A Green Evolution

Rant on Gov't trust issues...

2010-04-19T08:06:00.000-07:00

In response to said article below
See:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100419/ap_on_go_ot/us_government_distrust
Wow...this is supposed to be a democracy. A democracy only works if people stand up and let their voices be heard. Unfortunately, people think that less government is the answer which makes me laugh and cry at the same time because it's an ignorant statement. It's not the AMOUNT of government ...our government has grown just like our population. It's the quality of government and whether or not it represents us. In this case people are mad because of the economy. We want jobs. We want security and our slice of the pie. As Americans we have been perhaps THE most privileged country in the world. Blessed with abundant natural resources due to the fact that this land was 'unspoilt.' An Earth respecting local native population now mostly marginalized, demoralized and destroyed and living in squalid territories allowed the new immigrated populations from Europe to use what they saw fit. Later, as the U.S grew it's demand of resources grew too. At some point it was claimed that the U.S used somewhere along the line of 3/4 of the worlds energy and resources As of now, the U.S uses roughly 25% of the worlds energy yet we make up 5% of the worlds population. China is the fastest growing energy users at this point which should be no surprise since they are going through a rough industrial revolution. Unfortunately, the world has FINITE resources and as countries use more up...like damming the Amazon, overfishing, depleted soils, contaminating fresh drinking water...the competition for resources can lead to war and as in this case political discontent. In other words, Americans are being forced to 'size' down some and it irritates us!

"Why can't we have MORE?"

We STILL make more money then most of the worlds population! The IRONY of this? It's always the poor and the middle class that gets hit by economic downturns. Yes the rich lose too but if you made 100 million and lost even 90 million ..well you'd still have a million which is a hell of a lot more then most of us including me. There are a lot of reasons for our economy being screwed.

I believe the Military Industrial Complex to be cause. To put it plain and simple we've spent a LOT of money on bases, war and weapons to further our political and economic agenda. Russia's collapse is a lesson to be learned from. We didn't really defeat Russia they overspent on the military and collapsed from it. Now we're in danger of the same thing. We KEPT spending like there was still a cold war. The Empire days are over. Everyone is tied to each other economically. For example: We owe China billions of dollars. If the Chinese called in that debt we'd be DONE but they would sink too since they are tied to us. Right now we are really should be paying attention to corporations. Why? Well for one we've given them WAY too much power. They now can contribute unlimited amounts to campaign contributions! And since the early 1900's have been considered 'persons' with the same rights as you or I. What does that mean to you? Well for one there's no national allegiance. Huge transnational corporations move factories to where ever it suits them..like ...China or Taiwan.. which means less jobs for you and I. If your mad at the government now then wait till Exxon or Dow elects their own proxy 'Senator' Of course it's already been that way for some time now but you've seen nothing yet.

Democrats and Republicans and our Gov't reflect our inability to educate ourselves and take part in politics. We get what we deserve. In the end we have to decide what kind of services we deserve and want from gov't. Roads, schools, health care, National Parks and public lands, etc... Actually, many areas of gov't have downsized significantly over the years. Since Bush was in office for example the Forest Service's in the field staff has shrunk a lot. If you get lost in the National Forest now..don't expect a ranger nearby because more then likely he's been laid off. The increase in spending went largely to the military. Peace!destroyed and living in squalid territories allowed the new immigrated populations from Europe to ususes somewhere along the line of 3/4 of the worlds energy and resources As of now the U.S uses roughly 25% of the worlds energy. We make up 5% of the worlds population. China is the fastest ir voices be heard. Unfortunately, people think that less government is the answer which makes me laugh and cry at the same time because it's an ignorant statement. It's not the AMOUNT of government ...our government has grown just like our population. It's the quality of government and whether or not it represents us. In this case people are mad because of the economy. We want jobs. We want security and our slice of the pie. As Americans we have been perhaps THE most privileged country in the world. Blessed with abundant natural resources due to the fact that this land was 'unspoilt.' An Earth respecting local native population now mostly marginalized, demoralized and destroyed and living in squalid territories allowed the new immigrated populations from Europe to use what they saw fit. Later, as the U.S grew it's demand of resources grew too. Eventually, the U.S now uses somewhere along the line of 3/4 of the worlds energy and resources As of now the U.S uses roughly 25% of the worlds energy. We make up 5% of the worlds population. China is the fastest growing energy users at this point which should be no surprise since they going through a rough industrial revolution. Unfortunately, the world has FINITE resources and as countries use more up...like damming the Amazon, overfishing, depleted soils, contaminating fresh drinking water...the competition for resources can lead to war and as in this case political discontent. In other words, Americans are being forced to 'size' down some and it irritates us! Why can't we have MORE? We STILL make more then most of the worlds population! The IRONY of this? It's always the poor and the middle class that gets hit by economic downturns. Yes the rich lose too but if you made 100 million and lost even 90 million ..well you'd still have a million which is a hell of a lot more then most of us including me. There are a lot of reasons for our economy being screwed. I believe the Military Industrial Complex to be cause. To put it plain and simple we've spent a LOT of money spent on bases, war and weapons to further our political and economic agenda. Russia's collapse is a lesson to be learned from. We didn't really defeat Russia they overspent on the military and collapsed from it. Now we're in danger of the same thing. We KEPT spending like there was still a cold war. The Empire days are over. Everyone is tied to each other economically. For example: We owe China billions of dollars. If the Chinese called in that debt we'd be DONE but they would sink too since they are tied to us. Right now we are really should be paying attention to corporations. Why? Well for one we've given them WAY too much power. They now can contribute unlimited amounts to campaign contributions! And since the early 1900's have been considered 'persons' with the same rights as you or I. What does that mean to you? Well for one thing there's no allegiance to any country in particular hence the term transnational corporation which has supplanted multi-national corporation. Huge transnational corporations move factories to where ever it suits them..like ...China or Taiwan.. which means less jobs for you and I. If your mad at the government now then wait till Exxon or Dow elects their own proxy 'Senator' Of course it's already been that way for some time now but you've seen nothing yet.

