ENERGY: Solar as power - lagging; Solar as electricity - promising!

At some PNL Superfund sites we have researched the use of solar panels - for onsite use and/or for attachment to the grid. Here is some interesting solar news that might affect the applications we've researched.

The US Government's Energy Information Administration (EIA) graph shows solar energy's role, compared to other renewables, in the 2005 US energy equation:

While solar energy lags other renewables in the US, there is promise in new technologies. US sales of thermal collectors and of photovoltaics are steadily going up!

Large scale solar - Thermal Collectors: There have been no applications for large solar power plants approved in California for 18 years (there are currently 10 operating plants in the state). There is no one agency that oversees this approval process, and that is part of the complicated problem with getting an application approved (see Little Energy Behind State Solar Plant Efforts), economics is another.

In 2002, California adopted a program to encourage renewable energy with the goal that 20% of the portfolios of investor-owned utilities be renewable by 2010. A recent audit said only about 11% of electricity generated in California comes from renewable sources, with less than 1% from solar. Solar is currently the most expensive to build.

Small scale solar - Photovoltaics: Most photovoltaic cells are made from crystalline silicon, but the technology for thin-film is starting to catch up. Couple this with the increased cost of silicon and thin-films could be the future of solar energy. Thin film is cheaper to produce, more durable and less unsightly than bulky solar panels.

The exciting part of thin film is it can serve as facades for skyscrapers and house roofs, where they turn sunshine into energy (see New Approach May Power Future of Solar). The EIA reports thin-film shipments are catching crystalline silicone (see graph below).

However, for now, in terms of the percentage of power produced from captured sunlight, thin film modules average around 6%. That is less than half the 15% of traditional crystalline silicon cells.

Currently, thin film is 7% of the world's solar cell power, but industry analysts predict it can reach 30% by 2010!

(classic Bacsik)

CLIMATE: EPA chief says no to California on tougher emissions rules!

On December 19, 2007 EPA administrator, Stephen Johnson, denied California a waiver from the Clean Air Act (CAA) that would have allowed the state (and others that wanted to follow) to enact stricter tailpipe emission standards than the federal government. In December, President Bush signed the Energy Independence and Security Act which mandated higher fuel efficiency standards for the first time in three decades.

The EPA denied the waiver based on these new federal standards, thereby saying that California has no 'compelling and extraordinary' needs above that of the rest of the country. California and 15 other states will sue the federal government to overturn the waiver denial. The EPA has granted over 50 CAA waivers in three decades.

EPA staff filed an endangerment finding at the White House today stating that greenhouse gases pose a threat to the nation's welfare. EPA staff concluded that the effects of climate change could hit California particularly hard, including by harming coastal communities and wildlife, increasing ozone levels, contributing to more wildfires, and reducing water supplies.

Approval of the finding by the White House would clear the way for states to enact their own stricter laws; but 16 states are suing to override, and a bill to override will be introduced in Congress.

Administrator Johnson made his ruling despite this finding by his staff. He testified today in front of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committees, chaired by Senator Boxer, that his decision was not politically influenced.

(classic Bacsik)

Company to Install Onboard Oil Refining Technology in Vehicles

Casella Waste Systems, Inc. to Equip 800 Vehicles With On-Board Oil Refining System in Aim to Reduce Company's Oil Consumption and Maintenance Costs
Casella Waste Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CWST), a regional solid waste, recycling, and resource management services company, today announced that it is planning to install an on-board oil refining technology on over 800 of its vehicles that is expected to significantly extend the interval between oil changes and filter replacements. The Company estimates the move will reduce its usage of oil lubricants by 28% per year, and is part of the company's efforts to reduce its overall environmental impact.

"Every day, we are obligated to look at every aspect of the way we operate our business to find ways to more efficiently use and sustain our resources," John W. Casella, chairman and chief executive officer of Casella Waste Systems, said. "Simple as it may seem, reducing or eliminating the need for frequent oil changes in our fleet plays an important role in reducing our environmental impact as well as our use of and dependence on refined petroleum products. Beyond even those benefits, we're pleased that it also allows us to realize an economic savings in reduced oil and maintenance costs."

Click here to read the full article on Waste Management Journal.

RECYCLING: Plastic bags - Blowin' in the Wind, part 2

The LA County Board of Supervisors caved in to pressure from the California Grocer's Assn. and voted against banning plastic bags from county retail stores; instead they took the easy way out and voted for a voluntary effort by retailers to urge shoppers to reuse shopping bags.

