Christian Democrats in the United States
Domestic Issues - Environment Please tour our lovely National Park System and reflect upon our choices in this great Eden.We support organic farming methods since the use of synthetic chemicals in agriculture incurs disproportionate health consequences on the uninsured poor. We support all efforts to develop sustainable fuel and materials sources from agriculture. We must take every possible measure to ensure that companies producing goods in America do not pollute our air, land and water. We need to solve the energy crisis, but are extremely skeptical of nuclear power's ability to do so.
Also see Global Warming
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Tuesday, December 1, 2009
12:28 AM
dangers of GMO algae
Petroleum producers interested in bio-fuels is probably a good thing. If carbon does replenish the earth, it's time to start harvesting it before the climate gets out of control like it seems to have done in the fossil record after other large scale volcanic increases in CO2 content. However, we cannot let the "reverse bandwagon" of fighting global warming delude us into thinking all bio-fuel technology is safe for the environment. This is, after all, Exxon. Blooms of algae can be extremely hazardous to salt and fresh water life, growing so fast they choke out all variety of life and then rot, leaving the waters stale without oxygen. We must take great care with genetic modification of algae for oil resource production. Leaks of GMO stock will happen - again, this is Exxon after all. Without the proper scientific testing protocol in place, genetic experimentation with algae growth could potentially mutate into the "green plague" that wipes out all our water supplies.> detail, links and comments >>
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
11:33 PM
There is a massive campaign, supported by the Governator, that says Congress created a "dust bowl" in California. This is such a typical Republican strategy of twisting the facts and telling outright lies, manipulating select interest groups with a distorted wedge issue, trying to associate it with the Dust Bowl of the midwest in the 1930's.
The original Dust Bowl happened because of a prolonged drought, coupled the removal of the native tall prairie grasses, which allowed the topsoil to be caught by the wind and blown away.
The central valley of California, especially south of Sacramento, has always been a dust bowl. It is a desert, dry as a bone. There is no water there naturally, save for what is imported by that massive engineering project, the California aqueduct. Farming in the southern parts of the central valley is totally unnatural.
The fact is, the nation is still growing, California will continue to grow, and there is simply not enough water here for everyone to drink. Congress and the President had to make a difficult choice. What about the jobs for our fisheries and canneries? They are equally important.
The difference between farming and fishing is, if fields go without water, it is easy to restore crops when water is restored. But if rivers go without water, it is very difficult to restore fish when water is restored. Besides, if we allow farms and cities to take too much one year, they will not be willing to reduce their use in subsequent years.
Unfortunately, Governor Schwarzenegger and the Republicans have twisted the facts to turn this into a blind wedge issue, manipulating the sentiments of the rural population to make them angry, instead of working toward actual solutions.
The fact is, there will not be enough water in California to meet our future individual use demands and to keep our farming economy thriving, which is important for the whole country. Desalination is still extremely expensive, and without virtually free electricity from theoretical nuclear fusion, it probably is not a viable solution.
Yet we cannot continue to restrict access to water, or there will be extreme social unrest. When we run out of water, if the farmers don't revolt, the thirsty people of Los Angeles will.
Certainly, measures like requiring waterless urinals in all public restrooms, banning lawns in desert areas, and other conservation steps should come first, but these measures are not going to meet the projected demand.
We need to think bigger.
There is plenty of water in the Columbia river. It sounds extreme, but what California needs is a massive engineering project in Oregon to pipe water from the Columbia back up through the Cascade Valley and into the Klamath basin, which drains into California.
If properly designed, once filled the pipe could draw water with subduction, like emptying a fishtank with a hose.
A lot of the power needed can be recovered by hydro-electric generation at Klamath and lower, from the increased flow.
It's the only solution that will ensure water for fish, water for farmers, and water for people.
Obviously, California is going to have to give a lot to Oregon to make this happen. But it has to happen, or California's economy, environment and social structure will break down, and that would be bad for Oregon and the rest of the nation.
I am pessimistic, however, that the Governator, the President or Congress have enough imagination to consider this idea and not laugh it off as the crazy ramblings of an Internet crackpot.
congress did not create a "dust bowl," it was already there
In California, many farmers in the central valley are distressed because the U.S. Congress has decided to retain the minimum river levels in the Sierra Nevada necessary to preserve our stocks of salmon and other fish.There is a massive campaign, supported by the Governator, that says Congress created a "dust bowl" in California. This is such a typical Republican strategy of twisting the facts and telling outright lies, manipulating select interest groups with a distorted wedge issue, trying to associate it with the Dust Bowl of the midwest in the 1930's.
