Are you freaking kidding me?

Found this at the Statesman.com:

The famed King Ranch and a coalition of environmental groups sued Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson in federal court Tuesday, seeking to require extensive environmental review and public comment on two planned wind power projects along the Gulf Coast in Kenedy County.The coalition, the Coastal Habitat Alliance, also sued over the wind project in state District Court in Travis County. That suit claims that the state’s Public Utility Commission illegally denied the alliance’s request to participate in permit hearings for the wind project’s transmission line. The lawsuits threaten to delay or stop the two massive wind projects, which could place more than 600 turbines on 60,000 acres near Laguna Madre, south of Corpus Christi. Part of the wind projects would place about 250 turbines just east of a portion of the sprawling King Ranch. The federal suit, filed in U.S. Western District Court in Austin, said the turbines could kill untold numbers of migratory birds and damage the bay. It seeks to overturn the decision by the Texas General Land office to allow the projects to be built without environmental review or input from the public. The suit contends that the Federal Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 and the Texas Coastal Management Program require a permit process for any energy generation facility on the coast, including wind farms.

I wish I could say that this environmental group was raising public support for the wind project. You know… cut carbon emissions, save the planet, all that stuff.

Alas, no…

This group of morons is actually suing to stop the construction of a massive renewable energy project out of fear that birds will be harmed.

From the group’s own web site:

“The Coastal Habitat Alliance, Inc is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of one of Texas’ most unique assets – the Gulf Coast. As a group we are not opposed to wind power but are opposed to the irreparable harm to the Coast if the Kenedy industrial wind project is allowed to proceed.

What do you think will do more damage to the Gulf Coast: some wind turbines or massive sea level rise due to warming? I am all for keeping our coasts pretty. It might be a bit more important to keep our coasts above sea level!

Seriously, what do these people want? Save some local birds or save the planet? Makes me wonder how many of these environmentalists drive SUVs?

Green activists missing the point

We all know that Toyota’s Prius is the great green hope for the world with its 48 mpg magic. Now some environmentalists are protesting Toyota for “selling out” because they oppose legislation to mandate better fuel efficiency for all cars and light-duty trucks.

First of all, Toyota is a company with the same goal as every other company on the planet… making a profit. The employees, owners and stockholders expect nothing less. They also should expect little more and anyone else is foolish to think so. Of course they would oppose such a law because it would force every other car maker to muscle their way into Toyota niche market. The Prius owns the hybrid market, but that would be lost if everybody was doing it. It makes no sense for Toyota to support the legislation.

Second, if you want to see better fuel efficiency then you better not complain about high gas prices! The reason it is hard to find a used Prius for sale (I was looking for one a few months ago but settled for something else) is because we are all sick of paying over $50 every time we fill up. As the cost of gas goes up, the demand for good fuel efficiency will rise too. Give it a few years and Detroit will either get it or be replaced by other manufacturers.

So don’t blame Toyota for your disappointment. Blame yourself for believing a corporate automobile manufacturer could be more than what it is.

Oil, China and global production

A new report came out from an energy watch group in Germany today. If the report is accurate, peak oil already happened last year and we can expect a 7% reduction in production every year from now on. How bad is this?

On the brighter side, it is about time we all move on and stop burning stuff to power our world. We have been burning stuff since the beginnings of civilization and maybe this is just what we need to move on to something better. It could be a little painful for a while but we might all be better off in the long run.

Unfortunately, the U.S. is not the only economy that depends on oil. Oil has been the great engine of modernization and economic growth in every successful economy in the last 100 years. The latest booming economy is China, but this time it is facing a dwindling oil market rather than expanding.

In 2004, the LA Times published an article titled, “U.S., China Are on Collision Course Over Oil.” Here is an excerpt:

Sixty-seven years ago, oil-starved Japan embarked on an aggressive expansionary policy designed to secure its growing energy needs, which eventually led the nation into a world war. Today, another Asian power thirsts for oil: China.

While the U.S. is absorbed in fighting the war on terror, the seeds of what could be the next world war are quietly germinating. With 1.3 billion people and an economy growing at a phenomenal 8% to 10% a year, China, already a net oil importer, is growing increasingly dependent on imported oil. Last year, its auto sales grew 70% and its oil imports were up 30% from the previous year, making it the world’s No. 2 petroleum user after the U.S. By 2030, China is expected to have more cars than the U.S. and import as much oil as the U.S. does today.

Optimists claim that the world oil market will be able to accommodate China and that, instead of conflict, China’s thirst could create mutual desire for stability in the Middle East and thus actually bring Beijing closer to the U.S.

History shows the opposite: Superpowers find it difficult to coexist while competing over scarce resources.

The article cites a possible conflict over Saudi Arabian oil because that is the largest supplier in the world and China and the US are both customers. However, that was before Hugo Chavez pledged to fuel China and turn away from the United States. Venezuela provides 11% of U.S. imports but is turning toward China as a new customer and partner. Now the US could be faced with a violent conflict much closer to home.

The article was also published with peak oil being a distant problem.  Now it may already be hear and China’s demand is already putting a strain on the world market.  There are a number of places where the battle over oil could be fought as the US or China becomes desperate.  Sudan, Iran, Nigeria all are major producers and have strong ties with China already.  Some have called for the US to get involved in one way or another with these oil producers already  over nuclear of human rights issues.  But the flashpoint could be oil when it comes to US and China…  and it could be soon.

