So much going on

The amount of environmental news coverage is astounding. Larry King had most of his show dedicated to discussing climate change. The debate centered around whether or not it was a problem. They had clips from people interviewed on the street to see what their opinions were. The response was universal that something is happening and something needs to be done. However, the panel consisted of Bill Nye The Science Guy, Richard Lindzen of MIT, Julian Morris of the International Policy Network and someone from The Weather Channel who I can't remember right now. The debate was interesting. Lindzen is very convincing and is trying to point out that the amount of climate change occurring is not significant and not everything reported is scientific fact. At least that's what I got out of it. Julian Morris was explaining how economic activity would be altered and create negative impacts on society if resources were allocated to climate change action. Bill Nye was stating that we have the technology now to make changes to our energy use and reduce our impact on the environment. I think they are all right. Each one of them makes valid points. However, not one of the positions in isolation can be used to "make the world a better place". I think we need to use the best ideas from all disciplines and opinions to ensure sound policy decisions are made that will give us a little bit of everything. Making rash decisions can cause greater harm. The recent story of harvesting Indonesian palm oil as an alternative fuel creating more environmental damage than benefit is an example of how things can go wrong.

I think the reality is that sacrifices will need to be made for the benefit of future generations. Excess, waste and throwaway goods cannot be the norm simply because we can afford it and the supply seems endless. Efficiency and the use of existing technology has to be done to move us along to a sustainable future. Bill Nye raised the point of how on a trip to China he noticed that people did not have land lines but had cell phones. A developing country can skip a technology to still achieve benefits. The same principle can be applied to other areas of economic development, such as energy production, energy transmission and transportation. I don't think spreading the North American model of development and incremental use of technology will be a good idea. We may not have the luxury of time to develop all the best options but we do have technology and ideas currently available to make improvements.

Vista and Pollution

The big technology news of the day is the release of Windows Vista. Treehugger has an excellent post on Vista and how it will impact the environment. The article speaks for itself.

Did you know?

I'm linking to a post at The Good Life of the same title. Some interesting facts are contained in the post. Some of these points were raised in The End of Suburbia film and I think this blog is quite well done in general.

More Misinformation

I did post a while ago about some of the research behind climate change being massaged and/or covered up. With a new Congress there is renewed interest in what the current administration has done about climate change. The Chicago Tribune has a good article covering the story.

Unfortunately, politics will always trump good policy. I know I have said this before but I will repeat myself. You don't have to believe in the science to do something about pollution and to use new technology for improving efficiency.

Potential solutions

The Chevy Volt, an electric concept car, was unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show recently. The debate surrounding the car was whether it was feasible. It was explained that the battery technology in the car was not ready for production. Autoblog Green has a good article summing it up and linking to both sides of the debate.

They also have a good post about vegetable oil as a fuel emission testing. It is technical but very important in the development of alternative fuels.

Limousine Liberals?!?!?

When you plan on being a public face for something any element of real or perceived hypocrisy will be exposed. It is difficult for all of us to try and maintain the balance let alone doing it under the scrutiny of the public eye.

The Other Side

A different perspective on the CO2 debate. The important point I found in the video is that we enjoy a standard of living and a lifestyle that has created many of our environmental problems. Until that can be addressed and a balance achieved we will not be able to come to a consensus on how to achieve a solution.

Four Easy Ways to Change the World

I found this on a news website. I didn't link because the links usually expire. Not specific to the environmentbut easily applicable in any area you want to try and make a difference.

Four simple ways to change the world--perfect for those who don't have the time for rallies or letter-writing campaigns.

by World Vision

Four Easy Ways to Change the World

You want to change the world but you barely have time to change a light bulb. Welcome to a very big club of people who lack the space in their calendars to live out their convictions. Even writing a letter to an MP can feel overwhelming.

Take heart. There are ways to change the world without sending your own life into serious overdrive. Here are four simple examples of lifestyle activism:

1. Change the world by changing your life
It's so easy to forget the issues you feel strongly about, especially when careers, kids and mortgages all demand your time and attention. An easy way to combat this fatigue is to take some time to reflect on what is important to you.

