Inside, Looking Out » environment

Oil spill hits Louisiana shores

ILO — Mon, 24 May 2010 17:30:53 +0000

If there was any justice in the world naysayers like Rush Limbaugh, the Governor of Mississippi and CEO of BP would be forced to assist in the clean up, wading knee deep in the carcasses that have washed up on shore, the stench of rotting flesh remaining with them the rest of their lives.

More photographs of the environmental carnage at the Big Picture.

Amateur video shows the gulf bleeding

ILO — Thu, 13 May 2010 04:42:25 +0000

What is happening in the gulf is truly heartbreaking and this video makes it painfully clear. Watch:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG8JHSAVYT0

Dolphins and other animals are beginning to wash up on shore, and more photos of the disaster are available at The Big Picture.

Rachel Maddow tells Glenn Beck to “Back off!”

ILO — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 03:17:44 +0000

Game on.

Poor Mr. Beck doesn’t stand a chance.

If these images don’t encourage you to recycle… nothing will.

ILO — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 07:57:04 +0000

These haunting images taken by nature photographer Chris Jordan on the remote island of Midway Atoll show the decomposing bodies of albatross chicks, fed a steady diet of human trash until they met their quick and untimely end. If these images don’t make you think twice before throwing that piece of trash out your car window, then nothing will. Just remember we all share this pale blue dot and your children and your children’s children don’t deserve all the ruin you’re going to leave behind. Video and a few photos below.

More of Chris Jordan’s photography on Midway Atoll @ ChrisJordan.com.

Shhhh… don’t tell Sarah Palin that blue whales are returning to Alaskan coast

ILO — Tue, 19 May 2009 04:46:22 +0000

Finally some good news out of Alaska!

Blue whales are returning to Alaska in search of food and could be re-establishing an old migration route several decades after they were nearly wiped out by commercial whalers, scientists say.

The endangered whales, possibly the largest animals ever to live on Earth, have yet to recover from the worldwide slaughter that eliminated 99 percent of their number, according to the American Cetacean Society. The hunting peaked in 1931 with more than 29,000 animals killed in one season.

Here’s hoping the former vice-presidential candidate’s penchant for hunting big game doesn’t kick in. These magnificent beasts wouldn’t stand a chance against a harpoon-wielding Sarah Palin.

Via Ameriblog.

Al Gore rails against allegations of profiting from global warming crisis

ILO — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 23:09:31 +0000

During hearings on new energy legislation today Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn) attempted to discredit Al Gore by alleging—through her constituents—that the former Vice President was profiting from the climate crisis. After laughing with the audience through much her remarks, Gore repudiated the allegations saying “If you believe the reason I have been working on this issue for 30 years is because of greed… You don’t know me.” Watch.

Blackburn and Michelle Bachman must be cut from the same cloth. I say we torture these folks by putting them on the beach and watching them scream for help as the water levels rise. Oh wait a minute… that’s not torture. They’ve said so themselves. Sorry.

Tuesdays with TED: New thinking on the climate crisis with Al Gore

ILO — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:06:46 +0000

Former Vice President and Nobel Prize winner Al Gore returned to TED in 2008 with an updated slideshow to warn us of the accelerating rate of climate change and to challenge us to act.

It seemed appropriate to focus on global warming this time around thanks to the success of Earth Hour last Saturday and the same day announcement by the White House of a global warming summit to be held next month.

Perhaps, just perhaps, there will finally be some progress.

Al Gore ignored Earth Hour. Really?

ILO — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:02:13 +0000

Drew Johnson, president of the Tennessee Center for Policy Research drove out to Al Gore’s mansion during Earth Hour Saturday night and claims that the former vice president ignored the event. According to Mr. Johnson, some of the house lights were left on, as were flood lights for the trees, and a light for the house number. Apparently there are photographs…

Really? Are these the ONLY pictures you have? You went out into the dark of night Mr. Johnson, hoping to discredit that villainous liberal/Hollywood elitist Al Gore and expose his global warming con, and this was the best you could do? Two pictures of a lit house number? Which in many communities is required to be visible at night so that emergency vehicles can locate the home in case of… you guessed it… an emergency? And the third picture? I don’t even know what that is!

Do you know how to operate a camera Mr. Johnson? Did you not know how to get the whole house in view? Give me a break. You are as big of a fraud as you claim Al Gore to be. Thanks to your shoddy camera work, how can I conclude otherwise?

Of course all the right-wing sites are aflutter at the apparent hypocrisy of Al Gore ignoring Earth Hour even as he responded through his spokesperson…

“The Gores honored Earth Hour by shutting off the lights at their residence. The heating and air conditioning were turned off as well. But more importantly, the Gores live in a Gold LEED certified home, powered by geothermal power. They have undergone renovations to put solar panels on the roof and participate in all of the renewable power programs offered by their local utility. They aren’t perfect, no family is, but they do their best, year-round to try to make a difference at home and across the country to make a difference on the climate crisis.”

Move along folks. This is just another manufactured controversy by a wingnut conservative consumed by partisan politics, nothing more. Go away Mr. Johnson, and please, learn how to use a camera next time… okay?

Switch off your lights for Earth Hour at 8:30pm, wherever you are…

ILO — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 23:53:34 +0000

Here in the U.S. the time is almost upon us! Please show your support for the Earth by switching off your lights (and any other electronics you can live without) from 8:30 to 9:30 this evening, and send a message to our leaders that we need to act now against climate change.

Earth Hour began in 2007 in Sydney Australia where 2.7 million switched off their lights. The following year the movement had gone global and an estimated 50 million people participated in 35 countries and over 370 cities.

Please join us. We can do better. We have to.

Tuesdays with Ted: John Francis walks the Earth

ILO — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:02:49 +0000

John Francis walked and sailed the globe for 17 years delivering a message of environmental respect and responsibility, all without speaking a single word.