Climate

Grandma Sophie Had the Right Idea

Kristina Haddad — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 04:51:00 -0400

Like clockwork, as summer begins to unfold, I can’t help but reflect back to my summers as a child. Many of those were spent visiting my grandparents who lived in a tiny coastal logging and fishing town at the northern tip of California. At the time I was in awe of the abundant garden my grandpa kept -- filled with green beans, garlic, lettuces, tomatoes and most any kind of vegetable you could imagine. The peas were my favorite and I can still remember snapping the pod back to reveal a half-dozen sweet, round orbs ready for consumption. It was, for a girl from the city/suburbs, remarkable.

I now realize that those visits exposed me to more than just a garden filled with treats but a way of life that ironically we are touting today as the answer to our energy crisis. My grandmother, Sophie, in particular taught me about conservation and demonstrated in her actions the beauty of living the “simple” life. I’m guessing that most Americans of the 1930s and 40s were similar to her.

Sophie was a woman of character. She came from Greece , from poverty, an orphan with a knack for cooking. Like most immigrants she came to America to create a better life. And she succeeded. With the help of her American neighbor, Gladys, and other ladies in her small town and with the help of my Grandpa Paul, who toiled away earning a dollar a day in the town’s lumber mill. Her character was benevolent, honest, hard working. Her life was spent nurturing and feeding not only her family but strangers and anyone else who was in need. A portion of her life was also spent teaching her grandkids that “to waste was to sin!” I don’t believe the term “carbon footprint” had been coined during her time but here are a few things Grandma Sophie did that would make her a climate change heroine should she be alive today:

Line dried the laundry
Took hand me downs and remade them into new clothes
Grew her own food * Walked or took the bus (didn’t own a car)
Drank milk that came in glass bottles
Re-used flour sacks and made them into aprons
Re-used the wrapping paper from her gifts (she would very slowly and painstakingly unwrap Christmas gifts much to the frustration of her very inpatient grandkids)
Never used plastic bags
Baked her own bread

So it seems to me as I continue to read the many articles now being written about climate change and reducing our carbon footprint that my Grandma Sophie had the right idea. Living simply, not wasting and conserving can make for a pretty good life.

The Native Americans’ look to their elders for the answers to most everything. Perhaps it’s time that we do the same.

Climate News Roundup: June 13 - June 19, 2008

Kristina Haddad — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:38:00 -0400

Friday, June 13, 2008

SOLAR THERMAL POWER: In Israel's Negev Desert blooms a field of 1,640 robotic mirrors that behave like sunflowers. It is the world's 'highest-performing, lowest-cost' sun-energy system. says the company testing it. Los Angeles Times, California. 13 June 2008. [Registration Required]

INTERNATIONAL: U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson urged other Group of Eight industrialized nations Friday to back a special fund of up to $10 billion to help developing countries fight global warming. Associated Press. 13 June 2008.

INTERNATIONAL POLICY (GERMANY): Germany's left-right coalition said on Thursday it had agreed on plans to tax new vehicles on how much they pollute instead of engine size in a bid to encourage the production of greener cars. Agence France-Presse. 13 June 2008.

NUCLEAR: Gordon Brown has signalled he wants Britain to play a major role in the race to build an extra 1,000 nuclear power stations across the world as part of his vision for ending the global "addiction to oil". London Independent, England. 13 June 2008.

STATES/POLICY (MA): Governor Deval Patrick announced the rollout yesterday of a statewide initiative to reduce air pollution emitted from the vehicles. Boston Globe, Massachusetts. 13 June 2008.

STATES (WA): The University of Washington Board of Regents on Thursday voted unanimously to create a new College of the Environment Seattle Times, Washington. 13 June 2008.

BIOFUELS FROM ALGAE: Alejandro Gonzalez, a wealthy businessman with ties to the Grupo Modelo beer fortune, is working on a new brew that could jump-start the Mexican ethanol industry. Using a technology developed by a small American start-up company called Algenol Biofuels Inc., Gonzalez has launched BioFields S.A.P.I. de C.V. to manufacture ethanol from algae.