Make a list of the issues about which you are most passionate. Then commit to using some leisure time to inform yourself about that issue. For example, you may discover a documentary on the topic and watch it some night instead of the latest blockbuster.

2. Shop Differently
We all shop. We have to be consumers to feed our families, furnish our homes and clothe our bodies. Remember that your spending power is power indeed. Try to buy "fair-trade" products that ensure that the producer of the product received a fair wage and that child labour did not play a role. And buying locally produced products is an easy thing to do that environmentalists say has a huge positive impact on the world.

3. A different world is just a click away
The internet is a constant companion to many of us. It can also be a doorway to involvement with organizations that fight poverty and injustice. Make Poverty History is an example of one campaign that is making a difference in the world. In less than one minute you can sign up and send two letters to Parliament Hill. It really is that easy!

4. Raise activists
If you are a parent, you can raise the coolest kids on the planet by talking to them about global concerns. As a family project, you can pick one issue and investigate it together. Better yet, encourage your child to choose school projects that reflect your family's priorities. The difference you end up making in the world by raising globally aware kids might just astound you!

World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. As followers of Jesus, we are motivated by God's love to serve all people regardless of race, religion, gender or ethnicity.

Cheaper than we thought

Those of us who are actively following the developments in climate change policy are aware of the Stern Report. If not click here. It basically laid out the costs of climate change action and inaction. As with all reports there is one that adds to it or disputes some elements. I haven't read much about this latest one other than the Treehugger post but it looks like the person behind it have the report presented to a powerful audience. Let's hope that action is taken at a higher level.

While that will be a positive development let's not forget that we can also do our part as individuals. Many people feel that the opportunity to reduce their impact on the environment is limited or that they will not make a major contribution. Multiply your actions by one million and then it adds up. You just have to get started...

Climate Change Coverage

You don't have to be blogging about the environment to realize that climate change is a major news story. Environmental issues are getting a much higher profile across the board. FAIR is a group that has been working on determining media bias in the mainstream media for about 20 years. About 2 years ago they released a review of media coverage of the global warming issue. Compare the results then to the media coverage today and draw your own conclusions.

On a somewhat related note, I found this editorial from the CSM quite interesting. With Bush about to recognize climate change as an issue in the State of the Union Address I wonder how much will change. One person who has had a change of opinion is Ronald Bailey as can be found in this TreeHugger post.

Finally, with high profile Senators Obama and Clinton entering the 2008 presidential race be sure to check their voting records before getting caught up in the glitz and glamor of their campaigns.

Guess who gets the bill? Again....

I think we're all in favor of cleaning up polluted wastelands. My problem with these cleanups is that they are, usually, taxpayer funded. Hamilton Harbour/Burlington Bay (Wiki, IJC), on Lake Ontario, is an industrial harbor that has serious contamination problems. Now a cleanup of a section known as the Randle Reef is being proposed. This cleanup will be paid for with tax dollars but it will be cleaning up a mess created by decades of industrial pollution. Industry regards environmental degradation as economic externalities and often do not carry the costs of remediation. The problem is that these stories always end up the same and the bill ends up in the same place. Maybe if we just stop dumping everything everywhere the damage and the cleanup won't cost so much.

Clean up time

I've got a fair bit of cleaning to do around the house. A few years ago we stopped using the mass market cleaners like Lysol and Mr. Clean. Now we use vinegar, baking soda, lemons and olive oil for our household cleaning needs. It is quite a bit cheaper than the "traditional" cleaners and if you buy in bulk you can save even more. For additional tips check out this article. Now I've got to start my cleaning...

Fill 'er up

On Treehugger yesterday and on Autoblog Green today they both pointed out a Sierra Club review of the oil companies. Something to think about next time you go to fill up.

BP ranked as one of the better companies. I read the review of BP on the Sierra Club and didn't actually think they were that great. I didn't want to read any of the ones that were worse because I got a little nervous. They were also in the news today about their safety record. Nothing really good in that one either. Lots to think about next time you have to buy gas. While you're there and not really thinking about the price of gas anymore, take time to think about how low oil prices are compared to gas prices. Write some letters to the companies and political representatives who tell you it's supply and demand on world oil prices and all that jazz. Take a look at the Energy Information Administration website and review gasoline and crude inventories and compare it to retail and wholesale gasoline prices. Draw your own conclusions.

