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When the Blights Go Down in the City

List ranks top ten most polluted spots on earth Looking for that perfect vacation getaway, where you and that special someone can recapture the magic by going into acute respiratory distress together? Look no further: The Blacksmith Institute has released a list of the 10 most polluted spots on earth. Chernobyl in Ukraine is the […]

You Can Call Them Algae

Marine “dead zones” on the rise around the world There are now at least 200 oxygen-starved “dead zones” in the world’s seas and oceans, a rise of more than a third over the past two years, the United Nations Environment Program announced yesterday. The algae blooms that suck up oxygen and cause dead zones — […]

Big stuff could be happening

It isn't a big deal yet, but if this has a measurable effect on the coming elections, it will be seen in retrospect as a big, big deal:

Democratic strategists are joining forces with conservative evangelicals to promote a faith-based campaign on global warming, in an improbable alliance that could boost Democratic hopes of taking control of Congress.

At a news conference today, the president of the Christian Coalition and a board member of the National Assn. of Evangelicals -- both groups closely tied to the religious right -- will announce Call to Action, an effort to make global warming a front-and-center issue over the next three weeks for Christians in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Tennessee, North Carolina, Colorado and several other states with pitched election campaigns.

Enviros hope to make gains with gubernatorial races in key states

With Election Day just over two weeks away, Muckraker brings you part two of our roundup of gubernatorial races with important green angles. Last week, in part one, we chronicled the hottest campaigns along the Eastern seaboard. This week, we’re briefing you on a few of the must-watch races in the Midwest and Pacific regions. […]

Fun

Arnold Creek Productions has a whole series of short films -- mainly clips of smart people talking -- about sustainability and related matters. Lots of good stuff.

For instance, you can watch Michael Shellenberger & Ted Nordhaus say reasonably valid things in a tone of insufferable smugness.

Or, if you're less cranky, you can watch pastor Jim Wallis talk about why global warming is a religious issue.

A note to Arnold Creek (and this goes to all the folks out there making online videos): Quicktime won't work on some browsers, and works poorly in others. Same for Real and Windows Media. Start using Flash, like YouTube. And make it easy to embed your videos on other web pages. There's no excuse not to any more.

Unsolicited tech advice: part of the Gristmill value add.

A report shows how big businesses are preparing

The Pew Center published a report today on business strategies for dealing with climate change [PDF]. The report was authored principally by University of Michigan Professor (and recent Grist contributor) Andrew Hoffman.

I've only had a chance to glance at the report, but it looks like good stuff (here's an article about it).

Travis Bradford thinks so

This afternoon I talked with a guy named Travis Bradford, who has a new book out called Solar Revolution (you can read sample chapters here). In it, he makes a rather bold and startling claim. To paraphrase:

In coming decades, solar energy is going to become the dominant energy source on the global market. This is true irrespective of possible increases in the price of fossil fuels; irrespective of possible global warming regulations; irrespective of government subsidies; irrespective of possible future technological advances. Even given conservative assumptions about all those factors, the tectonic forces at work in the global energy situation make solar's dominance inevitable.

Bradford is not some hippie dreamer. He comes from the world of corporate finance, investment funds, and other such things I don't understand. (He now runs the non-profit Prometheus Institute for Sustainable Development.) He doesn't make predictions idly.

Anyway, the Q&A will be up on the site in a week or two. This is just the kind of person I love to meet -- young, knowledgeable, forward-thinking, and in the thick of things rather than shouting from the sidelines. I may try to absorb him into the Grist Borg.

The Bees’ Needs

Scientists worry about declining numbers of honeybees and other pollinators Researchers are warning of a significant population decline in species that together pollinate three-quarters of all flowering North American plants, including more than 90 commercial crops. A study released yesterday by the National Research Council indicates a “demonstrably downward” trend in populations of birds, bees, […]

Power Shift

E.U. launches action plan for reducing energy use The European Union has adopted an action plan for reducing energy use 20 percent by 2020, saying increased efficiency could save it $125 billion by that year. Under the plan, the 25-nation bloc will expand building energy-efficiency rules to apply to smaller structures, and develop binding minimum […]

Ice Vice, Baby

Iceland to resume commercial whaling despite international ban Iceland plans to resume commercial whaling for the first time in nearly 20 years, despite an international moratorium. Through August 2007, the government will permit whalers to harpoon 30 minke whales and nine endangered fin whales. Iceland’s Fisheries Ministry says there are 43,600 minkes and 25,800 fin […]