Sense and Nonsense

Kirk on Cape Wind

The Globe is correct on this.  Obstructionism on Cape Wind is a bad legacy for Kirk.

Kennedy's Stooge

Temporary U.S. Senator Paul Kirk, flaccid and uninspiring to date in his stewardship of a Massachusetts seat in the Senate, has now sprung to life, revealing why members of the Kennedy family (and other wealthy denizens of the Cape and the Islands) were so keen to see him appointed as Ted Kennedy's interim replacement.  Kirk has embraced cowardice and self-interest by urging President Obama to delay federal approval of the Cape Wind project.  Like Kennedy before him, Kirk has now done the bidding of all his fellow wealthy elitists and NIMBYists.  They're no doubt delighted with him.   I say shame on him.  

As flawed as they may be in other ways, all four Democratic candidates vying for this Senate seat support the Cape Wind project.  They are on the right side of this issue.  

There Oughta Be a Law

Be Less Nice to Your Toosh

That's the message of this item, which deplores the use of virgin wood to make toilet paper -- something that, in terms of global-warming pollution, is "far worse than driving a Hummer."

The tenderness of the delicate American buttock is causing more environmental devastation than the country's love of gas-guzzling cars, fast food or McMansions, according to green campaigners. At fault, they say, is the US public's insistence on extra-soft, quilted and multi-ply products when they use the bathroom.

Buy recycled TP.

Get Yourself Some

Breath of Fresh Air

From the lead article in today's New York Times:

President Obama will direct federal regulators on Monday to move swiftly on an application by California and 13 other states to set strict automobile emission and fuel efficiency standards, two administration officials said Sunday.

The directive makes good on an Obama campaign pledge and signifies a sharp reversal of Bush administration policy. Granting California and the other states the right to regulate tailpipe emissions would be one of the most emphatic actions Mr. Obama could take to quickly put his stamp on environmental policy.

Mr. Obama’s presidential memorandum will order the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider the Bush administration’s past rejection of the California application. While it stops short of flatly ordering the Bush decision reversed, the agency’s regulators are now widely expected to do so after completing a formal review process.

Refreshing to have a President who wants to protect the broad public interest rather than the interests of big business.  Encouraging to have a President who frees government agencies to do the work for which they were created rather than hampering and blocking their pursuit of their missions.

A Call for Rationalist Environmentalism

Maybe it puts me squarely in the alarmist camp, but I have no trouble being persuaded by people who say that climate change is one of the most compelling problems we face today -- and perhaps the most, by a long shot.

Here's an interesting article from Johann Hari at Slate.  He makes a distinction between romantic and rationalist environmentalism and says the latter had better prevail fast.  I'm a believer.

Environmental Awareness

WebEcoist has pulled together 29 "disturbingly creative ads for the environment."

Raise the Gas Tax

I meant to call attention several days ago to the excellent editorial in the New York Times, calling for a sharp increase in the gas tax as a way of curbing energy consumption and demand.  It's enlightened policy that would require members of Congress to display some political courage.

Thank God for the Coal Industry

From Think Progress:

Al Gore’s Alliance for Climate Protection and the “Reality” coalition have a new ad out today on the myth of “clean coal.” The ad is part of a national grassroots effort to emphasize that there is no such thing as clean coal and features a “coal executive” saying, “Coal isn’t dirty. We think it’s clean. Smells good, too.” Watch it: