What's Going on with NYTimes' Enviro Reporter?

What's with the New York Times' environmental reporter approvingly posting links to a shadowy global warming denial group?

Andrew Revkin just tweeted a link to the Science and Public Policy Institute. The group has only existed for two years, refuses to disclose its funding sources, and has extensive ties to polluter-funded front groups like the Heartland Institute.

Revkin's suspect tweet comes just three days after what Joe Romm of Climate Progress called "arguably the worst article of [Revkin's] career" -- a one-sided parroting of the latest in global warming denial.

Reporters who are on Twitter will often say, "Oh, just because I tweet a link doesn't mean I agree with what it says." But pushing out a link from a group that actively lies to fight science in the name of protecting polluter profits with no mention of the group's agenda?

At best, I'd call that sloppy. At worst, I'd call it the second example of terrible environmental journalism this week from what's supposed to be the best newspaper in the country.

Ian Malcolm Responds to Sen. Inhofe's Office

Sorry for the lack of posts this week, I've been out of town on business. The fun resumes tomorrow with a great story about John Oliver.

One quick note though. Not really a note. More a piece of advice.

It's to Matt Dempsey, an aide to Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK). And much as I disagree with Sen. Inhofe on the need to act on global warming and move to clean energy, this is more of advice from one writer to another.

Josh Nelson, Enviroknow friend of The Green Miles, asked Matt about Sen. Inhofe's repeated lies about the costs and benefits of transitioning to clean energy and cutting global warming pollution. Matt took over 1,700 words to answer.

If you take over 1,700 words to answer a relatively simple question, it seems like ... hmm, how to say this? Ian Malcolm, your assessment?



Right as always, Ian.

You see, Matt, on a blog, more isn't more. It can make you seem like you're trying way too hard to cover the smell of what you're selling. Especially after Politifact already called out Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) for shoveling the same lies.

New Poll: Plurality of Perriello Constituents Want Climate Action Now

The Beltway conventional wisdom is wrong. I know, shocking, right?

From Greg Sargent at The Plumline:

I’ve obtained a new poll done for the Environmental Defense Fund which found that in three conserva-Dem districts, backing cap and trade vote may not be a huge risk, after all. [...]

“We went into three districts where conventional wisdom held that Demorats took a tough vote on cap and trade,” Allan Rivlin, a partner with Garin Hart Yang, told me. “The poll shows that it didn’t hurt these members in these districts. It actually helps them. Even in districts that are represented by moderate or conservative Democrats, supporting action on climate change is the popular position to take.”

Environmental Defense Fund specifically polled Rep. Tom Perriello’s 5th Congressional district. Even in that district, seen as center-right, cap and trade is supported by 42% of voters. Only 25% oppose it. You can see the full results at EnviroKnow.

For Senators Mark Warner and Jim Webb, the message is clear. The political risk isn't supporting clean energy & climate action -- it's in continuing our energy status quo.

Deeds Slams Obama's Clean Energy Plan

The lowlight of today's Virginia gubernatorial debate -- Creigh Deeds attacking President Obama's clean energy plan:



Clearly, Creigh Deeds is trying to pander to environmentalists by claiming he supports climate action as a concept, while slamming the only existing plan to address climate change. Shameful.

We Can't Afford Clean Energy, We Spent All Our Money on Coal!

Life in coal country is hard. Jobs aren't easy to come by. People have been told for generations now that the only way they'll get by, the only way their very way of life can survive, is to hitch their wagons to Big Coal.

But coal's always been a losing bet. Maps of mountaintop removal overlap almost perfectly with poverty rates. In the face of that hard evidence, people in coal country who can start to sound like they're stuck in a dead-end relationship. No one else can ever love us but Big Coal! I know it's wrong, but it's all we have! And politicians of both parties have been convinced to look the other way by the coal money lining their pockets.

People trapped in dead-end relationships tend to rationalize it with statements that don't make any sense. Like this editorial from the Bluefield Daily Telegraph:

According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the federal cap-and-trade legislation will eventually cost the average household an extra $175 per year. Sadly, folks in our region — who have been bombarded with one rate increase after another in recent years — simply can’t afford to pay another nickel, dime or penny for electricity.

How can we possibly afford to leave coal -- we're getting soaked by coal! It's like a friend saying, "I can't possibly afford a new car -- it takes every dollar I have to keep my clunker on the road!"

It's not clean energy that's a risky financial bet -- it's staying hooked on increasingly expensive coal-fired power. And here in Virginia, we know what a lousy partner coal can be. We felt the pinch of coal's rising rates three times in the last year:

• An 18% rate hike last year, primarily to cover higher coal costs
• An average fee of $1.84 per customer in January to pay for the new coal-fired power plant in Wise County
• A 6.1% hike in September to pay for the Wise County plant and new transmission lines to carry coal-fired power from the Midwest to East Coast cities

Look, Coal Country. We're not saying you didn't love Big Coal with all your heart. But maybe they're just not the ones for you.

In fact, maybe you can find someone better. A shift to clean energy would create millions more jobs than staying addicted to coal.

