Many environmentally related posts appearing at Daily Kos each week don't attract the attention they deserve. To help get more eyeballs, Spotlight on Green News & Views (previously known as the Green Diary Rescue) normally appears twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
The most recent Wednesday Spotlight can be seen here. More than
22,375 environmentally oriented diaries have been rescued for inclusion in this weekly collection since 2006. Inclusion of a diary in the Spotlight does not necessarily indicate my agreement with or endorsement of it.
Iceberg B-34 frees itself from Antarctica's Getz ice sheet and proceeds to scour the sea floor.—by
Pakalolo: "'It's catastrophic, really. They kill 99 per cent of things they come in contact with.' David Barnes, British Antarctic Survey. [...] An iceberg 17 miles long, now named B-34, cracked and broke loose from Antarctica's Getz Ice Shelf. The Getz ice shelf is roughly 300 miles long and up to 60 miles wide. Ice shelves in Antarctica have an average thickness of between 1,300 to 1,600 feet and some can extend out hundreds of miles off the coast. The Amundsen shelves are grounded on a bed that lies below sea level and several large islands are partially or wholly embedded in the ice shelf. The Amundsen Sea ice shelves are weak and more prone to climate change. It is thought to be melting at a rate triple of what it had 10 years ago. [...] In just 17 years, icebergs have decimated the sea life near western Antarctica. In 1997 a 500 square mile section of sea bottom was studied and discovered to have colorful coral like creatures called "moss animals". These creatures filter the water for food. Upon return in 2013, the researchers discovered that all but one of these species had vanished."
Washington State Kossacks - It's Time to Help CarbonWA - Initiative #732—by
John Crapper: "Calling on Washington State Kossacks to put some adrenaline into the mix. It's time. Time for a carbon tax reality check: There are only two carbon pricing policies on the table in Washington State. One of them is Governor Inslee's climate bill in Olympia. The other is CarbonWA's 'relief pitcher' carbon tax ballot measure, Initiative to the Legislature #732. The most important thing we can do as progressives for either one of them is to contribute our strength and our voice to the Carbon Washington campaign."
You can find more rescued green diaries below the orange garden layout.
Climate Chaos
Koch funded Heartland Institute sends scientists to correct Pope Frances on Global Warming—by Lefty Coaster: "The Koch funded Heartland Institute is sending some of its industry compliant scientists to Rome to correct Pope Francis ideas about Global Warming. Koch-backed group sending ‘real scientists’ to school Pope Francis about ‘Biblical duty’ to pollute. The libertarian Heartland Institute—perhaps best known for working alongside cigarette manufacturers to question the dangers of second-hand smoke—will host a workshop featuring two 'real scientists' Tuesday in Rome ahead of a Vatican summit on the environment, although the group neglected to identify its scientists. Pope Francis plans to issue an encyclical letter this summer that will address environmental issues, and very likely climate change—which could make the issue a moral and religious concern for Christians worldwide. [...] 'The Holy Father is being misled by ‘experts’ at the United Nations who have proven unworthy of his trust,' said Joseph Bast, president of the Heartland Institute. “Humans are not causing a climate crisis on God’s Green Earth —in fact, they are fulfilling their Biblical duty to protect and use it for the benefit of humanity..."
Best of the BEST—by climatedenierroundup: "Back in 2012, a scientist who was skeptical of human-caused global warming named Richard Mueller conducted an independent investigation of the temperature record to determine whether or not the claims of recent warming were reliable. He gathered a group of scientists, got some funding (including some from the Kochs) and went to work examining historical temperatures as part of the Berkeley Earth Surface Temperature (BEST) project. So what were the findings? Mueller and company determined the record is accurate—that the warming trend is real and not unduly influenced by urban heat islands or any of the adjustments made by scientists through the years. Mueller, to his credit, accepted the results and adjusted his outlook accordingly, holding that warming is real and caused by man. Why does this matter? Because recently the Global Warming Policy Foundation announced that it would be launching an independent investigation of the temperature record to determine whether or not the claims of recent warming are reliable. GWPF poses five questions that its climate 'experts' hope to answer."
Charles Koch acknowledges 'climate change', offers to buy California a glass of water—by kellyb2: "It's not like 'we' are going to accept his glass of water, if it exists, (it doesn't) having just gotten an ample HALF inch of rain this past weekend and we're GOOD TO GO for at least three, maybe three and a half days, here. Woo-hoo! Here it is: Last week’s USA Today interview with Charles Koch noted his shifting opinion on what he calls climate change 'hysteria': For the record, Koch says this of climate change: 'You can plausibly say that CO2 has contributed' to the planet’s warming, but he sees 'no evidence' to support 'this theory that it’s going to be catastrophic.' Well fuck! His glass of water is half full! Read more hope and excitement below the only cloud left in California."
