2006.04.23: April 23, 2006: Headlines: Figures: COS - India: NGO's: Sierra Club: Environment: Albuquerque Tribune: Carl Pope writes: The Trickle-up response to global warming offers hope

Peace Corps Online: Directory: India: Special Report: India RPCV and Sierra Club Director Carl Pope: February 9, 2005: Index: PCOL Exclusive: RPCV Carl Pope (India) : 2006.04.23: April 23, 2006: Headlines: Figures: COS - India: NGO's: Sierra Club: Environment: Albuquerque Tribune: Carl Pope writes: The Trickle-up response to global warming offers hope

By Admin1 (admin) (adsl-69-151-51-37.dsl.okcyok.swbell.net - 69.151.51.37) on Tuesday, July 04, 2006 - 11:10 pm: Edit Post

Carl Pope writes: The Trickle-up response to global warming offers hope

Carl Pope writes: The Trickle-up response to global warming offers hope

We don't have the luxury of waiting for an administration in Washington that can read a thermometer. We can flex our muscle at the state and local levels, challenging our elected leaders to greater creativity and resourcefulness in cooling the planet. Global warming is a big challenge, but it's one each of us can do something about starting today. Sierra Club President Carl Pope served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in India in the 1960's.

Carl Pope writes: The Trickle-up response to global warming offers hope

Commentary: Trickle-up response to global warming

By Carl Pope
April 23, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO - Ready for some good news on global warming this Earth Day weekend? Tired of doom and gloom? Worried that it's already too late? Then you're like most Americans.

True, after another year of record warmth, freak weather and melting ice packs, the U.S. media has finally stepped up to deliver the bad news on global warming itself. From Time to ABC's "World News Tonight," the "debate" on the reality of climate change has been declared to be over, and now we're reading about the scary details in our morning papers: violent storms, droughts, massive fires - and the prospect of a world without maple syrup or polar bears.

But instead of sliding into cynicism like the Bush administration and Congress, Americans are leading their country towards smart energy solutions that will preserve this beautiful planet for our children.

State governments are stepping forward on their own. Idaho has banned new coal-fired power plants. Nine Northeastern states have created a comprehensive system to stabilize and ultimately lower greenhouse-gas emissions. California and 10 other states are poised to require a cut in emissions from cars and trucks - a move fiercely contested by the auto industry - and 17 states have legislated that part of their electricity be generated by renewable means.

Cities aren't waiting for federal action, either. More than 220 mayors across the country, representing 44 million Americans, have joined the Sierra Club's "Cool Cities" program and pledged to significantly reduce global-warming pollution in their cities. They're doing this by converting municipal-vehicle fleets to hybrids, employing energy-efficient technologies in the delivery of city services, and hiking the percentage of electricity they obtain through renewable sources such as wind and solar.

Some of the improvements are as easy as changing light bulbs. Salt Lake City is installing energy-efficient bulbs in its traffic lights, saving 500 tons of carbon dioxide - not to mention more than $50,000 a year on the city's energy bill. Twin Falls, Idaho, is upgrading efficiency in the city's 11 schools, with a savings of $3.5 million. Fort Collins, Colo., has committed to meeting 15 percent of its energy needs with renewable sources by 2017. And the San Diego Unified School District is installing solar-power roofing material on many of its buildings, with an anticipated savings of nearly $7 million over the next 20 years.

These steps are only the down payment on a bright energy and climate future. But the American people are ready for more. Eighty-five percent of respondents to a recent Stanford University/ABC/Time poll agreed that climate change is happening, and 64 percent thought that the government should be doing more about it. Another study by the Pew Research Center found that 82 percent of Americans are in favor of increased federal spending on solar and wind power and hydrogen technology.

Americans looking for solutions aren't getting them from the Bush administration, which has embraced global-warming deniers, censored scientific reports, muzzled the researchers who wrote them and failed every test of will and policy in dealing with this gathering storm.

Most recently, given an opportunity to make a huge cut in U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions by setting better fuel-economy standards for cars and trucks, the administration punted. It ordered token improvements in gas mileage, but only enough to save the equivalent of two weeks' worth of oil consumption at current levels over the next four years.

While the technology exists to make all vehicles average 40 miles per gallon within 10 years, the new Bush standards only increase fuel economy by a mere 1.8 miles per gallon over four years. With Greenland's mighty glaciers thundering toward the sea, this move puts a tiny speed bump in their way.

True, the current round of state and local initiatives aren't bold enough to stop that lumbering glacier, either.

