SchwartzReport: No one Cares About Climate Change

01 Poverty, 03 Environmental Degradation, Cultural Intelligence, Earth Intelligence
Stephan A. Schwartz
Stephan A. Schwartz

Did you notice as well? The paucity of coverage about the climate change rallies on the major cable and broadcast channels. Occasional mentions, but nothing sustained. You could see it on the Weather Channel, but not MSNBC. I have been really struck by this. As well as the lack of discussion about what has happened. Here is one of the best accounts of the experience I have seen.

Re: No one Cares About Climate Change
JOHN D. SUTTER – CNN

NEW YORK — You could be forgiven for thinking no one cares — or even should care, right now — about climate change.

For starters, there's all that other terrifying stuff competing for attention: President Barack Obama's war with ISIS; the Ebola outbreak, which recently put Sierra Leone on national lockdown; Ukraine; Scotland; wife-beating athletes. That scary guy in Pennsylvania.

The world seems like a pretty big mess right now.

The climate? Not top of the agenda.

Continue reading “SchwartzReport: No one Cares About Climate Change”

Jean Lievens: Overhaul Global Economy — Deals with Climate Change, Generates More and Better Profits

03 Economy, 03 Environmental Degradation, Ethics, Future-Oriented
Jean Lievens
Jean Lievens

Climate change report: prevent damage by overhauling global economy

Reducing emissions can generate better growth than old high-carbon model, says co-author of report, Lord Stern.

The world can still act in time to stave off the worst effects of climate change, and enjoy the fruits of continued economic growth as long as the global economy can be transformed within the next 15 years, a group of the world's leading economists and political leaders will argue on Tuesday.

Tackling climate change can be a boon to prosperity, rather than a brake, according to the study involving a roll-call of the globe's biggest institutions, including the UN, the OECD group of rich countries, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, and co-authored by Lord Stern, one of the world's most influential voices on climate economics.

The report comes ahead of a UN-convened summit of world leaders on global warming next week at which David Cameron has pledged to lead calls for strong action.

“Reducing emissions is not only compatible with economic growth and development – if done well it can actually generate better growth than the old high-carbon model,” said Stern.

Read full article.

SchwartzReport: Plastic Bags In Depth

03 Environmental Degradation
Stephan A. Schwartz
Stephan A. Schwartz

I found this report a real eye-opener. Perhaps you will too. Personally, I live with a bag lady, who always has a dozen cloth bags in the car, so I use neither paper nor plastic. But, this article suggests, even that is not as good as we thought, as you will read. Still we do use the bags over and over, so hopefully it is an improvement. It is a tough problem, but plastic is never an ideal solution in situations such as family groceries and the like.

California Just Banned Free Plastic Bags. Hold the Rejoicing.
KATIE ROSE QUANDT, Senior Online Editorial Fellow – Mother Jones

Last month, California became the first state to pass a bill banning the ubiquitous disposable plastic bag. If signed into law, the measure will prohibit grocery and retail stores from providing single-use plastic bags and require them to charge at least 10 cents for paper bags, compostable bags, and reusable plastic bags. The bill, introduced by Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Los Angeles), will also provide funding for California-based plastic bag companies to develop sturdier, reusable options.

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SchwartzReport: Syngenta Akss EPA to Raise Tolerance Level for Bee Killing Chemical by 400X — Evil, Shameless, Greedy — and the EPA Might be Corrupt Enough to Agree to Kill Remaining Bees

01 Agriculture, 03 Economy, 03 Environmental Degradation, 06 Family, 07 Health, 07 Other Atrocities, 10 Transnational Crime, 11 Society, Commerce, Corruption, Earth Intelligence, Government
Stephan A. Schwartz
Stephan A. Schwartz

This is the latest in the bee crisis. It is so shameless and greedy it is breath-taking. Monsanto, Syngenta. These are evil corporations.

Please contact the EPA and let them know you are opposed to this. The decision will directly affect your life.

Syngenta Asks EPA to Raise Tolerance Level for ‘Bee-killing' Chemical
TIFFANY STECKER – E & E Publishing

Seed and crop management company Syngenta Crop Protection LLC has petitioned U.S. EPA to increase the legal tolerance for a neonicotinoid pesticide residue in several crops — in one case increasing the acceptable level by 400 times, according to a notice in today's Federal Register.