And admit it -- wouldn't it feel good to finally kick that no-good, dirty Big Coal to the curb?

Cross-posted from Blue Virginia

A Sure Sign of Fall Drops In

I was out at National Wildlife Federation office in Reston on Monday and heard one of the early signs of fall -- big, fat acorns falling off trees, tearing through the canopy and crashing to the forest floor.

It was an encouraging sound in the wake of last year's odd acorn shortage. NWF naturalist David Mizejewski explains why acorns are so important to a wide range of animals:

Beer Summit Needed for Metro & Google

I ran the Arlington 9/11 5K a couple of weekends ago. Posted my worst time ever, but given the late summer heat, satisfied to have managed to run the whole thing.

Given Metro's track work, I was looking for an alternative way to get to the Pentagon. I went to Google and looked at the driving route, then changed the method of travel to "public transit." Google told me my search "appears to be outside our current coverage area."

When I looked at their map of participating public transit agencies, I noticed that the DC area looks like it has a spotlight on it. But the light is actually a blackout -- an area that isn't covered by Google's public transit search (and it does include the District).

Over at GreaterGreaterWashington.org, Michael Perkins has been tracking a prolonged back-and-forth between Google and Metro on this issue. At last check, Metro claimed to be studying the issue while claiming wmata.com is just as good as Google Maps, which is like claiming Hardee's is just as good as Ray's Hell Burger.

Yes, I know Metro is trying to get revenue anywhere it can. And yes, I know profit margins for online businesses like Google can be razor-thin.

But from what I've seen so far, this seems like a classic case of the public interest coming in last. Can't someone lock Metro and Google in a room and not let them out until they solve this?

Global Warming Opens Fabled Northeast Passage

Global warming continues to revolutionize the Arctic, allowing two German ships to travel from South Korea along Russia's coast to Siberia:

Niels Stolberg, the president of Beluga, which is based in the German city of Bremen, called it the first time a Western shipping company successfully transited the Northeast Passage. [...]

"We are seeing an expression of climate change here," said Mark Serreze, director of the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colo. "The Arctic is warming; we're losing the sea ice cover. The more frequent opening of that Northeast Passage is part of the process we're seeing."

"The Arctic is becoming a blue ocean," Serreze told The Associated Press.

That blue ocean is part of global warming's self-reinforcing feedback loop. As the ice melts, the darker-colored blue water soaks up more of the sun's rays, warming the planet even further.

So as the Senate debates, global warming is accelerating at an even faster pace. Please take a moment to tell Senators Warner and Webb it's time to act.

New Map of Global Warming Impact in Virginia

Anyone else find this terrifying?


It's from the Nature Conservancy's new Climate Wizard. The map shows the change in annual temperatures over the lifetime of a child born today. It uses the high-emissions scenario, also known as "our current path."

And if temperatures rise this much, how much will coastal water temperatures rise? And if coastal waters are that warm, how much stronger will hurricanes be when they come ashore?

Message to Sen. Mark Warner and Sen. Jim Webb: Global warming isn't just about glaciers and polar bears. It's about Virginia. Let's get health care passed, then let's tackle clean energy & climate legislation. We've waited long enough.

Cross-posted from Blue Virginia

Rally Crowd Comes for Music, Tunes Out Pro-Polluter Politics

So Massey coal company CEO Don Blankenship blew more than a million of his own dollars on a rally in West Virginia. How'd it turn out? From the Charleston Daily Mail:

As conservative pundit Sean Hannity continued to attack the Obama administration on one stage, hundreds if not thousands of people at a Labor Day rally here shifted their attention to the main stage, where country rocker Hank Williams Jr.'s band was getting ready to play.

For all the talk that Monday's Friends of America Rally marked a new day for the conservative movement, a lot of people seemed to have come to this small Mingo County community just to hear some good music. [...]

But the commercial vendors who had come prepared to sell to 100,000 people saw lower than anticipated sales by mid-afternoon.

This was all completely unsurprising to The Green Miles, who went to Live Earth. Most of the attendees were there for the music, as well.

The low attendance has to be a disappointment to Verizon Wireless, which took a huge public relations hit in standing by its local affiliate's sponsorship of the event. Now it doesn't even get full value for its sponsorship.

This photo from the Charleston Daily Mail tells you all you need to know about the site on which the event was held. The paper refers to it in coal industry jargon as a "reclaimed mountaintop removal site." It's actually what we real Americans would call "a barren lunar landscape":

Nothing Ruins Baseball Like Astroturf

Ladies and gentlemen, I have seen many awesome videos from polluter-funded Astroturf groups. But this may be the most awesomest of all.

First, there's your host, who seems as excited to be attending a baseball game as I would be attending a Jonas Brothers concert. Now the video:

Premise: What if you combined confusion about sports salary caps with confusion about how a global warming pollution cap-and-trade system works?

Result: Two minutes of people babbling so incoherently it seems like they'd just finished a kegstand (specifically the poor woman at 1:10)

OK, so a major problem leaps off the page with this video. It asks "What do baseball salary caps have in common with cap and trade?" But baseball doesn't have a salary cap. And most baseball fans want one. It would help up-and-coming teams compete with the established heavyweights.

