Climate Change, Agriculture and Alternative Energy

My day job at the Institute for Washington's Future (IWF) includes writing about issues such as Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Policy, and Alternative Energy.  There is an underlying focus on revitalizing our rural economies, understanding the impact of the large Latino population in our rural areas, and discussing how we might prevent nasty climate dislocations.  I talk about state and national policies and issues and how they impact what we are doing in these areas. 

It can be a scary job sometimes.  I learn more about how little room for continuing to pour greenhouse gases into the atmosphere we have than I would like to know.  I learn about the incredible differences between food that is grown organically and that which is produced by industrial farming methods.  The good news is that I also learn about how much people are doing to shift to green building methods and renewable fuels and sustainable farming.  I will occasionally send you over to that site rather than reproduce the pieces here. 

Here are three recent posts:

The Low-Down on the Climate Bill

This is the basics of last Friday's climate bill that was passed in the House and that will now go to the Senate.   It's possible although unlikely that it will be improved either in the Senate or in the subsequent conference, which is too bad because this bill was way watered down from what Obama originally asked for in order to get the 219-212 passage. 

Why it Matters that WA Has No Congressfolk  on the Ag Committees

I noticed a while ago that none of our U.S. Senators or Representatives from Washington State are on any of the Agricultural. Committees.  I've been told that both Senators Murray and Cantwell make sure that Washington's interests are taken into account for specific projects.  It's not enough.  Not having a consistent voice for the unique agricultural landscape we have here has implications.

Making Woody Biomass Work

Wouldn't it be great if the stimulus money really worked on all cylinders for us?  The harvesting and utilization of woody biomass, the forest waste products that contribute to forest fires when left laying about, is an example of how to provide jobs, help prevent forest fires, allow for more rural business growth and provide a source of renewable energy for rural schools, prisons and homes.