Lets take back the [new] seas America!

The most direct shipping route from Europe to Asia is fully clear of ice for the first time since records began, the European Space Agency (Esa) says.

More strangeness from the Department of Energy

On the DOE website there is a virtual frog dissection game for kids.

How is this happening in America?

“Democracies do not spray their citizens with powerful untested, unwanted pesticides.” -David Dilworth, August 2007

As I type, the State of California is dumping pesticides from the aircraft (flying at 500 ft) on the city of Monterey and Seaside for the third night in a row. I hear the planes flying directly over my house with my children sleeping upstairs. This is done inspite of citizen protest and a unanimous vote of the city council to stop the spraying and use safer methods. The EPA has NOT tested this pesticide on humans!

The MSDS label for the Checkmate olr-f spray does list is as Slightly Toxic and causing “Corneal involvement or irritation”

How is this happening in America? Is this a precursor to the what we are in store for next time there is a viral outbreak?

What lobby group is pushing this and which politician is making money on such a crazy infringment on our constitutional right to safety?

From the ihope website:

The Monterey City Council voted unanimously Thursday evening to oppose the aerial spraying of chemicals for the LBA Moth. They also gave confidential direction to their attorney, and directed the Mayor to ask the California Secretary of Agriculture to postpone the spraying scheduled for next Wednesday, Sept 5th. Wednesday night at the special Monterey City Council meeting held at the Monterey Conference Center, the first 2 hours were entirely used up by the three agency staff defending the pesticide spraying. Some 250 people attended and many others watched on live TV as a parade of dozens of people - perhaps as many as 60 - spoke against the aerial chemical spraying of our community. Another half dozen testified against the spraying Thursday. To say their comments were eloquent and heartfelt would be so inadequate as to describe the sun as merely bright.”People are more important than strawberries.”"Why didn’t [the moderator] read my question?” “It is totally unfair that we get only 3 minutes to rebut 2 hours of agency spin.” “Why didn’t [the moderator] read my question?” “The FAA closes the Monterey Tower at 9 in the evening. That means the spray planes will be flying less than 500 feet over our hilly town under the radar and with no tower watching.” and (the ever popular) - “Why didn’t [the moderator] read my question?” This is just a sampling. I urge you to review the DVD of the meeting, available at Monterey Library when ready. Steven Shimek was the one person to advocate for planes spraying chemicals on us - either day. Although claiming to represent Sea Otters, he apparently didn’t think about the pesticide toxicity to crabs that our endangered Sea Otters eat.

Here are some links to learn more about this story:
http://www.1hope.org/chkmate.htm
http://www.1hope.org/MTRYHALT.RTF
http://Here is my earlier post with the letter sent to all the local households/

My new truck

“Our environmental problems originate in the hubris of imagining ourselves as the central nervous system or the brain of nature. We’re not the brain, we are a cancer on nature.” ~ Dave Foreman

I buy vegetables grown locally.

I ride my bike to work a couple times a month, or at least I try too.

I replaced all my light bulbs with CFLs.

I recycle almost everything that is recyclable.

So what did I do yesterday to help out the environment? Ummmm…. I bought a 2001 Dodge Dakota V-8 4X4 dual exhaust gas guzzling monster.

It was below blue book and I couldn’t resist. I promise not to drive it too much.

“We’re in a giant car heading towards a brick wall and everyones arguing over where they’re going to sit.” ~ David Suzuki

Sorry planet. I call shotgun!

China solves global warming!

In a brilliant move three decade ago, China began a policy to limit population growth. Billed as the “One-Child Policy,” the law was passed that families would be legally limited to one offspring unless a permit was granted.

In Reuters:

China says its one-child policy has helped the fight against global warming by avoiding 300 million births, the equivalent of the population of the United States.

That makes total sense.

In the Houston Chronicle:
Yang Zhongchen, a small-town businessman, knows how this works first hand. One night, a couple of weeks before her date for giving birth, Yang’s wife was dragged from her bed in a north China town and taken to a clinic, where her baby was killed by injection while still inside her.

“Several people held me down, they ripped my clothes aside and the doctor pushed a large syringe into my stomach,” says Jin Yani, a shy, petite woman with a long ponytail. “It was very painful. … It was all very rough.”

I think Beijing might be on to something. A majority of China’s power generation comes from coal burning power plants. With the rapid increase in oil consumption, China is one of the top emitters of greenhouse gasses. Less people = less coal burning. Seems rational.

Maybe Beijing should take this to the next level and really help us all. I propose that the CCP outlaw all births in China. A “No-Child Policy.” In just a few decades a majority of the population pressure in China would work itself out.

The new war on… moths?

The government of California has declared biological warfare on an alien invader.

The alien is the Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM) from Australia. This moth has made landfall in the San Francisco Bay area and has the potential to thrive in 80 percent of the nation.

Nuclear reactors of the world

from the International Nuclear Safety Center:

This map shows the location of nuclear power plants around the world. For closer details click the INSC link to check out area specific maps.

According to the EIA’s Monthly Energy Review (MER) nuclear power provides around 20% of the electricity used in the United States.