Put Climate Change in the First Presidential Debate

League of Conservation Voters

What’s on your TV right now?

Cable news chatter about the Romney family’s dancing horse? A bunch of talking heads yelling about President Obama’s birth certificate?

Let’s face it, from now until November, you and every other voter will be bombarded with non-stop coverage of the presidential election. But the question is: what will we be hearing about? Will we be learning where the candidates stand on serious issues like global warming — or will the news media focus on frivolous gossip and insignificant issues?

The choice is in your hands. We have a plan to make sure that climate change is at the top of the issues list this election, but we need your help.

Will you sign our petition calling on the moderator of the first presidential debate, Jim Lehrer, to ask President Obama and Governor Romney about the climate crisis? We need 50,000 signatures in the next month.

Millions of voters will get their information about the presidential candidates by watching the debates this fall. With a moderator like Jim Lehrer — whose show, the PBS NewsHour, has often covered climate change with the gravity that it requires — we have a real chance to generate a substantive discussion about global warming on the national stage…if he asks the candidates about the issue.

The first debate, on October 3rd, is focused exclusively on domestic issues. With the effects of climate change causing hardship for people across the county — from flooding in the Southeast to drought in the Midwest to the wildfires in Colorado, where the debate is being held — it’s only natural to assume that Mr. Lehrer should ask President Obama and Governor Romney to discuss how they plan to address global warming. 

Unfortunately, experience has taught us that we can’t assume much when it comes to climate change coverage in the national media. Despite the fact that July was the hottest month ever recorded in the U.S., only 8.7 percent of television segments that reported on the record-breaking heat waves made the connection to climate change, according to an analysis by Media Matters for America. But we can change that if we work together.

Will you help us reach our goal of 50,000 signatures? Add your name to the growing list of people calling on Jim Lehrer to make the climate crisis a priority in the first presidential debate!

No matter how many climate change deniers stick their heads in the sand, the climate crisis will keep getting worse until we do something about it. The first step towards making that happen is ensuring that voters know where their elected officials stand on moving us towards a clean energy future.

So, I hope you’ll join us in signing this petition today and sharing it with your community.

Big Win for Clean Cars

 

This is a historic week for U.S. consumers and for the future of our nation's costly oil use. The Obama administration just finalized fuel economy and global warming emissions standards for cars and light trucks sold in model years 2017-2025, which will roughly double the fuel efficiency of these vehicles.

The standards will save drivers of a new 2025 vehicle nearly $8,000 over its lifetime, compared to driving a typical vehicle on the road today. In addition, the standards will reduce global warming emissions by as much as 270 million metric tons in 2030—the equivalent of shutting down 65 coal-fired power plants for one year.

These standards represent the biggest single step our country can take to reduce oil use, cutting consumption by 1.5 million barrels a day in 2030 and putting us on the path towards halving our projected oil use over the next 20 years.

Underwater Sculptures to Rebuild Coral?

 

(Surfrider Foundation) - Located near Mexico's famous diving spot, Manchones Reef, you'll find a collection of over 400 underwater statues that comprise one of the world's most unusual museums, the Cancun Underwater Museum. Despite being an artistic project, the park has conservation at is core. In addition to being a tourist attraction, the statues double as a conservation effort by drawing divers and snorkelers away from the Mesoamerican Reef, the second-largest barrier reef system in the world. The sculptures end up as homes for corals, sponges and other marine life.

MORE...

Climate Change part 2

What is causing climate change?

The Greenhouse Effect:

The Earth receives most of its energy from the sun in the form of short wave radiation. Much of this incoming solar radiation passes through the atmosphere to reach the Earth's surface. The Earth absorbs some of this energy and radiates the remainder back into the atmosphere in the form of infrared radiation.

The outgoing infrared radiation has a longer wavelength than incoming solar radiation. This allows it to be absorbed by certain gases in the atmosphere. The main gases that absorb infrared radiation are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and haloflourocarbons (HFCs).

These gases trap some of the infrared radiation and re-radiate it back to the earth's surface as heat, causing a warming effect known as the "greenhouse effect."

the greenhouse effect is necessary to life on earth as we know it; without it, the earth's surface would be about 35° C cooler on average.

