http://www.cchange.net Covering the transformations to social, environment and economic sustainability Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:08:33 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Sea Change Radio covers the transformations to social, environmental, and economic sustainability. Change is accelerating in positive and negative directions: the clock is ticking in the race to see which will tip first—the problems or the solutions. Join Sea Change's Host, Alex Wise, as he provides in-depth analysis to help our audience understand possible remedies and potential pitfalls. Sea Change interviews sustainability experts including Paul Hawken, Stewart Brand, Bill McKibben, Van Jones, Lester Brown, and many others. Sea Change airs on over 30 radio stations around the country. Alex Wise clean Alex Wise awise@cchange.net awise@cchange.net (Alex Wise) 2007-2011 Making Connections for Sustainability Sustainability, Climate Change, Human Rights, Environment, Corporate Responsibility, Socially Responsible Investing, Accountability, Stakeholders, Clean Tech, Renewable Energy, Green Jobs, Wealth Divide http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/cwr-images-archive/SeaChangeRadioTAG_square144_sm.jpg http://www.cchange.net Weekly http://www.cchange.net/2010/09/14/californias-prop-23-a-state-measure-with-global-implications/ http://www.cchange.net/2010/09/14/californias-prop-23-a-state-measure-with-global-implications/#comments Wed, 15 Sep 2010 04:08:58 +0000 Alex Wise http://www.cchange.net/?p=2809 http://www.cchange.net/2010/09/14/californias-prop-23-a-state-measure-with-global-implications/feed/ 0 activists,alex wise,ballot initiative,california assemblyman,Climate Change,democracy for america,environmental reporter,global warming,Janet Stromberg,la times,Margot Roosevelt,tom ammiano This week on Sea Change Radio, we take an in-depth look at Proposition 23. We hear from LA Times environmental reporter, Margot Roosevelt and speak to activists and legislators working to to defeat Prop. 23, including No On 23 spokesman, Steve Maviglio, (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Janet-Stromberg-150x150.jpg)(http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Tom-Ammiano-150x150.jpg)When it comes to legitimate, progressive climate change policy, the U.S. has certainly dropped the ball on the global stage. In 2006, California began a bid to reverse this trend with Assembly Bill 32 - the Global Warming Solutions Act (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Warming_Solutions_Act_of_2006), that aggressively tries to address the climate crisis. Since California is the nation's most populous state and the world's 8th largest economy, its leadership on climate change can have a far-reaching impact. But the Global Warming Solutions Act is under attack. This Fall, Californians will vote on Proposition 23 (http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/California_Proposition_23_(2010)), a ballot initiative designed to reverse the(http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Steve-Maviglio1.jpg)measures of the 2006 climate law. This week on Sea Change Radio, we take an in-depth look at Proposition 23. We hear from LA Times (http://www.latimes.com/) environmental reporter, Margot Roosevelt (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/) and speak to activists and legislators working to to defeat Prop. 23, including No On 23 (http://www.stopdirtyenergyprop.com) spokesman, Steve Maviglio, California Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Ammiano), and Democracy For America (http://www.democracyforamerica.com/)'s Janet Stromberg. To learn more about what you can do to help stop Prop. 23, check out StopTexasOil.com (http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/stop_texas_oil/) or Communities United Against Prop. 23 (http://communitiesagainstprop23.com/) Alex Wise clean http://www.cchange.net/2010/05/13/grind-for-the-green/ http://www.cchange.net/2010/05/13/grind-for-the-green/#comments Thu, 13 May 2010 06:59:47 +0000 Alex Wise http://www.cchange.net/?p=2484 http://www.cchange.net/2010/05/13/grind-for-the-green/feed/ 1 alex wise,Ambessa Cantave,environmental activism,global warming,grind for the green,hip hop culture,hip-hop,non-profit,seachangeradio.com. Alex Wise,urban youth,zakiya harris Sea Change Radio's new Host and Executive Producer, Alex Wise, speaks with Zakiya Harris, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Grind For The Green, a Bay Area non-profit organization that uses hip-hop culture as a vehicle to attract and engage youth of... (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Zakiya-Harris1-150x150.jpg)Sea Change Radio's new Host and Executive Producer, Alex Wise (http://seachangeradio.com/), speaks with Zakiya Harris (http://www.grindforthegreen.com/staff/), Executive Director and Co-Founder of Grind For The Green (http://www.grindforthegreen.com/), a Bay Area non-profit organization that uses hip-hop culture as a vehicle to attract and engage youth of color "from the margins to the epicenter of the environmental movement." Alex Wise clean http://www.cchange.net/2010/03/03/newsanalysis-dark-clouds-gather-over-sec-climate-regs/ http://www.cchange.net/2010/03/03/newsanalysis-dark-clouds-gather-over-sec-climate-regs/#comments Thu, 04 Mar 2010 01:22:26 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/?p=2392 http://www.cchange.net/2010/03/03/newsanalysis-dark-clouds-gather-over-sec-climate-regs/feed/ 0 http://www.cchange.net/2009/12/23/cop15-wrap-up-climate-deniers-drowning-islands-and-hope-after-copenhagen/ http://www.cchange.net/2009/12/23/cop15-wrap-up-climate-deniers-drowning-islands-and-hope-after-copenhagen/#comments Wed, 23 Dec 2009 23:31:08 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/?p=2243 http://www.cchange.net/2009/12/23/cop15-wrap-up-climate-deniers-drowning-islands-and-hope-after-copenhagen/feed/ 1 ACES,Barack Obama,Climate Change,COP15,global warming,Waxman-Markey Climate Bill Sea Change Radio surveys a broad spectrum of opinions and outcomes of the UN Climate Conference (COP15).  We hear excerpts from a press conference there featuring a Republican contingent from the US House of Representatives, (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/cop15_logo_img.gif)Sea Change Radio surveys a broad spectrum of opinions and outcomes of the UN Climate Conference (COP15 (http://en.cop15.dk/)).  We hear excerpts from a press conference there featuring a Republican contingent from the US House of Representatives, a speech by Tuvalu Prime Minister Apisai Ielemia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apisai_Ielemia), and an exclusive interview of European Commission Deputy Director-general of Environment Karl Falkenberg (http://ec.europa.eu/civil_service/docs/directors_general/falkenberg_en.pdf) by Sea Change Climate Correspondent Cimbria Badenhausen (http://www.cchange.net/about/cimbria-badenhausen/), who covered all 2 weeks of the conference on the ground. The UN Climate Conference, or COP15, ended in the wee hours of Saturday, December 19, resulting in a Copenhagen Accord (http://bit.ly/4FgskS?r=td) brokered by a “limited group (http://en.cop15.dk/news/view+news?newsid=3070)” of countries.  Critics have slammed the deal for falling short of the commitments needed to curb catastrophic climate change, not to mention its disregard for the legitimate negotiation process by ignoring the voices of those most affected by climate change, such as small island nations.  While many blame US President Barack Obama,  climate journalist Mark Lynas published an eyewitness account (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/22/copenhagen-climate-change-mark-lynas) of the late-night negotiations in the Guardian in the UK that places blame squarely on China for scuttling the more ambitious elements of the agreement. Our survey starts at the far right with the deniers and skeptics – in this case, a contingent of six Republicans from the US House of Representatives, who convened a press conference (http://www1.cop15.meta-fusion.com/kongresse/cop15/templ/play.php?id_kongressmain=1&theme=unfccc&id_kongresssession=2737) on the last day of the conference.  They led off by citing what’s known as “Climategate,” or the publishing of hacked emails and data from computers at the Climate Research Unit of the University of East Anglia in the UK, widely considered the epicenter of climate research.   We hear from Rep. Joe Barton (http://joebarton.house.gov/Default.aspx) (R-TX), senior ranking Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee (http://energycommerce.house.gov/); Rep. John Sullivan (http://sullivan.house.gov/) (R-OK); Rep. Fred Upton (http://www.house.gov/upton/) (R-MI), ranking Republican on the House Energy and Environment Sub-Committee (http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=130&layout=blog&Itemid=71); Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (http://capito.house.gov/) (R-WV), a member of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming (http://globalwarming.house.gov/). Sea Change Climate Correspondent Cimbria Badenhausen asked the Representatives to go on the record with their stance on the cause of climate change -- and its impacts on those most vulnerable. The Republican Representatives seem to advance a self-contradictory stance.  They vehemently protested the science underlying the conclusion that human-genarated carbon emissions cause climate change, undermining actions such as the Waxman-Markey Climate Bill (http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-2454) or the Copenhagen Climate Conference that intended to reduce these emissions.  Then they embrace the idea of carbon reductions that align with their economic visions.  So which is it?  If you can make sense of this, please comment below or on the Sea Change Radio Facebook Fan Page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sea-Change-Radio/88996586621). (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/ApisaiIelemia-150x150.jpg)Also on the last day of COP15, Tuvalu Prime Minister Apisai Ielemia held a press conference Bill Baue clean 29:21 http://www.cchange.net/2009/11/04/350-a-number-to-save-us-from-climate-chaos/ http://www.cchange.net/2009/11/04/350-a-number-to-save-us-from-climate-chaos/#comments Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:08:02 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/?p=2075 http://www.cchange.net/2009/11/04/350-a-number-to-save-us-from-climate-chaos/feed/ 0 350.org,Bill McKibben,Climate Action,Climate Change,global warming,paul hawken Sea Change Climate Correspondent Cimbria Badenhausen covers the International Day of Climate Action by talking beforehand with 350.org Director Bill McKibben.  The Bioneers by the Bay Conference celebrated Climate Action Day with a 350 event MC’ed by r... (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/350-Copenhagen-150x150.jpg)(http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/350-GreatBarrierReef-150x150.jpg) Sea Change Climate Correspondent Cimbria Badenhausen (http://www.cchange.net/about/cimbria-badenhausen/) covers the International Day of Climate Action (http://www.350.org/350-action-gallery) by talking beforehand with 350.org (http://www.350.org/) Director Bill McKibben (http://www.billmckibben.com/).  The Bioneers by the Bay Conference (http://www.connectingforchange.org/) celebrated Climate Action Day with a 350 event MC’ed by rapper Tem Blessed (http://www.temblessed.com/), featuring talks by Callum Grieve (http://www.theclimategroup.org/about/our_people/callum_grieve) of the Climate Group (http://www.theclimategroup.org/) and Marty Driggs, a member of the Youth Initiative Planning Committee (http://www.connectingforchange.org/youth-planning.html) for the Bioneers by the Bay Conference.  Also at Bioneers, Cimbria caught up with sustainability guru Paul Hawken (http://www.paulhawken.com/paulhawken_frameset.html), who told Cimbria of the Arctic trip that Scandinavian royalty invited him to attend, to witness and study the impacts of climate change.  And finally, ZipCar (http://www.zipcar.com/) Founder Robin Chase (http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1894410_1893837_1894186,00.html) describes the controversial "Supermodels Strip for Climate Action (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdz555JBIwY&feature=player_embedded)" video her daughter conceived and produced. "The longer I've spent working on global warming -- the greatest challenge humans have ever faced -- the more I've come to see it as essentially a literary problem.  A technological and scientific challenge, yes; an economic quandry, yes; a political dilemma, surely.  But centrally?  A crisis in metaphor, in analogy, in understanding."  