The Climate Minute

Omnibus or Minibus? The Climate Minute Podcast

The Massachusetts State House of Representatives released a draft Omnibus Energy Bill that would call for 1.2 GW of offshore wind, and about half the Quebec-Hydro the Governor has requested. The bill also dodges the question of the ‘pipeline tax’- neither supporting or rejecting it. Plus, UMASS divests and Exxon continues denial as usual. What a week!
Listen in!
Check out live  links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.net/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre

“In front of the machine”-Chuck Collins on direct action:The Climate Minute Podcast

The ongoing resistance to a new pipeline in West Roxbury is a microcosm of the new global effort to fight global warming with peaceful, non-violent direct action. We chat with Chuck Collins, a co-founder of Resist the Pipeline West Roxbury, about the motivation and meaning of ‘direct action’ to stop the construction of new carbon pollution ‘infrastructure” such as the “West Roxbury Lateral.”
Listen in!
Check out live  links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.net/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre

Kinder implodes, Spectra explodes: The Climate Minute Podcast

Pipelines dominate climate news this week with proposed projects withdrawn in Massachusetts (and NY.) The relative good news shows the power of activism. Listen in as we review recent events.

Check out live  links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.net/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre

Catching the Omnibus with Carol Oldham: The Climate Minute Podcast

The Omnibus Energy Bill is making its way through the Massachusetts Legislature. We talk with Carol Oldham, the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Climate Action Network (MCAN) about the good and bad of the “still to be defined” bill. Despite the huge win over Kinder Morgan there is still a lot of work to be done.  (Spectra Energy: you’re next.) If you want to call your State Rep, see the link below!

Check out live  links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.net/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre

The public’s trust and a cabin by a pond: The Climate Minute Podcast

Kids these days. All they think about is the future. In Oregon, a Federal judge finally agreed with their concerns.  He allowed a case based on the “Public Trust” Doctrine to go forward. This is not a final win, but a step forward. Here in Massachusetts, we still have a debate on the Omnibus Energy (or should we say Climate) bill. Finally, if the Liberty Tree was a symbol of integrity and faith in the future for the American revolutionaries, wouldn’t Henry David Thoreau’s  famous cabin a Walden Pond make a good symbol for Climate Hawks? Listen in.

Check out live  links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.net/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre

Here comes the sun: Solar legislation on the The Climate Minute Podcast

While an “Omnibus” energy bill is still in preparation, a solar policy bill has been advanced on its own.  The solar bill is an improvement on the original possibility, but it will require further improvements in the next round. Also, see below the jump for a link to find your state rep’s phone number and a script to ask her to oppose the proposed tariff (AKA tax) for the pipeline. Listen in!

Check out live  links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.net/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre

Is CH4 the new CO2? The Climate Minute Podcast

US emissions of methane (aka natural gas, aka fracked gas, aka CH4) may be nearly as dangerous as carbon dioxide. New studies show that methane itself, before it is burned as a fuel, is leaking from fracking wells (and pipelines) at rates much higher than were expected. The leaked methane is a more potent greenhouse gas than CO2, even as it spends less time in the atmosphere.  On the whole, the damage done by these methane emissions rivals that of CO2. Bill McKibben points this out in a new article and calls for Climate Hawks to oppose the extraction and use of methane. He concludes” The global warming fight can’t just be about carbon dioxide any longer.” We discuss.

Check out live  links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.net/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre

To promote the general welfare: The Climate Minute Podcast

Some high school kids skipped class and went to an Oregon courthouse to demand their constitutional rights. Kids these days!  These young activists are correct in recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to protect the “public trust.” We discuss the background, plus the latest US-Canada move to limit methane emissions. Listen in!

(REMEMBER TO SIGN UP FOR THE UPCOMING ANNUAL CONFERENCE! )
Check out live  links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.net/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre

Building the clean future: The Climate Minute Podcast

Building a clean energy future means creating good policy in the present. We discuss pipeline, wind and solar battles right here in Massachusetts.

(REMEMBER TO SIGN UP FOR THE UPCOMING ANNUAL CONFERENCE! )
Check out live  links at our blog, http://www.massclimateaction.net/blog.
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre

Why your neighbor’s solar panels benefit you: The Climate Minute Podcast (Remastered)

Editor’s Note: Here is a better version of the podcast. Thanks to Dan for tipping us off and sorry for any ear-pain.

In the growing nation-wide war on solar power, one insidious argument made by the utilities is that people with solar panels on their roofs are somehow ‘free riders’ taking advantage of their fellow ratepayers. This is a psychological ploy to pit ratepayers against each other, while the utilities reap the benefits of continued climate stalemate. The reality is that solar power provides benefits to the grid that the utilities don’t want you to think about. We think about them anyway and conclude that Massachusetts should encourage a vibrant, flourishing solar power industry.