EnvironmentBlinded by ignorance and self-absorption, humanity is destroying the creation. There is still time to assume the stewardship of the natural world that we owe to future human generations." E. O. Wilson, The Creation. The United States' natural resource policy - which gives away mineral rights and is controlled by special interests - is a model for how things should not be done. The secrecy with which the Bush administration formulated its energy policy - even refusing to disclose the names of the industry representatives who participated - also makes for a dismal role model. Bush's arguments for executive privilege are loved by those trying to keep secret what they are doing - whether to benefit themselves, their cronies, or a wider circle of friends who have helped them stay in power. pg 151 Making Globalization Work. Joseph E. Stiglitz. www.wwnorton.com "...humanity is already the first species in the history of life to become a geophysical force. We have, all by our bipedal, wobbly-headed selves, altered Earth's atmosphere and climate away from the norm. We have spread thousands of toxic chemicals worldwide, appropriated 40 percent of the solar energy available for photosynthesis, converted almost all of the easily arable land, dammed most of the rivers, raised the planet sea level, and now, in a manner likely to get everyone's attention like nothing else before it, we a close to running out of fresh water. A collateral effect of all this frenetic activity is the continuing extinction of wild ecosystems, along with the species that compose them. This also happens to be the only human impact that is irreversible. " E. O. Wilson, The Creation. LinksConnecticut Fund for the Environment Connecticut Fund for the Environment & Save the Sound Alliance for Climate Protection Environment See Robert F Kennedy's comments and his book Crimes against Nature. etc The Bush record is despicable. NRDC National Resources Defense Council Nature Conservancy working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. Wilderness Society people protecting America's Wilderness since 1935 through the potent combination of science, advocacy and education. Center for Biological Diversity Environmental Defense Action Fund Blacksmith Institute: Solving Pollution Problems American Farmland Trust for the protection of America's remaining farmland. Ocean Conservancy promotes healthy and diverse ocean ecosystems and opposes practices that threaten ocean life and human life. Earth Justice a non-profit public interest law firm dedicated to protecting the magnificent places, natural resources, and wildlife of this earth and to defending the right of all people to a healthy environment. We bring about far-reaching change by enforcing and strengthening environmental laws on behalf of hundreds of organizations and communities. National Parks Conservation Association About Watt.
Large Percent of Mammals going extinct NASA says ozone layer hole 5th biggest on record (11/5/2008) Rejoin the world's fight against climate change. Coming Ecological Collapse: Failing Ecosystems the Mother of All Bubbles (4/11/2008) US at the bottom of environmental performance for industrialized countries. Political interference at the EPA (posted 4/28/2008) See the full report. Bush EPA dilutes environmental justice Running Black ops on Green Groups (April 2, 2008) United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Decline in snowpack because of global warming. (02/01/2008) US refuses to reduce emissions at Bali (12/2007) From False to Real solutions for climate change. (01/06/2008) Oceans growing acidity alarms scientists (12/16/2007) Environmental causes of cancer Climate Change is a security issue like the cold war. NRDC The Bush Record on the Environment How the Bush administration regulates. About Drought Rachel's Precautionary Reporter Smearing Al Gore: Here We Go Again Loss of habitat threatens one-third of all primates (10/27/2007) The EPA is hastily closing its libraries. !!!!!!!!!!!!! About Pfizer's now closed production facility in Groton. Hazardous WasteSupport the Household Hazardous Waste Facility (CT river towns only.)