Democrats and Republicans and our Gov't reflect our inability to educate ourselves and take part in politics. We get what we deserve. In the end we have to decide what kind of services we deserve and want from gov't. Roads, schools, health care, National Parks and public lands, etc... Actually, many areas of gov't have downsized significantly over the years. Since Bush was in office for example the Forest Service's in the field staff has shrunk a lot. If you get lost in the National Forest now..don't expect a ranger nearby because more then likely he's been laid off. The increase in spending went largely to the military and our network of worldwide bases.

In the end we distrust our government because we should but complaining about it and electing another group of neocon conservatives or 'tea partiers' will NOT solve it and if anything will make it much worse. The best thing to do now. Remove the electoral party and get rid of corporate person-hood!

Why nuclear energy is a mistake..

2010-04-19T00:27:00.000-07:00

It seems that President Obama is supporting nuclear power as a partial solution to our use of gas. Nuclear power is a mistake for a number of reasons I will list.

Waste
There is current no real long term waste storage solution. Even the Yucca Mountain site is deemed unsuitable for long term storage. Nuclear waste can stay radioactive for many thousands of years contaminating anything around it and until that single issue is dealt with we put all life at risk.

Safety
Risk of contamination from accidents involving transport of fissionable materials. Anytime radioactive materials are moved they become a target for possible terrorism.
Risk of contamination from truck accidents. I once was passed by a trucker carrying high level radioactive waste at ninety miles an hour in Tennessee!
The plants themselves are at risk from natural disasters, terrorists, and breakdowns. Many of us still recall Three Mile Island and Chernobyl.

Workers at risk from radiation and contamination from the workplace.

Health
Radioactive contamination can be lethal to all most living beings. You get it and it gets you if not soon then later.

Why work with something we know is inherently dangerous when we DO have many other options? Simple-the nuclear industry has spent billions on the technology and like the biotech industry uses lies and deceitful manipulation to convince the public of the safety of it's product. We've been lucky so far but why push our luck? I used to live by a now defunct nuclear power plant that sits on a major fault. The Humboldt Bay power plant is still supposedly storing waste there because there is nowhere else for it to go..

As taken from San Diego Coast Keepers

2010-03-03T10:39:00.000-08:00

Did You Know?

Fifty percent or more of marine litter is, in some form of plastic, whether it is bottles, food wrappers, plastic bags, or plastic pellets. Plastics are highly toxic to the marine environment, as well as the physical health of humans.
The biggest problem with plastics is that they DO NOT biodegrade. Plastic break down in a process called photodegrading, which means they simply break apart into ever smaller pieces, eventually forming “plastic dust.” As plastics go through this process they release toxins which have many harmful effects to the ocean and the wildlife and people that depend on it.
No matter how large or small they are, plastic bits are not digestible by any creature on land, in the air, or under the sea. We are literally suffocating the planet with these plastic products, which can never re-enter the life cycle. Plastics that are in the ocean today will, in some way, stay there forever. After decades of floating about plastics break down into smaller particles, gets absorbed into the food chain or eventually sink and become part of the ocean bottom sediment.
There are two common ways plastics end up in the ocean. Pre-production plastic pellets, used to create nearly all commercially consumed plastic products, are often carelessly handled in places where they are produced and transported. Approximately twenty percent of the plastic in our ocean comes from these pellets being blown into our oceans from waterfront industrial plants and cargo ships
The other eighty percent of plastic litter finds its way into the storm drain system and into the marine environment through urban runoff. Even plastic that gets “thrown away” does not always make it to the landfill, but rather gets diverted by wind or improper handling. The plastics that do make it are crowding landfills because of the long time it takes for them to break down. An estimated 63 pounds of plastics for each American enters landfills each year.
At present, plastics in the ocean outweigh natural zooplankton by a 6:1 ratio! What does this mean for marine animals? It means that they are consuming way more plastic than zooplankton. Fish and other sea animals mistake plastics for food because plankton and plastic, when broken down or in pellet form, have very similar appearances. These plastics eventually find their way up the food chain into the foods that we consume.

