Cut More Carbon, Make More Money: says a new northeast coalition of businesses, community and environmental groups in a letter to governors, reports Maria Gallucci at InsideClimate News. The regional cap and trade program has spurred economic growth and 16,000 jobs, and needs to be improved. Heck, yeah.
Rev Clean Energy, Save Over $100 Trillion: by 2050, says the latest International Energy Agency report, notes Joe Romm at Climate Progress. Otherwise, expect a hike of 11 degrees Fahrenheit globally by 2100. And you thought it was hot now...
Japanese Tiger Ready to Spring: as Japan takes the lead in developing energy management systems that reduce energy consumption in homes, buildings, and industries, and resulting loads on energy grids, reports Kamil Bjanczyk at Greentechmedia. Such systems are in growing demand globally, with Japan poised to lead that market.
Cornographic U.S. Subsidies Trump Clean Energy: A handy graphic chart by GOOD Magazine and Deeplocal graphics shows how fossil fuels get SIX times the subsidies of clean renewable energy, reports Jeff St. John at Greentechmedia. Even corn ethanol gets more -- you know, the process of turning fossil fuels (used to produce it) into plants, then into a substitute for -- wait, wait, it's coming -- fossil fuels! Insanity rules! Imagine what Mitt Romney, friend of fossil fuels, who wants to steeply tax clean renewable wind power, and Paul Ryan, clean energy foe, will do with energy subsidies!
Climate Change -- Not Just a Theory Anymore: says NASA's top climate scientist James Hansen, who produced a statistical report showing that the odds of the record-breaking heat waves of recent years occurring together are so huge, it's not normal -- it's human-driven climate change, reports Seth Borenstein at Associated Press. Seriously, folks, just how many nails DO we need to drive into this coffin?
My foster baby Arctic chicks have hatched! Born in July, they are doing well and prospering, I hear, but not all chicks have the safety of bear-proof boxes, and the bears visit in August. Climate change has melted the ice pack food source of Arctic ice birds and is even starting to melt the frozen core of their nesting habitat, Cooper Island, making it a prime target for hungry polar bears. These Arctic "penguins" need more bear-proof nesting boxes from humans to keep their chicks safe. You can learn more here, and find out more about how dramatically climate change is changing their lives.
Every day is Earth day, folks, as I was reminded by this bouquet of local wild flowers that Benjamin Blonder generously shared. Making the U.S. a global clean energy leader will ensure a heck of a lot more jobs, and a clean, safe future. If you'd like to tell Congress that you're voting for candidates that will support clean energy, join the increasing numbers of people doing so here. For more detailed summaries of the above and other climate change items, audio podcasts and texts are freely available.
