Post blogger Mountaingrown in comment #1: "So non-believers are swine, but I have to buy your DVD to learn how to save the planet....interesting...."
Blogger David Frey reports on Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper's visit to the Western Slope in his pursuit of the governor's mansion.
Kevin Costner, Amory Lovins, Hugh McCormack, Edward Troy and other gladiators of the environmental movement have a few things to say.Cameron: I spent the last five years making one movie to move the needle a little bit. "There’s a limit to its effectiveness because there wasn’t a specific message on specific problems with specific solutions. We spoke to people who were already predisposed to that message. "We need to reach people caught in middle and who think that climate change is a controversial topic."
Continue Reading 1 comment August 23rd, 2010
Aspen’s own Kevin Costner doesn’t get enough credit for trying to save the oil companies from themselves. The actors says dumped $24 million into his oil-water separation technology, according to his presentation this week at the Aspen Environment Forum, “and that’s after taxes”—so you figure he had to smile for the camera to the tune of $35 million-plus to make his Ocean Therapy Solutions come to life.
Why bother? Because Costner, after the Exxon Valdez fiasco, never wanted to see oil wash over our wildlife again. He hired 20 scientists and spent fifteen years coming up with a deployable black box that could stop the problem when it happened and before it got worse.
“I thought industry would rush to my door,” he said at the forum sponsored by the Aspen Institute.
Continue Reading 4 comments July 27th, 2010
http://www.wkrg.com/gulf_oil_spill/article/orange-beach-charter-boat-captain-death/899417/Jun-23-2010_7-36-pm/
from my original post approximately a month ago with some deletions:
[Big Oil has robbed us of so much, we're not even close to realizing the true costs...
Can I ever watch the movie's bayou segment again without thinking, "Lt. Dan can't jump in that water," in the memorable scene in which Gary Senise finally comes to terms with his own tragic loss: He's a Vietnam veteran and a double-amputee.
We're back to an earlier, darker scene (like an inescapable Pottersville, from It's a Wonderful Life) in which Gary Senise, enraged by his loss, wrestles Gump to the hospital floor between their beds, and, after yelling at an uncomprehending Gump that he was supposed to die in Vietnam, he sits up, refusing Gump's help, and in the silence that follows states his own profoundly sad question, "What am I gonna do now?"
I think every shrimper, every widow, every oil-worker and every sea-loving bayou-dwelling person has asked themselves that same question. You watch, God forbid, over the next few years as families self-destruct, and suicide rates spike along the Gulf Coast... Like the tide of veteran's suicides outpacing the Gulf War's fatalities last year, it will begin to exact its own toll. It's enough to make anyone cry; in fact, it already has.]
Add comment June 27th, 2010
Those passing the Tea Party kool-aid acid test--and their anti-government sympathizers on the Right--are the first people in line to decry the failure of a Democratic President to use the crushing weight of the federal government to clean up the spill in the Gulf. If hypocrisy were a crime, these people would all be in... the hoosegow serving life without hope for parole.
Continue Reading 1 comment May 28th, 2010
In a disaster of epic proportions--spill baby spill--we simply must have a scapegoat. What better sacrificial animal (goat, lamb) to lead to the slaughter than the President of the United States?
Continue Reading 4 comments May 27th, 2010
The "Gulf" (everyday), and the monumental callousness, greed, dishonesty, indifference and fecklessness of the British Petroleum officials who virtually guaranteed this would happen. And for what? A yield of a morning drive-time's worth of gas? All courtesy of the 'W' and Dick Chaney cronies at the eviscerated, drug-addled MMA. In my opinion, the worst line ever uttered by a politician -- and there's a mountain of them to choose from -- that has inexorably led us to this toxic wasteland that will be our post-apocalyptic 'Gulf' -- is one that has set one group against another, seemingly in perpetuity. It has given rise to the kind and quality of politicians we have today, to the eight years of a court appointed American plutocracy, to politicians who will pay and listen to the half gov. Sarah Palin, to Newt Gingrich, Mitch Mcconnell, John Boehner, George W, and "Heck of a job" cronies. It's unthinking poison is matched only by the harm it has caused this country, and by those who blindly adhere to it's simplistic destructive force. It sounds pithy and right. It is Reagan's "Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem." Hi all, H
15 comments May 22nd, 2010
A few years ago, I enthusiastically entered the Virgin Earth contest to remove a billion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere per year for ten years as part of a profitable enterprise. For comparison purposes, planetary production of steel is about 1.3 billion tons/yr. Surely there must be a way to solve this, I thought. I am reasonably familiar with the sciences necessary to tackle this problem. The scale is of course enourmous.
The sheer size of the requirements eliminated many small possibilities. Only those affecting the entire planet could be considered. I am as close to absolute certitude that no single sovereign nation can solve this by itself.
In short, CO2 is a very stable compound; An atom of carbon covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. Replacing the oxygen would require the use of Fluorine which is the only element with a higher electronegative number (electron affinity). However, fluorine is never found in a pure form outside of chemistry labs, the etching of glass is done with fluorine or fluorinated compounds. It would cost more energy to free up fluorine in compounds to replace the oxygen. No hope there.
Replacing the carbon could also be done using various metallic elements, which easily donate electrons. However these metals are also in compounds. For the same energy cost reasons as is the case with Fluorine, there is no hope here either. Thus no industrial/chemical process will work.
Next I considered the use of solar power, however the energy lost in the conversion of CO2 into C + O2 would be better spent on direct use to replace fossil fuels. That does not win the prize.
That left biology. I considered molluscs and finally oxygen producing coccolithophores. While huge amounts of CO2 can be removed the oceans are left very acidic which breaks down the carbonates formed. The limit is the amount of Ca++ in oceanic solution.
I do not believe there is a way to solve this without a terrestrial solution (non-marine). Humanity and its organizational constructs are in the way; Sovereignty, race(es), ethnicities, religions.
I do believe a genetically modified organism could do it, but there are certainly ethical issues arising from that situation since the cultivation of this organism would have to be done on a truly massive scale. But, I hope I am wrong.
I will not be blogging for a while. I wish all of you the best and a happy new year and decade. �
1 comment January 4th, 2010
THE ASPEN CANARY INITIATIVE SUPPORTS QITTLES 60 CITY BUS TOUR
Mobile Marketing Tour to Promote “Live the Dream” Goes Green
Aspen, CO (October 28th, 2009)— The Qittle “Live the Dream” bus tour will promote environmentally sustainable behaviors with the support of the City of Aspen’s Canary Initiative.
The Canary Initiative is donating Canary Tags—investments in local projects that reduce carbon—in order to make the bus carbon neutral. During the five month tour, Qittle will use text marketing strategies to encourage large audiences to “avoid, reduce then offset” their carbon impacts.
Kim Peterson, director of the Canary Initiative sees it as a great opportunity and a perfect match for what the Canary Initiative is attempting to accomplish.
“We will be able to help other cities establish their own carbon reduction programs through this effort,” Peterson said. “This type of marketing is cutting edge and targeted toward an ever growing tech savvy market.”
With support such as the Canary Initiative, Qittle will hold educational seminars throughout the U.S. helping businesses use new media tools like mobile marketing to relay their message. The bus tour will also promote Qittle’s “Live the Dream” campaign where one person will win a free year in Aspen, complete with a place to live, ski pass and the essentials to survive in the mountain town.
The Canary Initiative was created by the City of Aspen to serve as an action plan that identifies steps to reduce global warming pollution; inform the public about impacts from, and solutions for global warming; and to advocate for action on a regional, state, and national level.
Qittle helps businesses create, customize and manage a mobile marketing initiative. Launched on the dawn of a worldwide mobile reign, Qittle brings the message to the customer through the mobile phone-a device most customers don't leave home without. www.qittle.com
Add comment October 28th, 2009
Former Aspen Public Radio reporter Kirk Siegler makes the big time with his report for NPR on Sudden Aspen Decline (SAD): http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6095916
NPR's Mitch Teich reports on the same phenomenon from Northern Arizona.
Add comment October 27th, 2009
On October 24, people in Aspen will gather to spell the words SAVE SNOW on Aspen Mountain as part of the largest global day of climate action ever.
The event—one of nearly 2,500 rallies in more than 150 nations—is coordinated by 350.org to urge world leaders to take fast and effective action on global warming. This is the first global campaign ever organized around a scientific data point: 350 parts per million CO2 is the safe upper limit for the atmosphere, according to the latest scientific data.
WHO: Everyone! Friends, family, colleagues and neighbors!
WHAT: Participants will be photographed by John Catto, owner of Alpenglow Pictures Inc., from above spelling the words “SAVE SNOW” with their bodies. Everyone is encouraged to wear winter gear (snowboards, skis, jackets, hats, etc.) for the photo. The end result – a photograph of hundreds of winter enthusiasts standing on a snowless ski mountain – will be sent to local, regional, national and international elected officials before the important climate meetings this December in Copenhagen with a simple message: Please act NOW!
Simultaneously, people in every corner of the world will be taking similar action, from climbers with 350 banners high on the melting slopes of Mount Everest to government officials in the Maldive Islands holding an underwater cabinet meeting to demand action on climate change before their nation disappears.
After the photo, participants will gather at Ajax Tavern for free beer, Stranahan’s whiskey, music from the Powder Hounds and a drawing for special prizes. Aspen Paragliding, Eco-Flight, Ute Mountaineer, Rocky Mountain Nordic and the Community Office for Resource Efficiency (CORE) have all donated giveaways to the event.
WHEN: October 24, 2009, from 3 to 5 p.m.
WHERE: Meet promptly at 3 p.m. at Aspen Mountain Gondola Plaza
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The event is sponsored by CORE, the City of Aspen’s Canary Initiative, Ruthie Brown of Wagon Wheel Associates and Ski Co with donations from Alpenglow Pictures, Ajax Tavern, the Powder Hounds, Stranahan’s whiskey, the Limelight Lodge, Aspen Paragliding, Eco-Flight, Ute Mountaineer and Rocky Mountain Nordic. Photos from the event will be available at www.aspencore.org and at www.aspenpitkin.com. Photos from events happening all over the world will be available for free use at: http://350.org/media. For more information on the global 350 campaign, please visit www.350.org or contact Cosa Bullock in New York, cbullock@mrss.com.
ABOUT 350.ORG: Founded by author and environmentalist Bill McKibben, 350.org is the first large-scale grassroots global campaign against climate change. Its supporters include leading scientists, the governments of 89 countries, and a huge variety of environmental, health, development and religious NGOs. All agree that current atmospheric levels of CO2—390 parts per million—are causing damage to the planet and to its most vulnerable people, and that government action at the Copenhagen climate conference is required to bring the earth’s carbon level swiftly down.
Do Your Part to Save Snow in Aspen
Add comment October 22nd, 2009