The Dirty Facts about Plastic

Estimates run as high as one million pieces of plastic per square kilometer floating in specific areas of the Pacific Ocean.
In the Pacific Ocean there is a patch of plastics know as the “Eastern Garbage Patch” the size of Texas! This patch is a huge feeding ground for many marine animals.
Shoppers worldwide are using 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags per year. This translates to about a million bags every minute across the globe. Plastic bags take 20 to 1000 years to break down, are made from petroleum, a nonrenewable resource, and they are very harmful to marine animals that ingest them.
A one liter bottle can break down into enough fragments to place a single fragment on each mile of beach in the entire world.
More than 1 million birds, more than 100,000 whales, seals and turtles, and countless fish worldwide are killed by plastic debris each year. These deaths occur through entanglement, suffocation, and starvation by ingestion.
90% of Laysan Albatross chick carcasses and regurgitated stomach contents contain plastics.
Fishing line and nets, six-pack rings, rope and other rubbish can wrap around fins, flippers and limbs of other animals, causing drowning or amputation. Some debris can kill for decades — trapped animals often attract predators, which then become entangled too.
Plastic’s primary toxic contents are phthalates and Bisphenol which have been found in every part of a person’s body unnaturally through blood, urine, and amniotic fluid. Bisphenol is used in plastic fabrications such as baby bottles, tin can linings, certain toys, and food storage containers.

How you can be part of the solution

Bring your own cloth or recycled grocery bags to the store.
Reduce, Reuse then Recycle! Buy in bulk. Re-use when possible. Reduce consumption by avoiding excessively packaged products.
Think twice about buying "disposable" products. (They really aren't disposable and are extravagant wastes of the world's resources.)
Avoid buying food or household products in plastic or Styrofoam containers. They can't be recycled, deplete the ozone layer, and are not biodegradable. While some alternatives promote themselves as eco-friendly, such as ‘bio-degradable Styrofoam’, even these products are not necessarily good for the ocean. Learn more at http://www.worldcentric.org/bio/index.htm.
Buy paper products instead of plastic if you must buy "disposables." They break down better in the environment and don't deplete the ozone layer as much.
Avoid buying bottled water. Invest in a filter system or go to your local grocery store and refill your water jugs.
Keep plastic debris and other contaminants (leaves, pet waste, toxins) out of street gutters and storm drains. This eventually ends up in the ocean.
Keep beaches clean. Plastics and other debris harm sea life and pollute the ocean. Clean up after yourself.
Get involved! Participate in beach cleanups if you live in a coastal area.
Educated yourself and think about where each product you buy will end up when you are finished with it!

Reducing Marine Debris in CA

Marine debris, such as plastics, cigarette butts and other trash, is a growing hazard to our ocean ecosystem that harms hundreds of wildlife species through ingestion, entrapment and entanglement. On February 8, the Ocean Protection Council adopted a resolution outlining steps to reduce and prevent marine debris. The resolution will make California the national leader on efforts to reduce waste and pollution and protect our coastal waters

For More Info:

Learn about the impact of plastics by watching this video
Directed by Benjamin Chen, Megan Peterson, Kelly Sayce and Rachael VanderWalde: MAS 2006-2007 Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Marine Debris Resolution

Plastic a blight upon the Earth

2010-02-09T20:20:00.000-08:00

By now many of you have heard of the Great Garbage Gyre(GGG) is a huge are of garbage twice the area of Texas floating in the Pacific. This floating garbage island is a eyesore and ecological catastrophe. Marine life is being negatively affected. The plastic as it breaks down to its' smallest molecule is still plastic meaning that it biologically incompatible with life on a positive level. There are arguments raging through the scientific community on how how the plastics molecule imitates reproductive hormones giving reason to believe that plastic could be responsible for the rapid rise in testicular and breast cancers. Plastic is also associated with sexual mutations in animals. It is well document that marine life are killed by various forms of garbage and plastic being one of the largest contributers. Remember the Nalgene water bottle scare? Heated water bottles made with rated 3 plastic released the toxic bdp a known carcinogen.

As taken from the Tree Hugger:

Many Nalgene water bottles and other hard plastic sport water bottles are made of polycarbonate (#7 on the bottom) , which may leach Bisphenol A, an estrogen-like chemical. Canada is considering a ban of products containing Bisphenol A (BPA) and a new American study links it to breast cancer and early puberty, and is particularly concerned about the effect on babies. Others have raised concerns about the effect of feminizing hormones on men, such as breast enlargement or dropping semen counts. At the same time, sport water bottles are ubiquitous and we don't want people going back to buying bottled water. What should you do? Time to nix the Nalgene? We looked at our past posts and the latest reports, and suggest the following.

We know that we to make change now! What can we do?

Please check out these Videos for more information!

Tea Party....

2010-02-08T18:45:00.000-08:00

The Tea Party: Feeding on peoples fears it's a another front for the sagging GOP. Using Sarah Palin as a keynote speaker? Hahahah! The idea that a smaller government and paying less taxes sounds great! Look behind the hocus pocus and see the reality. It's not about less taxes neccesarily but how taxes are raised and where they are used. Why is it that huge transnational corporations get to scoot virtually tax free on so many levels while you and me pay proportionally more? Why should so much of our money go to stupid projects..like biowarfare labs and overseas military bases in countries that don't want them?

Why is it that people fail to look back on history and see that international wars are almost solely based on resources and that the use of idealism is almost always a front to motivate the masses. Example: The war on terrorism: Oil extraction from middle east countries.

The Tea party is simply another way for the GOP to create a 'grassroots' movement that in the end will mean more poverty and more corporate hegemony. Downsizing the Government would be great but attacking the wrong programs like roads, schools, health care, the environment, and social programs while boosting defense budgets for 'security' and promoting greater states rights would make us a poorer country all around. Why do we need to kill others. To this day 911 is the fearsome catch phrase that is bandied around to create the hype needed to make people tow the line. Right now the propaganda machine to disprove the 911 'Truthers' as one program put it has still failed to quell critical questions such as why building seven collapsed in the evening and yet before and since no steel girder constructed buildings haved ever collapsed from fires.

