Latest Articles

Finally

Oy. Things are, as usual, happening faster than I can blog them. Before it gets too old, let me be the last person in the green blogosphere to link to this remarkable article in Newsweek. It’s about the history of the global warming denial industry. It’s not remarkable because it uncovers any new information. Those […]

Watch him on ‘OnPoint’

Very good piece here from E&ETV ($ub req'd). Worth the time to watch. Description:

How the two are related

Science Friday recently had a great segment on cognitive dissonance, defined as:

A psychological term which describes the uncomfortable tension that may result from having two conflicting thoughts at the same time, or from engaging in behavior that conflicts with one's beliefs.

Because it is uncomfortable, your brain will seek out ways to resolve the contradictions.

So if you think you're a good and moral person, but you fudge a little on your taxes, you might justify this with an excuse like: "I've overpaid in previous years," or "the government is using my money in an immoral way," or "everyone else is doing it."

New research shows that this is not some individual character flaw, but a strong and consistent human impulse. Brain scans show that the brain floods with pleasure when conflicting ideas are resolved.

I thought the segment went a long way toward explaining why skeptics on global warming still exist. When presented with conflicting views, such as "I am a good person" vs. "my lifestyle is destroying the planet," the brain comes up with a way to resolve them, such as, "global warming is a conspiracy cooked up by celebrities and scientists."

This really highlights why we need to emphasize solutions. If we give people ways to address the problem, they won't need to deny it.

Honk if you think I’m a giant asshole

New specialty license plate option being offered in Oklahoma: “For Sooners looking to show their terror-fighting pride while tearing up the asphalt,” writes one USA Today blogger. (h/t: TP)

Umbra on prioritizing organic purchases

Hi Umbra! I just recently became a stay-at-home mom. Life is bliss, except for the one-income household we now have (my husband brings home the tofu-bacon). Now that we have very limited funds I cannot afford to buy all organic food. Sometimes organic food is nearly double the price of conventional food … yikes! I […]

Well Oil Be Damned

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez pursues energy treaties in South America Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is on a four-nation swing through South America this week, using his country’s oil riches to win friends and influence people. Yesterday, Chavez signed an “energy security treaty” with Nestor Kirchner, the president of Argentina; he will continue on to Uruguay, […]

Someone Alert Ben and Jerry

Indo-Pacific coral reefs disappearing twice as fast as rainforest, study says Forget the rainforest: the coral reefs of the Indian and Pacific oceans are vanishing twice as quickly, researchers say. The Indo-Pacific region, home to 75 percent of the world’s coral reefs, has lost nearly 600 square miles of reef each year since the late […]

Take Two

Step It Up sequel is coming this November — get ready to hit the streets Step It Up, the nation-spanning climate protest organized in April by renowned author Bill McKibben, was, by all accounts, a success. And if at first you succeed, why not do it again: in a new Dispatch, McKibben announces Step It […]

BPA: Here to Stay?

Controversial panel will decide whether bisphenol A poses a health risk Last week, several dozen scientists issued a consensus statement that ubiquitous chemical compound bisphenol A likely poses health and reproductive risks to humans. This week, an expert panel will finalize a report for the U.S. National Toxicology Program on whether humans should indeed try […]

A short guide

Lots of economists and analysts on both sides of the aisle prefer a carbon tax to a cap-and-trade system, but political reality is such that the former is exceedingly unlikely and the latter has become all but inevitable. So it’s time to focus on doing it well. One question that came up in the panel […]