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Jolly Good, Guv’nors

Western Governors Adopt Ambitious Renewable Energy Goals Western governors agreed this week to a resolution calling for development of renewable energy in the region, a plan they hope will stabilize energy costs for consumers and make the region an exporter of energy — nay, the “Saudi Arabia of wind and solar energy,” according to the […]

America’s Next Top Model

New Climate Model Predicts Faster Warming Global warming may be happening faster than previously estimated, with temperatures rising 4.7 degrees instead of 3.6 degrees in the coming century — a seemingly small difference with potentially enormous consequences. This week, the National Center for Atmospheric Research released version three of its Community Climate System Model, created […]

Off With Their Headlights!

France to Impose Green Tax on Big Cars A new green road tax unveiled by the French environment ministry would provide rebates for those who buy small, fuel-efficient cars by taxing buyers of large, gas-guzzling cars and trucks. The scheme would divide vehicles into five categories based on how much they pollute. The middle category […]

Don’t You Know That You’re Toxic?

Toxic Pollutants in U.S. Atmosphere Up by Five Percent (or More) The U.S. EPA reports that the volume of toxic pollutants released into the atmosphere increased by 5 percent in 2002 — only the second increase since 1988, when the EPA started keeping track, and the largest — but according to enviro groups, even that […]

Thai a Yellow Ribbon

Prominent Environmental Activist Killed in Thailand Shortly after testifying before a parliament subcommittee on corruption about attempts by “influential locals” — a common Thai term for corrupt officials and business owners — to build a private resort on public land, prominent Thai environmentalist Charoen Wadaksorn was killed this week by two gunmen on a motorcycle. […]

That’s Owl, Folks

Spotted Owl Remains Threatened Remember the northern spotted owl? Caused a bit of a fuss about a decade ago? According to a comprehensive, federally funded review of the available science, the world’s most studied bird still faces dire threats. While the 1994 Northwest Forest Plan sharply curtailed logging in the old-growth forests that serve as […]

Less Power to ’em

Blackout Had Dramatic Air-Quality Effect Last summer’s power outage in the U.S. Northeast was an economic disaster, but according to researchers it had one happy consequence: The air became, almost overnight, remarkably cleaner. The blackout saw over 100 power plants shut down on August 14. On August 15, 24 hours into the blackout, a group […]

Gulf Streaming Media

Distributed Computer Simulation of Catastrophic Global Warming Spreads Lots of folks who saw the recent global warming blockbuster “The Day After Tomorrow” have what might charitably be called uncertainties about the veracity of the science behind the plot. Now, in the U.K., a consortium of universities and the Met Office (weather and environmental services) are […]

EPA chief Mike Leavitt hits the swing states

Leavitt, alone. Photo: U.S. EPA. Have a look at U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Mike Leavitt‘s calendar over the last several months and you’ll notice that it appears to be in lockstep with the Karl Rove playbook. “I’d hardly call it coincidence,” said Beth Viola, a leading environmental strategist for the Kerry campaign, “that after […]

Raci-Caught

Bush Campaign Chair Lies About Kerry Fuel Economy Plan Speaking of swing states: Bush presidential campaign chair Marc Racicot told a group of Michigan voters that the state could “lose 105,000 jobs” under John Kerry’s proposal to raise the average fuel economy standards of America’s vehicle fleet roughly 50 percent by 2015. The charge was […]