Latest Articles

An interview with peak-oil provocateur Matthew Simmons

Matthew Simmons: he’s more radical than he looks. Matthew Simmons has been stirring up a lot of angst in energy circles this year. This well-connected industry insider has concluded that some of the world’s largest oil beds may be on the verge of production collapse — and he’s willing to bet his much-vaunted career on […]

Seedy Business

A sustainable-ag champion gets plowed under at Iowa State Composting is nothing new at Iowa State University’s Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, but throwing the director out on the compost heap is. After five years as head of the center, sustainable-ag champion Fred Kirschenmann was unceremoniously replaced last week, with two days notice. That stinks […]

Can’t Hear the Forest for the ORVs

Forest Service unveils new off-road vehicle rules The U.S. Forest Service says its new off-road vehicle (ORV) policy, announced yesterday, will set limits on where the noisy, pollution-spewing machines can be used in national forests — but conservationists say that’s not good enough. The new rule sets no overarching standard for ORV use in the […]

There’s No Progress Like Slow Progress

Lots of talk, no targets at Brit-hosted climate meetings Twenty nations participating in a climate-change confab in London this week vowed to take dramatic action to stop global warming. Hee hee … we never get tired of pulling your chain, do we? Actually, the energy-hungry attendees — the G8 industrial nations and up-and-coming economic powers […]

The Rend Is Near

Senate votes to keep Arctic Refuge drilling in budget bill The campaign to keep oil drills out of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge has just been dealt what could be a fatal blow. Yesterday, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) introduced an amendment to drop refuge-drilling language from a filibuster-proof federal budget bill; today, the Senate voted […]

In a crisis, sleeves make the man

Big story on CNN.com today about the "flippant" emails of former FEMA chief Mike Brown during Katrina. Some of it is disturbing, some dull, some just silly.

Among the stories of bureaucratic sluggishness is this gem: "A few days later, [Brown's press secretary] Worthy advised Brown: 'Please roll up the sleeves of your shirt, all shirts. Even the president rolled his sleeves to just below the elbow. In this [crisis] and on TV you just need to look more hard-working.'"

VW goes lithium

I must admit, I enjoy watching Volkswagen TV commercials. They're hip ("Independence Day"), funny ("Airport"), sometimes innovative ("Squares") and sometimes weird ("Sardines"). But I've often wondered when VW will seriously enter the hybrid market.

According to Wired's Autopia blog, maybe soon:

Volkswagen is exploring using lithium ion batteries in future hybrid vehicles. The German automaker is working with Hybrid Technologies to develop a concept vehicle in North Carolina. Hybrid Technologies is currently working on hybrid Smart Cars for Europe with lithium batteries instead of the nickel-metal hydride batteries used in today's hybrids.

In September VW said it would begin building hybrid Touran cars in China with Shanghai Automotive. Speaking of China, GM recently agreed to work with SAIC Motor Company on producing low-cost hybrids for the world's third largest auto market.

Volkswagen has been late to the game, but I'm still holding out hope for a hybrid Golf TDI that will get around 70 mpg.

Me, I'm simply looking forward to the first VW hybrid commercial.

Passed on without comment

From a Harris Interactive survey:

GLBT consumers (51%) are significantly more interested in hybrid electric vehicles than their non-gay counterparts (34%) and feel that they are worth paying more money for.

(Via BB)

Oprah, light bulbs, and global warming

Well, I still haven't managed to find a copy of the whole show (where's the bit torrent community when I need it?), but I went and flipped through Oprah's "Global Warming 101" website and watched the video of Leo DiCaprio leading a tour of a green home. It's all quite good. I'll say, echoing Chris, that Oprah deserves enormous credit for bringing this issue to her huge audience in a way they can grasp. The combination of solid (if simplified) science and sexy celebrity is just the ticket. So kudos, Oprah.

That said, what really struck me is the jarring disjoint between the problem described -- a decades-long warming of the entire planet's atmosphere -- and the chipper suggestions of What You Can Do -- namely, switch out your light bulbs.

Rare good news about Environmental Illness/Multiple Chemical Sensitivities

Finally a bit of good news about Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (aka Environmental Illness). And you thought there was no such thing as good MCS news. Or, more likely, you didn't know much about MCS/EI. Anyway, if that's the case, you're hardly alone. Even many who have the condition don't know much about it.

First, a bit of background. MCS is a syndrome characterized by a range of adverse symptoms brought on by exposure to an equally broad array of chemicals, with symptoms usually appearing at exposure levels far below those that would affect the rest of the population. Symptoms vary enormously from person to person but often include severe headaches, confusion, memory loss, random food allergies, digestive issues, skin irritation, and more.