But we've been creating the problem of greenhouse pollution over decades, and it's going to take decades to retool our energy economy.

We don't have the luxury of waiting for an administration in Washington that can read a thermometer. We can flex our muscle at the state and local levels, challenging our elected leaders to greater creativity and resourcefulness in cooling the planet. Global warming is a big challenge, but it's one each of us can do something about starting today.

Pope is executive director of the Sierra Club, www.sierraclub.org. This column was distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.





When this story was posted in July 2006, this was on the front page of PCOL:


Contact PCOLBulletin BoardRegisterSearch PCOLWhat's New?

Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
Jody Olsen is acting Peace Corps Director Date: June 30 2006 No: 920 Jody Olsen is acting Peace Corps Director
The Senate confirmed Gaddi Vasquez to head the FAO on June 30. Jody Olsen will be acting Director until the President makes a permanent appointment. Olsen has been Deputy Director of the Peace Corps since 2002. She has previously served as Chief of Staff for two directors, as regional director for North Africa, Near East, and Asia and the Pacific, and as country director in Togo. She served in Tunisia as a PCV.

Top Stories and Breaking News PCOL Magazine Peace Corps Library RPCV Directory Sign Up

The Peace Corps Library Date: February 24 2006 No: 798 The Peace Corps Library
The Peace Corps Library is now available online with over 40,000 index entries in 500 categories. Looking for a Returned Volunteer? Check our RPCV Directory. New: Sign up to receive PCOL Magazine, our free Monthly Magazine by email. Like to keep up with Peace Corps news as it happens? Sign up to recieve a daily summary of Peace Corps stories from around the world.

Changing the Face of Hunger Date: June 28 2006 No: 915 Changing the Face of Hunger
In his new book, Former Congressman Tony Hall (RPCV Thailand) says humanitarian aid is the most potent weapon the United States can deploy against terrorism. An evangelical Christian, he is a big believer in faith-based organizations in the fight against hunger. Members of Congress have recently recommended that Hall be appointed special envoy to Sudan to focus on ending the genocide in Darfur.

PC will not return to East Timor in 2006 Date: June 8 2006 No: 913 PC will not return to East Timor in 2006
Volunteers serving in East Timor have safely left the country as a result of the recent civil unrest and government instability. Latest: The Peace Corps has informed us that at this time, the Peace Corps has no plans to re-enter the country in 2006. The Peace Corps recently sent a letter offering eligible volunteers the opportunity to reinstate their service in another country.

Chris Dodd considers run for the White House Date: June 3 2006 No: 903 Chris Dodd considers run for the White House
Senator Chris Dodd plans to spend the next six to eight months raising money and reaching out to Democrats around the country to gauge his viability as a candidate. Just how far Dodd can go depends largely on his ability to reach Democrats looking for an alternative to Hillary Clinton. PCOL Comment: Dodd served as a Volunteer in the Dominican Republic and has been one of the strongest supporters of the Peace Corps in Congress.

The RPCV who wrote about Ben Hogan Date: June 6 2006 No: 912 The RPCV who wrote about Ben Hogan
Probably no RPCV has done more to further the Third Goal of the Peace Corps than John Coyne with the Peace Corps Writers web site and newsletter that he and Marian Haley Beil have produced since 1989. Now John returns to writing about his first love - golf in "The Caddie who knew Ben Hogan." Read an excerpt from his novel, an interview with the author and a schedule of his book readings in Maryland and DC this week.

Vasquez testifies before Senate Committee Date: June 3 2006 No: 905 Vasquez testifies before Senate Committee
Director Vasquez testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on his nomination as the new Representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture replacing Tony Hall. He has been the third longest serving Peace Corps Director after Loret Ruppe Miller and Sargent Shriver. PCOL Comment: Read our thanks to Director Vasquez for his service to the Peace Corps.

First Amendment Watch Date: May 4 2006 No: 883 First Amendment Watch
Maine Web Report hit with Federal Lawsuit
Website wins trademark suit against Jerry Falwell

Interview with a Hit Man Date: April 25 2006 No: 880 Interview with a Hit Man
RPCV John Perkins says that for many years he was an "economic hit man" in the world of international finance whose primary job was to convince less developed countries to accept multibillion dollar loans for infrastructure projects that left the recipient countries wallowing in debt and highly vulnerable to outside political and commercial interests. In this exclusive interview for "Peace Corps Online," Colombia RPCV Joanne Roll, author of Remember with Honor, talks to Perkins about his Peace Corps service, his relation with the NSA, "colonization" in Ecuador, the consequences of his work, why he decided to speak out, and what his hopes are for change.

