Monthly Archives: January 2012

‘Sustainable’ projected to remain ‘robust’

This XKCD cartoon by Randall Munroe lampoons the notion of extrapolating anything far into the future. Buzzwords gain momentum, but then fall out of favor. Buzzwords, from my memory, that have had their place in the sun include: relevant, viable, resonate, robust. Let me utilize a Gaussian distribution curve to illustrate. Any others?

Weekend Postcards of Deforestation

I know the Weekend Postcards are normally devoid of argument and point making. But, I thought it would be fun to look at deforestation differently. To see that deforestation is not necessarily the result of logging (illegal or otherwise). Deforestation comes about from people using the land. Agriculture heads up the list of deforestation causesContinue reading “Weekend Postcards of Deforestation”

Discussing “Working Landscapes, Working Waterscapes”

I attended a panel discussion at the California Historical Society, January 18, 2012 about appropriate land uses on public land. It was titled Working Landscapes, Working Waterscapes. Its purpose was to explore how we might “build a consensus” and perhaps “change the ways we think about and manage cultural and working landscapes within parks, naturalContinue reading “Discussing “Working Landscapes, Working Waterscapes””

Weekend postcard: Alexander Valley

This weekend’s postcards were taken in the Alexander Valley area in Sonoma County near Healdsburg. They were taken last year in May so the grass on the hills had begun turning brown in the shallower and more exposed soils. The grapes were in full leaf. It was one of those perfect California days. I hadContinue reading “Weekend postcard: Alexander Valley”

Dr. Whatsforlunch or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Chemicals

Some rationally optimistic thoughts from Matt Ridley are in this video. Consider this: when we compare the farm yields of the 1960s to the yields at the end of the 1990s, we find that conventional (aka intensive) farming has, in effect, saved 44% of earth’s land from going under the plow.  

New Forests Company announces suspension of tree planting in Uganda

British New Forests Company (NFC) has announced that it has suspended tree planting in Uganda for 2012. The company says that will “result in 560 job losses in the Mubende, Kiboga, Kyankwanzi and Bugiri districts.” The decision to suspend planting and lay off workers follows the outcry caused by an Oxfam report released September 2011Continue reading “New Forests Company announces suspension of tree planting in Uganda”

Scientists Refute Greenpeace Claims About GM Corn

Lanham, MD; January 6, 2012 — An article in the forthcoming issue of the Journal of Integrated Pest Management (JIPM) refutes claims by Greenpeace Germany that the western bean cutworm (WBC), Striacosta albicosta (Smith), is “a new plant pest” that was “caused by genetically engineered corn.” The Greenpeace Germany report, which was written by authorContinue reading “Scientists Refute Greenpeace Claims About GM Corn”

Weekend Postcard from the East Coast to Left Coast USA Road Trip

For the return from the east coast to the west coast we took the more southerly route of Interstate 40. After you get out of the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina and Tennessee, well, the scenery is not near as interesting, unless you really, really, like sage brush. We did like Oklahoma City though.

Resolved to go organic in 2012? Consider these 10 points.

Over at Eco Women: Protectors of the Planet! you can find eight resolutions for 2012. A few of them make sense: turn off any unnecessary appliance; choose tap water over bottled water; cut down on meat. These are, if not necessarily environmentally sensible, at least economically sensible. I have quibbles with their list but itContinue reading “Resolved to go organic in 2012? Consider these 10 points.”