So wrote Bill McKibben in the August 2008 edition of Orion Magazine (http://www.orionmagazine.org/) in an essay entitled, "When Words Fail (http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/3059/)."  And, indeed, words do fail to capture the enormity of this slow-creeping, almost invisible crisis, McKibben discovered.  "Boiling point?" Nope.  "Climate chaos?"  Uh uh. (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/JamesHansen-150x150.jpg)It was James Hansen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Hansen), who McKibben calls "our greatest climatologist," who solved the literary problem -- with a number.  In December 2007, he presented a paper at the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco that "named a number," McKibben says.  350, to be precise -- parts per million carbon in the atmosphere, that is.  "That, [Hansen] said, was the absolute upper bound of anything like safety -- above it and the planet would be unraveling.  Is unraveling, because we're already at 385 parts per million," McKibben wrote over a year ago. A number!  It translates into all tongues.  And, it gave birth to the organization McKibben now heads: 350.org, whose mission is to "tattoo that number into every human brain."  And that's exactly what we all did on October 24, the International Day of Climate Action, which featured over 52 hundred [5,200] grassroots events in 181 countries to become the "most widespread day of political action in the planet's history, " according to CNN. (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/BillMcKibben-150x150.jpg)The week before the big event, Sea Change Correspondent Cimbria Badenhausen caught up with Bill McKibben at the Relocalize Massachusetts (http://www.relocalizemassachusetts.org/) Conference in Roxbury. (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/TemBlessed.jpg)On the International Day of Climate Action, Cimbria attended the Bioneers by the Bay Conference in New Bedford, Massachusetts, which hosted its own 350 event, hosted by rapper Tem Blessed.  After working up the crowd, Bill Baue clean 29:30 http://www.cchange.net/2009/06/24/forecasting-climate-change/ http://www.cchange.net/2009/06/24/forecasting-climate-change/#comments Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:37:24 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/?p=1315 http://www.cchange.net/2009/06/24/forecasting-climate-change/feed/ 1 Climate Change,EPA,global warming,greenhouse gas emissions,Matt Madia,OMB Watch,Stephan Faris,sudan,Waxman-Markey Climate Bill What does our future on this warming globe hold?  We explore this question today with Stephan Faris, who talks about his new book, .  And Matt Madia of OMBWatch tells us about a provision in the Waxman-Markey climate bill that would strip the EPA of it... (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/StephanFaris-150x150.jpg)(http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/MattMadia-150x150.jpg)What does our future on this warming globe hold?  We explore this question today with Stephan Faris (http://www.stephanfaris.com/), who talks about his new book, (http://us.macmillan.com/forecast).  And Matt Madia (http://www.ombwatch.org/node/2789) of OMBWatch (http://www.ombwatch.org/) tells us about a provision in the Waxman-Markey climate bill (http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-2454) that would strip the EPA of its authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. Journalist Stephan Faris has traveled around the globe to cover global warming.  He’s compiled his experiences in the new book, FORECAST: The Consequences of Climate Change, from the Amazon to the Arctic, from Darfur to Napa Valley. He spoke with Sea Change Radio Co-Host Francesca Rheannon recently in a wide-ranging discussion about the intersections between global warming and geopolitics. The conversation started on the hot-button issue of Darfur.  Contrary to the conventional wisdom that ethnic tensions between Arab Janjaweed (http://www.slate.com/id/2104210/) nomadic herders and African farmers are driving the genocide, Faris traces the origins of the conflict to global warming. Research shows that drought in the Sudan in the 1980s was caused by climate change, and this extended dry spell fueled the conflict between herders and farmers. Faris also talks about how global warming is transforming the insurance industry, which acts as a barometer of the financial impacts of climate change – not only in rising property insurance for seaside properties, but also in rising health and life insurance rates.  Immigration is another area impacted by climate change, as populations migrate in response to rising sea levels and drought, for example.  Click here (http://www.cchange.net/2009/06/24/stephan-faris-complete-interview/) to listen to a complete version of the 40-minute interview. In the second segment, we look at climate legislation.  In 2007, the Supreme Court issued an opinion (http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/06pdf/05-1120.pdf) in Massachusetts v EPA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_v._Environmental_Protection_Agency) authorizing EPA to regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under the Clean Air Act. But a little-known provision in the proposed American Clean Energy and Security Act (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:h.r.02454:) (ACES, otherwise known as the Waxman-Markey climate bill) would strip the EPA of this power. We first heard about the provision, section 311 (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/F?c111:2:./temp/~c111ww2C7z:e662391:), when we talked with Greenpeace about their objections to Waxman-Markey. So we decided to learn more about it by asking someone whose job it is to delve deep into the details of federal regulations. We found Matt Madia (http://www.ombwatch.org/node/2789) of OMBWatch (http://www.ombwatch.org/). He’s a federal regulatory policy analyst with the organization, and he's written (http://www.ombwatch.org/node/9833) about the dangers of Waxman-Markey stripping EPA's authority to regulate GHG emissions. Bill Baue clean 28:35 http://www.cchange.net/2009/06/10/policy-blueprints-climate-2030-route-to-reform/ http://www.cchange.net/2009/06/10/policy-blueprints-climate-2030-route-to-reform/#comments Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:39:13 +0000 Francesca Rheannon http://www.cchange.net/?p=935 http://www.cchange.net/2009/06/10/policy-blueprints-climate-2030-route-to-reform/feed/ 1 Clean Energy economy,Climate 2030,Climate Bill,Climate Change,climate policy,energy economy,global warming,Rachel Cleetus,Stern_Review,Sustainable Public Policy,Transportation for America,union of concerned scientists We talk with Rachel Cleetus of the Union of Concerned Scientists about the group's National Blueprint for a Clean Energy Economy, Climate 2030 and with David Goldberg about Transportation for America's Route to Reform. (../2009/06/03/climate-bill-pass-or-fail/)(http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/rachaelcleetus-150x150.jpg)Last week on Sea Change Radio, we featured the pros and cons of the climate bill (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.