While the greenhouse effect is necessary to maintain the earth's climate, it is possible to have too much of a good thing. For over the past 200 years, the burning of fossil fuels and destruction of forests has caused the concentrations of heat-trapping greenhouse gases to increase significantly in our atmosphere.

With more gases in the atmosphere, more radiation is absorbed and re-radiated back to earth. Scientists call this the enhanced greenhouse effect.

Claire Parkinson at Earthsky.org

As the concentrations of these gases continue to increase in the atmosphere, the earth's temperature rapidly climbs.

In the 20th Century, global temperatures have increased by 0.7° C (1.3° F). If concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere continue to increase, the average temperature at the Earth's surface could increase from 1.8 to 4°C (3 to 7°F) above 2000 temperature levels by the end of this century.

In the past, the planet has gone through cycles of warming and cooling, but the changes seen today are occurring much more rapidly than during a natural cycle.

More on this series:

Climate Change part 1 - What is climate change?

Help Stop Soot Pollution

 

(Rainforest Action Network) - The EPA has proposed stronger air quality standards to control soot pollution, which would protect the environment, improve public health, and save billions of dollars in health care costs.

But of course, industries that dump soot pollution into our air are pushing back against these standards. For them, it's all about the bottom line, public health and the environment be damned.

Thought you might want to sign this petition urging the EPA to adopt stronger air quality standards to reign in soot pollution.

Bats and Plants Living in Harmony

A Hardwicke’s woolly bat settles into a pitcher plant. Photo by Michael Schöner

(Bat Conservation International) - The "pitcher" of pitcher plants is a death trap for insects and other small invertebrates. These vine-like plants of the genus Nepenthes grow in the nutrient-poor soils of peat-swamp forests. To compensate for the lack of nutrients, the plants developed trapping structures shaped like pitchers and partly filled with liquid. When small creatures fall into the trap, they drown in the liquid and are digested by enzymes produced by the plant. So what are bats doing roosting in these lethal pitchers?

Professor Ulmar Grafe at the University of Würzburg in Germany discovered that Hardwicke's woolly bats were regularly roosting in pitcher plants in Brunei (on the tropical island of Borneo). Grafe wanted to investigate that peculiar relationship and invited students Caroline and Michael Schöner to join his team.

The researchers traveled to Brunei and quickly found Hardwicke's woolly bats roosting in pitchers. They attached miniature radio-tracking transmitters to the backs of all captured bats and followed each bat for up to 12 days through the dense, swampy jungle. The Schöners said they were astonished to find that all the woolly bats in the study area roosted only in pitchers of Nepenthes hemsleyana plants. Each bat was settled in, head first, above the digestive fluid in a well-defined region – a girdle-like structure below which the pitcher tapers significantly. The bats fit so perfectly that they don't even use their feet to hold on the pitchers' walls.

Unlike other Nepenthes species, the digestive fluid inside the Nepenthes hemsleyana pitchers is limited to the lowest part of the cone, so the bats never contact it. Normally these bats roost alone, but some pitchers provide enough space for a mother with its pup.

While roosting in the pitchers, bats can hardly be seen from the outside, the students report. Thus, the pitchers provide a secure roost that helps bats avoid detection by predators. All things considered, pitcher plants seem well adapted for the bats. But what's in it for the plant?

Previous studies had found that Nepenthes hemsleyana captures seven times less prey than other, closely related species. Perhaps bat feces serves as a kind of fertilizer that compensates for the lack of nutrients. To test this hypothesis, the team collected tissue samples of plants that had been occupied by bats and compared their nitrogen content to pitcher plants that did not host bats. They found that plants used by bats gained more than 33 percent of their nitrogen from bat droppings. "We now have strong evidence that the relationship between pitcher plants and woolly bats demonstrates a mutualism that benefits both partner species," the Schöners said.

The research continues as the Schöners work toward doctoral degrees at the University of Greifswald. "We hope to learn whether Hardwicke's woolly bats and N. hemsleyana plants have co-evolutionary adaptations for one another, and exactly what each partner gains from this relationship – and what price each pays for it," they said.

Climate Change part 1

For those of you who would like a more clear understanding of the facts - or you know someone who needs to be convinced - I've put together this series about climate change basics. My attempt is for this to be interesting to read for all ages while including facts and links to more official evidence.

What is Climate Change?

Climate change is any significant change in measures of climate (such as temperature or precipitation) lasting for an extended period of time (typically decades).

