Green Options

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By: Anthony J. Gerst.

The following is derived from a report issued by the Sierra Club and Worldwatch Institute entitled ‘Destination Iowa: Getting To a Sustainable Biofuels Futures.’

Iowa is 88% farmland. This breaks down to 24.5 million acres of cropland with 51% planted in corn and 41% in soybeans. The next generation of biofuels can offer farmers the opportunity to truly practice their profession. Using legumes and plant cover crops, not to mention switching to perennial crops will restore the air, land and soil. We have the opportunity to greatly increase our state’s abilities to perform carbon sequestering the old fashioned way, by letting Mother Nature do her job.

In 2004, DNR studies concluded that streams in Iowa averaged from two to ten times higher than the appropriate levels for nitrogen. From the report we find that “returning more of Iowa’s land to grasslands and forested lands would make it much easier to regain soil fertility, clean the waterways, and import agriculture’s carbon balance.”

Ethanol has it problems - it’s a new industry, after all. It would be a mistake to figure out what is wrong and fix it with the current crop; we must up the ante to the next level and tweak the process once we have established proper facilities and industrial support of new crops. In June 2007, The Des Moines Register ran a report on the Iowa ethanol industry that cited 394 environmental violations in the past six years. The vast majority of these violations dealt with water pollution.

By: Anthony J. Gerst

It was maddening to hear that ole George put a veto stamp on the Water Resources Appropriations Bill. By press time we hope to see the Senate come on board and over ride this veto, as the House repassed this legislation 361-54. Republican Senator Chuck Grassley from Iowa pointed out, in order to remain competitive, our nation needs to invest in the long overdue improvements to the Lock and Damn system on the upper Mississippi River. This legislation is crucial in the battle of Climate Change. The projects involved roam from sea to shining sea, and includes over one billion dollars for environmental wetland and coastal projects.

Despite the yammering of Dr. William Gray, which every naysayer in the country seems to have latched unto for letter editorial purposes. The majority of scientists are shouting from the rooftops for action internationally to mitigate the impacts of human induced Climate Change. Around the globe we have seen major changes in precipitation patterns. For example, in the Gulf of Mexico, a new dead zone was created this year. It was generated from the increased discharges of water from Texas rivers. In the United States alone, all one has to do is to check in with American Rivers and you can start a scary education upon the issue at hand. Currently scientists believe the changes in river flows will affect one billion people. From South America to India and China, rivers of the globe are changing fast.

Currently the issue of releasing water from Georgia to Florida is being debated. With the water shortages in the Southeast the debate is over water supplies for people v. water for the environment and many endangered species down stream. This issue ofwars in cities like Atlanta has just begun. There was an excellent article in Science Daily (Oct. 13, 2007) called ‘Climate Change Will Impact Global River Flows.’ This report was put together by scientists from Sweden, Australia, Germany and the Untied States.

By Anthony J. Gerst.

So, today looking at the Sierra Club we will bring you some action updates. I have always had an appreciation for this organization. It wasn’t until this morning that I could recall where this respect for them came from. As you advance in age, you to will seek out reasons for things within your past, it is part of getting older; sorry to burst your bubble. My step grandfather was an interesting man, the only G-pa I’ve ever known. With his handlebar mustache and mannerism, Grandpa came across like an Indian Jones.

He told me ‘boy you ever get a chance to be in the Masons, do it. ‘They make things happen great business partners.’ When I was a boy the only mason I knew of was Charles Manson (lol), I thought grandpa was a little off on that one. His stories about Sierra Club individuals always revolved around the Rocky Mountains; he was a born story-teller. It was at this time in life that I developed an appreciation for anything beyond the mono-crop of corn, and my interest in the world began. If memory serves me well, it was then my parents subscribed my siblings and I to National Geographic.

Ok so you get the idea, Grandpa had his hands in, literally, when several of the big projects were done during the CCC era. The most famous thing I can rapidly recall is the Hoover Dam, being a concrete finisher I wonder if any of his work is still visible today? My grandfather loved nature. I wonder what he’d think of the world today, and the role he played in creating several of the projects that environmentalists lament upon.

Growing up on a farm I had ample opportunity to explore the woods. Living close to several rivers, there where many streams available for exploration. How sad is it today that streams are endangered again despite the Clean Water Act, and several other pieces of hard fought for legislation, which has been undermined by our current corporate regime.

By: Anthony J. Gerst

With current events still unfolding in Pakistan the world stage has taken a turn for the worst. In his rush to create allies, the President’s saying ‘you either wit us or agin us,’ is showing itself as a dangerous two sided coin. Musharraf has milked this administration for billions of dollars in military assistance as Dick and George have backed themselves into another corner.