Follow up story

I posted a while ago about the cost/benefit of organic food according to the Economist magazine. On Treehugger I found a follow up story that they published reader letters critical of the position outlined in their original piece. You can find the letters here. I have not personally reviewed the claims made by the Economist in their original article or the reader letters. I do agree with the premise that there is more to supporting sustainable development and minimizing environmental harm than buying organic, throwing a can in the blue box or using a mulching lawnmower. You have to be more than a limousine liberal.

Golden Globe Grab Bag

Since these award shows are on all year long and every time they are on there is no end to the promotion and all that. One thing that I have always noticed is the talk about the gift bags attendees receive. I always found it odd that these rich movie stars get free stuff. Not just stuff but high end expensive goods. These are usually provided by the companies that make the products to promote themselves and to get us to buy their wares. Edward Norton spoke out about how this is a disgusting practice and suggested that donations be made in the recipients name instead. Even the IRS got involved and reached a settlement with the Academy. There is waste on so many levels here. Now, Hollywood is making serious efforts to promote environmental issues and they are even throwing an eco-friendly party after the Golden Globes. Great news and hopefully if the stars can convince us to buy products maybe they can convince us to be more environmentally friendly. It is rather pathetic but every little bit helps.

Old habits die hard

Bush is at it again with more crazy policies. Read the article on Treehugger about nuclear testing and rebuilding the nuclear arsenal. If you are living in the US please send a letter opposing this development through a campaign conducted by the Union of Concerned Scientists.

I don't get it. Iran is prohibited from developing a nuclear weapons program and then the US is rebuilding its arsenal. It just doesn't make sense and will not help in eliminating nuclear weapons and the environmental damage caused by their development.

Green cars are getting more attention

At the Detroit Auto Show the big news is the Chevy Volt, the plug-in hybrid electric car from General Motors. While it is a long way from being in showrooms if you're in the market for a new car and want to be as green as possible check out the Green Center at Yahoo! Autos. Another excellent blog for green developments in the automotive/transportation sector is Autoblog Green.

How Green is the iPhone?

To be honest I haven't found out too much about the iPhone other than it's in the news everyday and that Apple doesn't own the name to iPhone. I did find some interesting info from Greenpeace. They created an alternative to Steve Jobs' address which I found interesting. They are also running a campaign called Green My Apple basically asking the company to improve their environmental practices.

I have posted about electronics recycling and donating electronics. Also, Greenpeace has performed a review of many electronics manufacturers and called it the Guide to Green Electronics. If you're in the market for new electronics and have old ones to dispose of please review the information and make the best choices you can.

I'm Sorry President Bush

I don't like to pick on any one politician or public figure. I do feel bad for taking the easy road and bashing Bush, again. Anyway, check out this link to see Bush's Environmental Record.

In the spirit of fairness and demonstrating both sides of the story you can find out congressional voting records on all issues at various sites to hold everyone accountable.

Project Vote Smart

Public Citizen

Progressive Punch

These sites enable you to search for voting records of your congressional representatives on issues that matter to you.

In Canada you can review How'd They Vote

For the UK try PublicWhip to find voting records for your local representative.

Finally, go to EU Vote Watch for similar data in the European Union.

Hopefully the people you voted for are doing your business as expected.

Is it worth it?

Lately I have been trying to provide opinions and stories trying to cover both sides of all the environmental issues. An excellent article in the Globe and Mail titled "Is organic food worth the bigger price bite?" examines the pros and cons of buying organic food. I've had trouble linking to them in the past so if the link is dead just type the title into Google News and it should show up.

This article covers my dilemma at the grocery store. I want to minimize my chemical exposure knowing that I can't eliminate it but I don't want to be sucked in to a fear campaign. I also want to support sustainable farming and less packaging as done by some organic producers. At the same time, I have found some organic products that I loved and have never found anything close that was not organic. I think a big problem is how can we be sure it is organic? The public has become skeptical about a lot of things so any product claims have to be legitimately supported for people to buy it.