The analogy actually does a much better job of explaining both why baseball doesn't have a cap and why America hasn't started the transition to clean energy through cap-and-trade. The organizations that already have the most money and power are blocking progress for the rest of us. Yes, I just compared the Yankees to Big Oil. That just happened.

To learn more about the polluter front group that produced the video, check out DailyFinance.com.

What If They'd Used a Green Bus in "Speed"?

It might have looked something like this:


An Arlington Rapid Transit (ART) bus plowed through a low brick wall last night in front of The Green Miles' apartment building at the corner of Washington & Glebe in Ballston. The bus was traveling east on Washington across from the Sunoco station. Our front desk attendant overheard the driver tell a police officer that he swerved to avoid something.

If he'd swerved just 10 feet earlier or later, the bus would've just rolled over some shrubs. But instead it slammed into the brick wall, sending some bricks flying as far as 70 feet across the cul-de-sac.

The attendant said he heard a "thump," then ran out to see what had happened. All the passengers appeared to be OK, though he laughed that may change today when they talk to their lawyers. He said one woman got off the bus ... and never even slowed down, last seen heading south on Glebe towards Ballston. As I took these cell phone pics, a tow truck was being brought in to lift the natural gas-powered bus off the wall and tow it away.

Big Oil Creates Phony Climate Denial Site, Lies About It

A friend just alerted me to the website PlantsNeedCO2.org, which is running ads on NYTimes.com. From the site's "about us" page:

Our mission is to educate the public on the positive effects of additional atmospheric CO2 and help prevent the inadvertent negative impact to human, plant and animal life if we reduce CO2. Plants Need CO2 is a 501 (c)(3) non profit corporation.

How do I say this? False.

I know you're never gonna believe who really owns the website ... Big Oil.

It's registered to Quintana Minerals Corporation:

Quintana Minerals Corporation provides oil and gas exploration services to the energy sector. The company also offers crude oil and natural gas production services. Quintana Minerals Corporation was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

The site's "spokesman," H. Leighton Steward, is actually an honorary director at the American Petroleum Institute. He's also a director at EOG Resources, an oil and gas company, a position in which he earned a whopping $617,151 last year. Steward is formerly head of Burlington Resources, now a part of ConocoPhillips) and former Chairman of the U.S. Oil and Gas Association and the Natural Gas Supply Association. Not a word about any of that in his bio on the site.

Yet more lies by Big Oil in an effort protect their record profits by derailing clean energy legislation. Don't let them get away with it.

What If There Were Personal Injury Lawyers for Polluter Fraud?

The Hill has a full report on the new polluter fraud hotline.

Verizon's Coal Rally Sponsorship: What It Means

Over at ItsGettingHotInHere.org, Scott Parkin points out:

• Verizon Wireless sees nothing wrong with participating in overtly anti-environmentalist event. Don Blankenship has said the purpose of the rally is to show "how environmental extremists and corporate America are both trying to destroy your jobs."
• Verizon Wireless sees nothing wrong with doing business with Massey Energy, the worst mountaintop removal coal mining company in the country.
• Verizon Wireless sees nothing wrong with supporting an event featuring Ted Nugent, who famously remarked: "Obama, he’s a piece of shit. I told him to suck on my machine gun … Hey Hillary [Clinton] you might want to ride one of these [machine guns] into the sunset, you worthless bitch."
• Verizon Wireless sees nothing wrong with doing business with Massey’s CEO Don Blankenship, who said that his critics are "crazy" "greeniacs" who are his "enemies" comparable to Osama bin Laden.

Verizon to Conservationists: Drop Dead

Via West Virginia Blue, CREDO Action has gotten a response from Verizon on its sponsorship of a pro-polluter rally:

Before we launched our campaign, CREDO Action reached out to Verizon Wireless to confirm its sponsorship of the pro-coal "Friends of America" rally. Becky Bond, our Political Director, then sent a cordial follow-up to give Verizon Wireless a heads-up that our campaign had launched. Verizon replied as follows:

"This is how our response is going over with the activists. Becky once lived in a tree for a while. At least now I know where the emails are coming from."
- James Gerace, VP of Corporate Communications at Verizon Wireless

You got that?

If you don't think that Verizon Wireless should support global warming deniers and practitioners of mountaintop removal mining, then Verizon Wireless thinks it's okay to dismiss your concerns because you must have "lived in a tree for a while."

Really stunning that Verizon has taken such a brazen stance against its conservationist customers. Until now, I hadn't given much thought to CREDO Mobile, a cell phone provider that gives a portion of its proceeds to progressive causes (CREDO was formerly known as Working Assets). But Verizon is making an awfully good case to get me to switch. And I've heard from plenty of friends in the last couple of days who are thinking the same thing.

Why is Verizon Sponsoring a Pro-Polluter Rally?

