DAILY GRIST
Raider of the Last Parks
Proposal to change national-park rules stirring up controversy
National parks are cool and all, but you know what they really need? More people on cell phones! That -- along with more snowmobiling and off-roading -- could happen under revisions to National Park Service policy proposed by Bush appointee Paul Hoffman, deputy assistant secretary of the interior. His plan, leaked to the press this week, would cut back on environmental protections on numerous fronts, from allowing cell-phone towers to reducing air quality standards to permitting more mining and grazing. While the Department of Interior is trying to cast the proposal as a mere effort at dialogue, past and present National Park Service employees aren't buying it. A group of 400 NPS retirees has announced a campaign to block the changes, and current directors are openly voicing dismay over them. Says J. T. Reynolds, superintendent of Death Valley National Park, "They are changing the whole nature of who we are and what we have been. I hope the public understands that this is a threat to their heritage."
straight to the source: Los Angeles Times, Julie Cart, 26 Aug 2005
Gorge Push
Northwest's Columbia River Gorge challenged by smog, acid fog
Hundreds of miles north of California's cow-poot-clogged San Joaquin Valley (yes, that was just an excuse to mention cow poots), the Columbia River Gorge along the border between Oregon and Washington is facing its own battle of the haze, with views of nearby Mount Hood often obscured by smog. Acid rain and fog have become problems too, corroding petroglyphs and harming animals and plants. Likely culprits include car exhaust, coal-plant emissions, and ammonia fumes from a dairy complex, among others. Though the Columbia River Gorge Commission -- established by Congress in 1986 to protect the gorge, a national scenic area, from development -- has called for its air to be "protected and enhanced," no one seems to know exactly what that means or who is responsible for making it happen. Conservationists are getting restive and say they may consider using litigation to get action on cleaning up the gorge's air.
straight to the source: The Oregonian, Michael Milstein, 26 Aug 2005
Play Your Cardigans Right
Americans look with dread toward this winter's heating bills
Skyrocketing energy costs aren't just kicking Americans in the gas tank -- they're punching Americans right in the bills. The home-heating bills, that is. Folks are expected to spend $600 billion this year on oil purchases (including home heating oil), about $210 billion more than two years ago, and $167 billion on natural gas, up from $120 billion in 2004. Though the overall impact on the economy is in dispute, some economists call it a "consumption tax" that will eventually have a ripple effect, forcing consumers to cut back in other areas. Experts recommend undertaking conservation measures like fixing leaks and putting weather stripping around doors. "You can turn the heat down a little and wear an extra sweater," said Gary Fay, treasurer of his local church in Proctor, Vt., which is looking at a $10,000 shortfall in its budget this year thanks to the soaring cost of heating oil, "but in the end you really need to heat yourself." Word.
straight to the source: The New York Times, Jad Mouawad, 26 Aug 2005
Cost in Translation
Why organics still cost so damn much
We keep hearing that once organic food expands to a large enough market, prices will fall. But it keeps not happening -- organic buyers still pay an average of 20 percent more for their groceries. Christy Harrison peers into the tangle of shifting regulations, subsidies, and production challenges to figure out why eating better still costs more, and when that may finally change.
new in Main Dish: Cost in Translation
Marsh o'Potamia
Once-vast marshlands being restored in Iraq
The marshlands of Iraq, drained nearly dry by Saddam Hussein, are making a surprisingly robust comeback. Seen by some as the inspiration for the biblical Garden of Eden, the lush wetlands once covered nearly 3,600 square miles near the confluence of the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers. Mid-century drainage projects took a toll, but the marshes were primarily destroyed by Hussein -- and that was the least of his retaliation against the local Marsh Arabs, who supported a Shiite Muslim rebellion following the 1991 Gulf War. Locals began breaching the dikes after Hussein's government fell in 2003, and about 37 percent of the area has been reflooded -- a "phenomenal rate," according the United Nations. Japan is funding an $11 million project to provide clean drinking water and sanitation to about 100,000 Iraqis who still live in the marsh area, help renew the marshes, and train 250 Iraqis in wetlands management.
