Sen. Richard Burr, up for re-election, is a cautious global warming denier:
Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) said he is skeptical of recent reports showing a threat of rising sea levels in his home state. [E&E Daily, 3/29/06]
Burr also opposes the EPA finding that greenhouse gases are pollution and opposes a cap-and-trade market to reduce global warming pollution: “While the figures vary, it is clear this massive new federal bureaucracy would lead to higher energy costs for North Carolina families and businesses with little measurable benefit for the environment.”
Elaine Marshall, on the other hand, represents a strong voice in support of the responsible use of science in public policy decision-making and on the value of clean-energy solutions for boosting North Carolina’s economy. Simply put, the quality of Marshall’s energy and environment issue page simply rates repeating:
Global climate change is the most pressing environmental and national security issue facing us today. We need an energy policy that reduces the pollution that causes global warming and, at the same time, lessens our dependence on foreign oil. The task is great, but the challenge also provides the opportunity to create new jobs right here in North Carolina.
The solution lies in shifting our infrastructure from a carbon-based system to one based on clean energy, a change that will result in a dramatic shift in our economy.
The benefits that North Carolina will see are endless. With research facilities that stretch from the Research Triangle Park to Charlotte, North Carolina can be a leader in research and development for the technology that will provide clean, renewable energy. This work will lead to new industries and new jobs, many of which will stay here in our state.
I believe the nation’s policy on energy and global climate change must:
Reduce carbon emissions. We should no longer have to rely on foreign oil to provide the energy we need in the United States. We can create cleaner energy here, and put Americans to work providing it.
Ensure investments in renewable energy, not just in wind and solar power technologies, but also in biomass and biofuel technologies that will allow us to tap into our state’s rich agricultural base. An investment in this area can make farming more efficient.
Ensure adequate funding to update our electric grid so that renewable energy can get from production sources to our homes and businesses.
Provide incentives for conservation efforts and those companies who help consumers create them. Already, one North Carolina company, Durham-based Cree Inc., is leading the way in LED lighting products. Researchers and entrepreneurs here should have the chance to create similar businesses and job opportunities.
Elaine Marshall quite clearly understands the challenges that climate change creates. She also has an understanding of the opportunities that taking action to mitigate climate change can create — with an eye toward the “endless” opportunities for her fellow North Carolinians.
Richard Burr, rather than looking toward the 21st century, seems complacent in looking back toward the 19th century, ignoring the risks we face (peak oil, health problems from burning fossil fuels, economic damage due to sending $1+ billion / day overseas for oil, climate chaos) and blowing off the opportunities there for the seizing.
Across this country, there are too many stark contrasts between those who resemble an ostrich, happily digging their heads into the sand, and those who are looking forward toward the future to help create a stronger and more prosperous union.
That reality is why the Republican Party and their Corporatist backers are fighting so hard to confuse the situation, with funding deceptive (and outright) false advertising. This is why the fossil fuel interests are spending so heavily on campaigns across the country. The lies are obscuring the starkness of the choice. With most of the traditional media complicit in buying into Republican talking points about the election — no matter the reality of the situation — and legitimate frustration about the painful situation so many Americans find themselves in with high unemployment, the “Republican wave” seems a preordained reality to many pundits. The reality of Marshall’s surge, with several more weeks to go, gives a glimmer of hope that Americans are waking up to the stark nature of the choices before them and will reject the hateful lies to support those who will work to create a stronger and more prosperous Union.
The Republicans clearly understand that “playing the ref” works on Obama.
It’s like he wants to prove that he isn’t what they say he is, wants it so badly that he over and over does things to show them that he isn’t like that, so when he does they double down, do even more. And he just doesn’t get it that they’re playing him.
He seems to think that if he gives them even more, moves more to the right, they’ll stop saying bad things about him.
Give the big companies more, they’ll back off.
Punch another hippie, they’ll finally let him be “one of us” in the big leagues.
The community organizer, elected for “change”, who seems to have put — too often — bipartisanship before doing the right thing when it comes to seeking legislation.
With the stimulus package, lets put in tax cuts because the Rs will like it, won’t they?
How about pre-compromising on climate legislation by giving away the farm by promising support for clean coal, nuclear industry expansion, offshore drilling, free permits to polluters, etc without requiring any signatures on the deal?
Not pursuing single payer (okay, a bit further than he would have gone) or, sigh, even single-payer in the health care bill?
Speaking about cutting Federal labor force, asserting that ‘lower-skilled workers’ seem to be paid too much while higher-skilled workers are underpaid rather than defending how the Federal government remains a bastion where people, who show up and do their work well, can earn a livable wage.
