What extinction crisis? Believe it or not, there are still climate science deniers out there. And they're as ready as ever to draw you into arguments. Don't take the bait. Photo: "Click-64"/Flickr. We originally published this piece in September of 2010, but because we still get comments from climate science deniers, as a service to our readers, we've just updated it and … [Read more...]
The stealth president: When climate change is the issue
By January of next year, Barack Obama will have been president for four years. We'll know by then whether or not he’ll be president for an additional four years. Election years are frequently a time of taking stock – talking about where we’ve been, how far we’ve come, how far we have yet to go. When a subject becomes taboo, as climate change very nearly has, the matter of … [Read more...]
Seven myths used to debunk peak oil, debunked
Peak oil is a fact, not a theory. From US conventional oil production peaking in 1970 to global conventional oil production peaking in 2006 the figures are indisputable. Even institutions such as the International Energy Agency (IEA) and publications like The Economist that are not known for alarmism have admitted that oil production from conventional sources has … [Read more...]
Teaching climate change denial
Why would an organization call itself The Heartland Institute (HI)? To me the heartland of America is our country’s center – the Midwest and the Great Plains. The stereotype of this region arouses pictures of farm country, where good, honest, hardworking folks lead sober, unsophisticated lives. My suspicion is that the HI would like to piggyback on the values just … [Read more...]
What’s really in and out for 2012
Every year popular magazines and newspapers produce "In and Out" lists that make a claim to cultural prescience through boldly distinguishing what's jumped the shark from what's just about to become a break-out sensation. Trouble is, too often the ins and outs are totally predictable, being driven by the mainstream corporate culture and so-called style makers. What they're … [Read more...]