Adding insult to injury in the evolving The Great Desert Solar Farms War, the New York Times reports, “Here is an inconvenient truth about renewable energy: It can sometimes demand a huge amount of water. Many of the proposed solutions to the nation’s energy problems, from certain types of solar farms to biofuel refineries to cleaner coal plants, could consume billions of gallons of water every year.”

Of course, Ground Zero for the eco-struggle over industrial solar farms is taking shape in America’s vast desert Southwest, where water is anything but a free flowing commodity.

But hey – Los Angeles needs more power to boot up those 50 inch plasma screens, hot tubs, video games, cell phones, backyard grills, and a plethora of electric vibrators lurking in millions of bedside tables, spread-eagled across the lovely Valley.

What would Hayduke do?

posted by Mudd

This just in from MSNBC: “WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama will travel to Copenhagen to lead the U.S. appeal for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Chicago, officials said on Monday.”

The White House hasn’t announced what mode of travel the President will use to get to Denmark. Neo-Greens are clamoring for their candidate to try the newest tool in the Sustainability Arsenal – the TransOcean Water Bicycle. It is predicted that the TOB, if operated properly, would save 6 tons of carbon gas. A fine gesture for President Obama to make, especially in light of the upcoming climate talks in lovely Copenhagen.

posted by Mudd

Neo-Green smart-city planers “from around the nation and world, met in Birmingham [Alabama] this weekend to take steps toward developing a new model for building cities that are more efficient and cleaner places for people to live, work, travel and play.”

The planning wonks are seeking to design a new protocol for green cities “to be called the Birmingham Charter.” Wow! And they met in Birmingham, Alabama? What an interesting piece of irony. One of the group’s participants, after receiving a flash of insight, believes “Birmingham could be the center of the ‘Green Building’ movement, with companies manufacturing materials and products designed to make buildings more energy efficient.”

Of course, the ever elusive Sustainability Grail is at the core of the Neo-Green’s agenda, as they seek common ground for how cities of the future can “find a better way – a better way of developing, a better way of growing.”

And now a quick review of reality – In 2008, the Birmingham News noted that “The American Lung Association rated Birmingham one of the worst five cities in the nation under two measures for particle pollution…..” Later that same year, the News had this to say, “Pollution monitors in Jefferson County show elevated levels of toxic chemicals such as arsenic, benzene and formaldehyde, according to a report being released today by The Conservation Alabama Foundation.”

The story goes on, basically in reverse, as Birmingham has had problems attaining Clean Air Act standards for over 20 years. Perhaps that’s one reason an infamous eco-freak declared Alabama’s largest city – Stinkingham.

Of course, foul air is only one parameter of Green. A smart city might recycle more than a few per cent of it’s household waste. Or figure out a way to move folks around without commuter gridlock. And then there’s the small problem of sewage disposal, which recently became a major headache for Jefferson County, Alabama – home of Birmingham. Without detailing the facts, suffice it to say that several of the County government’s finest Homo erectus asphaltus are looking at fun vacations al la the U.S. Justice Department thanks to a nefarious sewer scandal. And if you’re wondering, the sewage discharge was headed down one of the nation’s most biologically diverse rivers: the Cahaba.

All this to say – being green isn’t a planning exercise. Sustainability isn’t an engineering term. All environmental issues are local; all of them. You begin with the basics and work out from there. Clean, healthy air and water is the bedrock of livability metrics. A lack of crime and corruption plays into the mix. Exurbia doesn’t work. Neither do cookie cutter lifestyles.

Maybe the Birmingham Charter will indeed be an epiphany, a design of the new green prototype. But you can make a hell of a case that we should fix what’s wrong first. No matter where you live.

Mudd’s Prediction No. 12 – It won’t be long before the word Green is so five minutes ago. Like a bad rerun of Hee Haw. On second thought, Hee Haw was a hoot.

I think I’ll take the day off, do some cloud watching, and lessen my impact on the planet. Work can wait.

posted by Mudd

Calling all Neo-Greens – “The first newly constructed, carbon neutral house on the East Coast is opening its doors to the public in October. The Green House, as it’s been named, uses approximately 70 to 80 percent less energy per square foot than a comparable new house.”

And is it a crock of McMansion shit, or what?

Is this what we’re calling green these days? “The family living here can live with virtually no carbon footprint as a result of their day to day activities,” said one of the home builders. Notice he said “as a result of their day to day activities.” And how does a Neo-Green come up with the cash to buy a 4,000 square foot humble green mansion? Even Michelle Obama’s organic gardener doesn’t make that kind of casserole.

Not to fret – you can tour the home any day now.

