And so the government is poised to go on encouraging America’s fast-food diet with its farm policies even as it takes on added responsibilities for covering the medical costs of that diet. To put it more bluntly, the government is putting itself in the uncomfortable position of subsidizing [...]]]> From Michael Pollan’s Op Ed in the NY Times:

And so the government is poised to go on encouraging America’s fast-food diet with its farm policies even as it takes on added responsibilities for covering the medical costs of that diet. To put it more bluntly, the government is putting itself in the uncomfortable position of subsidizing both the costs of treating Type 2 diabetes and the consumption of high-fructose corn syrup.

Holly and I had this discussion last week.  The high cost of health care in this country is linked to obesity, and our federal government is encouraging obesity with farm policy.

We’re spending $147 billion to treat obesity, $116 billion to treat diabetes, and hundreds of billions more to treat cardiovascular disease and the many types of cancer that have been linked to the so-called Western diet.

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What reduces emissions more? A. Someone swapping their old SUV (which gets 12 miles per gallon) for a hybrid version (18 mpg) or B. someone upgrading their 25 mpg compact to a new 46 mpg Prius? (ignore for a minute manufacturing issues or driving habits and assume the miles driven are the same).

The surprising answer [...]]]> Via RealClimate.org

What reduces emissions more?
A. Someone swapping their old SUV (which gets 12 miles per gallon) for a hybrid version (18 mpg) or
B. someone upgrading their 25 mpg compact to a new 46 mpg Prius?
(ignore for a minute manufacturing issues or driving habits and assume the miles driven are the same).

The surprising answer is here.

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According [...]]]> MIT scientists have developed a revolutionary process to store solar energy, inspired by the photosynthesis performed by plants.  This process allows the sun’s energy to be used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen gases. The oxygen and hydrogen are then recombined inside a fuel cell, creating carbon-free electricity to power your house or your electric car, day or night.

According to this article, the system can duplicate the water splitting reaction that occurs during photosynthesis:  James Barber, a leader in the study of photosynthesis who was not involved in this research, called the discovery by Nocera and Kanan a “giant leap” toward generating clean, carbon-free energy on a massive scale. “This is a major discovery with enormous implications for the future prosperity of humankind,” said Barber, the Ernst Chain Professor of Biochemistry at Imperial College London.

An inexpensive, easy to deploy system that can seperate hydrogen and oxygen for use by fuel cells.  This could be the Holy Grail of alternative energy.

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The $2.5 billion in new development (starting in 2000) here in GR is getting some national attention.  Land Development Today (PDF) explains that one of our driving forces is environmental stewardship.  In fact, the Grand Rapids metro area has more LEED certified buildings per capita than any other location in the United States. 

Grand Rapids is a leader in [...]]]>

The $2.5 billion in new development (starting in 2000) here in GR is getting some national attention.  Land Development Today (PDF) explains that one of our driving forces is environmental stewardship.  In fact, the Grand Rapids metro area has more LEED certified buildings per capita than any other location in the United States. 

Grand Rapids is a leader in green buildings. The United States Green Building Council estimates that metro Grand Rapids now has more square footage per capita under LEED certification than any other city in the United States. The area boasts many LEED firsts, including the first transit center,the first YMCA, the first church, and thefirst municipal building in Michigan.This trend has been promoted by local businesses, government, and schools. Local philanthropist Peter Wege(Steelcase heir), a longtime environmentalist and conservationist, recognized the value of green buildings and has made LEED certification a requirement for many of the building projects he has supported. As a result, buildings such as the new Art Museum are being built to qualify for LEED certification. The region has also begun to realize that sustainability can lead to economic development. Mayor George Heartwell has been a strong supporter of sustainability. Last year, he joined more than 150 other mayors in signing the US Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement.

From “The Revitalization of Grand Rapids”, Land Development Today (November/December 2006)

I was lucky enough to hear David Gottfied speak at the Herman Miller Environment conference this summer.  David was one of the founders of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and he helped start the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification standard.

Why is the Grand Rapids metro area so green?  Conservative and green don’t usually go together, and yet we lead the nation in green building.  That is remarkable, and it should serve as a warning to the forces who would like to see the sustainability movement identified with a bunch of tree humping hippies.

