Blog 10: Obama Administration Again Delays Keystone XL Decision

Summary:
This article describes the Obama administration's most recent delay in the looming decision over the controversial Keystone XL pipeline proposal. A judge in a Nebraska state district court ruled that the path of the pipeline through Nebraska was unlawful, and as a result, the decision on the pipeline will have to be stalled for further review. The time for public comments has expired with over 2.5 million people commenting on the issue. However, the time period for agency comments has now been extended. Agencies will be able to comment until 14 days after a final decision on the Nebraska route has been made. If Nebraska decides to block the pipeline's route entirely, it will present a host of problems for the developers and the State Department. If Nebraska decides to allow the pipeline but at a different location, all analyses of the original State Dept. report on KXL will have to be redone.
Analysis:
I think that one way or another, the Obama administration will approve this pipeline. The article mentions that a decision will likely be made after the 2014 elections in November. Since the decision to approve this pipeline would be unpopular among Obama supporters and democrats in general, it makes sense to delay it. More and more opposition to the pipeline has been building up recently, with anti-KXL activists holding signs and waving banners at rallies across the country that say "We will dismantle the pipeline" or "I pledge to destroy the pipeline". This issue definitely has all the ingredients needed for the peaceful protests to turn violent. The article says environmental activists were enthused by the delay, but to me it seems very concerning. This administration has proven time and time again that it has no interest in the health of the environment and the strength of America's diverse ecosystems, so I think taking yet another delay is just more proof that the pipeline will be approved. If the administration were serious about climate change, they would reject this pipeline right now.

Link:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/18/keystone-xl-obama_n_5175185.html?utm_hp_ref=green&ir=Green&utm_hp_ref=green

Blog 9: Three-Quarters Of World Bank-Backed Projects Still Don't Evaluate Climate Risks: Report

Summary:
This article concerns a report from the World Resources Institute, a nonprofit organization. The researchers involved with the report uncovered and analyzed information pertaining to loans being distributed by the World Bank, and found that only around 25% of the funded projects contained no assessment regarding climate change. In 2013, the World Bank admitted that climate change could seriously undermine poverty alleviation and the path to sustainability for developing, and also promised to make climate change more a more prevalent factor regarding the projects they fund. The World Bank also continues to fund coal-powered projects, one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases. Despite all of this, the WRI believes that the World Bank is serious about moving forward on climate, and has made several suggestions to the World Bank, and the World Bank generally agreed with their suggestions.

Analysis:
The World Bank needs to take climate change more seriously when funding projects. The point that is lost in all of this, though, is that the West is responsible for an extremely disproportionate amount of greenhouse gases and environmental destruction when compare to the developing world. The focus and the pressure of climate change needs to be laid at the doorstep of the US and other developed nations, because we are the largest contributors. Who are we to tell the developing world how to develop when we can't even reign in our own pollution? I do hope the World Bank makes the right decisions going forward, though, and I hope they offer real, profitable, and sustainable infrastructure projects to these developing nations. 

Link:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/07/world-bank-climate-change_n_5104895.html?utm_hp_ref=climate-change

Blog 8: IPCC says the same old thing

Summary:
The United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released their latest report last Monday and the news is pretty much still the same. The scientists described many catastrophic scenarios for various nations around the world, focusing mostly on conditions worsening in areas that are currently being impacted. The most interesting aspect of this new report is the focus on worsening social problems as a result of a planet in upheaval. Lack of access to food and medicine, eruptions of violent conflict due to resource scarcity, and the spread of disease top the list as major areas of concern for the world. The current report utilized countless instances of "proof" that climate change is taking place, and urged a reversal of our current energy sources.

Analysis:
While I do believe in climate change, I also believe that this issue is just too big for the average person to wrap their head around. For those that do understand the risks associated with climate change, you must consider that many people will fall victim to the free rider problem. It's overwhelming. If climate change has already progressed as much as the IPCC claims, how are we to ever reverse it? It seems that at this point, climate change could only be reversed by a 100% reversal of civilization overnight, and that is not going to happen. What if climate change is supposed to happen as a defense mechanism for Earth itself? Since most of the world's population lives near the coast, maybe this is just a natural cleansing method. Disease also spreads pretty easily through water. My suggestion would be for people to prepare as much as possible for a changing climate, and to focus more effort on local environmental problems. We probably do not have time to change the way the entire world operates, so we might as well focus on making our local communities more sustainable and environmentally friendly and more prepared to endure the coming storms.

Link:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/30/un-climate-change-report_n_5060317.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular,climate-change

Blog 7: Shareholders want answers about Dan River folly

Summary:
More than 20 major shareholders have formed a coalition and petitioned Duke Energy's board of directors to answer some serious questions about their handling of February's coal ash spill into North Carolina's Dan River that made international headlines. A major component of the growing distrust between North Carolina citizens/investors and Duke Energy is the fact that NC Governor Pat McCrory worked for Duke Energy for 28 years, and inspectors from North Carolina's Department of Environmental and Natural Resources conveniently overlooked several major violations that lead to the spill. As a result of this bad business, Duke Energy is facing the loss of the millions of dollars it will cost for the company to clean up their mess, not to mention the growing citizen coalitions demanding that Duke move the remaining 33 coal ash ponds to "safer" locations.

