Candidates on Environmental Issues

The National Wildlife Federation gave each candidate the opportunity to answer questions regarding their commitment to confronting global warming, reconnecting our children with the natural world and protecting wildlife habitat for future generations. You can view the questions and answers on the National Wildlife Federations website by following this link:

http://www.nwf.org/nationalwildlife/article.cfm?issueID=124&articleID=1650

Bangladesh Seeks Climate Change Aid

I believe the United States should have favored the Kyoto Protocol and got on board. But its not too late- Hopefully at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen next year we can get behind new agreements and do our part- I think it is important for the richer nations to help those that are less fortunate, fight this battle. Looks like Britain is doing its part
From the AFP....


At-risk Bangladesh seeks climate change aid at London conference
by: Guy Jackson
LONDON (AFP) - Britain pledged 75 million pounds Wednesday to help Bangladesh fight the effects of climate change, as the flood- and cyclone-ravaged South Asian nation made a plea for billions of dollars in aid.
Joining forces at a conference in London, Bangladesh and Britain called on nations to thrash out a new global warming agreement in Copenhagen next year to try to slow the devastating effects of climate change.
Britain's International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander warned that time is running out for millions of people in impoverished Bangladesh unless urgent action is taken to cut harmful emissions.
"Climate change is today's crisis, not tomorrow's risk, and is already affecting millions of people in Bangladesh," Alexander said, while praising the country's "innovative approach" to adapting to the changing climate.
"But adaptation on the ground is not enough. We believe more must be done at a global level," he said.
"This is why today the UK and Bangladesh are announcing a new partnership calling for a comprehensive deal in Copenhagen, leading to the stabilisation of greenhouse gases at a level that avoids dangerous climate change -- and benefits some of the world's poorest people."
Flooding is an increasing problem for Bangladesh, which is located on a delta -- as the conference took place, at least 600,000 people have been stranded by flooding in the world's seventh most populous country.
Experts say Bangladesh is experiencing more rainfall, flooding, droughts and cyclones as a result of global warming.
A. B. Mirza Azizul Islam, honorary finance advisor of the Bangladesh government, told the conference: "The incidence of floods and cyclones has increased perceptibly as a result of climate change. Serious floods are now visiting us frequently."
He said the human cost was on a massive scale.
"Climate change in Bangladesh is tens of thousands of people uprooted from their homes, it's innumerable children prevented from going to school and hundreds of thousands of tonnes of foodstuffs lost."
Last year widespread flooding and a devastating cyclone caused crop and infrastructure damage worth 2.8 billion dollars, or around four percent of Bangladesh's gross domestic product, according to a World Bank study.
Mirza told journalists that six billion dollars was needed over the next 15 years to build dams, cyclone shelters, plant trees in coastal areas and develop infrastructure to defend people against natural disasters.
Alexander said the new 75 million pound (93 million euro, 130 million dollar) aid pledge would help Bangladesh protect houses and schools against flooding, and introduce new crop strains.
The Nobel Prize-winning United Nations Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts rising sea levels will devour 17 percent of Bangladesh's total land mass by 2050, leaving at least 20 million people homeless.
Bangladesh says rich nations must pay the billions of dollars it says it needs to help fight the effects of climate change because they are the biggest polluters.
Danish development minister Ulla Toernaes said her country had a huge responsibility when it hosts the Copenhagen meeting next year, aimed at agreeing a new global pact on cutting emissions to succeed the Kyoto Protocol.
"Developed countries have an obligation to take action," she said.
She called on the United States, which did not sign up to Kyoto, to join a new global agreement, saying "developing countries pay the price if the major emitters do not change course".

Bloomberg Wants To Tap Wind for Power

Interesting article from the Associated Press I thought I would share.....

NEW YORK (AP) -- New York's Mayor Michael Bloomberg has proposed putting windmills on city bridges and rooftops as part of an ambitious push for renewable energy.
Bloomberg outlined his plan Tuesday night at a Las Vegas conference on alternative energy.

"In New York, we don't think of alternative power as something that we just import from other parts of the nation," he said.
The mayor says he will approach private companies and investors to study how turbines can be built throughout the city. On Tuesday, the city also issued a formal request to companies around the country for ways to build wind, solar and waterbased energy sources in the city.
"We want their best ideas for creating both small- and large-scale projects serving New Yorkers," Bloomberg said.
It would take years to turn New York City into a major source of wind power. But Bloomberg, who has 18 months left in office, says he is committed to getting the discussion going with the aim of reducing the city's dependence on a power grid that caused several large blackouts in the past decade.
Major obstacles to the technology include neighborhood opposition to the windmills; the high cost of building and running them; and a host of permits that would be needed from state and federal agencies.
But the mayor said offshore turbines could be placed "as much as 15, 20, 25 miles offshore, where it's virtually invisible to land."
Smaller eggbeater-like models could be used on rooftops. "You can make them so small that people think they are part of the design," Rohit Aggarwala, director of the city's Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability, told The New York Times.
Aides to the mayor said Bloomberg has met with oil investor T. Boone Pickens to discuss how wind power could be used in New York City. Pickens has proposed building the world's largest wind farm in Texas.

