Here's a fascinating thought experiment: what if we set aside half the planet for wildlife?
It sounds like a pipe dream, too radical to consider seriously; humans, after all, have spread into every comfortable corner of the earth, and our population will only continue to rise. But the eminent biologist and conservationist E. O. Wilson believes that it's the best way to preserve biodiversity on this planet, and that it can be done:
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/can-world-really-set-aside-half-planet-wildlife-180952379/
This would require, unsurprisingly, drastically reshaping the way we (as a species) consider the use of land and resources. Humanity has a fascination with the idea that we are the undisputed and rightful masters of the planet, that everything on this Earth is ours for the taking, consequences be damned. It's an incredibly shortsighted view, of course. From the first agricultural societies that learned to let certain fields lie fallow, to the English monarchs who decided to replant ship-worthy trees so that their heirs could build a navy to conquer half the world, to Theodore Roosevelt and his national parks, people have always recognized the value of safeguarding natural resources for future use and enjoyment.
E. O. Wilson's idea is really just taking the concept of a national park to a new level, albeit with judicious application of eminent domain and large-scale zoning laws. It wouldn't be the first time a government relocated groups of people in order to facilitate a greater national good, and this would be a much better cause than some of the previous incidences could claim. (I'm tempted to make some joke about flyover country, here.)
Even though the concept seems, in human terms, to be just a very large national park, its effect on our ecosystems is exponentially greater than that of our extant national parks. One mustn't underestimate the positive effects that uninterrupted migratory patterns would have on bolstering animal populations, especially those that are more sensitive to seasonal changes (and therefore more likely to be endangered in the first place). This scheme would revert, to the extent possible, a swath of land to its "original" state, before humanity molded it to suit our civilizations -- the state of nature, optimized for a balanced ecosphere. For all that we have done to alter the environment, that it would be possible to rectify the greater part of the damage we've caused in these parts, is itself no small feat.
We have reached a juncture after which the biodiversity of the planet will become increasingly more difficult to retain and salvage. Though Wilson's proposal is drastic, it is still, without a great stretch of the imagination, within our grasp. Some things are worth the cost -- surely the Earth is among them.
Showing posts with label environment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label environment. Show all posts
Friday, November 21, 2014
Friday, September 26, 2014
The People's Climate March, a Recap
Over the weekend, I went to the People's Climate March. I went alone, one of more than 300,000 people who attended the New York City event (similar marches were staged in cities around the world), and was warmly welcomed by perfect strangers, from climate scientists to concerned parents pushing baby strollers. There was universally an acknowledgement of solidarity, of common and overarching cause. There was a determination that the United Nations should hear us, on the weekend of the Climate Summit.
The March spanned more than fifty blocks on Manhattan's West Side, from 86th Street down to 34th Street. I joined about halfway through, having rushed across the river from the Brooklyn Book Festival, which was unfortunately on the same day. I tried to document what I could; my batteries gave out partway through...
Marchers flocked to New York from colleges and universities throughout the Northeast, bringing handmade signs, slick printed banners, and matching t-shirts. (You know it's a real campus group when it has special t-shirts!)
There were also members of a diverse array of disproportionately-impacted communities, from indigenous populations to farmers to anyone who happened to live in a low-lying coastal region, included most Hurricane Sandy victims in the tri-state area (an unsurprisingly well-represented group).
Activists of all ages carried signs and slogans, and looked pretty happy to be here. It wasn't just young, idealistic college students!
These marchers, though, look like young, idealistic college students... The "fill-in-the-blank" signs were handed out to marchers at the beginning of the day. There was a wonderful diversity of answers, from the indisputably factual to the unflinchingly personal.
There were some interesting pieces of green technology along for the ride. I was especially taken with this tiny solar-powered vehicle, which reminded me of a cross between a VW Beetle and a golf cart. (It was moving at slow enough speeds that children could clamber on.)
I fell in with a group of scientists, some of whom had come all the way from the U.K. to participate in the march. They had an incredible prop: an enormous rolling blackboard covered in real data. The evidence was clear, from more than ten feet away!
And of course, the scientists came prepared with clever exoplanet jokes.
This photo was taken towards the end of the march, as the afternoon was just giving way to early evening. As the lighting is lacking, the signs read "Tuvalu," "Save the Arctic," and "Stop the tar sands at the source." This was indeed the delegation representing the tiny Pacific archipelago of Tuvalu, which is in danger of being submerged by rising sea levels. Some of them probably came a very long way to be heard in front of the United Nations.
As for the media round-up, my favorite pieces about the March:
The U.N. appears to have gotten the message -- but it remains to be seen in the months and years ahead how seriously its member states take their new vows on climate action. It will require intricate policy and sustained initiative to see them through the vagaries of politics, of course. But no country can claim that its citizens do not care or will not be affected by climate change.
The March spanned more than fifty blocks on Manhattan's West Side, from 86th Street down to 34th Street. I joined about halfway through, having rushed across the river from the Brooklyn Book Festival, which was unfortunately on the same day. I tried to document what I could; my batteries gave out partway through...
I took this photo from just outside the barricade; it gives a good sense of the density of marchers along the route.
Marchers flocked to New York from colleges and universities throughout the Northeast, bringing handmade signs, slick printed banners, and matching t-shirts. (You know it's a real campus group when it has special t-shirts!)
There were also members of a diverse array of disproportionately-impacted communities, from indigenous populations to farmers to anyone who happened to live in a low-lying coastal region, included most Hurricane Sandy victims in the tri-state area (an unsurprisingly well-represented group).
These marchers, though, look like young, idealistic college students... The "fill-in-the-blank" signs were handed out to marchers at the beginning of the day. There was a wonderful diversity of answers, from the indisputably factual to the unflinchingly personal.
There were some interesting pieces of green technology along for the ride. I was especially taken with this tiny solar-powered vehicle, which reminded me of a cross between a VW Beetle and a golf cart. (It was moving at slow enough speeds that children could clamber on.)
And of course, the scientists came prepared with clever exoplanet jokes.
As for the media round-up, my favorite pieces about the March:
- The New Yorker ran an excellent article about the event, as well as a interview with the environmentalist and scholar Bill McKibben, one of the primary organizers of the March.
- The New York Times also covered the March, including audiovisual material that gives a great sense of the numbers and diversity of the marchers. A follow-up article provided deeper analysis of the economics behind climate change mitigation.
The U.N. appears to have gotten the message -- but it remains to be seen in the months and years ahead how seriously its member states take their new vows on climate action. It will require intricate policy and sustained initiative to see them through the vagaries of politics, of course. But no country can claim that its citizens do not care or will not be affected by climate change.
Saturday, August 9, 2014
The Guardian: Beijing Pilots Recycle-to-Ride Public Transit Program
This seems like a clever idea and incentive structure to address a very specific recycling problem, that of discarded plastic bottles, which cumulatively represent a significant threat to the environment (see the Great Pacific Garbage Patch):
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/jul/04/beijing-recycling-banks-subway-bottles
One of the crucial elements of any mass behavioral shift is the incentive structure. Unfortunately, the average human being's sense of morality or duty doesn't stand up well to repeat inconvenience, if the inconvenience in question doesn't tangibly benefit him. (People are generally willing to perform isolated acts of kindness or charity, even if against greater obstacles, in large part because these incidents seem out of the ordinary and don't connote repeat obligation.)
This system set in motion in Beijing has two obvious advantages. One is the instantaneous reward mechanism: the recycled bottles are converted to currency at the station, and the currency can be immediately used to ride the subway. It doesn't require the average person to go out of their way or alter their routine; it can be as simple as recycling your empty water bottle at the end of the day as you head home, or taking your recycling to the subway station in the morning when you leave for work.
The second is that it also incentivizes the transit authority (and thereby the municipal government) to more aggressively promote recycling. Prior to the implementation of this infrastructure, the transit authority would only be motivated to encourage recycling for environmental reasons; citizens' recycling benefited the PET recycling industry, but not the government. Now, because the transit authority would be earning money through this new program (funds which presumably help pay for operation and maintenance of the subway system), there is a direct incentive for the government to encourage recycling.
Obviously, there are some kinks to be ironed out, such as ensuring that the machines themselves operated efficiently and that the bottles collected would be processed at an acceptable environmental standard. As a collection mechanism, however, this seems like a great idea to promote environmentalism that also makes economic sense. I can't wait for the MTA to install some bottle-recyclers of its own; perhaps this would also reduce the number of track fire delays (usually caused by trash thrown onto subway tracks).
