Delaware's environmental secretary on Friday dealt a blow to plans to deepen the Delaware River shipping channel, denying environmental permits requested by the Army Corps of Engineers.
Collin O'Mara, head of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, said the Corps has failed to submit additional information requested by the state and has made significant modifications to the project since submitting its permit application in January 2001.
O'Mara also noted that with the passage of time since a hearing officer issued a 2003 report recommending that DNREC deny the permits unless additional information was provided, "the record is now stale."
The proposed dredging project has been a source of friction among officials in Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey for nearly a decade.
The Corps has proposed deepening the channel from 40 feet to 45 feet along a stretch of more than 100 miles from Philadelphia to the mouth of the Delaware Bay. Supporters say the dredging would allow the river to accommodate bigger ships and keep local ports competitive, while opponents argue it will mostly benefit a few oil refineries while stirring up toxic sediments that would threaten water quality and wildlife.
O'Mara noted that the Corps' most recent environmental impact statement was completed 12 years ago.
"If the Army Corps conducted the proposed deepening now, it would do so with little knowledge of the Delaware River's current environment," he wrote in a seven-page order. "I find that approval now, based upon outdated information, would impose an undue risk of harm to Delaware's environment and public health."
Richard Pearsall, a spokesman for the Corps' Philadelphia district office, said officials were reviewing O'Mara's decision.
"We're just going to reevaluate our position here," he said.
The Corps recently began soliciting bids for the first phase of the dredging project. Pearsall said there were no plans to halt the bid solicitation process.
In its permit application to DNREC, the Corps sought permission to remove almost 22.5 million cubic yards of material from the channel running from the mouth of the Delaware Bay at Lewes to the Delaware-Pennsylvania border near Claymont. The amount later was revised to 17.7 million cubic yards. The dredge spoils would be deposited at sites in Delaware and New Jersey.
While denying the permits, O'Mara did not prohibit the Corps from submitting a new application with updated information.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Elephant dies while rescuing its calf in Tamil Nadu
An elephant died while trying to save its calf which had slipped and fallen into a pit near Katteri village in the Barliyar forest range of Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu on Thursday.
The calf fell into the pit during the midnight hours and the mother elephant struggled to reach it.
It is also believed that the elephant aged around 22 years with its calf was trying to cross the Barliyar forest area.
Initially, forest rangers found it difficult to carry out the rescue operation since the location was quite steep.
“It was very difficult to reach the spot as it is on a steep slope. Rescuers had to climb using ropes and other things but we finally managed to reach there. The calf wasn’t injured. We rescued the animal after struggling for five to six hours,” said Kannn, Conservator of Forests, Nilgiris Range.
However, environmentalists say that private tea estate owners are using illegal methods to frighten elephants in the region that often result in the jumbos falling into dug up pits and trenches around the tea gardens.
“The area has a thick presence of elephant herds. It is called as migration corridor and has a number of private tea estates. These estates have illegally installed solar fencing in order to drive away the elephants,” said Jayachandran, an activist of Green Movement.
Experts have opined that massive deforestation, poaching and people encroaching upon forest corridors have forced the elephants to move out of their natural habitats in search of food and water
The calf fell into the pit during the midnight hours and the mother elephant struggled to reach it.
It is also believed that the elephant aged around 22 years with its calf was trying to cross the Barliyar forest area.
Initially, forest rangers found it difficult to carry out the rescue operation since the location was quite steep.
“It was very difficult to reach the spot as it is on a steep slope. Rescuers had to climb using ropes and other things but we finally managed to reach there. The calf wasn’t injured. We rescued the animal after struggling for five to six hours,” said Kannn, Conservator of Forests, Nilgiris Range.
However, environmentalists say that private tea estate owners are using illegal methods to frighten elephants in the region that often result in the jumbos falling into dug up pits and trenches around the tea gardens.
“The area has a thick presence of elephant herds. It is called as migration corridor and has a number of private tea estates. These estates have illegally installed solar fencing in order to drive away the elephants,” said Jayachandran, an activist of Green Movement.
Experts have opined that massive deforestation, poaching and people encroaching upon forest corridors have forced the elephants to move out of their natural habitats in search of food and water
Obama's 'green-jobs' guru: from activist to environmentalist
Van Jones defies environmentalist stereotypes. He's not the earthy-crunchy, Birkenstock-wearing type. Nor is he a contemporary and corporate version -- a hedge fund-fueled entrepreneur looking to make millions by building wind farms and solar-powered corporate headquarters.