Last year after the City of San Francisco instituted a ban, the LA supervisors commissioned a study that lasted nine months. The study's authors proposed the strongest measure: outright ban, but the supervisors opted for the weakest of the five alternatives. LA County uses 6 billion bags/year.

However, Whole Foods will institute a company-wide, 270 store ban on plastic bags before Earth Day 2008 (April 22). Whole Foods distributes 150 million plastic bags/year currently. They are the first US grocery chain to institute a ban. There are 26 Southern Cal and 24 Northern Cal Whole Foods markets.

(classic Bacsik)

CLIMATE: Kyoto Protocol Milestone

In a January 5, 2008 post we discussed the most recent step in the United Nation's Conference of the Parties (COP) on climate change in Bali (COP13) and the incremental progress that was made toward replacing the Kyoto Protocol (COP3). (read about an interesting ending to the Bali conference!). The UN's goal is to have stringent emissions reduction targets in place by 2012.

In the interim, the 100 millionth certified emission reduction (CER) credit under the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) has been issued, marking an important environmental, development, and carbon market milestone on the road to a low-carbon future. The Kyoto Protocol began on February 16, 2005 (The US has never ratified the Protocol).

"The CDM has been up and running just two years, but in that short time it has shown its ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and stimulate green investment in developing countries," said Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the United Nations.

There are currently more than 860 registered CDM projects in 49 developing countries, and about another 2000 projects in the project registration pipeline. The CDM is expected to generate more than 2.6 billion CERs by the time the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol ends in 2012, each equivalent to one tonne of carbon dioxide.

(classic Bacsik)

Scenario Planning Needed Now

I don't know if it is just me...but things on the National Economy seems to be getting a little scary. Pierre Wack, the father of Scenario Planning, once described Scenario Planning is a discipline for rediscovering the original entrepreneurial power of creative foresight in contexts of accelerated change,greater complexity, and genuine uncertainty.



It appears to me that some scenario thinking and strategic conversations are needed now in Washington DC and across our country. I am tired of being told every day on CNN, Fox, or MSNBC that recession in the United States is coming any hour . We will see how New York opens on Tuesday and if it has any effect on the panic selling of Asian Stocks.



All I know is that the Holiday Spirit is over, and we need to keep our eye on the" real green" or no Super Bowl for any of us. Your thoughts are appreciated.



Budman

Cities of the Future- Saudi Arabia: Turning the Kingdom into a Major Industrial Power by 2020

Saudi Arabia's rapid population growth and high oil prices have forced the country to invest in new industrial centers that will provide jobs for millions of its citizens. "The project is Saudi Arabia’s boldest bet yet that this oil-rich kingdom can transform itself into an industrial powerhouse. The plan is part of a $500 billion investment program to build new cities, create millions of jobs and diversify the economy away from petroleum exports over the next two decades."

The plan to build 6 new cities is being championed by King Abdullah. The cities will focus on four main sectors: petrochemicals, aluminum, steel and fertilizers. " According to SABB, these cities together will have four times the geographical area of Hong Kong, three times the population of Dubai, and an economic output equal to Singapore’s. Other plans include building four refineries, two petrochemical plants and a modern graduate-level university with an endowment of $10 billion. "

Such rapid growth has also had negative impacts on the country including: "inflation has been rampant in the last year; food prices and rents have risen sharply. Traffic jams in Riyadh and other Saudi cities have become a constant affliction, while real estate values have soared and the construction sector is strained by a lack of workers. "

Click here to read the full NY Times article 'The Construction Site Called Saudi Arabia' .

Posted by Liz

ENERGY: Coal for electricity: important and dirty

Coal is used to generate more than 50% of our electricity needs in the US and President Bush made coal the centerpiece of his plan for meeting future energy needs. The US has over 200 years of reserves. But in the increased threat of regulation, the lack of adequate transportation from source to customers, and increased worldwide demand have made the future of coal-fired plants in their current incarnation less certain in recent years.

These three factors (regulation, transportation, and demand) have led companies to cancel over 50 new US coal-fired plants in 2007 because: 1) regulations for increased use of renewable energy by utilities and for carbon emissions limits will almost surely be enacted in Washington in the next few years; 2) our transportation infrastructure requires considerable upgrade to economically deliver coal to market; and 3) increased coal consumption by countries like India and China has caused world prices to rise which increases the cost of coal-fired plants (the coal production and consumption graph is courtesy of the BP statistical review of world energy 2007).

