Fitchburg, Wisconsin reminds me of the story about The Little Engine that Could.  The population of Fitchburg is only 23,000, but that hasn't stopped the city from doing a carbon inventory, developing a climate action plan and implementing solutions to curb carbon.  They are constructing a green library, have completed renewable energy projects, retrofitted traffic lights and are purchasing hybrid vehicles. 

 You can see more about Fitchburg on the website: http://www.coolcities.us/.  Believing that you can find and implement solutions positions your city to uncover and take advantage of opportunities in the emerging clean energy economy.

test II

Among the first global warming refugees, an entire Alaskan coastal town is set to relocate nine miles inland. The 340 residents of Newtok, Alaska voted to move, as their downtown is now linked by a network of boards lying in the mud.

“We are seeing the erosion, flooding and sinking of our village right now,” said Stanley Tom, a Yup’ik Eskimo and tribal administrator for the Newtok Traditional Council. As temperatures rise, the permafrost the town sits upon is melting, along with the coastal ice shelves.

The Army Corps of Engineers estimates the move will cost about $130 million. Ironically, indigenous people contribute the least to greenhouse gases but are among the most effected.

 Newtok, Alaska:

From Discover.

One of the problems with media coverage of global warming is that they routinely pit a scientist up against some hot-headed skeptic and then claim objectivity. The cable news channels do this all the time. Here's CNN's Lou Dobbs on Friday. Dobbs has a history of displaying his ignorance of the topic.

 

We always like the daily tips over at The Green Life. Today, there is a robust conversation at the blog about working from home and some of the energy savings and other benefits that come with it.

Of course, just having a job these days is a blessing. If you're looking for potential employment, check out the Crossroads' Green Careers section. 

 

A quick review of this past week's happenings in the blog world

Don't believe everything you read, boys and girls. Let's take a look at the The Mirror (UK), for example. They scream the headline "Sea will rise 'to levels of last Ice Age" because of global warming. That'll grab your attention. Problem is, as this blog points out, sea levels were about 120 meters below what they are today during the last Ice Age. RealClimate.org has a better grasp of what science is saying about sea level in a warming world.

Speaking of science, Antarctica keeps melting. The image that comes to mind is that guy at the end of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" whose face deteriorates into oblivion. Unfortunately, skeptics keep insisting that Antarctica is actually cooling. Here's the latest study on South Pole warming that the science community is buzzing about.

Speaking of trends, gas prices are going back up. For a lesson on why, try this blog.

In politics, Washington insiders think Congress will not be addressing cap and trade ideas before the end of the year. Cap and trade is such a controversial topic, that it appears to be taking a backseat while the economy hogs the headlines.

Todd Stern has been anointed the climate king for Hillary Clinton's State Department. Earth2Tech explains why Stern's goal is to avoid another Kyoto from happening. SolveClimate.com examines whether Obama's campaign promises on emission reductions fall short of what scientists recommend.

And speaking of Obama and his inauguration, some celebrated with a green car parade. Over at the blog Creative Greenius are photos of the event. Great pics!

 

Sigh.

If you're the founder of The Weather Channel who likes to publish diatribes about how global warming is "the greatest scam in history," at least double check the spelling of the headline of your masterpiece.

For more on how to talk to a skeptic like this guy, click here.

For more on the differences between weather science and climate science, try this site.