The new special adviser for "green jobs" -- those jobs that help reduce energy consumption and lessen environmental impact -- at the White House Council on Environmental Quality is in some ways like President Obama himself: an African-American community activist and organizer who has rocketed to the highest levels of government.
Jones says it was death, of all things, that set him on his current career path as a green-jobs guru. In describing his turn from social activist to environmentalist, Jones recounted his experiences with young people in Oakland, California.
"I got involved in this work because I got tired of going to funerals. I got tired of seeing young people without any hope," Jones told CNN. "I wanted them to have a better future. I said, 'Why don't we get these young people trained in green jobs so they can be a part of all these companies that are getting started?' "
So Jones, a Yale Law School graduate and longtime community activist, started an organization called "Green For All" in Oakland. The mission was to figure out how to train underprivileged young people in green-jobs skills, such as installing solar panels and retrofitting houses to make them more energy efficient. Watch more on Van Jones' career »
"People talk about global warming. ... I want to cool the Earth down. I also want to calm the block down," said Jones.
Jones' efforts earned him national recognition and grabbed the attention of Obama's advisers.
Now, he is the president's pitchman for green jobs, helping to coordinate government agencies focused on delivering millions of green jobs to the ailing U.S. economy.
Don't Miss
House OKs $6.4 billion to make schools greener
"I see myself as the green-jobs handyman. My job is to make sure that the president's desire that we have literally millions of green jobs in our country actually turns into reality," said Jones.
Yet even in places like Michigan, where unemployment is a whopping 15 percent -- well above the national average of 9.5 percent -- Jones understands there's skepticism about his message.
CNN followed Jones on a recent visit to Lansing, Michigan, where he told attendees at a green-jobs conference that saving the planet and saving jobs can go hand in hand.
"You say, 'Oh no, oh no -- you're gonna talk about the caulking gun. Oh no!' " Jones joked with the crowd.
Critics, though, have serious concerns about the "green collar" agenda. They argue that those green jobs -- retrofitting homes to make them more energy-efficient, for instance -- will be mostly low-level and low-paying.
Jones dismisses that.
"You take somebody and maybe this summer they're putting up solar panels," Jones said. "Well guess what, this is a growing part of our economy -- the next summer they can be a manager, the next summer, maybe they can be an owner, an investor, an inventor."
While Jones tries to spread his green message, he's also trying to practice what he preaches. That means taking public transportation, including a bus and train ride, to get to his office just across the street from the White House. He says those rides give him valuable opportunities to hear unvarnished views.
Describing his work as a member of the executive branch, Jones said, "Everybody that comes talk to us, they've already got an agenda, they've got their game face on. [On] public transportation, people are themselves."
As for who Jones is, he gave CNN a brief look at his new office at the White House Council on Environmental Quality. On the walls hang pictures of his heroes, each Jones described with a different strength. Basketball legend Michael Jordan: dedication and commitment. Boxing legend Muhammad Ali: fighting spirit.
Finally, pointing to a picture above his desk, Jones' tone grew softer.
"This is Bobby Kennedy the day before he was killed. In Watts, talking to some of the poorest people in California. And look at him. I mean, he's just present," Jones said, his eyes focused on Kennedy's image.
"We want to bring green jobs to these kind of folks. We want to bring green jobs to people who don't have hope."
The new special adviser for "green jobs" -- those jobs that help reduce energy consumption and lessen environmental impact -- at the White House Council on Environmental Quality is in some ways like President Obama himself: an African-American community activist and organizer who has rocketed to the highest levels of government.
Jones says it was death, of all things, that set him on his current career path as a green-jobs guru. In describing his turn from social activist to environmentalist, Jones recounted his experiences with young people in Oakland, California.
"I got involved in this work because I got tired of going to funerals. I got tired of seeing young people without any hope," Jones told CNN. "I wanted them to have a better future. I said, 'Why don't we get these young people trained in green jobs so they can be a part of all these companies that are getting started?' "
So Jones, a Yale Law School graduate and longtime community activist, started an organization called "Green For All" in Oakland. The mission was to figure out how to train underprivileged young people in green-jobs skills, such as installing solar panels and retrofitting houses to make them more energy efficient. Watch more on Van Jones' career »
"People talk about global warming. ... I want to cool the Earth down. I also want to calm the block down," said Jones.