I'm sure Facebook being what it is and how it is used will disapprove of this blog..

Lake Tahoe: Doomed?

2010-01-14T11:55:00.001-08:00

Lake Tahoe will be invaded! It's only a matter of time that Lake Tahoe will be invaded by the Zebra and Quagga Mussels. Both mussels have been moving west and have already contaminated a number of lakes and rivers in the U.S. Currently boats going into Lake Tahoe will be subjected to random inspections. Random inspections will not prevent mussel contamination. All it takes is one and that will be it. To understand how these mussels can impact Lake Tahoe read the excerpt taken from Wikepedia below. As taken from Wikepedia:

Quaggas are prodigious water filterers, removing substantial amounts of phytoplankton and suspended particulate from the water. By removing the phytoplankton, quaggas in turn decrease the food source for zooplankton, therefore altering the food web. Impacts associated with the filtration of water include increases in water transparency, decreases in mean chlorophyll concentrations, and accumulation of pseudofeces. Water clarity increases light penetration causing a proliferation of aquatic plants that can change species dominance and alter the entire ecosystems. The pseudofeces that is produced from filtering the water accumulates and impacts the environment. As the waste particles decompose, oxygen is used up, water acidity increases (decreased pH) and toxic byproducts are produced. In addition, quagga mussels accumulate organic pollutants within their tissues to levels more than 300,000 times greater than concentrations in the environment and these pollutants are found in their pseudofeces, which can be passed up the food chain, therefore increasing wildlife exposure to organic pollutants (Snyder et al., 1997). Another major threat involves the fouling of native freshwater mussels.

Map showing distribution of quagga mussels in the U.S.

Dreissena's ability to rapidly colonize hard surfaces causes serious economic problems. These major biofouling organisms can clog water intake structures, such as pipes and screens, therefore reducing pumping capabilities for power and water treatment plants, costing industries, companies, and communities. Recreation-based industries and activities have also been impacted; docks, breakwalls, buoys, boats, and beaches have all been heavily colonized. Many of the potential impacts of Dreissena are unclear due to the limited time scale of North American colonization. Nonetheless, it is clear that the genus Dreissena is highly polymorphic and has a high potential for rapid adaptation to extreme environmental conditions, possibly leading to significant long-term impacts on North American waters. Also, the colonization of deeper water by D. r. bugensis, exposes the quagga to a new range of environmental conditions and new habitats.

It causes many of the same problems (damaging boats, power plants, and harbors and destroying the native mussel population) as the equally invasive zebra mussel of Russia. It is also displacing native burrowing amphipod (Diporeia hoyi) from the deep waters of Lake Erie.

In January 2007, quagga mussels were discovered at a marina in the Nevada portion of Lake Mead, and two other lakes on the Colorado River, Lake Mohave and Lake Havasu.^[3]

In 2008 the threat of quagga mussels being introduced at Lake Casitas and Westlake Lake in California from recreational boating resulted in the lakes banning the use of outside boats.^[4] As of March 2008, other lakes such as Castaic and Lake Cachuma are considering similar bans. In June 2008, the mussels were confirmed in Lake Granby, Colorado. The larva form of quagga mussels were found in the water. ^[5]

After talking with a number of biologists and other experts the prognosis is bad. It is commonly felt that Lake Tahoe will be invaded sometime within the next five years! The easiest way to possibly prevent non-native mussel invasion would be to not allow boats to leave the lake and allow no new boats into the lake. Anything other then that would simply a stalling measure. Of course boat limitations would create a HUGE political backlash. People want to be able to move their boats around. Lake Tahoe is an incredible lake and is already suffering from having motor powered boats in it and from other issues like climate change. If we are to protect Lake Tahoe from invasive species we should be prepared to take drastic steps even if they are uncomfortable ones.

Garbage Island

2009-09-11T10:22:00.000-07:00

I keep hearing about Garbage Island and wondered more and more about it. About a month ago I finally saw some stirring pictures of this morass of plastic. It spans twice the area of Texas and is decompossing into a goo. Besides the obvious fact that garbage island is a ecological nightmare the clean-up of this mess will take a global effort. It needs to be addressed now. When plastics break down to their lowest form they play havok on reproductive systems. Plastics are cancerous. Our plastics industry is an affont to the health and harmony of this planet and we've been fooled into thinkink of plastic as a neccesary and benign product. It is everywhere and it really should be either eliminated or converted into plant based plastics.

Evolve or die !

