Health Care System:
I know what we need to do. We need a health care system, something like Canada has. The only way to get this is to tell the politicians that they are going to be on the same health care plan we the people have. No exceptions! Give them 90 days to fix the health care system. If they don’t get it fixed in 90 days all their past, present and future benefits Freeze and a 10% cut in pay after the 90 days. To me, they are not Democrats or Republicans, they are corrupt politicians. I bet if we give this problem to an independent think tank they can get this fixed.
Social Security:
I know what we need to do. We need a Social Security system that works. The only way to get this is to tell the politicians that they are going to be on the same Social Security plan we the people have. No exceptions! Give them 90 days to fix the Social Security system. If they don’t get it fixed in 90 days all their past, present and future benefits Freeze and a 10% cut in pay after the 90 days. To me, they are not Democrats or Republicans, they are corrupt politicians. I bet if we give this problem to an independent think tank they can get this fixed.
Education;
The same with Education. 90 days or we give it to an independent think tank.
Immigration;
The same with Immigration. 90 days or we give it to an independent think tank.
Where do we get the money to pay the independent think tanks? From the corrupt politicians. Fine them. Take a way their benefits. Fire them.
Can you see you and your child in a doctor’s office waiting to see the doctor and H. Clinton and her kid sitting next to you waiting to see the doctor?
If the politicians don’t fix are problem we can make it their problem to.
October 27, 2007
October 13, 2007
Don't Waver When The Moment Comes.
Don't Waver When The Moment Comes.
Suddenly cool Al Gore looks like a good choice.
Al Gore could become the only man to win an Oscar, a Nobel Prize and his party's presidential nomination.
He already has collected an Oscar for his global-warming documentary "An Inconvenient Truth." (Actually, that's two Oscars, if you count best song.) He's Won the Nobel Peace Prize.
We hope he goes for it.
Gore has said repeatedly that he's happy doing what he's doing, while not irrevocably ruling out a run. Friends and former aides are hedging bets.
The first President Bush mocked him as "ozone man." Now, corporations seek his counsel on global warming.
"An Inconvenient Truth" has made environmental activism - and Gore, in all his woodenness - cool again. Thousands flock to his lectures on campuses. Rock stars go gaga over him.
But more important, international leaders, who turned against America when Bush scoffed at treaties and rejected diplomacy, respect and admire Gore.
However much he has achieved in the past seven years, President Gore could achieve what citizen Gore cannot. So bide your time, Al Gore, as Bobby Kennedy did in 68. But don't waver when the moment comes.
Suddenly cool Al Gore looks like a good choice.
Al Gore could become the only man to win an Oscar, a Nobel Prize and his party's presidential nomination.
He already has collected an Oscar for his global-warming documentary "An Inconvenient Truth." (Actually, that's two Oscars, if you count best song.) He's Won the Nobel Peace Prize.
We hope he goes for it.
Gore has said repeatedly that he's happy doing what he's doing, while not irrevocably ruling out a run. Friends and former aides are hedging bets.
The first President Bush mocked him as "ozone man." Now, corporations seek his counsel on global warming.
"An Inconvenient Truth" has made environmental activism - and Gore, in all his woodenness - cool again. Thousands flock to his lectures on campuses. Rock stars go gaga over him.
But more important, international leaders, who turned against America when Bush scoffed at treaties and rejected diplomacy, respect and admire Gore.
However much he has achieved in the past seven years, President Gore could achieve what citizen Gore cannot. So bide your time, Al Gore, as Bobby Kennedy did in 68. But don't waver when the moment comes.
July 04, 2007
'Scooter' Libby Rewarded For Keeping Silent.
With his decision to commute the prison sentence of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, President Bush again demonstrated that he considers his administration to be above the law.
Lie to cover up misdeeds and you will be protected is the message sent to those in the administration. And the president's action tells the American people that there are different sets of laws and punishments for the politically powerful and the common person.
Those are terrible messages to send on the week the nation celebrates its Declaration of Independence from a tyrannical king, also named George.
The day cannot come soon enough when the nation gains its independence from this George as well.
Lie to cover up misdeeds and you will be protected is the message sent to those in the administration. And the president's action tells the American people that there are different sets of laws and punishments for the politically powerful and the common person.
Those are terrible messages to send on the week the nation celebrates its Declaration of Independence from a tyrannical king, also named George.
The day cannot come soon enough when the nation gains its independence from this George as well.
June 23, 2007
Senate drops tax package, boosts auto fuel rules.
The U.S. Senate passed an energy bill on Thursday that would raise the country's automobile fuel efficiency standards for the first time in 30 years.
