Monday, September 30, 2013

As Planet Warms, US Watersheds Go Thirsty | Common Dreams

As Planet Warms, US Watersheds Go Thirsty | Common Dreams
"A shocking one in ten U.S. watersheds is in a state of "stress" as the nation-wide demand for water outstrips nature's ability to provide, with this trend expected to worsen as the climate continues to warm, an alarming new study from the University of Colorado at Boulder finds."

Dr. Helen Caldicott Talks Bluntly About Fukushima

Dr. Helen Caldicott Talks Bluntly About Fukushima
"Nicole Sandler interviewed Dr. Helen Caldicott this morning about what's going on at Fukushima. She tells Sandler Units 1, 2 and 3 have indeed melted down, possibly through the steel core and into the earth, and that reactor No. 4 is "on a knife edge." She says the nuclear power industry is reluctant to help because they don't want people to know just how bad it is.
We don't have a transcript, but it's well worth a listen."

Saturday, September 28, 2013

First Cargo Ship To Use The Northwest Passage

First Cargo Ship To Use The Northwest Passage
"How very ironic. Due to global warming, enough of the Arctic ice has melted that cargo ships can navigate the fabled Northwest Passage -- and the first vessel is carrying coal"

Friday, September 27, 2013

World’s Top Climate Scientists Give Us Hope for a Better Future If We Act Now | Common Dreams

World’s Top Climate Scientists Give Us Hope for a Better Future If We Act Now | Common Dreams
"We must embrace and accelerate the clean energy transition that is already underway. Renewable energy is currently the fastest growing power source. Globally, renewable generation is estimated to rise to 25% of gross power generation in 2018. But the biggest barrier to even greater expansion is uncertainty around renewable energy policies. This is an area where governments could create strong signals to investors about the future."

15 Things You Should Know About The New IPCC Report On Climate Science

15 Things You Should Know About The New IPCC Report On Climate Science: Scientists have a 95-100 percent certainty that the planet is warming, and humans are the main cause.

Global Warming: Why is IPCC Report So Certain About the Influence of Humans? | Common Dreams

Global Warming: Why is IPCC Report So Certain About the Influence of Humans? | Common Dreams
"This is why there's a 97 percent consensus amongst climate experts and in the climate science literature that humans are causing global warming. The scientific evidence on this question is overwhelming."

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Anti-GMO Campaigners Claim Victory as 'Monsanto Protection Act' Stripped From Senate Bill | Common Dreams

Anti-GMO Campaigners Claim Victory as 'Monsanto Protection Act' Stripped From Senate Bill | Common Dreams
"An amendment dubbed the "Monsanto Protection Act," which currently allows large agriculture and biotech corporations to ignore court orders involving the safety of genetically modified seeds, has been stripped from Senate's spending bill that could be voted on as early as Wednesday afternoon."

A Slow-Motion Disaster: One Community’s Fight To Save Itself From Climate Change

A Slow-Motion Disaster: One Community’s Fight To Save Itself From Climate Change: As sea level rise puts many coastal communities at risk, a new video from the Center for American Progress shows the impact that climate change is having on the city of Norfolk, Virginia.

Friday, September 20, 2013

Russia Attacks Greenpeace Activists In Arctic

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Republicans Block Science Laureate Vote Over Fear of Climate Stance | Alternet

Republicans Block Science Laureate Vote Over Fear of Climate Stance | Alternet
"It seemed entirely harmless: the creation of an honorary and unpaid position of science laureate of the  United States to travel around the country and inspire children to be future scientists.
But Republicans in Congress last week quashed the initiative, which had gained rare bipartisan support, on the grounds that a science laureate might support action on  climate change."

In The Midst Of The Budget Battle, Congress Is Handing Out Favors To The Mining Industry

In The Midst Of The Budget Battle, Congress Is Handing Out Favors To The Mining Industry: With one week to go until a potential government shutdown, the House of Representatives moves to help mining companies bypass environmental rules.

Surprise! The Federal Government Just Did Something That Will Actually Address Climate Change

Surprise! The Federal Government Just Did Something That Will Actually Address Climate Change: The Obama administration isn't blinking as it moves to rein in the carbon pollution that causes climate change, all thanks to your friendly neighborhood Clean Air Act.

The Crisis at Fukushima's Unit 4 Demands a Global Take-Over | Common Dreams

The Crisis at Fukushima's Unit 4 Demands a Global Take-Over | Common Dreams
"We are now within two months of what may be humankind’s most dangerous moment since the Cuban Missile Crisis."