US electricity costs are rising and will continue to do so in this environment.

Based on the assumption that carbon emissions control legislation will be passed in the next few years, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) estimates coal power costs will pass nuclear and natural gas by 2030. The most likely legislation will require plants to collect and sequester CO2, and we will discuss more about this technology soon.

The EPRI uses a bathtub analogy for our energy policy discussion: the carbon dioxide faucet (emissions) has to be slowed enough to allow the drain (renewable energies brought online) to keep the tub from overflowing (climate change). The coal industry will have plenty to say about that whether they're selling here in the US or across the developing world.

More renwable energy news soon.


(classic Bacsik)

At Some Superfund Sites, Toxic Legacies Linger

Like many Superfund sites in New Jersey and elsewhere in the New York City area, it has an intriguing history that is hard to trace — mobsters reportedly owned one business here before abandoning it abruptly years ago. In 1981 a brush fire exposed 70 drums containing silver cyanide and other chemicals.

To read the full NY Times article "At Some Superfund Sites, Toxic Legacies Linger" click here.

"Green-thinking" is Permeating our Environmental Engineering Work World, this Note May Give you an Idea for Home...Store and Use your Rainwater

The Los Angeles Times just reported (1/17/08) on how savvy designers are helping homeowners collect and reuse storm water rather than seeing it all wash away. The article provides some ideas, plans, links and case studies from homeowners who make good use of rainwater. Most of the systems divert roof run off, via gutters to a cistern. The general rule to determine cistern size is that 1 inch of rainfall landing on a 1000 sq. ft. roof yields about 600 gallons of water. Click here to read the full article.

A report published by TreePeople on how to use rainwater as a resource can be downloaded from www.treepeople.org.

EPA's Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP)

The U.S. EPA's Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) is a voluntary assistance and partnership program that promotes the use of landfill gas as a renewable, green energy source.

Landfill gas is the natural by-product of the decomposition of solid waste in landfills and is comprised primarily of carbon dioxide and methane. By preventing emissions of methane (a powerful greenhouse gas) through the development of landfill gas energy projects, LMOP helps businesses, states, energy providers, and communities protect the environment and build a sustainable future.
Click here to view the LMOP website.

Living the Green Life

In Hollywood, it's suddenly hip to be eco-friendly, but Emmy-nominated actor Ed Begley Jr. has been a devoted environmentalist since the 1970s.

A vegetarian whose weekly trash accumulation is so little it can fit into the glove compartment of his electric car, Begley is currently starring with his wife, Rachelle, in HGTV's reality show Living with Ed. The half-hour program offers a glimpse into Begley's solar-powered home complete with a fence made from recycled milk jugs and an electricity-generating exercise bike. We caught up with the activist to talk about his green leanings.

Click here for the full article on Propeller.com.

Chevron's 'Will You Join Us' E-Cards

CVX's invitation to join in on the discussion to find newer and cleaner ways to power the world. Please view WillYouJoinUs.com for more information...interesting conservation and energy ecards. Check them out.

RECYCLING: Cellphones, Part 2

We previously discussed the need to include old cellphones in the ever increasing volume of recycled or reused e-waste, and how EPA is helping to create awareness. But what happens to these old cellphones once we hand them over to someone else?

The demand for cellphones has created a worldwide funnel where some cellphones and their parts re-surface in several forms before their final death.

Recycling: Within the e-waste stream there is a kind of reverse colonial economic system - a Belgian company, Umicore, 'mines' the recycled material from the e-waste and sells it to a Chinese electronics manufacturer that then sends his products back to western markets. Each cellphone contains about one dollar's worth of precious metals, mostly gold, and up to 99% of each cellphone is salvageable.

Based on mining industry and USGS data, the nonprofit organization, Earthworks, estimates that mining the gold for the circuit board of one cellphone generates 220 pounds of waste!!

Reuse: The Michigan company, ReCellular, sells millions of phones per year to 400 refurbishers in 40 different countries. Because the cost of a new cellphone is often prohibitive, the market in many Asian and African countries for refurbished cellphones is very large and growing.

