Climate Climate & Energy

How many Texas mayors does it take … ?

... to change the lightbulbs Texans use?

The answer turns out to be ... five:

Severe precipitation in U.S. significantly increased over past half-century, says report

The number of severe rainfalls and snowstorms across the U.S. has increased by around 24 percent in the last 50 years, says a new report from green group Environment America. In five states — Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont — instances of heavy precipitation have jumped by more than 50 percent. Let’s […]

Use of distiller grains in livestock rations has exploded

Yesterday, I posted about how feeding cattle distillers grains — the leftover from the corn-based ethanol process — seems to raise the incidence of E. coli 0157. I was a bit vague on precisely how much of the stuff was making it into the livestock-feed supply. Thanks to the indefatigable Ray Wallace, I now know. […]

Saddening video report on Indonesian palm oil plantations

Here is a short, painful four-minute news report about palm oil plantations -- watch it and weep:

States petition U.S. EPA to regulate airline emissions

The U.S. EPA should regulate greenhouse-gas emissions from aircraft going in and out of U.S. airports, say five states that filed a petition today. “The EPA has abdicated its responsibility in this area for years, and it won’t do its job until it’s legally required to do so,” says California Attorney General Jerry Brown, who […]

Another big climate bet

Good news: I got three guys to put up a total of $1000 against the bet in my recent post, "Ice, ice, maybe (not)":

It is very safe to say the Arctic Sea will be essentially ice free by 2030, and I'd personally bet on 2020 -- any takers?

Not-so-good news: The "takers" are not global warming doubters, quite the reverse -- they are three well-known and knowledgeable climate bloggers -- James Annan, William Connolley, and Brian Schmidt -- and James and William are certifiable climate experts.

That said, I think I'm going to win this, as I'll explain. I estimate the odds at at least 2 to 1 in my favor -- no, this isn't the same kind of 100-to-1 lock the hydrogen bet is -- though James, William, and Brian have, unintentionally, given me (slightly) better-than-even odds. Let's start with the bet:

At no time between now and the end of the year 2020 will the minimum total Arctic Sea ice extent be less than 10 percent of the 1979-2000 average minimum annual Arctic Sea ice extent, as measured by NSIDC data or any other measurement mutually agreed-upon; provided, however, that if two or more volcanic eruptions with the energy level equal to or greater than the 1991 Mount Pinatubo shall occur between now and the end of 2020, then all bets are voided.

The 10 percent minimum covers me against straggling ice. I also asked for the two-Pinatubo voiding -- I didn't want to lose this bet if warming is temporarily slowed by an unusual series of big volcanoes.

Why will I win?

Some 150 million people will be at risk from flooding by 2070, says report

Some 150 million people in the world’s biggest cities could be at risk of flooding by 2070, and at-risk coastal property could have a value of $35 trillion, says a report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. About 40 million people and $3 trillion worth of property are now at risk, but population […]

Texas mayors want CFL to be state light bulb

The state bird of Texas is the mockingbird. The state song is “Texas, Our Texas.” The Texas state footwear is the cowboy boot, its tie the bolo tie, and its pepper the jalapeño. Now, five Texas mayors have called for the Lone Star State to have an official state light bulb: the compact fluorescent. Which, […]

Feeding ethanol waste to cows

Perhaps the most persistent debate around corn ethanol involves its “net energy balance” — that is, whether it consumes more energy in production than it delivers as a fuel. Even the studies that credit the fuel with a robust energy balance, like this one from the USDA, acknowledge that it’s pretty much a wash unless […]

Solar project in African desert could supply clean energy to Europe

A string of gigantic solar generators in the northern African desert could cleanly supply one-sixth of Europe’s electricity needs, say backers of a project called Desertec. The project relies on concentrated solar power, in which giant mirrors focus the sun’s rays on pillars filled with water, creating steam, which drives turbines, which generate electricity. In […]