2009-04-07T18:11:00.000-07:00

We live in a rapidly changing environment both socially and ecologically. Sometimes when I think of the human race I think of a virus. It's a viable analogy! Why? We are infecting the earth in much the same manner as the common cold or maybe the HIV virus. We breed exponentially and change the systems upon which we live off of. In some ways, global warming is akin to a person having a fever created by the infection of the virus. Mother Earth is infected and feverish from our invasion. Is it too much to imagine that like all good viral infections the end results can be either death for the host or a recovery and general immunity. Evolution suggests that a species either adapts from viral attacks or perishes. It's theorized that viruses can ultimately incorporate themselves into the hosts DNA and become part of the system. Our invasion of the Earth sounds fairly similar to a standard viral infection. In terms of geologic time we are a blip and a blip with an impact. Will we become extinct as we deplete our Earth's resources and stress it's ecological systems or will we learn to coexist on a new and powerful level that allows us to grow yet not at the expense of the the other amazing species that share this planet with us? Time will tell us the end. I would like to think that the Earth will abide regardless of what we do. Maybe twenty million years from now some creature will dig up remnants of us and wonder at who we were and what we did and how we became extinct or maybe we'll have destroyed the planet completely and we'll be left to a lonely grave until the sun turns red and goes nova or simply stops shining.

It's been awhile

2008-12-06T20:31:00.001-08:00

How about the current state of affairs? We're going to have a new president and things are changing as always. Yet things also remain the same or are getting worse right? Our oceans dying, the globe showing signs of strain. One of the things that really get me is the irony of some of the situations I've been encountering on the news. For example, the Chronicle features a story on the dying salmon runs and then on the next page there's an article on Bush's attempt to weaken the Endangered Species Act. Go figure. A combined effort of 20 years of Republican and anti-environmental efforts it's a wonder that we even have the ESA.

Recently, I've been studying gas mileage on current vehicles and I'm sad to say that cars have gotten worse gas mileage on average since the 80's and early 90's. For example the Honda CRV H got 50 mpg and my old 82' Jetta got close to 40 and we're supposed to jump for joy at a hybrid that gets 45mpg? I know some of this has to do with catalytic converters and other factors but I distinctly remember a Humboldt State University engineering professor completing an engine in his lab that got 100mpg! Where's the promist of the future amazing gas sipping cars? I'll tell you that it won't happen until it's convienent for the gas companies. It's up to you to push for something better. We have some serious options that people are promoting and I hope that they come out soon with something that people can handle!

Fact or Fiction..If it's fact we could be in for some great change.

2007-12-11T21:26:00.000-08:00

Perpetual Motion machine:

Do we have to wait until it's too late?

2007-12-11T19:29:00.000-08:00

This summers ice melt off in the Arctic reached record levels. NASA scientists are extremely worried. We keep hearing that the Arctic melt off is happening faster and faster. The most current estimate has been 2040 for the possible disappearance of polar icecaps. Now this: This week, after reviewing his own new data, NASA climate scientist Jay Zwally said: "At this rate, the Arctic Ocean could be nearly ice-free at the end of summer by 2012, much faster than previous predictions." Why should we care if there's no Ice caps? Well, the ice caps reflect radiant heat from the sun and the absence of them would mean even more accelerated temperature fluctuations and increases. As a people what do we do? This is a reminder that we live on ONE planet and it's our only home. At this point we need to come together as a human race and put aside all of our differences and make the change now! What change? A wholesale change in how re rely on our energy. Our governments have the power to make this happen. Our corporations have the power to make this happen. We as individuals have the power to make changes in our own lives and to influence the politicians to pass the laws. If we want to have any kind of future for our children and their children then we need to act now and not later. Now is the time for each individual to participate in calling for wholesale changes to our energy use. Drilling for more oil will not solve the problem. Fuel efficient cars will not solve the problem. A massive effort to fund solar and wind, electric cars, conservation, rapid transit, and every other means should be a National priority. The situation is starting to feel like a state of emergency. Do we wait ten years and then start pointing fingers? By then it might be too late and we'll just have pay the piper.

If we change now there will be big losers and big winners financially and the losers will put up a fight to keep change from happening. The losers: big oil companies and the plastics industry along with anything imperatively tied into oil. The winners: The Earth and everything that lives on it. All the money on Earth won't buy a high quality of life is there's not much left. Do you want to wait until Mother Earth steps up and starts really kicking some major butt? I have a feeling we really haven't seen anything yet. Let's not wait until it's too late.

reprint from green.yahoo.com

2007-11-28T11:00:00.000-08:00

GLOBAL WARMING MYTHS/FACTS

Myth: The science of global warming is too uncertain to act on.

Fact: There is no debate among scientists about the basic facts of global warming.

The most respected scientific bodies have stated unequivocally that global warming is occurring, and people are causing it by burning fossil fuels (like coal, oil and natural gas) and cutting down forests.

The U.S. National Academy of Sciences, which in 2005 the White House called "the gold standard of objective scientific assessment," issued a joint statement with 10 other National Academies of Science saying:

"the scientific understanding of climate change is now sufficiently clear to justify nations taking prompt action. It is vital that all nations identify cost-effective steps that they can take now, to contribute to substantial and long-term reduction in net global greenhouse gas emissions." (Joint Statement of Science Academies, 2005)

The only debate in the science community about global warming is about how much and how fast warming will continue as a result of heat-trapping emissions. Scientists have given a clear warning about global warming, and we have more than enough facts — about causes and fixes — to implement solutions right now.

Myth: Even if global warming is a problem, addressing it will hurt American industry and workers.

Fact: A well designed trading program will harness American ingenuity to decrease heat-trapping pollution cost-effectively, jumpstarting a new carbon economy.

Claims that fighting global warming will cripple the economy and cost hundreds of thousands of jobs are unfounded. In fact, companies that are already reducing their heat-trapping emissions have discovered that cutting pollution can save money.

