Earth Hour is coming up in a few weeks - this year it's on March 27th at 8:30 PM wherever you are. The citizens from 100 participating countries voluntarily turn off their lights for 60-minutes in the world's largest collective event as a symbol that we are ready for action on climate change. The video below explains the event - pretty impressive to see the lights go out around the world, especially the spotlights on the sphinx and pyramids in Egypt.
Showing posts with label Climate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Climate. Show all posts
Friday, March 12, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Personalized Energy Production that Mimics Nature
Anyone working in renewable energy production, international development, or climate change related fields should know the name and ideas of Dan Nocera. Dr. Nocera was a guest lecturer in a course I took last fall, and is possibly one of the sharpest, most intelligent speakers I've ever seen. In his lab at MIT, he's developing a household-sized energy system that collects solar energy, uses the energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, which is then used as fuel for a hydrogen fuel cell battery. And the battery then produces clean water as its byproduct.
The other cool idea that Nocera addresses is that if you want to take a large, centralized system and make it decentralized (in this case electricity), you can't just take the same machine or method and make it smaller, because the cost will go way up. Instead, you have to redesign the system from scratch with the perspective of making something small and inexepensive.
This is the guy who tells people like Putin and T-Boone Pickins when their numbers are wrong - check it.
The other cool idea that Nocera addresses is that if you want to take a large, centralized system and make it decentralized (in this case electricity), you can't just take the same machine or method and make it smaller, because the cost will go way up. Instead, you have to redesign the system from scratch with the perspective of making something small and inexepensive.
This is the guy who tells people like Putin and T-Boone Pickins when their numbers are wrong - check it.
Dan Nocera: Personalized Energy from PopTech on Vimeo.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Worldchanging says Move it or Lose It!
Allex Steffen, editor of Worldchanging.org writes about how it's time to bust a move on changing the U.S.'s dark energy lifestyle. His point is that we can't just keep the same U.S. lifestyle, switch out a few parts, and carry on our way, but that we need to reinvent our lives and our sense of culture in a thoughtful and speedy manner. He also points out that suburbia is bad news bears for climate change emissions, that the way you live, and where you live matters!
Along the same lines, check out the article and sweet graph about how the good life includes lots of walking, strolling, running, biking, people watching, etc. (it's easier to see if you click on the article link right down there vv)
Along the same lines, check out the article and sweet graph about how the good life includes lots of walking, strolling, running, biking, people watching, etc. (it's easier to see if you click on the article link right down there vv)
A Message from Copenhagen: Climate Plan Must Include Walkable Urbanism
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Why are biofuels carbon neutral? They arent.
It's hard to believe that burning biomass is considered carbon neutral.
But under the current international rules for GHG emissions accounting, burning of biomass (plants, trees, etc) does not add to atmospheric carbon.* Wait, what? Burning anything in the presence of oxygen releases carbon dioxide. If an acre of trees is cut down and burned, the stored carbon is released into the atmosphere. Period. (The exception to this is anaerobic combustion, to make biochar, which I will write about later). Under these current accounting methods for GHG emissions, there seems to be NO requirement that the burned biomass should be replaced at all, let alone be replaced at the same rate that it's burned.
That's why power plants in the UK are shipping trees from the Congo and Amazon to be burned for electricity -- because it's considered "carbon neutral." So England gets a good carbon reduction report card because they're burning the most valuable forests in the world? No way! Burning trees is not carbon neutral; there's an overall net carbon emission. What gives?
The current emissions accounting assumes that trees that get cut down and burned are replaced with other trees that will get cut down and burned, thus making a nice closed-loop carbon system. But there are three problems with this assumption. The biggest problem: if you don't REQUIRE the trees to be replaced, you CANNOT assume that they will be replaced, and you can't assume that a third party will replace the trees. Just because a resource is renewable doesn't mean it renews itself at the same rate you use it.
Beyond making sure that the trees are replaced with saplings, there is another issue about carbon emissions. From the moment that the trees are cut down, we are missing out on carbon sequestration that those trees would have been doing if they were left alone. (In econ-speak this is called opportunity cost). Lastly, if additional energy is used to transport & process the trees being burned as fuel, the additional transportation emissions should count towards the total carbon impact of those burning branches.