But the Senate dropped $32 billion in clean-energy incentives after Republicans objected to about $29 billion in extra taxes on big U.S. oil companies.
Minutes before midnight, the Senate voted 65-27 to approve the Democratic rewrite of U.S. energy policy, which would mandate a four-fold use in ethanol in motor gasoline by 2022 and raise vehicle fuel-efficiency standards by 10 miles per gallon, or to 35 miles per gallon by 2020.
H.R. 6 (CLEAN Energy Act of 2007)
Vote Summary
Question:
On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 6, As Amended)
Vote Number:
226 Vote Date: June 21, 2007, 11:25 PM
Required For Majority:
1/2 Vote Result: Bill Passed
Measure Number:
H.R. 6 (CLEAN Energy Act of 2007)
Measure Title:
An Act to move the United States toward greater energy independence and security, to increase the production of clean renewable fuels, to protect consumers from price gouging, to increase the energy efficiency of products, buildings, and vehicles, to promote research on and deploy greenhouse gas capture and storage options, and to improve the energy performance of the Federal Government, and for other purposes.
Vote Counts:
YEAs 65
NAYs 27
Not Voting 7
But the Senate dropped $32 billion in clean-energy incentives after Republicans objected to about $29 billion in extra taxes on big U.S. oil companies.
Minutes before midnight, the Senate voted 65-27 to approve the Democratic rewrite of U.S. energy policy, which would mandate a four-fold use in ethanol in motor gasoline by 2022 and raise vehicle fuel-efficiency standards by 10 miles per gallon, or to 35 miles per gallon by 2020.
H.R. 6 (CLEAN Energy Act of 2007)
Vote Summary
Question:
On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 6, As Amended)
Vote Number:
226 Vote Date: June 21, 2007, 11:25 PM
Required For Majority:
1/2 Vote Result: Bill Passed
Measure Number:
H.R. 6 (CLEAN Energy Act of 2007)
Measure Title:
An Act to move the United States toward greater energy independence and security, to increase the production of clean renewable fuels, to protect consumers from price gouging, to increase the energy efficiency of products, buildings, and vehicles, to promote research on and deploy greenhouse gas capture and storage options, and to improve the energy performance of the Federal Government, and for other purposes.
Vote Counts:
YEAs 65
NAYs 27
Not Voting 7
Read The Full Story:
June 05, 2007
U.S. Short-Changes Climate Monitoring
U.S. short-changes climate monitoring, report says.
Reducing the number of satellites places the global-warming program 'in serious jeopardy,' government scientists warn.
America will lose much of its ability to monitor global warming from space unless the Bush administration reverses course and restores funding for the next generation of climate instruments, according to a confidential report prepared by government scientists.
May 31, 2007
The Assault on Reason
The Assault on Reason
In the months following the release of An Inconvenient Truth, I began to focus on why our democracy has been so slow to deal with the climate crisis. The unwillingness to solve this problem is not only the result of a lack of political will, but it has also been caused by the emergence of a new political environment dangerously hostile to reason, knowledge, and facts. In the long-term, this poses a threat to the very basis of American democracy: the ability of a well-informed citizenry to use the rule of reason to hold government accountable.
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May 24, 2007
START HERE
In the months following the release of An Inconvenient Truth, I began to focus on why our democracy has been so slow to deal with the climate crisis. The unwillingness to solve this problem is not only the result of a lack of political will, but it has also been caused by the emergence of a new political environment dangerously hostile to reason, knowledge, and facts. In the long-term, this poses a threat to the very basis of American democracy.
May 07, 2007
IPCC report upbeat on climate change Published
BANGKOK: After two grim warnings on the impact of climate change, the world’s top experts were unusually upbeat in assessing ways to protect the Earth, but said that national leaders have no time to waste.
The report delivered by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the UN’s top authority on the subject which met in Bangkok last week, said humanity could at least slow global warming with existing, affordable technology.
But the experts warned that time was of the essence to ward off the most destructive effects of climate change.
“We believe that human beings are capable of reducing the problems that we may get on climate change,” Ogunlade Davidson, the co-chair of the meeting, said.
The report delivered by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the UN’s top authority on the subject which met in Bangkok last week, said humanity could at least slow global warming with existing, affordable technology.
But the experts warned that time was of the essence to ward off the most destructive effects of climate change.
“We believe that human beings are capable of reducing the problems that we may get on climate change,” Ogunlade Davidson, the co-chair of the meeting, said.
“The only difficulty is to get the political will to do that,” he said.
