Judith Lewis, who helped inspire this blog, takes a thoughtful look at the possibility of new oil wells popping up in the Los Padres National Forest. At the heart of her story is a warm, richly-detailed portrait of Al Hess, the man the Forest Service has put in charge of the decision-making process. Hess, anContinue reading “Time to Drill?”
Author Archives: Kit Stolz
Seven Dead in Phoenix in Two Days
According to an editorial in the Arizona Republic, seven people in Phoenix have died in the last two days of a vicious heat wave, with record-breaking temps topping 116 degrees. The editorial adds: "…there’s something else that’s eerie and ominous about this heat wave. Sunday’s storm notwithstanding, the monsoon – a seasonal shift inContinue reading “Seven Dead in Phoenix in Two Days”
Elephants Squabble Over Climate Change
A Republican Congressman from Texas has launched an investigation into the research of three climate scientists, notably Michael Mann, arguing–based on an article in the Wall St. Journal–that their representation of a warming climate is fundamentally flawed. The threatening nature of inquiry is apparent in the Congressman’s letter. For example, here’s one passage: 4. ProvideContinue reading “Elephants Squabble Over Climate Change”
Chevron Walks the Talk — in New Guinea
What follows is a long, thoughtful, detail-packed excerpt from Jared Diamond’s epochal "Collapse." This particular excerpt concerns the actions of a Chevron subsidiary in a Papua New Guinea, a part of the world close to Diamond’s heart, since he worked there as an ornithologist decades ago. In a nutshell, Diamond suggests that–at least in thisContinue reading “Chevron Walks the Talk — in New Guinea”
Chevron Gets Serious
Chevron (er, excuse me, ChevronTexaco) recently has launched a truly exquisite website called will you join us? It’s about the fact that at this moment in history we as a busy, busy species have burned through at least half of the available oil reserves on the planet…and are expected by many experts to burn throughContinue reading “Chevron Gets Serious”
33,000 Dead — Thanks to Rove?
In September 2002, California officials confirmed U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates of 33,000 fish killed in the Klamath River by diseases caused by low water flows mandated by Federal officials. Thanks to the scandal now slowly enveloping Karl Rove, we now have a pretty fair idea why (LA TImes — registration required). In earlyContinue reading “33,000 Dead — Thanks to Rove?”
Is the Insurance Industry Exploiting Global Warming?
While I was on vacation, a fascinating piece on the insurance industry’s attempts to quantify global warming in the L.A. Times (registration required) ran last week. Although well-researched and thick with thought-provoking quotes from scientists, insurance industry experts, and skeptics, the piece by Michael Bustillo couldn’t seem to decide if the reinsurance industry’s fears ofContinue reading “Is the Insurance Industry Exploiting Global Warming?”
Not El Nino, Not La Nina — La Nada
Southern California had a strangely wet winter this year. Even the experts are scratching their heads about it. Usually heavy rains correspond to the ocean current pattern known as El Nino. Not this year, as the irrepressible Bill Patzert of JPL explains: "This season was what I call ‘La Nada,’ " Patzert said. "El NiñoContinue reading “Not El Nino, Not La Nina — La Nada”
Dangerous Curves
About a quarter-century ago, fueled by a great deal of blather from the White House, this nation became aware of an economic concept known as the Laffer curve. This impressive-sounding concept became famous, though its usefulness turned out to be political, not practical. David Stockman, the White House budget director at the time, explained itContinue reading “Dangerous Curves”
The Business-as-Usual Scenario…for the UK
From "The Scotsman," a worst-case climate change scenario for the UK, in which most of the islands are under water. Of course, this scenario assumes we do nothing to slow the changing of the global climate, and that the Antarctic ice sheet melts. Probably we as a species will have enough sense to avoid thatContinue reading “The Business-as-Usual Scenario…for the UK”
Kit Stolz 