Topic: Environment

A plea for Planet Earth

May 3, 2008 |

On April 14, 2008, James Hansen of NASA Goddard Institute and Columbia University Earth Institute wrote the following letter to Governor Jim Gibbons (Nevada) as a “Plea for Leadership” in the battle against global warming, a battle to save Planet Earth. We thought this “plea,” this request for stewardship, was worth repeating. For the complete document (including “Fossil Fuel Facts” referenced within) and supportive documentation on this issue, please check out http://www.columbia.edu/~jeh1/mailings/20080414_GovernorGibbons.pdf

Dear Governor Gibbons,

I hope that I may communicate with you as a fellow parent and grandparent about a matter that will have great effects upon the lives of our loved ones. I refer to climate change, specifically global warming in response to human-made carbon dioxide (CO2) and other pollutants.

Governor Gibbons, the scientific advances in just the past few years, paradoxically, carry both bad news and good news. We have already passed the threshold of atmospheric CO2 levels that we can allow to exist over the long-term. Mother Nature, as a friend of mine has noted, is wagging her finger at us, saying “Now you have gone too far!” Consequences of ignoring this admonishment would be dire. The Earth is nearing climate “tipping points” with potentially irreversible effects, including extermination of countless species, ice sheet disintegration and sea-level rise, and mass dislocation of populations. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Issues, Opinion | 1 Comment »

Happy Earth Day!

By Beth Robinson | April 22, 2008 |

Ask not what your Earth can do for you.

Ask what you can do for your Earth.

I know alot of wonderful people that are working hard to make this a healthier planet. I’m sure we have many, many people in the Clarksville area that are living with the environment in mind. As a Earth Day activity, I invite you to comment to this post and let others know at least one of the actions you take to Reduce-Recycle-Reuse.

Here is a list of some of the things I do:

1. Bought a Prius (even though no rebates or tax incentives remain)
2. Buy Green Power
3. Recycle paper, plastic, glass, cardboard, tin, aluminum
4. Compost
5. Write my local, state and other government representatives to support environmental measures
6. Eat less meat
7. Use my programmable thermostat
8. Buy energy efficient appliances & HVAC system
9. Active in local environmental groups
10. Buy only CFL’s

«Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Issues | No Comments

Radiant hummers, bluebirds, return

By Charles Moreland | April 20, 2008 |

April is the season of bluebirds. We watch streaks of blue dart across the sky as the bluebirds seek a nesting site for the summer. These colorful birds need our attention and care; we can help them to flourish by setting out bluebird houses, available at many local outlets. If you are handy, mechanically inclined, you can build a bluebird house.

Bluebirds raise two or three broods, beginning in May. After each brood has left the nest, clean out the old nest; it’s also okay to lift the top of the house and take a peek at the baby birds or the nest filled with eggs. Just don’t put any food directy into the bluebird house.

Bluebirds are perfectly capable of caring for themselves and their babies. After taking your weekly peek at the little ones, be sure to secure the lid. You need not be afraid of frightening away the parent birds; they will return. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Arts and Leisure, Spirituality | No Comments

Curbside recycling comes to Clarksville

By Beth Robinson | April 18, 2008 |

Tim Catchim has started a green business in Clarksville - curbside recycling, otherwise known as Recycle Clarkville. I signed up as a customer and he’s picking up my recycables every week for $10 a month. It is great that I don’t have to load the stuff in my car and drive to the recycling center. Another advantage is more room in my garage.

Imagine, for a moment, if you had to keep all your trash. Those plastic trash bags would pile up in your yard or spare room week after week, month after month, year after year. You’d also have to pack and take that garbage with you when you move to another residence. When we roll our big plastic container to the end of the street every week, we don’t usually see or think about that trash any more. We can go visit most of that same trash we’ve been throwing out for years at the Bi-County landfill off Dover Road. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Business, Issues | No Comments

Clean energy at Rossview Elementary

By Beth Robinson | April 12, 2008 |

As we are all painfully aware, energy prices are accelerating upward. Geothermal energy is a clean alternative source. Geo-thermal simply means the earth’s underground heat. The U.S. Department of Energy says geothermal energy can provide “a stronger economy, a cleaner environment, and a more secure energy future for our nation”.

Our county wisely decided to use geothermal heat/air systems at Rossview High, the central office and West Creek Elementary School. The choice to use geothermal when building the new Rossview Elementary school - instead of electric energy from burning coal - is in the hands of our Montgomery County Commissioners. They will vote on this issue on Monday, April 14. A geothermal system will be cost effective overall and better for the environment. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Education, Politics | No Comments

Environmentally friendly bills stalled in Tennessee senate committees

By Beth Robinson | April 8, 2008 |

Have you attended a Tennessee senate committee hearing in Nashville? On April 2 Clarksvillian’s Faith Robinson, Nicole Donnelly, Debbie Boen and I went to several of these meetings. This was a Conservation Lobby Day and dozens of environmental supporters from around the state attended. Our main focus was to support ending mountain top removal coal mining and reenacting bottle deposits which encourage recycling.

We felt pretty helpless and uncounted in our seats watching the hearings since neither bill we supported was even voted on in committee. However, we could tell that phone calls and emails to Senators and Representatives really have an impact on what happens in session. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Issues, Politics | 5 Comments

Ethanol: great politics, ineffective energy

April 5, 2008 |

Corn Ethanol is becoming the Iraq war of energy policy. A policy based on lies, that initially won supporters political advantage, is highly destructive to the US, and ultimately destructive to its supporters when the costly truth becomes widely known.

In 2007, 115 US plants produced 7 billion gallons of Corn Ethanol - the energy equivalent of 132 million barrels of oil using about 15% of corn production. While this sounds large, it is tiny in the context of the US economy. This is equal to only 1.6% of the energy from from oil in 2007 used in the US. But the situation is worse than this because it takes 1 unit of fossil fuel to produce 1.3 units of corn ethanol. The net energy produced was only 0.5% of the energy from from oil - while consuming 15% of the US corn crop!

Vast sums of taxpayer and consumer dollars are funding an ineffective solution to the real problems of global warming and energy independence. While the country does not sufficiently fund what can be real solutions. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Opinion, Politics | 3 Comments

House GOP Review for 03/20/2008

By Tennessee Republicans | March 21, 2008 |

The House GOP Review is a weekly feature that gives Tennesseans an in-depth look at what our Republican state legislators have been working on this week, and a glimpse into what’s planned for the coming week at our state house. 

“Right to hunt” constitutional amendment passes 105th General Assembly

House Joint Resolution 108 passed on the House floor this week with overwhelming aproval. The constitutional amendment would add provisions to the state constitution establishing the right to hunt, fish, and harvest game subject to “reasonable rules and regulations.” An excerpt from the resolution reads:

Hunting and fishing are honored traditions in the state; citizens have enjoyed the bounty of Tennessee’s natural resources from the time prior to statehood, including hunting and fishing for subsistence and recreation; therefore, hunting and fishing is a vital part of the state’s heritage and economy and should be preserved and protected.

Having already passed the Senate this year, the amendment must now win the approval of the 106^th General Assembly next year by a two-thirds vote. The measure could be on the ballot for referendum as early as 2010. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Politics | No Comments

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