environment – Page 10 – Nullius in Verba

World War Zzzzz

Due to a pandemic sweeping through the world, we might have to go without our usual cup of joe or pay much higher prices.

The Good Old Days

When our climate was just a little cooler.

It has been said that “No man is an island.” While you may quibble that it should be “No one is an island,” we know what it means: We human beings depend on one another. We depend on each other, and we also depend on ecosystems to provide us with water and clean air—amongContinue reading “Me, Microbes, and I”

Is Optimism Rational?

Matt Ridley’s book, The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves, continues to be my favorite book. It is not simply my favorite non-fiction book; it is my favorite book: challenging, witty, and chock-a-block full of facts. If you are pessimistic about our world’s future (as I was), you owe it to yourself (and your children) toContinue reading “Is Optimism Rational?”

OMG GMOs

I don’t get it. Yes, Monsanto is a large company. So is Ford. Monsanto does not control the food system any more than Ford controls the automotive system.

Weekend Postcard: Economics at Work

“Give me that which I want, and you shall have this which you want…” Adam Smith This picture is of sheep grazing (and resting) at a local winery‘s vineyard, Vigilance Winery and Vineyard (which, by the way, has a great sunrise picture). This shows economics at work. The rancher obviously thought it worthwhile to transportContinue reading “Weekend Postcard: Economics at Work”

Managing That Wild Natural Look

In 1978, I was just beginning my career with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). I worked in the southern Sierra Nevada range as the Assistant Forest Manager at Mountain Home State Forest. The federally managed 1.2 million acre Sequoia National Forest surrounded the 4800-acre state forest. On most of theContinue reading “Managing That Wild Natural Look”

Taking the Romance out of Environmentalism

My latest Green Chain column for the Record-Bee. Just after 7 p.m. on Sept 5, 2001, Mark Lynas, a writer and a member of the Green Party in Britain stepped into the Borders Bookshop in Oxford and “pied” former Greenpeace member Bjorn Lomborg with a sponge cake topped with whipped cream. Lomborg was at theContinue reading “Taking the Romance out of Environmentalism”

It’s Not Easy Being Green: The Top Five Green Stories for 2012

This has been submitted to the Lake County Record-Bee It’s Not Easy Being Green: The Top Five Green Stories for 2012 Tis the season for looking back on the previous year; here are my picks for 2012’s top environmental stories plus a bonus story: 1. California’s Cap and Trade Program Begins. As U.S. CO2 emissionsContinue reading “It’s Not Easy Being Green: The Top Five Green Stories for 2012”

The True Cost of Lumber Substitutes

Lumber and building material can be replaced with look-alikes made from non-renewable materials but it may not be wise. One example, a U.S. National Science Foundation panel analyzed the amount of energy necessary to extract, transport, and convert various raw materials into finished products found that substituting other materials for wood products comes at aContinue reading “The True Cost of Lumber Substitutes”