straight to the source: BBC News, 24 Aug 2005
straight to the source: MSNBC.com, 24 Aug 2005
And Miles to Go Before I NEPA
U.S. government sued over climate impacts of overseas energy projects
U.S. efforts to find fossil-fuel supplies overseas will create significant climate disruption, harming not only people in those countries but folks at home, according to a lawsuit filed against the federal government by a coalition of green groups and U.S. cities. Ranging from Greenpeace to the city of Oakland, Calif., coalition members want fossil-fuel development projects in developing nations on five continents to be halted while their impacts are assessed under the National Environmental Policy Act. The Bush administration tried to have the suit dismissed, but U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White recently ruled it could proceed. White found that coalition members had shown sufficient evidence that their "concrete interests" are threatened by the projects, and that the risks might be meliorated if the environmental studies are performed. Oakland, for instance, is concerned about future flooding, storm surges, and drought. The Bush administration has not yet decided whether to appeal.
straight to the source: The Sacramento Bee, Claire Cooper, 25 Aug 2005
Downward Freezing Dog
Freezing AC is status symbol at some Asian offices
In some tropical Asian cities, it's become a symbol of luxury to keep offices at an arctic chill. Hong Kong may be the world's coldest city when you're indoors, say researchers, who found the average office temperature is between 70 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit (72 to 78 is considered the optimum human-comfort range indoors). Workers in one office contend with 64-degree summer cooling -- so cold they do yoga in the bathroom to warm up. Patricia Shiu, who actually uses a space heater under her desk to stay warm at her frigid workplace, has joined a resistance movement of "thermal crime" spotters who helped Friends of the Earth compile a list of Hong Kong's most over-chilled buildings. Not only is it an egregious waste of energy, says FOE, but excessive air conditioning is sexist, favoring men in suits and ties over women in their lighter-weight garb. Since launching its campaign, the group says it's been getting a lot of technical inquiries from building managers who don't know how to change the temperature on their AC systems.
straight to the source: The Wall Street Journal, Geoffrey A. Fowler, 24 Aug 2005 (access ain't free)
The Great White Soap
USDA will certify organic soaps and cosmetics
In a victory for consumers' all-natural kissers, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has decided it will allow worthy lip balms, lotions, and other personal-care products to carry the "USDA Organic" label after all, as well as dietary supplements and pet food. The department had decided this spring that while it was well equipped to evaluate the organic purity of milk, meat, and other foods, it wasn't ready to wade into the worlds of cosmetics and dog chow. David Bronner (of Dr. Bronner's soap fame) and the Organic Consumers Association sued the agency in June, saying in part that the government's organic imprimatur is one of the only ways responsible companies can make their products stand out from the "all-natural" hype. The USDA says it's a daunting task to evaluate the many non-food products desiring certification. "It takes a while to sit down and look at this and say, 'All right, how do we make this work?'" said Barbara Robinson, head of the department's National Organic Program. But, in the end, she asked, "What difference does it make if you brush your teeth with it or eat it?"
straight to the source: Los Angeles Times, Roger Vincent, 25 Aug 2005
Go Truck Yourself
Bush admin unveils weak new fuel-economy rules for light trucks
The Bush administration surveyed the landscape -- gas prices rising, fears of oil dependence spreading -- and concluded that bold leadership was required. So it invaded an oil-rich country. Heh, well ... on to Plan B! Yesterday, the administration proposed a new set of auto fuel-economy rules. Tightening the standard for passenger cars? Uh, no, that would stay at an average of 27.5 miles per gallon. Finally imposing some requirements on mega-SUVs like the Hummer H2? Wrong again. Instead, most SUVs, pickups, and minivans would be divided into six categories based on size, each with its own fuel-economy requirements. The administration says the plan would increase the average mileage of these vehicles a whopping 2.8 mpg by 2011, to 24 mpg. Amazing but true! Despite the obvious logic of the plan, it has critics, some of whom point out that it would actually provide an incentive for auto manufacturers to make their light trucks larger, so they'd be bumped into categories with lower mileage standards. "The proposal is almost embarrassing in terms of its effect on fuel consumption," said Eric Haxthausen of Environmental Defense.
straight to the source: The New York Times, Danny Hakim and John M. Broder, 24 Aug 2005
straight to the source: The Washington Post, Margaret Webb Pressler, 24 Aug 2005
Breed Between the Lines
World population heading rapidly toward 7 billion
The global population will reach 7 billion by about 2012 and continue to rise for many decades, according to a new report from the Population Reference Bureau, a private research organization. "Almost 99 percent of population growth today and for the foreseeable future will be in ... developing countries," said Carl Haub, a demographer with the bureau. In contrast, birthrates are declining in many developed countries, a trend that could ultimately lead to wealthy nations having less money to spend on foreign aid for poorer nations, according to Haub. In the U.S., though, fertility rates are holding steady and population is expected to rise from 296 million today to 420 million by 2050, meaning the nation would hold onto its status as the world's third most-populous country. India is expected to overtake China and assume the No. 1 slot by the middle of the century.