~~~
My fear is this whole global warming crisis will bring out the worst of us, not the best. Can anyone realistically see humankind working together to kick this thing, or does the crisis have the propensity to bring out the Hitler like traits in us all? Idealistically I would like us all to work this out but realistically I see a horror that I will not spare any words on. May God have mercy on us all.
~ Paul M
May 06, 2007
Science triumphs over politics at UN climate change meeting
SCIENCE had a rare victory over politics at this week's UN climate change conference, after a united call for action emerged despite fierce debate over how to best tackle global warming.
The UN's top body on climate change last Friday released a report approved by delegates from 120 nations, laying out how the world could avoid the worst impacts of global warming with minimal economic damage.
As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change meeting began in Bangkok last Monday, delegates warned that it was fanciful to believe all the players had the interests of the planet at the top of their agenda.
They said nations would inevitably fight to protect their own economic and political interests, and as the meeting got under way, reports crept out from behind the closed doors that some delegations were indeed playing politics.
But after all the battles, wrangling and interventions, most agreed that science had triumphed, with politics sometimes playing a helping hand.
"You could argue that some of the delegates that are most critical and difficult towards the text are the most important to the text," said Michael Williams, spokesman for the UN's Environment Programme.
"By challenging and nitpicking and asking questions, that just increases the chances of us getting a better text rather than just being polite about it."
The United States, usually fingered as a key culprit in protecting economic interests over climate change concerns, escaped largely unscathed from the conference, with most delegates pleasantly surprised by its performance.
"I was relieved to see the Americans behaving, that makes such a difference," said Stephan Singer, of the conservation group WWF.
Shouldering most of the blame for trying to stick a political oar in the proceedings was China, which was said to be trying to play up the costs of taking immediate action to battle global warming.
Michael Mueller, a German environment ministry official who attended the talks, accused China of impeding progress towards cutting greenhouse gases, and said its delegates had been "masters of deception and the art of interpretation".
BANGKOK 06-May-07
The UN's top body on climate change last Friday released a report approved by delegates from 120 nations, laying out how the world could avoid the worst impacts of global warming with minimal economic damage.
As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change meeting began in Bangkok last Monday, delegates warned that it was fanciful to believe all the players had the interests of the planet at the top of their agenda.
They said nations would inevitably fight to protect their own economic and political interests, and as the meeting got under way, reports crept out from behind the closed doors that some delegations were indeed playing politics.
But after all the battles, wrangling and interventions, most agreed that science had triumphed, with politics sometimes playing a helping hand.
"You could argue that some of the delegates that are most critical and difficult towards the text are the most important to the text," said Michael Williams, spokesman for the UN's Environment Programme.
"By challenging and nitpicking and asking questions, that just increases the chances of us getting a better text rather than just being polite about it."
The United States, usually fingered as a key culprit in protecting economic interests over climate change concerns, escaped largely unscathed from the conference, with most delegates pleasantly surprised by its performance.
"I was relieved to see the Americans behaving, that makes such a difference," said Stephan Singer, of the conservation group WWF.
Shouldering most of the blame for trying to stick a political oar in the proceedings was China, which was said to be trying to play up the costs of taking immediate action to battle global warming.
Michael Mueller, a German environment ministry official who attended the talks, accused China of impeding progress towards cutting greenhouse gases, and said its delegates had been "masters of deception and the art of interpretation".
BANGKOK 06-May-07
April 28, 2007
World Wide Strike, July 7, 2007
My Solution
Submitted by Sherwy on Sat, 04/28/2007.
Well finally got the opportunity to watch AIT and my gut feeling on how I would feel after watching this mind bending truth of what society has created was right. It made me feel sad, scared and sick. Sad that this could actually have happened, sad for my children who will potentially grow up only knowing destruction, death, disasters, animal extinctions, disease………………………… Scared that we want do anything, scared that our ability to change will be taken from us by a handful of people, organizations, politicians and corporations. Sick of doing nothing, sick of listening to those in charge lying and manipulating us and I feel sick thinking about those poor animals and eco systems that also live in this world, having no idea no warning of this destruction that man is and has created.
We have to stop talking about the changes, stop talking about implementing small decreases of emissions by say 2012. Those kinds of discussions have been going on for 20+ years now and still only small changes have been implemented. In most cases increases in emissions have occurred, as we have seen in AIT in those years of talks the environmental impact of our current way of life is speeding this fatal process up. This will lead us to only one outcome as they say “to the end of life as we know it”. So if we don’t stop as a world wide society killing our planet WE WILL END LIFE we know this!!!!! Those people who are continuing this situation and controlling the people blinding and lying to us all to protect there annual profits will at the end of the day LOSE , because end in some form is coming life as we know it is on a knife edge. For me it has gone beyond just doing your bit, to now the only way is to unit as one world one society and make the changes required.