And so on … and so on … and so on …
There is much to admire in President Obama (despite what Fox watchers and Palin-istas might think) and there are real, tangible achievements by the President and his Administration. Yet, it does seem he has a ‘centrist bent’ as he struggles with serious problems and serious naysayers not interested in cooperating on any issue …
The video, below, captures some of this in Rogers & Hammerstein style …
Comments Off on “Model of a modern American President” and the move to a centrist bent …Tags:President Barack Obama
October 18th, 2010 · Comments Off on Power of Efficient Lighting … notes from an energy ‘geek’-aholic
Like many people, I can happily spend time playing with my kids, have coached sports teams for years, can tune out with a foolish comedy, happily read fiction, can become entranced with a recipe, thrilled at an outdoor experience … e.g., there is much to life outside the study of energy and climate issues. Truly, there is …
With many passions and interests, have to say that I never would have predicted that material like Distributed Energy would ever have become bedtime reading … interesting, intriguing, and worthwhile reading, nonetheless.
As readers of this site’s electrons are well aware, win-win-win solutions that seek to understand and capture the full range of costs and benefits are core to how we should approach our energy challenges and opportunities. Moving toward better light engineering is one of those arenas where sensible action could have meaningful impacts on improved work / living conditions, lower maintenance costs, lower energy costs, and a lighter carbon footprint.
Dan Rafter’s Slashing Lighting Costs, from the January/February 2010 issue, provides a window on the challenge of getting this sort of holistic understanding into building management decision-making.
October 18th, 2010 · Comments Off on Americans Trust Scientists Over Climate Deniers
This guest post from Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse examines the disconnect between the Republican Party leadership and how Americans have confidence in scientists. This highlights the importance of educating the public about climate science — and how the Obama Administration has failed in this educational responsibility.
For years, climate deniers have lied and misinformed to confuse the public on climate change and denigrate scientists. Last year, it was no surprise when climate denier was picked as the GOP candidate litmus test for 2010. The GOP were filled with cocky confidence that their disinformation campaigns and lies convinced enough people that scientists were involved in a global climate change conspiracy, something that GOP teabaggers want to flip into Congressional investigations should they prevail in the midterms. However, findings from a study can assist achieving comprehensive climate change legislation as well as debunking intended probes: Generally, Americans do not buy climate denier arguments, scientists are trusted more than any other source for information about global warming, and the public wants to be educated about climate change.
For most people in the developed world, clean water is a given. And, using that water for play (pools), friviolity (whether Las Vegas fountains or greening the law), and flushing a bug down the toilet is a no-brainer part of existence. Our water issues are a mirror and complementary path toward the insanity of our fossil-foolish energy system.
Water plays a major role in our energy system: what, after all, is getting boiled by burning coal to create electricity? And, that electricity is used for water service — irrigation, pumping, cleaning. Our energy actions and energy choices have a direct impact on our water supplies — wind and (pv) solar are far less water dependent; reducing our water demands translates directly to reduced energy use and reduced pollution. Our choices — from the individual to the organizational to the societal — matter.
And, while water is seemingly unlimited, there are real and true limits. These are being faced in some regions of the world on a constant basis with inadequate water supplies to support the existing population (let alone future population growth). And, in too many places of the world, our profligate pulling of fossil acquifer water is setting the stage for massive risks to come. And, far too many people have not just inadequate but filthy water supplies. Sadly, far too many people’s drinking water is likely filthier than the waste water from many Americans’ homes.
Unsafe drinking water and lack of sanitation kills more people every year than all forms of violence, including war.
There are harsh realities out there that too many of us remain ignorant of and of which our governing structures are taking inadequate action and attention: peak oil, global warming, peak freshwater, etc …
We are, collectively, headed toward a crash which will make us nostalgic for the 2008 financial implosion.
This does not have to be.
We are headed for a crash unless we begin to take these challenges seriously and begin to act to turn our path away from the massive disaster.
Just as with energy and climate change, the good news story is that opportunities exist for addressing our water challenges that will not just ameliorate the water issue but help solve other problems. Just as noted above, more efficient (less wasteful) water use translates directly to energy savings — e.g., financial value with a reduced climate change impact. And, by addressing water challenges in the Developing World — for those with inadequate and dirty water supplies — we can reduce the burdens on the health systems and improve economic development.
Access to clean water is not just a human rights issue. It’s an environmental issue. An animal welfare issue. A sustainability issue. Water is a global issue, and it affects all of us.
There are a myriad of ways in which the U.S. home mortgage system is weak to even broken. The extent of the housing bubble to the shoddy paperwork (and, in too many cases, outright fraud) in foreclosures are just two minor little examples of the problems we face.
One contributing factor — to the housing bubble, to foreclosure rates, to wasteful U.S. energy practices, to Americans’ heavy carbon footprints — is the absence of efficiency from the home financing process. The home financing guidance from the heavy-weights (the Fannies) doesn’t take efficiency into account for determining mortgage affordability as there is not a serious consideration of the energy cost implications of a home purchase decision and how that can impact affordability.