House Science Chair Smith Revives Zombie Myths in WSJ—by ClimateDenierRoundup: "Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the WSJ's editorial page, the zombie arguments have returned. (We're kidding, of course; not about the zombies, but the idea that the WSJ's editorial page could ever be thought safe!) In the latest of a slew of contrarian WSJ op-eds, Lamar Smith—a Texas Republican and chair of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee—has a piece he seems to have written years ago and is only now bothering to dust off and publish. Smith's piece resuscitates a number of dead denial myths and bizarrely focuses on the 2008 IPCC report instead of the new one from 2013. He even quote mines the 2010 InterAcademy Council's review of the IPCC, choosing a quote that says there are shortcomings in the IPCC process and apparently hoping his readers won't go to the actual report, which concludes, “that the IPCC assessment process has been successful overall and has served society well.' Smith also discusses the pause, extreme weather and Obama's climate policies, presenting old denier talking points instead of anything fresh (or accurate). A rebuttal can be found at Huffington Post."
The Global Warming "Pause" That Wasn't Explained in One Simple Video Graphic—by Steven D : "Deniers have repeatedly claimed the global warming 'hit the pause button' over the last few years. This idea that global warming had 'paused' has been their biggest talking point of late. They have employed it to attack research that shows global warming was caused by increased emissions of greenhouse gasses. In short, they argued climate scientists were the ones 'in denial' about 'global warming,' not them. They proudly proclaimed victory over 'eco-alarmists,' asserting that this 'pause' demonstrated that all climate change models based on climate research were grossly inaccurate and misleading, at best, and outright lies, at worst. Primarily, the argument they make says that rising temperatures have plateaued over the last 15 years or so. And it is true that atmospheric warming slowed. But global warming did not."
Michael Mann in his Own Words: "Hide the Decline" and "Mike's Nature Trick"—by greenman3610: "Climate Scientist Katharine Hayhoe is assailed by an Austin, Tx, City Councilman after she presented at a special council session on Resilience. The Councilman continued to harangue Dr Hayhoe afterwards."
All Good Deniers Go To Rome—by ClimateDenierRoundup: "Pope Francis has made a number of unexpected moves in his tenure, the most recent being an upcoming encyclical that's expected to be about climate change. Though the encyclical isn't due out for some months, the Pope will be hosting a summittoday called: 'Protect the Earth, Dignify Humanity. The Moral Dimensions of Climate Change and Sustainable Development.' The event will convene leaders such as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Jeffery Sachs. While most are welcoming this 'Growing Movement for Climate Justice,' deniers are predictably scrambling for cover. This means that not only are they pushing out the usual drivel saying climate change is 'no big deal' and 'the policies to fix it are worse,' but they're also saying the moral thing to do is help the poor get more fossil fuels. For example, the Cornwall Alliance has sent Pope Francis an open letter on the issue, rife with the usual denier talking points. What's more, the Guardianhas a piece reporting on how the discredited Heartland Institute sent folks to Rome to lobby the Pope. Heartland held a press conference (covered by DeSmog) during which Monckton charged that the Pope making a statement on climate 'will be kicking the poor in the teeth.'"
Don't talk about "climate change"—by Wintermute: "The phrase 'climate change' was recommended by Frank Luntz as an alternative to "global warming". But it deliberately downplays the impact of global warming. It is time to stop using 'climate change.' EVER. Jump below the orange F5 tornado ... We need to use the term 'climate destruction.' I initially was thinking of 'climate disruption' but disruption implies a short term phenomenon. Destruction is more appropriate, because the damage done will be, on the human scale, permanent."
Extreme Weather & Natural Phenomena
New study forecasts big increases in extreme weather from human-caused global warming—by Meteor Blades: "The name of the study by Erich M. Fischer and Reto Knutti is a mouthful—"Anthropogenic contribution to global occurrence of heavy-precipitation and high-temperature extremes." Translation: global warming is causing weather extremes. Just as scientists have been predicting for at least a quarter century. While this isn't the first study to make such a connection between extreme weather events and global warming, Fischer and Knutti are the first to forecast how those extremes may be transformed by future global warming. Not a pretty picture."
