TIGblogs - Earth Day Network's TIGBlog

Prison Turns Inmates Green

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:06:00 EDT

Get ready for this one – the latest “green” training is happening in prison. Instead of simply containing inmates for their wrongdoings, the Stafford Creek facility in Aberdeen, Washington is teaching individuals how to become contributing members of society.

The Sustainable Prisons Project – a collaboration between the Washington Department of Corrections and The Evergreen State College in Olympia – aims to help prisoners understand their impact on the environment, and find ways to reduce it. By growing native plant species in a greenhouse behind the prison, inmates are acquiring skills that can aid them in assimilating back into society through environmentalism.

With “green” jobs on the rise, the Sustainable Prisons Project is a way to provide almost guaranteed “green” workers. This program offers people who have strayed from societal norms – and maybe need a little help getting back on track – the means to do so. Instead of releasing these people back into society with no direction, why not steer them toward environmental activism?

For more information, visit http://earth911.com.

Beetles Eating the Rocky Mountains Alive

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:38:00 EDT

Wildfires in the forests in the Rocky Mountains can potentially threaten water and power supplies to millions of people across the western United States. The Colorado River, which is an important source of water for residents of 13 states, are in the middle of a 2.5 million acres of dying forests in Colorado and southern Wyoming, according to the U.S. Forest Service official Rick Cables. If these forests are to catch fire it could potentially lead to damaged or destroyed reservoirs, pipes and other infrastructure that supply water to millions of people in the Rocky Mountain region.

This threat is made possible by the largest recorded outbreak of bark beetles in the area. Bark beetles are insects that attack and kill living trees, which subsequently generates very large quantities of dry timber that can easily catch fire and lead to wildfires. These beetle infestations are naturally recurring events in the west; however, the scale of this movement is much larger than usual. This may be due to a lack of freezing weather in the region, which usually reduces the bark beetles population. Also, researchers fear that the situation will worsen due to global warming, which will decrease the amount of freezing weather, thus enabling the beetles population to further expand. According to Barbara Bentz, a research entomologist with the Forest Service, nearly 8 million acres of trees have fallen to the beetles. Canadian forests have also suffered from this outbreak and scientists in Canada believe that the “death of so many trees is altering local weather patterns and air quality.”

As a result of these outbreaks, many forests are being threatened in the west by not only the bugs themselves, but also wildfires, which the beetles indirectly instigate. As of now the Forest Service has received $26 million stimulus funds for the Rocky Mountain region to deal with the beetle-relate problems. However, dealing with the infestation could cost as much as $213 million. The government seems unlikely to provide any more support. The only solution to this problem is for the citizens in this region to unite and provide funding for this program. With your support, the forests of the Rocky Mountains can be preserved.

For More Information Check Out:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31413274/ns/us_news-environment/#storyContinued

http://www.asktheexterminator.com/Beetles/Bark_beetles.shtml

Government Study Predicts Climate Change to Worsen in the Future

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:32:00 EDT

The United States Global Change Research Program, a joint scientific venture of 13 federal agencies, has reported that climate change will worsen in the future. This report is based off evidence such as shifting migration patterns of butterflies in the West and heavier downpours in the Midwest and East. Some of the effects being cited in this report are familiar, such as powerful tropical storms and erosion of ocean coastlines caused by the melting of Arctic ice.

However, the study also warns that there will be an increase in drought in the Southwestern United States and more intense heat waves in the Northeastern United States as a result of the continuing increases in the concentrations of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. According to the report, reduced mountain snowpack means earlier melt-offs and reduced stream volumes across the West and Northwest, which will affect residential and agricultural water supplies, habitats for spawning fish, and the reduction of hydroelectric power generation.

However, the speed and severity of these effects in the future are less certain in the report and depend entirely on how nations around the world decide to handle emissions in their countries. Our destiny is in our hands. It is up to the nations of our world to decide what our fate will be.

For More Information Check Out: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/16/science/earth/16climate.html?_r=1

Algae Invading New York Streams

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:14:00 EDT

In Esposus Creek, a fly-fishing stream that is an integral part of New York City’s upstate drinking water system has fallen victim to the Didymosphenia geminata, “a fast-spreading single-cell algae that is better known to fishermen and biologists around the world as rock snot.” Investigators confirm that Didymo has spread along 12 miles of the Esopus from Shandaken to the Ashokan Reservoir.

