« November 2005 | Main | January 2006 »
December 31, 2005
More Bad News Ahead
By:RowanHow far do greenhouse gas emissions need to drop in order to change the global warming path we are on? According to Guy Brasseur, Max Planck Institute for Meteorology 80 to90%. Well that level of emissions decrease would mean stopping...
Link to This Article || TrackBack | Category: Global Warming
--- Social Impacts
Picture from Global Guerrillas The Baku-Tbilisi- Ceyhan Pipeline project is expected to cost $4 billion. The politics of conflict and enmeshment follow the course of the pipeline and spread beyond it. Other pipelines (existing and planned) will connect to...
December 30, 2005
The Baku-Tbilisi- Ceyhan Pipeline
By:RowanPicture from Global Guerrillas The Baku-Tbilisi- Ceyhan Pipeline project is expected to cost $4 billion. The politics of conflict and enmeshment follow the course of the pipeline and spread beyond it. Other pipelines (existing and planned) will connect to...
Link to This Article || TrackBack | Category: Peak Oil
--- Social Implications
Some Orwellian things have been happening in Malaysia. While US citizens, journalists and even politicians are ripping the Bush administration to shreds, the rest of the world have quietly capitulated to anti-terror measures. If 9/11 is seen through an economic...
Eye of the Panopticon
By:MathewSome Orwellian things have been happening in Malaysia. While US citizens, journalists and even politicians are ripping the Bush administration to shreds, the rest of the world have quietly capitulated to anti-terror measures. If 9/11 is seen through an economic...
Link to This Article || TrackBack | Category: Authors
--- Mathew
There is escalating conflict between Russia and the Ukraine over gas supplies and costs. The issue started with the pipeline deal between Germany and Russia. The deal left both Poland and the Ukraine with major concerns about the amount and...
December 28, 2005
Conflict Between Russia and the Ukraine Is Escalating
By:RowanThere is escalating conflict between Russia and the Ukraine over gas supplies and costs. The issue started with the pipeline deal between Germany and Russia. The deal left both Poland and the Ukraine with major concerns about the amount and...
Link to This Article || TrackBack | Category: Peak Oil
--- Social Implications
It is not news that China is making deals with virtually everyone to meet their growing oil needs. Therefore, the amicable agreement between China and North Korea on oil exploration in the Yellow Sea is not too surprising. There is...
December 27, 2005
China's Oil Appetite
By:RowanIt is not news that China is making deals with virtually everyone to meet their growing oil needs. Therefore, the amicable agreement between China and North Korea on oil exploration in the Yellow Sea is not too surprising. There is...
Link to This Article || TrackBack | Category: Peak Oil
You know it just figures. We fight to stop further drilling in Alaska, and the "Powers that Be" are already planning routes for the pipeline. But, let's add insult to injury shall we? According to Alaska's consultant on energy, Douglas...
December 24, 2005
Alaska's Peak Gas
By:RowanYou know it just figures. We fight to stop further drilling in Alaska, and the "Powers that Be" are already planning routes for the pipeline. But, let's add insult to injury shall we? According to Alaska's consultant on energy, Douglas...
Link to This Article || TrackBack | Category: Peak Oil
The Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) has gotten a brief reprieve after senators were successful in having it removed from the Defense Appropriations package. However, Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska has vowed to fight on to open ANWR to drilling....
December 22, 2005
ANWR Gets A Reprieve
By:RowanThe Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) has gotten a brief reprieve after senators were successful in having it removed from the Defense Appropriations package. However, Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska has vowed to fight on to open ANWR to drilling....
Link to This Article || TrackBack | Category: Peak Oil
--- Social Implications
According to a report in the Independent/UK, the H5N1 avian flu virus is developing mutations that make it resistant to the anti-viral Tamiflu. Two of the 13 people recently stricken in Vietnam developed a Tamiflu resistant strain of the virus....
Bird Flu May Be Tamiflu Resistant
By:RowanAccording to a report in the Independent/UK, the H5N1 avian flu virus is developing mutations that make it resistant to the anti-viral Tamiflu. Two of the 13 people recently stricken in Vietnam developed a Tamiflu resistant strain of the virus....
Link to This Article || TrackBack | Category: Environment
The headline reads "Russia to Cut Off Gas Supplies to Ukraine." The Ukraine and Poland were concerned that the pipeline agreement between Germany and Russia (Gazprom) would result in a dramatic price increase for them. They were right. Russia has...
December 21, 2005
Ukraine Justified In Russian Gas Concerns
By:RowanThe headline reads "Russia to Cut Off Gas Supplies to Ukraine." The Ukraine and Poland were concerned that the pipeline agreement between Germany and Russia (Gazprom) would result in a dramatic price increase for them. They were right. Russia has...
Link to This Article || TrackBack | Category: Peak Oil
--- Social Implications
We are at the wall on drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Alaska Senator attached opening ANWR for drilling to the Defense budget appropriations. Now that budget will come to a vote of the Senate. Senator Gordon Smith of...
December 20, 2005
Act Now To Save ANWR
By:RowanWe are at the wall on drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Alaska Senator attached opening ANWR for drilling to the Defense budget appropriations. Now that budget will come to a vote of the Senate. Senator Gordon Smith of...
Link to This Article || TrackBack | Category: Activists
The House has approved the 2006 Budget (see also Bloomberg, AP). The whole deal is dirty as far as I can tell. In a convoluted arrangement, drilling in ANWR was passed....