straight to the source: San Francisco Chronicle, Associated Press, Harry Dunphy, 23 Aug 2005
straight to the source: Hindustan Times, 23 Aug 2005
straight to the report: 2005 World Population Data Sheet
Jack Frost Nippon at Your Nose
Japan will encourage office workers to bundle up for the winter
Japan's summer "Cool Biz" campaign, which encourages office workers to shed their coats and ties and wear lighter clothing so less energy need be spent on air conditioning, has proven such a success that now the nation's Environment Ministry is plotting to follow it up with a "Warm Biz" campaign for fall and winter. Businesses will be asked to keep the heat at 68 degrees Fahrenheit in the cooler seasons, and employees will be asked to dress cozily. The "Cool Biz" campaign has been a boon to men's clothing stores, which have reported brisk sales in bright-colored polo shirts, light slacks, and coordinating accessories. Now retailers can look forward to hawking turtleneck sweaters, thick socks, and clothes that can be layered for warmth. "There are various combinations of dress that we envision," said an Environment Ministry official, "but thermal underwear is definitely going to be crucial."
straight to the source: Planet Ark, Reuters, 23 Aug 2005
straight to the source: The Wall Street Journal, Andrew Morse, 23 Aug 2005 (access ain't free)
All Up in Our Business
Grist launches business column, contemplates "biz" puns
As is so often the case, President Calvin Coolidge said it best: "The business of the nation is business." C-Cool (as we call him) had a point there, so we're happy to announce the launch of a new business section that will examine commerce through a green lens. To kick things off (oh, and there will be more, friends), there's Full Disclosure, a new monthly column by sustainable-biz gurus John Elkington and Mark Lee. This month they have a look at China, which as you may have heard is growing its economy very big, very fast, very dirtily.
new in Full Disclosure: China Syndromes
Born to Rewild
Conservationists propose bringing elephants to U.S., bears to U.K.
Imagine: lions and elephants roaming free across the same Great Plains of the U.S. that their ancestors -- big cats, mastodons, and mammoths -- populated 13,000 years ago. That's the "Pleistocene Park" vision that a group of conservation scientists proposed in the journal Nature last week. Since people are increasingly leaving the plains, the logic goes, why not bring back the animals? Such a strategy could help maintain a healthy grasslands ecology and keep these species from going extinct outside of zoos, the scientists argue. The proposal is part of a movement to "rewild" landscapes by bringing back large, sometimes ferocious wild animals to areas they (or their distant relatives) long ago abandoned. In the U.K., a similar scheme calls for reintroducing wolves, bears, boars, and other long-vanished animals. The trend has produced skeptics on both sides of the Atlantic. "Just when you think the world has gotten as weird as it can get, something like this comes along," said Steve Pilcher of the Montana Stockgrowers Association.
straight to the source: Christian Science Monitor, Peter N. Spotts, 18 Aug 2005
straight to the source: CNN.com, Associated Press, 18 Aug 2005
straight to the source: Nature.com, Josh Donlan, 17 Aug 2005
straight to the source: The Independent, Peter Marren, 22 Aug 2005
Thirst-Case Scenarios
Shortages of safe water a growing global problem
About 1.1 billion people worldwide can't get clean drinking water and 2.4 billion lack access to basic sanitation, the International Herald Tribune reports in a series on the looming global problem of freshwater scarcity. The U.N. wants to halve these numbers by 2015, but current progress suggests that target won't be met -- it would effectively mean hooking up more than 100,000 people to clean water sources every day for the next 10 years. In much of the world, centralized irrigation and municipal water sources have taken the place of older water-management methods, but they're also putting more stress on the supply. The paradox, say experts, is that improving water quality and provision increases development, which puts further strain on freshwater supply. Make water cheap and abundant and people waste it; make it expensive and difficult to obtain and people die. The proper balance is tough to strike. Gulp.
