DOCSLIB.ORG

Green Illusions Is Not a Litany of Despair

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Green Illusions Is Not a Litany of Despair “In this terrific book, Ozzie Zehner explains why most current approaches to the world’s gathering climate and energy crises are not only misguided but actually counterproductive. We fool ourselves in innumerable ways, and Zehner is especially good at untangling sloppy thinking. Yet Green Illusions is not a litany of despair. It’s full of hope—which is different from false hope, and which requires readers with open, skeptical minds.”— David Owen, author of Green Metropolis “Think the answer to global warming lies in solar panels, wind turbines, and biofuels? Think again. In this thought-provoking and deeply researched critique of popular ‘green’ solutions, Zehner makes a convincing case that such alternatives won’t solve our energy problems; in fact, they could make matters even worse.”—Susan Freinkel, author of Plastic: A Toxic Love Story “There is no obvious competing or comparable book. Green Illusions has the same potential to sound a wake-up call in the energy arena as was observed with Silent Spring in the environment, and Fast Food Nation in the food system.”—Charles Francis, former director of the Center for Sustainable Agriculture Systems at the University of Nebraska “This is one of those books that you read with a yellow marker and end up highlighting most of it.”—David Ochsner, University of Texas at Austin Green Illusions Our Sustainable Future Series Editors Charles A. Francis University of Nebraska–Lincoln Cornelia Flora Iowa State University Paul A. Olson University of Nebraska–Lincoln The Dirty Secrets of Clean Energy and the Future of Environmentalism Ozzie Zehner University of Nebraska Press Lincoln and London Both text and cover are printed on acid-free paper that is 100% ancient forest free (100% post-consumer recycled). © 2012 by Ozzie Zehner All rights reserved Manufactured in the United States of America Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Zehner, Ozzie. Green illusions: the dirty secrets of clean energy and the future of environmentalism / Ozzie Zehner. p. cm. — (Our sustainable future) Includes bibliographical references and index. isbn 978-0-8032-3775-9 (cloth: alk. paper) 1. Renewable energy sources—United States. 2. Environmentalism—United States. I. Title. tj807.9.u6z44 2012 333.79'40973—dc23 2011042685 Set in Fournier MT. Designed by Mikah Tacha. To Mom and Dad, who gave me a leash, only to show me how to break it. § All of the royalties from this book will go toward projects supporting the future of environmentalism. Contents List of Illustrations . viii List of Figures . ix Acknowledgments . xi Introduction: Unraveling the Spectacle . xv part i: seductive futures 1. Solar Cells and Other Fairy Tales . 3 2. Wind Power’s Flurry of Limitations . 31 3. Biofuels and the Politics of Big Corn . 61 4. The Nuclear-Military-Industrial Risk Complex . 81 5. The Hydrogen Zombie . 105 6. Conjuring Clean Coal . 121 7. Hydropower, Hybrids, and Other Hydras . 133 part ii: from here to there 8. The Alternative-Energy Fetish . 149 9. The First Step . 171 part iii: the future of environmentalism 10. Women’s Rights . 187 11. Improving Consumption . 223 12. The Architecture of Community . 263 13. Efficiency Culture . 301 14. Asking Questions . 331 Epilogue: A Grander Narrative? . 343 Resources for Future Environmentalists . 349 Notes . 355 Index . 415 Illustrations 1. Solar system challenges . 23 2. An imposing scale . 33 3. Road infiltrates a rainforest . 40 4. Mississippi River dead zone . 72 5. Entering Hanford . 87 6. A four-story-high radioactive soufflé . 88 7. In the wake of Chernobyl . 102 8. Flaring tap . 142 9. Reclaiming streets . 289 10. Prioritizing bicycle traffic . 295 Figures 1. California solar system costs . 11 2. Solar module costs do not follow Moore’s law . 16 3. Fussy wind . 44 4. Five days of sun . 45 5. U.S. capacity factors by source . 50 6. Secret U.S. government document ornl–341 . 84 7. Clean coal’s lackluster potential . 129 8. Media activity during oil shock . 153 9. Incongruent power plays . 181 10. Congruent power plays . 181 11. Global world population . 195 12. Differences in teen pregnancy and abortion . 217 13. Similarity in first sexual experience. 217 14. American food marketing to children . 229 15. gdp versus well-being . 255 16. Trips by walking and bicycling . 280 17. Walking and bicycling among seniors . 282 18. U.S. energy flows . 304 19. Passive solar strategies . 326 Table The present and future of environmentalism . 