TOP STORY
First presidential debate addresses energy but sidelines other green issues
The first presidential debate between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama focused mainly on national security issues and the Wall Street bailout package, but energy issues did come up a few times. The candidates squabbled over how to achieve greater energy security, who supports nuclear power more, the 2005 energy bill, and more. Grist's David Roberts and Kate Sheppard live-blogged the debate. Check out their green coverage.
[ email | discuss | + digg | + del.icio.us ]
new in Gristmill:
• Candidates spar on who has most comprehensive vision on energy
• McCain accuses Obama of not being pro-nuclear power
• McCain tags Obama for '05 energy bill
• Candidates trade jabs on energy bill and Big Oil
• McCain bashes bear-study earmark, overlooks Palin's seal-study earmark
ADVERTISEMENT
Show What's Inside
Seventh Generation shows the world what's inside by disclosing all ingredients. We want other makers of consumer products to do the same. Help by adding your name to the EWG Action Fund's Citizen Declaration.
Click here for more information.
TODAY'S NEWS
House passes bill not to Bush's liking, endangering tax credits for renewables
The House of Representatives on Friday passed a bill to extend billions of dollars in renewable-energy tax credits -- an action that may mean the tax credits don't get extended at all. Confused? Let us explain. The House bill, like its Senate counterpart, would extend tax credits for wind energy, residential and industrial solar power, and plug-in electrical vehicles. But the bills differ on the specific tax breaks involved and how they would be paid for. President Bush has already said he would sign the Senate bill, which also includes tax breaks for oil shale production and other dirty energy sources, but he has threatened to veto the House version. Unless the two chambers can hash out a compromise before Congress adjourns, extension of renewable-energy tax credits will remain in limbo until a post-election lame-duck session. The uncertainty of it all makes renewable-energy companies mighty nervous, as their industries face a significant blow -- to the point of a near-shutdown -- if the incentives are not extended.
[ email | discuss | + digg | + del.icio.us ]
sources: The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, Associated Press, Bloomberg, Houston Chronicle
see also, in Grist: Renewable tax credits pass again in House, but changes to the plan may kill it in the Senate
More than $6 billion pledged to boost clean-tech in developing countries
Industrialized countries have promised to put more than $6.1 billion in the World Bank's Climate Investment Funds, which aim to boost clean technologies and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions in developing countries. On Friday, the United States pledged $2 billion over three years; Britain will chip in $1.47 billion and Japan $1.2 billion, with contributions from Australia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland making up the rest. Two trust funds will be created under the Climate Investment Fund umbrella: The Clean Technology Fund will invest in projects that "contribute to the demonstration, deployment, and transfer of low-carbon technologies" and "have a significant potential for long-term greenhouse-gas savings"; the Strategic Climate Fund will "serve as an overarching fund for various programs to test innovative approaches to climate change." The World Bank will announce the first beneficiaries of the funds in early 2009.
[ email | discuss | + digg | + del.icio.us ]
source: The World Bank
Schwarzenegger to host climate summit of governors, world leaders
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) has announced plans to host a climate-change summit in Los Angeles in November in an attempt to form an international climate alliance of local, regional, and world leaders ahead of United Nations climate talks in Poland in December. The summit invitees include governors from all 50 states, as well as officials from Australia, Canada, China, Europe, India, Mexico, and more. "The real action for any new ideas is always on the local level. This is how we can push the agenda," Schwarzenegger said. "We are not waiting for the federal government." Schwarzenegger announced the summit a day ahead of the second anniversary of California's landmark climate law that aims to cut the state's emissions 25 percent by 2020.
[ email | discuss | + digg | + del.icio.us ]
sources: Associated Press, Reuters
Reusable shopping bags not so green if you don't use 'em
These days, you can't swing a dead cabbage without hitting a reusable bag. The darlings of the environmental movement (totes, not cabbages) are increasingly being provided free or cheap to green-minded consumers. And they serve a good purpose: four or five reusable bags, used at least once a week, can replace the use of 520 plastic bags each year. But if not used for their intended purpose, the bags are hardly an environmental boon. Cotton and canvas bags can require a lotta water and energy to manufacture and may be colored with toxic dyes. Nonwoven polypropylene totes require about 28 times as much energy to produce as standard plastic bags. Bags made from recycled material often cost more than those without. And perhaps most important, shifting ingrained shopping habits is easier said than done, as anyone knows who has forgotten to tote their totes to the store. That may take a while to change; as one marketing professor points out, it's not yet taboo to be seen carrying a plastic bag.
[ email | discuss | + digg | + del.icio.us ]
source: The Wall Street Journal
In Brief
Snippets from the news
• General Motors will build Chevy Volt plant in Flint, Mich.
• President Bush again says he wants to protect marine areas.
• Could Warren Buffett reshape the nuclear power industry?
• Cities turn off street lights to save energy.
• World's greenest museum opens in San Francisco.
[ email | discuss | + digg | + del.icio.us ]
GRIST COLUMNS AND FEATURES
On shifting to vegetarianism
Q. Dear Umbra,
I recently became a vegetarian for environmental reasons. Everyone says I should start eating soy products and tofu. But doesn't soy come from evil industrial farms in Iowa? I thought the idea was to increase biodiversity, not just eat the same thing 20 different ways. Also, can I keep eating eggs and milk?
Ben T.
New Hampshire
A. Dearest Ben,
Why are people so dang bossy about food? There's a vein of "food as personal savior-ism" in the U.S., and it can be quite annoying. Umbra is no exception, admittedly ...
Read the rest of Umbra's answer.
[ email | discuss | + digg | + del.icio.us ]
new in Grist: On shifting to vegetarianism
Denmark's prime minister travels to U.S. to sell climate treaty talks
Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen toured the United States this week to drum up support for the successor to the Kyoto climate treaty that's set to be hammered out in Copenhagen, Denmark, next year. But Rasmussen isn't content to simply host the talks, he wants to see broad agreement on a meaningful treaty to cut emissions 50 percent by 2050 -- and he's not afraid to say so. "The world is at a crossroad. We need to choose a direction that will take us safely through the 21st century," he said in a speech this week in New York. "Right now, we are on the wrong track." Grist's Kate Sheppard caught up with Rasmussen to ask him about his climate mission, the next Kyoto agreement, and more.
[ email | discuss | + digg | + del.icio.us ]
new in Gristmill: The green evangelist
Coming Tuesday: Tips on finding the green job that's right for you
©2008. Grist Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved. Gloom and doom with a sense of humor®.
No comments:
Post a Comment