Tuesday, 12 Jun 2007

Water You Waiting For?

Donate to Grist, win a chance at splash-tastic prizes

You know how two-thirds of the planet is covered in water? Funny thing: we still need to raise two-thirds of our fundraising goal, and today we're featuring water-related prizes. See the connection there? See it? Ahem. To show just how grateful we are to those of you who donate, we are giving away Mion water shoes to the first 10 people to give $75 today. And a $100 gift by June 19 (the very end of our fundraiser, we promise) gets you a chance at a Gristravaganza Green Living Starter Kit, with goodies including a shiny stainless-steel canteen! So be a dear and send some of your liquid assets our way -- and we'll be sure to raise a glass in your honor.

Johnson Pussyfoots

EPA chief will decide whether to regulate greenhouse gases ... next year

Climatic evidence notwithstanding, U.S. EPA chief Stephen Johnson would like to assure you that snoozers are not losers. On Friday, Johnson told a House special committee on global warming that he's going to put off making up his mind about whether vehicle greenhouse-gas emissions should be regulated by his agency until late 2008. It's all a matter of whether the emissions "endanger public health or welfare" -- and endangerment is a "legal term of art" that needs more study, Johnson said. The Undecider also refused to inform the House when he might determine whether California is allowed to enforce vehicle-emissions standards stricter than those outlined by the feds. "We're moving forward in a thoughtful, deliberative manner, looking at every appropriate option," Johnson explained. Color the committee members unimpressed: "This is grossly unsatisfactory," said Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) "This is like saying we're going to have a meeting next year about getting Osama bin Laden."

Can You Hear the Drums, Hu Jintao?

Sweden hosts Chinese president, global environment ministers

What we learned today: while researching eco-news from Sweden, you might stumble upon some juicy tidbits. Like the fact that tennis player Björn Borg was severely bitten by a dog this weekend, or that the organizers of a future museum dedicated to ABBA have found a location in Stockholm! But since you are a professional, you will not let such news distract you from your purpose. Which is to report that Chinese President Hu Jintao has just wrapped up a three-day visit to Sweden, during which he affirmed his country's commitment to battling global warming and supporting sustainable development. Among several pacts signed by the two countries was an agreement to share information on environmental technologies. The same day Jintao departed, 30 environment ministers from around the globe descended for the "Midnight Sun summit," an informal chat about climate-change strategies. The meeting, expected to address emissions trading, technology, and deforestation, will take place behind closed doors.

Phosphorus Is Bad Phor Us

Gulf of Mexico "dead zone" still large and in charge

As happens every spring, billions of pounds of nitrogen and phosphorus from agricultural fertilizer have made their way down the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico, invigorating massive algae blooms that suck up oxygen and create a massive "dead zone." In 2001, a task force appointed by the U.S. EPA pledged to reduce the dead zone by about three-quarters, to 1,930 square miles, by 2015. But somehow, despite uncoordinated, voluntary programs and more study -- an EPA panel recently declared a "strong conclusion" that, uh, nitrogen and phosphorus are suffocating the gulf -- experts predict that the zone may surpass a record 8,000 square miles this year. The zone's gettin' no love from the ethanol boom, which is contributing to the 90.5 million acres of corn to be planted in the U.S. this year -- 12.1 million acres more than last year. But hey, 3.7 million acres of farmland were turned into wetland from 2000 to 2006! So, uh ... nope, that's not really all that encouraging.

Progress Doesn't Pay

North Carolina fines driver for not paying taxes on vegetable-oil fuel

A kerfuffle in North Carolina shows what might be in store for users of DIY fuel: the state fined a veggie-oil-burning driver $1,000 for not paying fuel taxes, told him to expect a $1,000 fine from the feds, and informed him that he'd have to post a $2,500 bond to be allowed to use veggie oil. "With the high cost of fuel right now, the [Department of Revenue] does recognize that a lot of people are looking for relief," says state taxman Reggie Little. "We're not here to hurt the small guy, we're just trying to make sure that the playing field is level." And by "make sure that the playing field is level," we're pretty sure he means make sure home-brewers still pay into the $1.2 billion in annual revenue the state gets from fuel taxes. "If somebody was going to go to this much trouble to drive around in a car that uses soybean oil, they ought to be exempt" from such taxes, said a state senator and fellow fry-oil fan. Other states are facing similar dilemmas. Welcome to our brave new world.