Carbon Offsets

This article in the International Herald Tribune, opinion page talks about carbon offsets. It covers the pluses and minuses of purchasing carbon offsets:

“But is the carbon-neutral movement just a gimmick?

On this, environmentalists aren't neutral, and they don't agree. Some believe it helps build support, but others argue that these purchases don't accomplish anything meaningful — other than giving someone a slightly better feeling (or greener reputation) after buying a 6,000-square-foot house or passing the million-mile mark in a frequent-flier program. In fact, to many environmentalists, the carbon-neutral campaign is a sign of the times — easy on the sacrifice and big on the consumerism.”

A summary of the article is this is an unregulated industry and it is unlikely that every carbon offset purchased is removing the CO2 that it claims.

Climate Change on Mars

NASA says that the Mars has warmed about 0.5C since 1970. That is about the amount of what the earth has risen over the same time frame. I guess the CO2 from my neighbors SUV has finely made to the planet Mars. Now his CO2 is causing a massive climate change on the red planet.

Have to point out that one researcher thinks that this is due to strong winds.

Carbon Offsets Checkbook Environmentalism?

Carbon Offsets could be a $100 million dollar market in the U.S. alone. From this article published in Business Week it looks like most carbon offset are either ineffective of fraudulent

Business Week uses TeraPass Inc., (the supplier of carbon offsets to the Academy Awards) project in Springdale Ark as an example of the ineffectiveness of the carbon offset market. This project in a sprawling garbage dump in the Ozark foothills captures methane gas, that as a greenhouse gas is over 20 more power full then CO2. This gas is then burned and converted into CO2 which is far better then methane in the atmosphere. The problem with this project is its effect as a carbon offset is that this project would have happed with or with out the TeraPass Money. I the end TeraPass money is just a supplemental revenue to the owners of the dump Waste management.

Methane and Global Warming

Fart Cops

It looks like the EU is look at the affects of cow farts on Global Warming. This is from the belief that live stock is a greater threat to the planet then transportation emissions.

Is methane produced by livestock (cows and hogs) a problem? Studies have shown that methane is 21 times greater impact as a greenhouse gas then CO2. In North America we have about 100 million cows, millions of hogs, and more then 2 billion chickens, we have the potential of billions of tons of CO2 equivalent greenhouse gasses being emitted each year

Looking for ways to reduce methane emissions from livestock Canadian authors Karin Wittinberg and Dinah Boadi conducted a study on this subject found 20 different way to reduce methane and nitrous oxide emissions. Some ideas are:

• Grinding and pelleting the can reduce methane by 20 – 40%
• Allow the grazing in high quality alfalfa can reduce methane by 50%
• Changing pastures every few day
• Add 4% canola oil to feedlot cattle rations

The authors showed that there ideas can have a measurable impact on reducing green house gases for little increase in cost to the consumer. This would be preferable the draconian changes proposed by global warming supporters.

At least Al Gore is not alone

An other example of do as I say not as I do. Last night Democrat debate all participating candidates arrived by private jet. This is not how you reduce CO2 to save the planet, this flight was roughly 1,700 miles and the CO2 Emissions for each candidate was 794lbs or a total of 6,352lbs. This was determined by using TerraPass flight calculator.

I have no doubt that all the republicans candidates will also fly by private jet and some of them have bent over to kiss the global warming extremists buts, should know that continued use of private jet make them look just as hypocritical as last night Democrats candidates did.

More on Carbon Trading Fraud

Al Gore is looking to cash in on carbon trading. His profiteering on Global Warming looks to be able to turn him into a billionaire.

Cheep Carbon Offsets

If your looking to go carbon neutral here is a great Carbon Offset Broker.

China has over taken the United States as the leading emitter of CO2

With China’s growth over the last few years (11% GDP this year) has pasted the US as the leading emitter of CO2. This has happened far quicker the past projections by the International Energy Agency (IEA) three years ago the IEA said China would pass the US by 2025.

China this year will emit 6,020 million tons of CO2 compared the United States 5,900 tons. This growth in CO2 from China will be greater then the total reductions in CO2 by the European Union, affectively wasting billions spent by the EU.

The scale of this problem for the EU is enormous:

“In the next eight years alone, the Chinese would install, as new, as much energy generating plant as currently exists today in all of the 25 countries of the expanded European Union- a total of 800 giga watts.