My solution is to implement sudden change by pre-empting that end. How???? By stopping simple stopping, you think if we as ordinary people just stopped going to work and protested across the world, who would be hardest hit??? We are lead to believe that we would suffer. If we stopped around the world and said enough they would have to listen and change would happen rapidly. If we spent those billions, trillions of dollars world wide that have been generated by that which is KILLING OUR PLANET us!!! If we as a world wide society just spent some time and money implementing those necessary changes, then I believe in 1year maybe 2years who cares how long we could divert a forced and inevitable destruction, that would have a far greater impact on man then 1 or 2 years of hard work.
We need to be not one person making change but one world making that world wide change.
Am I making sense here? I need some feed back, could this work??? What do you think???
Sherwy's blog:
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World Wide Strike
Submitted by WestTexasBliss on Sat, 04/28/2007.
Okay, how about doing this July 7, 2007.
Starting 12:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. 24 hours,
What do you think?
Wembley's Live Earth Lineup Announced
Madonna, Genesis, Foo Fighters and the Red Hot Chili Peppers are to play at the new Wembley Stadium for a concert highlighting the threat of climate change.
Other acts at the London leg of the Live Earth series of concerts include James Blunt, Duran Duran, Snow Patrol, Razorlight and Damien Rice.
Seven Live Earth shows will take place around the world on July 7. The line-up for the UK leg of the 24 hour event was announced yesterday by Live Earth founder and executive producer Kevin Wall. He said: "This monster line-up will ensure Live Earth meets our goal of bringing together people from around the world to combat the climate crisis. Live Earth will not only span all seven continents, but the musicians who have answered our call span multiple genres and generations."
Read the Full Story,
Document is publicly viewable at...
April 22, 2007
Boxer will 'hound' Bush on emissions regulations
Sen. Barbara Boxer promised to pressure the Bush administration to adopt California-style global warming regulations, saying Wednesday that the Supreme Court "handed us a gift" with its recent landmark decision authorizing the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce greenhouse gases as a pollutant.
The decision "put the wind at our backs," the California Democrat said, vowing at the National Press Club to haul administration officials before her Senate Environment and Public Works Committee to ask them what immediate steps they will take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which are produced by the consumption of fossil fuels.
"I will hound them on this week after week after week after week," said Boxer, who chairs the committee. "It doesn't take China doing anything. It doesn't take India doing anything. It doesn't take Congress doing anything."
The administration has the power to act on its own, she said, and "I intend to move to make sure the administration uses its powers."
The decision "put the wind at our backs," the California Democrat said, vowing at the National Press Club to haul administration officials before her Senate Environment and Public Works Committee to ask them what immediate steps they will take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which are produced by the consumption of fossil fuels.
"I will hound them on this week after week after week after week," said Boxer, who chairs the committee. "It doesn't take China doing anything. It doesn't take India doing anything. It doesn't take Congress doing anything."
The administration has the power to act on its own, she said, and "I intend to move to make sure the administration uses its powers."
April 16, 2007
Pelosi Opens Doors
The Bush administration and its allies in the media have been heaping scorn upon House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., for her trip last week to Syria to speak with Syrian President Bashar Assad.The conservative media claim Pelosi has undermined U.S. foreign policy. How? By ignoring the Bush administration's policy to not have direct talks with Syria, which they claim is one of the world's leading sponsors of international terrorism.
Some have gone so far as to call for Pelosi's prosecution under the Logan Act, which makes it a felony for any American "without authority of the United States" to communicate with a foreign government in an effort to influence that government's behavior on any "disputes or controversies with the United States."
If you agree with that line of argument, since we are at war, Pelosi is guilty of treasonous behavior. There's just one problem. The argument is total nonsense.
Some have gone so far as to call for Pelosi's prosecution under the Logan Act, which makes it a felony for any American "without authority of the United States" to communicate with a foreign government in an effort to influence that government's behavior on any "disputes or controversies with the United States."
If you agree with that line of argument, since we are at war, Pelosi is guilty of treasonous behavior. There's just one problem. The argument is total nonsense.
March 13, 2007
Broad Irony
The first rule when criticizing popular science presentations for inaccuracies should be to double check any 'facts' you use. It is rather ironic then that William Broad's latest piece on Al Gore plays just as loose with them as he accuses Gore of doing.
