Weather, Water, Energy 4-13-07

• 18% increase in CO2 emissions in the US from 1990-2004. TX and NV the winners in increases, total and percentage-wise. Things aren't that great in FL, IL, NC, GA, AZ, NH, SC, either. And the really good news?? The EPA is reducing the regulations on ethanol production so we'll all be breathing a lot of dirtier, sickening air. So you'll die sooner and not have to worry as much about the warming. (FL also gets the pleasure of having of severe drought and planning for a future of it. Let's remember this when Jeb runs for Pres, okay?)
• 3-D solar cells that catch more sunlight. Smaller size and more efficiency. Better future for solar energy. Good news.
• The Christian Science Monitor has been doing some very nice work on global warming coverage, with a weekly summary of important news. Now it's moved it all to a regular blog, which you can check daily here.
• Finally, one last FL note. The insurance industry is seriously reconsidering its position in the state and is becoming a major player in the "do something about global warming" world. This is what I mean when I say here regularly that it’s basically irrelevant now to even be bothering with the deniers and obstructionists. Major corporations are going to be taking a hit, either directly or through their inability to plan in the increasingly uncertain world economy. They will make the morons and their corkhead sympathizers (those “decent” people who just aren’t convinced yet) invisible. We don’t need to figure out how to bring them on board. If they don’t want to climb on, let them live with the result. We don’t have time for them anymore. David Roberts characteristically has a take that mirrors this to some extent—what the public needs to understand is really pretty basic and simple, as he explains. Anything beyond that by scientists or policymakers is unnecessary and, in my view, a waste of good time and breath.