There are at least two specific elements that the home loan process should consider:
Location efficiency
Building energy efficiency
Location efficiency: Very simply, location matters. Live far away from work, stores, and recreational facilities and you are (MUCH) more likely to be hopping in that McSUV to buy the carton of milk for breakfast. The costs relation to that location inefficiency include your time (which might be used, for some people, to generate more income via more work), automobile/transport costs (insurance, gasoline, ownership of more cars, paying for a garage/driveway), and potentially higher costs for things like deliveries and services (those people need to drive longer to get to you). Live in an urban area, a walk to work and stores and schools, and that inefficiency cost plummets.
“After a mortgage, owning and driving vehicles is the second highest household expense, and people who live in a walkable neighborhood near shops and schools can save serious money each year. That makes the “drive ‘til you qualify” mindset as outdated as buying a gas-guzzling SUV.”
Energy Efficiency is rather straightforward: how efficient is the house system in terms of energy (and, well, water) usage. An old home with bad insulation, leaky windows, and decrepit appliances will cost more to heat and cool than a home built to modern standards. And, a house built to Energy Star (or, even better, passivhaus) standards will have even lower heating and cooling bills. While there are mortgages that relate to energy efficiency, this is mainly in theory as most lenders simply aren’t aware of them. A homeowner with a more energy efficient house, which costs $1000 less per year in heating/cooling bills, will have more money available to pay the mortgage. And, this is seen in actual default rates as the more energy efficient the home, the lower default rate. Sadly, essentially no lenders take house energy efficiency into account when making lending decisions.
Today, we have the good news that a Democratic candidate has chosen to highlight the difference — accurately calling out his opponent as a Climate Zombie.
October 10th, 2010 · Comments Off on Stupid Goes Viral: Climate Zombies of HI, ID, MN, MT, OR, WY
R L Millercomes to the table with thoughtful, informed, insightful, and passionate writing. This guest post is part of a series highlighting the anti-science syndrome suffering hatred of a livable economic system that is prevalent in the new wave of Republican candidates for Congress. An utter disdain for science, openly using truthiness-laden talking points that are simply false. To paraphrase a famous question, “Have you no shame, political candidate, no shame at all?”
They prowl the halls of Congress, moaning for caaasshh. Their stupid has gone viral. And if they win, humanity loses.
I’m tracking Climate Zombies: every Republican candidate for House, Senate, and Governor who doubts, denies, or derides the science of climate change. Today, I finish up all states west of the Rocky Mountains, plus throw in Minnesota as a bonus, and find not one, but two Republican incumbents who admit the reality of climate change.
October 9th, 2010 · Comments Off on 10/10/10/10/10/10: Where will you be?
A simple question: Where will you be at the
10th second of the
10th minute of the
10th hour of the
10th day of the
10th month of the
10th year?
As for me, in a little more than 10 hours, I will be in an attic, adding insulation to cut down power demands. And, a few hours later, I will be with my children 1000s of others in front of the White House.
My action will be among the smallest of the Global Work Party.
A day to take action to reduce carbon emissions to make a simple statement to our political leadership — around the world: we can do it, why can’t you?
October 4th, 2010 · Comments Off on Stupid Goes Viral: Climate Zombies Infect ME, Assault NJ
R L Millercomes to the table with thoughtful, informed, insightful, and passionate writing. This guest post is part of a series highlighting the anti-science syndrome suffering hatred of a livable economic system that is prevalent in the new wave of Republican candidates for Congress. An utter disdain for science, openly using truthiness-laden talking points that are simply false. To paraphrase a famous question, “Have you no shame, political candidate, no shame at all?”
They prowl the halls of Congress, moaning for caaasshh.
Their stupid has gone viral.
And if they win, humanity loses.
I’m tracking Climate Zombies: every Republican candidate for House, Senate, and Governor who doubts, denies, or derides the science of climate change. Maine represents the clash between Old (climate peacocks who flashily proclaim their desire to do something about climate without actually doing anything) and New (climate zombies who openly deride science and President Obama). Meanwhile, the Koch brothers’ Americans for Prosperity group sniffs around otherwise blue New Jersey, finds that Governor Chris Christie is vulnerable, and readies its assault.
comes to the table with thoughtful, informed, insightful, and passionate writing. This guest post is part of a series highlighting the anti-science syndrome suffering hatred of a livable economic system that is prevalent in the new wave of Republican candidates for Congress. An utter disdain for science, openly using truthiness-laden talking points that are simply false. To paraphrase a famous question, “Have you no shame, political candidate, no shame at all?”
at the