Subject: Environmental Issues and Protection

• Good Timing, Bad Air

  The Orange County Register reports this morning that the Irvine-based Beckman Foundation has donated $20 million to the City of Hope in Duarte, to help finance cancer research. The Foundation has an excellent sense of timing– because, as every other newspaper in the state is reporting this morning: Californians breathe the second-dirtiest air in the nation, with residents of Los Angeles and Orange counties exposed to a cancer risk that's about double the national average, according to a ne

  March 22, 2006

• Footprints (Sands of Time Not Included)

  In his 1838 poem A Psalm of Life, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (once America's most popular poet, now an item on every high school's forced-feeding menu), wrote We can make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time Yeah, well, maybe... But what is certain is that we're all leaving behind some pretty big footprints ecologically-speaking. And since it's Earth Day, it's a good time to measure your feet. The helpful folks at the Earth Day Network and Redefini

  April 22, 2006

• Popcorn and Greenhouse Gases (non Al Gore edition)

  Hot on the heels of last night's Orange County Film Society's premier of Chris Paine's Who Killed the Electric Car?– a documentary that makes the "compelling case: that oil companies, automakers, lawmakers, consumers and the media killed a workable solution to air pollution, global warming, soaring gas prices, dwindling oil reserves and international terrorism", according to the Weekly's film maven (and chicken and vegan pasta enthusiast) Matt Coker– comes the news that "American car

  June 28, 2006

• Let justice roll down...

  "Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an overflowing stream." That passage from the Book of Amos (5:24) is the sort of thing lawyers working for nonprofit organizations repeat to themselves before marching off to court to fight the good fight. Of course, it may not be what the lawyers in the latest good fight will be repeating to themselves– and if it is, they may want to specify that justice shouldn't be like the water they are suing over. Just two days after a sewage

  August 3, 2006

• Troubled Waters

  Normally, when a major clean-up effort for a polluted site is announced-- an effort which will bring to bear the resources of both the local and federal government-- environmentalists are happy. But this is Orange County, where the eco-friendly have often seen their green hopes fade to grey (and then get paved), so the announcement yesterday at Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park that the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers will be joining the county to detox and otherwise improve Aliso

  August 31, 2006

• The Memory Hole Goes Green

  Having previously suppressed, ignored, and dishonestly redacted scientific reports that proved politically inconvenient, the Bush administration has taken the next logical step. The Environment News Service reports: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is closing its Headquarters Library to the public, as well as its own staff, effective October 1. The decision, formally announced Wednesday in a Federal Register notice, cites lack of funding for the closure. The Headquarters Library c

  September 26, 2006

• Rohrabacher's Appalling Flatulence

  In case you missed it, you can find video of Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Surfin') speculating about the effects of dinosaur flatulence here. And no, booze was not involved in the congressman's ramblings. Probing the effects of dinosaur farting is just something Rohrabacher sees as part of his official duties, one of the ways in which he serves the interests of his constituents. The question about the noxious gas emitted by thunder-lizards was part of the noxious gas Rohrabacher emitted during la

  February 13, 2007

• Change in the air?

  This is certainly a refreshing development, although the participation of a gubernatorial candidate smacks of political posturing. NEW REPORT ON COMPANIES IN CALIFORNIA, ELSEWHERE TO FIND WIDE DISPARITY IN CLIMATE CHANGE RESPONSES; INVESTORS WILL PUSH POOR-PERFORMING FIRMS TO SHAPE UP NEWS ADVISORY - March 21, 2006 -- A first-ever comprehensive assessment of a half-dozen of California's largest companies on their handling of climate change risks and opportunities is the subject of a major new

  March 17, 2006

• Shake n' Bake

  It's been funny--not funny ha-ha--sitting here on the sidelines watching the changing global-warming debate. While the international scientific community for years has piled voluminous report atop voluminous report detailing that global warming is real, producing all sorts of climatic problems and either is or most probably is human caused, those who originally pooh-poohed the eggheads have gone from saying it's a myth, to it's a normal cyclical weather pattern, to okay, so it's happening, whadd

  July 5, 2006

• Ear Splitters

  A federal judge has temporarily forbidden the Navy from using high-intensity sonar in war-game exercises off the coast of Hawaii, ruling that environmental groups had provided "considerable convincing scientific evidence that the Navy's use of ... sonar can kill, injure, and disturb many species, including marine mammals." The Defense Department last week granted the Navy a six-month national-security exemption from the Marine Mammal Protection Act, despite anecdotal evidence collected over the

  July 5, 2006

• Baby, It's Warm Outside

  The Inconvenient Truth is on its way to becoming the box-office champeen of documentaries (pound sand, Michael Moore!). Orders are already brisk for the DVDs that won't be out until November. However, because Truth starred Satan's spawn Al Gore, there's a good chance many holy rollers skipped it and headed into whatever anti-Semitic Mel Gibson "Christian" movie was playing at the time. Well, fear not, Samson and Delilah: there is a new global-warming documentary coming that's especially for lov

  September 12, 2006

• Something Stinks

  You know how the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Environmental Protection Agency announced recently they are joining forces to clean up stinky Aliso Creek (finally), which spews its filth into South Laguna's Aliso Beach? Yeah, when have we heard that before? Oh, yeah, eight years ago. Anyway, you'd think such an announcement would be embraced by the local environmentalists who have worked tirelessly to clean that cesspool up. But, in the LA Times story on the agreement, Penny Elia, who chairs a

  September 15, 2006

• Arnold Cuts Some Gas

  We keep waiting for Arnold Schwarzenegger to show his true colors, especially with the media reports over the weekend indicating that while the country may swing left in the next election, California may swing back to the right. Surely, then, Schwarzenegger is just biding his time, waiting for more Republicans to get into office so that he can ditch this moderate/left-of-center shit and be the goose-stepping Reaganite he's always dreamed of being. Well, if that's the future that awaits us, ol'

  October 16, 2006

• Irvine Starbucks Climate Crisis Discussion Today

  Just came over the wire: At 2 p.m. today, the Starbucks Coffee at 3995 Alton Pkwy. in Irvine is hosting a "National Day of Discussion" on the issue of "climate crisis" in support of a new Paramount/National Geographic-sponsored film, Arctic Tale. Filmmakers Adam Ravetch and Sarah Robertson, as well as May Chiu with Global Green USA, will be on hand. According to the press release, the new film is "about the real-life adventures of a polar bear and a walrus struggling to survive as warmer temp

  August 15, 2007

• Colonel of Wisdom

  This toll road debate is starting to feel like Clue—who's going to kill the project? Was it Colonel Magness, in the media, with cold, hard facts? Col. Thomas Magness wrote a little letter the Transportation Corridor Agencies didn't like. The letter disclosed that the TCA's preferred, certified alignment for their Foothill-South (241) toll road extension was not in fact the Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative (LEDPA). In layman's terms, LEDPA means "that which is least idio

  April 23, 2008

• No. 1 on the Palin/Hewitt/Colbert Threat Down: (Polar) Bears!

  Sarah Palin invigorated the conservative base with her surprisingly poised speech to GOP delegates last night, kicking new life into what had been a ho-hum convention previously “highlighed” by the Dead Man Talking triad (George W. Bush, Fred Thompson and Joe Lieberman). Clockwork's favorite scene: delegates sporting “The Hottest VP From the Coolest State” buttons berating the media for being sexist toward America's favorite hockey mom. Palin's performance certainly perked up Hugh Hewit

  September 4, 2008

• A River Runs Beneath It

  January 20, 2000

• Hellooooooo, Mr. Wilson!

  February 7, 2002

• In the Sewage Pipeline

  July 4, 2002

• Ken Maddox, We Hardly Knew Ye

  January 2, 2003

• Tunnel Vision

  July 31, 2003

• Wildfires Just a Sneak Preview?

