I know lame duck Presidents like to sweep dirty things under the rug when they think no one is looking, but by allowing coal mining companies to dump debris into rivers and valleys, Bush has reached a new filthy low. While I’m not entirely surprised Bush and his team would continue to protect their industry friends at the expense of environmental degradation and human health, but I’m dumbfounded once again that the Environmental Protection Agency scurries behind them.  The New York Times reports:

The Environmental Protection Agency is trying to finish work on a rule that would make it easier for utilities to put coal-fired generating stations near national parks. It is working on another rule that would allow utility companies to modify coal-fired power plants and increase their emissions without installing new pollution-control equipment.

As if there aren’t enough messes for President-Elect Obama to clean up when he steps into office, Bush (despite claiming otherwise) wants to make sure that the air, water and sky are blackened thoroughly so no one will see him run for the hills.  Unfortunately for him, those hills will be leveled for coal mining.  Oy.
takepart by telling your representative to not to reverse protections against dirty coal tricks.

Related: Inconvenient Truth of the Day

This thanksgiving let’s take time remember the good news in the efforts to combat climate change.  Here are my top 5, add yours in the comments:

1.  Al Gore:  Where would we be with out this guy and his film?  Let’s be honest, the Inconvenient Truth of the Day wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for him.  And never has a PowerPoint presentation served as such a catalyst for change.

2.  Green Collar Economy by Van Jones:  Creating a cleaner future depends upon burgeoning green industries that create jobs, strengthen the economy, and protect the environment.  Jones’ book illustrates how businesses can go green, while still going for the green.

3.  Treehugger:  Your go to guide for all things green (right after you’ve stopped by Takepart, of course).

4.  Seventh Generation:  When you’re cleaning up after this year’s Thanksgiving festivities, you can rest easy that Seventh Generation will keep both your family and the environment safe.

5.  Wall-E: I just saw Wall-E again last night and was reminded what a great introduction to environmentalism the film is for kids and adults alike.

This Thanksgiving, takepart by joining We Can Solve It to help combat climate change.

Photo: riptheskull’s Flickr Photostream (creative commons)

An Episcopal seminary in Chelsea is struggling to cut through bureaucratic red tape in order to continue drilling tiny geothermal wells, which would heat and cool the building without fossil fuels.  The eco-smart plan would produce clean energy and reduce the seminary’s annual carbon dioxide emissions by 1,400 tons, but has been entangled by conflicting schedules and objectives of various governmental departments.  While the various agencies surely have valid reasons and concerns, someone should implement a streamlined process to facilitate a smoother transition to green energy.  If every organization that wants to reduce their carbon footprint faces similar costly, and time-consuming bureaucratic hurdles, many will no doubt shy away from making these important green improvements.

takepart by learning more about geothermal possibilities and encourage your elected officials to make a smooth transition to clean energy.

Related:  Inconvenient Truth of the Day

Google Investing in Geothermal

Oregon Tech Going 100% Geothermal

Photo: fdecomite’s Creative Commons Flickr Photostream

Concerned over possible job losses amidst a flailing global economy, German conservatives want to lower the countries commitments to the European Union’s emmision reduction goals. Sounds to me like a lousy excuse to maintain the status quo and keep their pockets lined by dirty energy companies.  Reducing greenhouse gas emmisions does not have to come at the cost of job losses if policies are implemented wisely.  In fact, as we’ve talked about here and here, investing in clean energy can be excellent for the economy and increase job numbers.  Let’s hope German Chancellor Angela Merkel doesn’t bow to the pressure of these conservative luddites.
takepart by learning how solving the climate crisis can lead us into a healthier and more stable future.

Related: Inconvenient Truth of the Day

Photo: Carl Bertelsmann’s Flickr Photostream

California’s Governor Schwarzenegger has gone commando in leading the fight against climate change on a global level by signing an international pact to cut greenhouse emmisions.  Hopefully he won’t be the last hero to take action against climate change, and that other states, provinces and countries will join the growing group.  Refusing to be a barbarian when it comes to pollution, Schwarzenegger intends to lay down the law by developing strategies to target high polluting industries.

The Los Angeles Times recalls:

“California is a little spot on the globe, but the influence we have on the rest of the world is enormous,” Schwarzenegger told the conference, touting the “green jobs” that the state would produce from solar and other clean-technology energy.