BIODIESEL (EU, USA): The European Union Friday opened an investigation into whether the U.S. is unfairly subsidizing imports of biodiesel into Europe.

INTERNATIONAL (AUSTRALIA, INDONESIA): Australia and Indonesia have forged a partnership to map carbon stored in Indonesia's forests and link it to global carbon markets to curb deforestation by assigning monetary value to maintaining forests, said Australia's premier Friday.

FEDERAL: U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said he would not allow a package renewing tax benefits to reach the House floor without offsets for lost revenue.

Monday, June 16, 2008

AUTO/HYDROGEN: Stars test the waters with hydrogen cars. Fancy cars have long been integral to the one-upmanship among L.A.'s glitterati. But instead of Bentleys and Bugattis, Hollywood's must-have vehicles of the moment are green. And nothing conveys extreme exclusivity and earth-friendliness like a hydrogen car. Los Angeles Times, California. 16 June 2008. [Registration Required]

CARBON CREDITS/RATING: Stern to launch carbon rating agency. Nicholas Stern, the British economist and author of a 2006 review that put the cost of inaction on global warming at 20% of global GDP by 2050, is set to launch a rating service for carbon credits in an attempt to boost investment in the nascent market. Dow Jones. 16 June 2008.

X PRIZE: Neil Young has a bad case of the greens. More than 60 teams around the globe - three so far from Canada - have registered to participate in the Progressive Automotive X Prize, a $10 million contest that aims to break our addiction to oil and reduce the effects of climate change. Toronto Star, Ontario. 16 June 2008.

GREEN STEAM ENGINE: Steam engine built for clean, green power. The engine can run on almost any gaseous or liquid fuel, including ethanol, biodiesel and propane, and it is lubricated with water rather than motor oil, which also makes it cleaner and cheaper. Miami Herald, Florida. 16 June 2008.

FEDERAL POLICY: Congress urged to keep alternative energy booming. Congress' decision not to put a price on carbon emissions this year probably won't slow the growth of wind and solar power, but failure to extend tax breaks for these renewable energy sources could. Washington Business Journal, District of Columbia. 16 June 2008.

G8 SUMMIT: US envoy says no 'G8 solution' to climate change. The US ambassador to Japan voiced doubt on Monday on whether the upcoming Group of Eight summit would take action on climate change, saying that any solution must also involve developing nations. Agence France-Presse. 16 June 2008.

CARBON TAX: Dion plan would see auditor general monitor impact of carbon tax. Stephane Dion will deploy Canada's auditor general to backstop his claim that a Liberal carbon tax will be revenue neutral, not the massive tax grab depicted by the Tories. Canadian Press. 16 June 2008.

CLEAN COAL: US House Panel Considers Subpoenas For Energy Dept Over Clean Coal 6/16/2008 - A U.S. House panel said Friday it plans to vote next week on whether to subpoena the U.S. Energy Department for documents about its decision to pull away from financing a zero-emissions coal-fired power plant in Illinois. The House Science and Technology Committee plans to meet at 2 p.m. EDT Thursday to vote on authorizing a subpoena. An Energy Department spokeswoman wasn't immediately available to comment.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

IMPACTS: Antarctic ice shelf continues to disintegrate as winter takes hold. A giant Antarctic ice shelf that began to break up in February is shedding ice even as winter approaches, the European Space Agency said yesterday. Bloomberg News. 17 June 2008.

IMPACTS: Conflicts fuelled by climate change causing new refugee crisis, warns UN. Climate change is fuelling conflicts around the world and helping to drive the number of people forced out of their homes to new highs, the head of the UN's refugee agency said yesterday London Guardian, England. 17 June 2008.

CARBON PROJECTS: Indonesia to begin forest carbon projects. Indonesia is expected to be the first nation to carry out forest carbon projects to help combat climate change thanks to a newly launched forest carbon partnership with Australia. Jakarta Post, Indonesia. 17 June 2008.