Jones' efforts earned him national recognition and grabbed the attention of Obama's advisers.
Now, he is the president's pitchman for green jobs, helping to coordinate government agencies focused on delivering millions of green jobs to the ailing U.S. economy.
Don't Miss
House OKs $6.4 billion to make schools greener
"I see myself as the green-jobs handyman. My job is to make sure that the president's desire that we have literally millions of green jobs in our country actually turns into reality," said Jones.
Yet even in places like Michigan, where unemployment is a whopping 15 percent -- well above the national average of 9.5 percent -- Jones understands there's skepticism about his message.
CNN followed Jones on a recent visit to Lansing, Michigan, where he told attendees at a green-jobs conference that saving the planet and saving jobs can go hand in hand.
"You say, 'Oh no, oh no -- you're gonna talk about the caulking gun. Oh no!' " Jones joked with the crowd.
Critics, though, have serious concerns about the "green collar" agenda. They argue that those green jobs -- retrofitting homes to make them more energy-efficient, for instance -- will be mostly low-level and low-paying.
Jones dismisses that.
"You take somebody and maybe this summer they're putting up solar panels," Jones said. "Well guess what, this is a growing part of our economy -- the next summer they can be a manager, the next summer, maybe they can be an owner, an investor, an inventor."
While Jones tries to spread his green message, he's also trying to practice what he preaches. That means taking public transportation, including a bus and train ride, to get to his office just across the street from the White House. He says those rides give him valuable opportunities to hear unvarnished views.
Describing his work as a member of the executive branch, Jones said, "Everybody that comes talk to us, they've already got an agenda, they've got their game face on. [On] public transportation, people are themselves."
As for who Jones is, he gave CNN a brief look at his new office at the White House Council on Environmental Quality. On the walls hang pictures of his heroes, each Jones described with a different strength. Basketball legend Michael Jordan: dedication and commitment. Boxing legend Muhammad Ali: fighting spirit.
Finally, pointing to a picture above his desk, Jones' tone grew softer.
"This is Bobby Kennedy the day before he was killed. In Watts, talking to some of the poorest people in California. And look at him. I mean, he's just present," Jones said, his eyes focused on Kennedy's image.
"We want to bring green jobs to these kind of folks. We want to bring green jobs to people who don't have hope."
Kent pollution cleanup stalls
A year after the state announced a legal settlement requiring cleanup of long-standing pollution problems at a chemical plant near Chestertown on the Eastern Shore, the work remains stalled by disputes with the plant's owner.Genovique Specialties Corp. has balked at demands from the state Department of the Environment that it do more testing of soil and groundwater for toxic and potentially cancer-causing chemicals at its manufacturing facility, which sits beside an unnamed stream that ultimately flows to the Chesapeake Bay. The company, based in Rosemont, Ill., first submitted a plan last August for investigating contamination at its Kent County plant, which manufactures "plasticizers" - substances that make plastics flexible. But the state found the original plan riddled with "data and information gaps" and has insisted on more sampling to ascertain how far contaminants may have spread."We've reviewed the cleanup plan, and we don't agree with it," said Dawn Stoltzfus, state environment agency spokeswoman. "We have requested revisions, and the party does not agree with us."Stoltzfus said the problems at the plant pose no immediate threat to neighboring residents. But some environmental activists are not so sure, and they fault state regulators for not pressing harder to clean up a facility that has been the source of complaints for decades."I don't know the reason why it's taken so long," said Tom Leigh, the Chester Riverkeeper, who noted that groundwater contamination was first detected at the plant 20 years ago. While the facility's current and previous owners have taken some steps to remedy problems, he said, members of the community are frustrated by the apparent lack of progress since the consent decree was signed last July."They certainly deserve better from the state as well as the business owners that run the plant," said Leigh, who monitors the condition of the river for the Chester River Association.The consent decree had settled a lawsuit filed by the state in 2007 that accused the plant of discharging polluted wastewater and of contaminating soil and groundwater beneath its facility. Under the decree filed in Kent County Circuit Court, the company, previously known as Velsicol Chemical Co., agreed to a timetable for investigating and cleaning up the problems within two years. The company also agreed to pay a $200,000 fine in 18 monthly installments. The deal had been billed by officials as the final resolution of chronic pollution problems at the plant, which has been in operation since the 1950s.Over the years, the Chestertown plant has used a series of unlined ponds to store and treat its wastewater, and state officials