Public Service - Climate change policy cannot afford to be short-term

Deep national concerns such as energy security, rising fuel costs and economic slowdown are often seen as separate issues to climate change. If medium-term weather patterns begin to offer weight to climate sceptics, then there is real danger that action will be severely constrained, to focus on what many believe are more critical concerns. Climate sceptics may again begin to win over politicians.

NCPA | Brief Analysis #622,Green Schools Don’t Make the Grade

Congress is considering funding a range of projects designed to reduce carbon emissions, including the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act, which would provide $20 billion to build public schools that meet “green” environmental standards. House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller (D-Calif.) says the legislation will not only save energy, but also make the facilities safer and cleaner and dramatically reduce costs. Advocates claim that such schools will use 35 percent less energy.

Because the push for green schools is new, nationwide data is lacking. However, in Washington state — the national leader in embracing the green school movement — schools built to comply with green standards have consistently failed to meet the energy saving targets claimed by supporters, and have not shown improvements in student health or other metrics.

Horner: Billions, Served

I see in today's "Inside Politics" column in the Washington Times that size is no excuse to Barack Obama, who "complained that Exxon Mobil Corp. makes too much money and should be forced to give some of that profit to the government." Yeah, the poor government. More on that in a moment.