We stand now where two roads diverge... The road we have long been traveling is deceptively easy, a smooth superhighway on which we progress with great speed, but at its end lies disaster. The other fork of the road... offers our last, our only chance to reach a destination that assures the preservation of the earth.
By Richard Heinberg, Senior Fellow of Post Carbon Institute
In a New York Times op-ed published September 18 titled "Errors and Emissions," economist-columnist Paul Krugman took a swipe at my organization, Post Carbon Institute, lumping us together with the Koch brothers as purveyors of "climate despair." No, the Koch brothers are not in despair about the climate; apparently our shared error is that we say fighting climate change and growing the economy are incompatible. And, according to Krugman, a new report from the New Climate Economy Project (NCEP) and a working paper from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) show that the falling cost of renewable energy means this is happily not the case.
But in our view Krugman himself is guilty of five critical errors, and three equally serious omissions.... See entire blog item
By Ricken Patel, Exec. Director of Avaaz, co-organizers of People's Climate March
Originally posted Aug 25, 2014 by Tom Whipple, Post Carbon Institute
For those following the world oil production situation, it has been clear for some time that the only factor keeping global crude output from moving lower is the continuing increase in U.S. shale oil production, mostly from Texas and North Dakota. Needless to say, once the fabled "peak" comes oil and gasoline prices are certain to move higher, triggering a series of economic events – most of which will not be good for the global economy.
Alberta artist, Peter von Tiesenhausen, has effectively stopped oil corporations from putting a pipeline through his 800 acre property by covering it with artwork and copyrighting the top six inches of his land as an artwork.
Realizing that mining companies can legitimately lay claim to any land underneath private property to a depth of six inches, van Tiesenhausen contacted a lawyer who drew up an intellectual property/copyright claim that said that if the oil company disturbed the top six inches in any way, it would be a copyright violation. ... See entire news item
By Stefan Lucian (Bucharest, Romania)
Living in these days can mean a lot more than just having a shelter, food and clothing. People have evolved a lot in the last 50 years and the trend is of an exponential growth. The differences between generations will be more significant than there are now. As a proof that people have already started to change their minds and philosophy are the random bursts of nonconformism, meaning that some people no longer feel represented by the masses, and their image can't be associated with an institution of a large group of people.
Part of the nonconformism I was talking about is the residential component. People live in more and more diverse houses that suit best their needs. Some people buy large houses with concrete structures or steel and glass to reinforce their social... See entire story
Having your groceries delivered is no longer just a convenience for those who dread the weekly trip to the store. Studies have recently shown that having your groceries delivered to your home could also help us to live a more eco-friendly life.
Over the years I have slowly changed my way of living to a "green" life, and what at first seemed to be an inconvenience is now proving to provide more convenience in my life. From the little things like using energy efficient lighting all the way to my not so regular trips to the grocery store, it seems I spend a lot less time doing tedious things, leaving more time for work and fun.
Up until the last few weeks I was against using a delivery service for my groceries. I didn't think it was possible that the big diesel trucks used to deliver items from my local grocer could be better for the environment than my car. Then I stumbled upon an article that told me just the opposite. University of Washington engineers Ann Goodchild and Erica Wygonik recently c... See entire blog item
Americans' health, security, and economic well-being are tied to climate and weather. In the last 2 years, the United States experienced 25 climate- and weather-related disasters exceeding $1 billion ($115 billion total) in damages and claiming 1,019 lives. The public, businesses, resource managers, and policy leaders are increasingly asking for information to help them understand how and why climate conditions are changing and how they can prepare.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a primary provider of climate science, data, tools, and information used by stakeholders and citizens in decision-making contexts. These resources... See entire story
As of March 18, 2013
The Green Power Partnership works with a wide variety of leading organizations — from Fortune 500® companies to local, state and federal governments, and a growing number of colleges and universities. The following Top Partner Rankings highlight the annual green power use of leading Green Power Partners within the United States and across individual industry sectors.
Using green power helps reduce the environmental impacts of electricity use and supports the development of new renewable generation capacity nationwide. Usage amounts reflect U.S. operations only and are sourced... See entire news item