I propose instead that burning biomass should be considered a carbon emission (since it is, duh). If replacement biomass is planted and grown at the same rate as the biomass is burned, then the company should get credit for doing so. Only then would the emissions be roughly considered "carbon neutral." Then companies who actually ensure that they replace what they use are rewarded for their efforts. Burning wood does release carbon and those emissions should count as an emission until the "replacement" trees have sequestered the same amount of carbon that the burned trees released.
Recent articles on trees, forests, carbon & energy production:
Tree Harvester Offers to Save Indonesian Rainforest, NYT, Norimitsu Onishi, 29 Nov 2009
Trees: Out of the Forest and Into the Oven, IPS, Stephen Leahy, 24 Sept 2009
Wood-Fired Powerplants are No Environmental Cure-all Boston Globe Editorial, 29 Nov 2009
*Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Greenhouse Gas Inventory Reference Manual: Revised 1996 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, Vol. 3, Pg. 6.28, (Paris France 1997)
But under the current international rules for GHG emissions accounting, burning of biomass (plants, trees, etc) does not add to atmospheric carbon.* Wait, what? Burning anything in the presence of oxygen releases carbon dioxide. If an acre of trees is cut down and burned, the stored carbon is released into the atmosphere. Period. (The exception to this is anaerobic combustion, to make biochar, which I will write about later). Under these current accounting methods for GHG emissions, there seems to be NO requirement that the burned biomass should be replaced at all, let alone be replaced at the same rate that it's burned.
That's why power plants in the UK are shipping trees from the Congo and Amazon to be burned for electricity -- because it's considered "carbon neutral." So England gets a good carbon reduction report card because they're burning the most valuable forests in the world? No way! Burning trees is not carbon neutral; there's an overall net carbon emission. What gives?
The current emissions accounting assumes that trees that get cut down and burned are replaced with other trees that will get cut down and burned, thus making a nice closed-loop carbon system. But there are three problems with this assumption. The biggest problem: if you don't REQUIRE the trees to be replaced, you CANNOT assume that they will be replaced, and you can't assume that a third party will replace the trees. Just because a resource is renewable doesn't mean it renews itself at the same rate you use it.
Beyond making sure that the trees are replaced with saplings, there is another issue about carbon emissions. From the moment that the trees are cut down, we are missing out on carbon sequestration that those trees would have been doing if they were left alone. (In econ-speak this is called opportunity cost). Lastly, if additional energy is used to transport & process the trees being burned as fuel, the additional transportation emissions should count towards the total carbon impact of those burning branches.
I propose instead that burning biomass should be considered a carbon emission (since it is, duh). If replacement biomass is planted and grown at the same rate as the biomass is burned, then the company should get credit for doing so. Only then would the emissions be roughly considered "carbon neutral." Then companies who actually ensure that they replace what they use are rewarded for their efforts. Burning wood does release carbon and those emissions should count as an emission until the "replacement" trees have sequestered the same amount of carbon that the burned trees released.
Recent articles on trees, forests, carbon & energy production:
Tree Harvester Offers to Save Indonesian Rainforest, NYT, Norimitsu Onishi, 29 Nov 2009
Trees: Out of the Forest and Into the Oven, IPS, Stephen Leahy, 24 Sept 2009
Wood-Fired Powerplants are No Environmental Cure-all Boston Globe Editorial, 29 Nov 2009
*Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Greenhouse Gas Inventory Reference Manual: Revised 1996 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, Vol. 3, Pg. 6.28, (Paris France 1997)
Monday, November 16, 2009
Videos: Art Speaks Truth to Power
The power of videos on the internet is an amazing way to engage people on climate change. Some great recent ones:
From "Cope" to "Hope"
by Olgivy
by Olgivy
Hmmm.. well, I can't find this on YouTube anymore...
What Would Our Kids Do?
from Moms Against Climate Change
from Moms Against Climate Change
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
100% Renewable Energy. Right Now.
Scientific American article says that renewables are ready and willing to power the planet.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Add some "Hope" to Copenhagen
What gives you hope?
