Global warming the new political debate

For an in depth look at how big business is influencing international global warming policy link to PBS' video on global warming from "Now with Bill Moyers" .

Is the U.S. Ready for The Smart Car?

Almost ten years ago I traveled across Europe from London to Scotland over to Amsterdam and then down to Italy. All across the European Union the streets were dotted with extremely small bubble like cars, The Smart.

The Smart, built by DaimlerChrysler AG's Mercedes Car Group, is a two seat micro-car (eight feet in length to be exact) that gets 60 miles per gallon. The smart car has been a favorite among European city dwellers for years, but are U.S. consumers ready for The Smart.

Possibly. DamilerChrysler is considering bringing The Smart to the U.S. market and will use next month's Auto Show in Detroit to gauge U.S. interest in Smart's full product line, which includes a four seater and a roadster.

New Report Puts Heat on Global Warming Polluters

Groundbreaking Study Links Global Warming to Specific Extreme Weather Events

Scientists have known for years that global warming is likely to cause more frequent and more severe extreme weather events, including hurricanes and droughts. Now, they can determine just how much global warming has increased the risk of these types of events.

A new report suggests that computer models can now calculate specifically how much the risk of events such as the deadly European heat wave of 2003 has been elevated by global warming. This data could potentially be used by victims of extreme weather events to sue global warming polluters for their role in causing these events. No such suits have been filed yet, but the study raises the question of whether prudent companies shouldn't act now to reduce their exposure to global warming liability.

Santa's Reindeer are in Danger

Science Daily reported today that Santa's Reindeer may be in grave danger is global warming continues. Archaeologist Donald Grayson from the University of Washington says, "The number of southern reindeer will diminish dramatically as their range will move far to the north, and the number of reindeer in the north also will fall greatly."

This finding arises from a new study that examined archaeological records in southwestern France, where reindeer became locally extinct during earlier episodes of warming, 10,000 to 130,000 years ago.

The Environment, for a Penny a Gallon

The Globe and Mail reports on renewed efforts to drill for oil in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. One of the key arguments made by advocates of drilling is the high price of gasoline. What they don't tell you is the effect that oil from the refuge would have on the price. It would lower the price by about one penny per gallon.

Power Companies Ignoring Technologies that could reduce global warming

The World Wildlife Fund released today a new report, Ranking Power, that documents the failure of the world's largest power companies to address global warming. The report ranks 72 power companies on their investments in renewable and energy-efficient technologies. Most companies scored poorly, demonstrating that the industry -- despite being the leading cause of global warming -- refuses to take steps to reduce it by deploying existing technologies.

You can download the report at:

www.panda.org/campaign/powerswitch/news_publications/news_detail.cfm?uNewsId=16790.

New Numbers on Ford and Toyota

More evidence that Ford should get with the program and start building modern fuel efficient cars:

Silicon Valley company offers $5000 to employees...

No, this is not a bonus for meeting quotas or exceeding company expectations. Hyperion, a software company based in Silicon Valley has launched an initiative, known as Drive Clean to Drive Change, to encourage employees to take individual steps to improve the quality of air and combat global warming. Under the program, any employee who drives a car that gets more than 45 miles per gallon qualifies for a $5,000 bonus.

CEO Godfrey Sullivan stated, "We know we are not necessarily going to change the world through this initiative, but it's our aim at Hyperion to get people thinking about Change, about making a difference." Hyperion has 2,600 employees and anyone that has been with the company for more than a year qualifies. Hyperion will find up to 200 employees each year.