say pollutants have leached into the soil and groundwater, including the solvents benzene and toluene and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, also known as BEHP. Benzene can cause cancer in humans, while toluene can damage the brain and nervous system, as well as other organs. BEHP has been classified as a probable carcinogen, and exposure to high levels has caused kidney damage and disrupted reproduction and sexual development in laboratory animals. Last year, Congress banned the sale of children's toys containing some phthalates.Marian Hwang, a lawyer for the corporation, declined to comment. But in a letter sent to the state this month, she contends that it is being required to do more testing than is needed, because the levels of toxic pollution monitored in the groundwater have declined and there is no evidence any has seeped beyond the fenceline.The lawyer asked that the court-approved timetable for completing the study and cleanup be put on hold while the state mulls its appeal, but pledged to begin work on some of the cleanup.Genovique submitted a plan for investigating the extent of contamination and pollution at the plant, but it has never been approved by the state."We're not going to accept a substandard plan," Stoltzfus said. "We're taking our time to make sure the cleanup is done right."The Chester River Association agrees that more extensive soil and water testing is needed. But the group also is concerned that storm water washing off the plant site contains BEHP, while wastewater released by the facility into a holding pond that overflows into a nearby stream contains phosphorus. Phosphorus is one of the pollutants chiefly responsible for the algae blooms that create a fish-suffocating "dead zone" on the bay bottom in summer. The state has never officially limited the amount of phosphorus the chemical plant can discharge, and since the consent decree was signed last July there have been 18 times that the phosphorus levels in the plant's wastewater exceeded the limit normally set on municipal sewage plants.Meanwhile, Leigh said, ducks and geese frequent the pond collecting BEHP-tainted storm runoff. "Those birds move on and may wind up on somebody's dinner plate one day," he said.Leigh said he is frustrated because state law prevents the citizens group he works for from suing the company if the state has taken action.Michele Merkel, Chesapeake coordinator for the Waterkeeper Alliance, said the protracted Genovique cleanup is part of a pattern of flagging environmental enforcement in Maryland. State data show declines last year in both the number of sites inspected and actions taken, she noted."They either don't have the resources or the political will to adequately address violations of environmental laws," she said.Stoltzfus said the state is dedicated to cleaning up the plant but acknowledged that "resources are limited." She said the agency is overseeing about 100 consent decrees requiring pollution cleanups.Stoltzfus said Genovique has begun treating its wastewater in recent months to remove phosphorus. And the contamination problems are limited for now to the plant site, she said."If there were public health risks, if drinking water were involved, it would be a different situation," the state spokeswoman said. "But we have to set priorities when resources are tight."
The Man Who Stuck His Head Inside a Particle Accelerator
So with all the recent news about the Large Hadron Collider, many of you may have this nagging question: what, exactly, would happen if you stick your head in the particle accelerator?
Well, actually, we know the answer to that because someone did stick his head into a particle accelerator. Here’s the story of Anatoli Bugorski:
Bugorski, a 36-year-old researcher at the Institute for High Energy Physics in Protvino, was checking a piece of accelerator equipment that had malfunctioned - as had, apparently, the several safety mechanisms. Leaning over the piece of equipment, Bugorski stuck his head in the space through which the beam passes on its way from one part of the accelerator tube to the next and saw a flash brighter than a thousand suns. He felt no pain.
From what we know about radiation, about 500 to 600 rads is enough to kill a person (though we don’t know of anyone else who has been exposed to radiation in the form of a proton beam moving at about the speed of sound). The left side of his face swollen beyond recognition, Bugorski was taken to a clinic in Moscow so that doctors could observe his death over the following two to three weeks.
Over the next few days, skin on the back of his head and on his face just next to his left nostril peeled away to reveal the path the beam had burned through the skin, the skull, and the brain tissue. The inside of his head continued to burn away: all the nerves on the left were gone in two years, paralyzing that side of his face. Still, not only did Bugorski not die, but he remained a normally functioning human being, capable even of continuing in science. For the first dozen years, the only real evidence that something had gone neurologically awry were occasional petit mal seizures; over the last few years Bugorski has also had six grand mals. The dividing line of his life goes down the middle of his face: the right side has aged, while the left froze 19 years ago. When he concentrates, he wrinkles only half his forehead.