+2454:) now set to wend its way through the halls of Congress. Today, we take a look at two proposals from the grassroots that have some important bearing on climate policy. We talk with Rachel Cleetus of the Union of Concerned Scientists (http://www.ucsusa.org/) about the group's National Blueprint for a Clean Energy Economy, Climate 2030 (http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/solutions/big_picture_solutions/climate-2030-blueprint.html) and with David Goldberg about Transportation for America (http://t4america.org/)'s  Route to Reform (http://t4america.org/pressers/2009/05/11/transportation-for-america-issues-national-blueprint-for-transportation-reform/). Economic recession doesn't mean the world can't afford to tackle climate change. In fact, the costs of delay dwarf the costs of moving to a clean energy economy. The British economist Lord Stern says it will take 2% of the world's GDP (http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/lord-stern-on-global-warming-its-even-worse-than-i-thought-1643957.html) to avert catastrophic climate change, whereas GDP would drop 20% or more if we don't (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stern_Review). But the Union of Concerned Scientists goes further. In Climate 2030: A National Blueprint for a Clean Energy Economy, the UCS argues that strong climate change policy will actually create substantial savings for consumers and the economy as a whole, not just in the distant future, but right here and now. The report forecasts $1.7 trillion in net cumulative savings between 2010 and 2030 and annual savings of $465 billion by the latter date. Francesca Rheannon spoke with Rachel Cleetus, economist with the Climate program at the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). Her work focuses on designing and advocating for effective global warming policies at the federal, regional, state and international levels. Dr. Cleetus has also worked as a consultant for the World Wildlife Fund (http://www.worldwildlife.org/) and the Tellus Institute (http://www.tellus.org/). (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/t4a.jpg) In light of climate change, peak oil, and energy dependence on volatile regions like the Middle East and Central Asia, how our transportation system is structured is a matter of national and economic security. Every six years, the United States Congress passes a bill to authorize federal spending on transportation, and it's up for renewal this year. The third largest spending bill in the budget, it covers both funding targets and policy goals. How should we fund transportation: with a gas tax or a road-use tax (or other ways)? How much of the transportation pie should go to roads and bridges or to high speed, light rail, and even bike paths? Do we want to keep plumping up suburban sprawl by investing in roads and bridges or do we want to encourage denser, walkable communities with light intercity rail? These questions are up for grabs in the 2009 bill. They are being addressed by Transportation for America in a blueprint proposal to the Congress, called Route to Reform. Francesca spoke with communications director, David Goldberg. Francesca Rheannon clean 29:21 http://www.cchange.net/2009/03/04/news-analysis-protesting-coal/ http://www.cchange.net/2009/03/04/news-analysis-protesting-coal/#comments Wed, 04 Mar 2009 21:21:58 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/?p=623 http://www.cchange.net/2009/03/04/news-analysis-protesting-coal/feed/ 0 Bill McKibben,Clean Tech,Climate Change,Glen Ayers,global warming,Green Jobs,Renewable Energy,sustainability institute,Sustainable Innovation,Tina Clarke Peaceful protesters gathered at the Mount Tom Power Plant in Holyoke, Massachusetts, on March 1, a chilly Sunday. They were demonstrating against coal, the fossil fuel that spews global warming carbon dioxide and toxins such as mercury into the air. (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/mttompowerplant.gif)Peaceful protesters gathered at the Mount Tom Power Plant (http://www.firstlightpower.com/generation/mttom.asp) in Holyoke, Massachusetts, on March 1, a chilly Sunday. They were demonstrating against coal (http://petervickery.blogspot.com/2009/03/mount-tom-demo.html), the fossil fuel that spews global warming carbon dioxide and toxins such as mercury into the air.  They were piggy-backing on the Capitol Climate Action (http://www.capitolclimateaction.com/) coal protests happening the next day in Washington, DC.  Sea Change Radio spoke last week (http://www.cchange.net/2009/02/25/bill-mckibben-urges-civil-disobedience-against-coal/) with that event's organizer Bill McKibben (http://www.billmckibben.com/).  Co-Host Francesca Rheannon covered the Mount Tom protest for Sea Change.  There, she spoke with Glen Ayers, a public health agent and soil scientist.  She also caught up with Tina Clarke, who works with the Sustainability Institute (http://sustainer.org/) in Vermont. Bill Baue clean http://www.cchange.net/2009/02/18/making-the-case-for-a-green-stimulus/ http://www.cchange.net/2009/02/18/making-the-case-for-a-green-stimulus/#comments Wed, 18 Feb 2009 22:15:23 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/?p=566 http://www.cchange.net/2009/02/18/making-the-case-for-a-green-stimulus/feed/ 0 Clean Tech,Climate Change,EPA,global warming,Green Building,Green Jobs,Green Living,nicholas stern,Renewable Energy,stimulus,Sustainable Agriculture,Sustainable Innovation Alex Bowen, a Principal Research Fellow at The Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment of the London School of Economics, discusses An Outline of the Case for a ‘Green’ Stimulus, a report he co-authored with Lord Nicholas Stern, (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/alexbowen.jpg)(http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/greenstimulus.jpg)Alex Bowen, a Principal Research Fellow at The Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment (http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/granthamInstitute/Default.htm) of the London School of Economics, discusses An Outline of the Case for a ‘Green’ Stimulus (http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/granthamInstitute/publications/An%20outline%20of%20the%20case%20for%20a%20'green'%20stimulus.pdf), a report he co-authored with Lord Nicholas Stern, the man behind the 2006 Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change (http://www.occ.gov.uk/activities/stern.htm).   And in the ViewPoint, Donald Bartlett of the investigative journalism team Bartlett and Steele (http://barlettandsteele.com/index.php) advances the idea of a Federal Reserve for health care (http://barlettandsteele.com/blog/?p=10). President Obama signed a $787 billion dollar stimulus package into law this week --and many say it's good news for the green industry (http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/obama-signs-stimulus-packed-with-clean-energy-provisions/). Obama declared it would "double the amount of renewable energy produced over the next three years" and help transform the way we use energy. That's all to the good. But is it enough? Forty percent of the package is in the form of tax cuts, which most economists think are much worse at stimulating economic activity than spending (http://www.forbes.com/feeds/afx/2009/02/06/afx6019551.html). Mass transit supporters were discouraged by the small portion given over to light rail. (Although there was a last minute infusion for high speed rail (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0209/18924.html).) Throwing a lot of money at roads and bridges instead of public transportation doesn't exactly help the climate. We've talked a lot on this show about how going green is good for the economy, too. But when the economy is in free fall, many argue the priority is a stimulus that is "timely and targeted"-- and that means getting the political will behind quick passage with the sweetener of tax cuts and funds for "shovel ready" projects like repairing roads and bridges. But a new report says we can get the stimulus right and green. "An outline of the case for a 'green' stimulus" is jointly out from the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy (http://www.cccep.ac.uk/Default.htm). They're both connected to the London School of Economics. Sea Change Radio Co-Host Francesca Rheannon spoke with the report's lead author, Alex Bowen. Bill Baue clean http://www.cchange.net/2009/01/28/viewpoint-jim-motavalli-on-cars-and-carbon/ http://www.cchange.net/2009/01/28/viewpoint-jim-motavalli-on-cars-and-carbon/#comments Wed, 28 Jan 2009 23:13:46 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/?p=459 http://www.cchange.net/2009/01/28/viewpoint-jim-motavalli-on-cars-and-carbon/feed/ 0 alliance of automobile manufacturers,Clean Tech,Climate Change,dave mccurdy,environmental protection agency,EPA,global warming,greenhouse gas emissions,lisa jackson,new york times,Renewable Energy,Sustainable Innovation Jim Motavalli blogs on green matters for The Daily Green and Mother Nature Network and he blogs about cars in the New York Times “Automobiles” section.  He was also a long-time editor for E--the Environmental Magazine, Jim Motavalli blogs on green matters for The Daily Green (http://www.thedailygreen.com/archives/living-green/blogs/cars-transportation/by_author/5413/15;1) and Mother Nature Network (http://www.mnn.com/featured-blogs/jmotavalli) and he blogs about cars in the New York Times (http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/author/jmotavalli/) “Automobiles” section (http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/author/jmotavalli/).  He was also a long-time editor for E--the Environmental Magazine (http://www.emagazine.com/), where he continues as a contributing writer. Motavalli combines his passion for autos and environment in his book, . He thinks its time for the auto industry to wake up and smell the coffee. In his Sea Change ViewPoint commentary, he discusses the significance of President Barack Obama's executive order (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090126/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obama_greenhouse_gases) directing the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider its refusal to grant California a waiver allowing it to regulate greenhouse gases from cars and trucks. When old-time foresters cut down trees and rolled them down rivers to be processed at the local sawmill, they used to break up masses of logs that had gotten hung up on obstacles or the shoreline. That's where the popular phrase "logjam" comes from. President Barack Obama broke up one such logjam last week. He signed an executive order directing the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider its refusal to grant California a waiver allowing it to regulate greenhouse gases from cars and trucks. The order doesn't automatically grant California's waiver. Instead, it starts a formal review period, with public comment, that could take several months. But with EPA head Lisa Jackson on record favoring the waiver, its approval seems a foregone conclusion. Environmental activists have hailed it as "the biggest single step we can take to curbing global warming." Automakers sounded positive about Obama's actions--at least in their public statements. General Motors' Greg Martin said the company is "ready to engage the Obama administration and the Congress." And Dave McCurdy of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers said his group "supports a nationwide program that bridges state and federal concerns." But the carmakers complain that if California gets its way, it will be one of three state and federal agencies that have a piece of fuel economy and greenhouse gas regulation. (The others are the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the EPA.) They favor a single federal standard. And they would probably want that standard to be weaker. They're not likely to get it. If a federal standard is enacted by the EPA, it could be just as strong--or even stronger--than the California law the carmakers have already filed several suits to stop. (The industry hasn't dropped its lawsuits, despite repeated rebuffs in court.) The