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Halliburton Pleads Guilty to Destroying Evidence in Gulf Disaster | Common Dreams

Halliburton Pleads Guilty to Destroying Evidence in Gulf Disaster | Common Dreams
"Halliburton pleaded guilty in a Louisiana district court on Thursday to charges of intentionally destroying evidence of its role in the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history—the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico."

What Oil Companies Can Learn From The Response To A Massive Molasses Spill In Hawaii

What Oil Companies Can Learn From The Response To A Massive Molasses Spill In Hawaii: The environmental disaster is one of the worst in Hawaii's history.

Japanese PM Tries to Put Lid on Nuclear Meltdown's Bad PR | Common Dreams

Japanese PM Tries to Put Lid on Nuclear Meltdown's Bad PR | Common Dreams
"Efforts come amid new revelations of that government and TEPCO ignored warnings to protect bottom-line."

Australia's New Conservative Government Axes Climate Watchdog | Common Dreams

Australia's New Conservative Government Axes Climate Watchdog | Common Dreams
"The conservative government of Australia's new Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who notablysaid, "the climate change argument is absolute crap," announced on Thursday it abolished the national climate watchdog."

Flood-Damaged Oil Tank Spills Gallons Of Oil Into South Platte River

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Top Climate Scientist: Today’s Leaders Will ‘Determine the Fate of Humanity’ | Common Dreams

Top Climate Scientist: Today’s Leaders Will ‘Determine the Fate of Humanity’ | Common Dreams
"New research co-authored by leading U.S. climate scientist James Hansen, a longtime employee of NASA who recently resigned to engage in climate activism, paints a grim picture of a future Earth left virtually uninhabitable by current warming trends. The paper, published Monday, concludes that energy-related decisions being made by today’s government leaders will ultimately “determine the fate of humanity"."

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Climate Hawks Vs. Climate Deniers: ‘Denial Is Not Just A River In Egypt’

Climate Hawks Vs. Climate Deniers: ‘Denial Is Not Just A River In Egypt’: Today those impacted by climate change had a chance to speak on Capital Hill while the Heartland Institute ramped up its climate denial ahead of the IPCC's fifth assessment report, which will be released this month.

Antibiotic-Resistant 'Superbugs' Pose Urgent Threat to Public Health: CDC | Common Dreams

Antibiotic-Resistant 'Superbugs' Pose Urgent Threat to Public Health: CDC | Common Dreams
"Drug-resistant "superbugs" have become an urgent public health concern, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned on Monday, echoing years of research by groups such has Food & Water Watch who warn that the overuse of antibiotics on industrial farms leads to drug-resistant infections.
According to the new CDC report, at least two million Americans now fall ill from antibiotic-resistant bacteria every year and at least 23,000 subsequently die."

Study finds increased cancer risk in Gulf spill cleanup crews

Study finds increased cancer risk in Gulf spill cleanup crews
"The workers called upon to clean up BP’s mess in the wake of the 2010 Gulf spill are at an increased risk for blood-related disorders, including cancer, a study found."

Just how extreme was Colorado’s record-setting rainfall?

Just how extreme was Colorado’s record-setting rainfall?
"Yesterday, meteorologist Robert Henson told Climate Central, the city of Boulder officially set the record for its rainiest year in recorded history. Five days in the past week set individual rainfall records, while the 9.08 inches that fell on Sept. 12 shattered the previous single-day record, set in 1919, of 4.08 inches."

Colorado Floodwaters Cover Fracking And Oil Projects: ‘We Have No Idea What Those Wells Are Leaking’

Colorado Floodwaters Cover Fracking And Oil Projects: ‘We Have No Idea What Those Wells Are Leaking’: Colorado flooding has not only overwhelmed roads and homes, but also the oil and gas infrastructure stationed in one of the most densely drilled areas in the U.S.

Thousands of Canadian Scientists Protest 'Death of Science-Based Policy' | Common Dreams

Thousands of Canadian Scientists Protest 'Death of Science-Based Policy' | Common Dreams
"Thousands of scientists gathered in cities across Canada on Monday to protest the ongoing "muzzling" of the scientific community by the conservative-led government along with drastic cuts to research funding."