A group of businesses in West Virginia is sponsoring an event on Monday called the Friends of America Rally. It's not exactly clear why this group of mostly West Virginia-based businesses is sponsoring the rally, but with a little detective work, we can quickly figure out what it's all about.

With Sean Hannity and Ted Nugent headlining the event, you can tell who'll be blamed for any and all of America's problems: Them. Immigrants. Liberals. Gays. Really, anyone who might deflect the role polluters have played in our interconnected economic, energy and climate crises. I can practically hear the screams of dey took er jobs!

Right now, there's only one clear policy ask on the event's website: "If you would like to sign a petition against the Waxman-Markey Climate Bill, click here." The event's location reinforces the message. "The Rally is going to be held on a previous surface mine, just south of Logan, West Virginia."

"Surface mine" of course being coal industry jargon for "mountaintop removal." Thanks to Google Maps, you can see how badly the landscape has been scarred in that area:


View Larger Map

I'm not surprised West Virginia businesses would be trying to buy their way into the hearts of the local citizens. After all, these are tough times for polluters. People in places like West Virginia are starting to wake up to the reality that polluters have been stealing their natural resources, destroying their communities, and hurting their health for generations. And for what? A map of poverty in Appalachia matches almost exactly with mountaintop removal sites.

But there's one major outlier on the current list of sponsors: Verizon Wireless. I don't see any other national companies on sponsor list. Why is Verizon, with over 13,000 employees here in Virginia, sponsoring a pro-polluter, global warming denial rally? I'm currently a Verizon Wireless subscriber, but Verizon's sponsorship of this event makes me question whether I want to give another penny to them.

Please take a moment right now to ask Verizon to pull its sponsorship. There's still time for Verizon to do the right thing.

The Green Miles on the Warming Web

I went to this year's Netroots Nation conference in Pittsburgh for my day job with the National Wildlife Federation. I got a last-minute surprise when a colleague had to cancel a panel appearance due to a family emergency and the moderator asked me to join in her place.

Here's the video of the panel, "A Warming Web: The Blogosphere and Climate Change" (I spoke first at one minute in, then last at 65 minutes in):

White House Flag Lowered for Sen. Kennedy

The Green Girlfriend and I got to take the White House tour tonight, walking through the East Wing. I spotted the White House flag at half staff to mark the passing of Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA). He'll be laid to rest on Saturday at Arlington National Cemetery. You can read my thoughts on Kennedy's passing at Blue Virginia.

New Report: Global Warming Bringing More Extreme Heat Waves

Barcroft Elementary's Track Goes Green

Via the Sun Gazette, Barcroft Elementary School plans to dedicate a new "green" track tomorrow:

Barcroft Elementary School will dedicate its new “Green” track on Tue, Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. Barcroft is located at 625. S. Wakefield St. The Barcroft community will celebrate the new track with a book fair and ice cream social.

The track cost approximately $19,100 to build and was constructed using environmentally-friendly asphalt which is porous to minimize rainwater run-off.

Great job by Barcroft's students, parents and staff, who raised over $6,900 for the project!

They're Back: Fried Oreos at the Fair

Don't forget to check out the Arlington County Fair, going on now through Sunday! Look for The Green Miles volunteering at the Arlington Democrats booth on Saturday from 1-4pm.

The photo at right is of my favorite (definitely non-eco-friendly) treat: fried Oreos. They dip 'em in funnel cake batter and deep fry them. Best thing ever. Check out my full photo blog of last year's fair here!

Video: It's Hailing Energy

Very cool clip from German solar manufacturer Solon AG Fuer Solartechnik:

Bunch of Clowns Defend Balloon Use

Here's the short version of my feeling on things like fireworks & helium balloons: Bad for the environment? Yes. Should we minimize their use? Yes. Worth picking a fight over? No. OK, onto the snark.

The Sun Gazette once again this year is obsessed with Arlington Democrats for RUINING THE COUNTY FAIR by not giving away balloons at its booth, citing environmental concerns. Scott McCaffrey must love balloons more than this kid because he's already devoted two articles to it this year.

So in the face of this tiny, insignificant step to look out for our environment, who's willing to take a stand for weirdness and contrarianism? The Arlington Republican Party, of course:

The GOP Web site directs readers to information on latex balloons, arguing that the balloons biodegrade at about the same rate as “a leaf from an oak tree,” and pose little threat to people or animals.

The Sun Gazette (ever the journalistic paragon) fails to report that the "information" comes from a website that sells latex balloons. Clearly an objective source of data.

Here's the lingering question, one that the Sun Gazette (wait for it) fails to address: Might there be any, I don't know, state law that establishes what the common sense is on this issue? Hmmm. If only there was a way to quickly and easily search large amounts of online information.

What's that now? "Google"? What a funny name! I'll give it a shot:

VIRGINIA

§ 29.1-556.1. Release of certain balloons prohibited; civil penalty.

A. It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly release or cause to be released into the atmosphere within a one-hour period fifty or more balloons ...

So while accidentally releasing a balloon or two isn't illegal, Virginia state law agrees that it's good idea to do your best to minimize balloon releases. (Note historical moment: The Green Miles and Virginia law agree on something.)

Look, I'm not going to go all OMG TEH REPUBLICANS WANT TO KILL AMINALS!!!!1! I just think it's yet another sad example of how out of touch Republicans are on just about everything.

Judge Sotomayor? Lie about her and vote against her despite majority support. Health insurance reform? Clean energy? Lie and do the opposite!

Arlingtonians love the environment and are probably indifferent about the balloons? Lie and do the opposite! I don't feel sorry for the Arlington Republican Party, which has a long record of buffoonery. I do feel sorry for their local candidates like Eric Brescia, who is apparently trying to run a real campaign while his party apparatus is clowning around with balloons.

The Green Miles Meets Big Coal

While at Netroots Nation in Pittsburgh last weekend, we spotted several barges of coal being pushed up the Alleghany River. The barges belonged to Consol Energy, a coal company I'd never heard of until last weekend. But I see they're a prominent funder of an anti-clean energy front group.

Consol Energy, consider yourself On Notice!

The Green Miles at Netroots Nation

The Green Miles is in Pittsburgh this week for Netroots Nation. I just got done taking part in on the panel at right, an emergency pinch-hitter for one of our National Wildlife Federation scientists who had a last-minute family conflict.

I'll be doing many more posts from NN09, including my hotly anticipated 2nd Annual Netroots Nation Schwag Bag Review. For now, you can keep up with my updates on my Twitter feed!

Voters Like ACES, Judge Rules on Coal Plant

Busy day! First a new poll shows 71% of likely voters favor the American Clean Energy and Security (ACES) Act. Then we learn a judge threw out the mercury permit for Dominion Virginia Power's controversial new coal-fired power plant in Wise County.

SCC Votes More Cash for Virginia's Clunker of an Energy System

Last week, Virginia's State Corporation Commission issued a ruling on Appalachian Power's request to raise rates. It granted a partial rate increase to "recover fuel costs" (translation: higher cost of dirty coal), but rejected a rate increase for renewable energy:

The SCC also denied recovery at this time of the costs to purchase power from two wind projects that were not included in APCo's renewable energy program, which the SCC approved last year, because of the high cost of the purchased power.

According to the Roanoke Times, the recession played a major role for the commission:

The SCC attributed the fuel rate reduction to "several legal and factual findings" related to Appalachian's application and associated testimony. But it also referenced economic struggles of the utility's customers.

America's energy policies are a seesaw:

• We can't get off fossil fuels when the economy is bad, because even though energy prices tend to be low, we're told already-stressed consumers can't possibly bear even another cent of short-term transition cost to clean energy.
• But when the economy is good, we're told we can't get off fossil fuels because energy prices are so high, already-stressed consumers can't possibly bear any risk of even another cent of short-term transition cost to clean energy.

Of course, we don't stay on the seesaw by accident. It's a choice. As the Roanoke Times reports, there's a subjective decision here from the SCC commissioners, two of whom were appointed by Gov. Tim Kaine:

By Virginia law, Appalachian, a subsidiary of Ohio-based American Electric Power, is entitled to recover, dollar for dollar, "prudently incurred fuel costs." Coal is Appalachian's primary fuel. The fuel factor formula also includes costs for purchasing power from other utilities.

So even though the price of coal keeps spiking, even though coal employment keeps plummeting, even though burning coal pollutes our air and is one of the main drivers of global warming, even though mountaintop removal is literally changing the face of southwest Virginia forever, the costs of coal-fired power are "prudent." And even though the price of wind power keeps dropping, even though wind power promises sustainable jobs, even though wind power is pollution-free and protects Virginia's natural resources, wind power is apparently of limited prudence in the eyes of Virginia's SCC.

Are there going to be some transition costs to clean energy? Of course. If you have a broken-down car, there are going to be transition costs to buy a new one. At some point, you have to stop throwing good money after bad in repairing your old car and decide to make a fresh start. If we don't, we'll be handing our kids the keys to what's basically the same jalopy we've been driving since the 19th century. But instead of investing in a new direction, Virginia's SCC has voted to give more cash to our clunker of an energy system.

I asked an Appalachian Power spokesman about the decision:

The SCC denied recovery "at this time" of the costs to purchase power from our wind projects in the current fuel factor that will be in place through August 2010. This does not preclude Appalachian from seeking recovery of these projects through other means in the future.

The wind projects were Beech Ridge, in West Virginia, and Grand Ridge Illinois. A portion of the wind from Camp Grove in Illinois and Fowler Ridge in Indiana are being recovered.

Let's hope Appalachian Power continues their push for more wind power projects. They certainly didn't get any encouragement in their effort this month from Gov. Kaine's SCC.

Cross-posted from Blue Virginia

The Lazy Man's Case for a Plastic Bag Ban

Over at Deadspin, Drew Magary has a post up titled The Bizarre World Of American Grocery Bagging. Basically, he admits he won't use reusable bags unless forced to, but that once it happens, he won't really care because he's fully aware of how lazy he is.

