Dave Woods: Global warming fires up debate

I have to say, when it’s 3 degrees below zero outside in Joplin and we’re headed for our third week without a thaw, global warming theory is a tough concept to wrap my head around.

Political Affairs Magazine - Climate Science and the Ideology of Human Pollution

It will seem a glib answer to conclude that socialism represents our only hope here, but, safe sustainable solutions to the energy crisis already exist in the form of technological uses of wood, water, wind, wave and solar power, the difficulty is social implementation and the political will.

The Big Freeze 2010: An audit - Climate Change, Environment - The Independent

After the cold snap last February, highways engineers reported a third more pot holes in the roads than usual, and this year is not likely to be different, leaving English and Welsh roads with at least 322,731 extra potholes to fill in at a cost of nearly £20m – or £61 a hole.

Hazardous driving conditions make for more accidents: the AA said motor insurance claims were up by one third at around 300 to 500 a day, from the average 200 to 300 a day in a normal winter. And abandoned cars are causing problems, either from break ins or prangs from other cars – or even snowploughs, according to an AA spokesman. "Other accidents include skidding into objects such as telephone boxes, telegraph poles, and barns. One man took a taxi, which skidded into his own parked car," he added.

Frozen pipes have added to the toll, with the bill for burst pipes at an estimated £75m a week. Pimlico Plumbers in London said they had responded to 2,000 emergency call outs a week, up almost a quarter on a typical winter.

What's the green alternative to joining a gym? | Lucy Siegle | Environment | The Observer

Outdoor exercise is the healthiest form of fitness [how about for elderly people in below-zero temperatures?] – not only for the environment, but for the soul

Al Gore poetry prize: the winner – Telegraph Blogs

Some lovely seasonal offerings including this one from Dubsy

Hark the Al Gore warming sting
“Glory to the carbon king”
Cap and trade and tax the air
Help the drowning polar bear.
Plant the wind farms curb and sanction
He needs the bunce to fund his mansion
The science settled graphs are in
Computer models tweaked and spinned
Give him money for your sins
“Glory to the carbon king ”