Uncategorized

Jackassery

John Tierney doesn't have the stones to come out and say that global warming will be a good thing, so instead he just dances around it with innuendo and anecdotes.

Intermodal transportation and airports

Ralph Nader once said that GAO reports are the most underread critical reading in this country. There's a particularly interesting one [PDF] just released regarding intermodal transportation between the nation's airports and the national rail system (namely that there's very little).

While I will admit I haven't read every word yet, and that the report might serve more than one purpose as bedside reading, one section comparing US air-rail connections to those in Europe caught my attention. The GAO concludes that there are "three basic differences between the United States and Europe that affect the ability to use the European model in the United States":

• population density
• geographic differences
• lower vehicle use costs

The full report goes into more detail and discusses roles for federal and local government as well as the private sector in developing further connections. There's also some interesting schematics of the nation's airports.

Readers talk back about John Roberts, nuclear power, Wal-Mart, and more

  Re: Toadus Operandi Dear Editor: Your piece on Supreme Court nominee John Roberts lacked a bit of perspective. While Roberts may or may not have sympathy for the environmental […]

Don’t It Make My Blue Earth Brown

Astronauts see widespread ecological destruction from space Environmental damage on Earth is clearly visible from space, reports the crew of the shuttle Discovery. Chatting from an orbit of 220 miles […]

Phosphorous, easements, and ecosystem services

An article in the current issue of National Wildlife Magazine highlights the troubles of a lake that might not immediately come to mind as "A Lake in Distress" -- Lake Champlain. But a number of issues have led citizens and groups in the lake basin to take action. Just one example is the phosphorus runoff that lead to algal blooms in the lake.

The article brings together a number of recently discussed topics, including:

• land trusts and easements, which are being used not only to preserve the land but restore it,
• which of course helps to restore ecosystem services, in the form of retaining the phosphorous that would otherwise run off, and
• the effects of changing land use, namely, the rise in non-point source pollution and runoff.

Lee Raymond stepping down as head of most eco-unfriendly oil co.

Pollutocrat nonpareil Lee Raymond, CEO and chair of ExxonMobil, today announced his resignation, effective at the end of the year.

As chair and CEO of the world's largest publicly traded oil company -- and the most recalcitrant on climate issues -- he consistently appalled green observers with his steadfast denial of any need to curb greenhouse-gas emissions or work toward the goal of U.S. energy independence.

From a 2002 interview with Raymond:

Q: Isn't it time to join the scientific mainstream in countering the greenhouse effect?

A: The mainstream of some so-called environmentalists or politically correct Europeans isn't the mainstream of all scientists or the White House. The world has been a lot warmer than it is now and it didn't have anything to do with carbon dioxide.

We'll have a hard time replacing this most iconic of eco-villains. Even Bush admits that climate change is happening.

Chat with Simmons

The Washington Post is hosting a live chat with Matt Simmons, author of Twilight in the Desert.

It starts three minutes ago. Check it out.

Is P&G’s Tide Coldwater just more greenwashing?

Everyone who listens to Umbra knows you should wash your clothes in cold water. Sounds like the folks over at Procter & Gamble might be listening.

I give you Tide Coldwater.

Here is the marketing spiel from the Tide website:

Tide Coldwater provides a deep clean in the care of cold water, making it the coolest way to clean. When used in a cold water wash, Tide Coldwater can:

• Remove even stubborn stains better than the leading competitive liquid detergent in warm water
• Save energy and money by lowering your heating bills
• Help colors stay brighter and whites stay whiter
• Provide a cool new scent experience

Though I missed it, my TV-watching buddy tells me that they specifically mentioned the eco-friendly aspects of Tide Coldwater in a commercial. So, do we applaud or boo?

Oh, and you gotta love how they're trying to appeal to those outdoorsy types with their two scents: "Glacier -- a classic floral scent linked with fruity, woody, and citrus elements" and "Fresh Scent -- a modern floral scent combined with fresh, crisp herbal notes."

Update [2005-8-4 13:53:46 by Chris Schults]: Ok, so I found the TV commercials online here. While they don't specifically mention any environmental benefits, they do promote the energy and money saving aspects of washing with cold water. And we all know that reducing energy consumption is good for the environment. Though, who knows what chemical nastiness is in this version of Tide.

Weigh in on NEPA

Spruce Almighty

Federal judge says Bush rule change on logging illegal The Bush administration broke the law last year when it changed the rules on logging in the Pacific Northwest, a federal […]