In fact, much of the angel startup money flowing to cutting edge technology companies today is focused on sustainability.  Green is the new thing, with many of the internet visionaries of yesterday betting the farm on green technology startups.  Grand Rapids is obviously in a great position to take advantage of this national global trend.

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Was Gerald Ford one of our first leaders to advocate for sustainability?  From the Ford presidential library Website, here are some of the proposals he submitted to congress:

This is actually a little more complicated than you might think.  The process of creating trans fats causes the removal of Omega 3 [...]]]> These folks want to ban trans fats.  I understand the immediacy of the situation, we are facing an epidemic of obesity and heart disease in America.  But I’m not convinced that we should ban hydrogenated oils.

This is actually a little more complicated than you might think.  The process of creating trans fats causes the removal of Omega 3 from fatty acids.  Susan Allport points out that it could be this lack of Omega 3 that is truly the problem.  She agrees that trans fats are bad — but the real culprit in her eyes is the lack of Omega 3 relative to Omega 6.  She points out that you could give up trans fats completely and still not be healthy, if you did not get your Omega 3s.

Susan also makes a good point about fish oil:  It is the Omega 3 in fish that makes them such healthy meals for we fish eaters.  Even beef could be high in Omega 3 if those cows were eating the right stuff!

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“For the clinician in charge of the US study, Joseph Hibbeln, the results of his trial are not a miracle, but simply what you might predict if you understand the biochemistry of the brain and the biophysics of the brain [...]]]> Studies are now revealing the importance of Omega-3 fatty acids in maintaining brain chemistry and mental health.

“For the clinician in charge of the US study, Joseph Hibbeln, the results of his trial are not a miracle, but simply what you might predict if you understand the biochemistry of the brain and the biophysics of the brain cell membrane. His hypothesis is that modern industrialised diets may be changing the very architecture and functioning of the brain.

We are suffering, he believes, from widespread diseases of deficiency. Just as vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy, deficiency in the essential fats the brain needs and the nutrients needed to metabolise those fats is causing of a host of mental problems from depression to aggression. Not all experts agree, but if he is right, the consequences are as serious as they could be. The pandemic of violence in western societies may be related to what we eat or fail to eat. Junk food may not only be making us sick, but mad and bad too.”

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Previously, vaccines were a leading suspect, but numerous studies have failed to show any definitive link between autism and vaccines. 

Gregg Easterbrook of [...]]]> The recent jump in autism cases is reason for concern, especially if these trends continue.  A just released study by Cornell University (Waldman, et al) reveals a significant correlation between autism rates and young children who watched TV frequently.

Previously, vaccines were a leading suspect, but numerous studies have failed to show any definitive link between autism and vaccines. 

Gregg Easterbrook of Slate Magazine points out that further study is needed to clarify the link between autism and television:

“Research has shown that autistic children exhibit abnormal activity in the visual-processing areas of their brains, and these areas are actively developing in the first three years of life. Whether excessive viewing of brightly colored two-dimensional screen images can cause visual-processing abnormalities is unknown. The Cornell study makes no attempt to propose how television might trigger autism; it only seeks to demonstrate a relationship. But Waldman notes that large amounts of money are being spent to search for a cause of autism that is genetic or toxin-based and believes researchers should now turn to scrutinizing a television link.”

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http://www.yale.edu/esi/ESI2005_Main_Report.pdf

Given the fact that we are capable of just about anything when we put our muscle behind it, the [...]]]> This study conducted by Yale University in 2005 measured environmental sustainability by country.  The United States ended up with a rating below most of the advanced nations, and also below many of the smaller, less fortunate among us.

http://www.yale.edu/esi/ESI2005_Main_Report.pdf

Given the fact that we are capable of just about anything when we put our muscle behind it, the greatest country on earth will no doubt improve on this number in the coming decades.  Go USA!

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I am therefore submitting the following viral marketing strategy for the CEI to consider:

       [...]]]> Kevin Drum over at the Washington Monthly explains how the CEI (Competitive Enterprise Instititute) is launching a new add campaign claiming that the billions of tons of CO2 we are emitting is actually good for you.

I am therefore submitting the following viral marketing strategy for the CEI to consider:

       GOT CO2?

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