I won't edit out the curse words because A) I don't think many small children are reading my thoughts about nuclear power and B) it's silly to edit out the curse words when we all know what they are anyway:

Every time I hit the store, my wife reminds me to bring cloth bags with me. These are the bags you buy for a buck each and reuse so you don't have to use plastic bags and kill all the penguins in Antarctica, or something like that. I never remember to bring these things, and subconsciously, it's because I don't really want to. I know plastic bags will kill the world for future generations. But I don't REALLY give a shit. Fuck ‘em. I won't be around. Sink or swim, children.

If they really don't want you to use plastic bags in the grocery store, they should get rid of them. Or they should charge you for them, like Bloomberg wanted to do in New York. Fucking fascist.

I'm the kind of person who never changes unless forced to.

Magary closes with, "And that's why this planet is utterly fucking doomed."

What do you say, Virginia General Assembly? Will you ban plastic bags to save Drew's children from their lazy dad?

UPDATE 8/7: The Hampton Roads Virginian-Pilot editorializes for a ban today from the non-lazy person's perspective.

Tonight in Ballston: Cafe Scientifique on Climate Change

I've never been to one of these, but I've heard good things:

Aug 4, 2009 Cafe Scientifique: Weather and Climate

Short presentation starts at 6:30 p.m. The current location is at the atrium in the National Science Foundation (NSF) building in cooperation with The Front Page Restaurant, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington between Wilson Boulevard and Fairfax Drive, and one block south of the Ballston-Marymount University Metro stop on the Orange Line.

Some added incentive to check it out -- according to Arlington's Twitter feed, there are also half-priced burgers starting at 5:30pm.

A Few Quick Picks for Green Summer Drinks

I've found a few new worthwhile sustainable drinks this summer and thought I'd offer up a quick list of recommendations (note - I've already covered Peak Organic Brewing so it's not listed here, but I'm a big fan of all their offerings):

Bison Brewing Organic Belgian Ale. I found this oversized bottle while in Florida recently to visit The Green Girlfriend's parents. Crisp, little bit of citrus flavor, great beer for summer. Sitting outside on their deck watching the sun set, eating ribs, and drinking this wicked awesome beer was about as good as it gets. The Green Miles' recommended activity pairing: Backyard BBQ with food on the grill from your local farmers market.

Bonterra Vineyards. I picked up some of their chardonnay, made with organic grapes, at Harris Teeter recently. Tastes just as good as your typical Kendall Jackson or Clos du Bois or whatever, it's about the same price, and it's better for the environment. The Bonterra chardonnay retails for $13.99, but Harris Teeter has frequent sales and they give you a discount if you buy a half-case or case. The Green Miles' recommended activity pairing: Sip some like a good arugula-eating liberal while emailing your member of Congress to urge them to pass comprehensive climate & energy legislation.

Old Dominion's Beach House Golden Pilsner. Located in Ashburn, VA, Old Dominion is our most local major brewery (hence, its beer needs far fewer miles on the back of a truck to reach you). Generally, I'm not a fan of Old Dominion's offerings, but the Beach House Golden Pilsner does its job well -- light, crisp, just enough flavor, tastes great cold on a summer day. The Green Miles' recommended activity pairing: Tubing down the Potomac (recycling your empties after, of course).

Could Trees Disappear from Northern Virginia?

Earl Hodnett, a wildlife biologist with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, thinks it's possible. The danger? Wildly overpopulated deer, with no natural predators in the DC suburbs.

From a recent interview with Washingtonian:

These overpopulations bring significant, probably irreversible damage to the environment. The deer have removed ground-dwelling plants from this area. Even if we got rid of all the deer today, the deer have kept those plants from emerging for so many years now that the seed bank has lived out its shelf life.

All the animals that depend upon that strata of the forest for food, for cover—all that’s gone. There’s a growing list of forest-dwelling birds whose numbers are on the decline. It’s not just that we have an animal with charisma that everybody likes because of its big brown eyes. It’s a big problem.

There aren’t future generations of the forest. If it’s an acorn trying to sprout, the deer eats the whole thing. When the trees we have die, it’ll all be soccer fields.

We've made a choice that deer are so cute, we don't mind that they're vastly overpopulated to the point of throwing the entire food chain out of whack. Even though they're wiping out our next generation of native plants and trees, even though they carry ticks & Lyme disease, even though they've made Virginia the seventh-most-dangerous state for car-deer collisions. We're not doing the deer, the environment, or ourselves any favors.

Ricky Gervais for CoolEarth.org (But Not for Gary Glitter)

Sarah Palin: The New Face of Clean Energy Opposition

Tuesday: Authors of "Unscientific America" in DC

The Green Miles will be in DC Tuesday night to hear form the authors of Unscientific America:

Chris Mooney and Sheril Kirshenbaum
Unscientific America (Basic Books, $24)
Tuesday, July 28, 7 p.m.
Politics & Prose
5015 Connecticut Ave., NW

The authors of The Republican War on Science and Storm World sees an urgent need for more coverage of science in mainstream media, for improved education in the sciences, and for greater public engagement by hyperspecialized scientists if we are to grapple successfully with problems like climate change and the energy crisis.