Critters & the Great Outdoors
Dawn Chorus - Bolinas Springtime (this time)—by
lineatus: "Spring is sprung, the grass is riz—I wonder where the birdies iz? For my dad, back in Wisconsin, Spring really does spring. We talk every Sunday morning right when Dawn Chorus goes up, and conversations often start with the weather report—is it walking weather? For him, one week is too cold/icy/snowy to walk, and a week later he's checking out Olbrich Gardens, which is fully in bloom. [...] Out here on the left coast in the vicinity of SF, we kind of slide into the season. One week you're out for your walk with your jacket zipped up and the next week it's unzipped. That's about it. Further inland, there's enough heat that the jacket can even come off, but near the water there's about a ten degree swing between seasons so we rely on different cues. Flowers open up, birds get courtly."
The Daily Bucket: It's A Small World After All—by
Lenny Flank: "During a recent walk, I decided to focus my attention on all the little things around me--the life that mostly goes unnoticed by everyone as they walk by ... Dragonflies rival spiders as predators of flying insects. The larval dragonflies are aquatic, and serve as fish food."
The Daily Bucket: The Beach Ecology Around a Tin Rock—by RonK: "I took advantage of a spring minus tide to explore an interesting historical feature along the Bellingham waterfront and to investigate how the intertidal denizens were faring in and around this feature. As you will see, this is not a pristine Salish Sea beach, as if there were such a thing anymore. However, in spite of 150 years of habitat trashing, there remains a remnant of an earlier ecosystem. [...] As noted, this beach has been in an industrial zone for well over 100 years. Although it is now part of a city park it remains adjacent to the urban population. [...] This tin pile has some interesting striations and a bit of patchwork of layers of tin scraps piling up over the years."
The Daily Bucket - Titmouse Fledges—by enhydra lutris: "We have had a pair of Oak Titmice living in our orange tree for a few years now. On Thursday, April 23, we had five of them. We have an elevated platform feeder, and some seemed to have a bit of trouble commuting from the orange tree roughly 5 feet away to the feeder and back. More importantly, typical begging and feeding was going on in the feeder, convincing us that the new arrivals are fledges. We have no fledging date information from prior years for comparison (and aren't really sure that we have observed Titmouse fledglings in any prior year.)"
Reflections - The Kinnickinnic River, River Falls, WI Photo diary—by
Mike Kahlow: "When I'm not working, or being a political geek, I like getting outdoors, taking photos, running. But sometimes the political and the personal intersect. There are some, today, that think that state parks aren't important. There are some that look to sell off state land—land we all own—to pay off short-term debts. Debts incurred to cut taxes for the so-called "job creators." Earlier today I posted photos from March of the Kinnickinnic River as it passed through the city of River Falls. Today I went to Kinnickinnic State Park, where the Kinni meets the St. Croix River, just miles before the St. Croix joins with the Mississippi. Today I thank those who, in 1964, organized to save the St. Croix and Kinnickinnic Rivers for us to enjoy today - and gave us Kinnickinnic State Park."
The Daily Bucket: Early Summer Bloomers—by
PHScott: "Yes I know, for most of the USA it is SPRING! But in North Florida, spring was so 2 months ago. Given the 90º temps and high humidity in between the rain days, it sure feels like summer. The spring ephemerals are long gone but we are blessed with later-blooming wildflowers and trees. I'll start with photos taken in my yard the last few days and then after the fold, a few photos from Spring Canyon on the other side of Gadsden County from me. Coral Bean—A favorite of mine, and one of the first wildflowers I was able to ID when I bought this property 7 years ago. I have lots more now that I know how to plant the seed (when pod is dry but beans are green, before the beans turn red and harden, otherwise you have to scarify it). It takes about 3 years for a new plant to flower."
The Daily Bucket: Texas State Flowers—by
FOYI: "That's not a typo. Texas has six State flowers, all of them bluebonnets. This is the time of year they begin to weave their carpet of color all across the state. [...] Lupinus are part of the pea family and go by many names including Texas lupine, Buffalo clover, el conejo, and Wolf-flower. The name bluebonnet comes from their color and the fact that the flower resembles the sunbonnets worn by Texas pioneer women. The seeds resemble velvety peas and have a unique, delayed germinating characteristic which allows the plants to survive years of drought and adverse growing conditions."
