Birds, Whales Confused by Warming, UN Says -- Truthout.org

Animals are ending up in the wrong places at the wrong times according to a UN official. Species include bats, dolphins, antelopes and turtles.

Solving Climate Change

Jim's Notes — Sun, 06 May 2007 01:02:38 GMT

A new UN report states that fighting climate change is not only affordable, but is also cheaper than doing nothing at all. If left unchecked global temperatures could rise to dangerous levels.

...the UN report spells out plainly to the world's governments what their options are: reduce emissions rapidly at a cost of up to 3 per cent of GDP and at most, temperatures will rise by two degrees. But if they do not act, temperatures will rise to dangerous levels and the economic costs will be much greater. -- ABC News Australia

I really believe that imagination is our most important asset. There are probably thousands of ways for large companies to justify continuing with current operations, but if we can think outside of the box and apply some ingenuity then we can figure out how to turn being green into a profitable experience.

Plankton to the rescue? Not hardly.

Jim's Notes — Sun, 06 May 2007 00:49:41 GMT

A commercial venture to create a plankton bloom and suck up some carbon out of the atmosphere is being planned by a company called Planktos. The way it works is that you drop iron into the ocean to encourage a bloom. I can only hope that this works, but many scientists are in doubt. And I have to wonder.... it seems to me to be a trial and error sort of approach. Do it now, ask questions later. When our environment is in play it seems like a dangerous game.

Further reading: International Herald Tribune

Reducing Emissions Could Harm The Environment

Jim's Notes — Thu, 03 May 2007 02:50:12 GMT

Lawyers representing the auto industry are suing Vermont for putting in strict regulations on vehicle emissions. One of their arguments is "that the regulations could backfire and harm the environment. People would drive more because their new vehicles get better gas mileage, he said, or they would hold on to their older, more polluting cars to avoid a costly upgrade."
That's sound logic. I mean, if I knew my car was safer for the environment, I would drive to work and back more often than just once a day. And I would take the long way too.

Developing Countries Cut Greenhouse Emissions

Jim's Notes — Thu, 03 May 2007 02:34:00 GMT

Even poorer countries are curbing their greenhouse emissions. China, India, Brazil and Mexico all reduced emissions over the past three decades. This was all a byproduct of other policies not meant to curb greenhouse gases, but the end result is the same. China is still the number two culprit for carbon output but no surprises here, the first is none other than the U.S. If only we could take a more proactive role like other countries.

Obligatory Climate Post

Jim's Notes — Wed, 02 May 2007 00:30:27 GMT

Sometimes it is hard to stay up to date on any one subject. I have a passion for the climate change issue, but like all passions this one has faded somewhat. I still believe in it, (It was supposed to be a record day here ion Raleigh) but there is not much I can do about it personally. I intend to buy a canvas sack for groceries, but have yet to do so. There has been legislation in San Francisco as well as some small town in Britain banning use of plastic grocery bags, and I am all for it. They are wasteful. (As is bottled water but that pigs for pickin' another day) But anyway, here is some climate news for the day. Arctic sea ice is melting beyond expectations. And also Prince Charles in all his nobility has compared the fight against climate change to the fight against Nazis. I wish there was some quack with a bad mustache behind global warming. It would be much easier to take care of than stopping a global juggernaut dependent upon earth altering consumption.

Happy Earth Day

Jim's Notes — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 01:42:31 GMT

And what better time to celebrate Earth Day than in a time when the earth needs our attention more than ever. Maybe every day should be Earth Day. It sounds like "green" rhetoric but it's true. And it is so easy to forget about it sometimes. As technology advances the Earth is thrown by the wayside. People who care about the environment are branded as "tree huggers", a derogatory term that was first used to describe followers of Gandhi who opposed commercial logging in India. And while most people would probably say that they care about the environment or oppose pollution nobody would like to be branded as a tree hugger. In the meanwhile it is a fact that man's actions at least contribute to the unusual warming we see across the globe, and billion dollar corporations spread misinformation and lies branded as science. And while we're at it, bees are dying out worldwide. As Bill Maher quotes Einstein in his recent blog post:

"'...if the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would have only four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man.' Well, guess what? The bees are disappearing. In massive numbers. All around the world."

The Earth is delicate and humankind no longer belongs to it. It belongs to us and sometimes it seems we have forgotten it. Some of us even mock those who care about it and others put money before it. It can't go on. And it won't be easy to change. But maybe if the next time you hear someone use "tree hugger" to describe an environmentalist you call them out for their ignorance, we can start to change the perception of those who care about the place we share.

10 Earth Friendly Tips

Jim's Notes — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 01:33:51 GMT

Check out this quick list of environmental tips from Howstuffworks.com. They are all easy to follow and require a small amount of commitment to make a difference. I especially like number 9. You should see the funny looks I get going the speed limit on the highway. I laugh to myself at all those suckers burning fuel. I can definitely see the difference in the gas gauge.