How to Change the World–By Making a Profit

Al Gore and David Blood have an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal today on the topic of sustainability and accounting for environmental costs as part of good business practice, according to Environmental Economics. Unfortunately, the op-ed itself is safely locked away from public view behind a firewall, but we can glean some idea ofContinue reading “How to Change the World–By Making a Profit”

Global Warming Heats Up

Says Time. I’ll post their excellent story below the fold with one note: Here at last is a mainstream publication willing to say what is obvious to people who have been watching the issue…that yes, cyclones like Larry in Australia, clocked at an unprecedented 180 mph, are a manifestation of global warming. Why is that so difficult for reporters to put down on paper?

The Other Side of DuPont

Having complimented DuPont on its impressive work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, I feel honor-bound to report the other side of the story. DuPont still is in big trouble over a carcinogenic gas known as PFOA that is a necessary part of the manufacture of its best-known product, Teflon. Many, such as the Environmental Working Group,Continue reading “The Other Side of DuPont”

Map of the Week

Florida and the East Coast, if the Greenland ice sheet melts:

Floridaaftergreenlandicesheetmelts

This from a formidable (but actually, excitingly good) shareholder report put out by the group called CERES, for California Environmental Resource Evaluation System).

Remarkably, in contrast to the head-in-the-sand stance of the Bush administration, it documents how a shocking number of big American corporations have taken on the fact and challenge of climate change, including Chevron, DuPont, and GE, and how these corps are making big changes in their operation and their attitude.

And then there are the "laggards," like the villainous ExxonMobil, Sempra, Phelps Dodge, and ConAgra.

I’ll post and briefly discuss the report below the fold.

Waah’s Up at Homeland Security

My favorite Washington reporter is the Washington Post’s Dana Milbank, because he refuses to take anyone too seriously–especially those who take themselves very, very seriously. Yesterday he reminded me of the great-but-almost-forgotten novelist Thomas Pynchon, who once wrote a brilliant novel–"V"–around the concept of "Wha?" as in "Cafe Wha?" Except that today, it’s our leadersContinue reading “Waah’s Up at Homeland Security”

“A Recipe for Disaster” Says Hansen…on “60 Minutes”

Readers of this blog or the NY Times already know how much trouble James Hansen has had recently trying to talk in public about global warming under the Bush administration, but last night "60 Minutes" retold the story of James Hansen’s muzzling for a television audience, and well, calling it "Rewriting the Science." Hansen toldContinue reading ““A Recipe for Disaster” Says Hansen…on “60 Minutes””