John Edwards Nabs Key Eco-Endorsement 29 October 2007

HEALDSBURG, CA — Eco-advisor Tod Brilliant gave his endorsement to North Carolina Senator John Edwards in his run to be the Democratic presidential nominee in next year’s elections.The internationally-recognized Brilliant said Edwards is the only candidate who has offered real plans to combat the effects of climate change and make ready not only the U.S. citizenry, but peoples of all nations, for a world that will change rapidly in the coming decades due to resource deterioration.

“John Edwards has the courage to tackle problems that other politicians simply ignore, like reducing our national carbon footprint by 80% in the near future.” Brilliant parroted. “Obama is in love with coal, while Clinton simply ignores the issue, focused as she is on becoming the nation’s next warmonger.”

Edwards has proposed capping greenhouse gases beginning in 2010 with a cap-and-trade system. While Brilliant personally derides the cap-and-trade system as “smoke and mirrors” he is confident that Edwards is merely trying to appease big industry until he takes office. Edwards also has pledged to work for a new climate treaty that includes developing countries, and opposes subsidies for new nuclear power plants in the United States.

“There are times when the right message appears at the right time. I can only urge people around the world to read Lester Brown’s “Plan B 2.0: Rescuing a Planet in Stress & a Civilization in Trouble”. Nothing summarizes our current predicament more concisely, nor offers a more cogent plan of attack,” intoned the Count of Montezuma.
Edwards said he was honored to have the support of Brilliant, who he considers to be one of the few voices in the sustainability movement who is truly nonpartisan.

“We must work together to halt global warming and protect our natural resources to ensure our children inherit a healthy planet. Brilliant understands that partisanship on this most vital issue only dooms us to rapid failure,” Edwards might have said had he any notion of Brilliant’s existence.

This marks the second recent endorsement for Edwards from a leading ‘green’ advocate. Friends of the Earth gave their support to Edwards on October 14, noting that no other viable candidate proposes a solid environmental action plan.

World’s First Eco-Razor! 27 October 2007

GIRLS AND BOYS, tell me you understand my frustration: You buy a disposable razor system, like the Mach 7 by Schtick or Gillette or whatever the razor companies are called. You use it for a few weeks, then find yourself needing new cartridges. At the store, everything looks the same and there is no way in hell you can possibly remember what brand razor you bought. Am I right? I mean, who keeps track of something that ridiculous? Is there really a difference? In terms of a shave, no. In terms of what cartridge fits with what razor, you betcha there is. If you’re like me, you just grab a pack that looks familiar. Then you get home and find that you bought the Quattro or the wrong Mach number and your new $12 pack of razors doesn’t fit the handle. Believe me, I’ve done this a number of times. Then I toss the handle, and buy a new one as the handles cost less than new razors. From an environmental point of view, it’s all destined for the landfill and it’s terrifically wasteful.

THIS TIME I got fed up. This morning I found myself with another mismatch. And I needed a shave badly. So rather than waste more money supporting Gillette (a company who snaps surreptitious photos of unsuspecting shoppers: LINK), I decided to craft myself an all-purpose handle. Out of a stick. With a knife.

Here’s how the difficult process went:

1. I walked around outside until I found a stick. Took about 45 seconds.

2. I picked up a paring knife and removed a notch from the stick. About two minutes, including the minor hack job on the cartridge itself.
3. Shoved stick and cartridge together.

4. Cemented relationship with non-toxic chemical-free animal glue from free range, biodynamically-grown grass fed cows.

And you know what? It works absolutely fine. My skin is smooth and soft, same as with a plastic and chrome job. And far more biodegradable. Even has a nice little grip and a curving arc so as not to sit flat in the soap dish (stays dry this way). Entire process took about six minutes. Cost me not a penny.I don’t know if I’m ever going back to the branded shaver handles. Why should I?

Song o’ the Day is awarded to DJ QBert for “Razorblade Alcoholic Slide”. Click and rock:

Global Envirnoment Outlook #4 is Here and it Looks BRUTAL 26 October 2007

The fourth Global Environment Outlook (GEO-4), the most comprehensive United Nations assessment report on environment, development and human well-being was officially launched today.

You can peep it, in it’s 500+ page glory, right here: REALLY BIG REPORT THAT SAYS WE ARE ALL FUCKED NO MATTER WHAT WE DO. 