My post was inspired by this article: Convince public on climate to save planet: experts
And how do you convince the public? Well, the DOE says it has to be fun, easy, personal, local and interactive.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Home Energy Use App by Google
Hey look - Google made a sweet an app to monitor home energy use, and it's coming soon to a neighborhood near you! The Google PowerMeter will give you real-time data about your home's energy use -- so you can finally "see" how much electricity you're using and when. And it has the sleek, colorful grandma-friendly interface of Google, horray! I'm really excited about this, and waiting anxiously for them to roll this out in New England -- they're currently testing it in the UK.
image from google.org/powermeter
I'm still not convinced that complete information is actually going to lower my home energy use, even though I'm excited about all of the colorful graphs. My Discover card, for example, has a great online "spend analyzer" that I check out all of the time - it's colorful and interactive, and it makes me more aware of what I purchase, but I'd be hard pressed to say that it helps me to curb spending.
For the PowerMeter app, it would be really valuable to have a !! goal setting tool !! built in (something my credit card obviously does not have). That way you can set a goal, say using 10% less energy this year than last, and the PowerMeter can send you reminders of when your energy use is off track. (Or a cookie when you're doing a good job?) The economist in me loves easy access to more complete information, but the lazy bum in me realizes that sometimes coaching is more important than knowledge when it comes to remembering to change my habits.
So, yes, Google is taking over my life (and probably yours). But they just make it so darn convenient...and good looking.
image from google.org/powermeter
For the PowerMeter app, it would be really valuable to have a !! goal setting tool !! built in (something my credit card obviously does not have). That way you can set a goal, say using 10% less energy this year than last, and the PowerMeter can send you reminders of when your energy use is off track. (Or a cookie when you're doing a good job?) The economist in me loves easy access to more complete information, but the lazy bum in me realizes that sometimes coaching is more important than knowledge when it comes to remembering to change my habits.
So, yes, Google is taking over my life (and probably yours). But they just make it so darn convenient...and good looking.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Climate Week NYC
This Week:Dozens of events about climate change
[Sept 20 - 26]
The Climate Group is partnering with some serious heavy hitters to bring the world's attention to addressing climate change.
There are piles of presentations, discussions, films, and events happening all over the city.
Some interesting events open to the public:
Monday 9.21: Jobs Justice Climate
New York Society for Ethical Culture
Starting at 6:00 pm, free, info and tickets here.
Tuesday & Wednesday 9.22-9.23: Urban Green Expo
Wednesday 9.23: Responding to Climate Change
Mercy Corps Action Center
7:00 pm Panel discussion
Thursday 9.24: Solar in the Developing World
6:00 pm Panel DiscussionFriday 9.25: Brita Climate Ride
Kickoff Event
9.26 - 9.30 Ride from NYC - DC
Go!
Friday, September 18, 2009
We are Van Jones
I know this is old news by now, but to follow up on the Van Jones story, I just want to reiterate how disappointed I am to see the way things turned out.
I watched the Fox show that publicly tarred and feathered Mr. Jones. It was gross. I'm all for public debate and can appreciate opinions that Van Jones was not the right man for the job, or that his public statements, or professional demeanor were not ideal, although I personally don't agree with those opinions. I attended the speech at the Power Shift conference and have met many of the people who worked in the community-based organization (Green for All) he directed at the time. I didn't find any of them to be particularly radical, but rather a group of youth from the wrong side of the tracks who were working their hardest for something they are passionate about: a clean and safe future for themselves and their families. And they are pursuing that goal by demanding that the advantages of the green economy should be seen by all of us -- that this is a time of innovation where everyone should have an equal shot to take part, and that your community can be (em)powered, both financially and emotionally when they take part in a solution against climate change.
I have seen little evidence that Mr. Jones neglected any of the duties of his job, that he was bad at his job, or that there was any professional reason. What I saw on that t.v. show, however, was a clownish parade of disjointed accusations based around a theme of fear that didn't gel into a real problem. When I see such illogical behavior, I wonder if there is another reason for spending so much air time tearing down someone who seems to be doing just fine at his job. Maybe because he's doing more than just fine at his job. Maybe he's the only public figure who was effectively inspiring young people to take political action on climate change. Maybe he's the guy who's challenging the climate status quo by making climate a priority for everyone, of all races, genders, incomes, ages, and educational backgrounds. Maybe because he's the most well-known, non-elected champion of the pending energy bill.
Equality and justice. Those are two pretty basic pillars of the country we live in. (I'd personally throw in a pinch of compassion, but I didn't make the rules). Equality and justice are what Van Jones talked about at the Power Shift conference this March. It was an well-practiced and well-delivered speech, that inspired me to work for a balanced climate and a decent future, at a time when it seems like most national leaders seem to chose inaction as the preferable option. I know that no one seemed to know who Van Jones was until a week ago, but he was one of the leading voices on making "green" accessible to everyone, not just to those who could afford it, and that message remains very important to me. The climate challenge is a team sport, and everyone needs to be included in the solution if we're going to win the game.
Thousands of young people attended this conference because we see the reality of what fossil fuel emissions is doing to the world, and we have a commitment to living in a different future than the one we're headed towards. We have our full mental faculties, we work hard and study hard, we're regular people, we shop, eat, drive cars, ride bikes, take walks, live in cities and rural areas, and we CARE. We observe different faiths, we embody the melting pot that America was designed to be, we believe that the U.S. can be a leader to combat climate change, and we believe that we ALL deserve as stable of a planet as we can get. So when I see a person, a business, or an organization who is really walking the walk, who is coming up with viable economic alternatives for our cities, communities, and buisnesses, who is looking towards the future of our country, and is not afraid, but who is creative, open-minded, thoughtful, and concrete about the future, I get excited.
Right now, my excitement has fizzled into frustration, disappointment, and anger. But my hope is still here. My hope is that from the rubble of this chaos within an apparently small group of Americans concerned about the climate, more young leaders of good character will keep stepping up to the plate to speak the truth of how important this issue is for each of us. I hope we see Van Jones continue his work with the same level of efficacy and inspiration in a new venue. I hope we each continue to work to inspire our communities to make energy changes at the individual and group level -- to change when and why we drive, to lower our electricity use, to make investments in green and fair businesses, to plant vegetables for ourselves and our friends, and to envision our communities for a functional future. Because in some ways we are Van Jones. If he succeeds, we succeed. But even better, if we succeed, so does he, and so does everyone who helped to make a green economy, and a clean energy future a reality for our country.
If you want to read a better cited and informed article, I also suggest reading "Thomas Paine would have loved Van Jones" by Kelpie Wilson.
I watched the Fox show that publicly tarred and feathered Mr. Jones. It was gross. I'm all for public debate and can appreciate opinions that Van Jones was not the right man for the job, or that his public statements, or professional demeanor were not ideal, although I personally don't agree with those opinions. I attended the speech at the Power Shift conference and have met many of the people who worked in the community-based organization (Green for All) he directed at the time. I didn't find any of them to be particularly radical, but rather a group of youth from the wrong side of the tracks who were working their hardest for something they are passionate about: a clean and safe future for themselves and their families. And they are pursuing that goal by demanding that the advantages of the green economy should be seen by all of us -- that this is a time of innovation where everyone should have an equal shot to take part, and that your community can be (em)powered, both financially and emotionally when they take part in a solution against climate change.
I have seen little evidence that Mr. Jones neglected any of the duties of his job, that he was bad at his job, or that there was any professional reason. What I saw on that t.v. show, however, was a clownish parade of disjointed accusations based around a theme of fear that didn't gel into a real problem. When I see such illogical behavior, I wonder if there is another reason for spending so much air time tearing down someone who seems to be doing just fine at his job. Maybe because he's doing more than just fine at his job. Maybe he's the only public figure who was effectively inspiring young people to take political action on climate change. Maybe he's the guy who's challenging the climate status quo by making climate a priority for everyone, of all races, genders, incomes, ages, and educational backgrounds. Maybe because he's the most well-known, non-elected champion of the pending energy bill.
Equality and justice. Those are two pretty basic pillars of the country we live in. (I'd personally throw in a pinch of compassion, but I didn't make the rules). Equality and justice are what Van Jones talked about at the Power Shift conference this March. It was an well-practiced and well-delivered speech, that inspired me to work for a balanced climate and a decent future, at a time when it seems like most national leaders seem to chose inaction as the preferable option. I know that no one seemed to know who Van Jones was until a week ago, but he was one of the leading voices on making "green" accessible to everyone, not just to those who could afford it, and that message remains very important to me. The climate challenge is a team sport, and everyone needs to be included in the solution if we're going to win the game.