332 Acknowledgments To begin, I’d like to extend special thanks to nu- merous anonymous individuals who risked their standing or job security to connect me with leads, offer guidance, spill dirt, and sneak me into places I perhaps shouldn’t have been. These include one World Bank executive, one member of Congress, one engineer at General Motors, two marketing executives, one former teen celebrity, two polit- ical strategists in Washington dc, two military contractors, a high school vice principal, one so- lar industry executive, one solar sales rep, one mining worker, and three especially helpful se- curity guards. I also extend thanks to those organizations that generously released confidential reports, which I had worked on, so I might draw upon their find- ings in this very public setting. I appreciate the co- operation from numerous Department of Energy employees, who provided everything from im- ages to insight on internal decisionmaking. This book would not have been possible without brave individuals from the World Bank, U.S. military, academia, and industry who were involved in whistle-blowing, industrial es- pionage, and leaks exposing wrongdoings. Their courage re- minds us there are rules that are provisional and rules that are not. My enthusiastic and keen agent, Uwe Stender, generously pursued a nonprofit press deal while offering me limitless sup- port and advice. I'd like to thank the editors and staff at the Uni- versity of Nebraska Press, including Heather Lundine, Bridget Barry, Joeth Zucco, and Cara Pesek, who believed in this work enough to buy the rights, support this book in staff meetings, co- ordinate expert reviews, considerably improve the manuscript, and put up with this green writer. Special thanks go to Karen Brown, whose copyediting cut a path through my writing for readers to follow. I’d especially like to mention the generous support of numer- ous educators, colleagues, and advisers starting with John Grin, Loet Leydesdorff, Stuart Blume, Chunglin Kwa, and, in mem- ory, Olga Amsterdamska from the University of Amsterdam; Steven Epstein (Northwestern University), Naomi Oreskes, Katrina Peterson, and Marisa Brandt from the Department of Science Studies at the University of California–San Diego; Joseph Dumit, Mario Biagioli, Tom Beamish, Tim Choy, Jim Griesemer, Caren Kaplan, Colin Milburn, Chris Kortright, and Michelle Stewart from the Department of Science and Technol- ogy Studies at the University of California–Davis; Cori Hayden, Cathryn Carson, Hélène Mialet, Mark Robinson, Mark Fleming, Jerry Zee, Mary Murrell, Diana Wear, and Gene Rochlin from the Science, Technology, and Society Center at the University of California–Berkeley; Reginald Bell at Kettering University; Charles Francis at the University of Nebraska; David Ochsner at the University of Texas at Austin; Brian Steele from the for- mer Kalamazoo Academy; the dedicated staff at Nature Bridge Headlands Institute; and the Science, Technology, and Society faculty at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. xii Acknowledgments I am grateful for the editors who dealt with various rough drafts of this manuscript, from proposal to completion, includ- ing especially Frieder Christman, Oleg Makariev, and Joe Clem- ent, as well as the acutely helpful input from three anonymous academic reviewers. I'd also like to thank Saad Padela, Jenny Braswell, Harshan Ramadass, Tayo Sowunmi, Nahvae Frost, Myla Mercer, Judy Traub, Sarah Margolis, Cheryl Levy, Gar- rett Brown, and Karla L. Topper. I’d like to thank numerous individuals who assisted me with conceptual and theoretical development: Charlie Zuver, D. A. M., Brad Borevitz, Kyla Schuller, Jeffrey Stevens, Jack Markey, L. Chase Smith, Kien Tran, Babs Mondschein, Yao Odamtten, Leonardo Martinez-Diaz, Drika Makariev, Valera Zakharov, Florence Zakharov, Ariel Linet, Ben Wyskida, Daniel Willi- ford, Jesse Burchfield, Jessica Upson, Nathalie Jones, Nicho- las Sanchez, Allison Rooney, Rex Norton, Hilda Norton, Jens Maier, Paul Burow, Santani Teng, Thomas Kwong, Stefanie Graeter, Susan Elliott Sim, Tom Waidzunas, Olivia Iordanescu, James Dawson, Maurice van den Dobbelsteen, Thomas Gur- ney, Jurjen van Rees, and the many other people who helped out along the way. Most importantly, I am thankful for the boundless support of my family: Patti Zehner, Tom Zehner, Robby Zehner, Aaron Norton, Sabin Blake, and Randy Shannon. All errors in judgment, content, or otherwise lie with me. Acknowledgments xiii Introduction: Unraveling the Spectacle The world will not evolve past its current state of crisis by using the same thinking that created the situation. –Albert Einstein If the title of this book makes you a little suspi- cious of what I’m up to, then all is well. We’ll get along just fine. That’s because the dirty secrets ahead aren’t the kind you can be told (you prob- ably wouldn’t believe me anyway), but rather are the kind you must be shown. But even then, I don’t expect you to accept all of my particu- lar renderings. Ahead you’ll see that this certainly isn’t a book for alternative energy. Neither is it a book against it. In fact, we won’t be talking in simplistic terms of for and against, left and right, good and evil. I wouldn’t dare bludgeon you with a litany of en- vironmental truths when I suspect you’d rather we consider the far more intriguing questions of how such truths are made. Ultimately, this is a book of shades. This is a book for you and others who like to think.