Didymo is considered native to parts of North America, where it is found in high elevations with “cold, nutrient-poor waters.” This single-celled diatom grows upstream in fast-moving rivers and creek, and can spread to other water environments by clinging to fishing equipment. Over the last twenty years, this algae has transformed into a more aggressive invasive species, which has spread from British Columbia to New York. Didymo is not harmful to human health; however, it can grow in mats so thick that it clogs water intakes, which are key to supplying fresh water to cities. It also has a tendency to cover river bottoms from bank to bank, smothering stoneflies, worms, and other organisms that trout and other sport fish feed on to survive.

Recently, rock snot has been found on the east and west branches of the Delaware River, the location of two huge reservoirs in the New York City water system. Leslie J. Surprenant, the New York City State invasive species management coordinator, said there are no known ways to eradicate Didymo once it has been established. The best that can be hoped for, she said, is to slow its spread by informing fishermen and others who use the infected streams. Precautions such as encouraging fishermen to submerge waders (waterproof gear designed to allow people to stand in relatively deep water without getting wet) in a solution of water and bleach to kill cells before they can spread is one option. Didymo is a serious threat to the North American ecosystem and must be stopped from spreading before it destroys many of the species that are indigenous to this continent. There may be no perfect solution to this problem, but as long as precautions are made we can prevent this species from spreading too quickly.

For More Information Check Out:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/16/science/16invasive.html?pagewanted=1_r=1ref=earth

Green Jobs Are Growing!

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:06:00 EDT

Looking for a job? If you are, you’re probably looking in all
the wrong places. It’s pretty well-known that “green” jobs are becoming more
and more popular socially, but these jobs are also the professions of the
future.

While many corporations have been forced to eliminate
positions and lay off hundreds of people at once, the renewable energy industry
has continued to grow. Not only has this industry flourished, but it has also
more than doubled the national rate when it comes to adding job possibilities
to the economy. To put this into perspective, the overall job growth average
between 1998 and 2007 was 3.7 percent; in the renewable energy industry, it was
9.1 percent. With this information, the government has said it will provide
billions to further renewable energy growth.

Although “green” jobs may not be the most high-paying jobs
out there, they seem to be the most promising. Feedback from individuals who
have shifted from the auto industry to areas such as hydropower are aware of this
drop in salary, but they have also noted that these industries are moving in
the right direction – Earth Day Network
published an op-ed
on this topic months ago. So if you’re out there job hunting, get on the green
track to help the environment and to help yourself.

For more information, visit MSNBC’s article.

The Ecological Fence

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:14:00 EDT

Last Thursday, the BBC wrote an intriguing article about a new kind of fence being built in Kenya. Unlike, traditional fences, which are comprised of only wood, nails, and wires, this barrier contains an additional component; the African Honey Bee. The reason for this action is due to the elephant population in Kenya, which are not confined to national parks or reserves. These elephants break into farms and raid them for food, eating farmers’ tomatoes, potatoes, and maize. As a result, these animals cause significant damage to the Kenyan economy and force farmers to resort to “shooting, spearing, or poisoning elephants to protect their livelihoods and families.”

The idea to create a beehive fence was originated by zoologist Fritz Vollrath of the University of Oxford, who discovered that elephants avoid trees with beehives in them. As an experiment, Vollrath and colleague Lucy King built an experimental beehive fence and recorded the data. The results have been astounding and have reduced elephants raid by over 42%. No one really knows why elephants are afraid of bees; however, elephants tend to recognize bees and their hives and avoid them at all costs.

As a result of this experiment, over 60 farms are building these innovative fences. Foundations such as Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, Safaricom Foundation, and Save the Elephants are funding these projects for local farmers. Some farmers are even extending these fences at their own expense. With the elephant population already dwindling around the world, this type of ecologically sound fence is a perfect solution to deter elephants from raiding farmers’ crops, and prevent the farmers’ retaliation. Honey never sounded so sweet.

For More Information Check Out:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8081000/8081521.stm

Solar Panels of the Future

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:38:00 EDT

The TV – a new discovery in the way of energy use reduction. Who would have thought that a television could provide a means to further the use of solar power? Apparently TVs can be employed for other purposes than indulgent entertainment.

