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Others … not so much, says new poll

A recent Pew Center poll done just as An Inconvenient Truth was opening nationally finds, not surprisingly, that Americans don't care about global warming. Or do they?

41 percent say global warming is a very serious problem, 33 percent see it as somewhat serious, and roughly a quarter (24 percent) think it is either not too serious or not a problem at all.

That puts global warming 19th among 20 issues ranked. However, a very strong partisan pattern emerges here: although it's dead last among Republicans, it ranks 14th for both Democrats and independents, above such "hot button" issues as government surveillance, flag burning, abortion, the inheritance tax, and gay marriage, and about the same as the budget deficit and immigration.

So maybe it’s just my sweet tooth …

But when I read this story (albeit a week late), I totally thought to myself "Clothes made from sugar? Sweet!"

See, I saw this:

The one-of-a-kind outfits created by big name designers Oscar de la Renta, Stephen Burrows, Elisa Jimenez, and others included a strapless beige ball gown, a cream baby-doll dress with ribbon and sheer overlay, and a pink and yellow taffeta skirt with a silver recycled polyester bustier.

And then I sort of skipped down here:

Other items on display at the fashion show included a men's transparent dress shirt, a hooded pink floral fleece sweater, a blue blazer, and a strapless black dress.

And then I read the part about fermented corn sugar ... blah, blah ... polymer ... blah, blah ... "versatile fiber that can be made to have the appearance of silk, polyester, leather, or elastic" ... blah, blah ... So, what you're telling me is these models are not covered in sugar like designer Peep action-figures? Blah.

But seriously, I guess it's a good sign that an alternative to silk and leather and other destructive fashion materials is being given some attention. Though I would rethink those transparent men's dress shirts.

Lance is out, green is in

Yes, I am aware that Lance Armstrong is no longer riding in the Tour de France. Yes, I am aware that he is, in fact, retired. (And yes, I am aware and inconsolable that he and Sheryl Crow broke up.) But celebrity appeal draws readers. And if you’re reading this, then it worked! Yes! Today’s […]

Wow

I'm on vacation, so I'll keep this short, but wow. I mean ... wow. It's difficult to fathom how out to sea the conservative movement is on this issue.

Environmentalism makes the H-list

OK, I have a Hotmail account (is that too 2002 of me?), and I check it once a day. There's always a little story off to the left, something really thoughtful like "27 Ways to Pad Your Resume" or "Is He Cheating with Your Ex?" But today, the teaser is "Hot on Hotmail: Why environmentalism is so hot in the U.S." Granted, it just links to this not-so-hot Newsweek story. But still. We're, uh, officially hot.

Making the Trade

Britain looks into carbon trading system for individuals British Environment Secretary David Miliband has endorsed the idea of a carbon trading system for individuals, requiring people to limit personal emissions and allowing energy-savers to sell back unused carbon allowances for a profit. “Imagine a country where carbon becomes a new currency,” Miliband said. Each citizen […]

That Extincts

Scientists, worried about mass extinction, call for international biodiversity panel The planet faces a “major biodiversity crisis” that could lead to mass extinction of species, warn 19 of the world’s leading biodiversity specialists in Nature. Stating that “biodiversity is still consistently undervalued and given inadequate weight in both private and public decisions,” the specialists urge […]

Don’t worry, I’m here to help.

I know you're wracked with indecision over whether to participate in World Jump Day tomorrow. It's a tough one, but I'm here to help. Below the fold is a comprehensive and handy pros and cons list to help you make your decision.

Vegetarians are ruining our bad headline

It was a headline many took personally: "Vegetarians Are Ruining the Planet."

As we know from the source article for our news blurb -- and from the many readers who wrote in to emphasize this particular point -- about 80 percent of the world's soy goes to feed livestock, much of which is then eaten by non-vegetarians.

So yes, meat-eaters, dog-food purchasers, leather-jacket wearers, and other sundry livestock end-users thus are about four-fifths at fault for destroying the soy-deadened parts of the Amazon.

But chew on this: inadvertently helping to destroy even 20 percent of these vast Amazonian tracts is still helping to destroy the planet, is it not? Alas, we're all playing a part -- though veggies less so than meat-eaters in this instance (particularly ones who make sure their soy patties and tofu nuggets are certified organic).

Anyhow, we are sincerely sorry that the headline offended many of you, dear readers. We thought, in our innocence, that it was such a clearly ridiculous assertion that it would be taken in jest. We've nothing against vegetarians, we swear -- in fact, we've even let some of them infiltrate our ranks.

Polar Apposites

U.S.-Russia treaty will protect polar bears A polar-bear-protecting treaty between the U.S. and Russia was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives this week. It would prohibit the possession, sale, and purchase of polar bears or parts thereof (ew!), and also set quotas on hunting by Native populations. Currently, Native Americans are allowed to hunt […]