Posts Tagged ‘environment’

What delicious irony!

So I’m working my aging muscles at the gym this morning, buzzing in my zone, collected within my own thoughts and space, when on the overhead radio blares the news from the Climate Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark and then…followed by a sound bite from the Secretary of State — Ms. Clinton — about how “climate change not only affects the environment, but it affects our economy and our security.”

Okay, fair enough, so her obsequious speechwriters and assorted other sycophant hangers-on are dutybound to sprinkle in the usual perfunctory claptrap and one-offs, the stuff of political doubletalk, and I can totally accept that. Like any dyed-in-the-wool political cynic, being compelled to listen to this aural rubbish is one of the tradeoffs of membership in an affluent society, a function of the daily Faustian bargain we make with our benevolent leaders in (insert your nation’s capital) for all of the lavish goodies that are as near as a phone call away.

But today struck a chord within me. That Clinton sound bite I just mentioned? Well, it  was immediately followed up with news about local discounts on monthly financing for SUVs, then another blurb about a 14% hike in prices at the gas pump — y-o-y — after the inflation rate rose 1% during November 2009, then another series of interminable ads about discounts on the iPhone 3G and 3G Plus if consumers only “act now” and avail themselves of a special rebate and the one about taking out a new cellphone plan before the Holiday Season in order to receive a $50 gift as a bonus.

I think you’re getting the picture.

But this pithy complaint of mine hardly does the situation justice. The Guardian’s George Monbiot was positively eloquent in his spot-on biting description of the global state of affairs in his scathing j’accuse against Western governments (and China, tangentially, what with its “peaceful rise”) with his column entitled “This is bigger than climate change. It is a battle to redefine humanity” from this past Monday.

Until we stop hearing molasses-like ads like this luring us to appease our junkie-like buying habits, that big show over in Denmark — what with the daily talking heads, pontificating Western political blowhards, and cameo appearances by popular heads-of-state — matters not a toss.

Agreed?

Nice little bit of business I recently tracked down at Trend Hunter about Southwest Airlines’ cabin materials cutbacks that will lead to fuel savings of at least $20,000/year/plane, not to mention the environmental benefits from such a policy! A must watch 4:17min. clip.

Huo Weiya comes to the rescue again with this savvy China Dialogue blog post about too much packaging on Chinese gifts…

Yet another revealing guest post at China Dialogue, this time by Patti Waldmeir.

I tumbled in love with Zhang Yue’s story after reading this excellent China Dialogue post about the man who runs China’s Broad Air Conditioning. Zhang’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts and swashbuckling enviro-crusading are simply legendary in the Middle Kingdom. So if you do any blog coverage today, this is indeed the piece. ‘Nuff said. Over and out.

On September 22, 2009, President Hu of China delivered a climate change speech at the UN General Assembly. Here’s the full text of that speech, courtesy of the good people at China Dialogue.

I had been referring to the Tianjin Eco-City has part of this Vitamin C Episode.

http://www.vimeo.com/6520553

http://www.vimeo.com/6454481

Rich had a great post today at Cleaner Greener China about the complete about-face  Shanghai’s Suzhou Creek made from being a pollution-blackened cesspool to a cleaner, greener, source of respite for its residents and fauna. A short YouTube clip (3:36mins.).