Pakistan, for those of you not familiar with this nation is home to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), the territories along the Afghan-Pakistan border that many believe to be the current home address of public enemy number one, Bin Laden. For years close ties have existed among the military officers of Pakistan’s military and the Taliban. This nation between India and Afghanistan is heavily Islamic, and in possession of several nuclear weapons.

It should be obvious at the moment that this is the greatest crisis the world is facing regarding nuclear weapons. Having followed foreign affairs for the overwhelming majority of my life, I have no idea how to approach this issue; for me not to have an opinion is rare indeed. It is obvious that military action is off the table. What type of diplomacy can establish democratic rule to this country, if any? The key to rule in Pakistan has been the military for decades. The Bush administration has created a nightmare.

In what may turn out to be too little too late, the Republican minority in the House of Representatives has in record numbers called for the Impeachment of V.P. Dick Cheney. Of course elections next year are playing a role in this. Perhaps, however, our elected officials are trying to send a message to the White House: Do Not Take Military Action Against Iran. We are overstretched with our military and need to start repairing our American image abroad. We cannot hope for any action on this coming from the White House, but Congress, if they are willing, can start the process of healing. Impeachment proceedings on Cheney are a good sign that the Hill (collectively) may be awakening from their slumber.

By: Anthony J. Gerst.

My friend the photographer works for Siemens building wind turbines. He is excited because the next time there is a problem in the field he gets to travel and attend to the issue. His counterpart has just returned from a trip to Texas, where he brought back some photos. In half of the frame you have the Wind Farm, in the other half you have a coal-fired power plant. A very powerful image that depicts to him the battle we as the collective face.

Our current usage of coal, oil and the contemporary forestry practices on this planet are destroying the sustainable biosphere. The U.S. still leads the world in importing illegal lumber, with China rapidly gaining ground. Many organizations around the globe are fighting the good fight to preserve the forest. Now the ‘Legal Timber Protection Act’ H.R. 1497 is before Congress. This bill if passed would put illegal timber imports under the protection of the Lacey Act, which is a safeguard against importing illegal wildlife.

While this act is but a tiny step along the road to stopping all Old Growth Forestry, it is an action that needs attention. Should you be inclined to let your congress person know about this, here is a link to a Greenpeace action site, take action.

The ongoing issue in Myanmar is as much about humanitarian issues as environmental abuses. The citizens of this tiny country are tired of seeing their nation destroyed. Along the border with China their forest is being cleared to supply the lumber needs of China’s economic growth, part of the uprising in Myanmar, has its roots in the degradation of the nation’s resources and the decline in the standard of living for its citizens. The elite class of this nation grows at the expense of the laymen and impoverished members of the society, while they pander their nation’s resources to China.

From the Philippines to South America we watch as mudslides rip through communities and the people of the planet are displaced. What many fail to understand is that a lot of these mud slides are occurring in locations that have experienced clear cutting practices, or worse. From Malaysia, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, the Boreal Forest, New Zealand and Australia illegal logging is an issue that goes beyond the rainforest.

By: Anthony J. Gerst

The last democratic presidential debate was coming in very sketchy on my computer. So I figured I would catch highlights on the news in the morning. Silly me, Halloween is scarier than Presidential politics, not. I doubt any of the candidates outlined a policy addressing Climate Change last night. I am talking about a program, one greater than the Man on the Moon Project, not rhetoric saying we are committed to X amount of CO2 reduction by Y.

Many of the readers at Planetsave probably concur that Climate Change is a major issue, if not the number one issue that the next president should address. Many of the candidates talk a great game about Climate Change, but do any of them really go the distance? Have you dear reader, given any real thought to how this issue should be addressed? Think about it for a moment and come back. Seriously, I want you to stop reading, and come back to this later in your day when you have formatted some thoughts about what needs to be done before we continue.

Alright, before any real action can be accomplished to address this global issue we need a plan. The EPA needs to have an equal billing with Homeland Security if we are to seriously address this issue. The head of this cabinet post needs access to the President. This individual of course, also needs a plan of action and a group of advisors to help formate one.

I would seek an individual nominated from the Sierra Club’s very own Carl Pope for starters. I think this distinguished group should have James Hansen or a candidate of his selection being represented as well. Al Gore I am sure could lend a name or two to this list. Dr. Glen Barry from the Ecological Internet would be a great voice to request, representing among other issues Old Growth Forestry. The Pew Center, Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change, The Hadley Center and various other organizations from around the globe should be represented within this team.

“Why foreign nationals?” I can hear the murmuring already. This is a team to formulate a global response to Climate Change. We will ignore the fact that two of the fastest moving categories on the world clock, are barrels of oil pumped and hectares of forest cut, for now. This after all is a wish list of what should be done, a brief outline at that.