J.C. Moore Online

Current Events from a Science Perspective

The 2011 Environmental Hall of Fame Winners:

The winner is James Hansen, with 51% of the votes. His efforts opposing the XL pipeline played a pivotal role in delaying a decision and hopefully preventing the construction of the pipeline . Award: A massive presence at the 2012 Citizen’s Climate Lobby International Conference, July 22 – 24, in Washington D.C. . Make your travel plans now.

Runner-up was the EPA  (31%)  for standing firm in its efforts to protect the environment in spite of the political pressure it has received. Award: A duplicate of Captain America’s Shield. Though Captain America’s Shield was fictional, the EPA’s need for a shield is not. Please write your representatives about the need to protect the EPA from political attacks.

The Tulsa World (14%) was 3rd for showing great courage in defending  climate science and refuting Sen. Jim Inhofe’s claim of “victory in his efforts to debunk man-made global warming as a hoax.” Their editorial stated:” While there are scientists and politicians on both sides of the issue, those who see climate change as a genuine threat are mostly scientists and most of those who deny it are politicians.” Award: I’m renewing my subscription and I hope that if you live in the Tulsa area you will also.

Joe Romm (3%), Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, where he writes and maintains Climate Progress , an outstanding source of accurate climate science information. Award: Apparently, not many who took the poll read Joe Romm’s columns. As an award we should correct that, so please click the link above and read some of his well-written articles.

The 2011 Hall of Shame Selections:

First place goes to Halliburton (Cheney), with 57% of the votes – for the Halliburton clause in the Clean Water Act. This clause provided a loophole that allows the composition of fracking chemicals to remain secret, thanks to Cheney. Apparently, voters were dismayed that Congress could be manipulated to provide an exception to the law for a special interest at the expense of protecting the public. Prize: A big glass of water from a well next to a hydrofracking operation.

Runner up was Congressman Joe Barton of Texas,( 17%) for his apology to BP about how they were treated after the Gulf Oil spill and for trying to ban energy-efficient light bulbs because they contain mercury, even though he had fought efforts to stop mercury pollution by industries. Prize: A copy of his failing grades on the League of Conservation Voters Scorecard and, hopefully, a decline in the number of votes he receives in the next Congressional election.

There was a tie for 3rd and 4th place between Dr. Jane Lubchenco,(13%) for using bad data to set fishing catch limits and for not adequately policing BP’s drilling plans or their cleanup operations in the Gulf. Prize: A corexit oil shake. If you live on or near the gulf, please shake up a sample of the gulf water and mail it to her. It won’t hurt if she gets several. 

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Forbes Magazine (James Taylor)(13%) for a ridiculously misleading article, New NASA data Blow Gaping Hole In Global Warming Alarmism, that described climate scientists as “alarmist” 15 times. Award: A copy of the book Ethics And Journalism and a complete ban on ever using the words ‘alarmist’ again. I will see that they get a copy of the book and I hope you will write Forbes (readers@forbes.com) about the ban and express your opinion of the article.

It is important that we keep in mind those who are heroes and villains to the environment. I wish to thank those who provided the nominations, the prize suggestions, the insightful and often humorous comments, and the votes to determine the winners. As this year goes by, please take note of those you wish to nominate for the 2012 awards.

Thank you for your nominations for the awards. The four top nominees for each award have been selected from those nominated by readers. Please help select the winner by voting  for the nominee who you think has most affected the environment through word or deed. If you wish, please post a reason for your vote and a suggestion for other suitable gifts for your favorite candidate. Some great gifts have already been proposed. The author will buy the gifts from his copious blogging earnings, so please don’t worry about the expense.   Click here for poll.

Hall of Shame Nominees:

Ø     Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Head of NOAA – For using bad data to set fishing catch limits and for not adequately policing BP’s drilling plans or their cleanup operations in the Gulf. Prize: A corexit oil shake.

Ø     Halliburton (Cheney), for the Halliburton clause in the Clean Water Act. It is a loophole in the Clean Water Act that allows the fracking chemicals to remain secret, thanks to Cheney. Prize: A big glass of water from a well next to a hydrofracking operation.

Ø     Congressman Joe Barton of Texas, for his apology to BP about how they were treated after the Gulf Oil spill and for trying to ban energy-efficient light bulbs because they contain mercury, even though he had fought efforts to reduce industrial mercury pollution. Prize: A copy of his failing grades on the League of Conservation Voters Scorecard .

Ø     Forbes Magazine (James Taylor) for a ridiculously misleading article, New NASA data Blow Gaping Hole In Global Warming Alarmism, that described climate scientists as “alarmist” 15 times. At was classified as news, though it was clearly an opinion article. Award: A copy of the book Ethics And Journalism and a complete ban on ever using the words ‘alarmist’ again.

Hall of Fame Nominees:

Ø     James Hansen, whose efforts opposing the XL played a pivotal role in delaying a decision and hopefully preventing the construction of the pipeline (see, for example, here, here, here, and here). Award: A massive presence at the 2012 Citizen’s Climate Lobby International Conference, July 22 – 24, in Washington D.C.