We criticized William Broad previously for a piece that misrepresented the scientific understanding of the factors that drive climate change over millions of years, systematically understating the scientifically-established role of greenhouse gases, and over-stating the role of natural factors including those as speculative as cosmic rays. In this piece, Broad attempts to discredit Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" by exaggerating the legitimate, but minor, criticisms of his treatment of the science by experts on climate science, and presenting specious or unsubstantiated criticisms by a small number of the usual, well-known contrarians who wouldn't agree even if Gore read aloud from the latest IPCC report.
This article is very disappointing, not just because it gets things so wrong, but because it misses an opportunity to address a much more substantive issue. It is inevitable that working scientists will find popular presentations of their work lacking in depth and nuance (after all, depth and nuance are what we do!). Whatever you may think about Al Gore's movie, it is indisputable that it has raised awareness of the issues and left a substantial part of the public hungry for more information. That hunger can only be fed by people who are closer to the science than Gore, and it is inevitable that the AIT will be used as a springboard or contrast for further presentations. A better article would have investigated how that is happening and how that is affecting public awareness of the science. Unfortunately, this article does nothing to improve public awareness, and that is deeply ironic.
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Michael Mann and Gavin Schmidt
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Edited by WestTexasBliss
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Read the Full Story: document is publicly viewable.
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We criticized William Broad previously for a piece that misrepresented the scientific understanding of the factors that drive climate change over millions of years, systematically understating the scientifically-established role of greenhouse gases, and over-stating the role of natural factors including those as speculative as cosmic rays. In this piece, Broad attempts to discredit Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" by exaggerating the legitimate, but minor, criticisms of his treatment of the science by experts on climate science, and presenting specious or unsubstantiated criticisms by a small number of the usual, well-known contrarians who wouldn't agree even if Gore read aloud from the latest IPCC report.
This article is very disappointing, not just because it gets things so wrong, but because it misses an opportunity to address a much more substantive issue. It is inevitable that working scientists will find popular presentations of their work lacking in depth and nuance (after all, depth and nuance are what we do!). Whatever you may think about Al Gore's movie, it is indisputable that it has raised awareness of the issues and left a substantial part of the public hungry for more information. That hunger can only be fed by people who are closer to the science than Gore, and it is inevitable that the AIT will be used as a springboard or contrast for further presentations. A better article would have investigated how that is happening and how that is affecting public awareness of the science. Unfortunately, this article does nothing to improve public awareness, and that is deeply ironic.
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Michael Mann and Gavin Schmidt
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Edited by WestTexasBliss
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Read the Full Story: document is publicly viewable.
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Global Warming Debate
Along with Richard Somerville (UC San Diego) and Brenda Ekwurzel (Union of Concerned Scientists), I'll be appearing at a debate on Wednesday (March 14th) about whether Global Warming is a crisis (or not). That might have gone without notice (like most of my public talks), except that our opponents are Michael Crichton, Richard Lindzen and Philip Stott. The preliminary position statements (from me and from Philip Stott) are available on the ABCnews site. It's sold out, but the proceedings will be broadcast on NPR (for instance, WNYC 820 AM on Friday, March 23, 2007 at 2PM) and there will be a podcast (though I don't know if it will stream live). There's an online poll as well for what that's worth.
I'm quite looking forward to this, but I have to admit to conflicting thoughts. Does participating help perpetuate the idea that global warming per se is still up for debate? Is this kind of rhetorical jousting useful for clarifying issues of science that most people there will only superficially grasp? Can this be entertaining and educational? Or does it just validate the least serious opposition? Is it simply a waste of time that would be better spent blogging?
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I'd be interested in any thoughts people might have.
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Gavin
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I'm quite looking forward to this, but I have to admit to conflicting thoughts. Does participating help perpetuate the idea that global warming per se is still up for debate? Is this kind of rhetorical jousting useful for clarifying issues of science that most people there will only superficially grasp? Can this be entertaining and educational? Or does it just validate the least serious opposition? Is it simply a waste of time that would be better spent blogging?
~
I'd be interested in any thoughts people might have.
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Gavin
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Swindled: Carl Wunsch responds
The following letter from Carl Wunsch is intended to clarify his views on global warming in general, and the The Great Global Warming Swindle which misrepresented them.
Partial Response to the London Channel 4 Film "The Global Warming Swindle"
I believe that climate change is real, a major threat, and almost surely has a major human-induced component. But I have tried to stay out of the `climate wars' because all nuance tends to be lost, and the distinction between what we know firmly, as scientists, and what we suspect is happening, is so difficult to maintain in the presence of rhetorical excess. In the long run, our credibility as scientists rests on being very careful of, and protective of, our authority and expertise.
The science of climate change remains incomplete. Some elements are so firmly based on well-understood principles, or for which the observational record is so clear, that most scientists would agree that they are almost surely true (adding CO2 to the atmosphere is dangerous; sea level will continue to rise,...). Other elements remain more uncertain, but we as scientists in our roles as informed citizens believe society should be deeply concerned about their possibility: failure of US midwestern precipitation in 100 years in a mega-drought; melting of a large part of the Greenland ice sheet, among many other examples.
~
March 01, 2007
Al Gore's energy bill…
I don't believe this; this is it? Al Gore's energy bill… This has ExxonMobil's finger prints all over it. This is a page out of Karl Rove's play book. Let me see if I have this straight. ExxonMobil $$$, Karl Rove's play book and Drew Johnson's Stink Tank and the best they can come up with is Al Gore's energy bill! This is a spin if I ever seen one. If, you ExxonMobil ($$$), Karl Rove (play book), Drew Johnson (Stink Tank) are going to have me believe that Al Gore is the bad guy, you better think again. I have seen what you did to people like McCain, John Kerry, Joseph C. Wilson and Valerie Plame. Typical smear campaign. Tell me Drew Johnson what is your energy bill? Where do you get your funding from? Maybe someone should start digging in your trash-can. Let me go over this again, ExxonMobil $$$, Karl Rove's play book, Drew Johnson's Stink Tank and Al Gore, devoted 30 years of his life to educating people about global warming.
You can attack the messenger but the message remains the same". Mr. Gore's fuel bills failed to tell the whole picture. All the energy used for the Nashville home came from a green power provider to the Tennessee Valley that draws its energy from solar, wind-powered and methane gas supplies, among other sources.
Laurie David, the producer of An Inconvenient Truth, said that the furore was only to be expected. A leading global warming campaigner, she is familiar with criticism of this kind having been called a "jetstream liberal" for using private planes. "What this lame attempt to discredit Al Gore tells me is that we are winning.
You can attack the messenger but the message remains the same". Mr. Gore's fuel bills failed to tell the whole picture. All the energy used for the Nashville home came from a green power provider to the Tennessee Valley that draws its energy from solar, wind-powered and methane gas supplies, among other sources.
Laurie David, the producer of An Inconvenient Truth, said that the furore was only to be expected. A leading global warming campaigner, she is familiar with criticism of this kind having been called a "jetstream liberal" for using private planes. "What this lame attempt to discredit Al Gore tells me is that we are winning.
February 22, 2007
Minn. Raises Bar on Renewable Energy Use
Minnesota put its faith in a future fueled by renewable energy Thursday as the governor signed a law requiring utilities to generate a quarter of their power from renewable sources such as wind, water and sun by 2025. Considering where Minnesota stands now - about half the power produced in the state is from coal, and only 5 percent from renewable sources - the move is the most aggressive in the country, analysts say.
"We have to break our addiction to fossil fuels," Gov. Tim Pawlenty said in signing the legislation.
The new law, which sailed through the Legislature, encourages the use of wind farms, hydroelectric power and solar energy, as well as cleaner-burning fuels.
"We have to break our addiction to fossil fuels," Gov. Tim Pawlenty said in signing the legislation.
The new law, which sailed through the Legislature, encourages the use of wind farms, hydroelectric power and solar energy, as well as cleaner-burning fuels.
February 18, 2007
Al Gore's Musical Call to Action
The hit-making record producer Pharrell Williams, the wizard behind the beats of everybody from Ludacris to Britney, promises it will be "the biggest party on Earth." How big?
At the news conference Thursday announcing this summer's ambitious "Live Earth" concerts -- designed as an exercise in "mass persuasion" about threats of global warming -- Al Gore described his vision: a 24-hour musical extravaganza across seven continents, featuring as many as 150 of the world's top recording artists, introduced by an army of "celebrities and thought leaders" (think: Cameron Diaz and Richard Branson), playing before a total live audience of a million people, and reaching 2 billion more via television, radio and the Internet on July 7.
January 27, 2007
Photovoltaics, or PV for short, is a solar power technology
Photovoltaics, or PV for short, is a solar power technology that uses solar cells or solar photovoltaic arrays to convert energy from the sun into electricity. Photovoltaics is also the field of study relating to this technology.
Solar cells are regarded as one of the key technologies towards a sustainable energy supply.
