Lcv Releases 2008 Election Guide

  • The 2008 Presidential Primaries Voter Guide "takes a critical look at candidates' plans for dealing with global climate change." (Image courtesy of the LCV)

An environmental group has come out with an online voter guide for the
presidential primaries. Rebecca Williams reports:

Transcript

An environmental group has come out with an online voter guide for the
presidential primaries. Rebecca Williams reports:


The League of Conservation Voters released its Voter Guide to show how
the candidates stack up. They consider the candidates’ voting records
and their plans to tackle the big issues. Everything from Superfund
clean-up to energy. But especially global warming:


David Sandretti is with the League. He says all of the Democratic
candidates have aggressive plans for controlling greenhouse gasses. He
says Senator John McCain comes out way ahead among the Republican
candidates:


“He has a plan, he has supported a plan, he’s been working on this for
years. And his Republican rivals just simply don’t have that kind of
record.”


Sandretti admits candidates without a federal or state voting record
are hard to compare to candidates with a long Congressional record.
But his group considers their records as mayors or governors.


For the Environment Report, I’m Rebecca Williams.

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Kids More Affected by Climate Change?

A new report predicts children will be more
vulnerable than adults to the effects of climate
change. Rebecca Williams reports the American
Academy of Pediatrics wants doctors to be aware
of the concern:

Transcript

A new report predicts children will be more vulnerable than adults to
the effects of climate change. Rebecca Williams reports the American
Academy of Pediatrics wants doctors to be aware of the concern:

The report says as the Earth’s climate gets warmer, kids will be the
hardest hit group.


The authors say climate change could make infectious disease outbreaks
worse. For example, climate change is expanding the range of
mosquitoes that carry malaria. Young children are more susceptible to
malaria.


The authors say floods or droughts in the developing world can be
especially bad for kids. Floods could mean more contaminated water,
and that leads to intestinal illnesses.


And they say kids are more vulnerable than healthy adults to heat
stress.
They could also suffer more from asthma because of increased pollen and
air pollution.


The authors say because children will be the most at risk,
pediatricians should become activists. The report calls on doctors to
get more politically involved and encourage their own patients to make
behavior changes, such as driving less, to reduce greenhouse gasses.


For the Environment Report, I’m Rebecca Williams.

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Sea Ice Melting Faster Than Predicted

  • Arctic sea ice is melting at a faster rate than the most advanced computer models had projected. (Photo by M. Tsukernik, courtesy of the National Snow and Ice Data Center)

New research shows Arctic sea ice is melting much faster than predicted
by computer models. Rebecca Williams reports the researchers say that
could accelerate the impacts of global warming:

Transcript

New research shows Arctic sea ice is melting much faster than predicted
by computer models. Rebecca Williams reports the researchers say that
could accelerate the impacts of global warming:


Greenhouse gasses trapped in the atmosphere are making the Arctic sea ice
melt. Scientists have been relying on computer models to predict how
fast the ice will melt.


Researchers at the National Snow and Ice Data Center found actual
measurements show the ice melt is happening about 30 years ahead of
what the models predicted.


Julienne Stroeve is the study’s lead author. She says summertime
Arctic sea ice could be gone completely by the first half of this
century:


“I’m definitely concerned that it’s going to happen in the next 30 or
40 years… It’s a huge climate shift for our planet. I think we’re
going to have a much warmer planet than we’re used to seeing.”


Stroeve says it’s not clear how weather patterns might change, but she
says it’s possible the loss of the sea ice could lead to more natural
disasters such as stronger storms and drought.


For the Environment Report, I’m Rebecca Williams.

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Ford Prods Customers to Buy Carbon Offsets

Several Internet companies offer ways for drivers to offset the impact of their car’s greenhouse gas emissions by investing in clean energy. Now, one of the Big Three automakers wants to sign up its customers. The GLRC’s Rebecca Williams has more:

Transcript

Several Internet companies offer ways for drivers to offset the impact of
their car’s greenhouse gas emissions by investing in clean energy. Now,
one of the Big Three automakers wants to sign up its customers. The
GLRC’s Rebecca Williams has more:


It’s sort of like getting your sins forgiven… if you feel guilty for driving
an SUV.


It’s called carbon offsetting. What happens is… you spend anywhere
from 30 to 80 bucks for a carbon offset. The money gets invested in
cleaner energy projects – like wind farms – that don’t produce greenhouse
gasses.


Ford Motor Company is teaming up with a carbon offset company called
Terrapass… to promote carbon offsets to Ford customers.


Tom Arnold is a founder of Terrapass. He says Ford’s been criticized for
its poor fuel economy record… and for opposing California’s greenhouse
gas regulations on cars.


“It’s a question of helping Ford take steps in the right direction. Here’s
something that can help the organization better communicate to green
customers.”


Arnold points out there are also some free ways to cut down on carbon
dioxide emissions… such as driving less or buying a more fuel efficient
car.


For the GLRC, I’m Rebecca Williams.

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Study: Canadian Gas Emissions Rise

Canada is a signatory of the Kyoto Protocol – an international agreement aimed at curbing heat trapping gas emissions. Now, a new study shows that these gas emissions have risen sharply in Canada over the past ten years. The release of the study comes just days after the prime minister criticized Washington for its climate change policies. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Dan Karpenchuk reports:

Transcript

Canada is a signatory of the Kyoto Protocol – an international agreement
aimed at curbing heat trapping gas emissions. Now, a new study shows
that these gas emissions have risen sharply in Canada over the past ten
years. The release of the study comes just days after the Prime Minister
criticized Washington for its climate change policies. The Great Lakes
Radio Consortium’s Dan Karpenchuk reports:


The study was prepared by the Environment, Health and Statistics
departments of the Canadian government. It shows as of a couple of
years ago emissions of greenhouse gases were 32 percent above the
targets laid out in the Kyoto Protocol.


Alberta and Ontario had the worst emissions of all the provinces.


The study found that the most of the greenhouse gas emissions came
from energy production and consumption. Vehicular traffic accounted
for about twenty percent, an increase reflected in the shift from
automobiles to vans, SUV’s and trucks. Those heavier vehicles emit
about 40 percent more greenhouse gasses on average.


Climate change has become a touchy issue between Ottawa and
Washington. Recently, Prime minister Paul Martin said the White House
had failed to yield to a global conscience in its refusal to sign the Kyoto
Protocol. Washington warned him to tone down his anti-US rhetoric,
describing it as cheap electioneering.


For the GLRC, I’m Dan Karpenchuk.

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Canada Losing Its Green Edge?

As leaders prepare for the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, Canadian environmentalists say their country is no longer considered an important player on the world stage. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Karen Kelly reports:

Transcript

As leaders prepare for the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, Canadian environmentalists say their country is no longer considered
an important player on the world stage. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s
Karen Kelly reports:


John Bennett remembers when Canada was one of the so-called “good guys.” He’s the director for climate change and energy with the Sierra Club of Canada.
And he says 14 years ago, Canadian leaders were among the first to call for action on global warming. Now, the Canadian government is seeking exemptions
from the Kyoto climate change agreement.


“The leadership it’s showing is how do you wheedle out of an important environmental agreement? How do you weaken the agreement to the point that it’s
meaningless in order to make it cheaper and easier for Canada to achieve the targets.”


Environmentalists at home and abroad say Canada has been slow to take serious action.
Canadian leaders have delayed signing the Kyoto Protocol. They argue that Canada should be able to make fewer reductions in pollution because it exports so-called
clean energy – like hydroelectric power – to the United States.


For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Karen Kelly.