2012 February 03

Super Bowl Predictions Open Thread

This feminist football fan will be hoping for a Patriots win, not least to honor the memory of Myra Kraft, who vetoed the team’s draft of a serial abuser of women, made her husband promise that buying a football team wouldn’t mean they’d cut down on their charitable work (they increased it, giving to causes that included closing the gap on health disparities and women’s health), and awesomely, proposed to Bob herself—on their first date.

That said, I remain anxious about Rob Gronkowski, and about history repeating. What are your predictions? Whoever’s closest on final score and throwing yards for the winning Super Bowl quarterback gets to make me write a post on a question or work of their choice.

New York Times Forgets About Marriage Equality Law

Though same-sex marriage has been legal in New York for six months, even the New York Times is still catching up with the times. The newspaper issued a correction today for a photo caption of New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, which included lobbyist Emily Giske with her wife, Anne Washburn. The caption originally described Washburn as Giske’s “partner,” but has been adjusted to properly identify her as Giske’s “spouse.”

Applying A Windfall Tax To Fracking Would Give Ohio $2.5 billion over ten years

Despite the sizable public concern over the considerable consequences, Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) and Republicans are gung-ho on moving forward with fracking for natural gas in the state. But one progressive policy group says that if they must “frack,” then make sure that Ohioans also see the profits, not just the consequences. Innovation Ohio released a report calling on lawmakers to extend Ohio’s severance tax, which no applies mainly to coal extraction, to natural gas and oil mining. Noting that Ohio’s tax rate is “now second-lowest” in the nation, the report finds that if Ohio raises the severance rate “to the same level as Texas — 24th in the nation — Ohio would stand to gain $2.5 billion in new revenue in the next decade.” The group also recommended a landowner bill of rights to protect property owners who sell or lease land rights to oil and gas companies. The Ohio Petroleum Council, however, labeled this “windfall profits tax proposal” an “old, failed idea…that could smother a growing industry and stifle the economic growth and energy security that many predict if the exploration proceeds safely and successfully.”

Josh Fox Decries His Fracking Hearing Arrest: ‘This Is Not Government, This Is Thuggery’

On “The Young Turks with Cenk Uygur,” Josh Fox, the Oscar-nominated director of “GasLand,” described his arrest on Capitol Hill at a public House Science Committee hearing on hydraulic fracturing. Fox had hired a video crew that was credentialed to cover Congress, but that crew was rejected access by the committee chair Rep. Ralph Hall (R-TX). When Fox came to the hearing and set up his camera to shoot, he was swarmed by security and eventually led out in handcuffs:

This access used to be granted quite regularly when the Democrats ran the House. . . . The video you see was shot by Congressional staffers — they’re all recording. The only person who’s being threatened with arrest is me. This is not government, this is thuggery. That is what happened. They threw out John Boehner’s promise for transparency in Congress in handcuffs with me yesterday. And they threw out the First Amendment. They threw out the Constitution.

Watch it:

Fox’s arrest has spurred outrage and increased attention about the apparent poisoning of Pavillion, WY by the natural gas industry.

How to Assess the Green-ness of Your Green Printing Company

With the transition to digital media being the norm, these days, one has to wonder if printed promotional campaigns can ever be green?

Marrying tried-and-tested marketing methods with the responsibility of being a greener business can seem like a difficult task, particularly at a time when many companies are feeling the strain financially. One of the oldest tools used by companies to promote their products and services are leaflets and brochures, but in a world where sustainability is becoming a key consideration, does the printed promotion still have its place?

In addition to being cost-effective, it’s possible to ensure environmental issues such as sustainability are still considered as part of a traditional leafleting strategy by purchasing promotional flyers from an eco-friendly printing supplier. If you are considering embarking on a traditional leafleting campaign, or would like to produce some printed promotional literature, it’s best to approach potential printing partners armed with a few questions that should help you snag the best deal for you and the environment.

Many businesses are aware that operating as a green business can help them to attract customers, so in order to ensure you yourselves aren’t guilty of greenwashing and that you don’t fall victim to the attempts of others at doing the same, you should establish a few basics. One point to check is whether the green printing company is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council – a not-for-profit organisation that promotes responsible management of the world’s forests. Companies who are certified under the group’s Chain-of-Custody programme use paper that can be tracked right back to certified wood grown in their forests. This means that the paper used to print your leaflets or other promotional materials has been sourced responsibly.

Waste should also be a priority: as well as making sure you don’t order more promotional materials than you need, you should check your green printers’ waste policy.

Flyerzone, an eco friendly printing company, separates waste into seventeen streams for recycling or processing and use vegetable based inks from large drums. Vegetable based inks are less harmful to the environment and pumping from drums rather than using small cartridges minimises the use of packaging. It’s even possible to recycle printing plates – so ask potential printing partners whether they have a recycling policy. In addition to being more environmentally sound, minimising waste makes solid commercial sense as those who use fewer resources are able to keep printing prices low and offer you a good price for their services.

How to Assess the Eco-Friendliness of Your Green Printing Services

Here are a few questions you can ask to assess the eco-friendliness of printing companies:

• Is the paper purchased by the company, from a certified Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) supplier?
• Do you have an environmental management system (EMS) in place? Is it certified to the ISO 14001 standard or verified under the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS).
• What type of inks do you use in your printing process?
• Do you use cartridges or drums as part of the printing process?
• What do you do with your paper waste?
• How does your business dispose of non-paper waste such as solvents?
• Can you provide assistance or advice if I have leftover printed materials that I need to dispose of?
• Do you recycle your printing plates?
• Do you have schemes in place which reward green ideas from employees?