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/jul/04/beijing-recycling-banks-subway-bottles
One of the crucial elements of any mass behavioral shift is the incentive structure. Unfortunately, the average human being's sense of morality or duty doesn't stand up well to repeat inconvenience, if the inconvenience in question doesn't tangibly benefit him. (People are generally willing to perform isolated acts of kindness or charity, even if against greater obstacles, in large part because these incidents seem out of the ordinary and don't connote repeat obligation.)
This system set in motion in Beijing has two obvious advantages. One is the instantaneous reward mechanism: the recycled bottles are converted to currency at the station, and the currency can be immediately used to ride the subway. It doesn't require the average person to go out of their way or alter their routine; it can be as simple as recycling your empty water bottle at the end of the day as you head home, or taking your recycling to the subway station in the morning when you leave for work.
The second is that it also incentivizes the transit authority (and thereby the municipal government) to more aggressively promote recycling. Prior to the implementation of this infrastructure, the transit authority would only be motivated to encourage recycling for environmental reasons; citizens' recycling benefited the PET recycling industry, but not the government. Now, because the transit authority would be earning money through this new program (funds which presumably help pay for operation and maintenance of the subway system), there is a direct incentive for the government to encourage recycling.
Obviously, there are some kinks to be ironed out, such as ensuring that the machines themselves operated efficiently and that the bottles collected would be processed at an acceptable environmental standard. As a collection mechanism, however, this seems like a great idea to promote environmentalism that also makes economic sense. I can't wait for the MTA to install some bottle-recyclers of its own; perhaps this would also reduce the number of track fire delays (usually caused by trash thrown onto subway tracks).
Monday, August 12, 2013
The Economist: On Pollution, China is Better and Worse Than We Think
I'm reading Jared Diamond's excellent book Collapse (you know it's important when it has its own Wikipedia page!), which devotes a whole section to the real sociopolitical dangers modern China faces as a result of environmental fragility and degradation. I rather serendipitously happened upon this article in The Economist, which discusses developments therein (both good and bad) since Collapse was published in 2005:
http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21583245-china-worlds-worst-polluter-largest-investor-green-energy-its-rise-will-have
I subsequently ended up thinking a lot about the subject, so I thought I'd muse about it in prose. (Sometimes -- very occasionally -- I miss writing essays for college history classes...) This post is rather long, so I've put it below the cut:
http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21583245-china-worlds-worst-polluter-largest-investor-green-energy-its-rise-will-have
I subsequently ended up thinking a lot about the subject, so I thought I'd muse about it in prose. (Sometimes -- very occasionally -- I miss writing essays for college history classes...) This post is rather long, so I've put it below the cut:
Sunday, November 4, 2012
NYTimes: Bloomberg Endorses Obama, Cites Climate Change and Sandy
This. Climate change has been given such short shrift this campaign even though, as this recent disaster has shown, it is of utmost importance. Thank you, Mayor Bloomberg, for reaching out to Democrats to point this out:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/02/nyregion/bloomberg-endorses-obama-saying-hurricane-sandy-affected-decision.html?smid=tw-nytmetro
This is not just an environmental issue. Climate change is a national security issue, an economic issue, a health issue. There's been a War on Terrorism, a War on Poverty -- how about a War on Global Warming?
We need a leader with longterm vision, who understands that his policies affect more than just the here and now, that his children and his children's children -- future generations and the whole planet -- are at stake. It's hard, sometimes, for system of a four-year election cycles to deliver such a leader. We might have one in a second-term Obama; we know we don't in Romney.
Seeing is believing. Let's hope there are more believers now.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/02/nyregion/bloomberg-endorses-obama-saying-hurricane-sandy-affected-decision.html?smid=tw-nytmetro
This is not just an environmental issue. Climate change is a national security issue, an economic issue, a health issue. There's been a War on Terrorism, a War on Poverty -- how about a War on Global Warming?
We need a leader with longterm vision, who understands that his policies affect more than just the here and now, that his children and his children's children -- future generations and the whole planet -- are at stake. It's hard, sometimes, for system of a four-year election cycles to deliver such a leader. We might have one in a second-term Obama; we know we don't in Romney.