  Ted Soqui shot this in Yorba Linda the weekend past. See his amazing slideshow here. Now that the fires have been contained, heroes have been identified, firefighting techniques have been blasted, causes have been zeroed in on, and our Last Action Hero Governor has likened the disaster to one of the crappiest action movies ever (Armageddon, which he didn’t even star in), some sobering news: Worse wildfires are likely a-comin’. So says a report released last week by UC Berkeley researchers

  November 19, 2008

• UCI Scientist Helps Add More Culprits to the Global Warming List

  Anyone worth Al Gore's salt knows that cars, factories and farting cows contribute to global warming, but an international study that includes the research of a UC Irvine scientist has found drought and deforestation can also help fuel the pesky phenomenon and should be included in future climate pacts. ScienceDaily.com reports today:The study, analyzing six years of climate and fire observations from satellites, shows that in dry years, the practice of using fire to clear forests and remove org

  December 9, 2008

• As State OK's Tough Global Warming Rules Should Diesel Be Next?

  As expected, the state this afternoon put teeth in its landmark regulations enacted in 2006 to combat global warming, adopting the nation's most comprehensive plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Such emissions must be cut 30 percent by 2020. But that is not enough for the editorial board of the San Jose Mercury News, which called on the state to follow up Friday with tough new rules to clean up diesel truck emissions. "The trucking industry is one of the last remaining major sources o

  December 11, 2008

• X [Prize] Marks the Spot for UC Irvine Students

    "The Capacitor Challenge" video above by UC Irvine students Kyle Good and Bryan Le was this morning crowned the winner of the X Prize Foundation's "What's Your Crazy Green Idea?" competition, which comes with a $25,000 check. "We're so excited to be the winners of the Crazy Green Idea contest," Good, a film and media studies major, says in a X Prize-supplied statement. "It's an honor that seems too good to be true. We'll never forget this experience." "I've always admired

  February 5, 2009

• Its April 19

  April 24, 2003

• Annual Earth Day Celebration

  April 16, 2009

• 2 Things to Keep in Mind as Earth Day Approaches

  Earth Day is Wednesday, and besides spending part of that day in Irvine with Magic Johnson, here are some things to keep in mind as that day nears:*The California League of Conservation Voters warns that the state's Republican leadership is trying to exploit the budget crisis to roll back key environmental laws. This may be fool-hardy as the league points to a new statewide survey that shows two-thirds of voters believe solving the state's money problems should not come at the expense of environ

  April 17, 2009

• Toll Road Rage

  December 22, 2005

• Toll Road Rage: Green(back) Alignment

  December 22, 2005

• Its Snot Unusual

  Im George W. Bush, and I Approve This Destruction

  September 2, 2004

• Earth Daddy

  April 22, 2004

• We Respond to Register Letters!

  December 25, 2003

• Spy the Friendly Skies

  October 9, 2003

• Their Ocean

  September 18, 2003

• MTBE Lies I Told You

  June 19, 2003

• Poop Chute

  March 22, 2001

• Green With Anger

  April 27, 2000

• HBs Secret Santa

  December 16, 1999

• Fill 'Er Up

  April 22, 1999

• Nixon Library Museum Store is Green With Ennui

  The private Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace Foundation (not to be confused with the public Richard Nixon Library and Museum) has really gotten into the spirit of Earth Day. The foundation is directing shoppers to its cash cow, the museum store, with an email blast that states:Celebrate Earth Day Keep It GreenDid you know? Richard Nixon was the first "environmental President."In 1970 he established the Environmental Protection Agency.Thank you Mr. PresidentIf you hear "You're welcome" from

  April 17, 2009

• Vespas Bring Musicians, Global Warming Message to Sutra

  Singer-songwriters Jason Reeves, Brendan James and Amber Rubarth, who today began a two-week ride up the California coast on Vespas to raise awareness of global warming, make a stop at 7 p.m. Friday at Sutra Lounge, 1870 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa. "It seems like back in the late '60s and early '70s, people turned to folk singers and songwriters for inspiration and answers to difficult questions," explained Reeves. "We were very motivated by that idea and hope to influence a new generation t

