The NY Times Magazine Green Issue (April 20, 2008) has a small article on the walkability of communities.

Check your neighborhood's Walk Score.

A few I checked in KTown:

Wall Avenue = 91

Forest Park at Southerland Ave. = 77

Island Home (one of my old stomping grounds) = 23
(Note: I suspect that years ago it used to have a much higher walking score)

Blount County

Harper Avenue (Downtown Maryville) = 88

Eagleton Village = 42

Alcoa's Springbrook neighborhood = 17

The cost of neighborhood supermarkets may contribute to the decline of walkability in neighborhoods, according to this NY Times article via Atrios.

An investigative report by Channel 5 in Nashville has revealed that the 74,000 acre Sundquist state wildlife area, which cost Tennessee taxpayers $40 million dollars to purchase, is now being mined by Knoxville-based National Coal.

All Tennessee taxpayers should watch this 5 minute investigative report (15 second commercial first) and then take action below to put an end to the destruction.

NC5 Investigates Strip Mining In Tennessee

According to the report, mountaintop removal is just now really getting cranked up in Tennessee. Now that 2,000 acres of Zeb Mountain have been pretty much reduced to just a big pile of rubble, the coal companies are moving on to assault other mountaintops in Tennessee. There are several pending mining permits just north of Knoxville, especially in Grainger County.

We can still stop it - if you will take just 5 minutes to contact the representatives below to keep the Tennessee Scenic Vistas Act alive!

So, my brother emails me cra..er, stuff from his favorite conservative blogs every other day, and I spend about 5 minutes doing the quick research necessary to humiliate him (and then my other brother 'piles on' for the fun of it). Today's email cited an American Enterprise (ahem Oil) Institute study showing that non-Kyoto countries had smaller increases in greenhouse gases (GHGs) than Kyoto signatories (21% to 18% for 1997-2004), with the U.S. alone only having increases of 6.6% over that period.

First, I called out the unusual choice of years, since Kyoto always refers to 1990 baselines. If you start with 1990, the U.S. had a 16% overall increase in GHGs, compared to the European Union's 2% ddecrease.

So what about this AEI report? You see, China and India are technically signatories to Kyoto, but without obligation other than monitoring and reporting emisions (no reductions). oth have increases of about 50% over the 1990-2004 period, hence the huge disparity.

The decision was made to allow them growth based on their lower per-capita emissions (e.g., giving them a chance to 'catch up' economically). If you want to look at it as a per capita increase over the time period 1990-2004:

United States: +2600 lbs/person (up to about 40 lbs/person)
China: + 2500 lbs/person (up to about 7.7 lbs/person)
India: + 800 lbs/person (up to only 2.4 lbs/person)
EU: - 300 lbs/person (12.5 lbs/person)

So, China's on a growth curve- so is India (who seems to be managing the growth better), but how do we explain such a huge footprint increase in the United States, especially with the offshoring of manufacturing in the US? It's not like we all started driving cars or just got refrigerators.

What happened? It has to be more vehicle driver miles and/or less efficient cars. Adding 20% vehicle miles on a passenger car alone would net you a 4,000 lb increase. Combining trips and alternate transportation seems like a very effective efficient way to reduce GHG's.

Cutting 250 miles/month off your car trips would bring you on an individual basis back to the 1990 Kyoto baseline!

Rikki Hall's latest Metro Pulse column calls on Sen. Lamar Alexander, known for his sometimes outspoken support of the environment, to lead the way on enacting a carbon tax.

I spotted a Honda Insight in Alcoa yesterday. Even though I could not see any hybrid label I knew by the look (different, weird, ugly, whatever) it had to be a hybrid. Honda stopped making the Insight in 2006.

This summer Honda is introducing the FCX Clarity hydrogen car to the U.S. Initially it will only be available in selected locations in California, i.e. Torrance, Santa Monica and Irvine.

Honda has to make fueling stations readily available. They are also working on home energy stations. Although, I suppose it could be a problem in the future to be dependent on natural gas.

Check out the reviews from The New York Times and USA Today.

What are US car companies doing? I still can't find a Ford Escape Hybrid and they seem to be even less available than they were a couple of months ago in the larger market areas, e.g. Atlanta, Orlando, etc.

By way of RoaneViews, the U.T. College of Law is having a conference to commemorate the 30th anniversary of famous Snail Darter case on Friday, April 18th.