Mankind's traditional uses of wind, water, and solar power are widespread in developed and developing countries; but the mass production of electricity using renewable energy sources has become more commonplace only recently, reflecting the major threats of climate change due to pollution, exhaustion of fossil fuels, and the environmental, social and political risks of fossil fuels and nuclear power. Many countries and organizations promote renewable energies through taxes and subsidies. Varying definitions of the term renewable energy have been adopted to define eligibility under these policies.
Document is publicly viewable at:
January 24, 2007
Phaeton's Reins
The human hand in climate change.
Kerry Emanuel.
Two strands of environmental philosophy run through the course of human history. The first holds that the natural state of the universe is one of infinite stability, with an unchanging earth anchoring the predictable revolutions of the sun, moon, and stars. Every scientific revolution that challenged this notion, from Copernicus' heliocentricity to Hubble's expanding universe, from Wegener's continental drift to Heisenberg's uncertainty and Lorenz's macroscopic chaos, met with fierce resistance from religious, political, and even scientific hegemonies.
The second strand also sees the natural state of the universe as a stable one but holds that it has become destabilized through human actions. The great floods are usually portrayed in religious traditions as attempts by a god or gods to cleanse the earth of human corruption. Deviations from cosmic predictability, such as meteors and comets, were more often viewed as omens than as natural phenomena. In Greek mythology, the scorching heat of Africa and the burnt skin of its inhabitants were attributed to Phaeton, an offspring of the sun god Helios, who, having lost a
wager to his son, was obliged to allow him to drive the sun chariot across the sky. In this primal environmental catastrophe, Phaeton lost control and fried the earth, killing himself in the process.
wager to his son, was obliged to allow him to drive the sun chariot across the sky. In this primal environmental catastrophe, Phaeton lost control and fried the earth, killing himself in the process.
These two fundamental ideas have permeated many cultures through much of history. They strongly influence views of climate change to the present day.
- The myth of natural stability.
- So what saved the earth from fire and ice?
- Greenhouse physics.
- Why the climate problem is difficult.
- Determining humanity’s influence.
- The consequences.
- Science, politics, and the media.
- The politics of global climate change.
Like it or not, we have been handed Phaeton’s reins, and we will have to learn how to control climate if we are to avoid his fate.
Kerry Emanuel is a professor of meteorology at MIT and the author of Divine Wind: The History and Science of Hurricanes. In 2006 Time magazine recognized him as one of the world’s 100 most influential people.
SOURCE: Originally published in the January/February 2007 issue of Boston Review:
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January 15, 2007
January 13, 2007
To The Churches, A Pastor's Message.
Al Gore and Global Warming: A Pastor's Message.
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Chuck Cram, pastor of the Aspen Community United Methodist Church, is carrying a new message today: Global warming is happening and it's time to do something about it.
Chuck Cram, pastor of the Aspen Community United Methodist Church, is carrying a new message today: Global warming is happening and it's time to do something about it.
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Cram has joined Al Gore's army of presenters for the "Answer the Call" program, a multi-media presentation based on Gore's book and 2006 film "An Inconvenient Truth."
Cram has joined Al Gore's army of presenters for the "Answer the Call" program, a multi-media presentation based on Gore's book and 2006 film "An Inconvenient Truth."
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After attending a Jan. 4-6 training session in Nashville, Tenn., Cram, along with 200 other trainees, is now qualified to present a version of Gore's computer-based slide show.
After attending a Jan. 4-6 training session in Nashville, Tenn., Cram, along with 200 other trainees, is now qualified to present a version of Gore's computer-based slide show.
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"I'm very excited and I want to get out and make some presentations, talk to people, field their questions and do what I can," Cram said.
"I'm very excited and I want to get out and make some presentations, talk to people, field their questions and do what I can," Cram said.
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While researching for a sermon on environmentalism in October, Cram stumbled across Gore's website www.theclimateproject.org . He saw the call for volunteers, applied and was accepted in December. The cost of the trip to Nashville came out of his pocket, he said, with a little help from the church.
While researching for a sermon on environmentalism in October, Cram stumbled across Gore's website www.theclimateproject.org . He saw the call for volunteers, applied and was accepted in December. The cost of the trip to Nashville came out of his pocket, he said, with a little help from the church.
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"It was really an inspiring event," Cram said of Gore's training program. And Cram was humbled by his fellow trainees who ranged from NASA scientists, to professors, to business owners and other clergy members.
"It was really an inspiring event," Cram said of Gore's training program. And Cram was humbled by his fellow trainees who ranged from NASA scientists, to professors, to business owners and other clergy members.
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"The bios on these people were amazing. I didn't fit in," he joked.