Thousands of young people attended this conference because we see the reality of what fossil fuel emissions is doing to the world, and we have a commitment to living in a different future than the one we're headed towards. We have our full mental faculties, we work hard and study hard, we're regular people, we shop, eat, drive cars, ride bikes, take walks, live in cities and rural areas, and we CARE. We observe different faiths, we embody the melting pot that America was designed to be, we believe that the U.S. can be a leader to combat climate change, and we believe that we ALL deserve as stable of a planet as we can get. So when I see a person, a business, or an organization who is really walking the walk, who is coming up with viable economic alternatives for our cities, communities, and buisnesses, who is looking towards the future of our country, and is not afraid, but who is creative, open-minded, thoughtful, and concrete about the future, I get excited.
Right now, my excitement has fizzled into frustration, disappointment, and anger. But my hope is still here. My hope is that from the rubble of this chaos within an apparently small group of Americans concerned about the climate, more young leaders of good character will keep stepping up to the plate to speak the truth of how important this issue is for each of us. I hope we see Van Jones continue his work with the same level of efficacy and inspiration in a new venue. I hope we each continue to work to inspire our communities to make energy changes at the individual and group level -- to change when and why we drive, to lower our electricity use, to make investments in green and fair businesses, to plant vegetables for ourselves and our friends, and to envision our communities for a functional future. Because in some ways we are Van Jones. If he succeeds, we succeed. But even better, if we succeed, so does he, and so does everyone who helped to make a green economy, and a clean energy future a reality for our country.
If you want to read a better cited and informed article, I also suggest reading "Thomas Paine would have loved Van Jones" by Kelpie Wilson.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Green Your Block: National Day of Service
September 11, 2009
United We Serve, National Day of Service
Create an event in your neighborhood
or
Find an Event Near You
United We Serve, National Day of Service
Create an event in your neighborhood
or
Find an Event Near You
Green for All & the Hip Hop Caucus have joined up for a national service day to bring our communities & residents into the clean energy economy. The coalition behind this includes all the movers and shakers of the climate action movement. This nation-wide day of action focuses on 4 project areas:
- Education and awareness
- Legislative advocacy
- Youth activism
- Private-sector development
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Cool Brazilian Roofs
(this video is in Portuguese)
Show from Andre Trigueiro's "Cidades e Solucoes" about three climate-friendly roofing technologies being used in Brazil. Summarized below.
1) Ecotelhado -- Green roofs in Niteroi, (the Brooklyn of Rio de Janeiro), they use modular synthetic tiles & a multi-layer system to absorb rainwater & short scrubby plants that don't need a lot of water in the first place. The plants can be used on flat or pitched roofs, or as vertical walls. The tiles insulate the building (ie. lowering interior temperatures), are low maintenance & don't grow into the building structure. Typical green roof technology.
2) Green Building Council Brasil -- running a "campaign" to paint residential roofs white. (Better than the idea on Good to paint highways white, um, roads are dirty), This lowers the temperature inside the house & reflects heat, lowering the city "heat island" effect. They presented in D.C. and aparently the Whitehouse is amenable to the concept. This is an inexpensive, simple solution, good for cities, and particularly for the tile roofs commonly found in Brazil. Idea: Let's use a whitewash so it sticks to the clay instead of Sherman Williams.
3) A roof made from juice boxes? (my favorite) replace corregated tin roofs with a composite material made from recycled milk/juice boxes. This is so cool! In Brazil, milk comes in a box similar to the juice boxes we use in the US. It's a plastic/cardboard laminate that we don't recycle here because it's a pain to separate into its individual parts. In Niteroi, 17 companies shred the stuff & turn it into a strong material that you can use for cheap roofing. Benefits: it comes from a waste material, doesn't conduct heat like tin roofing does, so the house/factory/etc. stays cooler. Doubt: Not very flame retardant. Idea: I wonder if you could spray paint the panels white.
NOAA Chief on Oceans and Global Warming
Yale Environment 360 interviews the head of NOAA (you know, the weather advisory & ocean guys) about returning scientific research and evidence to the forefront of the organization. Jane Lubchenco is (gasp) a real live scientist who believes that the organization's responsiblity is rigorous data collection and analysis, and then the translation of those results for the rest of us. Sweet. No more multivariate statistical regressions for me!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Urban Gardening: New York
Hhere's a look at some urban gardening that's going on around the US.