Energy
earthquakes induced by nearby injection wells are a threat to Ohio's Perry Nuclear Plant—by rjsigmund: "it appears that the ongoing drop of rigs drilling for oil is finally affecting output, as US production of oil fell for the 2nd week in a row in the week ending April 17th, slipping to 9,366,000 barrels a day from 9,384,000 barrels a day the prior week, matching our output in the 1st week of March...while our daily production has plateaud over the past 6 weeks, it's still been running 14.3% more than the same period last year... even with that higher production, our crude oil imports have been little changed; according to the weekly Petroleum Status Report (62 pp pdf), U.S. crude oil imports averaged about 7.8 million barrels per day in the week ending April 17th, which was 617,000 barrels per day higher than the prior week...over the four weeks ending April 17th, our crude oil imports averaged over 7.6 million barrels per day, 0.9% above the same four-week period last year...so, with our imports of oil relatively unchanged, our higher field production leaves us with more oil than we can use, meaning still more is being put into storage...in the week ending the 17th, U.S. commercial crude oil inventories increased by 5.3 million barrels to a new record of 489.0 million barrels, 23.0% higher than the 397.7 barrels we had stored in the same week last year."
Renewables & Conservation
First U.S. Offshore Wind Project Breaks Ground—by Mary Anne Hitt: "Block Island calls itself the "Last Great Place," but this small island 12 miles off the coast of Rhode Island is first in the hearts of environmentalists and clean energy advocates across the nation today. Big things are happening just off the shore of that little island. That’s where Deepwater Wind has started construction on America's first-ever offshore wind project. This project will provide 30 megawatts (MW) of power-- enough to provide clean energy to every Block Island resident—while cutting electric bills by 40 percent. Thanks to this new wind farm, the current polluting diesel generators that power the island, which burn 1,000,000 gallons of diesel annually, will be coming offline, the equivalent of removing 150,000 cars worth of carbon emissions from the roads. Switching from dirty fuels to clean energy means cleaner air and water for Rhode Island families. Even better, excess power will flow back onto the grid in the Northeast via an undersea cable that Deepwater is installing."
Fracking
NM County bans fracking, gets muscled by Big Oil—by campskunk2: "Mora County, northeast of Santa Fe on the eastern slope of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, has a population of only 5,000. It became the first county in the US to ban drilling and fracking back in April of 2013, and upheld the ban in a hearing last October. Quietly, the county commission repealed the ordinance after a court ruling overturning it. What happened? Big Oil showed up. SWEPI, a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, sued the county, and Western Energy Alliance filed an amicus brief. Their argument was that counties cannot pass laws contrary to state law, and New Mexico state law already allows oil drilling and fracking. And they're right—to give you an idea of priorities, the state parks division is part of the Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resouces Department. And the judge agreed."
Keystone XL & Other Fossil Fuel Transportation
An unwelcome web of gas infrastructure—by EARTHWORKS: "Last week in Buckingham County, Virginia, I had the chance to see local groups in action, as we spread the message that health, economic, property, and environmental impacts from the proposed 550-mile long Atlantic Coast Pipeline (ACP) project cannot be ignored. A few days later (but following months of hard work by residents), the County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution requesting that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) delay any approvals of the project for one year while such considerations are studied. Local officials should make this same demand in West Virginia, where residents continue to battle, with growing support from health officials, the 300-mile Mountain Valley Pipeline, as well as a section of the ACP. Both projects would cut across rural areas and properties replete with forests, streams, and springs—as well as the Jefferson and George Washington National Forests."
DC, State & Local Eco-Politics
Competing WA cap-and-trade ballot initiative? A modest proposal to stop the insanity—by Pacificshift: "Washington State faces the possibility of competing 2016 climate ballot initiatives. A carbon tax initiative forwarded by grassroots citizens group Carbon Washington is already on the streets. Another might potentially be introduced by nonprofit advocacy group Climate Solutions and its allies if an effort to pass a carbon cap and trade proposed by Gov. Jay Inslee in the legislature fails, as seems increasingly likely. Here, Patrick Mazza, a founder of Climate Solutions and supporter of Carbon Washington, tracks the several-year trajectory that has led to the troubling scenario of competing climate initiatives. He also dissects the difficulties of placing a complex cap-and-tarde initiative before voters, and lines out a "modest proposal" to prevent the efforts from cannibalizing each other."