Ø     The Tulsa World, for showing great courage in defending  climate science and refuting Sen. Jim Inhofe’s claim of “victory in his efforts to debunk man-made global warming as a hoax.” Their editorial board’s statement is classic:” While there are scientists and politicians on both sides of the issue, those who see climate change as a genuine threat are mostly scientists and most of those who deny it are politicians.” Award: (Suggestion?)

Ø     The EPA, for standing firm in its efforts to protect the environment in spite of the political pressure it has received. Award: A duplicate of Captain America’s Shield.

Ø     Joe Romm, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, where he writes and maintains Climate Progress , an outstanding source of accurate climate science information. Award: (Suggestion?)

Nominations were taken from three sites, and the poll was set up below.

Click here for poll.

The poll will close on February 28th.

Each year, this site takes a poll to find those most deserving to receive recognition in the Environmental Hall of Fame and the Environmental Hall of Shame. Nominations are now open for those who have most affected the environment by words or action. With the ongoing  debate about environmental regulations, a number of possible nominees should be easy to find.  Please send your nominations  for the Environmental Hall of Fame and for the  Hall of  Shame by e-mail through the “Contact” link.  You also may place your nomination in the comment section ,  but if it includes a link, the spam blocker may catch it. If you wish, you may  include a short reason that your nominee should be chosen and suggest a suitable gift if they win. 

For example, Congressman John Sullivan might be nominated in the Hall of Shame category for introducing a bill in Congress that would require the EPA to do a cost-benefit analysis on for every rule it makes. His legislation would create a huge amount of paperwork for the EPA and would make its job impossible to do, which seems to be his goal. A suitable gift might be a large piggy bank in which to keep the donations that action has earned him. Or, Congressman Frank Lucas may be nominated in the Hall of Fame category for acknowledging that climate change might affect our food supply. A suitable gift might be a crystal ball, so that he can show other members of the Congress what the future might look like if we do not act to mitigate climate change.

Nominations will be taken until January 31st, 2012. The nominees will then be  listed  and this site will conduct a poll in February to determine the winner in each category.   The  2011 year’s winner in the Environmental Hall Fame category will receive the “Most Noble Prize in Environmental Science” and a  suitable gift. The winner in the Hall of  Shame category will receive the “Ignoble Prize”and a gift also.  Past years winners and their gifts were:

                      Hall of Fame    –    Gift                                             

2010        RealClimate.org  – A recommendation from this site. ( Priceless)  

2009        Benno Hansen,  ThinkAboutIt Blogger – A Subscription to Science News.           

                      Hall of Shame    

2010         Koch Brothers – A petition to the Wizard of Oz for a social conscience.

2009         SpaceGuy,  Newsvine Blogger – The movie Wall-E, his view of the future of Earth.

(C) 2012  J.C. Moore

Please vote for the nominee  you think has most affected the environment through word or deed. The 2010 winners in the in the Environmental Hall of Fame poll will receive the “Most Noble Prize in Environmental Science” and a suitable gift. The winner in the Environmental Hall of Shame category will receive the “Ignoble Prize in Environmental Science” and also a mostly suitable gift. The poll will close on February 15th.

If you wish, please post a reason for your vote and a suggestion for a suitable gift for your favorite candidate. Some great gifts have already been proposed and they will be mentioned when the winners are announced. The author will buy the gifts from his copious blogging  earnings so please don’t worry about the expense.

Hall of Shame Nominees:

> Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Head of NOAA – For her role in the Gulf oil spill, being in bed with the oil companies she was to regulate, and damage to the fishing industry.

>Tony Hayward, ex-chairman of BP – For decisions leading up to the oil spill and for saying, “I want my life back.”

>China – For surpassing the U.S as the number one country in pollution emissions.

>The Koch Brothers, owners of Koch Oil – For slowing progress on a sound energy policy by funding climate change deniers.

Hall of Fame Nominees:

> China – For making real efforts to develop alternate energy sources.

> RealClimate.org – For providing facts to counter the propaganda by climate change deniers.

> Govenor Arnold Schwarzenegger – For helping defeat Proposition 23, an effort to gut California’s environmental laws and heavily funded by Texas oilmen.

>Senator John Kerry – For his efforts to usher a Cap-and -Trade bill through the U.S. Senate.

Vote below. Please do not click “Vote” until you have picked a candidate from each category. Pick one Hall of  Shame candidate – then scroll down, using the little microphone symbol, and pick a Hall of Fame candidate. Then click “Vote” to register your choices.

Poll is closed. See winners at http://jcmooreonline.com/2011/02/24/the-2010-environmental-hall-of-fameshame-winners/.

• George Will (2 )
• Senator James Inhofe (7)
• SpaceGuy, Newsvine Blogger  (14)
• Arthur B. Robinson (0 )

• George Will
• Senator James Inhofe
• SpaceGuy, Newsvine Blogger
• Arthur B. Robinson

Nominees for Hall of Fame