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Our old friend

Later this morning (Tues.), the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform — led by Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Ranking Member Tom Davis (R-VA) — will hold hearings on Bush administration political interference with climate scientists. Now here’s a funny thing. Lauren Morello’s story for E&E (sub rqd.) contains this account of who will […]

Now it’s regulatory

These are not words that lend themselves to restful sleep: President Bush has signed a directive that gives the White House much greater control over the rules and policy statements that the government develops to protect public health, safety, the environment, civil rights and privacy.

Yummy veggie curry

Despite the fact that I am an omnivore, I belong to a vegetarian dining co-op that meets weekly. There are nine of us, and we each prepare dinner once every nine weeks. Several people in the co-op eat meat as a regular part of their diet, while others are strict vegetarian -- some for environmental reasons, others for ethical reasons (including a pro-hunting vegetarian: a story for another day). Those of us who eat meat are still happy to eat a vegetarian meal and we enjoy the chance to get together with our veggie friends and listen to their shocking tales of being taunted at their various places of employment for bringing "weird" lunches to work.

A few weeks ago, the person whose turn it was to cook had to work both her old full-time job and her new full-time job for a full week while transitioning from one to the other. "Um, do you want me to trade weeks with you?" I asked.

Super Bowl gets greener, renewables could power half the world by 2050, and more

Read the articles mentioned at the end of the podcast: Leader Hosin’ But I’m a Cheerleader Plus, Only Teams With Animal Names Can Play The Neverending Tory This Just (W)in Read the articles mentioned at the end of the podcast: Paying the Farm Bill Koplow and Robbers Whereof They Speak Honeysuckle Prose

Everybody talks about it, nobody funds it

The administration claims, at least, to be interested in two goals: Reducing U.S. dependence on oil. Addressing the threat of climate change. No. 1 rules out imported fossil fuels; No 2 rules out coal. What’s that leave? Renewable energy. So WTF: Congressional earmarks that redirected Energy Department financing last year slowed or even shelved many […]

Tree plantations are bad for people and no good for offsetting carbon

We've discussed problems with carbon offsets from an economic viewpoint, and from their abuse as a misleading public relations tool. But perhaps we should focus on the awesome cruelty of their human costs.

Doug Koplow, subsidies researcher and founder of Earth Track, answers questions

Doug Koplow. With what environmental organization are you affiliated? I’m the founder of Earth Track in Cambridge, Mass., which focuses on increasing visibility of environmentally harmful subsidies. This visibility comes through direct analysis, consolidation of research from around the world, and descriptive materials understandable by general audiences. Subsidies transfer value from the public sector to […]

Umbra on trusting scientists

Hi Umbra, We’ve had some bizarre weather in New England, and more and more people are wondering if it’s due to global warming. On NBC News, they had a 30-year veteran of NOAA state flatly that it’s not global warming, it’s El Niño. As a greenie/leftie I got angry, thinking here goes the MSM denying […]

Their new album rocks

I’ve been a huge fan of the band Cloud Cult for a while, but their new album, The Meaning of 8, is really knocking my socks off. Or rocking my socks off. Rocking my knocks off. Whatever. It’s a huge leap forward and my favorite album of this young year. Right now you can only […]

What should we do about it?

We’ve spilled a lot of pixels around here discussing areas of climate science that are officially — that is, according to the IPCC — unsettled (e.g., hurricanes). In these areas the IPCC has not ratified a conclusion, but many prominent scientists line up on one side or another. The important questions raised by these areas […]