Senate global warming deniers scheme to undermine Obama and wreck any Paris 2015 climate pact—by Meteor Blades: "While right-wingers in Congress await the results of litigation dedicated to squelching proposed rules that would reduce carbon dioxide emissions from electricity-generating plants, some leading Senate Republicans are squaring off to undermine the Obama administration's international participation in the creation of an agreement on global warming in Paris by the end of this year. One method for this undermining is to persuade leaders of other nations that President Obama may not be able to deliver any pledges he makes in the agreement because he doesn't speak for Congress. And they're looking at Republican Sen. Tom Cotton's notorious letter to Iran's leaders as a guide for action. It's a scheme engineered by the usual suspects, of course"
CA Governor Brown comes out swinging; calls for more aggressive state climate goals—by VL Baker: "California Governor Jerry Brown is feeling the heat, literally and figuratively. His state is reeling with the consequences of an extreme four year drought. With no end of the drought in sight Brown is pulling out all stops with an aggressive state carbon reduction plan. Think Progress/Climate has the breaking news: On Wednesday morning, four-term California Governor Jerry Brown issued an executive order that aims to reduce California’s greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030. Brown called it the most aggressive GHG target by any North American government to date. Under Brown’s guidance, California has made ambitious steps to confront climate change, which has contributed to the state’s current water woes. But this is his boldest gambit yet. His carbon reduction target is even more aggressive than the Obama administration’s, which aims to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2030."
John Kerry: Climate leadership needs to come from mayors & citizens in lieu of government commitment—by VL Baker: "Extraordinary words coming from our Secretary of State who seems to be hitting his stride. He seems born to the job and his passion for the mitigation of climate change is evident. In an interview with the Washington Post on the eve of the Arctic Summit, Kerry was brutally honest. Acknowledging that governments may not be moving fast enough to avert a climate disaster, Secretary of State John F. Kerry is pushing for a bigger role for cities, universities and other institutions in achieving rapid cuts in greenhouse-gas emissions. Unusual for a politician, Kerry is not spinning his remarks about the prospects for the climate talks coming up in Paris later this year. He doesn't seem confident that the talks will accomplish the needed remedies to avert disaster but, says they will begin the process—the rest is up to us."
President Obama's Anger Translator Not Needed For Climate Change—by Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse: "some more laughs! Obama also reminded the chuckling audience that Texas Senator Ted Cruz recently denied the man-made causes of global warming: 'Ted Cruz said that denying the existence of climate change made him like Galileo.'Galileo believed the earth revolved around the sun,' the president continued, leading to a punch line. 'Ted Cruz believes the earth revolves around Ted Cruz.'"
Eco-Action & Eco Justice
Colleges and Universities Lead the Way on Climate Change—by Ellen Moyer : "This spring is anything but silent on university campuses when it comes to the issue of climate change. Many colleges and universities have been making powerful efforts to speak about the climate problem. On March 26, Clark University in Massachusetts —a private institution with approximately 3300 undergraduate and graduate students—held a campus-wide teach-in on the topic of climate change. The event included 45 sessions organized into four tracks, two keynote speeches, 'councils,' and a film festival. The 600 or so participants at the teach-in formed a diverse community who understand the gravity of climate change and care enough to do something about it."
McAuliffe touts gas and nuclear, says it’s not his job to worry about risks—by Ivy Main: "A forum on climate change held last Wednesday in Richmond was supposed to be about moving to clean energy, but it sometimes seemed to be more of a platform for Governor Terry McAuliffe to tout plans for more natural gas and nuclear energy in the Commonwealth. It wasn’t that he neglected energy efficiency, wind and solar—he had plenty of good things to say about these, and even a few initiatives to boast of. It was just that they paled against the backdrop of massive new natural gas and nuclear projects, to which he seems even more firmly committed. The event was a conference called 'The Next Frontier of Climate Change,' organized by The New Republic magazine and the College of William and Mary. Moderator Jeffrey Ball of Stanford University shaped the conference as a series of interviews, beginning with Governor McAuliffe."