Beyond the use of promotional printing, keeping waste to a minimum is a good lesson to take into your own workplace; as well as limiting your paper waste you can look to reduce energy use through harnessing natural light in your building, or installing solar energy panels to help you generate your own heat.

Use the lessons learnt in your promotional campaigns throughout your business and familiarise yourself with the waste reduction packaging directive, which tries to minimise the use of packaging, promote energy recovery and encourage recycling. Not only could this gain your business recognition as a green business, it could also net you savings both long and short term.

China’s Largest Freshwater Lake Dries Up: Is the Massive Three Gorges Dam to Blame?

India Leads World In Green Power Growth For 2011

Finland builds biomass power plant to reduce coal reliance

A 140 MW biomass power plant is to be built in Finland with $23.6m funding from the Nordic Investment Bank.

The plant in Vaasa will be built by utility Vaskiluodon Voima – jointly owned by jointly owned by EPV Energy and Pohjolan Voima – and is part of Finland’s drive to wean itself off its reliance on coal fired power generation.

The biomass facility will be connected to an existing plant and will substitute coal with peat and forest residues and biomaterials such as reed.

Last month, US analysis firm Pike Research estimated that worldwide biomass power generation capacity will reach 86 GW this year from 2011’s 58 GW, marking a total investment of $104bn.

Allen & York specialise in renewable energy jobs, including:

Sierra Club Admits Secretly Taking $26 Million From Chesapeake Natural Gas

Michael Brune ended Sierra Club's relationship with Chesapeake when he became executive director in 2010.

Though the group ended its relationship with Chesapeake in 2010—and the Club says it turned its back on an additional $30 million in promised donations—the news raises concerns about influence industry may have had on the Sierra Club’s independence and its support of natural gas in the past. It’s also sure to anger ordinary members who’ve been uneasy about the Club’s relationship with corporations.

In a Sierra Club blog post, Brune explained his response when he became the executive director in 2010: “We cannot accept money from an industry we need to change. Very quickly, the board of directors, with my strong encouragement, cut off these donations and rewrote our gift acceptance policy.”

Chris Christie Doubles Down On Same-Sex Marriage Referendum: ‘This Is The Bargain Of Your Life!’

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R) argued that he is offering activists of marriage equality “the bargain of your life” by advocating that the legislature pass a bill asking residents to vote on the right of gay and lesbian people to marry. Speaking at a town hall in Denville on Thursday morning, Christie reiterated his pledge to veto any measure expanding marriage rights, but announced that he has asked Republicans in the legislature to support a popular referendum on the issue:

CHRISTIE: If the majority of the people want [same-sex marriage] prove it. Put it on the ballot, let it be voted on….I’ve told every Republican in the state legislator to vote to put it on the ballot. They need three-fifths to put it on the ballot. The Republicans have two-fifths in the legislature. So that means the Democrats only need to come up with one-fifth of the legislature…this is the bargain of your life. I’m giving you two-fifths! And the polls they show me say that if it goes on the ballot, it will lose. How much more magnanimous can I be? What else do you want me to do? Go campaign for it too? Look, I’m doing the best I can here!

Watch it:

Earlier this week, Christie apologized for comparing a referendum for same-sex marriage to the Civil Rights movement and suggesting that African Americans would have been better off if the public could have voted to end segregation and discrimination. Christie’s remarks triggered a strong backlash from African-American leaders, such as Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), who suggested Christie “has not read his recent history books” and pointed out that “most of the governors…were outright segregationists.” Newark Mayor Cory Booker responded simply: “Frankly, I wouldn’t be where I am today” if states had voted on civil rights.

Yesterday, the Judiciary Committee of the New Jersey General Assembly voted 5-2 to advance marriage equality legislation and a full Senate vote is scheduled for Tuesday, February 13. State Senate President Steve Sweeney also reiterated his opposition to extending fundamental rights through popular vote. “It’s time for everyone, from the governor to the chattering observers, to stop talking about a marriage equality referendum in terms of ‘if,’” Sweeney said “There will be no referendum on marriage equality in New Jersey, period.”

Wind Power to the South: AEP Contracts to Lower Electricity Costs

States Increasingly Concerned Over Fracking Wastewater, But Limited In What They Can Do

Chris Huhne Quits Cabinet

Source: BBC

Chris Huhne MP: “I am innocent of these charges and I intend to fight this in the courts.”

Chris Huhne has quit as energy secretary after learning he was to be charged with perverting the course of justice over a 2003 speeding case.

His now ex-wife Vicky Pryce will face the same charge in relation to claims she accepted his penalty points.

Mr Huhne, Lib Dem MP for Eastleigh, said he was innocent but would stand down to “avoid distraction”.

BBC political editor Nick Robinson says there will be an urgent cabinet reshuffle, limited to the Lib Dems.

Business Minister Ed Davey is expected to come into the cabinet to replace Mr Huhne, with Nick Clegg’s chief aide Norman Lamb filling behind him.

Read the full story here.

Allen & York specialise in Energy job opportunities, including:

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