Some of the most passionate advocates for educating the public on climate change are individuals who, after years of climate change skepticism, simply found themselves overwhelmed by the force of the evidence, and had the objectivity and honesty to look reality squarely in the face.
Admiral David Titley, the US Navy’s Chief Oceanographer, told a TEDx Pentagon audience his story last year, and I posted the video.
More recently, Conservative writer D.R.Tucker wrote a widely noticed piece in the FrumForum, (former George W. Bush assistant) David Frum’s conservative blog, “dedicated to the modernization and renewal of the Republican party and the conservative movement.” Tucker’s piece is reposted below in its entirety, with permission.
Get into a discussion on nuclear energy and, guaranteed, within 37 seconds, (I’ve timed this), someone will say, “What about the French? They’re completely running on nuclear power!!”
Now, basically, I think if the French want to use nuclear power, good on ’em. It’s well suited to more centralized economies like theirs, where the government will endlessly support cost overruns, delays and snafus, and limit pesky protesters and naysayers. What I really worry about is not the reactors the French have, but the ones they want to sell to Libya, Yemen, Syria, Iran, Jordan,…..
Anyway, it seems that more and more French citizens favor making their freedom fries with non-nuclear electricity, according to Reuters:
In contrast to Germany, which said in May it would withdraw completely from nuclear energy production by 2022, France has been a strong proponent of nuclear power and the government had ruled out dropping it as an energy source.
Although France’s deep dependence on nuclear makes a dramatic volte-face a massive task, with a May 2012 presidential election approaching the government may be tempted to suggest that it is considering a possible pullout.
A poll last month showed three quarters of the French people interviewed wanted to withdraw from nuclear energy, against 22 percent who back the nuclear expansion programme.
While the centre-right UMP party mostly supports the extension of the nuclear programme, the opposition Socialist Party has called for a moratorium on new reactors and promised a national debate on energy transition if elected in 2012.
Insurance giants Swiss Re, and Munich Re are the insurance companies that insurance companies go to for insurance. They spend a lot of money to hire very smart people to figure out what their risks are now, and in the future.
These giant companies have been on the forefront warning about the damaging effects of climate change, now and in the pipeline. Now, after this year’s hammering by weather events from the “new normal” of climate pumped weather events – they will be raising their rates.
Homeowner’s insurance rates are likely to go up in the wake of the deadly and costly April 27 tornado outbreak, but the extent of the increase will vary by company and will depend on whether the storms are considered a freakish anomaly or part of a new normal for tornado risk.
Alabama Insurance Commissioner Jim L. Ridling said his department, which oversees the insurance industry, has had discussions with major reinsurance companies in recent weeks and they have indicated that they are anticipating a 7 percent to 10 percent increase in their rates.
“..a small group of anti-wind activists .. have taken advantage of local concern to spread misinformation and fear. They have claimed, with no scientific backing, that there are health impacts. They have claimed, counter to the evidence, that wind power doesn’t work or doesn’t have benefits. They have succeeded in creating a misinformed backlash against wind power that now jeopardizes jobs, investment and environmental progress in Ontario.”
Renewable sources in the U.S. are starting to produce enough energy to rival oil output, according to the federal Energy Information Administration.
Biomass and biofuels along with geothermal, solar, water and wind-power generation were responsible for nearly 12% of the country’s energy production during the first quarter of the year. That’s nearly 6% more than nuclear’s output and 77% of the amount coming from domestic crude oil, the agency said.
Electricity from wind sources is up 40% from the same period last year, according to the agency. Solar output more than doubled.
The boom is especially evident in California, where the rate of installations for rooftop solar energy systems is on a tear, according to the California Public Utilities Commission.
Homes, businesses, nonprofits and government agencies in the state put in a record 194 megawatts of new solar capacity last year — 47% more than the amount installed in 2009.
Tim DeChristopher slowed down a federal auction in December 2008 by bidding on Utah wilderness (“Bidder 70”) against gas and mining companies. Hoping to interrupt the energy policies of Bush-Cheney in the last days of that administration, he put in a bid for 22,000 acres without the riches to pay for it, just the love of the pristine wilderness of Southern Utah. He was convicted in early March for two felony counts and faces up to 10 years in prison.
Below: Rev. Billy explains the “Church of Earthalujah”, and the “Church of Stop Shopping’.