December 19, 2005
Dirty Budget Tricks - ANWR
By:RowanThe House has approved the 2006 Budget (see also Bloomberg, AP). The whole deal is dirty as far as I can tell. In a convoluted arrangement, drilling in ANWR was passed....
Link to This Article || TrackBack | Category: Peak Oil
After decades of denial and inaction about global warming, we seem to be reaping the the harvest of our folly. Here is a sampling of effects and issues that have made the news in the last year. When you hear...
December 18, 2005
Global Warming? You Think?
By:RowanAfter decades of denial and inaction about global warming, we seem to be reaping the the harvest of our folly. Here is a sampling of effects and issues that have made the news in the last year. When you hear...
Link to This Article || TrackBack | Category: Global Warming
December 14, 2005
Green Podcasts For Week Ending 12/11/05
By:GeorgeDidn't do a roundup last week. Sorry. There was some pretty good stuff this week, though.
Link to This Article || TrackBack | Category: Environment
On December 7, 2005, the first in Congressional hearing on Peak Oil Was held. Global Public Media has the transcripts of that meeting of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality. Congressman Roscoe Bartlett presented the...
December 12, 2005
Congress Acknowledges Peak Oil
By:RowanOn December 7, 2005, the first in Congressional hearing on Peak Oil Was held. Global Public Media has the transcripts of that meeting of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality. Congressman Roscoe Bartlett presented the...
Link to This Article || TrackBack | Category: Peak Oil
Back in April 2005, Germany signed a huge contract with Gazprom of Russia to construct a gas pipeline. The agreement marks the first time that a foreign nation has been allowed to share in the development of a Russian oil...
December 11, 2005
Gas and Politics - Germany and Russia
By:RowanBack in April 2005, Germany signed a huge contract with Gazprom of Russia to construct a gas pipeline. The agreement marks the first time that a foreign nation has been allowed to share in the development of a Russian oil...
Link to This Article || TrackBack | Category: Peak Oil
The U.N. Climate Change Summit in Montreal looks like it is going nowhere fast. Perhaps they do not realize the critical pace at which global warming is preceding. Such as the retreat of Greenland's glaciers, or the dramatic slowing of...
December 9, 2005
Global Warming Up, Agreements Down
By:RowanThe U.N. Climate Change Summit in Montreal looks like it is going nowhere fast. Perhaps they do not realize the critical pace at which global warming is preceding. Such as the retreat of Greenland's glaciers, or the dramatic slowing of...
Link to This Article || TrackBack | Category: Global Warming
There are a number of hearings happening in Washington right now on the response to, and aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. C-Span has the streaming videos of a number of the now available. Of the testimony that I have seen, there...
December 8, 2005
New Orleans Katrina Victims Speak Out
By:RowanThere are a number of hearings happening in Washington right now on the response to, and aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. C-Span has the streaming videos of a number of the now available. Of the testimony that I have seen, there...
Link to This Article || TrackBack | Category: Environmental Justice
December 7, 2005
Is Recycling Good For The Environment?
By:GeorgeI think one of the concerns alot of people have with recycling is the claim that it uses so much energy to recycle some items (such as glass), that it actually cancels out any good that the recycling is doing. Recycling paper is pretty clearly helpful, and I don't think anyone's been able to dispute that. The reason, of course, is that far less trees are being cut down. Plastic and glass are questionable, and I think aluminum has been put into the "better to recycle than not recycle" category. Here's a pdf paper about the issue, which might explain some of this. Of course, Alan Griff, who wrote that article, is a plastics consultant. He's probably a bit biased.
Link to This Article || TrackBack | Category: Environment
According to a study from the Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE) at University of Wisconsin-Madison, 40% of the planet is under cultivation. This compares to an estimated 7% in 1700, and is beyond the limit where it...
December 6, 2005
Looming Food Crisis
By:RowanAccording to a study from the Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE) at University of Wisconsin-Madison, 40% of the planet is under cultivation. This compares to an estimated 7% in 1700, and is beyond the limit where it...
Link to This Article || TrackBack | Category: Environment
I don't know about you, but I am darned tired of hearing the catch phrase "End (reduce) our dependence on foreign oil." Let's get real. As long as we are dependent on oil, we are going to be dependent on...
December 4, 2005
Tired of Hearing About Dependence On Foreign Oil
By:RowanI don't know about you, but I am darned tired of hearing the catch phrase "End (reduce) our dependence on foreign oil." Let's get real. As long as we are dependent on oil, we are going to be dependent on...
Link to This Article || TrackBack | Category: Peak Oil
I am posting this article from the EIA (original) Country Analysis Briefs. It is from November 2005, and gives an incredible amount of current information on the oil situation in the United States. Oil U.S. oil production has been declining...
Energy Information Administration November 2005 Report On US Oil Production
By:RowanI am posting this article from the EIA (original) Country Analysis Briefs. It is from November 2005, and gives an incredible amount of current information on the oil situation in the United States. Oil U.S. oil production has been declining...
Link to This Article || TrackBack | Category: Peak Oil
The headline reads "Scientists Say Slower Atlantic Currents Could Mean a Colder Europe. The currents in the Atlantic are slowing significantly, which means that the warm waters of the Gulf Stream won't be moving north. That means the colder waters...
December 2, 2005
Fire or Ice - Which Will It Be?
By:RowanThe headline reads "Scientists Say Slower Atlantic Currents Could Mean a Colder Europe. The currents in the Atlantic are slowing significantly, which means that the warm waters of the Gulf Stream won't be moving north. That means the colder waters...