Well, actually, we know the answer to that because someone did stick his head into a particle accelerator. Here’s the story of Anatoli Bugorski:
Bugorski, a 36-year-old researcher at the Institute for High Energy Physics in Protvino, was checking a piece of accelerator equipment that had malfunctioned - as had, apparently, the several safety mechanisms. Leaning over the piece of equipment, Bugorski stuck his head in the space through which the beam passes on its way from one part of the accelerator tube to the next and saw a flash brighter than a thousand suns. He felt no pain.
From what we know about radiation, about 500 to 600 rads is enough to kill a person (though we don’t know of anyone else who has been exposed to radiation in the form of a proton beam moving at about the speed of sound). The left side of his face swollen beyond recognition, Bugorski was taken to a clinic in Moscow so that doctors could observe his death over the following two to three weeks.
Over the next few days, skin on the back of his head and on his face just next to his left nostril peeled away to reveal the path the beam had burned through the skin, the skull, and the brain tissue. The inside of his head continued to burn away: all the nerves on the left were gone in two years, paralyzing that side of his face. Still, not only did Bugorski not die, but he remained a normally functioning human being, capable even of continuing in science. For the first dozen years, the only real evidence that something had gone neurologically awry were occasional petit mal seizures; over the last few years Bugorski has also had six grand mals. The dividing line of his life goes down the middle of his face: the right side has aged, while the left froze 19 years ago. When he concentrates, he wrinkles only half his forehead.
The Breathing Earth simulation
Welcome to Breathing Earth. This real-time simulation displays the CO2 emissions of every country in the world, as well as their birth and death rates.
Please remember that this real time simulation is just that: a simulation. Although the CO2 emission, birth rate and death rate data used in Breathing Earth comes from reputable sources, data that measures things on such a massive scale can never be 100% accurate. Please note however that the CO2 emission levels shown here are much more likely to be too low than they are to be too high.
The Environment and Climate Change
Global warming (aka climate change) is probably the most important issue to face our generation, and quite possibly any generation in history. The worldwide scientific community is virtually unanimous in its agreement that global warming is happening, that that it's our fault. If we let it get out of our control, the consequences - which will already begin occuring in most of our lifetimes - will be catastrophic. Just some of the consequences that can be reasonably expected are rising sea levels, more frequent and more severe natural disasters, large-scale food shortages, plagues, massive species extinctions, unprecendented numbers of refugees, intensified ethnic and political tensions, and a global economic depression the likes of which no one has ever seen.
The situation is still within our grasp, but we must act now, we must act strongly, and we must act together. Individuals, companies, and governments across the globe must each do what they can to reverse climate change. We will never get a second chance.
What can I do?
The good news is that there are plenty of things that we can do to reduce our carbon footprint. The key word is reduce. We can greatly lessen our impact on climate change by using the planet's resources more responsibly. There are many things we can reduce, and many ways we can reduce them, but three of the major ones are: reduce the amount of animal products you consume (meat, dairy, eggs, leather, etc.), reduce the amount of fuel you use (car, air travel, etc.), and reduce the amount of electricity you use. If you're interested, there are plenty of good resources on the net. I encourage you to so your own research, though you might find some of the links below to be useful.
More climate change info?
Footprint Network footprint calculator - Figure out your own ecological footprint.
wecansolveit.org - Join a global movement determined to help solve climate change.
Fight Climate Change with Diet Change - Find out why the meat industry produces more greenhouse gases than all the SUVs, cars, trucks, planes, and ships in the world combined.
Where does the data come from?
All data used on Breathing Earth is the latest available, as of December 2008.
Birth and death rates: 2008 estimates, from the CIA World Factbook
Population: Data is based on July 2008 estimates from the CIA World Factbook. When Breathing Earth is started, it uses each country's birth and death rates to calculate how much its population has changed since July 2008, and adjusts its population figure accordingly. To calculate the total world population, Breathing Earth adds up the population figures of all countries. It continues adjusting the various population figures as you watch it, each time a person is born or a person dies.
CO2 emission rates: 2004 figures from the United Nations Statistics Division. These are the most up-to-date figures as of December 2008. Collating CO2 emissions data for every country on Earth, representing the same time period, is undoubtedly a massive and very complex task that relies on the availability of many other sets of data. This probably explains why the most recent CO2 emissions data available is from 2004.
CO2 emission rates from two years earlier: When Breathing Earth was first built, it used 2002 figures, also from the United Nations Statistics Division. When you hover your mouse over a country, Breathing Earth compares the 2002 and 2004 figures and indicates whether that country's CO2 emissions have increased or decreased in that time, using the red or green arrow that appears near the bottom-left.
There was an unavailability of a portion of the data for a few of the tinier countries (eg. Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Lesotho). In such cases, I made estimates based on their population, economy, and the data of their relevant neighbours. In all such cases, the figures were so low that even had my estimates been wildly inaccurate, the effect on the simulation would have been negligible.
CO2 emissions: per country or per capita?
Some people ask why Breathing Earth focuses on the CO2 emissions per country, rather than per capita. After all, wouldn't the per capita rates give a better indication of who is being most wasteful? For example, the citizens of Australia, Kuwait and Luxembourg are among the world's worst polluters, yet their CO2 emissions aren't very prominent on Breathing Earth because of those countries' relatively low populations.
The fact of the matter, however, is that what is most important is how many c02 emissions there are from the perspective of Planet Earth. Although some countries are clearly much worse polluters than others, the problem is ultimately a global one that humans of various nationalities have caused, and that humans of various nationalities must work together to solve.
One thing must surely be obvious though: The problem is largely a Western one. It is the Western countries who are leading the way in CO2 emissions, and when non-Western countries have high CO2 emission rates themselves, it's usually because they are adopting Western habits. Since we, the West, have been a leading cause of the CO2 emissions problem, surely it is we who must step up and be the leaders in the solution.
Thanks for visiting.
Please remember that this real time simulation is just that: a simulation. Although the CO2 emission, birth rate and death rate data used in Breathing Earth comes from reputable sources, data that measures things on such a massive scale can never be 100% accurate. Please note however that the CO2 emission levels shown here are much more likely to be too low than they are to be too high.
The Environment and Climate Change
Global warming (aka climate change) is probably the most important issue to face our generation, and quite possibly any generation in history. The worldwide scientific community is virtually unanimous in its agreement that global warming is happening, that that it's our fault. If we let it get out of our control, the consequences - which will already begin occuring in most of our lifetimes - will be catastrophic. Just some of the consequences that can be reasonably expected are rising sea levels, more frequent and more severe natural disasters, large-scale food shortages, plagues, massive species extinctions, unprecendented numbers of refugees, intensified ethnic and political tensions, and a global economic depression the likes of which no one has ever seen.
The situation is still within our grasp, but we must act now, we must act strongly, and we must act together. Individuals, companies, and governments across the globe must each do what they can to reverse climate change. We will never get a second chance.
What can I do?
The good news is that there are plenty of things that we can do to reduce our carbon footprint. The key word is reduce. We can greatly lessen our impact on climate change by using the planet's resources more responsibly. There are many things we can reduce, and many ways we can reduce them, but three of the major ones are: reduce the amount of animal products you consume (meat, dairy, eggs, leather, etc.), reduce the amount of fuel you use (car, air travel, etc.), and reduce the amount of electricity you use. If you're interested, there are plenty of good resources on the net. I encourage you to so your own research, though you might find some of the links below to be useful.
More climate change info?
Footprint Network footprint calculator - Figure out your own ecological footprint.
wecansolveit.org - Join a global movement determined to help solve climate change.
Fight Climate Change with Diet Change - Find out why the meat industry produces more greenhouse gases than all the SUVs, cars, trucks, planes, and ships in the world combined.
Where does the data come from?
All data used on Breathing Earth is the latest available, as of December 2008.
Birth and death rates: 2008 estimates, from the CIA World Factbook
Population: Data is based on July 2008 estimates from the CIA World Factbook. When Breathing Earth is started, it uses each country's birth and death rates to calculate how much its population has changed since July 2008, and adjusts its population figure accordingly. To calculate the total world population, Breathing Earth adds up the population figures of all countries. It continues adjusting the various population figures as you watch it, each time a person is born or a person dies.
CO2 emission rates: 2004 figures from the United Nations Statistics Division. These are the most up-to-date figures as of December 2008. Collating CO2 emissions data for every country on Earth, representing the same time period, is undoubtedly a massive and very complex task that relies on the availability of many other sets of data. This probably explains why the most recent CO2 emissions data available is from 2004.