NYT featured a nice article about rooftop gardens with fun photos. --->
Image via Andrew Wilson, NYT
New York Sun Works has an impressive cadre of worker bees bringing fresh food to the rooftops, office buildings, and yes rivers of New York. In 2007 they launched a carbon-neutral river barge/greenhouse that grows veggies and hosts visitors to learn about hydroponic horticulture and alternative fuels. Sun Works also has interests in a myriad of projects related to vertical greenhouses & sustainable engineering. Their technology focuses on hydroponics, a growing method I'm not crazy about when it comes to "big picture" food production. On the other hand, the diversification of methods, and the experimentation is hugely important -- and it looks like they're working in a thorough and thoughtful manner. They have a cool lookin' brochure here.
Although, if we're counting looks, I'd say that this Uros community did a better job on Lake Titicaca, and they didn't even need solar panels...
NYT featured a nice article about rooftop gardens with fun photos. --->
Image via Andrew Wilson, NYT
New York Sun Works has an impressive cadre of worker bees bringing fresh food to the rooftops, office buildings, and yes rivers of New York. In 2007 they launched a carbon-neutral river barge/greenhouse that grows veggies and hosts visitors to learn about hydroponic horticulture and alternative fuels. Sun Works also has interests in a myriad of projects related to vertical greenhouses & sustainable engineering. Their technology focuses on hydroponics, a growing method I'm not crazy about when it comes to "big picture" food production. On the other hand, the diversification of methods, and the experimentation is hugely important -- and it looks like they're working in a thorough and thoughtful manner. They have a cool lookin' brochure here.Although, if we're counting looks, I'd say that this Uros community did a better job on Lake Titicaca, and they didn't even need solar panels...
Monday, June 8, 2009
Bogota: Paths for Sustainability
PBS did a series in 2007 called E2 Design (I don't have TV, so my mom just sent me the link almost two years later...) about design solutions for sustainability. One of their shows was about Bogota and the things that a developing, cash-strapped, recently violent city is doing to be a model for sustainability. This story also reminds us of the power of education: The city's mayor took the sustainability discussion he learned from the U.S. and combined it with values from his community.
You can watch the video online.
You can watch the video online.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Small Steps: Walkable Times Square
See:
photo: Damon Winter/The New York TimesRead: Times Square Closes To Traffic (NYT Article)
Learn: NYCDOT's Strategic Transportation Plan
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Winner of World Bank Climate Change Documentary
Winner of the World Bank Micro-Documentary ContestSocial Dimensions of Climate Change
Flood Children of Holdibari
Bangladeshi kids make an educational group to teach their community about how to stay safe during flooding.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Urban Gardening: My Rooftop Garden
I planted seeds! Soon they will make food (in theory)! They will continue to get glamor shots on my flickr account. So far I've started lettuce, zuchini, green beans, cilantro, and morning glories from seed. It looks like the daisies and poppies are not interested in sprouting. It also looks like I didn't spell daisies right. Oops. The plan is to buy tomatoes, basil, and some flowers, which should yield a nice summertime mix of fresh food from my back "yard," er, deck.Goal: Play in dirt, be responsible about watering, grow my own food in containers, eat fresh, free veggies!
[Bonus points if my roommates decide to grow food] :)
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Avaaz's Elixir for Exxon Ad Propoganda
I was in an airport with my sister recently (yep, I fly 3 or 4 times a year) and saw a full hallway of these Exxon ads about climate change. Made by Euro RSCG, but not featured online. They were these beautifully laid out equations with declarations that climate change will be solved by technology, so leave the problem-solving up to our scientists who understand these elegant equations & reactions (my personal favorite being pV=nRT), and just keep going about your business as usual, everything will be fine, Exxon has it under control. While I generally think of oil companies as delusionally market driven and not necessarily outright slimy, the propoganda factor was so obvious in these ads that they were vaguely funny. And perhaps all the more ironic because it was just last year that the Rockefellers pressured Exxon to stop funding for climate change denial groups. Apparently my sister and I weren't the only ones grossed out by these ads. Avaaz, an organization encouraging social action on a variety of global issues, made a spoof ad (perhaps not far from the original) to call Exxon out on its blatant ridiculousness:
See Avaaz's counter commercial here
See Avaaz's counter commercial here
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