straight to the source: International Herald Tribune, Patricia Brett, 20 Aug 2005
straight to the source: International Herald Tribune, Michael J. Strauss, 20 Aug 2005
straight to the source: International Herald Tribune, Anand Giridharadas, 20 Aug 2005
straight to the source: International Herald Tribune, Sam Nortey Jr., 20 Aug 2005
Gloom and Doom Meets the Dismal Science
Economics the next big thing in green activism
Green activists are increasingly embracing environmental economics, combining profit-oriented pragmatism with eco-idealism to make powerful cases for saving the environment. Although the field has been evolving for the past 40 or so years, activists really started to take note in the 1990s when a sulfur-dioxide emissions-trading program in the U.S. proved highly effective at reducing acid rain. Today, many of the big green groups -- along with government agencies -- employ environmental economists, and market-based arguments for good environmental policies and practices are increasingly successful. Rainforest Action Network has convinced three prominent banks to account for the cost of pollution when considering loans. RAN's Michael Brune argues that firms can do better business "by investing in sustainable energy, where they don't run the risk of lawsuits or federal regulation or the reputation of being associated with environmentally controversial projects."
straight to the source: The Wall Street Journal, Jessica E. Vascellaro, 23 Aug 2005 (access ain't free)
see also, in Grist: The Wealth of Nature, a series on ecological economists, by Lissa Harris
The Nyet Set
Russian skeptics bet British scientist $10K that earth will cool
Guess this counts as putting your money where your mouth is: Two Russian climate-change skeptics have bet a U.K. climate scientist $10,000 that the earth will cool over the next decade. Solar physicists Galina Mashnich and Vladimir Bashkirtsev believe that changes in sunspot activity are a more significant factor in climate shifts than greenhouse-gas emissions. Since the sun is expected to be in a less-active phase over the next few decades, they believe global temperatures will drop, and they're willing to wager against Brit climatologist James Annan. The three scientists have agreed to use data on average global surface temperatures recorded by a U.S. research center to figure out who's right. The climatologist is already counting his winnings. "There isn't much money in climate science," Annan says, "and I'm still looking for that gold watch at retirement."
straight to the source: The Guardian, David Adam, 19 Aug 2005
All The Ooze That's Fit to Print
The Gray Lady discovers peak oil
The peak-oil phenomenon made a mainstream-media splash this weekend in an extensive New York Times Magazine cover story. Devotees of this once-obscure issue won't find much that's new, but the article effectively summarizes the grim state of affairs. Output at many of the world's biggest oil fields has been declining steadily, and all eyes are now turned to Saudi Arabia, by far the world's largest oil producer, which refuses to allow independent audits of its reserves. The country's regime says it can still boost supply considerably, but many oil analysts have come to doubt those claims. Global oil supply and demand have been converging for years and are now tightly matched, which means any disruption in supply -- a natural disaster, terrorist attack, or unexpected decline in production at one of the big oil fields -- could mean sudden price spikes and catastrophic oil shocks throughout the world. If, as many expect, total supply begins an inexorable decline, the developed world's entire way of life could be jeopardized. Whee!
straight to the source: The New York Times Magazine, Peter Maass, 21 Aug 2005
see also, in Grist: A review of Kenneth Deffeyes' Beyond Oil
Snort!
Grist launches funnies section, laughs at own jokes
We're laughing it up here at Grist HQ, and not over the latest story on species loss or climate disruption (ha ha ha, whew, good times!). No, this week we're doing what all cool people do: laughing at our own jokes. Namely the jokes in our new humor section -- Snort! -- which is so funny it needs an exclamation point. Come check out this week's featured cartoon. And if you've got an eco-themed cartoon of your own that you'd like to share, send it to cartoons@grist.org and we'll let you know if it's Snort!-worthy.
new in Snort!: Stumped
Fang, Fang, Fang on the Door, Baby
Judge orders feds to restore Northeastern gray wolves
The U.S. government must intensify efforts to restore gray wolves to the Northeast, a federal court ruled on Friday. U.S. District Court Judge J. Garvan Murtha said the Bush administration's decision to lump the sparse gray wolf population of the Northeast in with healthier populations in the upper Midwest, where restoration efforts have been more successful, was a "stark departure" from its original wolf-restoration plan and a violation of the Endangered Species Act to boot. The feds declared in 2003 that nothing more needed doing to return wolves to Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont -- a first move toward delisting eastern gray wolves entirely. But no backsies, Murtha told the government on Friday: You said that Northeast wolves are a distinct population and you can't go redefining them now to make them look healthier than they are. Environmental activists hailed the decision as a big victory.
