Time to clear the queue! Here are some energy and environment notes from all the tabs crowding the top of my browser:
- If we can get rid of direct payments to farmers, surely we can get rid of $24 billion in corporate welfare handed to rich and successful energy companies.
- Solar panels on every family's roof in America would save us all $144 billion in electric bills each year. That would free up a lot of cash to buy groceries.
- The South Dakota Water Alliance is raising red flags about proposals for increased rare-earths mining in the Bear Lodge Mountains, just across the border from Spearfish.
- In response to industry efforts to protect hazy skies and corporate profit through environmental externalities from EPA regulation, a whole bunch of our environmentally minded neighbors are launching "Health Not Haze." Remember, reducing emissions from our western coal plants isn't just good for the eyes; it's good for the lungs!
We can spend huge amounts of money or we can turn the thermostat down, combine trips or drive a little slower putting money into our pockets and able to spend it on other things. Conservation should be our first priority.
More evidence that apex predators sustain healthy forest growth:
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/with-wolves-return-study-says-trees-rebound/article_3aea6e28-3554-11e1-9aea-001871e3ce6c.html
Contact the GFP commissioners and insist that the season on cougars be stopped now!