Colarado's Oil and Gas Infrastructure Drowning in Climate-Driven Floodwaters | Common Dreams

Colarado's Oil and Gas Infrastructure Drowning in Climate-Driven Floodwaters | Common Dreams
"According to reports, massive flooding across Colorado over the last week is wreaking havoc with the state's oil and gas infrastructure as cresting rivers and heavy rainfall submerged drilling and storage facilities, allowing the release of fuel and toxic chemicals."

Our Cheap Snack Food Habits Are Killing the Orangutangs -- Time to Stop | Alternet

Our Cheap Snack Food Habits Are Killing the Orangutangs -- Time to Stop | Alternet
"If you buy packaged snack foods, chances are you’re doing your part to destroy rainforests half a world away and contributing to the death of orangutans."

Monday, September 16, 2013

Monsanto Spends Millions to Defeat Washington GMO Labeling Initiative

Monsanto Spends Millions to Defeat Washington GMO Labeling Initiative
"With the help of a $4.6 million check from the biotech giant Monsanto and millions more from other out-of-state corporate interests, the campaign to defeat a Washington state ballot initiative in November to label groceries that contain genetically engineered ingredients has outraised the initiative's supporters by nearly three times, according to campaign data released last week."

U.S. Solar Installations Just Had Their Second-Best Quarter Ever

U.S. Solar Installations Just Had Their Second-Best Quarter Ever: Despite ups and downs in both the market and government policy, solar installations are on a steady upward clip.

'Thousand-Year Flood' in Colorado Has Climate Change Written All Over It | Common Dreams

'Thousand-Year Flood' in Colorado Has Climate Change Written All Over It | Common Dreams
"The number of people missing or "unaccounted for" amid what experts are calling a thousand-year flood event in Colorado, is now more than 1200, according to state newspapers and officials."

Friday, September 13, 2013

California Lawmakers Render Fracking Regulations 'Unrecognizable' | Common Dreams

California Lawmakers Render Fracking Regulations 'Unrecognizable' | Common Dreams
"A bill heading to California Governor Jerry Brown's desk for approval, originally slated to impose regulations on the hydraulic fracturing industry, has been so watered down with amendments it is "no longer recognizable," an L.A. Times editorial said on Thursday, echoing the sentiment of several environmental groups that have withdrawn their support."

Trees Are Speeding Up Their Life Cycles To Try To Keep Up With Climate Change

Trees Are Speeding Up Their Life Cycles To Try To Keep Up With Climate Change: A new study has found trees aren't shifting northward as quickly as expected, which could mean trouble for some species.

TEPCO Official: Fukushima is Out of Control | Common Dreams

TEPCO Official: Fukushima is Out of Control | Common Dreams
"Yet, all evidence suggests that the disaster is far beyond the current abilities of the Japanese government and operator TEPCO to contain it.
Each day brings new disasters, with fresh reports on Friday that steam is billowing from a reactor. Radiation levels at the plant were found to be 18 times higher than TEPCO previously claimed, climbing to a high of 1800 millisieverts per hour—enough to kill a person in just four hours."

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

WI Senate Fast-Tracks Bill To Close Forest to Benefit Out-of-State Mining Firm

WI Senate Fast-Tracks Bill To Close Forest to Benefit Out-of-State Mining Firm
"A controversial out-of-state mining company is closer to gaining control over a 3,600-acre swath of publicly available forest near where it is planning a massive open-pit iron ore mine in Northern Wisconsin. The Florida firm, Gogebic Taconite, has begun test drilling in the area and has already stirred controversy by hiring out-of-state armed security with automatic assault weapons to guard their activities."

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

The world’s largest (and nerdiest) solar-powered boat just crossed the Atlantic

The world’s largest (and nerdiest) solar-powered boat just crossed the Atlantic
"The 102-foot-long, $20 million Turanor PlanetSolar, the world’s largest solar-powered boat, glided into Paris today. Its trip, which began in Miami in June, was entirely fueled by its 800-plus solar panels."

Australia's New PM on Mission to 'Axe' Global Warming Protections | Common Dreams

Australia's New PM on Mission to 'Axe' Global Warming Protections | Common Dreams
"Newly elected prime minister Tony Abbott, who has called the climate change argument "absolute crap" and campaigned on the promise to 'axe' global warming protections, isalready taking steps to completely throw out a carbon tax, introduced in the latest term of the Labor government and initially set to expand by the year 2015."