straight to the source: Rutland Herald, Associated Press, David Gram, 20 Aug 2005
straight to the source: The New York Times, Felicity Barringer, 20 Aug 2005
Proposal to change national-park rules stirring up controversy
National parks are cool and all, but you know what they really need? More people on cell phones! That -- along with more snowmobiling and off-roading -- could happen under revisions to National Park Service policy proposed by Bush appointee Paul Hoffman, deputy assistant secretary of the interior. His plan, leaked to the press this week, would cut back on environmental protections on numerous fronts, from allowing cell-phone towers to reducing air quality standards to permitting more mining and grazing. While the Department of Interior is trying to cast the proposal as a mere effort at dialogue, past and present National Park Service employees aren't buying it. A group of 400 NPS retirees has announced a campaign to block the changes, and current directors are openly voicing dismay over them. Says J. T. Reynolds, superintendent of Death Valley National Park, "They are changing the whole nature of who we are and what we have been. I hope the public understands that this is a threat to their heritage."
straight to the source: Los Angeles Times, Julie Cart, 26 Aug 2005
Gorge Push
Northwest's Columbia River Gorge challenged by smog, acid fog
Hundreds of miles north of California's cow-poot-clogged San Joaquin Valley (yes, that was just an excuse to mention cow poots), the Columbia River Gorge along the border between Oregon and Washington is facing its own battle of the haze, with views of nearby Mount Hood often obscured by smog. Acid rain and fog have become problems too, corroding petroglyphs and harming animals and plants. Likely culprits include car exhaust, coal-plant emissions, and ammonia fumes from a dairy complex, among others. Though the Columbia River Gorge Commission -- established by Congress in 1986 to protect the gorge, a national scenic area, from development -- has called for its air to be "protected and enhanced," no one seems to know exactly what that means or who is responsible for making it happen. Conservationists are getting restive and say they may consider using litigation to get action on cleaning up the gorge's air.
straight to the source: The Oregonian, Michael Milstein, 26 Aug 2005
Play Your Cardigans Right
Americans look with dread toward this winter's heating bills
Skyrocketing energy costs aren't just kicking Americans in the gas tank -- they're punching Americans right in the bills. The home-heating bills, that is. Folks are expected to spend $600 billion this year on oil purchases (including home heating oil), about $210 billion more than two years ago, and $167 billion on natural gas, up from $120 billion in 2004. Though the overall impact on the economy is in dispute, some economists call it a "consumption tax" that will eventually have a ripple effect, forcing consumers to cut back in other areas. Experts recommend undertaking conservation measures like fixing leaks and putting weather stripping around doors. "You can turn the heat down a little and wear an extra sweater," said Gary Fay, treasurer of his local church in Proctor, Vt., which is looking at a $10,000 shortfall in its budget this year thanks to the soaring cost of heating oil, "but in the end you really need to heat yourself." Word.
straight to the source: The New York Times, Jad Mouawad, 26 Aug 2005
Cost in Translation
Why organics still cost so damn much
We keep hearing that once organic food expands to a large enough market, prices will fall. But it keeps not happening -- organic buyers still pay an average of 20 percent more for their groceries. Christy Harrison peers into the tangle of shifting regulations, subsidies, and production challenges to figure out why eating better still costs more, and when that may finally change.
new in Main Dish: Cost in Translation
Marsh o'Potamia
Once-vast marshlands being restored in Iraq
The marshlands of Iraq, drained nearly dry by Saddam Hussein, are making a surprisingly robust comeback. Seen by some as the inspiration for the biblical Garden of Eden, the lush wetlands once covered nearly 3,600 square miles near the confluence of the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers. Mid-century drainage projects took a toll, but the marshes were primarily destroyed by Hussein -- and that was the least of his retaliation against the local Marsh Arabs, who supported a Shiite Muslim rebellion following the 1991 Gulf War. Locals began breaching the dikes after Hussein's government fell in 2003, and about 37 percent of the area has been reflooded -- a "phenomenal rate," according the United Nations. Japan is funding an $11 million project to provide clean drinking water and sanitation to about 100,000 Iraqis who still live in the marsh area, help renew the marshes, and train 250 Iraqis in wetlands management.