Recycling and Reuse: The Colorado company, Collective Good, will take cellphones in any state of disrepair, and they will pay you for you working cellphone. The company donates a portion of their resale and scrap value monies to up to 500 causes.

Disposal: In a recent study (authored by a UCI professor), 34 recent model cellphones were put through an EPA test that simulates conditions in a landfill and they all leached lead a rate 17 times higher than EPA's hazardous threshold. It is estimated that only one percent of cellphones worldwide reach the recycling/reuse funnel.

Therefore, while we can't be sure where our recycleables end up, we can ensure that they pass from our hands to an organization that has a record of recycling and/or reuse. The worldwide funnel of e-waste ensures that the materials have many lives before their ultimate landfill death.
(classic Bacsik)

Jack Davis 11yrs old gets food to homeless

Sometimes courage comes in small packages,Jack Davis,11 yrs old from Miami Shores has come up with an idea of crime against wasted food. Jack visited with the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association to see why restaurants had problems donating food to the homeless. It was a liability issue, Jack contacted Senator Nan Rich who presented a bill to the Florida Legislature,to give restaurants and hotels protection when donating food. If you want to read more about this remarkable story go to http://www.miamiherald.com/ the article was written on Jan. 9th.

Budman

It's a Bumpy Ride on the Hydrogen Highway

Hydrogen is touted as one of the transportation fuels of the future. However, the plan of zero emissions hydrogen powered vehicles traveling our highways, where they can be refueled as conveniently as today's automobiles remains an elusive dream.

As the Los Angeles Times reports (click here to read the full article), "California's struggles underline the chicken-and-egg problem of hydrogen technology, which has been touted as a zero-emissions alternative to traditional engines. Which comes first: the cars or the pumps? Like gasoline, hydrogen has to be administered through fueling stations. But with no hydrogen-powered vehicles publicly available, except as use as test cars or city buses, there is little demand for the volatile gas; that lack of demand is in turn a disincentive to create hydrogen stations."

The article explains that California has a goal of 100 stations by 2010, but with the recent closure of 3 stations, the station count stands at 22.

Project Navigator, Ltd. has long been enthused, from a purely environmental consulting and engineering services sector perspective, of the goal to create hydrogen fueling stations (see our services at http://www.h2-environmental.com/).

But in the last few years we have become more cautious, now believing that the investment in gasoline hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles is more prudent.

Tell us what you think.

RECYCLING: Containing the ubiquitous plastic bag.

Paper or plastic? If you're a shopper, you've heard this question a million times and you've already made up your mind about your feelings on the subject. Well, like smoking in bars and restaurants, plastic bags may not be as ubiquitous in a few years. Many federal and local governments are banning or imposing levies on plastic bags.

Australia is considering a levy on each bag used with the ultimate goal of a total ban on the distribution of plastic bags at retail stores (see Plastic bags join endangered list). China, which uses as many bags in 48 hours as Australia uses in a year, passed a law restricting production and distribution, and imposing a levy beginning on June 1, 2008.

Additionally, the City Council of New York voted 44-2 to require large retailers (stores over 5,000 sf and/or with at least 5 stores in the City) to provide prominently accessible recycling bins and to coordinate recycling arrangements independent of the City regardless of the store of origin of the bags. The mayor will sign the bill.


In addition to the waste stream, the energy consumed in the lifecycle of one plastic bag equals one teaspoonful of crude oil.

The United States uses 86 billion plastic bags per year.

China uses 3 billion bags per DAY or 37 million barrels of crude oil per year! In 48 hours, China uses the same amount that Australia uses in a year.

Bangladesh has banned the bags because they've clogged storm drains and caused flooding.

Other countries with bans and/or levies include: Taiwan, Russia, Uganda, Ireland, and South Africa.

IKEA USA has been charging for each plastic bag since March 2007 and has reduced the price of cloth bags.

(classic Bacsik)

RECYCLING: Proper Disposal of Old Cellphones

We all know that collection of e-waste is a growing industry and a necessary industry, and that industry needs to include the proper disposal of old cellphones. The EPA estimates that 150 million cellphones are taken out of service each year (and that number will grow because young people trade up more frequently than most adults and because more families have individual cellphones in lieu of land lines). “There are significant environmental and energy benefits to getting these phones back into the product stream,” the director of the EPA's office of solid waste, Matt Hale, said.