The thin covering on flat screen TVs that protects the appliance from moisture may just be the latest breakthrough in solar energy; this film can be used to create contemporary solar panels that are easier to install and pay for than the original version of solar panels. Traditional solar panels that have been installed on rooftops up until now are extremely rigid and do not cover some hard-to-reach areas. Unlike their predecessors however, these new, flexible solar panels – known as building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPVs) – will not only make more efficient use of unused rooftop energy resources, but will also be relatively less expensive and last for over 20 years.

Alternative energy sources are becoming increasingly valued. Many people have been hesitant to invest in solar panels, but this innovation would put their nerves at ease: Not only will BIPVs help reduce our impact on the environment, but they will also be a cheaper option than previous solar panels. In today’s economy, both of these features are incredibly important. Although they are still in the works, flexible solar panels are anxiously awaited.

For more information, check out http://www.enn.com/energy/article/40029.

The Flattening of Caribbean Reefs

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:34:00 EDT

A recent study by the University of East Anglia has found that in the past 40 years, the Caribbean’s famous branch corals have been wiped out. This has led to the flattening of the coral reefs in the region, which once contained large, intricate, and tree-like corals and now contain only small, “fast growing, but short-lived branch corals.” Researchers have found that “flat reefs now cover 75 per cent of the Caribbean, compared to just 20 per cent in the 1970s.”

There are many hypotheses for why this event has occurred. Jennifer Gill and her colleagues from the University of Easy Anglia believe that the flattening process took place in two phases. The first was in the 1970s, when a condition known as white-band disease “swept through the reefs, killing 90 per cent of the most spectacular tree-like Elkhorn and stag horn.” The second phase occurred in 1998, when many of the remaining large tree-like corals were wiped out during a massive bleach event, which many in the scientific community believe was caused by global warming.

The extinction of these large coral bodes ill for the Caribbean. Coral reefs are one of the most species-rich marine ecosystems and can contain up to over two million species, including a quarter of all fish. According to researchers the only solution, “may be immediate cuts in emissions of carbon dioxide from burning of fossil fuels, which would curb the amount of bleaching and limit acidification of oceans that results when they absorb carbon dioxide.” Only time and research will tell.

For More Information Check Out:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17279-caribbean-reefs-flattened-in-just-40-years.html?DCMP=OTC-rssnsref=online-news

A Problem with Soot

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 11:31:00 EDT

Recently, the New York Times came out with some alarming news pertaining to soot particles and cardiovascular ailments. Research by the nonprofit Health Effects Institute has found that “the risk of having a condition that is a precursor to deadly heart attacks for people living in soot-laden areas goes up by 24 percent rather than 12 percent,” which old data indicated as particle concentrations increase. This is a very serious threat to the health of the global population.

Soot particles come from a variety of sources including diesel engines, automobile tires, coal-fired power plants, and oil refineries. Soot is common in densely populated locations such as metropolitan areas. This includes cities such as New York and Los Angeles. In countries such as China, the levels of soot are even higher and contribute to alterations in the hydrological cycle in the region, which affects the weather patterns. The definition of soot is a fine particle, which has a diameter smaller than 30th of a human hair. For the past two decades it has been established that there is a link between cardiopulmonary disease and soot. However, the E.P.A has only begun to regulate these particles since 1997.

Research has shown, however, that these particles are twice as deadly as previously thought, which means that regulation should increase further. The safety of citizens is the first priority of a government. Allowing harmful particles to spread across cities goes against the country’s well being and must be stopped. Luckily, the Obama administration is looking into this problem and formulating a plan to reduce these emissions.

For More Information See:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/03/science/earth/03soot.html?_r=1

The Better, Stronger, More Eco-Friendly Cow

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 10:41:00 EDT

Yesterday evening, the New York Times came out with intriguing news about cows and their contribution to global warming. According to the article, a cow’s expulsion of methane, either through burps or flatulence’s has “20 times the heat-trapping ability” than that of carbon dioxide. Both these gasses contribute to global warming. Furthermore, each year, “the average cow expels…200 to 400 pounds of methane.”