straight to the source: BBC News, 24 Aug 2005
straight to the source: MSNBC.com, 24 Aug 2005
And Miles to Go Before I NEPA
U.S. government sued over climate impacts of overseas energy projects
U.S. efforts to find fossil-fuel supplies overseas will create significant climate disruption, harming not only people in those countries but folks at home, according to a lawsuit filed against the federal government by a coalition of green groups and U.S. cities. Ranging from Greenpeace to the city of Oakland, Calif., coalition members want fossil-fuel development projects in developing nations on five continents to be halted while their impacts are assessed under the National Environmental Policy Act. The Bush administration tried to have the suit dismissed, but U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White recently ruled it could proceed. White found that coalition members had shown sufficient evidence that their "concrete interests" are threatened by the projects, and that the risks might be meliorated if the environmental studies are performed. Oakland, for instance, is concerned about future flooding, storm surges, and drought. The Bush administration has not yet decided whether to appeal.
straight to the source: The Sacramento Bee, Claire Cooper, 25 Aug 2005
Downward Freezing Dog
Freezing AC is status symbol at some Asian offices
In some tropical Asian cities, it's become a symbol of luxury to keep offices at an arctic chill. Hong Kong may be the world's coldest city when you're indoors, say researchers, who found the average office temperature is between 70 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit (72 to 78 is considered the optimum human-comfort range indoors). Workers in one office contend with 64-degree summer cooling -- so cold they do yoga in the bathroom to warm up. Patricia Shiu, who actually uses a space heater under her desk to stay warm at her frigid workplace, has joined a resistance movement of "thermal crime" spotters who helped Friends of the Earth compile a list of Hong Kong's most over-chilled buildings. Not only is it an egregious waste of energy, says FOE, but excessive air conditioning is sexist, favoring men in suits and ties over women in their lighter-weight garb. Since launching its campaign, the group says it's been getting a lot of technical inquiries from building managers who don't know how to change the temperature on their AC systems.
straight to the source: The Wall Street Journal, Geoffrey A. Fowler, 24 Aug 2005 (access ain't free)
The Great White Soap
USDA will certify organic soaps and cosmetics
In a victory for consumers' all-natural kissers, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has decided it will allow worthy lip balms, lotions, and other personal-care products to carry the "USDA Organic" label after all, as well as dietary supplements and pet food. The department had decided this spring that while it was well equipped to evaluate the organic purity of milk, meat, and other foods, it wasn't ready to wade into the worlds of cosmetics and dog chow. David Bronner (of Dr. Bronner's soap fame) and the Organic Consumers Association sued the agency in June, saying in part that the government's organic imprimatur is one of the only ways responsible companies can make their products stand out from the "all-natural" hype. The USDA says it's a daunting task to evaluate the many non-food products desiring certification. "It takes a while to sit down and look at this and say, 'All right, how do we make this work?'" said Barbara Robinson, head of the department's National Organic Program. But, in the end, she asked, "What difference does it make if you brush your teeth with it or eat it?"
straight to the source: Los Angeles Times, Roger Vincent, 25 Aug 2005
Go Truck Yourself
Bush admin unveils weak new fuel-economy rules for light trucks
The Bush administration surveyed the landscape -- gas prices rising, fears of oil dependence spreading -- and concluded that bold leadership was required. So it invaded an oil-rich country. Heh, well ... on to Plan B! Yesterday, the administration proposed a new set of auto fuel-economy rules. Tightening the standard for passenger cars? Uh, no, that would stay at an average of 27.5 miles per gallon. Finally imposing some requirements on mega-SUVs like the Hummer H2? Wrong again. Instead, most SUVs, pickups, and minivans would be divided into six categories based on size, each with its own fuel-economy requirements. The administration says the plan would increase the average mileage of these vehicles a whopping 2.8 mpg by 2011, to 24 mpg. Amazing but true! Despite the obvious logic of the plan, it has critics, some of whom point out that it would actually provide an incentive for auto manufacturers to make their light trucks larger, so they'd be bumped into categories with lower mileage standards. "The proposal is almost embarrassing in terms of its effect on fuel consumption," said Eric Haxthausen of Environmental Defense.
straight to the source: The New York Times, Danny Hakim and John M. Broder, 24 Aug 2005
straight to the source: The Washington Post, Margaret Webb Pressler, 24 Aug 2005
Breed Between the Lines
World population heading rapidly toward 7 billion
The global population will reach 7 billion by about 2012 and continue to rise for many decades, according to a new report from the Population Reference Bureau, a private research organization. "Almost 99 percent of population growth today and for the foreseeable future will be in ... developing countries," said Carl Haub, a demographer with the bureau. In contrast, birthrates are declining in many developed countries, a trend that could ultimately lead to wealthy nations having less money to spend on foreign aid for poorer nations, according to Haub. In the U.S., though, fertility rates are holding steady and population is expected to rise from 296 million today to 420 million by 2050, meaning the nation would hold onto its status as the world's third most-populous country. India is expected to overtake China and assume the No. 1 slot by the middle of the century.
