July 2016 was the hottest single month recorded since 1880
July 2016 was the hottest month ever in recorded modernity.
Environment
Shit in the water
The damage so far in the Havelock North “gastro” outbreak is one possible death, two older people in intensive care, 18 hospitalised, 50 making their way to the emergency department, 280 notifications, and hundreds of kids staying away from school.
Taonga tax
Tourists are coming for our “clean green” image (however undeserved), no reason why they shouldn’t be happy to help contributing to maintaining / strengthening it.
Grow the Commons
Robert Guyton on reclaiming the Commons one plant at at time.
NRT: Calling bullshit on “P-contamination”
I/S at No Right Turn writes on meth testing, false positives, and Housing NZ.
Financial capital is crazy OP. Time to strip it back to basics.
Financial capital is way over powered in our current political economic system. Every aspect of our lives has been financialised and securitised, from our homes to our educations. From our drinking water to our power supply.
Wasted food and carbon footprint
The Italian intiaitive encouraging supermarkets to give unsold food to those in need is a great move. Helps the poor, reduces waste, win win. But it’s just a start. We need to massively change attitudes and behaviour to reduce food waste.
Free Petrol Pt IV
Part IV of IV
Free Petrol Pt III
Part III of IV – a focus on road transport.
The New Silk Road
The New Silk Road is a massive economic transport system being built at rapid speed with Chinese money, Chinese politicking, Chinese engineering, and yes, Chinese steel.
Free money from climate change deniers
Double or nothing?
Free Petrol Pt II
Part II of IV. How to achieve zero carbon from the shipping and aviation sectors by the 2030s.
Free Petrol Pt I
Part I of a IV part series of posts on what we can do to hold global warming below 2 degrees C.
Climate change pedal to the metal
Avoiding 2 deg C warming is a ship that’s sailed. Global warming is now happening at about 4.3x the previous long-run rate. And it might go up to 18x the previous rate over the next few years. That’s what the pundits call “abrupt climate change.”
Chris de Freitas now is the time to be afraid
As the temperatures increase and the sea rises Chris de Freitas still claims that anthropogenic climate change is not a happening thing. And shows his inability to analyze by misinterpreting a Jarrod Gilbert article which describes climate change deniers as charlatans.
Predator free a fantastic goal – but…
Feel-good promises for 2050 are easy. Add this one to the list with a cycleway the length of NZ, a secret plan to end Japanese whaling, the War on P, our emissions reduction (hah!) targets, plans to be a “financial hub”, the promise of pandas, and so on and so on.
Climate Change on our doorsteps (literally)
In the wake of Wellington’s storm over the weekend, it’s time to future proof our critical infrastructure.
Climate change and trees – a palliative and not a solution
One alleviation for the effects of climate change is to plant trees, or some other form of vegetation. This is to suck up surplus carbon dioxide and to put it into a solid and relatively inert form. And it does. However it simply won’t work when we have rapid climate change.
How to wreck a busway
The Government’s proposal to allow hybrid vehicles to use bus lanes is not only crazy but they did not talk to local authorities before doing so.
God Botherer
God’s been a bit of a let down recently. Is it time for Him to retire?
The Chrematistic Camel
So this post is about a suite of frameworks not to adopt if the goal is to avoid 2 degrees of global warming.
Generation Zero – Zero Carbon Act
“We’re not going to wait around for our politicians to do the right thing any longer; we’re going to draft a bill ourselves with help from experts and collaborators, and work to get all political parties to support it and pass it through Parliament.”
1/3 of Nobel Laureates say Greenpeace is “anti-science”, must now embrace GMOs
Unless you are scaremongering and “anti-science” you should embrace GMO foods. Say 107 Nobel Laureates.
A bit wet lately
It’s a Side-show, “Bob”.
From the circus that never leaves town.
A Tale of Two Droughts
Climate change is now causing extreme dry weather events and is increasingly blamed for water shortages. But what we are doing on the ground has just as much influence on our experience of drought. As New Zealand farmers call for drought relief this winter, it’s time we looked at how we manage land and water, and the critical role this plays in whether humans can live with variable rainfall in the age of climate change. Here’s a stellar example from India.
When is a toll road not a toll road?
When it is a variable network pricing mechanism …
Another shocking environmental record
The world’s news is full of new environmental records. Here’s a shocker.
This is what sustainable fishing looks like
“It turns out there will be no jobs on a dead planet.”
While New Zealand is struggling to maintain integrity around fishing and resource management, an ocean farmer in the US is leading the way in economic and ecologic sustainability. This is how we can do things differently.
Official climate change fraud
Scientists and experts have been knowingly understating the unfolding climate change catastrophe to governments and decision makers. Why? For the sake of what is “politically palatable”.
Scottish Parliament votes to ban fracking.
Imagine a country where the political divide is over whether to ban fracking outright or to be opposed to fracking but have a moratorium first in order to gather more evidence.
What now Paula?
Seeing is believing they say, and Paula Bennett says that she has taken on board the climate change message after a Pacific visit. So what now Paula? It’s a tough question for sure. But at least you’re blessed with an opposition that will cooperate, instead of trying to whip up people’s fears and obstruct progress for political gain.
Good News!
May figures just out…
“Our Plan to Change the Government”
The Green Party conference is on this weekend, with keynote speeches from Andrew Little and James Shaw on changing the government, and a centrepiece environmental campaign launch from Metiria Turei.
Vaccines DO Cause Autism Shock!
A young Mexican scientist has compiled compelling evidence about the link between vaccines and autism. Not only does 12 year old Marco Arturo provide a comprehensive overview of the dangers, he also brilliantly channels Barack Obama. The best two minutes on the net today.
Strategic Arse Elbow
Today at about the same time the Government will turn the first sod of the city rail link and then announce more urban sprawl for Auckland. This is the most massive policy and programme contradiction in a lifetime.