The Phoenix Sun

Vice-Admiral Dennis McGinn testifying before the Select Committee, December 10, 2010

In April, 2007, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi created a congressional committee to address three of the most pressing issues of the day: climate change, economic prosperity (in the form of jobs), and national security. Today, the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, issued a final report. After three-and-a-half years, 80 hearings and briefings with hundreds of experts testifying, the committee is no more. It will not continue in the Republican-controlled House.

Which is too bad, because the three challenges — climate change, jobs, national security — remain as daunting today as they were in 2007. In many ways, the problems have grown over time.

Since the committee was first gavelled into session, American’s have spent $1.3 trillion on imported oil. Our jobless rate was 4.6 percent in 2007; in December, that figure stood at 9.8 percent. And the level of CO2 in the atmosphere has gone from 385 to 388.59 parts per million in these three plus years.

The committee report on this nexus should be required reading for all Americans — particularly those individuals convening in the nation’s capitol this week, as part of the 112th Congress.

Final Report, Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming -

Bring Me the Heads of the GOP 8!

In late June of 2009, conservative and new Tea Party bloggers promised swift retribution for the eight lone Republicans who had voted for the American Clean Energy and Security Act (a.k.a., the Waxman-Markey Climate Bill).

Pundit Michelle Malkin circulated a “wanted” poster with headshots of “The Cap and Tax 8” which was widely reprinted throughout the Tea Party blogosphere.

“We must make examples of the Capntr8ors,” one blogger ordered the troops.

So, with the dust settling from the general election, how did it go?

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That’s the beginning of my first post to a blog called “Edison 2.0′ that I started at Forbes online. I’ll be writing on cleantech issues, especially those dealing with energy. It’s exciting (and challenging) to be writing for a new and potentially different audience than you good folks who follow The Phoenix Sun, or my posts at OnEarth, Grist, The Energy Collective and elsewhere.

This doesn’t mean I’ll be closing shop here, however. This is MY baby, and I ain’t giving it up.

But, please do check out the post at Forbes and, as always, I welcome feedback, discussion, kudos and bills of any denomination.

Really.

Climate Action in the desert

Yes, there are climate activists in Phoenix, Arizona, as the picture on the right proves. The picture is from last year’s 350.org International Day of Climate Action and shows a local bicycle club from…Cairo? Oh. Wrong desert.

Moving on…forget about last year. This year, Phoenix — and several other Arizona cities and towns — will, indeed, be enlisting desert dwellers in the fight against climate change. And, boy, do we need it. Studies suggest that the record heat and drought we’ve been experiencing throughout the Southwest may be the “new normal” — especially if we don’t take action to reduce our CO2 output.

The Sonora desert is actually one of the most biologically diverse deserts in the world — largely because we used to receive quite a bit of rain in an average year. But the diversity of life we love here is threatened by a lack of moisture and an average temperature increase.

This Sunday — 10-10-10 — is a chance to learn about what can be done to reduce global warming. And an opportunity to show that we’re serious about taking these steps, now!

If you live in Arizona, check out the maps below to see what’s going on in your area. If you live outside of the state, you can get to the original international map, here.

View Actions at 350.org