However, there is a solution to this problem. In January, cows at fifteen farms owned by Stonyfield Farm, a yogurt manufacturer, have had their diet changed to include more plants, such as alfalfa and flaxseed. These substances, unlike corn or soy, are similar to the grasses that these animals had evolved to eat long ago. As a result, methane output on these farms have decreased over eighteen percent and according to Mr. Choiniere, one of the farmers experimenting with this diet, the cows “are healthier…their coats…shinier, and the breath is sweet.”

Based on this evidence it is imperative that larger cattle manufacturers in the U.S. begin adopting this program. Over 600 farms in France have already implemented this diet with astounding results. According to their reports, methane emissions have been reduced in that region by about thirty percent. With cow production expected to double in the next thirty years it is important that the United States set an example to other nations by reducing emissions in this area. Want to show your support? Use the power of the purse: buy dairy and beef products from grass-fed cows only.

For More Information Check Out: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/05/us/05cows.html?_r=1hp

Stadium Goes Green

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:01:00 EDT

A classic pastime and a noble cause are coming together to create an environmentally-friendly stadium for the New York Jets and Giants in the very near future. With the extensive audience that sports events attract, something like this is long overdue.

Partnering with the EPA, the New Meadowlands Stadium Company has agreed to construct and operate the New Meadowlands Stadium along environmentally aware guidelines by incorporating ‘green’ materials and practices into this project. A few of the expectations for this stadium are to significantly reduce water use and greatly increase recycling, resulting in reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 1.68 million metric tons.

With so many people becoming environmentally active, this stadium will represent the culmination of their efforts, and serve as a stepping stone to even greater accomplishments. The New Meadowlands Stadium can also be used as a means to reach the masses that haven’t yet embarked on the environmental movement. This ‘green’ stadium is a great way to further environmental work and to reach those who still may not be convinced of the importance of preserving the environment.

For more information, check out http://www.enn.com/business/article/40008

A Non-Native Threat to the Galapagos

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 12:44:00 EDT

Yesterday, MSNBC came out with some alarming news for the Galapagos region. This island, which is located in the Caribbean, contains a vast number of unique animals that are only native to this region. The Galapagos is also famous for the formation of Charles Darwin theory of evolution by natural selection, which occurred from Darwin’s observations on the island.

Recently, there have been reports that the Galapagos’s exotic reptiles are facing a new threat in the form of non-native mosquitoes. This comes from a study by Arnaud Bataille, a PhD. student in comparative biology at the University of Leeds. According to Bataille these events are occurring due to the large amount of tourists coming to the island, which significantly increases the risks of “spreading disease across wildlife.” These animals have never encountered diseases, such as the West Nile Virus or A. taeniorhynchus. As a result scientists “say their immune defenses are unlikely to protect them if an infection occurs.”

As a result, scientists are recommending that boats and airplanes be fumigated in order to kill all non-native mosquitoes. However, this will not be enough. As history has shown, infectious diseases carried by non-native mosquitoes have been very effective at spreading to regions all around the globe. The West Nile Virus, which originated in Africa has very rapidly spread all around the globe and threatened the health of all forms of life. In order to protect the Galapagos Islands from this threat we need scientists to come up with new approaches to prevent non-native mosquitoes from traveling to the country or perhaps enact extreme measures, such as reducing tourism to a minimum to this region.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31064978/#storyContinued

We Need Better School Food for Our Kids!

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 11:50:00 EDT

Who would have thought that something as beneficial-sounding as the federal school lunch program, which provides lunch to low-income children, would be a culprit in the childhood obesity epidemic? Many experts believe it could be.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture runs the school lunch program, providing free or reduced price lunches to kids living near the poverty level by sending schools surplus commodities it buys up from U.S. agri-businesses. But in addition to feeding poor kids, the USDA’s other goal in the program is providing price support to farmers and agri-business who can’t sell enough of their products. As new White House chef Sam Kass points out, these disparate allegiances create a problem: what’s good for farmers is not necessarily good for kids. Excess commodities tend to be mostly meat-, potato- and corn-based products. Processed into hamburger patties, French fries and frozen pizzas, these surplus foods are then shipped to schools whose students qualify for free or reduced price lunches.

Some 30 million kids across America get lunch- and sometimes breakfast- from this program. But demographically, these are mostly the same kids – those from families living near the poverty level – where rates of obesity have climbed to alarming percentages. The percentage of obese U.S. children and teens doubled between 1971 and 2006, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but they are disproportionately found in low income communities. Teens in poor communities are twice as likely to be obese as teens in their national peer group, according to Douglas Besharov, a scholar in social welfare issues with the American Enterprise Institute. Could there be a link – and a solution to be sought after? What if these kids could also get locally-grown, green, leafy vegetables and fruits on their lunch trays?

Advocates of locally-grown whole foods are starting to step forward and talk about changing what foods are made available to school children. Some of these advocates are in high places: First Lady Michelle Obama recently planted a vegetable garden on the White House lawn, saying she wants to show children where locally grown vegetables come from. Presidential chef Sam Kass is a proponent of greening up the school lunch program and has convened meetings on the subject. The New America Foundation says that 70 percent of schools receiving federal school lunch assistance do not meet even the loose nutrition requirements the government sets for serving this food.

The moment is ripe for harvesting change. This year, Congress will vote on reauthorizing the Child Nutrition and WIC Act, which not only governs the federal school lunch program but also set nutritional standards for all foods sold in schools. The last reauthorization in 2004 brought significant improvements such as requiring schools to have wellness programs. But more surely needs to be done to green up the cafeteria tray. The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee began hearings on reauthorization. For every advocate of healthy foods testifying before the Senate committee there was also a representative of agri-business or food companies whose primary interest is not losing the school market. A lot is at stake – to both parties.

We need a Green Food Corps to make sure this moment is not lost, to make sure that locally-grown, leafy green vegetables and fruits find their way to our nation’s schools.
The National Parent Teacher Association told the Senate committee on March 31 that it wants to see five changes in the Child Nutrition Act. Among them, said NPTA chief executive Byron Garrett, are to requiring “the development of best practices for the processing of USDA commodities,” to more closely align with the government’s own 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans statement about nutritious foods needed. Secondly, the National PTA and a slew of other groups want the Child Nutrition Act to set national nutrition standards “for school foods sold outside of the school meals programs,” so that chips and soda sold in vending machines don’t undermine efforts to nourish kids with what is sold on the lunch line.

Cleaner Air = Longer Life

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:01:00 EST

Looking for a house? Keep in mind the three rules of real
estate: location, location, location.

Good location is typically thought of as a safe community
with good public schools. New data, however, confirms that where you live has a
direct effect on how long you live.

According to a team from Brigham Young and Harvard
universities, reducing air pollution has extended average life expectancy by
five months for urban residents in dozens of U.S. cities over the past two
decades. Average life expectancy improved 2.72 years (with five months of that
increase attributed to cleaner air). However, the improvements were especially
high in the District of Columbia,
where residents are living roughly three years longer—most likely because of
the profound reductions in particulate matter made in the region. This evidence
that extensive clean-up efforts are worth the up-front investment can help
environmentalists breathe easy.

Though the study represents the first time researchers have
documented, conclusively, a link between air quality and longevity, urban air
quality is no newcomer to the national stage: Earth Day Network released its
own Urban Environment Report in 2007. The Report ranked 72 U.S. cities
according to more than 200 environmental, health, and quality of life
indicators. It also introduced, for the first time, a “Vulnerable Population
Index” (VPI) which factors in each city’s susceptibility to an expanded list of
environmental challenges based on the percentage of its population that is most
at risk.

To link to the Washington Post Article, click here

To check out Earth Day Network’s Urban Environment Report,
click here

Clean Air = Longer Life

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 10:56:00 EST

Looking for a house? Keep in mind the three rules of real estate: location, location, location.

Good location is typically thought of as a safe community with good public schools. New data, however, confirms that where you live has a direct effect on how long you live.

According to a team from Brigham Young and Harvard universities, reducing air pollution has extended average life expectancy by five months for urban residents in dozens of U.S. cities over the past two decades. Average life expectancy improved 2.72 years (with five months of that increase attributed to cleaner air). However, the improvements were especially high in the District of Columbia, where residents are living roughly three years longer—most likely because of the profound reductions in particulate matter made in the region. This evidence that extensive clean-up efforts are worth the up-front investment can help environmentalists breathe easy.

Though the study represents the first time researchers have documented, conclusively, a link between air quality and longevity, urban air quality is no newcomer to the national stage: Earth Day Network released its own Urban Environment Report in 2007. The Report ranked 72 U.S. cities according to more than 200 environmental, health, and quality of life indicators. It also introduced, for the first time, a “Vulnerable Population Index” (VPI) which factors in each city’s susceptibility to an expanded list of environmental challenges based on the percentage of its population that is most at risk.

To link to the Washington Post Article, click here http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/21/AR2009012102805.html?hpid=moreheadlines

To check out Earth Day Network’s Urban Environment Report, click here: http://www.earthday.net/UER/report

Green Your Holiday Shopping With Earth Day Network!

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 11:42:00 EST

This holiday season, support Earth Day Network's efforts to stop climate change, green our schools, bring environmental education back and foster a new Green Generation of environmental activists. When you purchase a gift from EDN's e-store (http://www.earthday.net/estore), all the proceeds go directly to sustaining and growing our year-round programs and campaigns.

Be the first one to have the new limited-edition Earth Day 2009 poster and 100% organic cotton t-shirt, get cozy with one of our warm fleece vests, or enjoy some fair trade cocoa in one of our travel mugs. There is an item for everyone's wish list! Buy now and enjoy FREE shipping throughout December, and a FREE book by Senator John Kerry and Teresa Heinz Kerry with a $50 purchase.

Obama’s first 100 Days Action Plan to Save the Planet

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:01:00 EST

Recently, The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the Presidential Climate Action Project (PCAP), a two-year initiative of the University of Colorado School of Public Affairs, hosted a briefing to discuss the challenges that the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, will need to face when he takes office on January 20th 2009. Not only the new Administration but also Congress will need an action plan to address the economic, social and environmental impacts of Climate Change.

The conveners of the briefing released a 100 Days Action Plan that recommends practical and achievable actions to immediately curb global warming; halt emissions growth by 2015; implement a national cap and trade program; invest heavily in energy efficiency research and development; and strike an agreement with China to move toward sustainable practices. Martha Coven of the Center for Budget Policy Priorities explained how well-designed climate change policies can provide sufficient revenue to both cushion the impact on vulnerable households and meet other legitimate public needs, such as expanded research on alternative energy sources. Bill Parson, of the office of Rep. Chris Van Hollen said that “what Obama prioritizes is key; he will have to deal with the economy, healthcare and also with climate change.”

During the discussion, the speakers agreed that the government cannot address climate change without addressing energy, economy, security and foreign policy. Obama and Congress will need to replace outdated legislation with new laws that will put us on the right path.

Find out more:

http://www.eesi.org/111308_pcap

http://www.climateactionproject.com/plan/

tags: Earth Day, Earth Day 2009, Earth Day Network

A New Green Deal

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:40:00 EST

The very serious nature of our current economic situation is not lost on many people, especially those of us putting all our chips on green so to speak. At this very moment a green revolution might seem as likely as hitting green on a roulette wheel (very unlikely). According to one article, talks on Capitol Hill regarding new energy policies like a possible cap-and-trade system have essentially come to a screeching halt. But this article also suggests now is the very time to take the chance on green.

Although we don’t hear their perspective much in environmental economics, the authors aren’t making a new argument. As they put it, “We'll never succeed in making dirty energy too expensive. Let's make clean energy cheap.” Their argument is purely Keynesian. At a time when our economy is in desperate need of a boost, we need to make clean, green energy affordable.

Carbon auctioning and cap-and-trade systems have not yet proven themselves effective at reducing carbon emissions, and are guaranteed to raise energy costs in the immediate future. A more economically viable solution during a recession might be investing in a green infrastructure that will reduce energy prices over the long term.

Cheap alternative energy sources is exactly what Americans want and need right now – and exactly what the auto industry has ignored, as they’ve built gas guzzlers that no one can afford to fuel. That’s why the current auto industry bailout proposition, while able to offer workers temporary stability, does not address the real problem with the auto industry: their refusal to build eco-friendly cars at a time when there’s a great deal of interest in them and need for them. What autoworkers need for permanent job security is industry reform; that’s the only way to ensure they keep their jobs in both the short- and long-term future.

