Surprise! India Rejects Carbon Limits, plus the weekly Chilling Effect Cartoon

Energy and Environment: Around The Interwebs

• “Cap & Trade is Another Tax for West Virginia” … plus a great photo!

• Watts Up With That? Shock Quote of the Week: “I sometimes wish that we could have, over the next five or ten years, a lot of horrid things happening — you know, like tornadoes in the Midwest and so forth — that would get people very concerned about climate change.”

• India Rejects U.S. Proposal of Carbon Limits

• The environnmentalists are killing the environment! Scientists say the chemicals

that helped solve the last global environmental crisis — the hole in the ozone layer — are making the current one worse

• House climate bill was flooded with last-minute changes

• Today’s Menu, Pork Barrel Surprise! Lobbyists lining up for shot at climate bill

• IPCC lead author on Global Warming conclusions: “we’re not scientifically there yet.”

Scienceblogs.com Misses The Point On Climate Models

The amount of arrogance coming downwind from global warming zealots can be in itself quite breathtaking. Their arguments, often, are therefore only satisfying to people who already share their preconceptions and are quite lacking for those who do not.

Consider the incredible straw man “Coby” (a Grist fan) uses over at Scienceblogs.com to defend climate models. After first offering what are, admittedly entertaining videos of climate models (we’d argue that at 30 days they’re little more than weather patterns), comes the “logic” to the argument. Read more here.

Must See Video: Rep. Lamar Smith: Why I Voted Against Cap and Tax

Global Warming: The China Syndrome

The administration seems to have picked up on a key problem with global warming efforts — although far behind the rest of us:

“China’s greenhouse-gas emissions growth is on course to wipe out gains from Western conservation efforts unless the nation intensifies clean-up efforts, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu told audiences in China Wednesday.”

We could sigh and say, “better late than never.” But that’s not really true, is it? If we ram through a cap and trade system — or, really, any major system that makes U.S. energy more expensive — and then “hope” China jumps on board out of some sort of delusional self-hatred, that is a policy based on “HOPE.” Perhaps that’s what Americans voted for in November. But we think they may re-evaluate that plan if HOPE becomes OUCH.

The China problem has to be solved before a domestic plan is finished.

From The Onion … No, Not That One

This is the kind of real-world green we can get behind (assuming all is true). A major onion processor has found a way to convert onion waste into energy:

“When we peel an onion, 35 to 40 percent of the onion comes off before we have a usable onion. That’s the top, tail and skin around the onion before you get to the meat,” said Steven Gill, co-owner of the 25-year-old company.

“They used to haul the waste to the fields for composting, but that became a problem. Ten years ago, Gill started looking at technology for a solution, including microturbines [...]

“In the new system, bacteria produce methane gas from the juice. The gas then goes to two 300 kilowatt fuel cells, creating enough power for 460 homes. The company expects to get 35 to 40 percent of its electricity from the on-site generator.”

Cool!





	July 20, 2009 Energy and Environment: Around The Interwebs • “Cap & Trade is Another Tax for West Virginia” … plus a great photo! • Watts Up With That? Shock Quote of the Week: “I sometimes wish that we could have, over the next five or ten years, a lot of horrid things happening — you know, like tornadoes in the Midwest and so forth — that would get people very concerned about climate change.” • India Rejects U.S. Proposal of Carbon Limits • The environnmentalists are killing the environment! Scientists say the chemicals that helped solve the last global environmental crisis — the hole in the ozone layer — are making the current one worse • House climate bill was flooded with last-minute changes • Today’s Menu, Pork Barrel Surprise! Lobbyists lining up for shot at climate bill • IPCC lead author on Global Warming conclusions: “we’re not scientifically there yet.” Scienceblogs.com Misses The Point On Climate Models The amount of arrogance coming downwind from global warming zealots can be in itself quite breathtaking. Their arguments, often, are therefore only satisfying to people who already share their preconceptions and are quite lacking for those who do not. Consider the incredible straw man “Coby” (a Grist fan) uses over at Scienceblogs.com to defend climate models. After first offering what are, admittedly entertaining videos of climate models (we’d argue that at 30 days they’re little more than weather patterns), comes the “logic” to the argument. Read more here. Must See Video: Rep. Lamar Smith: Why I Voted Against Cap and Tax Global Warming: The China Syndrome The administration seems to have picked up on a key problem with global warming efforts — although far behind the rest of us: “China’s greenhouse-gas emissions growth is on course to wipe out gains from Western conservation efforts unless the nation intensifies clean-up efforts, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu told audiences in China Wednesday.” We could sigh and say, “better late than never.” But that’s not really true, is it? If we ram through a cap and trade system — or, really, any major system that makes U.S. energy more expensive — and then “hope” China jumps on board out of some sort of delusional self-hatred, that is a policy based on “HOPE.” Perhaps that’s what Americans voted for in November. But we think they may re-evaluate that plan if HOPE becomes OUCH. The China problem has to be solved before a domestic plan is finished. From The Onion … No, Not That One This is the kind of real-world green we can get behind (assuming all is true). A major onion processor has found a way to convert onion waste into energy: “When we peel an onion, 35 to 40 percent of the onion comes off before we have a usable onion. That’s the top, tail and skin around the onion before you get to the meat,” said Steven Gill, co-owner of the 25-year-old company. “They used to haul the waste to the fields for composting, but that became a problem. Ten years ago, Gill started looking at technology for a solution, including microturbines [...] “In the new system, bacteria produce methane gas from the juice. The gas then goes to two 300 kilowatt fuel cells, creating enough power for 460 homes. The company expects to get 35 to 40 percent of its electricity from the on-site generator.” Cool!