PC Program in Chad temporarily suspended Date: April 14 2006 No: 872 PC Program in Chad temporarily suspended
Director Vasquez announced the temporary suspension of the Peace Corps program in Chad on April 14 and that all 29 Peace Corps volunteers have left the country. With a program dating back forty years (See Page 4 of the April 1966 "Peace Corps Volunteer"), RPCVs hope that volunteers can return to Chad as soon as the situation has stabilized. Congratulations to the Peace Corps for handling the suspension quickly and professionally.

Peace Corps stonewalls on FOIA request Date: April 12 2006 No: 869 Peace Corps stonewalls on FOIA request
The Ashland Daily Tidings reports that Peace Corps has blocked their request for information on the Volkart case. "After the Tidings requested information pertaining to why Volkart was denied the position — on March 2 — the newspaper received a letter from the Peace Corps FOIA officer stating the requested information was protected under an exemption of the act." The Dayton Daily News had similar problems with FOIA requests for their award winning series on Volunteer Safety and Security.

PCOL readership increases 100% Date: April 3 2006 No: 853 PCOL readership increases 100%
Monthly readership on "Peace Corps Online" has increased in the past twelve months to 350,000 visitors - over eleven thousand every day - a 100% increase since this time last year. Thanks again, RPCVs and Friends of the Peace Corps, for making PCOL your source of information for the Peace Corps community. And thanks for supporting the Peace Corps Library and History of the Peace Corps. Stay tuned, the best is yet to come.

History of the Peace Corps Date: March 18 2006 No: 834 History of the Peace Corps
PCOL is proud to announce that Phase One of the "History of the Peace Corps" is now available online. This installment includes over 5,000 pages of primary source documents from the archives of the Peace Corps including every issue of "Peace Corps News," "Peace Corps Times," "Peace Corps Volunteer," "Action Update," and every annual report of the Peace Corps to Congress since 1961. "Ask Not" is an ongoing project. Read how you can help.

RPCV admits to abuse while in Peace Corps Date: February 3 2006 No: 780 RPCV admits to abuse while in Peace Corps
Timothy Ronald Obert has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a minor in Costa Rica while serving there as a Peace Corps volunteer. "The Peace Corps has a zero tolerance policy for misconduct that violates the law or standards of conduct established by the Peace Corps," said Peace Corps Director Gaddi H. Vasquez. Could inadequate screening have been partly to blame? Mr. Obert's resume, which he had submitted to the Peace Corps in support of his application to become a Peace Corps Volunteer, showed that he had repeatedly sought and obtained positions working with underprivileged children. Read what RPCVs have to say about this case.

Military Option sparks concerns Date: January 3 2006 No: 773 Military Option sparks concerns
The U.S. military, struggling to fill its voluntary ranks, is allowing recruits to meet part of their reserve military obligations after active duty by serving in the Peace Corps. Read why there is opposition to the program among RPCVs. Director Vasquez says the agency has a long history of accepting qualified applicants who are in inactive military status. John Coyne says "Not only no, but hell no!" and RPCV Chris Matthews leads the debate on "Hardball." Avi Spiegel says Peace Corps is not the place for soldiers while Coleman McCarthy says to Welcome Soldiers to the Peace Corps. Read our poll results. Latest: Congress passed a bill on December 22 including language to remove Peace Corps from the National Call to Service (NCS) military recruitment program

Why blurring the lines puts PCVs in danger Date: October 22 2005 No: 738 Why blurring the lines puts PCVs in danger
When the National Call to Service legislation was amended to include Peace Corps in December of 2002, this country had not yet invaded Iraq and was not in prolonged military engagement in the Middle East, as it is now. Read the story of how one volunteer spent three years in captivity from 1976 to 1980 as the hostage of a insurrection group in Colombia in Joanne Marie Roll's op-ed on why this legislation may put soldier/PCVs in the same kind of danger. Latest: Read the ongoing dialog on the subject.


Read the stories and leave your comments.






Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.

Story Source: Albuquerque Tribune

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Figures; COS - India; NGO's; Sierra Club; Environment

PCOL33415
88


Add a Message


This is a public posting area. Enter your username and password if you have an account. Otherwise, enter your full name as your username and leave the password blank. Your e-mail address is optional.
Username:  
Password:
E-mail: