Editor's Take: August 08, 2008
Credit: jfraser - Flickr.com
Dirty Energy; Clean Energy
Today we see the devastation caused by dirty energy sources
and the benefits of clean energy. A study shows elevated cancer
risk for Seattle residents in heavy air pollution zones. Meanwhile, Oregon looks to make solar
power affordable to the masses and turn freeway
medians into solar collectors. And businesses in BC
and OR
see the bright side of a transition away from fossil fuels. Finally for Friday,
do we live in a Nanny
Nation?
Editor's Top Picks
Your editor today is Rob Priewe | View All Today's News
Air Pollution Linked to Elevated Cancer Risk in Seattle
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
08/08/2008
Residents of a broad swath of South Seattle from Seward Park to West Seattle face elevated cancer risks because of air pollution, according to a soon-to-be released government study.
Go to article.
Affordable Home Solar Energy Systems in OR
Oregonian
08/08/2008
Rooftop solar electric systems often are associated with the rich or zealous - a green privilege. But sky-high energy prices, a degraded environment and new aggressive government policies are changing the who and the why - so much that the field is getting level.
Go to article.
Is Your Scooter a Polluter?
Boise Idaho Statesman
08/08/2008
Which gets better gas mileage, a Hummer or a scooter? No contest. But which is more polluting? It may not be what you think. "It's true. The cleanest scooter is still dirtier than a car," said John Swanton, air pollution specialist with the California Air Resources Board.
Go to article.
Emissions Cuts Can Boost BC Business, CEO Says
Vancouver Sun
08/08/2008
British Columbia's aggressive climate-change agenda can be used as a tool to eliminate some of the province's biggest obstacles to economic growth and prosperity, a member of the BC Climate Action Team said Thursday.
Go to article.
Oregon Starts Solar Power Program For Highways
Oregon Public Broadcasting
08/07/2008
A stretch of Oregon highway will soon be lit with solar energy. State officials say the solar project near the interchange of I-5 and I-205 is the first project of its kind in the country.
Go to article.
Why Is Wal-Mart Lobbying Against Carbon-offsets?
The Christian Science Monitor
08/07/2008
Wal-Mart has been taking many major steps go green in recent years. The mega-retailer has taken steps to assess the carbon footprint of some of its products, and it has become the largest buyer of organic cotton and of locally grown produce. So you can imagine my surprise when I came across Wal-Mart's comment on the Federal Trade Commission's attempts to standardize carbon offsets.
Go to article.
Oilman, Gore Converge on Energy Concern
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
08/08/2008
The most unlikely alliance in this election year hasn't come out of any political campaign. It's in the convergence of interests between billionaire oilman and Republican Party backer T. Boone Pickens and former vice president turned environmentalist Al Gore.
Go to article.
Geothermal Could Boost Oregon's Energy Business
Oregon Public Broadcasting
08/07/2008
Besides advances in solar technology, Oregon also has some big ideas when it comes to other alternative energy sources. The state has just approved plans for the largest wind farm in the country, in the Columbia River Gorge. And in Klamath Falls, everyone is focused on geothermal.
Go to article.
Views: Vital Signs for National Health Insurance
Seattle Times
08/08/2008
Searing headlines about local job cuts sharpen interest in universal health-insurance coverage. The topic grabs the attention of those vulnerable families and voters broadly defined as the middle class, the engine of change. Increasingly, the focus is on national single-payer health insurance. Acceptance of the concept is growing, especially among a key constituency: doctors.
Go to article.
Timothy Egan: Nanny Nation
New York Times
08/08/2008
At a time when so many people are losing homes and jobs, and making tough decisions about whether to fill a gas tank or pay health insurance, city governments should avoid counting calories and dispatching garbage police.
Government should empower us, to use the word so favored by activists. Make sure our food is safe. When products kill, make companies pay. Show us the way to a cleaner garbage stream. Lead by example.
Go to article.
