Frankly Green

Global Warming May Make Some Spots Inviting

Some current hotspots will lose their appeal, but others stand to benefit
By David S. Hirschman, Forbes Traveler.com

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Predictions about the rate of global warming vary greatly, but even by conservative estimates it's likely to have a big effect on travel. Many current tourist hotspots will literally be too hot for comfort, while others will lose their natural beauty, be prone to catastrophic storms—or simply be underwater.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the planet's average temperature could increase by as much as 3.5 degrees celsius by 2100, causing sea levels to rise nearly four feet. If the Greenland and Antarctic continental ice sheets then melt—as some predict—sea levels could rise by an additional 30 feet. Potential side effects include increasingly intense storms, catastrophic heat waves and global flooding on a biblical scale.

But on the upside, many previously undesirable locations farther from the equator, or at higher altitudes, could become much more inviting.

Report Tracks Pollution at U.S. Beaches

MSNBC.com
2007 bad year for beach closings, conservation group reports

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U.S. beaches were in poor health last year, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council, which said Tuesday that pollution in 2007 led to the second-highest number of beach closings and advisory days in 18 years.

Human and animal fecal matter were to blame for much of the pollution, the council said in its annual report, leaving many beachgoers vulnerable to illnesses including gastroenteritis, dysentery and hepatitis.

The council also blamed outdated water quality standards and called for more rigorous monitoring of beaches.

In Energy-Stingy Japan, an Extravagant Indulgence: Posh Privies

My friend Marc C. sent this from Japan where he had a personal encounter with the energy-sucking commode.

By Blaine Harden 
Washington Post Foreign Service


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TOKYO -- When it comes to saving energy, the Japanese have much to teach the United States and other rich countries, whose leaders descend on Japan next month for a Group of Eight summit.

Energy consumption per person here is about half that in the United States, and the growth of greenhouse gas emissions is slower than anywhere in the industrialized world.

There is a hiccup, though, in this world-beating record. It happens inside the Japanese home, where energy use is surging. And nothing embodies the surge quite like the toilet -- a plumbing fixture that has been reengineered here as an ultracomfy energy hog.

Japanese toilets can warm and wash one's bottom, whisk away odors with built-in fans and play water noises that drown out potty sounds. They play relaxation music, too. "Ave Maria" is a favorite.
High-end toilets can also sense when someone enters or leaves the bathroom, raising or lowering their lids accordingly. Many models have a "learning mode," which allows them to memorize the lavatory schedules of household members.

Environmental Observations from the Middle East

My friend John K. shared these observations from his recent travels:

Made it back from the Middle East....whew.  Noted your blog --great material.  The global warming issue is the most important one facing the world--and boy does the world have a long ways to go.  We were in Cairo for a few days --and you just cannot believe the horrible air, water and physical pollution.  Some Very entrenched behaviors must change --and economic disadvantage is no excuse....simply one of attitude. Glad to see you spreading the word.   And don't even ask me about plastic.....while a disposal problem in the developed West, it is an absolute disaster in the underdeveloped countries.  From my many travels in those areas, everywhere you see pink and white plastic bags....in the trees, bushes, river banks, fields, streets, plains..everywhere.  And sadly, those bags will be there for many years to come.  If plastic bags as a basic means of carrying stuff around cannot be eliminated, then why not uv/bio-degradable bags?  I have no idea the cost, but doubt it exceeds that cost/damage to the entire ecosystem.  And here I'm only referring to plastic bags....the overall problem is huge, but bags are a starting (and very visible) point.

Paris to Provide Rentable Bikes Every 900 Feet

French revolution: Rentable bikes every 900 feet
Beginning July 15, Parisians can get one with the swipe of a card – and the first half-hour is free.
By Robert Marquand | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

Link to Article

The socialist mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë, has seen the future and it's got two wheels, three speeds, an adjustable seat, indestructible tires, a basket, and a bell. It's 50 pounds of ecofriendly handlebars, comin' at ya.

The French are turning Paris into a bicycle zone, pretty much overnight. Even now, astride small alleys and behind boulangeries, paving stones are being ripped to fit 750 bicycle rent "stations."

On July 15, a day after the French Revolution anniversary, the city of lights will kick off a "vélorution" with 10,648 rentable bikes, or vélos. By January, some 1,400 rent stations and 20,600 bikes are scheduled to be in place. In Paris proper, one will never be more than 900 feet from a set of cheap wheels. At least theoretically.

Similar programs have been launched elsewhere with varying success. But Paris officials say their city is the first world capital to adopt a major green biking initiative, and they are doing it in a way that may be too big to fail. The ambitious Paris project is titled Vélib' – wordplay for bicycle freedom. Read: freedom from too many cars and carbon fumes.

Not all Carbon Offsets are Created Equal

As I mentioned in a Previous Post, for my birthday my friends Bill and Marie gave me a years worth of carbon offsets. For those of you not familiar with carbon offsets, here is a definition: A carbon offset is a service that tries to reduce the net carbon emissions of individuals or organizations indirectly, through proxies who reduce their emissions and/or increase their absorption of greenhouse gases.^[1] A wide variety of offset actions are available; tree planting is the most common. Renewable energy and energy conservation offsets are also popular, including emissions trading credits.

The intended goal of carbon offsets is to combat global warming.^[2] The appeal of becoming "carbon neutral" has contributed to the growth of voluntary offsets, which often are a more cost-effective alternative to reducing one's own fossil-fuel consumption. However, carbon offsets are not without controversy, with some environmentalists and economists questioning the overall benefits of the practice.

There are many companies and organizations offering carbon offsets, but all carbon offsets are not created equal. This WSJ article talks about how carbon offsets work and mentions a few of the players. My friend Rip also sent me a link to a report on carbon offset providers. So by all means, buy carbon offsets or give them as a gift, but do a little homework first to make sure you are spending your money wisely! Stay tuned for more!

Best Time to Buy a Hybrid Car: Right Now

Prices are dropping and most still have tax incentives. But it may end by summer, Edmunds.com says.

By Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNNMoney.com staff writer

March 16 2007: 10:07 AM EDT

Full Text Article

We purchased a hybrid about a year ago and love it! There are still some good tax incentives too. As this article points out, if you are thinking about buying one, now is a good time - -- If you're thinking of buying a hybrid car, this would be a good time to act on that impulse, according to a pricing and cost analysis by the automotive Web site Edmunds.com.

To cover the expense of the complex systems, auto makers tacked big price premiums onto the hybrid versions of their cars, and those premiums usually outweighed the savings in gas costs.

"In the past, our research showed that the 'True Cost to Own' a hybrid vehicle was exorbitant," said Alex Rosten, Manager of Pricing and Market Analysis for Edmunds.com.

Now, however, federal tax incentives can cover much of the cost difference. And the supply of hybrid vehicles is beginning to exceed demand, resulting in bigger negotiated dealer discounts and cash incentives from manufacturers.