Going green, then, might be the only way for many industries to pull themselves out of the red. We need something bigger than a green bailout, however: We need a new Green Deal, and a national commitment to building new jobs by investing in a full-scale paradigm shift toward sustainability. If we use the logic and energy of FDR’s administration, we can re-establish American prominence and save the planet at the same time.

tags: Earth Day, Earth Day 2009, Earth Day Network

New data shows that humanity is living beyond its ecological means

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:41:00 EST

The Ecological Footprint Calculator, created by the Global Footprint Network in partnership with Earth Day Network, allows users to calculate how many “planets” would be necessary to sustain human life- if everyone lived just like them. Now, new data released by the Global Footprint Network shows that our demands from nature are exceeding what she can provide; in less than 20 years we will require the resources of two planets to support our lifestyles. It is a matter of grave concern that two years ago Global Footprint Network showed humanity on track to reach that two planets mark by 2050, and now our deficit spending is leading us to that critical threshold much earlier.

The data is part of the information compiled in the Living Planet Report 2008 and The Ecological Footprint Atlas 2008, which study the human pressure on the planet and compare it across 200 nations.

As human consumption grows, the ecological overshoot increases. Dr. Mathis Wackernagel, executive director of Global Footprint Network, said: “Overshoot leads to liquidation of the planet’s ecological assets, and the depletion of resources, such as the forests, oceans and agricultural land upon which our economy depends.” The carbon dioxide footprint, which accounts for the use of fossil fuels, represents almost half of the total of global footprint and its use has increased more than eleven fold from 1961 to 2003.

Take our quiz and discover your Ecological Footprint!
http://www.earthday.net/footprint/index.html

tags: Earth Day, Earth Day 2009, Earth Day Network

Lost Secrets Revealed!

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:30:00 EST

Those of us familiar with the epic Fox television series Lost have learned two very important lessons:

1) It is quite possibly the most addictive TV show on the planet. Renting the first two seasons on DVD is an automatic two-week television bender, that will leave you very confused when you come to. Your house will be empty save for some empty pizza boxes, a carton of Ben and Jerry’s, and your sleeping dog - still lethargic from the countless leftover crusts he ate. Blindly obeying your subconscious urges, you probably have yet to realize lesson 1 and will immediately go rent seasons 3 and 4. However, lesson 2 will already be permanently ingrained in your brain:
2) Fear dark and ominous shrouds of smoke!

Life imitated TV on Thursday when the United Nations released a report about noxious smog covering Asia. The brown atmospheric clouds can be almost a mile thick, spread from the Arabian Peninsula to the Yellow Sea, and block out up to 25 percent of the sunlight in cities across Asia. Unless China and other booming industrial countries in Asia make an effort to combat the pollution, the Himalayan glaciers could be reduced by 75% in 2050. Effects of the pollution are already being seen in the rice yields across Asia, and inhalation of the air can be devastating to a person’s cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

So let’s stop playing out fiction in real life and keep the deadly plumes of smoke on the TV show. There’s no way Jake and Kate are stranded on some hidden island in the middle of Beijing anyway... or is there?

Read more about the smog covering Asia at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/14/world/14cloud.html?_r=1hporef=slogin

Lost Secrets Revealed

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 01:11:00 EST

Those of us familiar with the epic Fox television series Lost have learned two very important
lessons:

1) It
is quite possibly the most addictive TV show on the planet. Renting the first two seasons on DVD is an
automatic two-week television bender, that will leave you very confused when
you come to. Your house will be empty save for some empty pizza boxes, a carton
of Ben and Jerry’s, and your sleeping dog - still lethargic from the countless
leftover crusts he ate. Blindly obeying
your subconscious urges, you probably have yet to realize lesson 1 and will
immediately go rent seasons 3 and 4. However, lesson 2 will already be
permanently ingrained in your brain:

2) Fear
dark and ominous shrouds of smoke!

Life imitated TV on Thursday when the United Nations
released a report about noxious smog covering Asia. The brown atmospheric clouds can be almost a
mile thick, spread from the Arabian Peninsula to the Yellow Sea, and block out
up to 25 percent of the sunlight in cities across Asia. Unless China
and other booming industrial countries in Asia
make an effort to combat the pollution, the Himalayan glaciers could be reduced
by 75% in 2050. Effects of the pollution
are already being seen in the rice yields across Asia,
and inhalation of the air can be devastating to a person’s cardiovascular and
respiratory systems.

