Ron Paul believes, just like the other Republican front-runners in the 2012 election, that the price on fuel could be lowered if the US just allowed companies to drill for oil (both offshore and on land) in sensitive areas such as the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).

Dean Baker, co-founder of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, explained that oil drilling in ANWR wouldn’t result in any noteworthy changes to fuel prices. This idea would mean “a lot of risk both to the environment and the economy for really very little gain,” Baker said.

Here’s his full quote on drilling for oil in ANWR:

"We have a world market, so how much are we talking about increasing supply? The analyses I've seen from ANWR is that peak production – and we're typically talking about ten years or so until we get there – would be about a million barrels per day (bpd), and this is in the context of a world market of around 90 million bpd. So you're talking about lowering the price of oil maybe one or two per cent if you're lucky.

"And the amount that you can get from additional offshore drilling – because it's not as if we're drilling not at all now – that's typically put at around 200,000 – 300,000 bpd, so the impact is even less. To my mind, you're talking about risking a lot of environmental damage – these are also places where people fish, and it's also a big tourism destination – you don't want to go to a beach that's covered in oil. So you're talking about a lot of risk both to the environment and the economy for really very little gain."

#greenblog #ANWR

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Economists weigh in on Ron Paul
Al Jazeera speaks to five economists about the presidential candidate’s economic policies.

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Bill McKibben, founder of the +350.org movement and one of the key speakers at the event, said that this year the US Congress will give "billions of dollars in taxpayer money" to the fossil fuel industry:

"The thing we really want to start talking about today is the fact that this year, as most years, Congress will vote to give subsidies to the fossil fuel industry. Billions and billions of dollars in taxpayer money. Not because they need a subsidy. We’ve known how to burn coal and gas and oil for 250 years. There’s no secret to it that we need to subsidize for them to figure out. And it’s not because they need the money. They’re the most profitable industry on earth. Exxon made more money last year than any company in the history of money. What’s going on instead is that they are giving small presents to our legislators, and in return our legislators are giving them big presents with our money."

+Bernie Sanders, the only democratic socialist in the US Senate, who fought to block construction of the Keystone XL pipeline was also there to give his support. "We've got to end all of the tax breaks for the oil companies and coal companies and I'm going to introduce legislation to do just that," Sanders promised the demonstrators.

"Ending tax breaks and subsidies for oil and gas companies would reduce the deficit by more than $40 billion over the next 10 years. Sanders' legislation will end those tax breaks and tens of billions of dollars in other special subsidies for the fossil fuel industry.

The five largest oil companies in the United States have earned about $1 trillion in profits over the past decade. Meanwhile, in recent years, some of the very largest oil companies in America like Exxon Mobil and Chevron, paid absolutely nothing in federal income taxes. In fact, some of them have actually gotten rebates from the Internal Revenue Service."

You can read more about the huge tax breaks and subsidies that the fossil-fuel industry receives every year on Green Blog: http://bit.ly/AxMZx8

See photos from the event here: http://bit.ly/w5rWGh

#greenblog

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"Secretive oil billionaires attacking President Obama, with ads factcheckers say are “not tethered to the facts.” While independent watchdogs called this president’s record on ethics “unprecedented.” And America’s clean energy industry? 2.7 million jobs and “expanding rapidly.” For the first time in 13 years our dependence on foreign oil is below fifty percent. President Obama kept his promise to toughen ethics rules and strengthen America’s energy economy."

It’s interesting to note that Obama and the advertisement completely ignore to mention climate change. Instead of saying that fuel economy standards help reduce greenhouse gas emissions they are only described as a way to reduce our oil consumption. And the renewable energy investments are only mentioned in terms of job created. The advertisement also fails to mention that the dependence on foreign oil is largely due to a surge in oil and natural gas drilling and not because of a noteworthy decreased consumption.

#greenblog

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1. The Keystone XL pipeline would not reduce foreign oil dependency.
2. Contrary to popular opinion, Keystone XL would have increased domestic oil prices.
3. Proponents of the pipeline overstated the number of jobs that would be created.
4. Current Keystone pipeline leaked 12 times in last year.
5. And the environmental concerns about oil leaks are justified.
6. Mining tar sands would worsen global warming. Or in the words of NASA climate scientist James Hansen, be "game over for the planet."

Here is a little summary of the Keystone XL project so far:

1. Nebraska objects to the Keystone XL pipeline as they are concerned over potential oil spill accidents in the Ogallala Aquifer area, which supplies water to a large portion of US farm land. Climate activists around the US mobilized, and risked arrests in acts of civil disobedience, to raise the alarm about the environmental and climate risks of tar sands.

2. In response to Nebraska’s objections, TransCanada promises to find a better route for the pipeline and to revise the plans. But Republicans in the US congress decides to put an unreasonable deadline on the permit application to be able to gain political points in the upcoming general election. As a result of the deadline, TransCanada is not able to provide revised plan and the permit is incomplete.

3. Because TransCanada’s plans are incomplete the US government must reject the permit. If they were to approve the incomplete permit application they would set themselves up for easily winnable legal challenges by climate activists and pipeline opponents.

4. TransCanada will re-apply, and they will likely also win and get their pipeline permit a few months after the big presidential election. And considering Obama’s Keystone statement it probably won’t matter if there will be a Republican or a Democratic president in office by then.

#greenblog

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Six reasons Keystone XL was a bad deal all along
Here are six facts about the proposed Keystone XL deal that make clear why the pipeline was a bad deal for America and why it deserved to be rejected:

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“Speaking at Occupy Boston in October, standing with one hand plunged into a pants pocket, he seemed like a man still getting used to his activist rhetoric. Attacking the usual environmental villains – the Koch brothers, The US Chamber of Commerce, ExxonMobil – he appeared somewhat surprised to hear such unkind words coming out of his mouth. It’s not that he doesn’t believe in his cause – he does, passionately – or feel compelled to pursue it with all the energy he can muster. It’s just that “he has no lust for battle,” says Small. McKibben sometimes seems as if he’d rather be home with his wife and dog than out rallying the troops. “He is the Jimmy Stewart type of American hero who only stirs when provoked,” the minister says. “And he has been provoked.””

#greenblog

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The man who crushed the Keystone XL pipeline – The Boston Globe
Bill McKibben is a mild-mannered Vermont journalist who engineered history’s largest green protest and derailed a $7 billion oil pipeline.

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1. The nuclear crisis in Japan

2011 started with a massive earthquake that struck Japan with devastating effects. In the aftermaths of the earthquake and tsunami, Japan officials declared a state of emergency at two nuclear power plants in the Fukushima Prefecture. The state of emergency at the Fukushima Daiichi (No 1) plant and at the Fukushima Daini (No 2) plant was issued after problems with the cooling systems. While rescue workers tried their best to find and save people in the debris left by the tsunami we saw a nuclear crisis unfold in Japan. A crisis that will be felt for decades to come. So there is no wonder that our number one post on Green Blog was about the Fukushima nuclear accident.

http://www.green-blog.org/2011/03/12/nuclear-crisis-in-japan
http://www.green-blog.org/2011/03/11/nuclear-emergency-declared-in-japan-after-massive-earthquake

2. The Dangers of E-Waste

Our second most-read article had a more educational approach and instead tried to explained the term "e-waste" – something the author seems to have succeeded with quite well considering it's position here.

http://www.green-blog.org/2011/02/15/the-dangers-of-e-waste

3. Greenpeace shows the Dark Side of Volkswagen

The third most-read article on Green Blog highlighted a new Greenpeace campaign against Europe’s biggest car company Volkswagen (VW). Greenpeace claimed that the car maker is “spending millions” trying to stop stricter climate laws in Europe.

http://www.green-blog.org/2011/06/28/greenpeace-shows-the-dark-side-of-volkswagen

4. US media censor out BBC TV “Frozen Planet” series climate change episode

In our fourth most-read article, +Gideon Polya reported that the US will not air the “On Thin Ice” episode of David Attenborough’s “Frozen Planet” BBC TV series about wildlife in the Arctic and Antarctica. The censored out and final episode deals with the impact of man-made climate change, a matter controversial to a substantial body of anti-science, climate change denialist Americans.

http://www.green-blog.org/2011/11/25/us-media-censor-out-bbc-tv-frozen-planet-series-climate-change-episode

5. The lightbulb conspiracy

The fifth most popular article discussed the Norwegian TV documentary, “The lightbulb conspiracy”. A documentary that details a process that few people outside of manufacturing industry’s are even aware exists. The so-called “planned obsolescence” scam. Ever had a digital camera suddenly stop working after several thousand shots for no obvious reason? That's planned obsolescence.

http://www.green-blog.org/2011/06/13/the-lightbulb-conspiracy

6. The Nuclear Meltdown of George Monbiot

The blog post on sixth place also had a connection to the Fukushima nuclear accident. In this post David Carson discussed how George Monbiot, Britain’s leading environmental journalists, changed his stance on nuclear energy.

