Quick hits today:
- Since we're doing a p-ss-poor job listening to him, relatively speaking, President Gore has gone to Europe to urge the EU to maintain its proactive leadership in dealing with global warming . . . even if it does look like they're going to break down over how they plan to do it.
- David Roberts at Grist with some good posts, one on Jim Wallis’ putdown of the “moral” causes of Dobson and his ilk, one on the real but unlikely promise of plug-in cars, and one on mitigation actions against global warming as more altruistic than adaptation actions.
- A U of Alberta study indicates that what was once tundra up north is now being taken over by spruce trees and shrubs and forcing out the species dependent on tundra. They suspect global warming.
- Even though no one there really seriously believes they'll pull it off, IA is trying to be the first state to wean itself from foreign oil, with a 2025 deadline. Some emphasis on renewables, but a lot of ethanol in there, not surprisingly, which may end up doing more harm than good. But at least they're dealing and trying to be proactive, which is more than most states, despite the occasional good talk from governors.
- Finally, a bit of good news. Success in Nepal with establishing clean drinking water has an MIT engineer espousing "co-evolutionary engineering design"--a kind of global partnership between developed and developing nations to work magic on water and other environmental needs in these poorer countries, especially as climatic conditions change. Nice to see someone hopeful and determined out there. Actually, just nice to see some hope.
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