auto industry hates regulation, especially the kind of fuel-economy mandates that were also part of Obama's announcement. It repeatedly argues that it builds the cars people want, and for the last 20 years that's meant gas-guzzling SUVs and trucks. But the public's tastes are changing, and that's left Detroit unprepared and losing market share. The industry is finally recognizing the problem: the recent Detroit Auto Show was a showcase for green cars. Chrysler said it would build several battery-based EVs, and it's announced an alliance with Fiat to produce fleets of fuel-efficient vehicles. Ford is building a battery car based on the Focus, a battery van, and a plug-in hybrid. GM is about to roll out the Chevrolet Volt, a unique car with a small gas engine that will supply power to electric motors instead of driving the wheels. Even though gas prices have fallen (and SUV sales are edging up), consumers are still concerned about fuel economy. And they expect energy prices to spike long term. The green-minded Barack Obama is in office for the next four years, Bill Baue clean http://www.cchange.net/2009/01/14/change-we-cant-believe-in/ http://www.cchange.net/2009/01/14/change-we-cant-believe-in/#comments Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:28:04 +0000 Francesca Rheannon http://www.cchange.net/?p=317 http://www.cchange.net/2009/01/14/change-we-cant-believe-in/feed/ 0 cap and trade,Climate Change,climate policy,global warming,new york times,Obama,stimulus,stimulus package Barack Obama has said time and again that change comes from the bottom up at least as much as from policy directives from on high. He's right--and he seems to be giving signs that pressure from below is going to be needed to keep him true to his own ca... (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/cropped-moi21-150x150.jpg)Barack Obama has said time and again that change comes from the bottom up at least as much as from policy directives from on high. He's right--and he seems to be giving signs that pressure from below is going to be needed to keep him true to his own campaign promises. This past Sunday, I opened the New York Times to the front page headline: Economy May Delay Work on Campaign Pledges (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/us/politics/11obama.html?_r=1&hp). Obama’s campaign pledges, of course.  Uh, oh, I thought. I hope climate change policy isn't on that list. But it was. The Times reports that Obama may "put off" restricting carbon emissions and initiating a cap-and-trade program. The President-Elect has put some terrific climate crisis-savvy people on his team for energy matters (Stephen Chu) and science (John Holdren and Jane Lubchenco). But if they are to be more than mere window dressing, Obama needs to remember that climate change policy isn’t a frill. It’s basic. While I personally think a tax on carbon is best (combined with comparable cuts on payroll taxes and subsidies for consumer use of renewable energy and conservation), an effective cap and trade system is at least a step in the right direction. Moreover, Obama seems a bit cheaper than his word when it comes to the funds allotted for clean energy in his stimulus package, as Joe Romm noted January 9th on his blog Climate Progress (http://climateprogress.org/2009/01/09/senate-dems-unhappy-with-level-of-energy-spending-in-obama-stimulus-plan/#more-4612). The plan offers a measly $10 billion in an overall package of $300 billion. Heck, Obama was willing to throw almost three times that much---no strings attached--to the Detroit boys who helped put us in this mess--and who continue to fight tooth and nail (http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/04/07/auto-alliance-lobbying-state-legislatures-in-co-sub-2-sub-fight/) against (http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/03/25/automakers-and-ethanol-producers-fight-minnesota-emissions-rules/) controlling the greenhouse gases spewed (http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0412/p04s01-wogi.html) by their products. If Obama ends up putting off his campaign promise to control carbon emissions, it would indicate a disturbing lack of judgment. He would be subscribing to a the bankrupt idea that the economy and the environment play a zero-sum game. In fact, their fortunes go hand-in-hand. If he thinks we are "running out of time" to fix the economy, he ought to consider that we are running out of time on the climate crisis (http://climateprogress.org/2008/11/09/stabilize-at-350-ppm-or-risk-ice-free-planet-warn-nasa-yale-sheffield-versailles-boston-et-al/), with far more devastating results--to the economy and everything else. The current recession will look like the days of wine and roses when compared to the lean and barren years ahead as we try to cope with crop losses due to megadrought, infrastructure damage due to extreme weather, loss of life and property, lack of potable water and the staggering costs of disease and resource wars that are sweeping down on us on the back of the climate catastrophe. New Orleans was the first major U.S. city to be devastated by global warming. Think about New York and Boston (http://www.climatechoices.org/ne/resources_ne/nereport.html). There is literally no time for delay. So I’d like to quote some words of wisdom about the climate crisis to Mr. Obama from someone he knows very well: “The science is beyond dispute… Delay is no longer an option. Denial is no longer an acceptable response.” Those words, Mr. President-Elect, are yours. And for the rest of us: it's up to us to keep Mr. Obama's feet to the fire. --Francesca Rheannon Francesca Rheannon clean 3:14 http://www.cchange.net/2008/11/19/a-global-green-deal/ http://www.cchange.net/2008/11/19/a-global-green-deal/#comments Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:14:00 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/2008/11/19/a-global-green-deal/ http://www.cchange.net/2008/11/19/a-global-green-deal/feed/ 0 bruce kahn,business ethics,Climate Change,deutsche asset management,energy economy,gary gardner,global warming,green economy,Green Jobs,michael renner,mitch anderson,Obama At the G-20 Summit addressing the global financial crisis this weekend, the government leaders of the world's largest economies essentially twiddled their thumbs, punting on setting ambitious goals until April 2009 -- when the Barack Obama Administrati... (http://www.worldwatch.org/brain/images/staff/mrenner.jpg)(http://www.dbadvisors.com/deam/dyn/meta/bios/loadImage.do?dispatch=executeLoadImage&empId=2371) At the G-20 Summit addressing the global financial crisis this weekend, the government leaders of the world's largest economies essentially twiddled their thumbs, punting on setting ambitious goals until April 2009 -- when the Barack Obama Administration, which is dedicated to addressing the financial crisis and the climate crisis, is in office. Before the Summit, Worldwatch Institute Senior Researchers Michael Renner and Gary Gardner proposed that the G-20 enact a Global Green Deal, evocative of FDR’s new deal but more audacious in scope and vision. CWR co-hosts Francesca Rheannon and Bill Baue speak with Renner about the proposal's 5 strategies, including transitioning to a renewable energy economy, launching an efficiency revolution, and investing in green infrastructure. And speaking of green infrastructure, Deutsche Asset Management issued a report calling for the establishment of a “green” National Infrastructure Bank. Bill Baue speaks with Deutsche Climate Change Investment Research Director Bruce Kahn about the report, a followup on the Investing in Climate Change 2009: Necessity and Opportunity in Turbulent Times report CWR covered recently. Listen (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/podcasts/CWR-2008-11-19.mp3) "Building a Green Economy: It’s Time for the G20 to Focus on a Global Green Deal" (http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5935) Michael Renner (http://www.worldwatch.org/user/117) Report: Green Jobs: Towards decent work in a sustainable, low-carbon world (http://www.unep.org/labour_environment/features/greenjobs.asp) Bruce Kahn (http://www.dbadvisors.com/deam/dyn/meta/bios/indivBio.jsp?empDetailID=8993) Deutsche Asset Management Report: Economic Stimulus: The Case for “Green” Infrastructure, Energy Security and “Green” Jobs (http://www.dbadvisors.com/deam/stat/globalResearch/1113_GreenEconomicStimulus.pdf) CWR News Analysis: Listen (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/podcasts/CWR-Headlines-2008-11-19.mp3) News Sources: --Pew Research Center on the People and the Environment "A Deeper Partisan Divide Over Global Warming" (http://people-press.org/report/417/a-deeper-partisan-divide-over-global-warming) --Schwarzenegger Blames Global Warming for Elongated Fire Season (http://www.businessandmedia.org/printer/2008/20081117131633.aspx) --BBC: "Emissions up in developed nations" (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7734547.stm) --NY Times: "Pollution Has Leveled Off, but the Figures Have Holes" (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/world/18climate.html) --Pam Solo: "Saving Detroit from itself" (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/17/EDVF1467NS.DTL) --Marketplace: "Obama meant it about C02" (http://www.publicradio.org/columns/marketplace/offair/2008/11/remember_obamas_emissions_prom.html) CWR ViewPoint: Listen (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/podcasts/CWR-Commentary-2008-11-19.mp3) The Top BENNY Award for 2008, given to activist campaigns holding corporations accountable by the Business Ethics Network (BEN), went to the Clean Up Ecuador campaign for bringing Chevron to justice for decades of pollution in the Amazon. The campaign is led by the Amazon Defense Coalition and Amazon Watch. Mitch Anderson of Amazon Watch has our commentary today, produced in partnership with BEN. Amazon Watch (http://www.amazonwatch.org/) ChevronToxico (http://www.chevrontoxico.com) Business Ethics Network (http://www.businessethicsnetwork.org) Bill Baue clean 29:59 http://www.cchange.net/2008/10/29/joe-romm-compares-presidential-platforms-on-environment-and-energy/ http://www.cchange.net/2008/10/29/joe-romm-compares-presidential-platforms-on-environment-and-energy/#comments Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:23:00 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/2008/10/29/joe-romm-compares-presidential-platforms-on-environment-and-energy/ http://www.cchange.net/2008/10/29/joe-romm-compares-presidential-platforms-on-environment-and-energy/feed/ 0 carbon dioxide,center for american progress,clean air act,Climate Change,EPA,global warming,joe romm,John McCain,Obama We reported last week that Barack Obama will regulate carbon dioxide as a pollutant under the Clean Air Act if elected. Not so for John McCain. Today writer and scientist Joseph Romm wrote on his blog Climate Progess, (http://climateprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2006/08/joe_140x193.jpg) We reported last week that Barack Obama will regulate carbon dioxide as a pollutant under the Clean Air Act if elected. Not so for John McCain. Today writer and scientist Joseph Romm wrote on his blog Climate Progess, that a McCain-Palin administration would use a voluntary or incentive-based approach, one that "has never worked in any country to restrain emissions growth." Today, we talk to Joe Romm about how Barack Obama and John McCain differ on their approaches to the climate crisis and alternative energy. Romm is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, where he maintains its blog, Climate Progress. It was named one of the top 15 green websites by Time Magazine. Romm is also the author of the 2006 book Hell and High Water: Global Warming--the Solution and the Politics--and What We Should Do. He was Acting Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy during the Clinton Administration. Joe Romm (http://www.americanprogress.org/aboutus/staff/RommJoseph.html) Climate Progress blog (http://climateprogress.org/) (http://climateprogress.org/sites/climateprogress.org/wp-content/themes/cp/images/HH125.jpg) CWR Headlines: --BPA is OK -- According to a Chemical-Friendly FDA (http://www2.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=809282) --Scientists Blast FDA report on BPA Safety (http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/watchdogreports/33200554.html) --Phthalate-Laden Toys Flooding the Market (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122472242723860917.html) --The Other Debt Crisis -- How we're Overspending Our Ecological Budget (http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/press/humanitys_growing_demand_on_nature_approaching_critical_threshold_report_fi/) Bill Baue clean 29:19 http://www.cchange.net/2008/09/23/the-road-to-economic-recovery-potholed-or-paved-in-green/ http://www.cchange.net/2008/09/23/the-road-to-economic-recovery-potholed-or-paved-in-green/#comments Wed, 24 Sep 2008 02:20:00 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/2008/09/23/the-road-to-economic-recovery-potholed-or-paved-in-green/ http://www.cchange.net/2008/09/23/the-road-to-economic-recovery-potholed-or-paved-in-green/feed/ 1 Barney Frank,bob pollin,center for american progress,global warming,hazel henderson,house financial services committee,political economy research institute,troubled asset relief program The market meltdown is spurring an urgent response from Congress, with both houses debating and revising versions of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) bill on an hourly basis. The bill revises the President's proposed bailout of financial inst... The market meltdown is spurring an urgent response from Congress, with both houses debating and revising versions of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) bill on an hourly basis. The bill revises the President's proposed bailout of financial institutions, which some call "Cash for Trash." CWR co-hosts Francesca Rheannon and Bill Baue interview US Representative (D-MA) Barney Frank, chair of the House Financial Services Committee that is now ushering the Troubled Asset Relief Program bill, or TARP, through Congress. While many question whether this bailout is the best path out of the market meltdown, others are proposing a road to recovery paved in green. Bob Pollin of the Political Economy Research Institute co-authored a report on the Green Recovery that was released last week with the Center for American Progress. Francesca and Bill interviewed him here at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst the day after he testified before the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming at a hearing entitled "The Green Road to Economic Recovery." (http://www.house.gov/frank/barney.jpg)Representative Barney Frank Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) bill as of 1:09 p.m. on September 22, 2008 (http://www.thecorporatecounsel.net/nonmember/09_22_08_BailOut.pdf) (http://www.peri.umass.edu/typo3temp/pics/b6394c88ee.jpg)Bob Pollin Green Recovery House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming hearing: "The Green Road to Economic Recovery" (http://www.globalwarming.house.gov/pubs) Listen to the full 25-minute interview with Bob Pollin (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/podcasts/BobPollin.mp3) CWR ViewPoint:  read (http://vcr.csrwire.com/node/10556) Commentary from futurist Hazel Henderson of Ethical Markets on the market meltdown called Chicago Boys' Curse Comes Home to Wall Street. (http://www.hazelhenderson.com/images/hazelGood2.gif)Hazel Henderson of Ethical Markets (http://www.ethicalmarkets.com/). Bill Baue clean 29:50 http://www.cchange.net/2008/08/27/political-will-required-to-build-a-green-economy/ http://www.cchange.net/2008/08/27/political-will-required-to-build-a-green-economy/#comments Wed, 27 Aug 2008 20:17:00 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/2008/08/27/political-will-required-to-build-a-green-economy/ http://www.cchange.net/2008/08/27/political-will-required-to-build-a-green-economy/feed/ 0 Clean energy,global warming,green economy,Green Jobs,greenbiz,Obama,political economy research institute The Democratic party has shied away from linking clean energy, the economy, and the environment since Jimmy Carter's 1977 Energy Policy. But the political winds are changing. At Tuesday evening's Democratic National Convention, (http://solartoday.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/hendricks.jpg?w=150&h=233) The Democratic party has shied away from linking clean energy, the economy, and the environment since Jimmy Carter's 1977 Energy Policy. But the political winds are changing. At Tuesday evening's Democratic National Convention, almost all of the speakers hit on the theme of green collar jobs. Nancy Floyd of Nth Power noted that there are 2.4 million green collar jobs worldwide -- but less than 10 percent are in US. Presumptive Democrat candidate Barack Obama's platform calls for more than doubling that number to 5 million green collar jobs in the US alone. And he's framing it as a win-win-win to get us off foreign oil, stop global warming, and create tons of green jobs in the US. This week, we feature the second part of our conversation with Bracken Hendricks, co-author with Congressman Jay Inslee of Apollo's Fire, and co-founder of the Apollo Alliance. The discussion focuses on the political will required to build a green economy. Bracken Hendricks (http://www.americanprogress.org/experts/HendricksBracken.html) (http://www.apollosfire.net/sites/all/themes/apollosfirev2/images/apollos-fire-cover.png) Apollo Alliance (http://www.apolloalliance.org/) Barack Obama's New Energy Platform (http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/newenergy) DNC speech by Nancy Floyd of Nth Power (http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/2008-democratic-national-convention-remarks,518266.shtml) Jimmy Carter's 1977 Energy Policy (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/carter/filmmore/ps_energy.html) Green Jobs: Towards Sustainable Work in a Low-Carbon World report by the Worldwatch Institute as part of the UNEP- ILO- ITUC Green Jobs Initiative (http://www.unep.org/labour_environment/features/greenjobs.asp) Job Opportunities for the Green Economy report from the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst (http://www.peri.umass.edu/). CWR Headlines: --Joe Biden's Got Environmental Creds (http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2008/8/23/0831/12658) --Google.org Pumps Money into Geothermal Energy (http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=google-invests-in-geothermal) --Buffett and Gates Visit Tar Sands (http://climateprogress.org/2008/08/24/gates-and-buffet-to-invest-in-tar-sands-and-spawn-more-two-headed-fish/) (http://www.greenbiz.com/files/imagecache/original/conrad-mackerron.jpg) CWR ViewPoint:  read (http://vcr.csrwire.com/node/10170) Conrad MacKerron (http://www.greenbiz.com/users/Conrad-MacKerron) of the As You Sow Foundation (http://www.asyousow.org/) comments on the labor and human rights implications of greening the supply chain. Prius Envy and the Greening of Wal-Mart: A Blind Spot for the Human Cost (http://www.greenbiz.com/column/2008/06/30/prius-envy-and-greening-wal-mart) Bill Baue clean 29:34