Keeping up with the Green Jones.

posted by Mudd

Now that Rush Limbaugh, “the king of conservative talk radio and avowed global warming skeptic,” has given thumbs up on the electric car, does that mean we can get one, too?

posted by Mudd

Breaking news from the BBC for all you allergy suffers out yonder!

“Parasitic gut worms, such as hookworm, might aid the development of new treatments for asthma and other allergies, a study in Vietnam suggests.”

Another reason to leave the shoes at home….

posted by Mudd

Just in case you were wondering – no, the Great Recession “has had little impact on humanity’s over-consumption of resources, says a report.”

Every year, the New Economics Foundation (Nef) runs the numbers and determines the exact date when the world enters ecological debt. In other words, “This is the date by which humanity has used the quantity of natural resources that ought to last an entire year if used at a sustainable rate.” This year? September 25th.

“Debt-fuelled over-consumption not only brought the financial system to the edge of collapse, it is pushing many of our natural life support systems toward a precipice.” Or so says Andrew Simms, Nef policy director and co-author of the report.

What’s a Neo-Green to do?

posted by Mudd
all quotes BBC online edition

First there were the dazzling white bears of Canada. Then the white buffalo of the American plains. And now, from the Forests of Dean (no, not Jimmy Dean) somewhere in the wilds of Gloucestershire, comes the white buck. And we’re not talking about Pat Boone’s infamous shoes, either.

The white buck is actually a member of the Fallow Deer gang (more pics here).

Most interestingly, the deer’s “scientific name” seems straight out of a Harry Pothead movie – Dama dama.

Buck that.

posted by Mudd

Interesting op-ed in today’s BBC online edition by Jean-Christophe Vie, deputy head of the IUCN Species Programme, and author of the book Le Jour ou L’Abeille Disparaitra.

“We spend enormous energy and lose precious time by trying to demonstrate the obvious: wildlife in its integrity is vital for us.

Considering the competition between wild species and humans on a very crowded planet, one can ask if there is there room for both of us? Instead, those who do not believe that, or think human ingenuity will solve all our problems, should be asked to demonstrate that they can live without nature. For a very long time, conservationists have been portrayed as misanthropists, caring more for animals than other human beings. But human rights and preservation of the environment are complementary.”

And ole Jean-Christophe asks a fine question, one that readers of the Zephyr have heard all too often (?) – “In 2050 the human population will stand at more than nine billion, with an increased demand for goods, so what does sustainable development really mean?” Indeed! The elusive “sustainability” question dangles like a kudzu vine in the Neo-Green jungles of modern (read: urban) American rhetoric.

OK – bottom line time: anthropocentrism remains the central line of reasoning in today’s arena of environmental discourse. All things continue to be measured against the intricacies of Homo erectus asphaltus‘ toe-jam culture. A culture that appears to know no bounds. Without realizing it, our species is now relegated to being a zoo animal, kept in ever-increasing numbers behind a facade of technological wizardry, razzle-dazzle entertainment, and industrial agriculture.

Arguments for sustainability that don’t begin from a biocentric perspective must, by definition, end up on the cutting room floor of biological reality.

Or, as Aldo Leopold might tell us: “If the biota, in the course of aeons, has built something we like but do not understand, then who but a fool would discard seemingly useless parts? To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering.”

Have fun out yonder in the Blogosphere. And don’t forget to be sustainable!

posted by Mudd

Just in from NPR – Three different space probes have gathered evidence that the top layer of the moon’s surface contains hidden stores of water.

So what? There’s water on the moon. Is somebody planning on convening the Summer Olympics up there?

No, friends, it’s a tad more nefarious than that. “Is there water there? That’s important for lunar missions. People could get the water. They could use the hydrogen for energy,” says Brown University geologist Alberto Saal.

Of course, what’s going on here is the long range plan to colonize the lunar orb. Here’s what New Papyrus magazine has to spin about the subject – “NASA needs to focus on sending lunar habitat modules to the lunar surface in order to build a permanent and continuously growing manned facility. Such a facility would have immediate scientific, commercial, and strategic benefits…”

Ah, there’s the gig: “commercial and strategic benefits.” Wal-Mart here we come!

I don’t know about you, but as far as I’m concerned the moon is one of life’s finest reminders of what sheer elegance looks like. And any attempt to blast a bunch of bulldozing yahoos in moon suits up yonder should be met with ridicule, tomato throwing, catcalling, muckraking, Hayduking, and staunch resistance.

The moon, methinks, looks with a watery eye; And
when she weeps, weeps every little flower.

Willie Shakespeare
“Midsummer Night’s Dream”

(ode to the moon)

posted by Mudd