CO2 emission rates from two years earlier: When Breathing Earth was first built, it used 2002 figures, also from the United Nations Statistics Division. When you hover your mouse over a country, Breathing Earth compares the 2002 and 2004 figures and indicates whether that country's CO2 emissions have increased or decreased in that time, using the red or green arrow that appears near the bottom-left.
There was an unavailability of a portion of the data for a few of the tinier countries (eg. Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Lesotho). In such cases, I made estimates based on their population, economy, and the data of their relevant neighbours. In all such cases, the figures were so low that even had my estimates been wildly inaccurate, the effect on the simulation would have been negligible.
CO2 emissions: per country or per capita?
Some people ask why Breathing Earth focuses on the CO2 emissions per country, rather than per capita. After all, wouldn't the per capita rates give a better indication of who is being most wasteful? For example, the citizens of Australia, Kuwait and Luxembourg are among the world's worst polluters, yet their CO2 emissions aren't very prominent on Breathing Earth because of those countries' relatively low populations.
The fact of the matter, however, is that what is most important is how many c02 emissions there are from the perspective of Planet Earth. Although some countries are clearly much worse polluters than others, the problem is ultimately a global one that humans of various nationalities have caused, and that humans of various nationalities must work together to solve.
One thing must surely be obvious though: The problem is largely a Western one. It is the Western countries who are leading the way in CO2 emissions, and when non-Western countries have high CO2 emission rates themselves, it's usually because they are adopting Western habits. Since we, the West, have been a leading cause of the CO2 emissions problem, surely it is we who must step up and be the leaders in the solution.
Thanks for visiting.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
President pushes health care reform agenda
Amid growing questions from citizens and Congress regarding his plans for comprehensive national health care reform, President Obama held a primetime press conference July 22 to address the issue.While a specific plan has yet to be hammered out by lawmakers, Obama favors options that would impose a surcharge on the very rich to cover costs of providing government-supported health care to uninsured Americans. He has indicated that a plan in the House of Representatives that would tax families who make more than $1 million is in line with his expectations.Obama has promised to veto any plan that would tax the middle class or poor.Indian health officials have been largely supportive of the president’s agenda, since many Native Americans living on reservations and in urban areas don’t have health insurance, and tend to live under high poverty conditions.Health experts familiar with Indian country also note that IHS programs have been perennially underfunded by Congress, making them unable to provide sufficient health offerings to many Native Americans.As noted in several hearings of the Senate Committee on Indians Affairs, IHS contract funds tend to run out early in the year, leaving many Natives with few or no health care options.One of the president’s overriding themes during the press conference was that reforming the system would be positive for all Americans.“This is not just about 47 million Americans who have no health insurance,” the president said. “Reform is about every American who has ever feared that they may lose their coverage.”He also believes that injecting competition via a government-sponsored insurance plan would dissuade private insurers from passing on health costs to their subscribers, thus reducing out-of-pocket costs for many Americans.“Part of the reason we want to have a public option is just to help keep the insurance companies honest,” he said.Changing the health care system is at the top of Obama’s domestic agenda, but polls have shown him losing ground on the issue, as some question whether he’s trying to do too much, too fast.The latest Associated Press poll found the number of Americans who disapprove of the president’s health care plan has risen to 43 percent, compared with 28 percent in April.Mark Trahant, a health-focused Native journalist who was recently selected as a Kaiser media fellow, has some skepticism, saying he believes Obama must address Indian health as part of his reform agenda – something the president did not do during the press conference.“To me, it’s a matter of trust,” said Trahant, a member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribe and the former editorial page editor of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.“If the U.S. can’t get this one segment of health care right [IHS programs] – one where there’s a direct service – then how are we supposed to trust the U.S. to reshape the entire system? The answer starts with more money for IHS, but it also requires inclusion in the broader conversation.”Congress members, including Democrats and Republicans, have expressed a desire to have more time to work out the details of such complicated legislation. But Obama wants both the House and Senate to come to reconciliation and vote on the issue by early August.One of the biggest causes for concern surrounds the cost of change – estimated at $1 trillion – especially considering the administration’s spending thus far on the stimulus package and the nation’s already steep deficit.Obama addressed that question head on, saying that inaction would end up doing more harm to the economy, while continuing to increase the federal deficit. Nationwide health care costs currently account for 17.6 percent of the gross domestic product and continue to increase.
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