Category Archives: activism

How nicotine builds addictive structures in the brain

Cigarettes are evil.  What is evil? "Evil is movement towards void," said (memorably) the novelist Don Delillo. In the context of cigarettes, evil is intending to push users towards the void — to sicken or kill them.   But how can a naturally occuring substance, a venerable plant such as tobacco, express malice? Here's howContinue reading “How nicotine builds addictive structures in the brain”

If climate change is dangerous, can’t a scientist say so? (Hansen’s keynote address at the AGU 2013)

Back in l988, physicist/climatologist James Hansen told Congress that that we had begun to change the earth's atmosphere. This was during a heat wave in Washington, and his testimony made headlines. That's rare for a scientist of any sort.  "Global warming has began, Expert tells Senate" reported the NYTimes.  "It's time to stop waffling soContinue reading “If climate change is dangerous, can’t a scientist say so? (Hansen’s keynote address at the AGU 2013)”

Why “every little bit helps” may not with climate change

Marc Gunther runs a new sustainability blog for The Guardian, and brings an acerbic intelligence to the topic — no little b.s. stories about how a tiny innovation or change will save us from a big problem.  Example: plastic bags. Adam Corner for the blog writes: In 2014, England will follow the example set by WalesContinue reading “Why “every little bit helps” may not with climate change”

Does fear of earthquake in Delta justify $25 billion project?

Last week California water agencies dumped a 34,000 page project report — on Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and the need for twin tunnel project — on an oblivious public. The LA Times editorialized on the project without stating a clear opinion, but did mention that the city has become much much better at water conservation: ThereContinue reading “Does fear of earthquake in Delta justify $25 billion project?”

Tear down Hetch-Hetchy dam? Release a new Yosemite?

Two former attorney generals for the state of California, Dan Lungren, a Republican, and John Van de Kamp, a Democrat, together last week published an editorial calling for Congress to revise the Raker Act that allowed, back in l910, the flooding of a priceless valley called Hetch-Hetchy in Yosemite National Park.  Hetch-Hetchy was deeply belovedContinue reading “Tear down Hetch-Hetchy dam? Release a new Yosemite?”

A leaf tells us: Prehistoric ice melting in Italian Alps

Great story from AGU. Officially this is a press release from Ohio State University. But really it's just a great story from Pam Frost Gorder, and deserves attention in its own right.  SAN FRANCISCO—Less than 20 miles from the site where melting ice exposed the 5,000-year-old body of Ötzi the Iceman, scientists have discovered newContinue reading “A leaf tells us: Prehistoric ice melting in Italian Alps”

The “monstering” of tamarisk: How the government “found” water for a big copper producer in wartime by vilifying a plant

In her recently published book, The Rambunctious Garden, Emma Marris blithely whirled readers through a whole new world of ideas about conservation.  She wants us to give up on the notion of a pristine world untouched by man, and accept nature's half-wild state today — as long as we are half-wild ourselves.  Along the way, she introducesContinue reading “The “monstering” of tamarisk: How the government “found” water for a big copper producer in wartime by vilifying a plant”

“Sheepwrecked” in Yosemite, Santa Cruz I., and the UK

140 years ago sheep were devastating the slopes and meadows of the Sierras and John Muir launched an effort — which took decades — to remove them. He wrote: It is impossible to conceive of a devastation more universal than is produced among the plants of the Sierra by sheep…The greass is eaten close andContinue reading ““Sheepwrecked” in Yosemite, Santa Cruz I., and the UK”