As always it is an individual choice that should be supported by research. I have a list of Organic Grocery Products available from Amazon.com if you want to check it out.

What are you drinking?

One of my earlier posts contained a YouTube video showing Indian farmers using soft drinks as pesticides because they were so contaminated with them. A recent study has found chemicals leaching into bottled water stored for 6 months. Specifically, antimony is being found. Think of all the potential uses for your bottled water.

On a related note, Mexico was considering a 5% tax on soft drinks. Apparently, Mexicans drink more soft drinks than any other nation on Earth. One of the reasons cited is that they are cheaper and more readily available than potable water. Hopefully they didn't plan to offer rebates for bottled water in conjunction with this tax.

The rhetoric is definitely heating up

With public attitudes on the environment changing the political attention paid to the issue there are louder calls for action from all sides. A key element to the debate in Canada is who will be responsible for taking the lead and who will be footing the bill.

The National Post, a conservative newspaper, has different opinions which you can find in two articles (1 & 2). Fundamentally, they question the scientific validity of climate change and do not support government policy as a solution.

The Climate Action Network has released a plan for the government to consider. They are basically calling for subsides, taxes and government funded programs to
spur industry and the public to change behavior.

What is the right course of action? Nobody can say for sure at this time as the debate seems to rage on and ultimately political expediency will win the day. In my opinion, everyone needs to take action. I've said it many times before that I don't think you have to believe in the science of climate change to support a reduction in air pollution. If you're all about the economic aspects
then waste reduction and efficiency shouldn't be a big stretch either.

One element I definitely oppose is any subsidy to industry. I get a little tired of shelling out money to support multi-billion dollar companies. If they don't change on their own and the market does they will suffer the consequences of bad business decisions. They reap the rewards so I feel they can shoulder the risk.

The balance between the economy and the environment combined with regulation over market forces is one that will need to be achieved to generate any solution.

It's all about choices

I have tried to advocate the necessity of evaluating our personal consumption patterns to determine if we can make more environmentally friendly choices. In North America it's things like replacing light bulbs, recycling and other easy choices. What if you had to choose between clean air and TV?

In some parts of India, that is the exact choice rural residents are being forced to make. An excellent article at IHT.com outlines how the proliferation of cheap, and unfortunately dirty, diesel generators has degraded the air quality in some regions. Some inroads are being made by renewable and alternative sources but not enough. Fundamentally, as electricity is being cheaply generated by the diesel generators it increases demand for other electrical appliances such as televisions. A subsequent increase in electricity demand increases diesel generators and the cycle continues. I like the distributed energy concept being employed with each individual responsible for their own generation and consumption. If they can convert the generators to biofuels maybe they'll alleviate the air pollution problem and find ways to use some waste or excess production. The point for us in North America and other "developed" areas is to realize that the choices we make do impact our environment. We just haven't noticed yet.

Before ANWR

Drilling for oil in the ANWR has been a controversial subject. However, before coming to this there was an equally important debate about the original Alaskan Pipeline. An excellent documentary by American Experience on PBS goes through many aspects of the building of the pipeline. In my opinion, it sounds familiar to the current debate about ANWR. Environmental activists at the time were able to keep some responsibility in the construction but the oil embargo essentially killed any opposition to building the pipeline. The documentary covers the economic, environmental, social and engineering elements of the construction. Check your local PBS listings to see when you can catch the documentary. It is an eye opener and contains many interesting facts.

Iraq and the Environment

So what is the cost of war to the environment? The obvious is the resources consumed in waging war. What about the devastation that occurs in the theater of battle?

Iraq is the most publicized war in North America. There are other conflicts around the world but nothing that is gathering the same media attention. To what extent has the current war, and the prior regime's military-industrial strategy, damaged the Iraqi environment?

The Tigris River has supported the lives of people in Iraq and beyond for several thousand years. With dam projects, pollution and, now, dead bodies the river is not what it used to be. Read this article for details.