HYBRID DEMAND: Demand for Toyota's hybrid cars booming. Toyota is struggling to keep up with booming demand for hybrid vehicles because it's unable to make enough batteries that are key parts in the hit "green" cars, a senior executive said. Associated Press. 17 June 2008

G8 SUMMIT: 'G8 is not a forum to agree on carbon targets'. The Group of Eight rich nations, torn by disputes on global warming, will not set any mid-term targets on cutting greenhouse gas emissions at its upcoming summit, host Japan said today. Agence France-Presse. 17 June 2008.

HYBRID TECH: Hybrid technology goes off-road in Japan. Bulldozers, front-end loaders and excavators used in building and mining projects are going hybrid amid surging fuel costs, and Japan again seems to be in the lead. New York Times. 17 June 2008. [Registration Required]

EU CAP AND TRADE: European CO2 cuts working. The EU's "cap-and-trade" system for carbon dioxide is working well and has had little or no negative impact on the overall EU economy. Mother Jones. Opinion, 17 June 2008.

METHANE OFFSETS: CPUC Approves PG&E's Use Of Methane Offsets 6/17/2008 - Analysts expect the methane reduction market to get a boost from the California Public Utilities Commission's approval late last week of Pacific Gas & Electric Co.'s plan to use methane capture as part of its ClimateSmart greenhouse gas offset program. "We view the CPUC's decision favorably, as it likely helps to stimulate the methane reduction market and related projects domestically," wrote Canaccord Adams Inc. analyst Eric Prouty in a report. The ClimateSmart program, started last year, charges customers a monthly fee, usually $5 for residential customers, and uses 100% of that money to purchase carbon dioxide offsets such as forest protection or methane gas capture from farms.

ELECTRIC CAR: Peugeot-Citroen In Talks To Develop Electric-Powered Vehicle 6/17/2008 - PSA Peugeot-Citroen said it is in discussions with another automobile manufacturer about sharing the cost of research and development in electric vehicle technology. A spokesman for the French company, Europe's second-largest auto maker by volume after Germany's Volkswagen AG, declined to identify the other party, however. According to a report carried by Japanese news agency Nikkei earlier Monday, Peugeot-Citroen's partner is likely to be Mitsubishi Motors Corp., which it partners in specific areas.

AVIATION: Lufthansa Says Plans To Lower CO2 Emission 25% By 2020 6/17/2008 - German flag airline Deutsche Lufthansa AG Monday presented a new "strategic environmental program" aiming to lower carbon dioxide emissions by 25% per flown kilometer by 2020 compared with 2006 levels. The company said it has identified 15 guidelines to help achieve lower CO2 emissions, but it didn't specify concrete measures to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. A spokesman for the airline said it expects technological innovation, such as aircraft fleet renewal, to be the main measure with which it plans to reach this goal.

FEDERAL POLICY/FUEL-EFFICIENCY: EPA Staff Contemplates Tougher Fuel-Efficiency Standards 6/17/2008 - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's staff has concluded that motor vehicles could be even more fuel-efficient than currently required by law, according to a draft copy of a regulatory initiative. The draft lays the groundwork for the Bush administration's first efforts to regulate greenhouse gases. The draft was obtained by Dow Jones Newswires ahead of its scheduled publication next Monday. The question is whether EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson will release the document - a precursor to a formal rule-making - or whether the EPA staff's optimism about even more stringent fuel-efficiency standards will be omitted.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

ELECTRIC CAR: General Motors recharges on future of electric car. General Motors, often called the company that killed the electric car, is spearheading a new generation of electric automobiles. Seattle Times, Washington. 18 June 2008.

STATE POLICY (OR): Kulongoski calls on state to cut carbon emissions. Biodiesel, wind power, solar cells -- those hold out hope for an "energy-secure" future as well as thousands of jobs for Oregonians, Gov. Ted Kulongoski said Tuesday. Portland Oregonian, Oregon. 18 June 2008.

ECO-NIGHTCLUB: New eco-nightclub where the dancers generate electricity. Britain's first eco-nightclub is to open in King's Cross. The venue will sell organic spirits served in polycarbon cups and will be powered with renewable energy - from clubbers' feet. Daily Mail, United Kingdom. 18 June 2008.