Bahar Shahpar

I stumbled across this amazing designer the other day. I love her clothes. The dresses are adorable!! I love everything on her website and I love her philosophy- which i have cut and pasted below. Please check out this talented designers page: http://www.baharshahpar.com/

"Sustainability is the cornerstone of our manufacturing philosophy. It has become increasingly clear that we can no longer ignore the impact of industry on our health, habitats, and resources, both present and future — it seems only logical to adopt more sustainable practices.
Producing locally here in New York, Bahar Shahpar designs using only ecologically sound materials, minimizing waste and overall energy consumption in every instance possible. Fibers are evaluated according to the methods used for their cultivation, processing, and finishing, and vintage trims, natural buttons, and unbleached organic cotton linings are incorporated into most pieces.
Combining turn-of-the-century femininity with a sharp playful edge, the line balances style with substance, honoring artisanship while maintaining a commitment to social and environmental responsibility. It is clothing for a cultivated consumer. "

Heart vs. Brain: To Drill or Not to Drill and T. Boone Pickens

For the few people that read this blog- my apologies. I have been MIA for way too long. Part of the reason is that I have been on vacation for a while. The other reason is I have been at a loss as to what I can write. This last month, I have been struggling with my beliefs pertaining to off-shore drilling. I promised that I wouldn’t bring politics into this blog but on this issue I feel like I need to bc it can help you understand where I am coming from. So here is where I stand- I am a liberal when it comes to social issues. That’s my heart. But my Brain, well it's a bit different. It's conservative. SO my heart is a liberal and my brain is a conservative. My heart tells me- no drilling - what if there is an oil spill- think of all the animals that could be affected etc... think of all the toxic chemicals that are released during drilling- which some experts have said can remain in the environment long after the drilling is complete.
Oh, But my head says...are you crazy, look at the price of gas. Look how dependent we are on foreign oil. We need to explore our own resources- Our economy needs a break- Will drilling bring relief- yes it will. But the question is for how long? And I think the answer is: not long enough.
So, do I think we should drill? Yes, I think I do. And I am slightly embarrassed because this is an environmental blog, but I hope I will be forgiven. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be looking for other options. If you haven’t been living under a rock in the last months then no doubt you have heard of T. Boone Pickens. I like what Mr. Pickens has to say. Yes, there are some flaws with his plan but I think its def something that our government should look into. If you haven’t checked out his "plan" yet- please do so at http://www.pickensplan.com/theplan/

Conflicted

Conflicted

Sorry, i have been MIA for a week or so.
So, i really like John McCain ( not saying im voting for him- i promise i am going to keep my political opinions out of this) and i think he has always tried to be a friend of the environment in his own way. Of course he could do more but so could we all. Right?
Well, yesterday he proposed to lift a 27-year federal moratorium on new oil and gas drilling along the nation's coastline. But he did say he was still opposed to drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge, which makes me a little at ease.
So here is the conflict this struggling environmentalist has- GAS is so expensive and I want the US to be able to explore other options.
In the meantime here is what our presidential candidates have to say on the issue.

John McCain
I believe it is time for federal government to lift these restrictions and put our own reserves to use," .
"Off-shore drilling", McCain said is "safe enough these days that not even hurricanes Katrina and Rita could cause significant spillage from the battered rigs off the coasts of New Orleans and Houston,"

Barack Obama
He called McCain's proposal a "short-term political posturing from Washington, not the long-term leadership we need to solve our dependence on oil." Obama called for imposing a windfall- profits tax on oil companies and urged investing "in the affordable renewable sources of energy that Sen. McCain has opposed in the past."

Weather extremes consistent with global warming

This is a very interesting article on Global Warming and the recent floods in the midwest. I dont understand how our government officials can continue to ignore this climate crisis we are in. In one of the debates this fall or maybe it was after one- i remember John McCain (im conflicted about him right now, btw- about to post why) saying something like so what if we find out 50 years from now that there was nothing we could do prevent global warming- then what's the worse we have done- made our air cleaner? Now how is that so bad?
Makes sense to me- how about you?
My heart and prayers go out to all those in the flooded areas. Hang in there!

Here's the link to the article
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/climate/globalwarming/2008-06-19-global-warming-impacts-north-america_N.htm?csp=34