Seeing is believing. Let's hope there are more believers now.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
BBC: Human-Induced Fires Sow Seeds of the Future
"Natural" selection at work:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15674495
It's an interesting, if not surprising, case of observable evolution, much like the moths adapting to soot-stained England a century or two ago.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15674495
It's an interesting, if not surprising, case of observable evolution, much like the moths adapting to soot-stained England a century or two ago.
Friday, July 8, 2011
BBC: Parakeets Intimidate Garden Birds
Much like many other non-native species introduced into a very different habitat, parakeets appear to cause problems (thankfully, non-lethal ones) in the local ecosystem:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/13524396
We used to get a lime green bird or two in our backyard every year (we might still, but I unfortunately don't have extended periods of time to spend gazing out the kitchen window anymore). My sister and I were always very excited to see them -- to see any colorful bird, really, considering we usually get sparrows and pigeons. Bluejays and cardinals were great, too, but the green ones were really something. As children, we never surmised that they might have been former house pets, though even then, we knew they had to come from elsewhere. We'd kept parakeets before, but they were budgerigars -- blue and white ones -- and looked significantly different.
This sort of story is increasingly common, what with increased human encroachment on previously virgin lands, and especially in this case, human tastes in animal companions. It's striking to me how much humanity influences its surroundings on a tiny, daily level. Reminds me of this BBC article I posted half a year ago.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/13524396
We used to get a lime green bird or two in our backyard every year (we might still, but I unfortunately don't have extended periods of time to spend gazing out the kitchen window anymore). My sister and I were always very excited to see them -- to see any colorful bird, really, considering we usually get sparrows and pigeons. Bluejays and cardinals were great, too, but the green ones were really something. As children, we never surmised that they might have been former house pets, though even then, we knew they had to come from elsewhere. We'd kept parakeets before, but they were budgerigars -- blue and white ones -- and looked significantly different.
This sort of story is increasingly common, what with increased human encroachment on previously virgin lands, and especially in this case, human tastes in animal companions. It's striking to me how much humanity influences its surroundings on a tiny, daily level. Reminds me of this BBC article I posted half a year ago.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
NYTimes: Meat without Slaughter
A most interesting article on synthetic meat and its moral implications, from one of my favorite New York Times blogs (Dot Earth):
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/16/meat-without-slaughter/
I can sort of understand why some people might be "squicked" (for lack of a better term) by the idea, but I'd be all for synthetic meat, if it were indeed identical to (or better than) naturally-begotten meat and the production process were better for the environment than the current one (which I imagine wouldn't be all that hard for synthetics to achieve). I'd be curious to know what a moral vegetarian (that is, someone who abstains from meat for ethical reasons) thinks of it.
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/16/meat-without-slaughter/
I can sort of understand why some people might be "squicked" (for lack of a better term) by the idea, but I'd be all for synthetic meat, if it were indeed identical to (or better than) naturally-begotten meat and the production process were better for the environment than the current one (which I imagine wouldn't be all that hard for synthetics to achieve). I'd be curious to know what a moral vegetarian (that is, someone who abstains from meat for ethical reasons) thinks of it.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
NYTimes: Wildlife Overpasses
A creative solution to the inevitable problems of encroaching upon wildlife territory:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/24/science/earth/24overpass.html?hpw
Obviously, it would be impractical to just remove hundreds of miles of road -- not to mention that the populace would never go for it. This is a good and quite innovative way to minimize the impacts of said roads on the (often sensitive) wildlife that populate the areas they traverse, without significantly inconveniencing the humans using the roads -- which is one of the major bottlenecks in implementing most environmental protections. Humans are often selfish, and are reluctant to be inconvenienced in the name of even the best of causes if it does not tangibly benefit us. (This brings to mind the days of Econ 101...)
Friday, April 22, 2011
Happy Earth Day! or, Nature (by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)
Today is Earth Day. Given my various posts on the subject in the past, it's self-evident that the earth, and therefore this holiday, is something I care a lot about.