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Essential Chomsky
    CURRENT AFFAIRS $19.95 U.S. CHOMSKY IS ONE OF A SMALL BAND OF NOAM INDIVIDUALS FIGHTING A WHOLE INDUSTRY. AND CHOMSKY THAT MAKES HIM NOT ONLY BRILLIANT, BUT HEROIC. NOAM CHOMSKY —ARUNDHATI ROY EDITED BY ANTHONY ARNOVE THEESSENTIAL C Noam Chomsky is one of the most significant Better than anyone else now writing, challengers of unjust power and delusions; Chomsky combines indignation with he goes against every assumption about insight, erudition with moral passion. American altruism and humanitarianism. That is a difficult achievement, —EDWARD W. SAID and an encouraging one. THE —IN THESE TIMES For nearly thirty years now, Noam Chomsky has parsed the main proposition One of the West’s most influential of American power—what they do is intellectuals in the cause of peace. aggression, what we do upholds freedom— —THE INDEPENDENT with encyclopedic attention to detail and an unflagging sense of outrage. Chomsky is a global phenomenon . —UTNE READER perhaps the most widely read voice on foreign policy on the planet. ESSENTIAL [Chomsky] continues to challenge our —THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW assumptions long after other critics have gone to bed. He has become the foremost Chomsky’s fierce talent proves once gadfly of our national conscience. more that human beings are not —CHRISTOPHER LEHMANN-HAUPT, condemned to become commodities. THE NEW YORK TIMES —EDUARDO GALEANO HO NE OF THE WORLD’S most prominent NOAM CHOMSKY is Institute Professor of lin- Opublic intellectuals, Noam Chomsky has, in guistics at MIT and the author of numerous more than fifty years of writing on politics, phi- books, including For Reasons of State, American losophy, and language, revolutionized modern Power and the New Mandarins, Understanding linguistics and established himself as one of Power, The Chomsky-Foucault Debate: On Human the most original and wide-ranging political and Nature, On Language, Objectivity and Liberal social critics of our time.
    [Show full text]
  • Road Diets Sidewalks Street Trees Traffic Calming
    Livability Fact Sheets The Complete Collection Livable Communities are Great Places for All Ages Bicycling Density Economic Development Form-Based Code Modern Roundabouts Parking Revitalization Without Displacement Road Diets Sidewalks Street Trees Traffic Calming A Publication of aarp.org/livable The Livability Fact Sheets collected in this booklet were created in partnership by AARP Livable Communities and the Walkable and Livable Communities Institute. The two organizations have the shared goal of helping towns, cities and communities nationwide to become safer, healthier, more walkable and overall livable for people of all ages. A package of 11 comprehensive, easy-to-read livability resources, the fact sheets can be used individually or as a collection by community leaders, policy makers, citizen activists and others to learn about and explain what makes a city, town or neighborhood a great place to live. Each topic-specific fact sheet is a four-page document that can be read online — by visiting aarp.org/livability-factsheets — or printed and distributed. We encourage sharing, so please forward the URL and use the fact sheets for discussions and research. If you have comments or questions, contact us at [email protected] and/or [email protected]. The AARP Livability Fact Sheets series was published by AARP Education & Outreach/Livable Communities in association with the Walkable and Livable Communities Institute Project Advisor: Jeanne Anthony | Editor: Melissa Stanton | Writers: Dan Burden, Kelly Morphy, Robert Ping The fact sheets can be downloaded and printed individually or as a collection by visiting aarp.org/livability-factsheets AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership of more than 37 million, that helps people turn their goals and dreams into real possibilities, strengthens communities and fights for the issues that matter most to families such as healthcare, employment security and retirement planning.