Agriculture, Food & Gardening
How Science is Used to Overhype GMO Safety: Part 1—by edg: "Those who pay even casual attention to The Great GMO Debate are likely aware that one of the two main scientific claims regarding the safety of genetic engineering is that people aren't bugs. According to an article from Biology Fortified (BF), a pro-GMO group, written to "answer this question: What happens when a caterpillar eats the Bt protein?' (Joe Ballenger, April 5, 2014) Although I’m not focusing on humans in this post, I would like to compare and contrast the environments of the gut pH between insect and human guts. In humans, the Bt protein is very quickly digested in vitro, and this is due in part to the fact that human and insect stomachs are very different. Proteins are sensitive to environment, and one very important factor is the pH the protein is in. The pH of human stomach acid is about 2 while the pH of the insect gut is about 10. To give you an idea of how different these environments are, remember that prolonged contact with a highly acidic (pH 2) or a highly basic (pH 10) substance will damage human tissue, which is a pH of about 7. (How does BT work?) BAM!!! Shoots and scores!!! A slam-dunk case if I ever heard one. Bugs are from Mars. Humans are from Venus. This solid, scientific evidence should be more than enough to convince any GMO skeptic beyond a shadow of a doubt that GMO technology is absolutely, positively safe. Until you remember that both humans and bugs are from Earth, not separate planets."
Recycled Solar: Double-Glazed Solar Hot Cap Cloche—by gmoke: "I was cleaning out my storeroom the other day and came across another recycled solar device that I was fooling with a few years ago. A one liter clear plastic bottle makes a good hot cap or cloche when you cut the bottom off it. Plant a seedling, pop the bottomless clear cap over it, and you protect the seedling from the cold. It probably adds between 5 and 10 degrees F over the outside temperature by protecting the seedling from the wind and by capturing sunlight in a small, closed space. My twist on this idea was to find different sizes of clear plastic bottles which could nest one inside the other making a double-glazed hot cap cloche. A double-glazed hot cap cloche might be able to protect the seedlings even better, keeping that small, closed space even warmer than the outside air. This afternoon, I planted two tomato seedlings in my garden using this device. We'll see whether it works."
I will miss my garden, but I will try to support local producers.—by don mikulecky: "I decided that since I can not stand without aid that I will not plant a garden this year. I fell once in the garden last year and I guess I really decided then. The decision becomes real as I let the time pass for ordering my organic plants from The natural Gardening Company. I am in my 80th year and my peripheral neuropathy makes gardening harder each year. We have an alternative that is better in some ways. A local organic farm sells shares in its crop. We joined last fall and had wonderful produce all fall and some to freeze. Monday we will shop at Ellwood Thompson's while we are in Richmond. We don't get there often so we will stock up and freeze some stuff. This is a store that takes me back a long way. Read on below and I'll explain."
Chipotle to stop serving genetically altered food—by VL Baker: "There are a lot of urgent issues out there today but when we win a small victory we need to acknowledge it because they are too few and far between. Having a large corporate food industry entity acknowledge that they have heard us, have heard that we want to know what's in our food, well that's a definite victory. Chipotle brand restarants are again on the cutting edge of consumer sentiment with its announcement that it will stop serving foods containing GMOs. [...] They will still offer sodas with corn sweeteners that are genetically altered. That includes all the major brands. Suppose it's too difficult to get Coke and Pepsi to cater to the consumer. I trust Chipotle. When they stopped serving carnitas because they found that their suppler did not meet their criteria for raising pigs, they had me for life."
The Lusty Meatless Monday—by VL Baker: "Who knew that the easiest and most effective way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (pdf) to slow the worst effects of climate change could also be your simplest route to a lusty, sexy you. It makes sense. When you feel and look your best you radiate sexuality and that is just what a healthy meatless diet does for you (and me). In his new book, The Lusty Vegan, Chef Ayinde Howell, founder of the popular website IEatGrass.com, lets us in on the now not so secret news. The book talks about navigating the awkward moments in relationships between vegetarians and meat eaters with humor and includes lots of delicious recipes."
a sure sign of spring - ramps (wild leeks)—by
Missys Brother: "Happy Spring! I received five pounds of dirty ramps last week and I couldn't be happier! Ramps are an ultimate springtime treat. I have found that ramps keep better if they are not cleaned until ready to consume. Below are a few that I just prepared for tonight's dinner. I have been eating wild onions and garlic for many years but had never heard of ramps until three years ago. A friend that lived next to a river out in the country invited about twenty people for a ramp brunch as she had just gathered enough fresh ramps to share. I was extremely curious."
Transportation & Infrastructure
Electric car batteries just passed the affordable cost rubicon—by Walter Einenkel: "In a major 2013 analysis, “Global EV Outlook: Understanding the Electric Vehicle Landscape to 2020,' the International Energy Agency estimated that electric vehicles would achieve cost parity with internal combustion engine vehicles when battery costs hit $300 per kWh of storage capacity. The analysis projected that would happen by 2020. Yet a study last month in Nature Climate Change, 'Rapidly falling costs of battery packs for electric vehicles' determined that 'industry-wide cost estimates declined by approximately 14% annually between 2007 and 2014, from above US$1,000 per kWh to around US$410 per kWh.' The study, by Björn Nykvist and Måns Nilsson, also looked at battery electric vehicle (BEV) leaders, like Nissan’s LEAF and Tesla’s model S. They found, 'the cost of battery packs used by market-leading BEV manufacturers are even lower, at US$300 per kWh.”
