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Wonder Twin powers, activate!

Interesting. I interviewed famed biologist E.O. Wilson, who talked about the need for scientists to reach out to religious leaders, to ask them to lend their moral credibility to the fight against biodiversity loss and other environmental ills. And I interviewed evangelical mega-church pastor Joel Hunter, who talked about the need to reach out to […]

Bait and switchgrass, again

I've only just seen this study by Tiffany A. Groode, a graduate student in MIT's Department of Mechanical Engineering, and not looked at it in detail, but several statements in the press release stand out:

Now a new MIT analysis shows that the energy balance is actually so close that several factors can easily change whether ethanol ends up a net energy winner or loser.

Regardless of the energy balance, replacing gasoline with corn-based ethanol does significantly reduce oil consumption because the biomass production and conversion process requires little petroleum.

Groode incorporated into her analysis the uncertainty associated with the values of many of the inputs. Using a methodology developed by a recent MIT graduate, she used not just one value for each key variable (such as the amount of fertilizer required), but rather a range of values along with the probability that each of those values would occur.

Based on her "most likely" outcomes, she concluded that traveling a kilometer using ethanol does indeed consume more energy than traveling the same distance using gasoline.

So why does the press release proclaim, "MIT ethanol analysis confirms benefits of biofuels"? Because cornstarch ethanol forms part of a continuum, you see:

Says smart stuff

A while back, in a post semi-defending Gore et. al’s backing of science showing a connection between hurricanes and climate change, I invoked a study by Tom Wigley and colleagues. It occurred to me that it might be nice to hear what Wigley himself had to say, so I asked him. He responded, and I’m […]

King for a Day

Daily Grist takes a break for equality’s sake, resumes on Tuesday So many Monday holidays, so little time: just when you got used to having us back, Daily Grist will be taking a break on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We will march and discuss and reflect, yes — and we might also start counting […]

It’s Mill-er Time

What readers are talking about on the blog this week This week on Gristmill, the big debate is over ex-Schwarzenegger adviser Terry Tamminen’s support for hydrogen cars. He’s taking a lot of heat — so if any hydrogen supporters are lurking out there, now’s the time to speak up. In other bloggy news, staff writer […]

Carbon offsets and human rights

More evidence was released today demonstrating the complexity and oxymoronic nature of "ethical capitalism." This time it has to do with carbon offsets.

According to "A funny place to store carbon," a report issued today by the World Rainforest Movement, villagers living along the edges of Mount Elgon National Park in east Uganda, the site of a Dutch-owned carbon offset project, have been beaten, shot at, and repeatedly denied access to their land by armed park rangers guarding the "carbon trees" inside the park.

Starting in Wash.

It looks like the Washington legislature is going to take up eminent domain soon. According to editorial coverge in the P-I:

A bill this legislative session should require general public notification (beyond Web-based meeting dockets) of condemnation decisions and direct notification of landowners by any government considering using eminent domain to acquire property. Openness is vital.

That sounds like an unalloyed good to me.

NAS smacks Bush admin.

Remember when it seemed like there was some kind of force field around Bush? Like Rove had completely mastered the political game, Cheney ran the geopolitical scene like a puppetmaster, Rumsfeld bestrode the Pentagon, and Congress was packed with courtiers? It was hard to bring to mind, watching Bush give his speech the other night. […]

Plans for the long weekend?

Many folks have a long weekend this week as the nation pauses to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday. And to honor King’s legacy, organizations around the country will be taking part in a day of service. Social, political, and environmental justice are the main focuses of the service events, emphasizing the need […]

A new organization does it for you

As globalization takes off, it's not only governments that have the power to affect millions of lives. We expect to hold democratically elected officials accountable -- but what about unelected bigwigs, CEOs, foundation heads, philanthropists, and NGO leaders?