    [Show full text]
  • Adobe Font Folio Opentype Edition 2003
    Adobe Font Folio OpenType Edition 2003 The Adobe Folio 9.0 containing PostScript Type 1 fonts was replaced in 2003 by the Adobe Folio OpenType Edition ("Adobe Folio 10") containing 486 OpenType font families totaling 2209 font styles (regular, bold, italic, etc.). Adobe no longer sells PostScript Type 1 fonts and now sells OpenType fonts. OpenType fonts permit of encrypting and embedding hidden private buyer data (postal address, email address, bank account number, credit card number etc.). Embedding of your private data is now also customary with old PS Type 1 fonts, but here you can detect more easily your hidden private data. For an example of embedded private data see http://www.sanskritweb.net/forgers/lino17.pdf showing both encrypted and unencrypted private data. If you are connected to the internet, it is easy for online shops to spy out your private data by reading the fonts installed on your computer. In this way, Adobe and other online shops also obtain email addresses for spamming purposes. Therefore it is recommended to avoid buying fonts from Adobe, Linotype, Monotype etc., if you use a computer that is connected to the internet. See also Prof. Luc Devroye's notes on Adobe Store Security Breach spam emails at this site http://cgm.cs.mcgill.ca/~luc/legal.html Note 1: 80% of the fonts contained in the "Adobe" FontFolio CD are non-Adobe fonts by ITC, Linotype, and others. Note 2: Most of these "Adobe" fonts do not permit of "editing embedding" so that these fonts are practically useless. Despite these serious disadvantages, the Adobe Folio OpenType Edition retails presently (March 2005) at US$8,999.00.
    [Show full text]
  • Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles in Tunnels
    SAND2020-4507 R Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles in Tunnels Austin M. Glover, Austin R. Baird, Chris B. LaFleur April 2020 Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-NA0003525. 2 ABSTRACT There are numerous vehicles which utilize alternative fuels, or fuels that differ from typical hydrocarbons such as gasoline and diesel, throughout the world. Alternative vehicles include those running on the combustion of natural gas and propane as well as electrical drive vehicles utilizing batteries or hydrogen as energy storage. Because the number of alternative fuels vehicles is expected to increase significantly, it is important to analyze the hazards and risks involved with these new technologies with respect to the regulations related to specific transport infrastructure, such as bridges and tunnels. This report focuses on hazards presented by hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles that are different from traditional fuels. There are numerous scientific research and analysis publications on hydrogen hazards in tunnel scenarios; however, compiling the data to make conclusions can be a difficult process for tunnel owners and authorities having jurisdiction over tunnels. This report provides a summary of the available literature characterizing hazards presented by hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles, including light-duty, medium and heavy-duty, as well as buses. Research characterizing both worst-case and credible scenarios, as well as risk-based analysis, is summarized. Gaps in the research are identified to guide future research efforts to provide a complete analysis of the hazards and recommendations for the safe use of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles in tunnels.