In honor of the occasion, here is an appropriate poem I quite like:
Nature
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1900)
As a fond mother, when the day is o'er,
Leads by the hand her little child to bed,
Half willing, half reluctant to be led,
And leave his broken playthings on the floor,
Still gazing at them through the open door,
Nor wholly reassured and comforted
By promises of others in their stead,
Which though more splendid, may not please him more;
So Nature deals with us, and takes away
Our playthings one by one, and by the hand
Leads us to rest so gently, that we go
Scarce knowing if we wish to go or stay,
Being too full of sleep to understand
How far the unknown transcends the what we know.
A beautiful poetic interpretation of the expression "Mother Earth," which many of us take for granted. But not today.
In honor of the occasion, here is an appropriate poem I quite like:
Nature
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1900)
As a fond mother, when the day is o'er,
Leads by the hand her little child to bed,
Half willing, half reluctant to be led,
And leave his broken playthings on the floor,
Still gazing at them through the open door,
Nor wholly reassured and comforted
By promises of others in their stead,
Which though more splendid, may not please him more;
So Nature deals with us, and takes away
Our playthings one by one, and by the hand
Leads us to rest so gently, that we go
Scarce knowing if we wish to go or stay,
Being too full of sleep to understand
How far the unknown transcends the what we know.
A beautiful poetic interpretation of the expression "Mother Earth," which many of us take for granted. But not today.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
NYTimes: The U.S.S Prius
A very interesting, ingenious mash-up of the sometimes-antagonistic causes of environmentalism and the Iraq war:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/19/opinion/19friedman.html
It's brilliant, isn't it? It's a perfect argument for reducing our dependence on Middle Eastern oil that appeals to not only the "bleeding-heart, granola-crunching" segment of the American populace (which is often analogous to preaching to the choir), but also to the more conservative, more militarily-minded constituency. Military initiative has historically been one of the greatest catalysts for technological innovation (look at the internet, for example). If the military sticks with this, really pushes it and invests in it, imagine what our carbon footprints might look like in ten years.
It's going to happen, it really is. Yes we can.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/19/opinion/19friedman.html
It's brilliant, isn't it? It's a perfect argument for reducing our dependence on Middle Eastern oil that appeals to not only the "bleeding-heart, granola-crunching" segment of the American populace (which is often analogous to preaching to the choir), but also to the more conservative, more militarily-minded constituency. Military initiative has historically been one of the greatest catalysts for technological innovation (look at the internet, for example). If the military sticks with this, really pushes it and invests in it, imagine what our carbon footprints might look like in ten years.
It's going to happen, it really is. Yes we can.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
NYTimes: Purple Martins, a Hobby
Taking birdhouses to an extreme:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/12/garden/12purple.html?hpw
It sounds like a wonderful way to enjoy nature and contribute to conservation. Not to mention that purple martins are quite pretty.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/12/garden/12purple.html?hpw
It sounds like a wonderful way to enjoy nature and contribute to conservation. Not to mention that purple martins are quite pretty.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
The New Adventures of Queen Victoria: Alternate Uses for Lemonade
A different -- Victorian -- take on alternative fuels:
http://www.gocomics.com/thenewadventuresofqueenvictoria/2010/07/27
Better than corn, eh?
http://www.gocomics.com/thenewadventuresofqueenvictoria/2010/07/27
Better than corn, eh?
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Al Jazeera: Nations Back UN Biodiversity Panel
This is last month's news (I'm a little behind in terms of posting), but still noteworthy:
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2010/06/201061413183923975.html
It's a step forward on endangered species protections. I don't think it'll be the harbinger of biological justice that some people tout it as, of course, but I don't think it'll be quite the disappointment that, say, the League of Nations was. It's more of a symbolic victory in that the international community is finally recognizing the need for global protections and legislation, rather than the regional efforts that have been occurring thus far.
Let's see where it takes us. Fingers crossed.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2010/06/201061413183923975.html
It's a step forward on endangered species protections. I don't think it'll be the harbinger of biological justice that some people tout it as, of course, but I don't think it'll be quite the disappointment that, say, the League of Nations was. It's more of a symbolic victory in that the international community is finally recognizing the need for global protections and legislation, rather than the regional efforts that have been occurring thus far.
Let's see where it takes us. Fingers crossed.
Monday, June 28, 2010
The New Adventures of Queen Victoria
It's a webcomic:
http://www.gocomics.com/thenewadventuresofqueenvictoria
Possibly the most brilliant use of stock art I've seen to date. If anyone knows anything about politics, it's Queen Victoria. I reckon she'd be ashamed of us, if she could see us now.
