Rupert Murdoch 2.jpg When it comes to climate change misinformation, arguably no single person has done more to spread false information to confuse the public than Rupert Murdoch. With his vast media empire that spans the globe, Murdoch has helped misdirect the public, as well as to openly advocate against
Continue readingTag: Farron Cousins
DeSmogBlog: Fracking Earthquakes Becoming Serious Cause for Concern
Fracking-illustration-001.jpg For the fracking industry, 2012 is off to a shaky start…literally. On New Year’s Eve 2011, a 4.0 magnitude earthquake was recorded in Ohio, one of the largest fracking-related quakes to date. According to reports, the quake was felt across hundreds of square miles in the state of Ohio,
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: What We Didn’t Learn From The Deepwater Horizon Disaster
oil-rig.jpg Almost 20 months have passed since the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded and spewed millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. And to this day, the lessons we should have learned from that disaster remain completely ignored. In spite of an intense battle involving a moratorium
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: The Year In Dirty Energy: Fracking
Earthjustice-Fracking.jpg The practice of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) has taken center stage this year as one of the most important environmental threats facing North America (and increasingly in other parts of the world). Thanks to inadequate state oversight and Dick Cheney's hamstringing of EPA oversight with the Halliburton Loophole, fracking has
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: The Year In Dirty Energy: Keystone XL
tarsands protests.jpg This year, a deal between TransCanada and the U.S. government almost allowed one of the most disastrous plans in energy history to win aproval. The deal would have allowed TransCanada to build the Keystone XL pipeline across the U.S. border to carry an exceptionally dirty form of oil
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: The Year In Dirty Energy: Coal
coal_mining.jpg Most children already have a fear of coal – after all, they are threatened during childhood that if they misbehave, Santa Claus will leave them nothing but a lump of coal in their stocking. The older members of society, too, have plenty of reasons to fear coal as an
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: The Year In Dirty Energy: Money, Corruption, And Misinformation
Handcuffed_to_Money.jpg It is said that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. That statement has proven itself true time after time in both politics and business, but I would like to amend that statement slightly: Power corrupts, but money and power corrupt absolutely. This year has been no different. We’ve
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: The Year In Dirty Energy: The Koch Brothers
Kochtopus money bags.jpg Over the last 12 months, DeSmogBlog contributors have helped spread the word about some of the most dastardly deeds of Charles and David Koch. Here are some of the biggest stories we covered this year on the issue of corruption and dirty energy money. It is impossible
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Report: Arsenic From Coal Ash Disposal Sites Leaching Into Groundwater
toxic water 2.jpg The Environmental Integrity Project (EIP) has released a startling report showing that coal ash dumps near coal-burning power plants are leaching arsenic and other toxic chemicals into water supplies. The new report identifies 20 new sites in 10 different states where coal ash is contaminating water supplies.
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Report Partially Blames Federal Government For Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig Explosion
Deepwater-Horizon-oil-rig-006.jpg Perhaps one of the most honest assessments of last year’s Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion reveals the numerous failures of both industry and the federal government in the worst marine oil disaster in U.S. history. The U.S. Department of the Interior sanctioned the report, compiled by more than a
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: North American Air Pollution Statistics Will Take Your Breath Away
coal-power-plant-pic1.jpg Two separate reports released this week offer a grim look at the state of air quality in North America. The continent already produces 6% of the world’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from power plants, resulting in an array of health and environmental problems. According to a joint report by
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: House Republicans Working On Huge Polluter Giveaways
House-Republicans-Boehner-Pence-Cantor.jpg The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives is playing hardball with President Obama’s proposal to extend a payroll tax cut extension, and now they’ve found a way to use the extension as a means to grant their polluter friends everything on their holiday wish list. According to Reuters, Republicans in
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Bowing to Republican Pressure, EPA Eases Boiler Emission Standards, Threatening U.S. Economy and Health
boiler emissions.jpg The U.S. EPA has bowed to pressure from Republican members of Congress and relaxed the proposed rules for boiler emissions. By allowing utility industry companies to make “upgrades” to existing boilers, rather than replacing them with lower-emission boilers, corporations will save an estimated $1.5 billion in their attempts to
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: BP Accuses Halliburton Of Destroying Evidence In Gulf Deepwater Horizon Disaster
halliburton-logo.jpg Just months before trials are set to begin, BP is accusing Halliburton of destroying evidence related to their shoddy cement work that helped cause last year’s Gulf of Mexico oil disaster. According to Reuters, BP has officially filed their allegations with the courts, hoping to get the ball rolling
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Old Talking Points Die Hard: "Climate Change Is Beneficial" Edition
Climate-Change.jpg If you follow the cycle of anti-climate change talking points, you’ll notice a pattern that repeats itself every few years. In between spurts of outright denial, the anti-science crowd will occasionally revert back to a less-heard talking point: Climate change is actually a good thing. Even as the year
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Congress Says No To Free Climate Service
NOAA.jpg This week, the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives sent a strong message to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – they’re not concerned about climate change. The NOAA had asked Congress for permission to create a new National Climate Service within the NOAA’s own offices, but Congress decided
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Brazilian Officials Investigating Chevron Oil Spill Off Coast
oil slick.jpg Law enforcement agencies in Brazil announced today that they would begin investigating the cause of an oil spill that occurred off the coast. Chevron's Frade Well off the coast of Brazil has been leaking for more than a week. From the start, Chevron tried to downplay the significance
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Climate Change Spin A Growing Problem For Fox News
fox global warming.jpg When it comes to climate change denial, a new study shows that the folks at Fox News are leading the pack. Through politically-charged news segments and commentary, Fox News personalities are helping spread misinformation about climate change while convincing their viewers that scientists are torn on the
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Koch Brothers Behind Push To Dismantle EPA
Koch Fat Cat.jpg
During last week’s Americans For Prosperity (AFP) event, a common theme kept creeping into the speakers’ presentations: Dismantle the EPA. And as the major funders of…
Continue readingDeSmogBlog: Bogus Job Numbers Used To Sell Keystone XL Pipeline
tarsands protests.jpg
As thousands of protestors gather at The White House today to voice opposition to the Keystone XL Pipeline plan, one of the major selling points from the pipeline proponents…
Continue reading