"The bios on these people were amazing. I didn't fit in," he joked.
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Gore welcomed the group on opening night and walked trainees through the slide show on the second day. One of Gore's science advisors answered questions.
Gore welcomed the group on opening night and walked trainees through the slide show on the second day. One of Gore's science advisors answered questions.
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"We really learned a lot about the research and the vetting of the information," Cram said.
"We really learned a lot about the research and the vetting of the information," Cram said.
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"Within the scientific community there isn't any debate about global warming," Cram said. Any doubt about global warming comes from the media and the influence of large oil companies, Cram said. He called the misleading information "inexcusable."
"Within the scientific community there isn't any debate about global warming," Cram said. Any doubt about global warming comes from the media and the influence of large oil companies, Cram said. He called the misleading information "inexcusable."
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And Cram is frustrated by members of the religious right who spread the wrong message about global warming. He hopes his church will be on the leading edge of environmental action, and he sees his work spreading the message about climate change as an important part of that.
And Cram is frustrated by members of the religious right who spread the wrong message about global warming. He hopes his church will be on the leading edge of environmental action, and he sees his work spreading the message about climate change as an important part of that.
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"There isn't anything more important than being good stewards of God's creation," the pastor said. "That's pretty basic."
"There isn't anything more important than being good stewards of God's creation," the pastor said. "That's pretty basic."
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There is no silver bullet to the problem of climate change, Cram said, but there is what he called "silver buckshot," or lots of small ways people can make a difference.
There is no silver bullet to the problem of climate change, Cram said, but there is what he called "silver buckshot," or lots of small ways people can make a difference.
"Get involved, think about your house and your vehicle," he recommends. People can make use of existing technology to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. By using efficient light bulbs, driving efficient vehicles, avoiding idling auto engines - a host of "little tiny things" - people can make a difference.
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"It's very hopeful. We still need to convince a lot of people that there is a problem, and that's kind of what the first part of the message is about. And then we get into what we can do and how we respond to this problem," Cram said.
"It's very hopeful. We still need to convince a lot of people that there is a problem, and that's kind of what the first part of the message is about. And then we get into what we can do and how we respond to this problem," Cram said.
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Cram called the former U.S. vice president "very accessible." Cram expected little more than a cameo during the training from the former U.S. vice president, but Gore spent a lot of time with trainees. Cram called Gore "very accessible."
Cram called the former U.S. vice president "very accessible." Cram expected little more than a cameo during the training from the former U.S. vice president, but Gore spent a lot of time with trainees. Cram called Gore "very accessible."
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"He doesn't put on airs," Cram said, and added Gore has a great sense of humor.
"He doesn't put on airs," Cram said, and added Gore has a great sense of humor.
Cram is ready to schedule presentations of "Answer the Call" in the Roaring Fork Valley. He offers 20-, 40- and 60-minute versions of the slide show. Cram cannot accept a fee to give the presentation, but said it is reasonable for individuals or organizations to cover his travel expenses. He plans to hold the first presentation in coming weeks at the Aspen Community Church.
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To arrange a presentation, contact Cram at the church at 925-1571, by cell phone at 319-0458, or by e-mail at revccram@earthlink.net.
To arrange a presentation, contact Cram at the church at 925-1571, by cell phone at 319-0458, or by e-mail at revccram@earthlink.net.
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January 12, 2007
2006 Is Hottest Year on Record in U.S.
Last year was the warmest in the continental United States in the past 112 years -- capping a nine-year warming streak "unprecedented in the historical record" that was driven in part by the burning of fossil fuels, the government reported yesterday.
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According to the government's National Climatic Data Center, the record-breaking warmth -- which caused daffodils and cherry trees to bloom throughout the East on New Year's Day -- was the result of both unusual regional weather patterns and the long-term effects of the buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
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The center said there are indications that the rate at which global temperatures are rising is speeding up.
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El Ni?o weather pattern in the equatorial Pacific also contributed to the warm temperatures by blocking cold Arctic air from moving south and east across the nation.
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Advocates for more action to control carbon dioxide emissions also voiced concern.
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The Bush administration has rejected proposals to cap carbon dioxide emissions or impose carbon taxes as a way to limit global warming. Lawrimore said he believes the problem could and should be addressed by developing new technologies for powering vehicles and industry.
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January 05, 2007
An Icon For Climate Change: The Polar Bear
The Polar Bear.
READ THE FULL STORY...
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I fervently believe that climate change, with the destruction that it is wreaking on our fragile, sacred earth, has become the most profound religious issue of our times.
A Jewish Response to Climate Change
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