G8 SUMMIT: As G8 summit nears, environment tax on fuels eyed. The government is set to consider a so-called environment tax on oil, coal and other greenhouse gas-producing fuels as part of an overall tax reform plan later this year, according to an economic policy draft paper released Tuesday. Japan Times, Japan. 18 June 2008.

FEDERAL/POST-KYOTO: Washington pledges emissions role. The US would take a lead role in cutting greenhouse gas emissions in a successor to the Kyoto protocol, the head of the US delegation to climate change talks said on Tuesday. London Financial Times, United Kingdom. 18 June 2008.

STATE POLICY (MN): Lawmakers struggle with energy goals. Minnesota lawmakers are wondering if the state can fulfill the historic energy legislation that policymakers put in place just a year ago. Alexandria Echo Press, Minnesota. 18 June 2008.

EU GHG REDUCTIONS: Western European CO2 emissions fall slightly but below target. Western European nations cut their greenhouse gas emissions only slightly in 2006, with many far below a global target to curb climate change, according to EU statistics released Wednesday. Associated Press. 18 June 2008.

WIND POWER: US seeks to breathe life into wind power. The US is set to overtake Germany as the world's biggest wind market in 2009 on the back of an investment boom which saw wind power generating capacity jump 45 per cent last year. London Financial Times, United Kingdom. 18 June 2008.

SOLAR: Solar energy cost may rival other forms soon, study says. Solar energy will cost the same as power produced by coal, natural gas and nuclear plants in about a decade, a report released Tuesday suggests. Such price parity could propel solar to 10 percent of U.S. electricity generation by 2025. San Jose Mercury News, California. 18 June 2008.

HYBRIDS: San Carlos shop offering hybrid conversion kit. A Bay Area auto repair shop hopes to become one of the first to convert Toyota Priuses and other hybrids to plug-ins that could be charged overnight through a standard outlet and get even better gas mileage. Contra Costa Times, California. 18 June 2008.

AUTO TECH: Hungarian "Solo" concept car is super-light and super-ecological. The prototype for a new Hungarian car that can reach 140 kilometres per hour while only consuming between 1.5 and two litres of ethanol per 100 kilometres, was unveiled Tuesday in Budapest. Agence France-Presse. 18 June 2008.

AUTO TECH: EU Clears EUR61M Aid To Valeo For Fuel Efficiency Research 6/18/2008 - The European Commission said Tuesday it has cleared EUR61 million of aid granted to car parts maker Valeo SA by the French state for research into fuel-efficient cars. The aim of the "LowCO2MOTION" project is to reduce fuel consumption by up to 30% and lower greenhouse gas emissions by introducing products that improve engine efficiency and economise on fuel consumption when vehicles brake and stop. The program is being carried out by eight European companies headed by Valeo. It has a total cost of EUR211 million.

STATE POLICY (NY): NY To Change Power Market Rules To Encourage Wind 6/18/2008 - Wind power will be more easily shipped across New York's electricity grid for real-time and next-day use under market rule changes approved by federal regulators Tuesday. The changes will allow the New York Independent System Operator, which manages the state's electricity grid, to integrate more wind power into the day-ahead and real-time energy markets in New York. Under the change, 3,000 megawatts of wind or other renewable power will be eligible for special market rules, up from 1,000 MW previously, said the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which approved the changes.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

CARBON MARKETS: Europe's carbon market holds lessons for the U.S. As the United States moves toward action on global warming, practical experience with carbon markets in the European Union raises a critical question: Will such systems ever work? International Herald Tribune.

WIND ENERGY: Winds shift in energy debate. A recent DOE report said wind power could supply 20% of the country's energy needs by 2030. But due to public opposition, there is not a single offshore turbine anywhere in the US. The days of such stalemates may be numbered. Wall Street Journal. [Subscription Required]

NUCLEAR: McCain pushes nuclear power. Sen. John McCain proposed Wednesday to dramatically increase America's commitment to nuclear power, calling for 45 new reactors by 2030 and a long-term goal of 100 such plants across the country. Los Angeles Times, California.