Additional problems from military waste, depleted uranium used in the US bombing and toxic waste dumps will need additional assistance from UNEP to clean up over 300 sites estimated to need remediation.

I doubt environmental damage were ever a consideration for either Saddam Hussein or George W. Bush. Now the damage is here and time to clean it up. One the bright side, Bush is planning to spend millions on providing jobs for Iraqis to clean the streets.

New meaning for wireless

The beauty of a lot of modern computing is you can say "Look Mom, no wires!" At least until the batteries run out. Now, there are solutions available to provide solar charging on the road. I don't think any of them require you to wear a solar panel on your head. Check out the brief summary at TreeHugger.

I'm looking forward to getting one in the near future. Nothing like sitting on the back porch with my laptop and not having to come in when the battery runs out. If I get one I'll be sure to post a review.

This is a good one

I'm not sure how much people know about the oil sands in Canada. In recent years it has been a significant news story because of its impact on the economy, the environment and even Canadian federalism. An article in the Globe & Mail titled "The greening of the oil sands" . What's the big deal?

I find it so absurd to think that this industry can be environmentally friendly. They fought Kyoto all the way. Even if it is a useless treaty at least it is a starting point. It is particularly annoying in this article that industry, which usually objects to any government regulation, now needs government to take the lead. That's what Kyoto was for!!!!!!!!

The environmental damage caused by oil sands production is unparalleled. Massive amounts of water are used. Combined with the fact that so much energy is needed to extract it and process it I doubt the value in the extraction anyway. I find it particularly amusing that the article notes that the equivalent of 20% of the gasoline in Canada could be produced by it. Big deal, our gas is still more expensive than the USA. What happened to all the great refineries and value added products that were to be made in Canada creating jobs and making us so much money we could all retire at 35?

I'm getting tired of hearing that doing things the same old way will make us all better off. I don't pretend to have all the solutions but I believe that making some changes and thinking "outside the box" might be a start.

Plastics and your health

Plastic, for better or worse, has become part of everyday life. There is not a day that goes by where you don't encounter it in some way. I have made previous posts about Bisphenol-A, persistent chemicals in the environment, Teflon etc and the impact on us. The shear amount and ease of exposure to plastics everyday by everyone makes it an important element to examine.

Many of us have become used to the benefits of plastic. The weight difference alone between plastic and glass has made carrying the groceries in so much easier. This weight difference has also made a huge difference in shipping and packaging. Flexibility of plastic over other materials has created products that may not have been possible with conventional materials. But at what cost?

This consumer oriented piece on the CBC website provides a good overview of the many uses of plastics and the potential hazards that exist. As usual, it will be up to the individual to make the changes to protect themselves and the environment.

Winds of Change

Alternative generating methods for electricity are the future power sources. While they have been in development for some time there will be a few bumps along the way until they can be fully integrated into the current systems and habits change to accommodate them. This article talks about some difficulty experienced by wind power recently.

If you're an animal rights person do not read the rest of this post. Animal fat will be increasingly used in the production of biodiesel. Tyson foods has even created a renewable energy division.

All of us will need to change our habits and make room for alternative ways of living. We have many areas that we can make changes to benefit the world around us and minimize our impact on the world around us.

Happy New Year

Hope you enjoyed your holidays. By now you have figured out how to use any new electronic gadgets you may have received. The down side is you have some expensive paper weights hanging around. What to do?

First, find out what happens to any electronic waste you may have. Now that you know how bad it can be figure out what you want to do with your stuff, donate or recycle.

For recycling options in the USA enter your zip code here and follow through until you see the appropriate recycling icon. The same site has an option for Canadian postal codes. In Canada you can also recycle or donate at Accu-Shred or Electronic Recycling Association. I don't think Accu-Shred donates but it looks like they can recycle for you. ERA has programs for both.

Hope this helps you clear out some old electronics. Alternatively, if you want to give them away to someone who wants them try your local Freecycle. Post what you have on there and people will contact you if they want it. Nice and easy. Don't forget to recycle used batteries either.

That should cover almost every bit of electronics you may have hanging around. Please don't throw it out. Good luck.