Save the River/Save the Hills is dedicated to abating and preventing pollution of the river and advocating the preservation of the Oswegatchie Hills. Due to bacterial and other forms of pollution the Niantic River is on the Federal EPA and the CT DEP's "List of Impaired Waterbodies". Klienschmidt Energy and Water Resource Consultants are studying pollution sources emptying into the Niantic River. The final report, the Niantic River Watershed Plan, is due in September. www.kxchange.com/nrwp. Politicization of Climate ScienceToday, GAP is releasing a comprehensive report, Redacting the Science of Climate Change, detailing the findings of a year-long investigation into political interference at federal climate science agencies. The report demonstrates how policies and practices have increasingly restricted the flow of scientific information emerging from publicly-funded climate change research. This has negatively affected the media’s ability to report objectively on scientific issues, public officials’ capacity to respond with appropriate policies, and full public understanding of environmental concerns. -- Dylan Blaylock 3/27/07 White House Systematic Effort To Manipulate Climate Science Bush Administration interfering with EPA Scientists. EPA: Enormously Pathetic Agency Censorship of climate Science: The case of Dr James Hanson Censoring Science: Inside the political attack on Dr. James Hansen and the Truth of Global Warming. Mark Bowen. The FERC is cheerleading for the LNG facility in Long Island soundAlthough the FERC sees no problem with putting an LNG facility in Long Island Sound, Ralph Lewis, former state geologist, questioned the ability of the soft clay to support the pilings required to anchor the huge terminal and worried the planned underground pipeline to carry LNG from the terminal might just sink through the clay under its own weight. Senator Andrea Stillman in a letter to the Lyme Times said the "FERC seems particularly callous with regard to allowable public comment ...its window is only 60 days. Contact Senator Stillman at (860)240-8600 or 1-800-842-1420. See the CFE site for late information. Long term Weather ForecastNote: some of these scenarios from "The Extreme Future": James Canton, Ph.d. Human population increase is putting pressure on the earth's environment. Malthus wasn't wrong, just early. You can expect a continuation of warming. Check out some of the evidence for Global Warming, or the Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. CO2 levels have increased measurably in the atmosphere, and, as a result, UN scientists warn time is running out to tackle global warming. Arctic ice will melt, open water will appear near the North Pole, glaciers worldwide are shrinking also reducing the natural supply of fresh water. Serious droughts will be disastrous for many. Desertification will accelerate. Lakes will shrink. More forest fires will result from warmer, dryer conditions. A recent 60 Minutes piece said that none of the firefighters doubt global warming. Sea levels will rise forcing migration from areas near water level. The migration is already beginning. Many low coastal areas will become uninhabitable forcing many of the world's poorest to migrate to higher ground. Storm severity will increase as ocean waters warm. It is well established that Biodiversity has declined. This will be a permanent loss. Many species will need to move to preserve their habitat. Tropical species, insects, and disease will spread north. Disease increase including cancer and environmentally related diseases due to overpopulation, pollution, environmental damage, and climate change. Pollutants will become more hazardous and more threatening. Peak oil will not only make fuel, transport, and fertilizer, and food more expensive. Deforestation will accelerate as demand grows for biofuels. Lack of Farmland will also be exacerbated by urban growth. Food shortages will be extensive. Over fishing has already caused collapse of ocean ecology. Increased financial burden due to natural-resource scarcity will result in more frequent wars. Resource scarcity of food, water, and land will increase poverty. Poverty is a driver of war. Climate change may not happen gradually because we suspect there are considerable non-linearities. For example arctic ice melt will cause a change in the albedo, permafrost melt will release large amounts of methane, fresh water runoff from melting Greenland ice can cause a slowing or stopping of the Gulf Stream. So some of these changes could happen rapidly. Arctic ice melt is much faster than computer models predicted. It is not easy to see how the more extreme forms of nationalism can long survive when men have seen the Earth in its true perspective as a single small globe against the stars: Arthur C. Clarke other websites:"Petroleum geologists have known for 50 years that global oil production would "peak" and begin its inevitable decline within a decade of the year 2000. Moreover, no renewable energy systems have the potential to generate more than a tiny fraction of the power now being generated by fossil fuels. In short, the end of oil signals the end of civilization, as we know it." From dieoff.com, a web site assembled by James Hanson, NASA scientist. Forest Guardians Environmental Activism Rachel's Environment & Health Weekly Effective Environmental Policy in the Presence of Distorting Taxes Tax shift legislation in Vermont Minnesotans for an Energy-Efficient Economy (USA) BibliographyThe Bridge at the End of the World: Gus Speth (2008) The Body Toxic: Nena Baker (2008) The World Without Us: Alan Weisman With Speed and Violence: Fred Pearce. Beacon Press. 2007 Heat: How to Stop the Planet From Burning: George Monbiot The Next One Hundred Years: Jonathan Weiner The Creation, An Appeal to Save Life on Earth, E. O. Wilson When Smoke Ran Like Water, Devra Davis Fateful Harvest: Duff Wilson (Careful what fertilizer you use.) Silent Spring: Rachel Carson The Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Products and What's at Stake for American Power Our Synthetic Environment: Murray Bookchin (Read it online.) A Matter of Degree: Gino Segre' The Heat is On: Ross Gelbspan. The Extreme Future: James Canton The Limits to Growth: Donella H. Meadows, Dennis L. Meadows, Jorgen Randers, William W. Behrens III. See Global Warming page also. |