Tag: environment

To fight or not to fight?

August 2, 2012 at 4:25 pmCategory:Uncategorized

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As noted in this space and others in recent days, Governor Perdue has decided to go out with a whimper when it comes to a group of anti-environment bills that were among the last few measures passed and sent to her by the General Assembly last month. Rather than standing up and vetoing measures she knew and understood to be counter-productive, she opted for the path of least resistance — either holding her nose and signing, or simply allowing a proposal to become law without taking any action.

The Sierra Club and other environmental advocates think she screwed up (see below).

Some observers have speculated that her actions were motivated by a fear of what conservatives might do if they were called back to Raleigh for a veto session (though General Assembly lawyer Gerry Cohen’s recent statements that such shenanigans would be illegal calls this into question). Others think it was simply politics (i.e. a fear of creating a potential distraction for Walter Dalton).

Whatever the reason, it’s a frustrating and disappointing conclusion to the summer legislative season.

Happily, at least one group of people has not given up just yet. The Asheville City Council is apparently advancing a plan to hold a local referendum on State Rep. Tim Moffitt’s ongoing effort to steal the city’s water system — an effort that was advanced somewhat by Perdue’s failure to act on this bill. Good for them. Read More…

A Cleaner Future for Duke Energy?

July 25, 2012 at 10:15 amCategory:Uncategorized

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While the debate rages on about the Duke-Progress merger and the NC Legislature becomes more determined to create a dirty energy policy for our state, another course is being charted – one that does not involve fracking, offshore drilling, coal-fired power plants or more nuclear power.

© Greenpeace, David Sorcher, 2012

Read More…

Scary new global warming data

July 20, 2012 at 10:59 amCategory:Uncategorized

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A very intersting and sobering story in Rolling Stone magazine makes clear again why we need to get off of our butts and get to work NOW on the climate crisis:

“If the pictures of those towering wildfires in Colorado haven’t convinced you, or the size of your AC bill this summer, here are some hard numbers about climate change: June broke or tied 3,215 high-temperature records across the United States. That followed the warmest May on record for the Northern Hemisphere – the 327th consecutive month in which the temperature of the entire globe exceeded the 20th-century average, the odds of which occurring by simple chance were 3.7 x 10-99, a number considerably larger than the number of stars in the universe.

Meteorologists reported that this spring was the warmest ever recorded for our nation – in fact, it crushed the old record by so much that it represented the “largest temperature departure from average of any season on record.” The same week, Saudi authorities reported that it had rained in Mecca despite a temperature of 109 degrees, the hottest downpour in the planet’s history.”

Read the entire article by clicking here.

Fracking opponents heading to Washington for July 28 rally

July 16, 2012 at 12:15 pmCategory:Uncategorized

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The North Carolina chapter of the Sierra Club and several other state and national environmental organizations are teaming up for a “Stop the Frack Attack” rally and march on the west lawn of the Capitol in Washington, DC on Saturday July 28.

With all the attention fracking has been receiving in North Carolina and around the nation, organizers are expecting a large and energetic turnout — even by Washington standards.

The Sierra Club will be organizing free transportation (with food provided) to and from the event with a van leaving from the Triangle the morning of the 28th and returning that night.

For those interested in traveling click here to learn more.

Genuine expert speaks up on sea-level rise

July 2, 2012 at 7:35 amCategory:Uncategorized

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This morning, geologist Dr. Rob Young of Western Carolina University has an op-ed in Raleigh’s News & Observer that ought to be required reading for the state lawmakers who’ve decided to listen to the global warming deniers/pseudo-scientists on the matter of sea-level rise.

Young decries the notion that a “compromise” being worked out in the General Assembly would call for a new study (to replace the one he helped prepare as a part of a panel of scientists that advises the state Coastal Resources Commission).

“I have grown weary of hearing our legislators suggest that what we need is a new scientific report on sea-level rise with better science in it. I am told that this is the likely outcome of the compromise being worked out between the state House and Senate.

I have a better suggestion. You have a report that was written by the state’s finest scientists and engineers (at no cost to the state, I might add). If the legislature is really interested in finding the best science, then simply send our report, along with any other reports you like (including those from NC-20) to the National Academy of Sciences for review.”

Amen to that.