UK TARGETS: Britain to miss renewable energy targets - report. Britain is set to miss its own renewable energy target and will also fail to meet European Union requirements unless it steps up action substantially, a parliamentary report said on Thursday. Reuters. 19 June 2008

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Tesla Motors Looks To Refuel With Another $100M 6/19/2008 - As it looks to drive commercial production of its sporty electric vehicle, Tesla Motors Inc. is back out on the funding circuit looking for $100 million in fresh cash. For months rumors have swirled that San Carlos, Calif.-based Tesla would have to raise additional cash even after the $40 million bridge round it raised in February. That investment, from Tesla chairman and initial investor Elon Musk and Valor Partners, enabled development to continue on the first fully electric sports car destined for the public market. For more read Clean Technology Investor 6/19/08

ALGAL BIOFUELS: Inventure, Seambiotic To Build Algal Biofuel Plant In Israel 6/19/2008 - Inventure Chemical and Tel Aviv, Israel-based Seambiotic Ltd. entered a joint venture to build a biofuel plant in Israel, using algae created from carbon dioxide emissions as a feedstock. The plant will be located in Ashkelon, Israel, at the site of the Israel Electric Corp., which will provide the carbon dioxide source for the plant. The plant will have an annual capacity of 108,000 gallons of biofuel, which will include 36,000 gallons of biodiesel and 72,000 gallons of ethanol. For more read Clean Technology Investor 6/19/08

EU EMISSIONS: EU Emissions Down 0.3% In '06 But Transport Emissions Rose 6/19/2008 - Greenhouse gas emissions in the 27 European Union countries fell 0.3% in 2006, compared with a year earlier, despite growth in transport-related emissions, the European Commission said. However, emissions from the transport sector grew and "are of particular concern," the commission said in a statement. Carbon dioxide emissions fell 10.8% below base years levels, which in many cases is 1990. The fall "can be attributed to the reduction in nitric acid production, decreases in emissions from chemicals production in France and Hungary and lower overall use of gas and liquid fuels by households," it said. For more read Clean Technology Investor 6/19/08

EU TRADING SCHEME: Italy Refiners Margins Hurt By 08-12 CO2 Credit Deficit 6/19/2008 - Italian refiners will see their margins affected by the deficit in carbon dioxide emissions allocation for the 2008-2012 period under the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme, the Italian oil companies' association Unione Petrolifera said Wednesday. The Italian industry will have a deficit of 4 million to 4.5 million metric tons a year, said Pasquale De Vita, chairman of Unione Petrolifera, at the association's annual meeting in Rome. For more read Clean Technology Investor 6/19/08

SMART METERING: Alcatel-Lucent Introduces Product For Smart Metering By Utilities 6/19/2008 - Alcatel-Lucent released its new "smart metering" technology, which allows utilities to provide consumers with detailed, near real-time information about their personal energy consumption to help them reduce usage. The company also said this technology will give utilities the ability to quickly react to changes in consumption to better match their resources with the power needed, and it can be used to monitor any electronic meter, including water and gas meters. For more read Clean Technology Investor 6/19/08

What Does Walmart Know?

Terry Tamminen — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 02:54:00 -0400

Last month I visited Walmart's annual sustainable packaging conference in Bentonville, Arkansas. I learned that the first such meeting took place in a conference room in Walmart's headquarters just three years ago and 50 people attended. The 2008 version needed a massive convention center and was bursting at the seams with suppliers, shippers, and buyers of eco-friendly packaging. You can see where this trend is going.

So what does Walmart know that the rest of the world may still be trying to understand? CEO Lee Scott reportedly told his employees and suppliers alike to reduce wasteful, non-recyclable packaging, because Walmart was paying for waste twice - - once when the package came in the door, and once when they paid someone to haul it away from the back of the stores. Walmart saw the opportunity to benefit the environment and their bottom line at the same time.

But how does the world's largest retailer cut the waste from so many products? They computerized a scorecard, evaluating packaging on a variety of sustainability metrics that flow all the way back down the supply chain. Vendors get a score for the packaging of each item and are then automatically directed to suppliers of products that are more sustainable any time the packaging comes up short.