  April 30, 2009

• Global Warming Denier Rohrabacher Froths On

  Photo by Jack GouldRohrabacher, frothing in November.The way Scott Harper begins his story proves that he had correctly identified the speaker he was covering."U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher was in a froth . . ." Anyone who has witnessed the Mouth That Rohrabachered whip up the party faithful at GOP election night shindigs over the years knows that froth oh so well. But Harper was not at a swanky Republican fiesta nor a pity party like the Nov. 3 morgue scene that found a supremely pissed-off Dana s

  June 12, 2009

• Meat Free Monday Goes Mainstream

  Of course, by 'mainstream' I mean that celebrities are now endorsing the campaign. Paul, Stella and Mary McCartney today launched a new website, Meat Free Monday, which encourages everyone to, yes, you guessed it, give up meat on Mondays. Other famous names weighing in include Kevin Spacey, Sheryl Crow, Woody Harrelson, Alec Baldwin, Ricky Gervais and Chris Martin.The idea of cutting back on meat isn't a new one: think of rationing during the wars, due to short supplies. But this time it's out o

  June 16, 2009

• UPDATE: Organic Food "No Better Than Conventional," Study Finds

  ​As reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition yesterday, the British-commissioned survey, which took its findings from 55 studies made in the past 50 years, claims that eating organic food "will make no important difference to a person's overall health".According to Alan Dangour, one of the report's authors, "A small number of differences in nutrient content were found to exist between organically and conventionally produced foodstuffs, but these are unlikely to be of any public h

  July 30, 2009

• Wax On, Wax Off: Surfrider Foundation Builds Green

  Surfrider.org​The buildings of Surfrider's global headquarters in San Clemente make up just one more demonstration of their commitment to preserving our coastal environment. The U.S Green Building Council (USGBC), an organization with a strict rating system for design and construction, awarded Surfrider its sought-after LEED Gold Certification. "We were very fortunate to work with excellent architects and contractors who were committed to making our offices energy efficient and environmentall

  August 5, 2009

• Surfrider, Other Enviros Agree: Go Green By Having Fewer Kids

  Doh! The carbon footprint just got bigger.​Based on the huzzahs the Surfrider Foundation posted on its Facebook account, the San Clemente-based clean-ocean advocates are apparently down with notion that having fewer children is a more effective way of going green than changing lightbulbs, driving a fuel-efficient vehicle or adopting a vegetarian diet."Finally someone has the guts to talk about this. For those of us in the environmental community, this has been the elephant in the room for far

  August 6, 2009

• OC Green Guide Goes National

  Don't it make Casey Cochran's Orange County green?Casey Cochran created the online OC Green Guide in 2006 so he could keep track of eco-friendly eateries, stores, events and news for his own eco-friendly purposes. Now, it's part of a nationwide network for all. Green Guide Network, which provides expanded information on green living and local eco-friendly resources, has just launched directories for Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Dallas, Chicago, New York, Dallas, Seatt

  September 16, 2009

• Clothes Lines: a Green Solution That's Been Clotheslined

  ​They are an old-fashioned device that could save household energy as well as machine-damaed and worn-out clothing. Unfortunately, they are also banned in several U.S. communities. Just try installing a clothes line in Irvine or any Orange County gated community and see what happens. Torture is allowed and encouraged for even thinking such a thing.

  October 22, 2009

• Global Warming Activists as Inescapable as Global Warming this Weekend

  ​Last week, we posted about the Global Climate Change Day of Action event taking place at Irvine Regional Park tomorrow. There'll be bells tolling, bikes biking, and a bunch of people forming a "350" for an aerial camera.But there are a bunch more of these shindigs tomorrow all over the world, including in Orange County. It is the Global Day of Action, after all.The most intriguing, at least for Jews: a "global climate healing Shabbat" at Temple Judea Laguna Hills. More events after the jump.

  October 23, 2009