There will be panel discussions on the history of case from noon until 5PM at the U.T. College of Law, Room 132, followed by a UT Environmental Law Organization Benefit on Market Square from 7PM to 10PM featuring the Chillbillies.

More details here, schedule of events here. The afternoon panel discussions will be webcast, links and schedule here.

Through Sat. April 26, 2008 8:00 PM

Earth Day is Tuesday, April 22, 2008

East Tennessee area Earth Fest will be held Saturday, April 26, 2008, at Pellissippi State Technical Community College off of Hardin Valley Road.
11am - 7pm
There will be "food, fun, entertainment, and lots of environmental education opportunities. Admission is FREE!"

Check out UT Knoxville's Earth Month Events.

In Blount County, the Cities of Alcoa and Maryville along with Maryville College, The Little River Watershed Association, and many others are holding an Earth Round-Up on Saturday, April 19th, 2008. The events begin at 8AM with a clean up of Little River and Blount County Roadways and culminate with festivities at the Maryville College Campus from 5PM to 8PM

Join people around the world in celebrating our Earth in the numerous ways you can help to save our Earth.

Commemorating the upcoming 30th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision clearing the way for completion of the Tellico Dam, Robert Wilson takes a look back at the controversy in today's Knoxville News Sentinel.

Opposition to the Tellico Dam was one of my first forays into political activism. There were the land grab aspects. And the inundation of ancient, historical Native American gathering places and sacred burial sites. And the snail darter. All of which are covered in Wilson's article. But I was mainly opposed to destroying one of the South's premier trout fisheries.

Which is why I sent Pres. Jimmy Carter a telegram...

The Tennessee Clean Water Network has launched a new blog. The blog will cover water quality issues, legislation, stories from local communities, and updates on TCWN's activities.

The Tennessee Senate Environment and Conservation Committee had a somewhat confrontational hearing Wednesday on the bill to ban mountaintop removal. Chair Tommy Kilby blocked a vote on the measure.

There was some good news, though. See the LEAF update after the jump. Also see this report at Facing South.

Lots of geeky scientific details.... (Link...)

Some initial notes:

1. 1997 standard not adequate to protect public health, based on > 1700 studies. Clinical studies show evidence of adverse respiratory response in HEALTHY adults at old standard (80 ppb).
2. First evidence linking high ozone to mortality (deaths) in sensitive popultions
3. High ozone also reduces crop yields and increases susceptibility to disease and insects (e.g., threatens our food production)

Here is a disheartening story describing how many road blocks have been erected to prevent endangered species from needed protections.

(link...)

Senate Bill 1408/House Bill 1829 mandates deposits for recycling of drink containers.

It will result in less litter along our roadways, less waste in the landfills, money saved on litter crews, and improved scenic quality of Tennessee.

Once assigned by the government operations committee, Senate Bill 1408 will go to the Senate Committee for Environment, Conservation and Tourism for a vote, probably next week. If approved, it will go to the full Senate. Once there, its chance of passage is deemed excellent.

If your State Senator is on the Environment, Conservation, and Tourism committee, encourage them to support this bill.

For more info visit the Tennessee Bottle Bill Project website.

...over at BlountViews

UPDATE: My observations.

This bill to ban mountain top removal coal mining (SB3822) will face its first committee hearing before the Tennessee Senate Environment, Conservation, and Tourism Committee on Feb. 6, 2008 at 11:30 in room 12 of the Legislative Plaza in Nashville.

Committee members are Tommy Kilby , Chair;
Dewayne Bunch, Vice-Chair; Doug Jackson, Secretary; Raymond Finney, Roy Herron, Bill Ketron, Steve Roller, Steve Southerland and Mike Williams.

You can find out more about this effort by visiting Link.... The Lindquist Environmental Appalachian Fellowship was established by members of Church of the Savior, United Church of Christ, as a memorial to Kathy Lindquist’s deep religious faith and her dedication to environmental stewardship.

For those among us who may be put off by the religious tone of this effort I'd like the opportunity to assure you that Kathy Lindquist was very open minded and tolerent as well as deeply concerned about the environment. By reaching out for support from Christians concerned about environmental stewardship this cause has really broadened the bill's base of support and has a good chance of passing. But I understand one more swing vote is needed to get it out of comittee so your phone calls & e-mails are crucial before Wednesday. Links are available at the LEAF website.