So let’s stop playing out fiction in real life and keep the
deadly plumes of smoke on the TV show.
There’s no way Jake and Kate are stranded on some hidden island in the
middle of Beijing
anyway... or is there?

Read more about the smog covering Asia
at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/14/world/14cloud.html?_r=1amp;hpamp;oref=slogin

tags: Earth Day, Earth Day 2009, Earth Day Network

Green Jobs would stimulate American Economy

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 10:11:00 EST

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) held a briefing in conjunction with the House Climate Change Caucus to discuss the potential for green jobs in the United States and the policies needed to support their creation. The panelists gave an overview of three recent reports on the subject.

Kevin McCarty, Managing Director of the Mayors Climate Protection Center of the U.S Conference of Mayors, talked about the current and potential green jobs in the United States. There could be a fivefold increase in green jobs within the next two decades by investing on renewable energy sources, alternative fuels for the transportation sector, and improvements in energy efficiency in homes and commercial buildings

“A shade of green” was the term used by Michael Renner, author of Green Jobs: Towards Decent Work in a Sustainable, Low-Carbon World, to describe the challenge of decarbonizing the automobile and construction industries and investing in public transportation in order to generate green jobs and thus reduce the ecological impact of those economic activities.

Bracken Hendricks, Senior Fellow of Center for American Progress and collaborator for the program Green Recovery, said that this program aims to boost public and private investments in retrofitting buildings to improve energy efficiency; expanding mass transit and freight rail; constructing smart electrical grid transmission systems; wind power; solar power; and next generation biofuels. “These core investments enable new markets, business growth, global competitiveness, and provide alternatives to mounting environmental crisis”, he explained.

Find out more: http://www.eesi.org/102208_green_jobs

The First Piece to the Climate Change Puzzle

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 13:41:00 EST

Whoever is elected president on November 4 will be faced with some important questions: what to do about an economy that is in constant flux, whether or not to continue spending $10 billion a month in Iraq, how do we secure a renewable energy future. But according to a recent article in Environmental Finance, one decision the 44th president won’t have to make is how to address climate change.

In the article, Michael Northrop and David Sassoon argue that key elements to climate change legislation are already in place, starting with the Clean Air Act. The act has been approved by Congress, and a 2007 Supreme Court decision established the act’s regulatory power over CO2 emissions. All that’s missing is a President willing to push implementation of the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gasses, and he takes his cues from the EPA.

To fully apply the Clean Air Act’s authority, the EPA must make an endangerment finding that would require them to begin regulating greenhouse emissions. From there regulation could go in a number of directions, including the combination of state and local cap and trade systems into an international system focused on stopping climate change.

Read the full article here:
http://solveclimate.com/sites/default/files/CleanAirJumpStart.web_.pdf

40 Australian Scientist Call for Urgent Action Against Climate Change

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:34:00 EDT

Renowned authors Dr. Barrie Pittock and Dr. Andrew Glikson have released a statement co-signed by 40 Australian environmental scientists demanding swift action to stop climate change. From major improvements in public transportation and the development of large-scale energy utilities, to active diplomacy tied to aid, Climate: Urgent Challenge, Great Opportunity recommends nine policies in order to reduce climate change. With a focus on Australia, the statement calls for confronting the challenge and seizing the opportunity that global warming poses.

Read full statement here.

40 Australian Scientists Call for Urgent Action Against Climate Change

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:10:00 EDT

Renowned authors
Dr. Barrie Pittock and Dr. Andrew Glikson have released a statement co-signed
by 40 Australian environmental scientists demanding swift action to stop
climate change. From major improvements in public transportation and the
development of large-scale energy utilities, to active diplomacy tied to aid, Climate: Urgent Challenge, Great Opportunity recommends nine policies in order to
reduce climate change. With a focus on Australia, the statement calls for
confronting the challenge and seizing the opportunity that global warming
poses.

Read
full statement here.

tags: Earth Day, Earth Day 2009, Earth Day Network