Co-sponsored by the Center for American Progress. Jonathan Moreno, Senior Fellow at CAP and editor of Science Progress, will introduce this event.

You can read more from Chris and Sheril at their blog, The Intersection.

Question for Nats Fans Tonight

I see the Washington Nationals are giving away "eco-friendly" tote bags tonight. I emailed the Nationals to see if the bags are made of recycled material or if the "eco" claim is just because it's a reusable bag. Never got a response. If you go to the game tonight, let me know if the bags are made out of recycled material. Thanks!

Video: Handling Hawks in an Urban Habitat

Remember when I nearly left my finger in an owl's belly at Nats Park? I was at work yesterday at the National Wildlife Federation and happened to see this video profile NWF just produced featuring the owl handler, Rodney Stotts of the Earth Conservation Corps:

What Would You Ask Jody Wagner?

I may have an opportunity next week to ask a question or two to Jody Wagner, Virginia's Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor. Anything you'd ask Jody? Post your questions in comments, and if I get a chance to ask it, I'll post her answer here. Thanks!

Steven Chu's Best Week Ever

Big week for U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu! First he joins Facebook, now he's on The Daily Show. At first I thought the interview seemed a little awkward, but you quickly realize Jon Stewart thinks Chu is an amazing guy and really wants us to like him, too:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Steven Chu
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Joke of the Day

Saturday: ACE/CVN Pickup & Drinkup

When there's a stream that needs cleaning and an organic beer that needs drinking, The Green Miles cannot turn down an opportunity to serve his community. Will you join my crusade to leave no trash behind and to let no Peak Organic Amber Ale go flat?

I'll be heading down to South Arlington on Saturday, as Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment and the Community Volunteer Network team up for a Pickup & Drinkup from 3-7pm.

We'll start by cleaning up Four Mile Run, meeting at 3pm at Arlington Mill Community Center (4975 Columbia Pike). Wear sturdy shoes and bring work gloves if you have them.

Then at 5pm, we'll head over to Busboys & Poets in Shirlington (4251 South Campbell Ave). Busboys is a leader in sustainability and their Saturday happy hour includes organic draft beer.

Should be a great way to get outside and enjoy a summer Saturday afternoon. Sign up here!

In case of bad weather, call 703-228-6406 after 1pm on July 25th to find out if the event is postponed (rain date is the next day, Sunday July 26th, same time and place).

July 27: Local Foods Tasting

Here's an Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment event coming up next week:

Local Foods Tasting: Explore Seasonal Foods from Arlington Farmers' Markets. Monday, July 27, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., Arlington Central Library Auditorium, 1015 N. Quincy Street, Arlington. Join Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment and Virginia Cooperative Extension to try local foods and learn new recipes for food gathered from the Farmer's Market. $15 per person (payable in check at the event). To reserve space, please email Alison Foster or call 703-228-7772.

Auto-Tuning GOP Climate Obstruction

The Big Lie About Nuclear Power

Just finished my appearance on CleanSkiesTV. (Looking at the screen cap, I'm reminded that my head looks like an orange on a toothpick.) It's funny how their website goes to such great lengths to emphasize their objectivity, then you get on and they're like, "Renewables are teh suck! Long live natural gas!"

I kid. Actually, I thought their reporting on natural gas this morning was pretty objective. It was their coverage of nuclear power that was hard to swallow. According to one reporter, the biggest obstacles to nuclear power are "government bureaucracy and how to deal with the nuclear waste."

Really? I thought the biggest obstacle to building new nuclear power plants was that it's wicked expensive.

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) this week proposed instructing utilities to build 100 brand-new nuclear power plants. As Grist reports:

A study released last month [PDF] by economist Mark Cooper, senior fellow at the Institute for Energy and the Environment at Vermont Law School, found that building and operating 100 new nuclear reactors would cost $1.9 trillion to $4.1 trillion more over the life of the reactors than would generating the same electricity from renewables and energy efficiency. And taxpayers would have to foot the bill for loan guarantees for the nuclear industry, as the private sector has been unwilling to make big investments in the sector.

Sen. Alexander's nuclear unfunded mandate would force utilities across the country to jack up rates to pay for those plants. As much as Republicans cry socialism at the tiniest increase in tax rates, they seem to have absolutely no problem with skyrocketing electricity rates.

And from a political point of view, why not? People tend to blame high electricity rates on their utilities. But they blame high taxes on politicians. And having to take a leadership role to explain why something unpopular is needed is what spineless elected officials fear most.

So having to explain to voters that while a bill like the American Clean Energy and Security (ACES) Act might cause their rates to go up a bit but their bills to go down thanks to massive efficiency gains ... well, that's a bit much to ask of Sen. Alexander.

Photo courtesy Public Citizen

Wake Up with The Green Miles

I'll be making an appearance on CleanSkies.com Wednesday morning at 9am, check it out!

UPDATE: Here's the video ...