The cost of a comprehensive national greenhouse gas reduction program will depend on the precise emissions targets, the timing for the reductions and the means of implementation. An independent MIT study found that a modest cap-and-trade system would cost less than $20 per household annually and have no negative impact on employment.

Experience has shown that properly designed emissions trading programs can reduce compliance costs significantly compared with other regulatory approaches. For example, the U.S. acid rain program reduced sulfur dioxide emissions by more than 30 percent from 1990 levels and cost industry a fraction of what the government originally estimated, according to EPA. Furthermore, a mandatory cap on emissions could spur technological innovation that could create jobs and wealth.

Letting global warming continue until we are forced to address it on an emergency basis could disrupt and severely damage our economy. It is far wiser and more cost-effective to act now.

Myth: Water vapor is the most important, abundant greenhouse gas. So if we’re going to control a greenhouse gas, why don’t we control it instead of carbon dioxide (CO₂)?

Fact: Although water vapor traps more heat than CO₂, because of the relationships among CO₂, water vapor and climate, to fight global warming nations must focus on controlling CO₂.

Atmospheric levels of CO₂ are determined by how much coal, natural gas and oil we burn and how many trees we cut down, as well as by natural processes like plant growth.

Atmospheric levels of water vapor, on the other hand, cannot be directly controlled by people; rather, they are determined by temperatures. The warmer the atmosphere, the more water vapor it can hold. As a result, water vapor is part of an amplifying effect.

Greenhouse gases like CO₂ warm the air, which in turn adds to the stock of water vapor, which in turn traps more heat and accelerates warming. Scientists know this because of satellite measurements documenting a rise in water vapor concentrations as the globe has warmed.

The best way to lower temperature and thus reduce water vapor levels is to reduce CO₂ emissions.

Myth: Global warming and extra CO₂ will actually be beneficial — they reduce cold-related deaths and stimulate crop growth.

Fact: Any beneficial effects will be far outweighed by damage and disruption.

Even a warming in just the middle range of scientific projections would have devastating impacts on many sectors of the economy. Rising seas would inundate coastal communities, contaminate water supplies with salt and increase the risk of flooding by storm surge, affecting tens of millions of people globally.

Moreover, extreme weather events, including heat waves, droughts and floods, are predicted to increase in frequency and intensity, causing loss of lives and property and throwing agriculture into turmoil.

Even though higher levels of CO₂ can act as a plant fertilizer under some conditions, scientists now think that the "CO₂ fertilization" effect on crops has been overstated; in natural ecosystems, the fertilization effect can diminish after a few years as plants acclimate. Furthermore, increased CO₂ may benefit undesirable, weedy species more than desirable species.

Higher levels of CO₂ have already caused ocean acidification, and scientists are warning of potentially devastating effects on marine life and fisheries. Moreover, higher levels of regional ozone (smog), a result of warmer temperatures, could worsen respiratory illnesses. Less developed countries and natural ecosystems may not have the capacity to adapt.

The notion that there will be regional “winners” and “losers” in global warming is based on a world-view from the 1950’s. We live in a global community. Never mind the moral implications — when an environmental catastrophe creates millions of refugees half-way around the world, Americans are affected.

Myth: Global warming is just part of a natural cycle. The Arctic has warmed up in the past.

Fact: The global warming we are experiencing is not natural. People are causing it.

People are causing global warming by burning fossil fuels (like oil, coal and natural gas) and cutting down forests. Scientists have shown that these activities are pumping far more CO₂ into the atmosphere than was ever released in hundreds of thousands of years. This buildup of CO₂ is the biggest cause of global warming.

Since 1895, scientists have known that CO₂ and other greenhouse gases trap heat and warm the earth. As the warming has intensified over the past three decades, scientific scrutiny has increased along with it. Scientists have considered and ruled out other, natural explanations such as sunlight, volcanic eruptions and cosmic rays. (IPCC 2001)

Though natural amounts of CO₂ have varied from 180 to 300 parts per million (ppm), today's CO₂ levels are around 380 ppm. That's 25% more than the highest natural levels over the past 650,000 years. Increased CO₂ levels have contributed to periods of higher average temperatures throughout that long record. (Boden, Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center)

As for previous Arctic warming, it is true that there were stretches of warm periods over the Arctic earlier in the 20th century. The limited records available for that time period indicate that the warmth did not affect as many areas or persist from year to year as much as the current warmth. But that episode, however warm it was, is not relevant to the issue at hand. Why? For one, a brief regional trend does not discount a longer global phenomenon.

We know that the planet has been warming over the past several decades and Arctic ice has been melting persistently. And unlike the earlier periods of Arctic warmth, there is no expectation that the current upward trend in Arctic temperatures will reverse; the rising concentrations of greenhouse gases will prevent that from happening.

HUMANCAR on TV tonight!

2007-11-19T13:57:00.001-08:00

Check out: www.humancar.com.
Check out this link to see some of our publicity:
http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071119/BIZ0102/711190360/1011&nav_category=

Tonight on "Invention Nation" which will feature HumanCar airs 10:30 p.m. (pst) on the Science Channel. It will repeat at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday and at 3:30 p.m. Sunday

Some other projects I'm working on to check out:http://www.greenteamtv.com, http://www.greenearthvision.com, http://agreenevolution.blogspot.com, http://www.seriousyurts.com, http://www.greenmatecafe.com

Helen Caldicott link

2007-11-17T13:00:00.000-08:00

http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Helen_Caldicott/Third_World_Debt_IYLTP.html

Check it out! A nice synopsis on current world problems.

2007-11-12T22:36:00.001-08:00

Your Chance to Save Ancient Forests in the Northwest

2007-11-12T22:24:00.000-08:00

Send a letter to the BLM NOW to Protect your Heritage.

This Issue always raises my hackles. I am an ardent supporter of Ancient Forests and the BLM's new proposals SUCK.

Take a look at this issue. OFH did a good job of detailing it out:

Oregon Forest Heritage.
http://www.oregonheritageforests.org/topten

The BLM released its Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the "Western Oregon Plan Revisions (WOPR)" August 10, 2007. This outrageous proposal, governing 2.6 million acres of public forest, would boost logging of trees 200 years and older sevenfold over the next decade. Yes, you read that correctly, a 700 percent increase in logging Oregon's last old-growth forests! This huge increase in logging would come from opening up currently protected streamside forests and old-growth reserves to clearcutting. Click here for more information on the BLM's proposed plan in a Citizen's Guide to the WOPR.

Top Ten Reasons the WOPR is a Bad Idea

The Bush Administration proposes the Western Oregon Plan Revisions (WOPR) to undo protections for Bureau of Land Management-administered public forests. Here are the top ten reasons why gutting protections for some of our last, best old growth forest is a real bad idea:

10. Quality of life.

The WOPR proposes widespread clearcuting of public forest, which could reduce property values and the quality of life of thousands of Oregonians living near BLM lands. Over 1,000 miles of new logging road and 140,000 acres of clearcuts in the first decade alone would scar Oregon’s spectacular landscape.

9. Peace and quiet.

Clearcutting of old growth forest and proposed “Off Highway Vehicle Emphasis Areas” threaten peace and quite for rural residents and visitors. Over 100,000 acres would be promoted as destinations for OHVs, most adjacent to Oregonian’s private residences.

8. Clean water and salmon.

By logging near streams the WOPR reduces important protections for clean water and Pacific salmon. High quality drinking water originates on BLM lands for the citizens of Salem, Corvallis, Eugene, and 70 other Oregon communities. Salmon need cool, clean water, but the WOPR would remove stream buffers that shade streams and keep sediment from the water.

7. Ancient forests.

BLM lands in western Oregon contain about 1-million acres of our remaining older forests. The WOPR would increase logging of forests over 200 years sevenfold, and threatens some of Oregon’s best remaining ancient forests. Two thousand square miles of forest (an area the size of Delaware) would be put in “Timber Management Areas,” where clearcutting is emphasized.

6. Wildlife and plant habitat.

Wildlife rely on BLM forests such as elk and black bear and threatened species like the northern spotted owl and the marbled murrelet. The WOPR would reduce protections for wildlife populations and diminish habitat for countless plant and wildlife species. An increase in noxious, invasive weeds and wildlife species is predicted under the WOPR.

5. Sustainable economies.

Healthy, protected forests are one of Oregon’s most important natural assets. While rampant old growth clearcutting promises short-term economic boom to a few well-connected mill owners, an economic bust is easily foreseeable under the Bush plan as fish, wildlife and the old growth forests that they rely on dwindle.

4. Northwest Forest Plan.

The Northwest Forest Plan is a landmark agreement that private, state and federal landowners rely on to protect threatened old growth species while producing timber in compliance with environmental law. Removing BLM forests would unravel the whole fabric of the Plan and produce uncertainty for other landowners.

3. It is illegal.

The BLM cannot eliminate protection for old-growth forests, without undermining the Northwest Forest Plan and protections for threatened and endangered species and clean water. To do so, the BLM needs to violate the Endangered Species and Clean Water Acts and other laws.

2. Global warming and fire.

While the Bush administration ignores climate change in the WOPR, by converting moist old growth forests into dry flammable tree plantations, the WOPR will increase the amount of carbon in the atmosphere and places communities at enhanced risk of uncharacteristic fire.

1. There is a better way.

We should protect what is left of Oregon’s old growth heritage forests, and restore those forests that have been degraded. Half of BLM forests were clearcut in the past century and converted to overstocked tree plantations. Thinning small trees could offer more than 2 billion board feet of commercially valuable timber if actively thinned while preserving our last, best public lands for generations to come.

TAKE ACTION!

The BLM in accepting public comments until January 11, 2008.

For a sample letter and to

http://www.oregonheritageforests.org/sampletter

Pass the United States National Healthcare Insurance Act H.R. 676

2007-11-10T01:53:00.001-08:00

From
http://www.politicalaffairs.net/article/articleview/4528

Though the current health care "system" costs almost $2 trillion annually, 46 million Americans have no health insurance. Millions more have inadequate coverage for their needs, such as for prescription drugs.

Thousands die each year as a result.

This makes the US system the most expensive and least effective among all industrialized countries.

The United States National Health Insurance Act would change that. It would establish a national insurance program based on expanding Medicare that would include all U.S. residents.

The goal is to guarantee by law that all Americans would have access to the highest quality and most cost effective health care services regardless of their employment, income, or health care status.

Health care experts believe that this Medicare-for-all plan could save over $286 billion dollars a year in total health care costs.

Working families and employers would save thousands on premiums every year.

This program would cover all medically necessary services, including primary care, in-patient care, outpatient care, emergency care, prescription drugs, durable medical equipment, long term care, mental health services, dentistry, eye care, chiropractic, and substance abuse treatment.

Patients would have their choice of physicians, providers, hospitals, clinics, and practices. Medicare will be improved and everybody will get it.

For more information:

"Coalition Builds Momentum on Universal Health Care"
"Now is time to move on health care, Conyers says"
"A Strategy for Healthcare-NOW"
Healthcare-NOW

Change is coming

2007-11-09T17:04:00.000-08:00

So here it is all in a nutshell. Change is coming to a block near you. Like Pinchbeck author of 2012 The Return of Quezalcoatl reminds us: We are about to enter a new age of wisdom and enlightenment or at least the offering of it. We we're in the age of Information. And now we are entering the age of Biology of respect for Mother Earth and the system we live in. The age of Biology is showing it self in the form of major Biological Crisis with species loss and rapid evolution of bacteria and virus to our own growth and invasion. Perhaps we are in the process of creating a 'weed like' planet where the only things living are those that can adapt to us. As for the rest of animal and plant life: gone. Large forms of animals like dolphins,tigers, whales, monkeys, gorillas, etc are in serious trouble right now due to ...man.

This scenario is playing it self out in one scenario after another. But like all things what comes up must come down. Human population has pretty much reached it's carrying capacity and must come down at some point. Even if you don't believe that we have reached the limits of human population growth that limit still exists somewhere and population dynamics shows that all species grow and shrink in populations much like a roller coaster. We've been on the upgrowth as most people are aware(some actually are not it seems) and have put severe strains upon this planet. We have only one planet and there is no promise that we can sustain life like we know it. Think what you want but some kinda of change must occur. We can of course be proactive and create our future and our childrens. A crisis like we're in will evolve us or we'll be thrown back into the petri dish of creation. It's up to us now right?

At this point in time it seems like even physics has finally come to the understanding that we are all connected: Unified Physics; a unification of
not only the four forces of nature,but also evolution and the occurrence of consciousness. Don't take my word for it check out: http://www.theresonanceproject.org/products/dvd.htm

We ARE all INFINITE beings and we are all connected. Yes change is coming but we can point that change in the right direction. It will take all of us on many levels to do this. I encourage you to learn compassion and promote positive growth within yourself and others.

2007-11-09T17:02:00.001-08:00

As taken from green.yahoo.com

2007-11-09T17:00:00.001-08:00

The Arctic: Losing Its Cool

The Arctic is warming up faster than any other region. Because
it plays a vital role in cooling the rest of the globe, the effects of this warming will be felt worldwide, not just on remote tundra.

Nineteenth-century explorer Fridtjof Nansen called the Arctic "nature's great ice temple," a place teeming with roaming polar bears and a forbidding landscape frozen since "the earliest dawn of time."

But today, one cannot venture far enough north to escape global warming. The region has heated up nearly twice as fast as the rest of the globe over the past 50 years, according to a 2004 study assessing climate change in the Arctic.

Land-based ice such as glaciers, ice sheets and permafrost and floating ice are vanishing, and the ongoing thaw has profound ramifications for the rest of the world.

Arctic Powers the "Heat Pump"
The Arctic is critical to the globe's climate and influence temperatures everywhere.

It sounds counter-intuitive, but the Arctic plays a primary role in distributing heat around the world through what is known as the "heat pump." The ocean's currents circulate heat throughout the world, through a system known as the "great conveyor belt."

Two main forces keep the conveyor moving: winds and ocean density differences. The Arctic is key to the density differences.

The conveyor belt's critical points are where surface waters plunge into deep waters. This happens only in a few places, two of which are in the North Atlantic.

As the ocean surface waters cool in the far north, they become denser and sink toward the bottom of the ocean. There, the cold water flows toward the equator. This combination of sinking and flow helps drive the ocean conveyor.

Because the cold waters that flow south must be replaced, warm surface currents flow farther north and deliver warmth to places far north. Without the ocean conveyor's heat pump, Europe's temperate climate would be much colder.

Global warming is changing that key spot in the North Atlantic where the surface waters plunge. A mix of increased precipitation, river run-off and melting ice—all related to climate change—is making surface waters in the north less salty and dense, weakening this major pump in the ocean's natural circulation.

2007-11-09T10:06:00.000-08:00

Greemteamtv.com

GREENMATECAFE.COM

2007-11-09T10:04:00.000-08:00

If you drink Mate check out GREENMATECAFE.COM. They have Organic Mate and some great prices.

http://humancar.com

2007-11-09T09:52:00.000-08:00

Go check out the Human Car!!!
Humancar.com

Just up and running!

2007-11-09T09:46:00.001-08:00

A Green Evolution is about creating social and environmental solutions to live in harmony with our planet. This blogspot is a discourse on environmental and social issues recognizing that the two are connected intimately. For example: The environment of the prison system creates social stress and crime. Or: Poor people face a disproportionate amount of backyard pollution.

The Human/Electric Car!

2007-11-09T09:34:00.001-08:00

The Human Electric Car!
Humancar.com for preorders!

$500 fully refundable

To be released in April/2008

The top of this model is a solar panel. Starts at $15,000 Can be fully enclosed model shown is open version.