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) further defines climate change as "a change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere."

Scientists around the world have stated that climate change is real and it is happening now. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) a group of thousands of scientists convened by the United Nations, issued the following statements in their Nobel Prize-winning 2007 report:

"Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global average sea level."

A look at some of the most significant signs that climate change is occurring:

• Increasing global temperatures - Average global temperature has increased 0.74degreesCsince 1850; 11 of the last 12 years have been the warmest on record since 1850.
• Changes in precipitation patterns - Precipitation has increased in the eastern regions of North and South America, Northern Europe, and Northern and Central Asia, but has decreased in the Sahel, the Mediterranean, Southern Africa, and parts of Southern Asia.
• More extreme weather events - More intense storms, droughts, heat waves, and rains occur more frequently.
• Rising sea levels - Sea levels are rising due to thermal expansion and melting glaciers and ice caps. Average global sea levels have risen 17 cm during the 20th century and may rise 28-58 cm by 2100.
• Decreasing snow cover and melting glaciers -

Mt. Kilimanjaro in February 1993 (top) and again in February 2000 (bottom)

Nasa Earth Observatory

• Warming poles and loss of sea ice - Arctic sea loss: greater than land area of Texas, California, and Maryland combined. Watch the ice decline on Nasa's Satellites.
• Warming and acidification of oceans - Ocean temperatures have increased around the world which leads to coral bleaching. Additionally, increased CO2 uptake by oceans leads to acidification which further impacts marine animals.
• Changes in ecosystems - Early timing of spring events, poleward and upward shifts in plant and animal communities, loss of polar and montane habitats. 

 

More on this series:

 

Climate Change part 2 - What is causing climate change?



Brazil's Indigenous vs. Belo Monte Dam

I just sent a letter to Minister Carlos Ayres Britto, Chief Justice of the Brazilian Supreme Court, in support of the rights of the indigenous people of the Xingu who are fighting for their survival in the face of the monstrous Belo Monte Dam. I asked him to uphold the landmark decision of the regional court on August 14th that overturned approval of the license to build Belo Monte.

Please watch this moving video and then join me in taking action right away:



Visit International Rivers to understand more.

Wyoming Attempts to Exterminate Wolves

EarthJustice - The anti-wolf crowd in Wyoming has this irrational fear of wolves, and no amount of evidence can calm them. These are the folks who want to turn back the clock to the Wild West days where they could kill every wolf they see – and, unfortunately, the Interior Department is going to let them do just that in most of the state.

It’s hard to believe that, in this day and age, recklessly killing wolf pups would be encouraged by a state government, but that is what we are facing. The state of Wyoming is openly discussing taking dogs from a dog pound to the backcountry, staking them dead or alive until wolves arrive, and then killing the wolves on sight. The sad part is that this would be perfectly legal in most of the state.

After we wiped wolves out in the western United States, they were listed as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. Wolves were the missing link in Yellowstone. Without wolves, elk became too abundant and overgrazed grasses and shrubs. With wolves back, everything from ground squirrels to songbirds have been positively affected and we now have a fully functioning ecosystem.

I am fighting so that wolves will survive and prosper, and so that Yellowstone and other special places will have wolves on the ground for centuries to come. (See how you can help.) I want to ensure that, in the future, my grandchildren and people from around the world can go to Yellowstone and see nature as it existed for centuries.



Once you hear the call of a wolf in the wild, you are hooked. They remind us what wilderness is all about; they teach us about the natural world. I want future generations to be able to hear a wolf howl in the wild, and learn the importance of protecting these special creatures.

A Spring-like February

The skies are clear and beautifully blue. The temperature has been reaching a high of 70 degrees on some days. You'd think it was spring. It's not. It's February. Spring is still a month away.

It might be hard to see in this picture, but if you look closely you'll see the black and yellow marbled pattern of a northern box turtle. They dig deep into the soil to keep their bodies from freezing while they sleep during the cold winter months. But as you can see, this little guy is under very shallow cover. This means that this particular turtle is about to emerge for the spring. He may already have done so as the surrounding soil seems a bit loose.



And, naturally during springtime, the wood frogs emerge from their leaf and soil cover to create an enormous racket. I was making my way to a nearby stream at the sanctuary when I came across these guys calling out for potential mates already. But it's not springtime. It's February.