straight to the source: San Francisco Chronicle, Associated Press, Harry Dunphy, 23 Aug 2005
straight to the source: Hindustan Times, 23 Aug 2005
straight to the report: 2005 World Population Data Sheet
Jack Frost Nippon at Your Nose
Japan will encourage office workers to bundle up for the winter
Japan's summer "Cool Biz" campaign, which encourages office workers to shed their coats and ties and wear lighter clothing so less energy need be spent on air conditioning, has proven such a success that now the nation's Environment Ministry is plotting to follow it up with a "Warm Biz" campaign for fall and winter. Businesses will be asked to keep the heat at 68 degrees Fahrenheit in the cooler seasons, and employees will be asked to dress cozily. The "Cool Biz" campaign has been a boon to men's clothing stores, which have reported brisk sales in bright-colored polo shirts, light slacks, and coordinating accessories. Now retailers can look forward to hawking turtleneck sweaters, thick socks, and clothes that can be layered for warmth. "There are various combinations of dress that we envision," said an Environment Ministry official, "but thermal underwear is definitely going to be crucial."
straight to the source: Planet Ark, Reuters, 23 Aug 2005
straight to the source: The Wall Street Journal, Andrew Morse, 23 Aug 2005 (access ain't free)
All Up in Our Business
Grist launches business column, contemplates "biz" puns
As is so often the case, President Calvin Coolidge said it best: "The business of the nation is business." C-Cool (as we call him) had a point there, so we're happy to announce the launch of a new business section that will examine commerce through a green lens. To kick things off (oh, and there will be more, friends), there's Full Disclosure, a new monthly column by sustainable-biz gurus John Elkington and Mark Lee. This month they have a look at China, which as you may have heard is growing its economy very big, very fast, very dirtily.
new in Full Disclosure: China Syndromes
Born to Rewild
Conservationists propose bringing elephants to U.S., bears to U.K.
Imagine: lions and elephants roaming free across the same Great Plains of the U.S. that their ancestors -- big cats, mastodons, and mammoths -- populated 13,000 years ago. That's the "Pleistocene Park" vision that a group of conservation scientists proposed in the journal Nature last week. Since people are increasingly leaving the plains, the logic goes, why not bring back the animals? Such a strategy could help maintain a healthy grasslands ecology and keep these species from going extinct outside of zoos, the scientists argue. The proposal is part of a movement to "rewild" landscapes by bringing back large, sometimes ferocious wild animals to areas they (or their distant relatives) long ago abandoned. In the U.K., a similar scheme calls for reintroducing wolves, bears, boars, and other long-vanished animals. The trend has produced skeptics on both sides of the Atlantic. "Just when you think the world has gotten as weird as it can get, something like this comes along," said Steve Pilcher of the Montana Stockgrowers Association.
straight to the source: Christian Science Monitor, Peter N. Spotts, 18 Aug 2005
straight to the source: CNN.com, Associated Press, 18 Aug 2005
straight to the source: Nature.com, Josh Donlan, 17 Aug 2005
straight to the source: The Independent, Peter Marren, 22 Aug 2005
Thirst-Case Scenarios
Shortages of safe water a growing global problem
About 1.1 billion people worldwide can't get clean drinking water and 2.4 billion lack access to basic sanitation, the International Herald Tribune reports in a series on the looming global problem of freshwater scarcity. The U.N. wants to halve these numbers by 2015, but current progress suggests that target won't be met -- it would effectively mean hooking up more than 100,000 people to clean water sources every day for the next 10 years. In much of the world, centralized irrigation and municipal water sources have taken the place of older water-management methods, but they're also putting more stress on the supply. The paradox, say experts, is that improving water quality and provision increases development, which puts further strain on freshwater supply. Make water cheap and abundant and people waste it; make it expensive and difficult to obtain and people die. The proper balance is tough to strike. Gulp.