I exaggerate only slightly. You see, if you check out page 448 you’ll see a CO2 projection report. In it, in the best case scenario, we reach 475ppm by 2050. This is well above the “we will burn to a toasty crisp levels” agreed upon by most climate scientists.

My friend Harold, who actually read much of this report, came to this conclusion: “Buy whatever car you want, drive as fast as you want, screw your neighbor’s wife, burn the churches, stockpile guns and jerky, and get ready for the End of Times.”

I don’t concur with Harold, and I’m glad I’m not his neighbor, but I understand his frustration. Our global leader are still sitting on their hands, issuing reports and wringing their hands instead of demanding real change.

Technorati Tags: united nations, co2, we’re fucked, kunstler

Fun with Housing Numbers! How the Gov Pumps the Dow w/ False Info 25 October 2007

It’s fascinating to watch the way the numbers jump up and down. For example, last week the Bush administration’s ‘analysts’ announced that the U.S. had unexpectedly large oil reserves. Accordingly, oil prices droppe d. Not 48 hours later, it comes out that, in reality, the U.S. reserves are smaller than expected. Oil prices went back up, but not quite as much. What’s more, the initial news helped steady the stock market while the ‘revision’ had little impact. Here’s the detailed rundown on that bit of slipperiness: LINK

TODAY, we don’t have to wait 48 hours to watch the numbers dance. Today, we can watch the fun in real time! Below are three links. I’ll intro each one. For kicks, you should open each one in a different browser tab so you can switch back and forth.

1. ONE BBC NEWS October 25 Here we have a BBC News report from 25. October which cites the U.S. Comerce Department as stating that new home sales are down 23% in September vs. one year ago and 8% vs. the prior month’s. Of course, this is great news for the environment as newly built homes are unnecessary in a nation with more than sufficient existing housing. Unless, of course, all new home construction followed George Monbiot’s absolutely achievable carbon-reduction plan. But I digress. The article is brief, mentioning that this drastic downturn could, of course, fuel a big fat recession in the U.S..

2. Bloomberg Article #1 October 25 This one went up about 8:00AM PST, I believe. Bloomberg’s writer reports that sales of new U.S. homes are probably down to the lowest level in a decade. Probably. First time I’ve ever seen that word used in a Bloomberg headline. Leaves a little room for restatement, right?

3. Bloomberg Article #2 October 25 Two hours later, the ‘real’ numbers are out, and guess what? The U.S. Commerce Department NOW says new home sales went UP in September by almost 5%!!! Hoorah! BOOM BAM! No recession! No worries! What the fuck do those Brits know, anyway? Sales down 23%??? No sir. That was a computer glitch. No, they’re actually up. Oh, and by the way, we’ve revised the sales data for the August DOWNWARD, but who cares about August, baby? It’s September we’re talking about and September was nothing but roses!Go figure. The Dow is still off on rising oil prices, but just imagine if the Commerce Department had BAD news. We’d be in for a rough day on Wall Street. I’m going to state, very clearly and right now, that at some point in the coming months, September 2007 new home sales numbers will be revised and will show a less rosy outlook. However, at that point, nobody will care. Our government is fudging numbers left and right and up and down. It’s called delaying the inevitable meltdown. Until after we hit Iran. Until after October 2008, if possible (unlikely). Before you come to the conclusion that I’m bashing Republicans only, I’m fully aware that Democrats can call bullshit on this at any time. But they’re keeping their mouths zipped, for a whole lot of what should be obvious reasons.

In other news, it’s my son Justice’s birthday! He’s FIVE! Hoorah!! I love, love, love that boy.

Help Wanted! Orenda Intn’l MYSTERY 24 October 2007

Okay, so this is off topic, but I’m very, very curious about a company called ORENDA INTERNATIONAL. Their website is straightforward (www.orendainternational.com), with details about their anti-aging and immune system products. I do know that it’s a direct marketing company and while I’ve no interest in this aspect, I do want to know about the products they offer, as I can find ZERO INFORMATION on the web. Mind you, this is a BILLION dollar company. No Wikipedia entry. No blog entries to speak of. No product reviews. No criticisms. No endorsements. The web has been scrubbed clean somehow of Orenda information.

As it stands, the ONLY SOURCE of information on their products is on the their website. That’s some very, very, very slick marketing–how do they do it? I’ve never seen this achieved before. Can anyone out there clue me in as to how this is possible?

