For my valedictory post, it’s tempting to engage in a little big-picture think. I’m also still mulling the general reaction to Bill Gates’ TED talk, which seemed to me both entirely too hostile and also reflective of some of the lingering pathologies in the environmental movement. So, yeah, this is going to be a bit of a ramble. Let’s start by putting forth two propositions: In the future we will be richer (and that’s a... Continue reading »
David Roberts has a good one: Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.), Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) appear set to introduce a draft of their new climate/energy legislation this week. Graham says they are trying to hash out a moderate bill that can draw broad public support and pick up a few Republican votes. Now, as it happens, what Graham is groping around for already exists. There is a moderate climate/energy bill that has drawn... Continue reading »
Some news on the blog front: starting with the next edition of the newsletter, we’ll be moving from a weekly to a less frequent format. The change reflects a planned slowdown in our posting schedule, but otherwise expect the content to remain pretty much what you’re used to. As always, if you want to get updates as soon as new articles are available – as well as keep your email inbox clean – feel free... Continue reading »
Europe is freezing and the Eastern U.S. just experienced a snow-pocolypse, so surely the whole global warming thing must be wrong, right? Sorry, Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK), but global warming is still happening, even though it snowed in January (of all things). According to the latest satellite data analyzed by climate scientist and IPCC member Neville Nicholls, this last January was hotter than any previously recorded January. It’s not just January, either - it was... Continue reading »
If you’ve been paying any attention to the news, you know that there’s been a dispiritingly high level of nonsense permeating the recent discussion of climate change. Of course, there’s always a high level of nonsense attending any public discussion of climate change. But many of us have been taken aback by the amount of traction that various anti-scientific arguments have gained in recent weeks. It started with the hacked emails from East Anglia, which... Continue reading »
Can you stand one more post about electric bikes? The New York Times ran a follow-up recently, and it’s worth revisiting the topic. First, the comment thread to the previous post about electric bikes has an interesting diversity of opinions, but to my mind pretty strongly underscores the potential value of this technology. Many everyday commuters and older riders find that the electric assist really makes bicycles a more practical transportation tool. The Times article... Continue reading »
In response to Bill Gates recent speech calling climate change the most urgent threat to humankind, I somewhat sourly wrote: “The fate of the planet continues to reside in the entirely dysfunctional U.S. Senate, and not even the world’s richest man can change that fact.” But of course that’s not even remotely true. As the world’s richest man, Bill Gates has the power to exert great influence over the political process in the U.S. Here... Continue reading »
Bill Gates, world’s most successful businessman, has been highlighting the danger of climate change and the need for an energy transformation, earning some praise from environmentalists — and a surprising amount of backlash. Gates recently gave a TED talk in which he pushed a vision of a world in which population and wealth have increased, even as carbon emissions drop to zero. Although the full talk isn’t available online, a series of photos of the... Continue reading »
Backers of a voter initiative that would suspend California’s landmark climate law (AB 32) have delayed the launch of their signature-gathering campaign, raising questions about whether their proposal will qualify for the state ballot in November. The promoters of the ballot measure – Republican Assemblyman Dan Logue, Congressman Tom McClintock (R-CA), and taxpayer association director Ted Costa – also face increased media scrutiny of the financial interests of industries that would benefit from a suspension... Continue reading »
Climate change can be counterintuitive. For example, one way to cool the planet would be to clear cut the entire Northern hemisphere. Trees are dark, and absorb heat much more strongly than snow, which reflects light very well. By replacing large swaths of the planet’s dark surfaces (the boreal forest) with light ones (snow and rock), we could pretty significantly reduce the global temperature. This principle also works in reverse. We can take bright surfaces... Continue reading »
I didn’t watch the Superbowl because I hate America was on a plane, so it wasn’t until Monday that I became aware of chatter about the ad for Audi’s A3 TDI clean diesel car, recently named the “Green Car of the Year” for its fuel efficiency. Apparently — I haven’t watched yet — the ad portrays a “green police” squad that patrols for environmental crimes. The New York Times thought the spot was “misguided.” David... Continue reading »
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