Walmart took a simple problem - - but a massive one - - and created a clever, self-perpetuating solution. Bottom line? Less waste, more recyclable content (that Walmart now separates and recycles at a profit), better economics, better environment.

Who says you can't judge a book, or any other product, by its cover?!

A Level Playing Field

Terry Tamminen — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:02:00 -0400

Everyone hates their taxes being spent on subsidies -- unless it's to subsidize their own industry. It's time for an honest debate about the role of subsidies in a 21^st Century economy and, at least, a restructuring to a more level playing field.

Examples? When I served in California state government, the Schwarzenegger administration tried for three years to push through a solar incentive package. Ultra-conservative State Senator Tom McClintock rose during the debate in red-faced indignation and bitterly opposed any subsidy of an industry that couldn't stand on its own two feet. I've heard that argument repeatedly, often by the same politicians who support massive subsidies to the oil and coal incumbents, despite the fact such "incentives" are hardly needed to get fossil fuels out of the ground.

The latest salvo comes from President Bush, who yesterday said it was time to end subsidies to "multimillionaire farmers." He was addressing a point about sharp increases in food prices, making wealthy agribusinesses even wealthier, partially the result of rising fuel costs and ill-conceived government mandates/incentives to produce ethanol. Ironically, the President told Congress he would veto any bill than shifts even a small portion of the $100 billion/year subsidies given to oil companies towards alternative energy sources.

Given that oil companies are recording profits that are the highest in the history of commerce - - not just in the oil business, in the history of ALL commerce -- it is hard to fathom. Moreover, some say the incentives are still needed to keep oil companies investing in new oil exploration and to build more refinery capacity. But few new discoveries are being made or exploited and refinery expansion lags demand by an increasing and exponential pace. So much for performance-based subsidies.

The role of subsidies should not be annuities for wealthy campaign contributors, but should be used as a way to level the playing field when incumbents have been given a similar (or far greater) head start. They should be strategically used to jumpstart businesses that will provide multiple benefits to the people -- in the case of incentives for renewable fuels or clean energy technology, the benefits are domestic jobs, reduced dependence on a shrinking fuel source, exports, improved public health by reducing pollution, and a planet that is less at risk of biting us in the backside with ever more drastic climate change impacts.

Those multiple benefits are something the incumbents can't provide -- and it's time to tilt the playing field in the direction of positive outcomes and end the fossil-fueled, taxpayer-funded boondoggles to the rich.

Spend Your Money on Something REALLY Stimulating, America!

Sonia Hamel — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:23:00 -0400

April 15, 2008 - US NewsWire Service - A spokesman for the Internal Revenue Service today apologized for the inadvertent release of an unauthorized letter* written to accompany the economic stimulus payments to households across America. The IRS spokesman said that taxpayers should ignore the letter, originally written for review and consideration by the White House. Congressional leaders asked for an investigation into how the letter was released. The document is reproduced below:

Dear U.S. Citizen,

Enclosed is your economic stimulus payment for 2008. The check amount is as follows: $600 for a single person, $1,200 for a married couple, and $300 per child, for families making less than $75,000 ($150,000 for a couple).

Speaking of children, if you have any, you should thank them for loaning you this money. After all, they are the ones who will have to pay it back. If you are blessed with grandchildren, don't forget to thank them too. They'll be paying off the interest.

Internally at the IRS, we had suggested that the President and Congress could have saved us a lot of work if they had just sent the money directly to China. After all, they are hoping for a boost in consumer spending, another Christmas in May. But, purchases of Gameboys and Xboxes, iPods and big screen televisions, won't really help the U.S. economy or the global environment. They will send jobs abroad and increase energy use in the US. But since the President wants you to have the money, we here at the IRS are frankly worried that this rebate will make both the economy and global warming worse for our children and grandchildren - a double whammy.

So, if you actually want to help build a better future, then the IRS wants you to consider the following ways to strengthen the economy and rescue the planet:

1) Invest in a "green" mutual fund that invests in environmentally friendly companies, or in those backing alternative energy. Investments in U.S. clean-tech companies will pay you back as they begin the shift to a lower carbon economy for the U.S. (By the way, did you really think a President from Texas was going to invest your tax dollars in alternative energy sources?)

2) Reduce your energy costs by investing your rebate. Replace an energy inefficient refrigerator. Insulate your house. Replace drafty windows. Get your car tuned and replace that tire with the slow leak. Save it up for a hybrid to replace your current car when it fails. These changes will allow you to see an economic return from your rebate and boost American jobs. It will also reduce greenhouse gases and help reduce the price of energy for everyone. Reducing our use of energy is ultimately patriotic and good sense for your family.

3) Buy organic food this year. Although it is more expensive, it will help domestic (mostly small) farmers. And, if you want to be really energy efficient, buy a share in a local farm. Community-supported farmers plant a variety of crops, selling shares (generally costing about $500) in advance. During the growing season, farmers deliver boxes of assorted fresh organic produce; you get fresh healthy food and the farmer gets help in keeping local land in farm use. Can't get more wholesome than that.

4) Repair your house. Using local skilled labor will boost our economy and, after all with the current real estate market, you're going to be living there for a while.

5) Donate the money to a U.S. oriented charity. Any local charity will spend your money, and stimulate the economy almost as quickly as if you had. This will also give you a tax deduction next year and a warm fuzzy feeling this year.

6) Donate the money to a political campaign of a candidate who supports action on the environment and climate change, in particular.

The media is going to be paying a lot of attention to how you spend this money. One of the arguments for tax cuts is always that people can do a better job of deciding how to spend their money than politicians can. This time, America, let's prove them right.

There's no such letter, obviously -- or at least it hasn't surfaced yet! But the point is very much a real one: Short-term thinking is what's gotten us into these messes, both economic and environmentmental. Taking the long view for a change might actually make a difference!

Who Will Tell the Story?

Terry Tamminen — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Welcome to the New America Foundation’s Climate Program Blog. This weekly snapshot will offer insights into the most effective climate solutions around the U.S. and the world. We’ll also ask guest bloggers to give us their analysis and provocative suggestions for getting these solutions into practice -- before it’s too late.

You might be asking yourself why I would mention “U.S.” and “climate solutions” in the same sentence, considering that while we are 5% of the world’s population and generate over 25% of the world’s greenhouse gases, we are the only industrialized nation that has refused to ratify the Kyoto accord. The good news is that the U.S. contribution to battling climate change is taking shape in municipal, state, and regional governments, despite the lack of any contribution by our federal leadership.

I think that telling this story is important to solving the climate crisis worldwide. I think we can agree that solving the climate change challenge depends on getting greenhouse gases slashed in the U.S., but also in China, India, and the other emerging economies. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair told me (in 2006 and again on his last day in office in 2007) that his work with the leaders of those countries has taught him that China and India won’t budge until they see the greenhouse gas leader - - the U.S. -- go first. Therefore, in his view, getting the states to take the action that the feds won’t is the key to making progress in the U.S. and thereby forcing China and India to do likewise. In the end, that’s the exit strategy for this problem.

So if a greenhouse gas disappears from a smokestack and no one is there to witness it, did it really happen? OK, a bad revision of the tree-in-the-forest conundrum, but you get the idea -- we must show the world that the work is going on, no matter where it’s happening, so that others join and we finally avert an even greater crisis.

One blog may not tell all of that story, but each week we’ll bring you a new chapter and new inspiration. Please join us and contribute your thoughts.

Thanks

Terry Tamminen
Cullman Senior Fellow and Director of the Climate Program
New America Foundation

Video of Cap-and-Trade Webinar

Sonia Hamel — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Just wanted to share the video from our Dec. 12, 2007 webinar on the topic of cap-and-trade plans scope of coverage and point of regulation. We're doing a series of these in partnership with the Pew Center on Global Climate Change and the World Resources Institute -- this is Webinar #2 -- and will post additional in the coming days.