Wednesday, December 12, 2007

DAILY GRIST

TOP STORY

One Prize Fits Al
Al Gore and IPCC awarded Nobel Peace Prize

Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change received their Nobel Peace Prizes this morning in Oslo, Norway. In his acceptance speech, Gore emphasized humanity's role in the climate crisis, saying, "We are what is wrong, and we must make it right ... We never intended to cause all this destruction, just as Alfred Nobel never intended that dynamite be used for waging war. He had hoped his invention would promote human progress. We shared that same worthy goal when we began burning massive quantities of coal, then oil and methane." Gore called for a moratorium on coal-burning power plants that don't sequester their emissions and stressed the need for a carbon tax. In his own speech, R. K. Pachauri, chair of the IPCC, spoke of science and peace. "Peace can be defined as security and the secure access to resources that are essential for living. A disruption in such access could prove disruptive of peace," he said. "In this regard, climate change will have several implications, as numerous adverse impacts are expected for some populations in terms of access to clean water, access to sufficient food, stable health conditions, ecosystem resources, [and] security of settlements."


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TODAY'S NEWS

Leaders: Follow, or Get Out of the Way
Thousands of protesters in over 50 cities call for climate action, now

This weekend, thousands of people around the world protested for climate action in at least 50 cities, urging the governments meeting at the United Nations climate conference in Bali, Indonesia, to get serious about curbing climate change. An estimated 10,000 people protested in London, marching through the streets to rally outside the U.S. embassy, emphasizing their particular disdain for obstructionist U.S. climate policy. Others marched and rallied in Auckland, New Zealand; Athens, Greece; Berlin, Germany; Fairbanks, Alaska; Helsinki, Finland; Manila, Philippines; and more. Cyclists, skiers, and swimmers made appearances at various rallies, as did activists in the requisite polar-bear costume. The award for best, most succinct protest sign goes to: "There is no Planet B." The coolest T-shirt award, of course, goes to "Dude, we are that frog."


Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like the Police
Mexican police conduct anti-logging raid in butterfly habitat

Hundreds of Mexican police raided illegal sawmills near a monarch butterfly reserve last week in "the largest seizure of illegally logged wood in the country's history," according to the attorney general's office. Millions of butterflies travel some 2,500 miles each winter to spend the cold season in the Mexican forest, where illegal logging is rampant. The Mexican government has long pledged to crack down on logging in butterfly habitat, but previous administrations have been criticized for not following through. Within the past year, the current government has closed 59 sawmills and charged 193 people with related crimes; in last week's raid, agents seized some 600 truckloads of wood -- the equivalent of about 1,750 adult trees -- and detained 56 people. Suspects found guilty of illegal logging could face prison sentences of six months to nine years, fines of up to $13,650, and the eternal wrath of small, winged insects.


Don't Go Fish
Fish less now to boost profits later, says study

The fewer fish there are, the more expensive it is to catch them -- so if overfished marine stocks were given time to regenerate, fisherfolk would end up making a lot more money down the line, says a new study in Science. So to solve the problem of overfishing, all we have to do is change humans' tendency toward instant gratification. How hard could it be?
sources: BBC News, Reuters


Sweden Leadin'
Sweden best at addressing climate change, U.S. and Saudi Arabia worst, says report

You might want to sit down for this: A new report from a German environmental group says that Sweden does the most to address climate change, while the U.S. and Saudi Arabia do the least. Shocking, we know. The U.S. dropped two places from its fourth-worst position last year, while Sweden stayed up top for the second year in a row.


The Pluck of the Irish
Ireland will phase out incandescent light bulbs

So Australia wants to phase out incandescent light bulbs by 2010? Ireland plans to do it by as early as January 2009. Anybody wanna try to top that?


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GRIST COLUMNS AND FEATURES

Chem Again
Umbra on bleach

Q. Hi Umbra!

I recently was infected with MRSA. It got better. As part of my treatment I'm supposed to use bleach in my laundry and around the house to help kill the bacteria. While I'm brunette, I feel like the stereotypical blonde about bleach. What are the environmental impacts of this chemical?

Thanks,
Emily
Indiana

Editor's Note: Oh, how Umbra would love to answer this question -- but she's been kidnapped! Please donate to Grist by 11:59 p.m. Pacific on Dec. 11, 2007, to secure her safety. The sooner we see 2,000 gifts of any size (yes, even $1!), the sooner you'll get the great green advice you've come to know and love.

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