Weather, Water, Energy 4-18-07

• Not a good day if you're a fan of ethanol. Here's a good story on how specially polluting it is.
• Water issues getting attention and planning in Western states like ID and UT. When these libertarian/conservative states are taking it seriously, the deniers and obstructionists really are on their last legs. (And here's a good story on what plants and landscaping will be available in their changed yards as well as in the yards of places now getting a lot more rain for a while.)
• Another sign that the worm is turning (besides all the stories USA Today has decided to run). The Home Depots, Targets, and Lowes are going green.
• And when governors try to go green but depend on corporate support and campaign contributions from major culprits in the problem, they end up looking like CA's gov.
• Michael Tobis at In It for the Gold reminds us that, even when there's no good option, there are usually some better than others and we're not relieved of the responsibility for seeking the "best" alternative rather than just throwing up our hands and letting worse happen.
• New debate on whether extreme weather will create extreme wind shears that will whack down extreme hurricanes. We can hope.
• Finally, Robert Redford continues to put his money and mouth together. (Excuse me, have to go get a drool cup for my wife as she reads this--he's her Salma(!!!!!).) The good news--he's starting an environmental channel to show us all how we can make a contribution to fight global warming. The bad news--it's on the Sundance Channel, which is carried on, what?, 3 cable systems. I'd bet, though, that it gets more play as things warm a bit.