Analysis:
 Even the shareholders at Duke Energy have enough of a conscience to realize that this is bad business. Though they are undoubtedly worried about losing profits due to their worsening reputation among North Carolina citizens, it still speaks volumes to the fact that the communities in which Duke operates are turning on the company. This type of accident is not just an eyesore, it affects virtually all the animals residing in the river; it affects the people who depend on the river for subsistence fishing or commercial fishing; it affects farmers who use the river as a source of irrigation; and it affects the health and economy of North Carolina in general. There has to be serious punishments for this type of deadly and irresponsible behavior. Pat McCrory and Duke Energy should be run out of North Carolina immediately by citizens with torches.

Link:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/28/duke-shareholders-investigation_n_5048988.html?utm_hp_ref=green

Blog 6: Nasa-funded study: industrial civilisation headed for 'irreversible collapse'?

Summary:
A study funded by NASA has found significant evidence that our way of life, like the way of life humans lived before the industrial age, is coming to an end. The impending convergence of the food, energy, and water crises are the main focus of the study, with the elite and upper-classes taking the brunt of the blame. According to the study, the wealth inequality among citizens of the planet will add to the frustrations presented by the ecological crises that will lead to serious unrest unlike we've ever experienced. The study also finds that technological advancements could help curb the coming crisis, but they also describe how technological advancements have raised per capita resource extraction and consumption, making technology a useless way to combat the coming collapse.

Analysis:
 This is not very surprising to me. If Earth contained a mere fraction of the population that exists today, we would be able to live the lifestyles that we do, but that is not the case. We have all spent our entire lives extracting or using extracted resources for the benefit of the elites in some fashion, and now this way of life is catching up to us. In order to survive, we must fundamentally change the way we think. We must see ourselves as caretakers of this planet, and we must respect it. If we don't we will die or suffer, along with many other plants and animals. Life is not a game, but the rich have continuously played us like it is. It is time for us to learn real skills. We must learn how to be self-sufficient again.

Link:
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/earth-insight/2014/mar/14/nasa-civilisation-irreversible-collapse-study-scientists

Blog 5: Decision time for Keystone XL

Summary:
President Obama's approval or rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline - an extension of Canada's TransCanada pipeline that will slice through Montana, South Dakota, and Nebraska - will set the stage for future environmental policy in the US and show the world (sort of) whether or not the US is serious about tackling environmental issues. The article provides a great timeline of the controversial proposed pipeline, and even points out when resistance to the pipeline began heating up. Supporters of the pipeline have claimed that it will brings hundreds, possibly thousands of jobs to the affected areas, while protesters claim that it would be devastating for animals and the environment, bad for the economy, and tarnish the reputation of the US as a global leader in progressive environmental policy.

Analysis:
The Obama administration has done a terrific job stalling on this issue and distracting environmental activists from the dozens of lesser-known and equally massive pipeline projects that are being installed around the country. I do not think President Obama will do the right thing and reject this pipeline because his administration has been openly hostile towards the environment and activists in general. The State Dept. report on Keystone XL confirmed the potential for serious environmental damage if the pipeline were to leak, and Obama had previously stated he would not sign off on the projects if it posed those serious environmental risks. And still, we have not heard his decision. Secretary of State John Kerry foolishly made climate change a major focus of the Obama administration, and we will see how resilient they are in the face of the oil lobby.


Link:
http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/decision-time-looms-keystone

Blog 4: Poaching

Summary:
The estimated number of poached rhinos in Kenya doubled last year from 30 in 2012 to 59 in 2013, with less than 1,500 left to go. Despite more legislation to deal with poachers, poaching has steadily risen in Africa over the last decade, with many of the killings taking place in heavily guarded areas. The article reports some brighter news for the elephant population of Kenya, with poaching down by about one-fifth. Kenyan Wildlife Service spokesman Paul Mbugua has noticed that the poachers seem even more brazen and confident than before, as the illegal wildlife trade is still booming in Asia.

Analysis:
The dialogue of the poaching conversation needs to be changed dramatically. When most of us hear tragic and disgusting news like this, we talk about what punishments we'd dish out to the poachers if we caught them. The idea of an animal losing its life for no good reason is too much for our inner-child to bear, especially an animal as beautiful as the mighty rhinoceros. As children, it seems that most of us connect with other species fairly easily and frequently. So, if that's true for most of us, then why should we not question the root causes of poaching? Fining and jailing the poachers themselves would only make poaching more profitable. Police could conduct raids and random searches, but do people really want the police to have more reasons to harass them? Poaching happens because people are poor. They need a way to support themselves in the global capitalist model. We are able to live comfortably because slaves make what we consume somewhere thousands of miles away, completely hidden to the average American's conscience. Are the poachers really so different? If the country you live in doesn't have a Wall Street, you take your risks with your life and the lives of others in hopes of a large return. The commodification of animals, just like land and people, is wrong and we need to take the power away from the mechanisms in place that cause it.

