GlobalWarmingisReal contributor Anders Hellum-Alexander wraps-up and comments on the climate and environmental news headlines for the past week:
- Environmentalism has become a partisan issue. Many forget that most of our national environmental laws were signed into law by Nixon. Since then the dirty energy industry has realized that there is public opposition to their business and has flooded politics with money and influence. Republicans are thought as the ones on the side of dirty energy, but any Democrat from a state with a lot of “dirty energy influence” is also a friend of the industry. The Democrats are pretty soft on sustainable energy , they don’t push too hard on sustainable energy. For example, we don’t have a national policy on carbon emissions nor has an Obama presidency placed special focus on international climate change agreements. And, have you noticed how the presidential candidates have managed to debate energy policy and not mention climate change?
- GeoEngineering the climate is direct and intentional human influence on an ecosystem with the goal of changing the climate. At least one wealthy American businessman named Russ George has taken it upon himself to blindly mess with our environment without the goal of direct financial gain.
- For all the indifference climate change gets from politicians Americans increasingly believe in climate change. Because of this popular support you might think Democrats would use the issue to their advantage, but any opposition to dirty energy is met with a political onslaught from the industry.
- Regions that are so well known to us like the wine county of Napa and Sonoma counties or the Cornbelt are moving their geography with the influence of climate change. Get ready for the movement of agricultural industries.
- The wind industry is growing despite the debate over whether or not to extend the federal subsidy for wind energy.
- Clean energy advocates in California are suing the State government for not completing full environmental reviews of fracking operations when granting permits. If the government is going to permit a company to pump thousands of gallons of foreign material into the ground they better do a full environmental review. It’s just common sense.
- How much would you pay annually to stop global species extinction – $10, $20, $50…?
- The price of oil is really unstable and it’s so intertwined with global politics that its unpredictable. It’s a monster that has us at its mercy until we diversify away our dependence. Wouldn’t it be great to know that in 20 years you will be paying the same amount to heat your home as you do today? With dirty energy that is not a reality.
- SolarWorld has messed with the political climate between China and the US by trying to boost their business in Europe and the US be petitioning governments to stick tariffs on Chinese made solar modules. China will have a response and we will see how escalated the situation gets.