Here's a look at what was just over the hill:



Amazing. All this springtime activity in February - which is traditionally the coldest, snowiest month of the year - makes you wonder what the rest of the year will look like.

Energy Efficiency Can Lower Your Tax Bill

According to the Pacific Daily News, homeowners who made energy efficient upgrades to their homes can claim an energy efficient credit to offset some of the costs related to the purchase of energy efficient equipment and appliances.

"Congress wanted people to invest in energy saving equipment for their home. Up to 30% of the cost is covered by the tax credit," said Joe Arnett, partner for tax services at Deloitte and Touche LLC.

The nonrefundable credit is available for individuals who installed alternative energy equipment in their principal residence.

"Nonrefundable means you can't use the credit and create a refund, but you can use it to offset any tax you do owe," Arnette said. Also, if there is an excess amount the tax filter can claim, it can be carried over and used next tax year.

"There is a limit to claim, based on your tax liability," Arnett said.

The credit is available for the cost of solar water heaters, solar electricity equipment, qualified small wind energy property, geothermal heat pumps and fuel cell plants, according to the Internal Revenue Service web site.

The qualifying equipment must be installed and in use before Jan. 1, 2017, Arnett said.

The credit also is available for condominium owners.

"So even people who live in condos can claim this credit, based upon the percentage of cost that is allocated to them."

"It's recommended that tax filers who wish to claim the tax credit keep receipts of their purchases to prove elegibility."

Another great reason to "go green."

Bean Day

Well, for some reason today is Bean Day.  Actually it could also be tomorrow.  I've noticed both the 5th and the 6th as being a potential celebration day for the mighty bean.  I'm not sure exactly where this observance comes from, but the most popular - and logical - explanation is that bean farmers need a promotion for their precious crop.  Whatever the reason, I'm here to help promote the bean.

As a vegetarian, a main "meat" of my diet is beans.  I eat beans twice a day: bean soup, beans and rice, hummus, etc.  I firmly believe a diet rich in beans is crucial for good health.  Here are some good reasons to eat beans.

They're full of fiber.  You get about 8 grams of fiber per half cup, nearly a third of your daily fiber need.  Fiber helps you lose weight, stay regular and stave off chronic disease.

They're rich in nutrients.  Just half a cup of most beans covers 30 - 45% of your daily requirement of folic acid (a B vitamin that helps out your heart and helps prevent cancer and birth defects).  They're also rich in iron, which helps prevent anemia, and magnesium, which is important for your heart and bones. 

They're high in protein.  Soybeans are "complete" proteins.  And many beans have all the amino acids required to make protein, except for one called methionine.  So eat bread or rice on the same day, since these starches have the missing amino acid.

And in honor of Bean Day I'm sharing with you one of my favorite bean recipes.  It's one of the tops in all categories at my house (healthy, flavorful, hearty, warming, and long lasting - make it once and you have a week's worth of lunches).  This is a moderately spicey soup, which is excellent on a cold winter day in which you may be feeling a little under the weather.  Also, when following this recipe, try to obtain only organic ingredients.  Here you go:

Adzuki Bean Soup

What you will need

• 8 ounces dry adzuki beans, soaked overnight (Please don't use canned.  It's not nearly as good for you.)
• 6 cups water (A variation that I use is sodium-free, or low sodium, vegetable stock.)
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 4 stalks celery, thinly sliced (I don't like celery, so I use carrots instead)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons fresh herbs, finely chopped (rosemary, oregano, parsley, chives, basil, or a combination of your choice)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 3 cloves
• 2 teaspoons salt (1 teaspoon if using low sodium vegetable stock and none if using full sodium vegetable stock)
• 3 teaspoons white pepper
• a large handful (or two) of fresh kale, chopped

Directions

1. Rinse pre-soaked beans and place in a large pot.
2. Add water or vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to simmer, covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
4. While the beans are simmering, heat olive oil in a large skillet on med-high heat and saute all vegetables (except the kale) for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Then set aside.
5. Add the sauteed vegetables and all the spices to the beans.
6. Bring back to a boil.
7. Again reduce heat to simmer, covered, for another hour, stirring occasionally.
8. Once it's done, add the kale and stir.
9. Serve with some really hardy multigrain bread.

Enjoy, and let me know what you think or if you have a successful variation.

Happy Bean Day!