In The Bush

G.W. makes noises about conserving fuel. LINK

States Sue EPA

Forty percent of carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S. come from power plants. Ten states are taking the EPA to court to do something about it. LINK

It's ironic that the federal governments Environmental Protection Agency doesn't think there's enough scientific proof of global warming to warrant tighter regulation of fossil fuel burning nuke plants. They should take a peek at the Adirondacks shrinking forests and dying lakes before chucking another shovel full of coal into that Ohio nuke plant.
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More Gas From Ted Kennedy

Being a native son of Massachusetts (I'm living in NYC now but will forever be a Bosox fan) like my former Senator, Ted Kennedy, I understand the breathtaking beauty and views provided by the "Cape" and the islands the "Vineyard" and Nantucket. Unfortunately, harsh realities have interjected themselves into the energy debate, One landmark project in the federal governents support of a move to alternative sources of energy, the Cape Wind Project, is now facing some backroom politicing from an unusual alliance of Senators, including the oldest political family in lliberal Massachusetts, represented by the Teddy K. and that hater of all things green, the evil Senator Ted Stevens from Alaska. Talk about making a deal with the devil, these forces have aligned in support of States Rights...or is it pleasing ocean views...whatever...this shortsighted marriage of self-interest and convenience will hopefully be squashed by saner heads in the House and Senate (oxymoron). Here's more from both sides from the Boston Globe.

Hopefully that great oasis of liberal and environmental thought, Massachusetts, won't be the state that kills the first major step towards creating alternative energy on a large scale.
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Putin Rattles Europes Cage

In another example of the shaky and divisive nature of the world oil and gas business, Russian President Vladimir Putin lashed out at other European leaders and made a veiled threat to pursue "new Asian markets" with his oil exports. Putin briefly cut gas exports to the Ukraine lin Janueary to gain political and economic leverage which negatively impacted European supplies.
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Ted Kennedy Fights Unsightly Wind Farm - fun video

I've seen Teddy on various political talk shows of late as he bemoans big oil and a litany of transgressions by the Bush administration. GreenPeace has put together a little flash video emphasizing the hypocracy of Ted's opposition to Nantucket wind farms. Check it out. Whackamill Video

Oil Pressure

President Bush made a couple of moves to help ease current oil prices, relaxing EPA regs to let more oil move around and halting adding oil to the National Reserve. These moves will probably help short term by dropping oil a buck or two a barrel and will help quell the grumbling by fellow Republicans and angry constituents.

The real issue is our dependence on foreign, unstable oil sources. Alternative fuels and technologies will ultimately be the answer but with the movement toward cleaner more efficient solutions just now gaining meaningful momentum, solutions with real, tangible impact, are years away.

What the U.S. really needs is a cogent and well thought out energy policy that shares bargaining and alternative fuel research efforts with other oil importing nations. It's time to get our heads out of the middle-eastern sand and get the country moving toward a cleaner, energy efficient future where we are not forced to meddle in Middle Eastern politics to protect our vital energy/oil interests. It almost an old-school conservative idea.
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A Lot of Hot Air

President Bush will have a press conference this morning to pay lip service to his concern about rising oil prices. Bush will attempt to calm voter and Republican unrest over prices at the pump. A four-part plan will address gas prices in the short-and long-term. His plan will probably look like this:

- Making sure consumers and taxpayers are treated fairly. (There's really nothing he can do at this stage except look concerned. His oil buddies will hook him up when he's out of office.)

- Promoting greater fuel efficiency. (The man talks the talk but walks the walk in an SUV and has fought emissions controls that would mandate higher gas mileage.)

- Boosting gasoline supply at home. (Now we're getting somewhere. If Bush had a higher approval rating and Congressional support, you could bet he would try to open-up drilling in environmentally sensitive Alaskan fields etc. - he may still make this move - fear and panic are always his friends (see 9/11))

- Aggressive long-term investment in alternative fuels. (Bush has grossly underfunded alternative fuel research as he pours buckets of tax dollars into Iraq, but he will lay claim to this effort)

Ted Kennedy's Anti-Windfarm Stance

Here's little more info on Ted's opposition to the Nantucket Sound windfarm. LINK

It's unfortunate when supposed pro-environment spokespeople treat their support as something conveniently put aside when it impacts them on a personal level. A case in point, check out Julia Roberts who professes her greeness in Vanity Fair while travelling around Manhattan in a giant SUV as she appears on Broadway.

Gas Prices Skyrocket

Took a drive in the Subaru this weekend and it cost me $32 to fill up at around $3.10 a gallon for regular. Now from a green (not monetary) perspective higher gas prices might help curtail the use of cars this summer and save us all some greenhouse gas, but from a consumer standpoint the gas gouge really hurts. Bush has been quoted as saying the could be a "rough summer" for drivers, no doubt getting out in front of what the Bush administration views as another negative issue for them. Some Congressional leaders are sabre rattling for a price probe into oil company profit taking, of course this will do nothing to mitigate the problem and is just cynical election year grandstanding. Where was Congress (actually they were in bed with the oil companies at the time) when big oil was allowed to do gigantic mergers that have eliminated any semblance of competition? Any move like Teddy Kennedy's to tax excess profits will be viewed as unAmerican and anti-business and will get nowhere in Congress but will serve to get Democrats some facetime on the national news.