    [Show full text]
  • Comparison of Hydrogen Powertrains with the Battery Powered Electric Vehicle and Investigation of Small-Scale Local Hydrogen Production Using Renewable Energy
    Review Comparison of Hydrogen Powertrains with the Battery Powered Electric Vehicle and Investigation of Small-Scale Local Hydrogen Production Using Renewable Energy Michael Handwerker 1,2,*, Jörg Wellnitz 1,2 and Hormoz Marzbani 2 1 Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Applied Sciences Ingolstadt, Esplanade 10, 85049 Ingolstadt, Germany; [email protected] 2 Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, School of Engineering, Plenty Road, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: Climate change is one of the major problems that people face in this century, with fossil fuel combustion engines being huge contributors. Currently, the battery powered electric vehicle is considered the predecessor, while hydrogen vehicles only have an insignificant market share. To evaluate if this is justified, different hydrogen power train technologies are analyzed and compared to the battery powered electric vehicle. Even though most research focuses on the hydrogen fuel cells, it is shown that, despite the lower efficiency, the often-neglected hydrogen combustion engine could be the right solution for transitioning away from fossil fuels. This is mainly due to the lower costs and possibility of the use of existing manufacturing infrastructure. To achieve a similar level of refueling comfort as with the battery powered electric vehicle, the economic and technological aspects of the local small-scale hydrogen production are being investigated. Due to the low efficiency Citation: Handwerker, M.; Wellnitz, and high prices for the required components, this domestically produced hydrogen cannot compete J.; Marzbani, H. Comparison of with hydrogen produced from fossil fuels on a larger scale.
    [Show full text]
  • New Opentype Fonts on Folio 11
    New OpenType Fonts on Folio 11 Postscript Name Preferred Name AdobeArabic-Bold.otf Adobe Arabic Bold AdobeArabic-BoldItalic.otf Adobe Arabic Bold Italic AdobeArabic-Italic.otf Adobe Arabic Italic AdobeArabic-Regular.otf Adobe Arabic Regular AdobeHebrew-Bold.otf Adobe Hebrew Bold AdobeHebrew-BoldItalic.otf Adobe Hebrew Bold Italic AdobeHebrew-Italic.otf Adobe Hebrew Italic AdobeHebrew-Regular.otf Adobe Hebrew Regular AdobeThai-Bold.otf Adobe Thai Bold AdobeThai-BoldItalic.otf Adobe Thai Bold Italic AdobeThai-Italic.otf Adobe Thai Italic AdobeThai-Regular.otf Adobe Thai Regular AmigoStd.otf Amigo Std Regular ArnoPro-Bold.otf Arno Pro Bold ArnoPro-BoldCaption.otf Arno Pro Bold Caption ArnoPro-BoldDisplay.otf Arno Pro Bold Display ArnoPro-BoldItalic.otf Arno Pro Bold Italic ArnoPro-BoldItalicCaption.otf Arno Pro Bold Italic Caption ArnoPro-BoldItalicDisplay.otf Arno Pro Bold Italic Display ArnoPro-BoldItalicSmText.otf Arno Pro Bold Italic SmText ArnoPro-BoldItalicSubhead.otf Arno Pro Bold Italic Subhead ArnoPro-BoldSmText.otf Arno Pro Bold SmText ArnoPro-BoldSubhead.otf Arno Pro Bold Subhead ArnoPro-Caption.otf Arno Pro Caption ArnoPro-Display.otf Arno Pro Display ArnoPro-Italic.otf Arno Pro Italic ArnoPro-ItalicCaption.otf Arno Pro Italic Caption ArnoPro-ItalicDisplay.otf Arno Pro Italic Display ArnoPro-ItalicSmText.otf Arno Pro Italic SmText ArnoPro-ItalicSubhead.otf Arno Pro Italic Subhead ArnoPro-LightDisplay.otf Arno Pro Light Display ArnoPro-LightItalicDisplay.otf Arno Pro Light Italic Display ArnoPro-Regular.otf Arno Pro Regular ArnoPro-Smbd.otf
    [Show full text]
  • EPRI Journal--Driving the Solution: the Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle
    DRIVING THE SOLUTION THE PLUG-IN HYBRID VEHICLE by Lucy Sanna The Story in Brief As automakers gear up to satisfy a growing market for fuel-efficient hybrid electric vehicles, the next- generation hybrid is already cruis- ing city streets, and it can literally run on empty. The plug-in hybrid charges directly from the electricity grid, but unlike its electric vehicle brethren, it sports a liquid fuel tank for unlimited driving range. The technology is here, the electricity infrastructure is in place, and the plug-in hybrid offers a key to replacing foreign oil with domestic resources for energy indepen- dence, reduced CO2 emissions, and lower fuel costs. DRIVING THE SOLUTION THE PLUG-IN HYBRID VEHICLE by Lucy Sanna n November 2005, the first few proto­ vide a variety of battery options tailored 2004, more than half of which came from Itype plug­in hybrid electric vehicles to specific applications—vehicles that can imports. (PHEVs) will roll onto the streets of New run 20, 30, or even more electric miles.” With growing global demand, particu­ York City, Kansas City, and Los Angeles Until recently, however, even those larly from China and India, the price of a to demonstrate plug­in hybrid technology automakers engaged in conventional barrel of oil is climbing at an unprece­ in varied environments. Like hybrid vehi­ hybrid technology have been reluctant to dented rate. The added cost and vulnera­ cles on the market today, the plug­in embrace the PHEV, despite growing rec­ bility of relying on a strategic energy hybrid uses battery power to supplement ognition of the vehicle’s potential.
