Six thousand products in our daily lives are made from oil derivatives that are manufactured out of crude oil. Besides all the obvious things derived from crude oil — gasoline, diesel fuel, av gas, kerosene, propane, butane, and all plastics used in hospitals and food storage — did you know that our homes are full […]
The End of Oil Would be the End of Civilization Learn More »
Recently a claim has gone viral about a decision by the Oxfordshire, England county council to divide the city into sectors that can be traversed by walking in 15 minutes or less, and then restrict residents’ travel from one sector to others to no more than 100 days a year—except by special permit available by
Climate Lockdowns Coming to a City Near You? Learn More »
Listen to a version of this article: Did you know that a billionaire is responsible for a million times more carbon dioxide emissions than the average person? That’s the conclusion of a new report from Oxfam, an 80-year-old movement with 21 independent charitable organizations around the world that supposedly focus on alleviating global poverty. But Oxfam’s fixation
The Irony of Blaming Billionaires for CO2 Emissions Learn More »
In the early days of my career in meteorology, which included determining the impact of air pollution emissions using mathematical models, one of my bosses, concerned about the outcome of a computer model I was using to assess a contentious industrial operation, asked me: “What will the model show?” I replied facetiously: “Well, what do
BOOK REVIEW: ‘Escape From Model Land’ Learn More »
Image: Creative Commons under Unsplash This is a guest article by John Schweiker Shelton Research from the Wall Street Journal reveals that the Biden administration has leased less federal land for drilling than any other administration going back to the very beginning of the government’s modern oil-and-gas program. Though this is the result of a deliberate policy decision made by
A Permanent Policy of Higher Prices? Learn More »
“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” So begins Elizabeth Barret Browning’s famous Sonnet 43. What does that have to do with climate change, you ask? Browning’s poem has parallels to our understanding of the myriad physical mechanisms that drive climate change. “What affects the climate? Let me count the factors. …”
Bad Climate Assumptions, Worse Climate Predictions Learn More »
When I grow up, I want to be like Jay Lehr in many ways. But I’m realistic enough about my own physical and educational limits to know that’s not likely. Dr. Jay H. Lehr (September 11, 1936 to January 10, 2023) died Tuesday at age 86. Why would I want to be like him “when
Farewell to a Brilliant, Energetic Friend and Comrade Learn More »
Image: Creative Commons under Unsplash The claim is rampant: manmade climate change is an existential threat to human and planetary survival. To prevent it, we must reach “net-zero carbon emissions,” ASAP. That means no more energy from fossil fuels; no more internal-combustion vehicles; no more nitrous fertilizers; eating less meat, or none; getting all our
When they open their 30-day session on January 11, Virginia’s Senate and House of Delegates must correct some serious energy mistakes they made two years ago, when Democrats controlled nearly the entire state government and passed the “Virginia Clean Economy Act.” One of its party-line provisions requires that Virginia adopt California’s requirement that only low-emission
Vital Energy Lessons for Virginia and America Learn More »
Image: Creative Commons under Unsplash Tamil Nadu, India’s southernmost state, is regarded by some as the renewable energy capital of India. It’s also increasingly known for expensive electricity. The presence of highly windy regions makes the state an ideal place for wind farms. But despite the year 2022 being one the best for wind generation,
Wind and Solar Playing Spoilsport in South Asian Energy Haven Learn More »