Ninety per cent of this would be coal-fired, that is, producing the most C02, and most of this, he said, would last for 50 to 60 years - "you can't shut down a power station after five or 10 years as that would be economic suicide". He said: If we can't influence China and India in their coming energy business decisions, we will be locked in, and we will have to live with the consequences for half a century or more.”

Global warming debate 'irrational'

much of the up-to-date research indicates that "changes in the brightness of the sun" are almost certainly the primary cause of the warming trend since the end of the "Little Ice Age" in the late 19th century. Human emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), the gas of concern in most plans to curb climate change, appear to have little effect on global climate, he said.

"I think the proof in the pudding, based on what (media and governments) are saying, (is) we're about three quarters of the way (to disaster) with the doubling of CO2 in the atmosphere," said Patterson. "The world should be heating up like crazy by now, and it's not. The temperatures match very closely with the solar cycles."

Patterson explained CO2 is not a pollutant, but an essential plant food.

Billions of taxpayers' dollars are spent to control the emissions of this benign gas, in the mistaken belief that they can stop climate change, he said.

"The only constant about climate is change," said Patterson.

Patterson said money could be better spent on places like Africa.

Don’t like the weather, lets change it.

Can we engineer the weather? Some scientists think so, but what are the risks?

Carbon Trading Fraud

The Financial Times has found problems with the carbon credit market. They see it as just a gold rush for a $68 billion dollar market. Looks like a great opportunity for Wall Street to make some big dollars.

Delta Airlines now is offering carbon offsets, you to can be like Al Gore, well with out the private jet.

• The Reference Frame has more in this boondoggle.
• Wikipedia entry on Carbon offset

Much of this push to become carbon neutral looks to have little benefit to the possible Global Warming problem.

Scientists Demand Changes to Global Warming Skeptic's Film

To these scientists they think they are helping by correcting errors in a program, others look at this as pure censorship. They look to eliminate the discussion of two ideas in the video, 1) the effect of volcanic activities in the creation of CO2 and 2) the medieval warm period.

I am leaning towards the idea that this is and attempt at censorship if the scientists plan on ignoring the errors in Al Gore movie.

If you want to check out the video your self here is the link to The Great Global Warming Swindle at Google video.

A Contrarian view on Earth Day

Again John Stossel takes a look at the opposite view of Earth Day, working in the left leaning media John’s voice stands out in his call to slow down and really look at what we are saying.

"The precautionary principle, popular in Europe, is the idea that no new thing should be permitted until it has been proved harmless. Sounds good, except as Ron Bailey of Reason writes, it basically means, "Don't ever do anything for the first time."

Stakeholder participation means that busybodies would be permitted to intrude on private transactions. Semmens's example is DDT, which for years would have saved children from deadly malaria, except that "'stakeholders' from the environmental quarter have prevailed on governments to ban the trade in this product."

The first victims of these principles are the poor. We rich Westerners can withstand a lot of policy foolishness. But people in the developing world live on the edge, so anything that retards economic progress -- including measures to arrest global warming -- will bring incredible hardship to the most vulnerable on the planet.

If we care about human life, we should celebrate Economic Progress Day."

Relax on Global Warming, the planet is fine

In an interview with Professor Richard Lindzen, it is pointed out that the planet is in good shape. He says that we have done a good job so far in cleaning up the planet:

• Forests are returning in Europe and the United States
• Air quality has improved
• Water quality has improved
• We grow more food on less land
• The world has moved forward in conquering hunger

The environmental movement has accomplished much in the last 50 years to be proud of, but Professor Lindzen thinks that money may be affecting there research.

Is Lindzen a quack, well he is an atmospheric physicist and the Alfred P. Sloan Professor of Meteorology at MIT, have a read and then decide.

Scientists opposing the mainstream scientific assessment of global warming

Did you ever want a list of scientists that oppose the mainstream scientific assessment of global warming?

This Wikipedia page list scientists that have voiced there concern over the mainstream opinion on global warming. Wikipedia has categorized there area of dissent from the mainstream:

• The Earth is not warming
• The principal cause of global warming is unknown
• Global warming is mostly due to natural processes
• Climate forecasting isn’t as accurate as the IPPC ranges imply
• Global warming is good for human society