The original Dust Bowl happened because of a prolonged drought, coupled the removal of the native tall prairie grasses, which allowed the topsoil to be caught by the wind and blown away.
The central valley of California, especially south of Sacramento, has always been a dust bowl. It is a desert, dry as a bone. There is no water there naturally, save for what is imported by that massive engineering project, the California aqueduct. Farming in the southern parts of the central valley is totally unnatural.
The fact is, the nation is still growing, California will continue to grow, and there is simply not enough water here for everyone to drink. Congress and the President had to make a difficult choice. What about the jobs for our fisheries and canneries? They are equally important.
The difference between farming and fishing is, if fields go without water, it is easy to restore crops when water is restored. But if rivers go without water, it is very difficult to restore fish when water is restored. Besides, if we allow farms and cities to take too much one year, they will not be willing to reduce their use in subsequent years.
Unfortunately, Governor Schwarzenegger and the Republicans have twisted the facts to turn this into a blind wedge issue, manipulating the sentiments of the rural population to make them angry, instead of working toward actual solutions.
The fact is, there will not be enough water in California to meet our future individual use demands and to keep our farming economy thriving, which is important for the whole country. Desalination is still extremely expensive, and without virtually free electricity from theoretical nuclear fusion, it probably is not a viable solution.
Yet we cannot continue to restrict access to water, or there will be extreme social unrest. When we run out of water, if the farmers don't revolt, the thirsty people of Los Angeles will.
Certainly, measures like requiring waterless urinals in all public restrooms, banning lawns in desert areas, and other conservation steps should come first, but these measures are not going to meet the projected demand.
We need to think bigger.
There is plenty of water in the Columbia river. It sounds extreme, but what California needs is a massive engineering project in Oregon to pipe water from the Columbia back up through the Cascade Valley and into the Klamath basin, which drains into California.
If properly designed, once filled the pipe could draw water with subduction, like emptying a fishtank with a hose.
A lot of the power needed can be recovered by hydro-electric generation at Klamath and lower, from the increased flow.
It's the only solution that will ensure water for fish, water for farmers, and water for people.
Obviously, California is going to have to give a lot to Oregon to make this happen. But it has to happen, or California's economy, environment and social structure will break down, and that would be bad for Oregon and the rest of the nation.
I am pessimistic, however, that the Governator, the President or Congress have enough imagination to consider this idea and not laugh it off as the crazy ramblings of an Internet crackpot.
> detail, links and comments >>
Friday, June 12, 2009
1:05 PM
It's important not to overlay the weirdest of prophecies onto our everyday experience because we don't really know what those things mean.
That said, the flying insects mentioned in Revelation that have stingers like scorpions come to mind when you read about things like radioactive wasps.
Let's look at the numbers: in the geological fossil record, periods of high radiation exposure are associated with extinctions. Radiation of various sorts can cause mutations in DNA. In practice, those mutations are overwhelmingly negative, usually resulting in cancer or birth defects. But DNA is very complex, and sometimes a small change in key DNA structure results in a large change to the creature produced, and after those periods, new adaptations and new species are found in fossils. The presence of radioactive cesium and irridium in mud of the wasp nest will cause an increased mutation rate of the eggs laid by the females inside.
So, while not likely, wasps in radioactive nests over a large area could reproduce enough to roll the genetic dice for an advantageous mutation -- perhaps a poisonous stinger and a predatory appetite that results in larger size from competition.
It is all too easy living in the "civilized world" to forget that nature is not at her heart only something pretty to look at from a distance in a park or a museum. Nature can produce impressive capacity for violence and death. After all, look at us, and how far humanity strays from the image of God we can perceive in ourselves. Well, at least we are looking in the right direction, but it's easy to forget that, too.
Again, flirting with nuclear power, we see our tendency to constructively forget the realities of our own nature. There can be all the schematics and policies and procedures in the world, but the reality is, people are careless. Over time, it's more likely someone will cause an accident. That's why it's so important for us to move away from fission (splitting heavy metals) as the source of nuclear power, because the by-products remain radioactive for hundreds or sometimes thousands of years.
