Author Archives: Norm Benson

Occam’s Razor and the Former Snows of Kilimanjaro

Occam’s Razor is often interpreted as “the least complicated answer is usually right.” The Huffington Post has a post blaming global warming for the loss of snow on Mount Kilimanjaro. “The increase of Earth’s near surface temperatures, coupled with even greater increases in the mid- to upper-tropical troposphere, as documented in recent decades, would atContinue reading “Occam’s Razor and the Former Snows of Kilimanjaro”

Occam's Razor and the Former Snows of Kilimanjaro

Occam’s Razor is often interpreted as “the least complicated answer is usally right.” The Huffington Post has a post blaming global warming for the loss of snow on Mount Kilimanja. “The increase of Earth’s near surface temperatures, coupled with even greater increases in the mid- to upper-tropical troposphere, as documented in recent decades, would atContinue reading “Occam's Razor and the Former Snows of Kilimanjaro”

WWF Sweden says stopping deforestation helps to slow climate change

Note that I fundamentally agree with the World Wildlife Fund of Sweden: “Sweden should follow the examples set by its northern neighbors in developing systems to halt deforestation…Stemming deforestation is one of the most efficient tools we have to slow down climate change.” – WWF CEO General Lasse Gustavsson It’s worth noting that deforestation doesContinue reading “WWF Sweden says stopping deforestation helps to slow climate change”

Six Reasons Why Fancy TP is No Big Deal

Well, an article in the October 2, 2009 issue of The Week caught my attention. It’s titled “Soft toilet paper: Environmental threat?” If you’re not familiar with The Week, it draws from multiple sources to give an idea of the news and opinions currently filling newspapers, magazines, and our airwaves. One of the sources quotedContinue reading “Six Reasons Why Fancy TP is No Big Deal”

Perhaps that Sahara Plantation Could Power Itself

University of Washington researchers have produced electricity from a tree. Perhaps once they plant the Sahara with those eucalypts to alleviate global warming, the trees could deliver the power to provide their water. Or maybe not. According to their online article,”The custom circuit is able to store up enough voltage from trees to run a low-power sensor.”

Natural Resources Communication Workshop

My friend Jon Hooper has asked that I pass along the word that his Natural Resources Communication Workshop will be given January 11-15, 2010. Jon’s course is well worth it. His admonition for all presentations (CBS–Colorful, Bold, & Simple) has stuck with me lo these many years. NATURAL RESOURCES COMMUNICATION WORKSHOP January 11-15, 2010 The Natural ResourcesContinue reading “Natural Resources Communication Workshop”

Extending THP Time

An article on the California Progress Report website says that California Assembly Bill (AB) 1066 would weaken environmental protections provided by the the Z’berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act. Taking An Ax To Forest Protection: Legislature Poised To Weaken Timber Harvest Plans was written by Traci Sheehan, Executive Director of the Planning and Conservation League. She contends, “Even after severalContinue reading “Extending THP Time”

Green, Inc.

Fear motivates. Fear was the reason I got into forestry. When I was in college (I grew up in the 1960s and graduated high school in 1969), Martin Litton’s iconinc picture of a boy looking out over a large clearcut of redwoods caused a number of us to take action. The Photos Were a SnapshotContinue reading “Green, Inc.”

Paper or Plastic, why ereaders are not the right choice

I have seen in posts, comments, and letters to the editor statements that ebook readers will save trees. On a APM Marketplace segment, Kevin Pereira of cable TV’s G4 network, called the Amazon Kindle, “the savior to many, many forests in the future.” What an Ebook Reader is These handy electronic devices can display textContinue reading “Paper or Plastic, why ereaders are not the right choice”