Does this strike anyone else as odd? NOTHING in Google Groups. No references in any medical boards. No web-based entries outside of direct marketing sales info. Yet, they’re selling millions and millions of dollars worth of ingestable product.

Before trying a product, wouldn’t you want to find some info from independent parties? I do. So I need some help. There’s something odd going on here. . .

UPDATE: I’ve received an email from a former Orenda user who tells me that she has discontinued use due to concerns that Orestra is actually Human Growth Hormone (HGH), which is noted for its potential side effects, including the possibility (seen in lab rats) of ACCELERATING the aging process despite initial gains. I’ve queried her as to the source of her concerns, but have yet to hear back. Another site visitor concluded that, as Orenda’s products are not under FDA jurisdiction, they could be marketing HGH under the Orenda brand name. That’s two people with similar concerns within 24 hours of posting. Very interesting. I’m not going to say that Orenda is HGH, as there is no proof of this. However, I would like to know what, exactly, it is!

Oh, their Marketing Director, Kindra McGrane, voted Democrat in 2004. This is the ONLY information I’ve been able to find about the company outside their website.

UPDATE #2: Clearly, no independent studies of Orenda’s ingredients or the longterm effects of their products exist. Taking this product constitutes a roll of the dice, especially given the numerous studies which indicate huge risks are associated with growth hormones. Now, Orenda may be on to something special here, as their product is a ’stimulator’ and may thus avoid the side effects. However, there is no proof of this. The company is owned and run by marketing people, not health experts. Read the comments below. The supporters all spout identical, robotic sales talk. CONCLUSION: AVOID ORENDA until they allow independent testing or until you’ve read up completely on Human Growth Hormones and the associated risks. If you’re willing to then pop a mystery pill, that’s your choice.

Peak Oil HAS Arrived: War, Social Unrest Loom 21 October 2007

Perhaps the most blunt statement that Peak Oil has finally arrived (more accurately, arrived last year) arrives in today’s Guardian Unlimited.

READ THE ARTICLE: Steep Decline in Oil Production Brings Risk of War & Unrest

For those of you unfamiliar with Peak Oil, or why the scenario it encapsulates will devastate society as we know it, here’s the Wiki primer. I do suggest you familiarize yourself with the concept, especially if you have children. It’s exciting to learn about the cause of the end of the Age of Hubris, how it’s linked with water and food scarcity, and how we’re all pretty much fucked if we don’t wake up and prioritize accordingly. We need global leadership NOW. Alas, we’ve not a single global leader to inspire and instruct the masses.
Excerpted from the article:

“World oil production has already peaked and will fall by half as soon as 2030, according to a report which also warns that extreme shortages of fossil fuels will lead to wars and social breakdown.

The German-based Energy Watch Group will release its study in London today saying that global oil production peaked in 2006 - much earlier than most experts had expected. The report, which predicts that production will now fall by 7% a year, comes after oil prices set new records almost every day last week, on Friday hitting more than $90 (£44) a barrel.”

You can find out more about Energy Watch Group at their WEBSITE. And next time you see Hillary, ask her what her plan is for dealing with peak oil and climate change. The beauty of it all? She has none. She’s running to become the President of the U.S.A. and she has NO viable plan, nor deep knowledge of, the most pressing issues to face humanity. And you’re thinking of handing her your vote why? The old ‘lesser of two evils’ argument again? Spare me. Spare your kids.

$100 BARREL PARTY! OIL SKYROCKETS, WE PARTY!!!! 18 October 2007

It’s no longer a matter of when oil hits $100/barrel, but when (as of this writing, it sits at an all-time record $90). So why not celebrate the occasion?

I propose we have an international day of celebration (likely next week), a GRAND OIL PARTY, when prices hit triple digits. You bring the beer, I’ll bring the rum, my Sonoma County neighbors will bring the wine. It’ll be a damned fine time. We’ll meet at my house, then go back to our respective countries to spread the joy.

Why, you ask, should we be celebrating something that, when combined with the fading U.S. dollar, will usher in a massive global recession? BECAUSE I NEED AN EXCUSE TO PAR-TAY!! Okay, that’s not it. Because now we know, absolutely and fo’ sho’, that Peak Oil is upon us. The ties that bind us to petroleum are now to be thrown off once and for all. It will be an ugly transition (Read THIS BOOK to get a solid picture of this), but one that will ultimately bring humanity closer to a sustainable future.