This one, on the oil spill, is especially amusing: http://www.gocomics.com/thenewadventuresofqueenvictoria/2010/06/24/
(For the uninitiated: https://www.shamwow.com)
http://www.gocomics.com/thenewadventuresofqueenvictoria
Possibly the most brilliant use of stock art I've seen to date. If anyone knows anything about politics, it's Queen Victoria. I reckon she'd be ashamed of us, if she could see us now.
This one, on the oil spill, is especially amusing: http://www.gocomics.com/thenewadventuresofqueenvictoria/2010/06/24/
(For the uninitiated: https://www.shamwow.com)
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
BBC: Sperm Whale Faeces Help Oceans Absorb CO2
Kind of gross, but very interesting nonetheless:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science_and_environment/10323987.stm
Nature is such complex balance; who knew that the bathroom habits of whales had such a specific and important function in the marine ecosystem?
Makes me want to run those Japanese whalers into a sandbar, it does.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science_and_environment/10323987.stm
Nature is such complex balance; who knew that the bathroom habits of whales had such a specific and important function in the marine ecosystem?
Makes me want to run those Japanese whalers into a sandbar, it does.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
BBC: Britain's Chief Scientist Knighted
The British are doing it right [sic] (correctly, I know):
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science_and_environment/10293940.stm
This is what we should be doing for scientists who are reaching out to the public, and educating people, and raising awareness about global warming and other environmental issues. The U.S. does not have honours of this nature, to be sure; a fairly new democracy such as ours is not quite conducive to ancient orders of knighthood or other such accolades. Regardless, there are many other ways to recognize the work of similar individuals in the States, which is what we should be doing, instead of pandering to the conservative Christians and vilifying science. This is why (among other reasons) education in the U.S. has been going down the tubes.
We have a nerdy(ish) President. I suppose that's a start.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science_and_environment/10293940.stm
This is what we should be doing for scientists who are reaching out to the public, and educating people, and raising awareness about global warming and other environmental issues. The U.S. does not have honours of this nature, to be sure; a fairly new democracy such as ours is not quite conducive to ancient orders of knighthood or other such accolades. Regardless, there are many other ways to recognize the work of similar individuals in the States, which is what we should be doing, instead of pandering to the conservative Christians and vilifying science. This is why (among other reasons) education in the U.S. has been going down the tubes.
We have a nerdy(ish) President. I suppose that's a start.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
NYTimes: Planting the Strip Between Sidewalk and Street
I've always thought that the little strips of grass by the curb are rather lonely and neglected. The trees planted there sometimes create cracks in the sidewalk, and the grass is always rather thin and the soil rather loose. I'm glad people are reclaiming it, like so:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/27/garden/27garden.html?hpw
Maybe that can be another new project this summer. We have a good few yards of grass strip in front of our house.
A list of erosion-controlling plants: http://www.theodorepayne.org/plants/plants_for_erosion_control.htm. The monkey flower is very pretty, but requires a lot of water.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/27/garden/27garden.html?hpw
Maybe that can be another new project this summer. We have a good few yards of grass strip in front of our house.
A list of erosion-controlling plants: http://www.theodorepayne.org/plants/plants_for_erosion_control.htm. The monkey flower is very pretty, but requires a lot of water.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Open Letter: Climate Change and the Integrity of Science
This is the most concise, logical piece I've read about global warming in a long time. It's written by scientists, of course.
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/328/5979/689
We need people like this in charge, advising the politicians, working on solutions. We need everyone else, especially those die-hard global warming deniers, to listen to them, instead of vilifying them as egg-heads and fear-mongers. We need the average American to pull his head out of the sand and recognize that his happy little bubble of ignorance is not the center of the universe, and think of the children, dammit!
I didn't realize I was so bitter at stupidity. Hmm.
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/328/5979/689
We need people like this in charge, advising the politicians, working on solutions. We need everyone else, especially those die-hard global warming deniers, to listen to them, instead of vilifying them as egg-heads and fear-mongers. We need the average American to pull his head out of the sand and recognize that his happy little bubble of ignorance is not the center of the universe, and think of the children, dammit!
I didn't realize I was so bitter at stupidity. Hmm.
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