The House Comittee on Environment and Conservation consists of Frank Buck, Chair
John Tidwell, Vice-Chair; Brenda Gilmore, Secretary; William Baird, Willie Borchert, Richard Floyd, George Fraley, David Hawk, Mike Kernell, Joe McCord, & Frank Niceley. Please note that Mr. Nicely Represents many South Knoxvillians.

Your support will be very much needed and appreciated.

Knoxville is the nation's asthma capital . . . again:

For the third time in five years, Knoxville has been ranked as the #1 Asthma Capital, a distinction it also had in the 2004 and 2005 rankings. The factors that have helped to lift Knoxville to the top spot again include higher than average annual pollen levels, high air pollution, lack of “100% smoke-free” laws, patient over-use of asthma rescue medications and other important factors.

It's good to be back on top.

50 green living tips from the Chicago Tribune (h/t Orlando Sentinel).

Simple lifestyle changes collected over twelve months.

My favorites:

Use your dishwasher and save water.

Use/install programmable thermostats and save as much as $150/year.

Recycle newspapers and save 8 trees/year, save enough energy to power an average home for 3 months, save 3,500 gallons of water, and keep 30 lbs. of pollutants out of the air.

Turn off the water when brushing your teeth and save approx. 3,650 gallons of water/year.

Don’t use screen savers and save $50-$100/year on electricity.

Driving tips: don’t drive aggressively, don’t drive super fast, maintain your car to increase gas mileage from 5% to over 30%.

Something I need to try:

Eco-friendly doggie poop bags.

State Rep. Jason Mumpower (R-Bristol) seeks to weaken the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation's enforcement capability.

One day only event - free recycling of selected electronics
Drive Through, Drop Off, Leave
That's how easy it is!

Behind STAPLES & BEST BUY
Town & Country Cir
Knoxville, TN 37922
Saturday
January 12, 2008
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Snow, Rain or Shine

Here is a somber report on how the bird population is rapidly and dramatically diminishing.

The Road to Nowhere has officially reached a dead end. Read all about it at TennViews.

TVA met with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation on Wednesday to request a variance that would allow them to discontinue monitoring ambient sulfur dioxide (SO2) levels at six coal-fired power plants in Tennessee. The request was granted. Read more at TennViews.

There was an interesting notice in today's Knoxville News Sentinel print edition. Read all about it at Facing South.

In its 10th year, America Recycles Day is dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and to buy recycled products.

Market Square Event, 11am-2pm

The Knoxville Recycling Coalition will sponsor America Recycles Day Our main feature will be a large visual display that brings awareness to the 1,600 lbs. of garbage of which over half could be easily recycled but is thrown away by the average American. We be encouraging folks to fill out E-Recycling Pledge Cards. By signing a electronic pledge card the individual is committing to the responsibility of their own waste. The pledge card will also sign them up to win a prize! We'll also be giving a compost workshop at 12:30 and 1:00 from the main stage, and selling compost bins for $50.

Gov. Bredesen was in Knoxville today to celebrate the "the successful conclusion to the largest land conservation initiative in our state since the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was dedicated in 1940."

Connecting the Cumberlands is a joint project of the State of Tennessee, the Nature Conservancy, and two timber companies. More details here.

Tennessee ranks 43rd on a Forbes.com list of America's Greenist States.

NYT reports: A Kansas regulator has turned down a permit for a large coal-fired power plant solely because of the global warming gases it would emit.

Opponents of the plant say this is the first instance of a regulatory agency’s rejecting a permit for that reason alone.
...
Kansas has a goal of getting 10 percent of its electricity at peak periods from the wind. Mr. Miller said the co-ops would meet the goal by the end of the year, two years ahead of the state deadline.

Now this is cool (and I am not a fan of Kansas).

We're drying up around here.

USA Today reports: Through September, it is the region's driest year in 113 years of record-keeping. In five of the six worst-hit states, rain totals this year are close to a foot below normal.

The print edition also states the Tennessee River flow is about half or normal and thousands of trees [in Tennessee] have died from lack of water.

According to The Daily Times, Alcoa and Maryville are scrambling to access more water.

I hear it is going to rain today. Do a dance!

Tom Salter, Executive Director of Keep Knoxville Beautiful, says no slight was intended when Southside was awarded four Onions at their latest banquet.

It's an interesting insight into the process to learn that all four of Southside's nominations were awarded Onions, even though they only acounted for four out of fifteen nominations.

And that no efffort has been made to date to see that the Onions are spread about geographically so no particular part of town gets picked on.

But the most interesting insight into the process is learning that all four Southside nominations came from a single individual.