Link: 
 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/27/rhino-poaching-kenya-2013_n_4868665.html?utm_hp_ref=green

Blog 3: China in Africa: The New Imperialists?

Summary:
This article highlights some of the problems that have arisen since China began to seriously increase its presence in Africa for resource extraction purposes. The article focuses on Zambia, a copper-rich nation to the south that China has taken an interest in. There have been several instances of corruption that the article points out, and even some violent clashes between Chinese mining companies and Zambian workers due to working conditions and withheld earnings. One such clash resulted in the death of a Chinese mine manager and two wounded supervisors. Another violent incident ended with Chinese mining officials firing pistols at a crowd of angry workers, of which 13 were injured. The author emphasizes that there is no lack of corruption on the part of the Zambian government either, and even mentions a conversation he had with the Zambian director of mines in which the director claimed that the Chinese were in for a big fight regarding their rights to the mine. The actual response was to increase the royalty rate.

Analysis:
In humanity's quest for endless resources on a finite planet, there will undoubtedly be more and more casualties. If the sad history of the African continent and its exploitation for resources serves as a warning to the entire world, we should heed it. Imperialism is nothing new at this point, but it must be stopped. If we are to exist on this planet, we need to figure out how to sustain ourselves by using our own resources. Energy for the China or America equals less of something for Africans or South Americans. Energy for us equals less habitat for animals, and in most cases, dead animals. Tensions are so high in Nigeria over Shell's presence that locals have formed militias and attacked Shell's drill sites and workers. Hopefully the Chinese miners will take the hint.

Link:
 http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2013/06/china-zambia-resources-imperialism.html

Blog 2: Kellogg Agrees to Stop Using Conflict Palm Oil

Summary:

This article focuses on the recent decision by Kellogg's to eliminate untraceable palm oil from their products. Starting in 2016, Kellogg's will only use palm oil that has been verified as "environmentally appropriate" (whatever that means), and will improve measures needed to trace the palm oil to its source. This is apparently the strongest move yet by a public food manufacturer to curb the nightmarish deforestation and human rights violations happening in places like Indonesia and New Guinea because of the palm oil industry. Palm oil is a $50,000,000,000/year industry and is used in nearly half of all products on the shelves at supermarkets. According to this article, the pressure for Kellogg's to change their sourcing methods prompted Chinese palm oil giant, Wilmar International Ltd., to adopt a more "sustainable" model as well.

Analysis:

While this is indeed good news, I do not see how these additional measures will make palm oil a more "sustainable" crop considering the amount of palm oil consumed around the world and the very limited amount of space used to raise it. Land is becoming a scarce commodity in Indonesia, and the orangutans, elephants, Sumatran tigers, and indigenous tribes are bearing the brunt of this atrocity. The real problem lies in the fact that Americans, Europeans, Chinese, etc. should not be consuming that which does not grow on our own soils. If we were to ever get serious about "sustainability", we would immediately halt all imports and work with what we have in our own respective regions. The globalization of agriculture is one, if not the most urgent matters affecting our planet, not to mention that these companies are often tied to countless human rights abuses. We are essentially promoting slavery and destruction with every purchase we make. I for one do not trust these companies that caused the problem to eliminate the problem. I feel the only reason they have to push sustainability is to sustain profits. 

Link:
 http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-02-14/kellogg-to-stop-using-deforested-palm-oil-by-2016-amid-pressure

Blog 1: The TPP and fast-track authorization

Summary:

This article highlights some of the political opposition facing President Obama as he and the GOP try to dump the Trans-Pacific Partnership onto the US and the world by enacting "fast-track" authorization. Obama and the republicans are pushing for fast-track approval because it prohibits lawmakers from making any changes or adjustments to several highly controversial trade deals. Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) somehow managed to slither out of his chair and voice his opposition to fast-track approval after almost a year of mounting pressure from labor and environmental groups, as well as many of the nation's top economists.

Analysis:

These trade deals, especially the Trans-Pacific Partnership, grant sweeping power to the corporations who negotiated them. If this agreement is approved, millions of jobs could be sent overseas where either a) environmental and labor regulations are virtually non-existent, or b) the trade agreement itself reverses the environmental and labor laws set in motion by the people of sovereign nations. This trade agreement essentially elevates corporations above the law, and if a country were to renege on any part of the deal they would be subjected to lawsuits via corporate tribunals. Many existing environmental protections would be lost and the world's already suffering ecosystems would be brutalized even more extensively. Labor laws like age restrictions and wage agreements would be reversed. The agreement would ban "Buy American", "Buy Local", and GMO labeling initiatives, as well as limit online information about the corporations involved in every single country that signs on to the agreement, including the US. Despite the president's hollow commitment to decrease income inequality and increase social justice, it seems as if his true loyalty belongs to the corporations who are destroying the planet and what's left of human integrity.

Link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/31/business/reid-pushes-back-on-fast-track-trade-authority.html?_r=0

Topic: Environmental Degradation

I will be focusing on the destruction of the environment due to globalization and free trade. I hope to emphasize the role of the average American in global environmental destruction, as well as critique some of the so-called sustainable solutions to the problem that are being offered up by governments and industries around the world.