Think of that -- we're selling out our descendants thousands of years from now to light our homes because we're afraid of the dark. It's pathetic. If we keep playing that game of lying to ourselves about our imperfections and limits, we will get exactly what we deserve.
insects with stings like scorpions
Radioactive wasps built nests around this contaminated Washington State nuclear site.It's important not to overlay the weirdest of prophecies onto our everyday experience because we don't really know what those things mean.
That said, the flying insects mentioned in Revelation that have stingers like scorpions come to mind when you read about things like radioactive wasps.
Let's look at the numbers: in the geological fossil record, periods of high radiation exposure are associated with extinctions. Radiation of various sorts can cause mutations in DNA. In practice, those mutations are overwhelmingly negative, usually resulting in cancer or birth defects. But DNA is very complex, and sometimes a small change in key DNA structure results in a large change to the creature produced, and after those periods, new adaptations and new species are found in fossils. The presence of radioactive cesium and irridium in mud of the wasp nest will cause an increased mutation rate of the eggs laid by the females inside.
So, while not likely, wasps in radioactive nests over a large area could reproduce enough to roll the genetic dice for an advantageous mutation -- perhaps a poisonous stinger and a predatory appetite that results in larger size from competition.
It is all too easy living in the "civilized world" to forget that nature is not at her heart only something pretty to look at from a distance in a park or a museum. Nature can produce impressive capacity for violence and death. After all, look at us, and how far humanity strays from the image of God we can perceive in ourselves. Well, at least we are looking in the right direction, but it's easy to forget that, too.
Again, flirting with nuclear power, we see our tendency to constructively forget the realities of our own nature. There can be all the schematics and policies and procedures in the world, but the reality is, people are careless. Over time, it's more likely someone will cause an accident. That's why it's so important for us to move away from fission (splitting heavy metals) as the source of nuclear power, because the by-products remain radioactive for hundreds or sometimes thousands of years.
Think of that -- we're selling out our descendants thousands of years from now to light our homes because we're afraid of the dark. It's pathetic. If we keep playing that game of lying to ourselves about our imperfections and limits, we will get exactly what we deserve.
> detail, links and comments >>
Thursday, December 25, 2008
4:05 PM
This is our government. This kind of mentality of government workers and politicians must end.
We may need to burn coal, but no one can claim it can be burned "clean," especially with the only safeguards being a bunch of mission statements and expressions of safety on some government website.
Meanwhile, what may be the largest environmental disaster in United States history is being whitewashed by the media. I haven't seen a single headline even in the 'U.S.' section of Google News, I had to search for it. I haven't seen a single story about it on the nightly local news. Why is this not of grave concern to all Americans?
Merry Christmas.
coal for christmas
The Tennessee Valley Authority bureaucrats play the tired old role of the government officials who protect their institution at the expense of the people's lives.This is our government. This kind of mentality of government workers and politicians must end.
We may need to burn coal, but no one can claim it can be burned "clean," especially with the only safeguards being a bunch of mission statements and expressions of safety on some government website.
Meanwhile, what may be the largest environmental disaster in United States history is being whitewashed by the media. I haven't seen a single headline even in the 'U.S.' section of Google News, I had to search for it. I haven't seen a single story about it on the nightly local news. Why is this not of grave concern to all Americans?
Merry Christmas.
> detail, links and comments >>
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
11:31 AM
This arguably falls under interstate commerce because the power often comes from out of state, and because there is a negative economic incentive that would affect competition across state border areas. If every store had to cover their refrigerators, there would be no competitive disadvantage, because everyone needs to buy food.
regulation of display refrigerators
If all refrigerators in stores had to have doors or plastic flaps, they would be a lot more efficient and would save a lot of power in the country.This arguably falls under interstate commerce because the power often comes from out of state, and because there is a negative economic incentive that would affect competition across state border areas. If every store had to cover their refrigerators, there would be no competitive disadvantage, because everyone needs to buy food.
> detail, links and comments >>
Sunday, May 6, 2007
5:14 PM
organic farming
The effects of synthetic chemicals are largely unknown at the time of their approval, because the real world is a very large complex system that is impossible to predict down to every molecular scenario. The best way to protect the environment is to stop using them — stop experimenting on the world like it is a petri dish. WTO needs to allow organic farming subsidies to transition to majority organic production by 2020.> detail, links and comments >>
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
6:35 PM
Environment
Please tour our lovely National Park System and reflect upon our choices in this great Eden.> detail, links and comments >>
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