Uncategorized

Dumbly

The nonpartisan U.S. Government Accountability Office recently issue a blistering report on the Department of Energy’s delinquent treatment of energy efficiency standards. Despite a mandate from Congress, DOE has missed all 34 deadlines for issues standards covering everything from consumer products to power transformers. Only 11 sets of standards have been completed; 23 remain unfinished. […]

Fed legislation shouldn’t mess with state efforts

Speaking of this argument Jason raised — what exactly Dems should do on global warming in the next two years — one point strikes me as central: whatever Congress does, it should not impede or supercede the many great efforts taking place at the state and local level. That’s the baseline for acceptable legislation, in […]

Readers write in about sexist hair-color remarks, microwaving tea, eco rock concerts, and more

  Re: It’s Official: He Rocks Dear Editor: So Cameron Diaz is more luscious as a blonde than a brunette? Since when does Grist publish this type of sexist garbage and then not remove it from its website, despite the protests of readers? Our family has supported Grist in the past but will no longer […]

Don’t Make Her Bust Out That Bustier

Famed California town may have to fight yet another pollution battle Note to pollutey people: if you want to keep a low profile, perhaps it’s wise not to situate yourself in a location made famous for being unjustly polluted. A sewage-sludge conversion plant is being planned eight miles away from Hinkley, the small California town […]

Who’s on the climate change A-List

Listen up, all you eco-celeb-hatas. (Yeah, you!) Starry-eyed site Ecorazzi and DeSmogBlog, which aims to clear the PR pollution clouding the science on climate change, have teamed up to create a li’l flash game that lets you rank celebs from stars to stinkers based on their eco-commitment. Check it out, below:

Chris Jordan makes staggering statistics visually real

Our minds have a limited capacity to comprehend really, really big numbers. At least mine does. A million tons of C02 might as well be a zillion. Twelve and a half million dollars spent every hour on the Iraq war might as well be bazillions.

Sometimes we try to fathom the enormities of raw numbers by visualizing them. How often have you heard that something stacked on end would extend to the moon and back?

But that never helps me. I can't actually comprehend just how many pop cans, or human DNA particles, or safety pins, or Chevy engines or hot dogs would get me to the moon. It's just a heck of a lot.

Luckily for people like me, Seattle artist Chris Jordan has found a way to put big numbers into perspective.

OK, maybe not really

Well, not really. But as this article points out, we are probably only going to get one solid shot to do this right, and a half-measure that could survive a Bush veto would make people believe we had done something serious when we hadn't. This is why the 2008 election is going to be sooo important. The Democrats should vote for a serious measure, have it vetoed or filibustered, and get the public ready for when a new administration takes over.

Truthiness

(via Hugg)

Pennies for your thoughts?

I've noticed that readers of this site have ideas. Lots of ideas.

Here's a chance for some dough to stop talking (writing? blogging?) and start doing.

Wildgift is a non-profit that gives grants of $10k to $15k for "self-designed projects that promote wildlands stewardship and the development of sustainable human communities and lifestyles."

How cool is that?

It’s a wiki: Say three times fast

Hear ye, hear ye. Anon, find a new web-source for info on biofuels, one that ye can add to and edit as ye wish. It's a wiki, and it's all about sustainability. See the sustainability standards section if ye don't believe. Yeah, it may indeed be possible to bring forth from the good earth both foods and fuels.