    [Show full text]
  • Legally Speaking: Group Ride Liability, Part 1 Bob Mionske August 30, 2018
    Legally Speaking: Group ride liability, part 1 Bob Mionske August 30, 2018 News What happens if one of the cyclists hits a pedestrian or a car or takes down a paceline on a group ride? Bike clubs have long organized of all sorts of group rides for club members as well as the public. These rides provide a great introduction to the world of cycling. Because they attract an array of different cyclists, the level of etiquette and experience varies immensely among the participants. To your left, you could be looking at a retired professional. But to your right, you’ll find a super-strong newbie who also struggles with proper riding lines and basic bike handling — which is, of course, critical in a fast-moving peloton. You start to wonder: What happens if one of the cyclists hits a pedestrian or a car or takes down a paceline? These are classic group ride liability scenarios. And, they all boil down to these two issues: 1. Who is responsible and who is legally liable? The club and its organizers? The individuals involved? Or the sponsors of the ride? 2. If liability attaches to the group ride, who pays for the property damages and injuries that happen to someone? These are sophisticated legal issues, and the answers will depend on a range of legal factors and vary from state to state. Consequently, we will address these questions in a two-part series. This column addresses the first issue — when can a group ride be held liable if someone gets hurt or property is destroyed? Understanding basic liability law and negligence As attorney Kurt Holzer explains, the mere fact that one person is injured does not give rise to legal liability.
    [Show full text]
  • Bike Lanes.4 Numbers
    Bicycling | A LIVABILITY FACT SHEET Half of all trips taken in the United States are three miles alongside Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. Weekday bicycling or less, yet most Americans drive — even to the closest traffic tripled, speeding by all vehicles dropped from 74 to destinations. Only 3 percent of commuting trips in the 20 percent, crashes for all road users dropped 16 percent U.S. are by bicycle, compared to up to 60 percent in The and injuries went down 21 percent, all without a change Netherlands. in corridor travel time.3 Throughout New York City, deaths and serious crashes are down 40 percent where there are Still, it’s not unreasonable to believe we can improve our bike lanes.4 numbers. The popularity of bicycling has been on the rise. The number of bike trips doubled between 1990 and Bicycling also provides economic benefits: Two-thirds of 2009, and many communities and the federal government merchants surveyed on San Francisco’s Valencia Street say are embracing the bicycle as a transportation solution for that bike lanes have improved business. In North Carolina’s a healthy and viable future.1 Outer Banks, bicycle tourism has already generated $60 million in annual economic activity on its $6.7 million Surveys show that 60 percent of Americans would ride a bicycle infrastructure investment. In 2009, people using bicycle if they felt safe doing so, and eight out of 10 agree bicycles spent $261 million on goods and services that bicycling is a healthy, positive activity. in Minnesota, supporting more than 5,000 jobs and generating $35 million in taxes.5 Although issues related to bicycling continue to be debated, experience shows that bicycle-friendly features Building bike infrastructure creates an average of 11.4 increase safety for all road users, including motor vehicles.2 jobs for every $1 million spent.