Trade & Eco-Related Foreign Policy
Fast Track is wrong for workers, the economy and the environment—by bgalliance: "It’s not too much to ask that trade doesn’t have to undermine worker protections, the economy and the environment. We can stand up for fair, transparent trade policy that doesn’t engage the U.S. in a race to the bottom. Fast Track is the opposite of that. That’s why it is wrong for our workers, economy and environment."
Sustainability & Extinction
Mass Extinctions (part 2): The First Time Life on Earth Almost Perished—by GregWright: "485 million years ago the Earth was a very different place. The Earth's climate was mostly warm and wet, with sea levels nearly 2,000 feet above those of today. The area north of the tropics was almost entirely ocean, and most of the world's land was collected into a southern supercontinent called Gondwana. The time from about 485 million years ago and 440 million years ago is known as the Ordovician Period. The Ordovician period is best known for its diversity of marine life such as graptolites, trilobites, brachiopods, and the early vertebrates known as conodonts. A marine community during this time consisted of the above animals, plus red and green algae, primitive fish, cephalopods, corals, crinoids, and gastropods. Life was thriving in the oceans. Then 440 million years ago the planet was suddenly thrown into a 20-million-year ice age, marking the end of the Ordovician Period and much life on the planet."
Reconstruction of sea floor in the Ordovician period.
Eco-Essays and Eco-Philosophy
Emulate @BarackObama: release your #climate anger—by A Siegel: "As part of President Barak Obama's speech at the White House Correspondent's dinner, as part of his speech, the President introduced his anger translator who expressed–forcefully–perspectives that many in the reality-based community feel (and believe are pent up in many) and wish were part of the general and open dialogue across our society. A bit more than halfway through this routine, things shift ... when it comes to climate change. [...] For years, those understanding of climate change risks and challenges have expressed strong concern over "climate silence". From inadequate media coverage, to absence in the 2012 Presidential debates, to gaps in OFA calls for action, to commentators' failures to associate climate when discussing things like California's drought to ...., there was a prolonged period of stunning and distressing inadequacy of discussion of climate change -- including from the Oval Office's Bully Pulpit. This has changed. This has changed significantly. President Obama has been speaking forcefully on climate change. President Obama has been confronting forcefully science denial."
Oceans, Water & Drought
Starbucks brand 'Ethos' water comes from drought-stricken California—by FaithGardner: "Starbucks acquired the Ethos water brand 10 years ago. According to Starbucks, "Ethos® Water was created to help raise awareness" about water access and works to "provide children with access to clean water." For every bottle you buy, Starbucks chips a nickel into the Ethos Water Fund and so far, the company claims over $12 million has gone toward fighting the water crisis in Tanzania, Colombia, Nicaragua, Indonesia and Guatemala. While their charitable contributions to the global water crisis should be applauded, there's just one problem—like Nestlé, Starbucks water is being bottled out of California during a drought that is one of the worst on the state's record."
Big Money interests dumped $21.8 million into Yes on Prop. 1 campaign—by Dan Bacher: "The recent admission by the Brown administration that it could use money from Proposition 1, the water bond, to pay for 'habitat mitigation' linked to the construction and operation of the massive Delta tunnels is no surprise, especially when you consider the Big Money interests that dumped $21,820,691 into the campaign. The contributors are a who’s who of Big Money interests in California, including corporate agribusiness groups, billionaires, timber barons, Big Oi, the tobacco industry and the California Chamber of Commerce. There is no doubt that these wealthy corporate interests are expecting a big return for their "investment" in the corrupt 'play to pay' politics that rules California today, including the construction of the twin tunnels and new dams."
Forests, Wilderness & Public Lands
Sustainable Forestry Taking Root—by recoveringConservative: "Now there are independent groups such as the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, the Forest Stewardship Council and the American Tree Farm System, helping to police the industry by certifying paper products as having come from sustainable forestry sources. Just last week, restaurant giant McDonald’s pledged to end deforestation across its entire supply chain, committing to zero deforestation among its 3100 direct suppliers. Similarly, cosmetics giant L’ORÉAL (while, alas, continuing to conduct deplorable animal testing), committed to source 100% renewable raw materials by 2020. Closer to home, hardwood flooring retailer Hardwood Bargains—already certified by the Forest Stewardship Council mentioned above—is going above and beyond certification to partner with the American Forests for Global Releaf to plant more than 50 million trees in the United States alone."
Anything for a buck! Rick Scott ponders timber companies cutting down the trees in FL state parks.—by Pakalolo: "Shhhh! Florida republicans are quietly plotting a nefarious plan to allow the private sector the opportunity to harvest the trees in our State parks and natural areas, allow agricultural interests to plow up state park land, and allowing ranchers to graze their cattle on currently protected wet and dry prairie habitats. So as not to hurt the feelings of the communications industry, the bought and paid for republican controlled house and senate support cell phone towers rising above the palms and the cypress domes (assuming any are left given the goodies showered on the timber industry) of Florida's beautiful and award winning state park system. This top secret plot is under wraps because Floridian's love of our state parks. In 2014, Florida voters joined New Jersey and California in approving $13 billion to protect existing state lands and funding for additional acquisition of conservation land."
Miscellany
Lipsky Family Wins a Victory on Range Resources SLAPP Law Suit at Texas Supreme Court—by LakeSuperor: "The Lipsky Family in Parker County, TX has defeated a Range Resources petition in a SLAPP lawsuit seeking to reinstate certain business disparagement and civil conspiracy claims brought by the natural gas developer. SLAPP is the acronym for Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation. In Texas a state law protects citizens exercising First Amendment rights from lawsuits by businesses who bring actions against parties who are critics of their actions, policies or developments. The Texas law enables defendants in such SLAPP lawsuits an expedited procedure to dismissing such harassing, vexatious lawsuits by corporate entities and others. In the case of the Steve Lipsky family in Texas that was shown in Gasland, Range Resources filed defamation and conspiracy claims against Steve Lipsky and his wife and their environmental consultant, Alissa Rich. Although the Texas law is intended to protect the public, it did not function in this manner for Steve Lipsky, who faced Range Resources relentless litigation and appeals against them."
Koch's Troubles—by jgsf1987: "As Rmuse put it in the article they published on PoliticusUSA, the Koch's troubles with the IRS could not be more clear and their reason for wanting it abolished is also obvious. Greenpeace, after doing some digging of its own, sent a letter to the IRS's office in Dallas, TX explaining that they uncovered evidence of an illegal $1.6 million tax write-off by the Charles G. Koch Foundation as part of the Koch's lobbying efforts in both the US Congress and the Kansas State Legislature in terms of establishing the non-relationship between Fossil Fuels and Climate Change. The payments were to Dr. Willie Soon for his testamonies to both law-making organs for laws to completely eliminate any enforcement authority of the US EPA and the Kansas-state version of the EPA to regulate Fossil Fuels and for eliminating any clean-energy/clean-tech investments. The reason for eliminating clean-tech/clean-energy is to remove any challenge to the supremacy of fossil fuels."
Stephen Hawking explains why humanity must go live in space or perish—by Walter Einenkel: "Preeminent scientist Stephen Hawking is doing holographic talks around the world, via his Cambridge office. At one such talk projected at the Sydney Opera House, he had this to say: 'We must continue to go into space for the future of humanity,' Mr Hawking said. 'I don't think we will survive another 1,000 years without escaping beyond our fragile planet.' Hawking has been using his his interviews and speeches to put forth his larger thoughts on humanity over the past few years. This year alone during an interview he explained that the importance of space exploration is sometimes just intangible enough but no less important."
First malaria vaccine likely to be in use later this year—by Krotor: "The holy grail for malaria researchers has been an effective vaccine against Plasmodium, the infectious protozoan that actually causes the disease. That has been an elusive goal until now. A new vaccine, called RTS,S, has been proven partially effective in clinical trials. It is not a perfect solution: only about 46% of vaccinated children were protected. However, 46% is far, far better than 0% when dealing with a deadly illness. That makes RTS,S not only useful for the present but a good starting point for further research to refine or reshape it for broader coverage. We can hope that in a few years scientists will come up with version 2.0 that provides protection for 100% of the population in affected areas. In the meantime, WHO and GlaxoSmithKline (manufacturer of the drug) expect it to be approved for general use as early as October of this year. There is no word on the cost, a significant issue in the poverty stricken areas where malaria is most prevalent."