http://www.green-blog.org/2011/04/18/the-nuclear-meltdown-of-george-monbiot

7. Climate Wars by Gwynne Dyer

During 2011 +Benno Hansen did a review/summary about Gwynne Dyer's book "Climate Wars". The book discusses the threats of future conflicts and wars thought over dwindling resources and changing climates.

http://www.green-blog.org/2011/01/17/climate-wars-by-gwynne-dyer

8. Nuclear energy might see increased opposition after Japan crisis

And yet again we have a blog post related to the awful nuclear accident in Japan in 2011. The Fukushima nuclear crisis sparked new life in the nuclear energy debate in many countries around the world. And the fear for possible nuclear accidents in other countries forced politicians to reconsider and review their current energy policy stance.

http://www.green-blog.org/2011/03/14/nuclear-energy-might-see-increased-opposition-after-japan-crisis

9. How to Make Bodycare Products

In a popular how-to post, Leah Karpus showed how you can make your own bodycare products. "Unlike typical commercially produced cosmetics that boast a list of ingredients a mile long (if they even list their ingredients), you can be 100% sure that your homemade products are natural, non-toxic and safe."

http://www.green-blog.org/2011/01/09/how-to-make-bodycare-products

10. The environmental record of Mitt Romney, Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry

And finally, on tenth place, we have a blog post discussing the awful environmental record of +Mitt Romney, Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry. All three who are, and was, leading Republican presidential hopefuls in the 2012 Republican primary.
http://www.green-blog.org/2011/08/17/mitt-romney-michele-bachmann-and-rick-perry/

#greenblog

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Green Genie is a super useful app for people who may not be eco-experts. The app provides tips on how to improve the environment and also includes a plastics directory, which deciphers the meaning behind those plastic numbers stuck on the bottom of plastic containers. Green Genie also suggests eco-friendly projects that recycle materials, like transforming the material of defunct garage door openers into some other useful gadgets.

GoodGuide also provides green tips but is more in-depth than Green Genie and capable of more sophisticated operations. For example, you can use the app at the store to scan bar codes and the app determines how environmentally friendly a product is. The database of information is huge; they have data on more than 50,000 products and they rate products in multiple areas.

Other apps have much more specific, albeit useful, purposes. The Light Bulb Finder app was one of the winners of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s “Apps for the Environment Challenge.” The Light Bulb Finder app is quite nifty and works by using zip code prompts and lighting information to direct users to light bulbs that would be more energy efficient, ultimately minimizing damage to the environment and saving the consumer money.

The Apps for the Environment Challenge also acknowledged Hootroot as a runner up for the Best Overall App. Hootroot works like Google Maps but takes into account factors like carbon footprints, so you know what kind of impact your excursion will have on the environment. Hootroot differs from the other apps in that it doesn’t require installation and can simply be accessed via hootroot.com.

What are some of your favorite green apps? Let us know in the comments below!

Groups such as the Chamber of Commerce support the pipeline because it would create a lot of jobs, thus stimulating the economy. According to TransCanada, a minimum of 20,000 jobs would be created through the building of the pipeline. These are jobs you can’t just bring out from behind your garage door. And there are a number of unions that are currently advocating the project such as the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the International Union of Operating Engineers.

However, you would be hard-pressed to find an environmentalist who supports the pipeline project. The environmental concerns involve greenhouse gas emissions, damage to Alberta’s forests, the possibility of oil spills, and more.

Tiernan Sittenfeld is an important official in the League of Conservation Voters (LCV). According to Sittenfeld, the pipeline issue is a pivotal concern in the upcoming presidential election.

“This is not just about what LCV, which spent nearly $1 million to help elect Obama in 2008, or any other group that engages in electoral politics do in the upcoming election,” explained Sittenfeld. “It’s about people out there who care deeply about the environment, how much they volunteer, how many doors they knock on, how much money they contribute directly. We have LCV supporters who maxed out to the Obama campaign in 2008 who have told us they are not going to give this time around if the president approves this pipeline.”

Environmentalist Bill McKennan agrees with Sittenfeld and was among Friday’s crowd of pipe protestors. He declared, “I suppose you could look at our circle around the president as a kind of … symbolic house arrest.” McKennan continued, “We are very hopeful, indeed confident, that the president will do the right thing here.”

Some members of Congress have reported that the Republican party continues to undermine environmental protection. The Congress members stated that the GOP is trying to allow for more toxic pollution, increased waste, and fast consumption of resources.

The Energy and Commerce Committee in Congress is where a large part of all these decisions occur. The House Republicans argue that having environmental controls will affect the nation’s economy and jobs, even though the evidence of this is absent.

While we are on the threshold of the fiscal year 2012, there are a few developments to be aware of. The U.S. EPA and the Interior Department are both subjects of a bill that will create deep cuts. The bill (H.R. 2584) involves getting rid numerous restrictions on environmental regulation. Measures to protect human and environmental health with the Clean Air Act and others are in danger of being phased out.

The Republican majority-run House has voted 20 times against regulating emissions linked to climate change. It includes 10 votes taken about House Bill 910 that would permanently strip the EPA of its authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. The bill passed the House in April but has since stalled in the Senate, which means that it is in danger of the mercy of the Republican leaders who were involved with other similar measures.

The house has also voted against measure to protect the public from the effects of air and water pollution as well as mountain top removal for at least 28 times. The evidence of public health being affected by these things is overwhelming, but the Tea Party in the House continues to push recklessly for a compromised environment and future; effectively trying to close the garage door on the conversation.

The two Democrats who reported the EPA and Interior Department cuts had other matters discussed that followed the same pattern. 27 votes were taken “to undermine protection for public lands and coastal areas,” including passage in May of a bill (H.R. 1231) to allow leasing on the East and West coasts of the United States.

This allows for the public beaches and other treasured areas on the coasts to be owned by anyone to do as they please. This means that when one entity chooses to pollute over property that they bought, then it can leak into public areas such as beaches and the owners would not be held accountable. The horrors of the BP oil spill in 2010 are still fresh in our minds, and this bill would allow for similar environmental issues that may be even closer to the coastal areas where people live.

The American public has no benefit from the Tea Party. The Tea Party chooses to pick and choose what they want to believe in about how major corporations will affect everyone else even though this has been shown to be detrimental in the long term. If the American public wants to do something for the future of the nation, the citizens of the USA need to be informed better and the GOP needs to be held accountable for their decisions.

It can make all the difference for everyone’s well-being if they understand the real facts behind the pieces of legislation instead of the rhetoric and propaganda constantly pushed by the GOP. Legislators should represent the people and the future of our nation’s environment. The environment and public health depend on the public choosing their legislators wisely.

The Keystone Pipeline System is a pipeline system that will transport oil from Canada to refineries in the United States and then expand to the U.S Gulf Coast. The U.S Department of State has extended the deadline for federal agencies to decide if the pipeline is in the national interest. The Obama administration has the final say in approving the pipeline. A final environmental review of the prospective project is expected from the State Department in August.

The Partnership to Fuel America campaign is the first time the U.S Chamber has overtly aligned with the Canadian company’s project. According to the U.S. Chamber’s Institute for 21st Century Energy, it will be “comprised of American businesses and industries that understand the need for more energy in the United States and believe that Canada’s significant resources can help achieve that goal.” When visiting The Partnership to Fuel America’s website, the only source of energy listed at Canada’s tar sands, and most listed are directly related to the Keystone XL project.

This particular pipeline is controversial because it is a tar sands pipeline, it’s different than those that carry conventional crude oil. These lines are much more prone to leaks and spills, and spills are bad for the environment. Because this is a tar sands pipeline, the oil that is extracted is different. Tar sands can be mined and processed to extract the oil-rich bitumen, which is then refined into oil. The bitumen in tar sands cannot be pumped from the ground in its natural state; instead tar sand deposits are mined, usually using strip mining or open pit techniques, or the oil is extracted by underground heating with additional upgrading.

This type of oil is more acidic, thick and sulfuric than conventional crude oil. It is up to sevety times more viscous than conventional crude oil. It also contains fifteen to twenty times higher acid concentration, and five to ten times as much sulfur as conventional crude oil. The additional sulfur can lead to the weakening of pipelines. Imagine having to transport a glass of water in a paper cup by driving out of your garage door to the other side of the country without even a spill. The chemical composition also makes it much more difficult for monitors to detect a crack in the pipeline.

The Keystone I pipeline has infamously spilled twelve times in under a year of operation. The company had initially claimed that the pipeline would leak only once every seven years. Finally, after the tar sands oil does spill, cleanup is harder than normal crude spills. A year after a spill in Western Michigan, one reporter stated that surface skimmers and vacuums were no help, and a full year later, EPA officials and scientists were still working on a plan to remove submerged oil from about 200 acres of river and lake bottom. They now believe a full clean up could take years.