    [Show full text]
  • (Eg Phd, Mphil, Dclinpsychol) at Th
    This thesis has been submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for a postgraduate degree (e.g. PhD, MPhil, DClinPsychol) at the University of Edinburgh. Please note the following terms and conditions of use: This work is protected by copyright and other intellectual property rights, which are retained by the thesis author, unless otherwise stated. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the author. The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the author. When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given. Making carbon count: The role of carbon accounting in carbon management and markets Francisco Ascui Doctor of Philosophy University of Edinburgh 2014 [This page is intentionally blank] Ascui (2014) 2 Abstract Society’s efforts to ‘manage’ the problem of human-induced climate change – for example through setting targets, tracking progress, imposing sanctions and incentives, and creating markets in emission rights and offsets – have given rise to numerous calculation, measurement, attribution, monitoring, reporting and verification challenges, which are being addressed by many different communities (including scientists, governments, businesses and accountants) in many different ways. Carbon accounting – this diverse and ever-expanding assemblage of calculative practices – is a rapidly evolving phenomenon, which has only recently become a subject of academic accountancy-related research. This thesis explores what carbon accounting means, who it involves, and how different communities define and lay claim to competence in the field.
    [Show full text]
  • Rolling Resistance
    This is a newsletter prepared by lawyers to advise bicyclists about the joys of riding, bicycle safety, active transportation, and cyclists’ rights. Bicycle Law is solely owned 1005 Sansome Street, Suite 330 and operated by former-Olympian- San Francisco, CA 94111 turned-lawyer Bob Mionske through his firm, The Law Office of Bob Mionske. Bob is a regular contributor to VeloNews with his Legally Speaking column, is licensed to practice in Oregon, and is regularly consulted by attorneys and cyclists nationwide regarding crashes. ROLLING CYCLING MT. SHASTA, AVOIDING DOORINGS, INSURANCE, ANDMORE AVOIDING SHASTA, MT. CYCLING ISSUE #1 ISSUE | FALL 2020 FALL RESISTANCE | VIRAL CYCLING VIRAL WHAT IS BICYCLE LAW? For those unfamiliar with us, we are lawyers working for cyclists. Founded by Olympic cyclist and national champion-turned-lawyer Bob Mionske in 2000, the organization has grown over the past two decades. We are commuters, advocates, adventurers, and enthusiasts. You can find us piloting cargo bikes with our kids — the easiest and most enjoyable way to travel with children. You can also find us in INSIDE THIS EDITION Washington, D.C. with the League of American Bicyclists, lobbying for better infrastructure. We commute, we adventure, we joy ride… Circumnavigating Mount Shasta in a day We’ve also found that the COVID-19 pandemic has created bicycle- Bike handling: Avoiding doorings specific opportunities, and issues, that need to be addressed. People have flocked to riding as a way to socially distance while commuting, Why should bicyclists have auto insurance? and as a way to get exercise. Try getting in for a bike repair, or locating (Hint: it’s all about the underinsured motorist coverage, folks!) a new bike these days, and you’ll see the impact.
    [Show full text]
  • Climate Action Policy Survey
    Executive Summary The People’s GND Working Group Climate Action Policy Survey The U.S. House of Representatives-Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. Response to the House Committee Request for Information from The People’s Green New Deal Working Group: A database of over 100 Climate Policy Proposals. Methodology The People’s Green New Deal Working Group represents an informal coalition of activists based in New York, including members of Climate Action Mondays and 350NYC, as well as academics at Columbia University and City University of New York (CUNY). Our work has been to collect, in a non-biased process, outstanding climate policy recommendations that can be used by the House Committee and other lawmakers to write an ambitious and just national climate policy. The result is a “Climate Action Policy Survey” of over 100 proposals, reviewed and digested for specific policy ideas by sector. The proposals in our database were either submitted by experts and organizations or collected via an extensive internet search by a team of volunteers. In the coming months, we intend to post the database online to collect additional recommendations and ask the wider community to vote on their priority proposals to include in a National Climate Policy. This submission is unique in that it represents a compendium of climate solutions and policies from a broad set of sources and organizations, listed therein, including: Federal, State, & Local Government Legislation Inter-government Coalitions Think Tanks Non-profit Groups and Coalitions Academic Studies and Reports The sectors (in sheet tabs) covered include: List of 100+ Proposals (with summaries) Proposal Comparison (showing which proposals touch on which sectors).
    [Show full text]