straight to the source: International Herald Tribune, Patricia Brett, 20 Aug 2005
straight to the source: International Herald Tribune, Michael J. Strauss, 20 Aug 2005
straight to the source: International Herald Tribune, Anand Giridharadas, 20 Aug 2005
straight to the source: International Herald Tribune, Sam Nortey Jr., 20 Aug 2005
Gloom and Doom Meets the Dismal Science
Economics the next big thing in green activism
Green activists are increasingly embracing environmental economics, combining profit-oriented pragmatism with eco-idealism to make powerful cases for saving the environment. Although the field has been evolving for the past 40 or so years, activists really started to take note in the 1990s when a sulfur-dioxide emissions-trading program in the U.S. proved highly effective at reducing acid rain. Today, many of the big green groups -- along with government agencies -- employ environmental economists, and market-based arguments for good environmental policies and practices are increasingly successful. Rainforest Action Network has convinced three prominent banks to account for the cost of pollution when considering loans. RAN's Michael Brune argues that firms can do better business "by investing in sustainable energy, where they don't run the risk of lawsuits or federal regulation or the reputation of being associated with environmentally controversial projects."
straight to the source: The Wall Street Journal, Jessica E. Vascellaro, 23 Aug 2005 (access ain't free)
see also, in Grist: The Wealth of Nature, a series on ecological economists, by Lissa Harris
The Nyet Set
Russian skeptics bet British scientist $10K that earth will cool
Guess this counts as putting your money where your mouth is: Two Russian climate-change skeptics have bet a U.K. climate scientist $10,000 that the earth will cool over the next decade. Solar physicists Galina Mashnich and Vladimir Bashkirtsev believe that changes in sunspot activity are a more significant factor in climate shifts than greenhouse-gas emissions. Since the sun is expected to be in a less-active phase over the next few decades, they believe global temperatures will drop, and they're willing to wager against Brit climatologist James Annan. The three scientists have agreed to use data on average global surface temperatures recorded by a U.S. research center to figure out who's right. The climatologist is already counting his winnings. "There isn't much money in climate science," Annan says, "and I'm still looking for that gold watch at retirement."
straight to the source: The Guardian, David Adam, 19 Aug 2005
All The Ooze That's Fit to Print
The Gray Lady discovers peak oil
The peak-oil phenomenon made a mainstream-media splash this weekend in an extensive New York Times Magazine cover story. Devotees of this once-obscure issue won't find much that's new, but the article effectively summarizes the grim state of affairs. Output at many of the world's biggest oil fields has been declining steadily, and all eyes are now turned to Saudi Arabia, by far the world's largest oil producer, which refuses to allow independent audits of its reserves. The country's regime says it can still boost supply considerably, but many oil analysts have come to doubt those claims. Global oil supply and demand have been converging for years and are now tightly matched, which means any disruption in supply -- a natural disaster, terrorist attack, or unexpected decline in production at one of the big oil fields -- could mean sudden price spikes and catastrophic oil shocks throughout the world. If, as many expect, total supply begins an inexorable decline, the developed world's entire way of life could be jeopardized. Whee!
straight to the source: The New York Times Magazine, Peter Maass, 21 Aug 2005
see also, in Grist: A review of Kenneth Deffeyes' Beyond Oil
Snort!
Grist launches funnies section, laughs at own jokes
We're laughing it up here at Grist HQ, and not over the latest story on species loss or climate disruption (ha ha ha, whew, good times!). No, this week we're doing what all cool people do: laughing at our own jokes. Namely the jokes in our new humor section -- Snort! -- which is so funny it needs an exclamation point. Come check out this week's featured cartoon. And if you've got an eco-themed cartoon of your own that you'd like to share, send it to cartoons@grist.org and we'll let you know if it's Snort!-worthy.
new in Snort!: Stumped
Fang, Fang, Fang on the Door, Baby
Judge orders feds to restore Northeastern gray wolves
The U.S. government must intensify efforts to restore gray wolves to the Northeast, a federal court ruled on Friday. U.S. District Court Judge J. Garvan Murtha said the Bush administration's decision to lump the sparse gray wolf population of the Northeast in with healthier populations in the upper Midwest, where restoration efforts have been more successful, was a "stark departure" from its original wolf-restoration plan and a violation of the Endangered Species Act to boot. The feds declared in 2003 that nothing more needed doing to return wolves to Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont -- a first move toward delisting eastern gray wolves entirely. But no backsies, Murtha told the government on Friday: You said that Northeast wolves are a distinct population and you can't go redefining them now to make them look healthier than they are. Environmental activists hailed the decision as a big victory.
straight to the source: Rutland Herald, Associated Press, David Gram, 20 Aug 2005
straight to the source: The New York Times, Felicity Barringer, 20 Aug 2005
posted by T. Scott Brineman at 11:19 AM
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