The $175,000 campaign — “Recycle Your Cellphone. It’s an Easy Call” — will rely heavily on public service announcements, particularly in lifestyle and technology magazines read by the 18- to 34-year-olds. “Our key role is to get the message out, that recycling cellphones is easy and convenient,” said Mr. Hale, who estimates that 20 percent of unwanted cellphones are recycled or reused each year. Eleven companies — AT&T, Best Buy, LG Electronics, Motorola, Nokia, Office Depot, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Sprint, Staples and T-Mobile — are partners in the campaign. Each has promised to collect phones and hold recycling events. The Sprint Buyback Program lets customers swap old phones for a credit of up to $50 on their bills.

Spread the word that cellphone recycling is easy and necessary.

(classic Bacsik)

Are we being Green-washed?

With the recent influx of global warming articles and with the presidential race heating up, I wanted to understand all the talk about our carbon footprint and carbon offsetting. CarbonFund.org contents that we are all responsible for climate change and all responsible for the solution. The non-profit organization offers advice on how to reduce current carbon emissions and also how to offset that which you can't reduce.

Lately this idea of carbon offsetting is gaining in popularity. The David Suzuki Foundation defines carbon offsetting as “an emission reduction credit from another organization’s project that results in less carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere than would otherwise occur.” Such offsets could be planting trees or using solar or wind power…although this purchase can quickly become complicated. People need to understand what we are purchasing exactly since although some of these offsets sound positive, they may not result in a net-benefit for the environment. To allow buyers to evaluate if specific criteria have been met, the Gold Standard has been developed to screen various vendors and see if they are legitimate.

A critical factor in carbon offsetting is ‘Additionality’ or Beyond-Business-as-Usual, which is a term used by Kyoto’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to describe the fact that certain reduction projects would not have occurred if it had not been for the concern of climate change. This is a thriving business and like anything else (sigh) this is a potential for deception as some of these companies’ claims are not substantiated.

As the NY Times posted “Consumers seem to be confronted with green-sounding offers at every turn. Volkswagen told buyers last year that it would offset their first year of driving by planting in what it called the VW Forest in the lower Mississippi alluvial valley (the price starts at $18).

Dell lets visitors to its site fill their shopping carts with carbon offsets for their printers, computer monitors and even for themselves (the last at a cost of $99 a year).

Continental Airlines lets travelers track the carbon impact of their itineraries.

General Electric and Bank of America will translate credit card rewards points into offsets.”

These credits are now around every corner. So, before purchasing, take a moment to research the vendor and see where your money is actually going. In the coming months this issue will face increased scrutiny and hopefully this will weed out those that are in this to turn green into gold.

For additional information on purchasing carbon assets, please consider the following resources and websites:

- Clean Air Cool Planet: Consumer’s Guide to Carbon Offsets for Carbon Neutrality
- David Suzuki Foundation
- The Gold Standard Organization
- World Wildlife Fund: Gold Standard Q&A
- More information on ‘Additionality’

Posted by Liz

'Green' Coffins?

Part of the latest environmental trend is natural or 'green' burials. This requires "no formaldehyde embalming, no cement vaults, no chemical lawn treatments and no laminated caskets." Advocates of the process say that the natural burials have less of an impact on the earth compared to regular coffins and cremation with its use of fossil fuels...

Companies like The Natural Burial Company sell eco-coffins including some made out of recycled newspapers. It will be interesting to see if this is another fleeting trend or if it's a genuine innovation..

Click here to read the full article on CNN.com

Posted by Liz

RECYCLING: The perils of being thirsty!

All of my childhood I was told to get a summertime drink of water from the outside hose. I still do it while working outside (once you get past the first 30 seconds of scalding hot water and the awful taste, it's okay), and I still use the tap inside. This mentality along with my understanding of the terrible waste stream associated with plastic bottles has jaded me against bottled water. This New York Times article, The (Possible) Perils of Being Thirsty while Being Green, suggests there's a danger to your health as a reason to avoid bottled water - especially if you think you're going to be 'green' by washing and reusing the bottles. (This is precisely what I do when I cave in and buy a bottle of water!)

From the Times article, "the trouble with reusing those plastic bottles is that each time they are washed and refilled they become a little more scratched and crinkly, which can lead them to degrade. That can cause a trace metal called antimony to leach out", said Frederick S. vom Saal, a professor of biology at the University of Missouri who has studied plastics for years. “We have to assume that along with that metal, others are almost certainly leaching out as well, but we don’t know what they are and we don’t know what to look for because manufacturers won’t tell us what else is in the bottles,” Professor vom Saal said.