Continue reading “SchwartzReport: Syngenta Akss EPA to Raise Tolerance Level for Bee Killing Chemical by 400X — Evil, Shameless, Greedy — and the EPA Might be Corrupt Enough to Agree to Kill Remaining Bees”

Yoda: California Goes Dry…

01 Agriculture, 03 Economy, 03 Environmental Degradation, 06 Family, 07 Health, 07 Other Atrocities, 09 Justice, 11 Society, 12 Water
Got Crowd? BE the Force!
Got Crowd? BE the Force!

Irresponsible, government is….

Not One Drop: How Long Will California Survive Life Without Water?

Tony Dokoupil

NBC News,

EXTRACTS

As the California drought approaches its fourth year, Seville’s well is one of hundreds of private water holes coughing up sand and spitting air in the Central Valley, according to Tulare County officials. As many as 100,000 more wells are at risk around the state if the rains don’t come by October.

. . . . . . .

“To shower, I use a cup, just like when I was in ‘Nam,” he said, stepping away from a stream of glistening neighbors, most of them just back from the fields. Some had dust on their ear lobes and deep in their wrinkles. None had a simple way to shower in town that night. “We’re living in a third world country now,” he continued.

. . . . . . .

“Everything was so nice,” admitted Maria. But not anymore. “California is going dry.”

Read full article.

Phi Beta Iota: All of this was understood by Jimmy Carter and his most professional civil servants. Also understood was that he would be assassinated if he tried to do anyting in relation to controlling energy and water use in the public interest and against special interests. We are entering an era in which portions of the USA are going to die and create internal displaced persons. While it is not too late to avert massive national catastrophe on multiple policy fronts, the government lacks both integrity in its electoral and governance systems, and integrity in intelligence (decision-support). Hence, the next decade for the USA is likely to be very grim.

See Also:

Books & Lists of Book Reviews @ Phi Beta Iota

SchwartzReport: BP Gulf Spill “Gross Negligence” – $18 Billion Fine? Does Corporate Accountability Begin Now?

03 Economy, 03 Environmental Degradation, 05 Energy, 07 Health, 07 Other Atrocities, 09 Justice, 12 Water, Commerce, Commercial Intelligence, Corruption, Earth Intelligence, Ethics, Law Enforcement
Stephan A. Schwartz
Stephan A. Schwartz

Here is some excellent news about the Gulf oil spill. A major court decision has seriously placed the blame and responsibility where it belongs. And the court also made it clear what it thinks about BP, Transocean, and Halliburton ethics and behavior.

‘Worst Case' BP Ruling on Gulf Spill Means Billions More in Penalties
MARGARET CRONIN FISK, LAUREL BRUBAKER CALKINS and JEF FEELEY – Bloomberg

BP Plc acted with gross negligence in setting off the biggest offshore oil spill in U.S. history, a federal judge ruled, handing down a long-awaited decision that may force the energy company to pay billions of dollars more for the 2010 Gulf of Mexico disaster.

Continue reading “SchwartzReport: BP Gulf Spill “Gross Negligence” – $18 Billion Fine? Does Corporate Accountability Begin Now?”

Greg Palast: Indicting Oil Companies for Destroying New Orleans — 9.4 Million Acres of Wetlands Destroyed, Vocal Critics Destroyed Also

03 Environmental Degradation, 05 Energy, 07 Other Atrocities, Commerce, Corruption, Government
Greg Palast
Greg Palast

Crime Scene – New Orleans 

By Greg Palast

Tuesday, 26 August 2014

[Lower Ninth Ward, New Orleans]  Nine years ago this week, New Orleans drowned.  Don’t you dare blame Mother Nature.  Miss Katrina killed no one in this town.  But it was a homicide, with nearly 2,000 dead victims.  If not Katrina, who done it?  Read on.

Continue reading “Greg Palast: Indicting Oil Companies for Destroying New Orleans — 9.4 Million Acres of Wetlands Destroyed, Vocal Critics Destroyed Also”