random rant. biofuel is a bad idea, almost always, if not always. this has been clear since the ideas were first proposed, and confirmed with more and more studies. why does so much of the world not get this? to be fair, I realize that part of the reason is the US corn surplus, thanks to the insanity of the US farm bill
Right to Dry - looks like someone in (sorta) my area has taken up the cause
Greening businesses, one step at a time - somehow I got dragged into writing an article for my campus paper this week about an event (Environment and Business conference) I was attending.
Anyhow, writing for a newspaper just felt really wierd, almost like going back in time 
. I’m much more accustomed to my blogging style (obviously). The article was supposed to be a fixed length, of course, which just feels funny. Writing from a semi-neutral tone was the hardest part, I’m so used to using “I”… it just seems so drab otherwise.
Then I submit the article to the editor. “So, I guess you edit it and send it back to me?” I asked naïvely. Of course not, they just make their changes, then publish it, with my name on it of course. Naturally I’m not hugely in favour of the changes, as what person likes their writing modified? My biggest complaint? They took away one of my exclaimation marks.
Oh, one last point… I wasn’t responsible for the headline, subheading, photograph, or photo caption.
London Free Press - Local News - Ban on clotheslines put through wringer - so for a couple of weeks I’ve been pondering putting together a one-page poster infosheet to convince people to hang-dry their clothes rather than use appliances. (Also need to work towards accomplishing this myself).
Today on CBC Radio I hear that some cities are banning clotheslines? I’ve never heard anything so isane (well, okay, anything from the Bush administration, but still).
They’re more environmentally friendly, cheaper, make clothes last longer, etc. The supposed “problem” is that people don’t like seeing each others’ clothes. That’s just ridiculous and is yet another symptom of the North American attitude of everybody being afraid of each other. So much for community.
These Come From Trees Blog - what a great idea. Via Seth Godin.
Tories and Liberals trade barbs over environment - it’s funny how things change. When I was in grade 4 (’93-’94), we had some group work on determining political party issues and campaign platforms, or something like that. I vaguely recall that I didn’t really know what issues were big, but I figured stuff like the environment, maybe education. Then I found that it was actually things like healthcare, which I would have never guessed.
Fast forward to 2006, and the Conservative government reduces environmental spending, and pretends that global change doesn’t exist. Now it’s 2007, and all the major parties are trying to out-green each other, or at least pretend that they are. While I’d rather have a non-Conservative party handling things, this will (and is) certainly improve matters.