You know what? Bush is right.

Biodiesel Fuel Production

A tiny chemical reactor that can convert vegetable oil directly into biodiesel could enable farmers to become more energy efficient and self-sustaining, instead of relying on costly imported oil. CONTINUED

Central America Looks to Ethanol

Central American countries rich in sugar cane and oil poor are developing ethanol based solutions for their growing energy needs. LINK

Texas Power Outage

Looks like the chickens have come home to roost down Texas way. A massive heat wave and associated power shortage have hit G.W.'s Lone Star State where it hurts...in the air conditioner. The Bush energy plan is finally hitting home. Can anyone say...global warming?
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Al Gore, Global Warming and the Cinema

Al Gore may actually recover some of the luster he lost as the "Inconvenient Candidate" with his appearance in the new film, "An Inconvenient Truth".

As the Bush administration sinks slowly into a melting political quagmire largely of it's own creation, Mr. Gore reclaims his position as a high profile environmentalist, a position he should never have aquiesced. It appears that the Bush administration's plan to cut America's home heating bill through global warming has finally run aground.
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Bobcat

Sometimes it takes an animal to help us find our direction. LINK

If you've ever seen a bobcat cross a country road and go on his way you know the feeling of seeing something wild and elusive. I have a place in the Catskills where most bobcats are seen mounted and stuffed, with a nice one going for a few hundred bucks. There's a stark contrast between "locals" who have grown up harvesting wildlife as trappers and hunters and "weekenders" who come up from the city to enjoy wildlife and peace and quiet on the weekend at their second homes. I can appreciate both positions, with some modifications. My dad trapped mink, muskrat, fox and the like back in the depression for extra money and later in life grew to appreciate wildlife as an observer and caretaker of the creatures on his property. A balance must be struck between traditional harvesting of game and total protection of diminishing predator populations. Until the states, in this case New York, change some of the hunting and trapping laws declines in populations of animals like the bobcat will continue to decline. The bobcat has a two month hunting and trapping season from late October through February and there are no bag limits, meaning you can take as many as you can. We do more to protect hatchery raised trout than the regal bobcat. Let's modernize the hunting and trapping laws on the books to preserve the wild populations of wildlife for those who hunt and fish as well as those who just want to watch.
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The True Cost of Hyrid Cars

Hybrid cars are energy efficient and test high for reliability, but other cost factors may negatively impact car buyer's purchasing decisions...LINK

Schwarzenegger to Focus on Global Warming

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California seems to be relizing the political capital to be gained by cynically going green. One can only hope that other politicos fall victim to the "greenhouse in the statehouse" effect, as the green issue gains more traction. It's too bad Al Gore didn't stick to his "green guns" when campaigning against G.W. back in the day and didn't move to the middle and sell-out (watch Hillary). We might have more trees, cleaner, air, an energy policy, and no war in Iraq...all it would have taken was a few of those Ralph Nader votes.
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America's Most Polluted Cities

This Wired Article lists the 10 most polluted cities and mentions that off-road vehicles, trucks, buses and diesel powered vehicles are major contributors to our air pollution problems. By 2010 these vehicles must meet new emission guidelines that should reduce their emissions by 95% (if guidelines aren't rolled back). China and Mexico continue to be big pollution sources as they do our industrial dirty work. California takes 6 of the top 7 spots in the list.
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Dead Star

I just thought this was a cool story. This "dead star" fires back to life every 20 years or so..LINK

Hope Springs Eternal

Unheard of. Elected officials actually doing something positive to limit big business' emissions of poisonous carbon into our precious air. Hats off to Senators Domenici and Bingaman. story

Increased Enzyme Production Helps Plants Consume Greenhouse Gases

Plants normally eat up carbon dioxide as part of photosynthesis. Scientists are exploring ways to speed up plants production of certain key enzymes to aid in plants consuming more greenhouse gases. LINK

Philadelphia Recycles for $$

One way to get people to recycle is to to pay them. STORY

EPA Springs Leak

Stinging internal criticism is likely to pop up Wednesday at Senate confirmation hearings for William Wehrum, who is nominated to become the nation's top air-quality officer, who is advocating a change in EPA guidelines that will increase toxic air emissions like arsenic, mercury, and lead, also called "hazardous air pollutants" or "air toxics."

Only in the stanky swamp we call the Bush administration would an advocate of more toxic emissions be the nominee for our top air quality guy...kind of goes hand in hand with the Bush energy policy. Cough...Cough...
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Tom Delay Resigns

Tom Delay's resignation provides a major net gain for environmentalists. Delay's reduced promotional and campaign schedule will result in the reduction in the release of harmful, ozone eating, fluorocarbon aerosol propellents by over 47%, as Congressman Delay cuts back on his extensive use of hairspray and other haircare products.
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Wallstreet Gets Greener

Large corporate entities looking to convert to more eco friendly fuels and practices may need federal regulation to level the playing field. STORY

NYC Considers Eco Options

New York City's Sanitation Department wants to explore more Eco-friendly options for picking up the city's gobs of trash.