California has already taken the lead in the U.S. by developing higher renewable energy standards, efficiency incentives and stricter car emission controls.  Now the state has the opportunity show the attendees of next month’s climate talks in Poland, that our country is ready to assume a leadership position on climate change, which the outgoing administration avoided with dire costs.

takepart by putting some more muscle behind California’s efforts to combat climate change.

Related: Inconvenient Truth of the Day

Millions of acres of pine forest from British Columbia down to New Mexico have been decimated by the tiny bark beetle, in what is considered the largest insect infestation in North American history.  And the devastating losses show no sign of slowing down, as the dying trees severely disrupt forest ecosystems, and increase risks of fires and mudslides.  Some argue that new construction in certain areas have contributed to the spread while foresters explained to the New York Times that:

Because fires have been suppressed for so long, all forests are roughly the same age, and the trees are big enough to be susceptible to beetles. A decade of drought has weakened the trees. And hard winters have softened, which allows the beetles to flourish and expand their range.

While some organizations are finding clever ways to utilize the fallen trees, the catastrophic losses are too overwhelming to balance out.  It’s frightening to consider what other destructive insects could join the ranks of the Bark Beetle, if conditions associated with climate change continue unabated.

takepart by learning how we address the problems of climate change and hopefully discourage the spread of invaders like the Bark Beetle.

Related: Inconvenient Truth of the Day

Photo: Anne Sherwood for The New York Times

Seeking to find long-term solutions to the global climate crisis, The Financial Times has launched the Climate Change Challenge.  The contest, co-sponsored by Hewlett Packard and Forum for the Future, offers a $75,000 prize to the most innovative business idea that will help reduce carbon emissions and offer sustainable strategies for the future.  I’ve always believed that financial incentive will be the true motivator for industries to improve their ecological impact, and projects like these will help spur businesses into action.  Industry leaders need to step up to the plate and reduce their carbon-footprint drastically, because it will require large-scale priority shifts to improve our climate outlook.  While individual efforts to combat climate change are important, there are only so many compact-fluorescent bulbs I can install.

Got a bright idea for the Climate Change Challenge? takepart by entering the contest or learn more about what you can do to help solve the climate crisis.

Flipside Vision, an environmentally conscious British publisher, has released it’s Calendar of Climate Change for 2009 to inspire green choices in the year to come.  Obviously the calenders are printed on recycled paper and printed with vegetable dyes, and maintain the companies philosophy of Eco-Propaganda:

The organised dissemination of information to assist the cause of the planet and its future viability for all species.

While it’s unfortunate that an entire calendar can be devoted to the effects of climate change, hopefully the images and stories will serve as a reminder to stay vigilante about the problems we face.
takepart by ordering your copy of the Calendar of Climate Change and learn more from the Stop Climate Change Chaos Coalition.

Related: Inconvenient Truth of the Day

Oceana reported today that increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which are absorbed by the oceans could lead to an accelerated deterioration of coral reefs.  Heightened levels of CO2 raise acidity levels in the ocean, creating an unhealthy environment for coral life, and threatens to create a domino effect on the fragile oceanic ecosystem that relies on it. Oceana explains:

The process, which is known as ocean acidification, reduces the ability of marine animals such as corals, crabs, lobsters, clams and oysters to create calcium carbonate skeletons and shells, which will likely reduce their survival rates, and their ability to mature and reproduce.

Acidification deteriorates the shells and skeletons of marine animals, and if the levels continue to rise could corrode them completely.  If this were to happen on a widespread scale, we could lose the important barrier that coral provides our shores as well as the larger marine life we depend upon for food.

The only way to decrease ocean acidification is to reduce the carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases we release into the air.
takepart by helping Oceana reduce our carbon emissions.

Related: Inconvenient Truth of the Day

While President-Elect Barack Obama certainly has a lot on his plate, hopefully, once in office, he can solve multiple problems in one bite with Al Gore’s proposal to move to 100% clean energy.  Just as President John F. Kennedy propelled us to the moon with a 10 year ultimatum, Gore insists that a complete transition to zero-carbon electricity with the same timeline is the only way to ween us from climate changing fossil fuels, and create a prosperous green economy.  In the latest issue of Mother Jones he explains:

We should speed up this transition by insisting that the price of carbon-based energy include the costs of the environmental damage it causes. I have long supported a sharp reduction in payroll taxes with the difference made up in CO₂ taxes. We should tax what we burn, not what we earn.

It’s going to take some radical thought

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