No Keystone? No Problem: TransCanada Pushing Another Major Tar Sands Pipeline

No Keystone? No Problem: TransCanada Pushing Another Major Tar Sands Pipeline: The massive Energy East pipeline will traverse Canada and transport almost as much tar sands crude as Keystone XL.

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Pacific Island Nations Tell The World ‘Climate Change Has Arrived’

Pacific Island Nations Tell The World ‘Climate Change Has Arrived’: The Majuro Declaration was signed by 15 Pacific Island nations yesterday, outlining the threat climate change poses to their homes and livelihoods.

No Slowdown in Global Warming

US Farmers Continue David Vs. Goliath Battle Against Monsanto | Common Dreams

US Farmers Continue David Vs. Goliath Battle Against Monsanto | Common Dreams
"A group of U.S. farmers is not giving up its fight against biotech giant Monsanto"

Holy Cow: Former Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Says Every Single Reactor in the U.S. Should Be Shut Down | Alternet

Holy Cow: Former Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Says Every Single Reactor in the U.S. Should Be Shut Down | Alternet
"The first thing to remember about nuclear power is that it’s not safe. Just ask Japan.
The second thing to remember is that nuclear power isn’t cheap. Connecticut draws half its juice from nuclear reactors and has the  second-highest rates in the country, after Hawaii. The third thing to know is that everybody lies about it. The power plant designers lie, the builders lie, the utility companies lie, the regulators lie, and the politicians lie."

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Fossil Fuel-Backed Group Is Behind The Latest Climate Change Denier Campaign

Fossil Fuel-Backed Group Is Behind The Latest Climate Change Denier Campaign: Ahead of a major climate change report due to be released at the end of September, a prominent climate change denier organization has launched a misinformation campaign to muddle the findings of scientific experts.

Study proves that politics and math are incompatible

Study proves that politics and math are incompatible
"It’s hard to look at climate change deniers as being anything other than willfully ignorant. The numbers are right there: As surely as greenhouse gas emissions are rising, so are global temperatures. To discount all that is to choose to be stupid."

'No Good Options' At Japan's Damaged Nuclear Plant

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Surprising Reason Antibiotic-Laced Meat Could Be Making Us Fat and Sick | Alternet

Surprising Reason Antibiotic-Laced Meat Could Be Making Us Fat and Sick | Alternet
"New research identifies a correlation between diversity of gut microflora and obesity, heart disease and cancer."

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

What’s Motivating Sport Fishermen To Become Climate Advocates?

What’s Motivating Sport Fishermen To Become Climate Advocates?: A new report from the National Wildlife Federation puts a magnifying glass on fresh water, climate change, and the most well-known denizens of lakes and waterways - fish.

Radiation at Fukushima Soars to Highest Level Yet | Common Dreams

Radiation at Fukushima Soars to Highest Level Yet | Common Dreams
"Record high radiation levels were detected at the disaster-stricken Fukushima nuclear plant, Japan's nuclear regulator and plant operator TEPCO said on Wednesday, raising more concerns that the spiraling catastrophe has no end in sight."

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Japan Promises Action at Fukushima as 300 Tons of Contaminated Water Seep into the Pacific Ocean Daily | Alternet

Japan Promises Action at Fukushima as 300 Tons of Contaminated Water Seep into the Pacific Ocean Daily | Alternet
"Prime minister Shinzo Abe made a pledge amid growing concern at the scale and complexity of operation."

Think Again: The Mainstream Media and the Slowly Boiling Frog

www.americanprogress.org/issues/media/news/2013/08/29/73195/the-mainstream-media-and-the-slowly-boiling-frog/
"The threat that humanity faces as a result of these developments is unprecedented in human history. Gillis notes that it will likely endanger “many of the world’s great cities—among them New York; London; Shanghai; Venice; Sydney, Australia; Miami; and New Orleans.” In Florida alone, more than 2.4 million people live less than four feet above the high-tide line. And you can bet that no matter what you read in the mainstream media, the insurance industry is paying attention to what scientists have to say."

Another Climate Change Headache For Farmers: Tropical Crop Pests Move North As Weather Warms Up

Another Climate Change Headache For Farmers: Tropical Crop Pests Move North As Weather Warms Up: New pests are already wreaking havoc on American farmland.

Wind power makes fuel for German gas grid

Wind power makes fuel for German gas grid
"Germany experiments with using hydrogen produced wind power on an industrial scale to displace fossil fuels"

Monday, September 2, 2013