The Most Common Recycling Center Fail

Whenever I go to a recycling center, be it municipal or in an apartment complex, I always see all kinds of odd items that don't belong there. Yesterday, sitting on top of the container bin was an old messenger bag. Does that count as a bottle or a can?

But the most common recycling center fail that I see comes when people drop off their empty bottles and cans in brand-new trash bags.

There's the obvious monetary cost of buying the new trash bags. And from an environmental perspective, putting your recycling in new trash bags wipes out a lot of the benefit of recycling in the first place.

Most garbage bags are made from new (not recycled) plastic. (The biggest trash bag manufacturers, Glad and Hefty, have barely dipped their toes in the water of making bags from recycled material.) Then the bags just get torn open and trashed at the recycling center.

If you visit a recycling center, take your recyclables there in a reusable bin or bag. It'll save you money in the long run and the planet (and your recycling center) will thank you for it.

GOP Climate Plan: Canned Goods & Handguns

Cross-posted from Blue Virginia

Will "Drill Baby Drill" Sell in Arlington?

Was just perusing the website of Eric Brescia, the Republican candidate for House of Delegates here in Arlington's 47th District. His issues page promises to, "Promote economically viable, efficient, and clean energy technologies." But the first item in his energy plan?

Develop Virginia’s natural gas supplies and dedicate royalty revenue to transportation

Pursue an energy strategy that would only create a handful of jobs in places far from Arlington like Virginia Beach? And dedicate the revenue to transportation with nothing about where and how the money is spent (Brescia's website also says nothing about dedicated funding for Metro)? So Arlington could get none of the jobs and none of the transportation funding, but receive all of the negatives of higher global warming pollution?

Sounds like Arlington Republicans are putting up yet another candidate simply to raise his own profile at the expense of the issues that matter to Arlingtonians.

New Links Between Environment, Economy, Public Health

Over at Grist, Dave Roberts reviews some recent studies on the economic impacts of environmental issues and concludes:

One thing they all have in common: an environment-degrading practice often defended as necessary to economic health is revealed, upon closer inspection, to be uneconomic. I wonder how many other allegedly economic environment-degrading practices would also be revealed uneconomic if examined with a fresh eye?

It’s almost like the economy is embedded in an environment, and degrading the latter ultimately degrades the former.

And in today's Washington Post, David Fahrenthold reports:

The same pollution problems that afflict the Chesapeake Bay's fish and crabs -- high levels of mercury in fish, neon-colored algae blooms and voracious bacteria -- can also threaten the health of people who fish, boat and swim in the estuary, according to a new report.

The report, released today by the nonprofit Chesapeake Bay Foundation, pointed out that the threat of infection from pollutants that wash into the bay from onshore is great enough that health authorities recommend not swimming until 48 hours after a significant rain.

You know that old myth about how you can put a frog in water and slowly turn up the heat and the frog won't notice until it's boiling? That's us when it comes to the Bay. We've been sitting here, not noticing the minor changes as the Bay slowly degrades. Now we can't even swim in our own Bay after a heavy rainfall.

It's happened gradually enough that what should be a shocking change is received not with outrage but with resignation.

Wait, Who Are The Elitists Again?

The Green Miles is in Providence for the Fourth of July. I just heard Dick Armey's FreedomWorks organization is holding another round of teabagging this weekend.

The closest event? Nantucket. Nothing in Rhode Island or southeastern Massachusetts at all. To see the protest, I'd have to take a ferry to some of the most exclusive vacation property in the United States.

If there's a teabagging event near you, I definitely encourage you to make a "climate action now" sign and stage your own counter-protest. If you do, email me pictures!

New EDF Ad: "Thank You, Tom Perriello"

From the Environmental Defense Fund:



And as Blue Virginia reports, a Roanoke television station has refused to air a false National Republican Campaign Committee attack ad on Perriello.

The GOP's Selective Scientific Outrage

Let's review.

When former oil industry lobbyists in George W. Bush's White House rewrote scientific reports to downplay concerns about global warming and manufacture false doubts and controversy, Republicans stayed absolutely silent.

Now that the EPA is "ignoring a scientific study by a non-scientist that it never commissioned and which hasn't been published in any scientific journal," Republicans are claiming it's one of the biggest political scandals in American history.

You know, it's too bad Republicans have stood up against science on evolution, stem cells, Terri Schiavo, and climate change (just to name a few). Otherwise, their outrage might carry a shred of credibility.

But who needs credibility? That doesn't matter to the mainstream media. They have no choice but to uncritically report everything Republicans say. I mean, that's what journalism is all about, right?

Quick Cute Clip to Brighten Your Thursday

To pay the bills between blog posts, The Green Miles works at the National Wildlife Federation. NWF's Reston office sits next to Lake Fairfax Park, so we get everything from deer to groundhogs to snakes in our backyard. During these hot summer months, every once in a while an all-staff email will go out saying, "There are turtles keeping cool in the shade under cars in the parking lot, check under your car before you go home!"

Here's the latest wildlife sighting -- a family of raccoons living in a dead tree out back: