Few would refuse buttered toast and holiday confections. Maybe even fewer among the Norwegians, who are a sadder lot this month. Their lust for butter has been on the increase, and dairy production has decreased due to a summer of heavy rains. They are now experiencing a severe butter shortage. Most stores simply have none on their shelves. Less holiday cheer is in store for them, and maybe thinner waistlines.
A few years ago, a cosmetic surgeon in LA was found to be fueling his SUV (and his girlriend’s) with fat liposucted from his patients, who generally liked the idea. He was successful and had more than he could use. He called it lipodioesel. Unfortunately it is illegal to use human medical waste to power vehicles in California. Too bad, imagine how much is produced in LA alone!
As for fueling our warm homes and ovens for baking those goodies, we have plenty of natural gas, thanks to fracking. Seriously, this past year has been great for exposing the dangers inherent in getting our fuels from shale and tar sands, which has been going on for a decade or so. After previously managing to exempt themselves from regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act*, and spending millions lobbying state and federal governments, oil and gas companies will have to own up to the chemicals they are injecting - by the tons - deep into the earth’s crust. The EPA is finally poised to link fracking to groundwater pollution. California is about to pass a bill requiring disclosure on fracking chemicals that can leak into precious fresh groundwater. Colorado, Wyoming and Arkansas already have such laws, as does Texas, fossil fuel giant that it is. Two bills are being introduced in Ohio. Over 6000 people flooded hearings on fracking in New York.
Here’s to those who fight for the greater good. Here's to a healthier 2012!
* Called the "Halliburton Loophole" because of former Halliburton CEO Vice President Dick Cheney’s involvement in the passing of this exemption.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulic_fracturing
Ecofact Jan 2011 “Frack!” http://www.santabarbaraview.com/ecofacts-25/#more-9150
http://www.texastribune.org/texas-energy/energy/fracking-disclosure-rules-passed-texas-win-praise/
http://www.cleveland.com/broadviewheights/index.ssf/2011/10/post_15.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/14/norwegian-butter-crisis-shortage-christmas
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1101005/Probe-cosmetic-surgeon-powered-4x4-patients-excess-flab.html
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Barbara Hirsch, recording engineer, eco-person
"Unless someone like you cares a whole lot,
nothing is going to get better. It's not."
-- The Lorax, Children's book by Dr. Seuss