IT’S THE END OF THE (OIL-FUELED) WORLD AS WE KNOW IT, AND I FEEL LIKE FINE!

Okay. Seriously. Wait for the ticker to read $100 and then come on over. I’ll have juice and tea for the non-drinkers (I’m usually only good for one drink, if that, so don’t think I’ll be judging you if you don’t imbibe. Andi makes amazing Dark & Stormy’s however . . .)

To recap -

WHAT: GRAND OIL PARTY

WHEN: THE MOMENT NYMEX CRUDE FUTURES REACH $100 (next week?)

WHERE: FIRST MY HOUSE, THEN THE WORLD! (Contact me for location info)

Oh, and BRAD and ANGELINA . . .I know you’re getting the short end of the stick from everyone these days, but you’re both still on my SuperStarsWhoGiveADamn A Team. You’re totally invited. Bring the kids as they’ll love my boy, Justice.

Now go forth and SPREAD THE WORD!!! IT’S THE PARTY OF THE DECADE!!!!

*Republicans: Do forgive the image. I’m absolutely non-partisan, but it fits the theme of the post too well.

(Coming Soon: $100 OIL “WHEN WILL IT HIT” POOL. $10/entry. Winner take all!)

Julia Galdo, Photo Hero!

Not EVERYTHING I post about has to be ‘green’ related.

Today I’m extra-special-excited about my photo-pal, Julia Galdo, and her newly remodeled website.
Check out JULIAGALDO.COM right now! Oh, and she’s for hire. Grab her while you can still afford her! She’s in San Francisco, she’s amazing, and, most importantly, she’s TBA (Tod Brilliant Approved - the works of TBA artists are known to appreciate in value nearly twice as quickly as non-TBA artists.)
Song O’ the Day is dedicated to Julia, of course. Enjoy The Bird & The Bee’s “I Hate Camera”. It’s how I feel after I look at her work. . . totally incompetent with my photo gear and inspired.
art, photo, photography

Can Gore Fix China? 15 October 2007

A very sobering look at the environmental horrors in China from the New York Times: IN CHINA, A LAKE’S CHAMPION IMPERILS HIMSELF

Now that Gore has been made Global Eco-Commando-In-Chief, it would seem China could use his help. Alas, the man has yet to come up with a plan to reduce emissions by the needed 80% in the next twenty years, but perhaps he can fly to Beijing and screen his film a few times. Should do the trick, no?

What? You’ve seen “Inconvenient Truth” but you haven’t read George Monbiot’s “HEAT: How to Stop the Planet Warming” or Lester Brown’s “Plan B 2.0?” You mean to tell me you have no idea WHAT DO DO ABOUT THE MESS WE’RE IN?

Seriously, though, this article will remind you of just how difficult the task ahead will be. Thanks, Danny Eagle.

Here’s a little sneak peak: “In 2001, Wen Jiabao, then a vice premier, now China’s prime minister, came to investigate reports of Lake Tai’s deterioration. Like most Communist Party inspection tours, word of this one reached local officials in advance. When Mr. Wen asked to see a typical dye plant, one was made ready, according to several people who witnessed the preparations.

The factory got a fresh coat of paint. The canal that ran beside it was drained, dredged and refilled with fresh water. Shortly before Mr. Wen’s motorcade arrived, workers dumped thousands of carp into the canal. Farmers were positioned along the banks holding fishing rods.

Mr. Wen spent 20 minutes there. A picture of him shaking hands with the factory boss hangs in its lobby. READ ON . . .

Technorati Tags: china, chinese

The Truth about Toyota’s “Green” Image | Call to Action for Prius Drivers 12 October 2007

Toyota’s joined GM and Ford in opposing a law that would require more efficient vehicles. The Union of Concerned Scientists, Tom Friedman and Others are asking why…and whether Toyota still deserves it’s Green Image.

What? You say you own a Prius? Time for you to get out there and demand change from your Toyota dealer. Believe me, they’ll listen to you a lot more than a bunch of geeky scientists and hippies. You know where you bought your car. Read the article, then pick up the phone and make some demands. Let me know what they say, please.
(Photo: Tommy Chong’s lowrider Prius . . . with members from the Orange County Prius Club)

read more | digg story

Technorati Tags: toyota, prius, gm, ford