Most plastic bottles are stamped with a recycling code, No. 1 to No. 7. “If I was to use plastic, I would stay with No. 2 and No. 5,” Professor vom Saal said. "No. 2 is high-density polyethylene; No. 5 is polypropylene. Both are used in margarine tubs and yogurt containers for example". But, he warned, do not heat anything in any type of plastic in the microwave. If you do use these hard No. 7 plastic bottles, the Green Guide, published by the National Geographic Society, advises you to avoid washing them in a dishwasher or with harsh detergent to limit wear and tear.

Plastic containers are easily recycled and since very few among us can avoid using them, the least we can do is ensure they get recycled. Perhaps that type of re-use is also avoiding some health risks associated with washing and re-using them ourselves?!

(There is a lot of good information about plastic bottles at the Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers webpage.)

(classic Bacsik)

The Debate on Energy and Climate Continues

So we had a debate night this past Saturday with all of the potential presidential candidates discussing their energy and climate policies. Interestingly enough, Clinton went after Obama for voting on the 2005 energy bill:

“You know, the energy bill that passed in 2005 was larded with all kinds of special interest breaks, giveaways to the oil companies. Senator Obama voted for it. I did not because I knew that it was going to be an absolute nightmare. Now we’re all out on the campaign trail talking about taking the tax subsidies away from the oil companies, some of which were in that 2005 energy bill.”

Click here for the full transcript in the New York Times.

Posted by Liz

CLIMATE: Environmentally and economically sustainable future?

While the consumption rate of at least 1 billion of us (industrialized world) is 32, the rate for the rest of the world is quite low. Per Jared Diamond's article on consumption rates, assuming that our rate remains the same and the rest of the developing world reaches our rate by mid-century, consumption rates would be equivalent to a total population of 72 million people!! Crazy you say? Well, China and India are the largest of these developing countries and their consumption rates are still 11 times lower than ours, and if they both catch up to us the world's consumption rate 'triples'!

Consumption and pollution are inextricably linked, and the US is the largest contributer. To help mitigate our environmental damage, 190 countries met at the United Nations conference on climate change and global warming in Bali last month (the conference was the first international effort to replace the Kyoto Protocols that expire in 2012. Talks will continue until a followup conference scheduled for 2009).

The resulting, Bali Action Plan, contains no binding commitments but states that “deep cuts in global emissions will be required” and provides a timetable for two years of talks. Paula Dobriansky, the head of the American delegation in Bali, said that she was committed to obtaining an “environmentally effective and economically sustainable” agreement by 2009.

The United States cannot dictate behavior to the rest of the world, but we can lead by example.

Thinking about and reducing consumption everyday is a great first step.

(classic Bacsik)

Consumption….All Roads Lead Back to Kyoto

Before yesterday morning the number 32 didn’t have a lot of meaning. According to economists, the number 32 is significant in a number of ways:

“To mathematicians, 32 is an interesting number: it’s 2 raised to the fifth power, 2 times 2 times 2 times 2 times 2. To economists, 32 is even more special, because it measures the difference in lifestyles between the first world and the developing world. The average rates at which people consume resources like oil and metals, and produce wastes like plastics and greenhouse gases, are about 32 times higher in North America, Western Europe, Japan and Australia than they are in the developing world. That factor of 32 has big consequences.”

- Click here to read the full article by Jared Diamond at the New York Times.

The population is rapidly increasing, this is something that we are all aware of. Diamond has us examine the issue of consumption. The Kenyans are more then 30 million people, but their consumption is so low that it hardly affects the world. Other developing countries have a much more high-consumption lifestyle (i.e. China and India)…which is even scarier if they reach American consumption rates.

Posted by Liz

It's time to face the reality of global warming

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has issued various reports and predictions on climate effects for 2100. One prediction was that “the global temperature could rise by between 1.1 and 6.4 degrees Celsius, compared to the 1990 level, saying such an impact could be abrupt or irreversible.”

Recently, a Nature Geoscience study, issued a report that warned of "High rates of sea-level rise during the last interglacial period," and found that sea levels may rise twice what the IPCC had projected.

Just to put this in perspective, a one-meter rise in sea levels would submerge a third of Bangladesh….(not to mention the effects for the Floridians).

Posted by Liz