Tag: climate warming

  • TNC Misinformation On Wildfire

    TNC Misinformation On Wildfire

    The recent June 18th editorial in the Oregon Capital Chronicle by the Nature Conservancy representatives, “Oregonians deserve a smarter approach to wildfires: Both suppression and risk reduction are necessary,” was based upon flawed assumptions about wildfire. It is worth noting that TNC has a conflict of interest since it receives significant funding from the federal…

  • Grass-fed Beef: Climate Destroyer

    Grass-fed Beef: Climate Destroyer

    For many years, I’ve been a critic of cattle production. I have mainly focused on public land grazing because that is one area where citizens can have a voice in management. More recently, concern about livestock’s contribution to climate warming has garnered more attention. The punch line is that any kind of beef is bad…

  • Saving The Planet With A Fork

    Saving The Planet With A Fork

    All indications are that Green House Gas (GHG) emissions are causing higher global temperatures and climate change. Records show that 2024 was the warmest year on record. Climate change is increasing natural hazards, from hurricanes to wildfires. The Arctic permafrost is melting, emitting methane, a Greenhouse Gas (GHG) that is even more effective at trapping…

  • National Audubon Society Embrace of Ranching

    National Audubon Society Embrace of Ranching

    The National Audubon Society has a program called “Conservation Ranching,” which promotes individual ranchers who practice what Audubon calls “bird-friendly” ranching. One must assume that Audubon is garnering some big bucks from individual wealthy landowners by promoting ranching or is just brain-dead. Livestock production is the most significant factor in Species Endangerment in the West.While…

  • The Real Contribution To Climate Warming Of Livestock Production

    The Real Contribution To Climate Warming Of Livestock Production

    For years, I have suggested that studies conclude that livestock production (not just grazing) is one of the most significant contributors to global climate warming. However, the actual influence of livestock production on climate is obscured due to different accounting methodologies. In the most recent estimates, atmospheric CO2 level was 51 percent above that of…

  • The Good Fire-Bad Fire Myth

    The Good Fire-Bad Fire Myth

    I continuously see articles in the media about “good fire, ” defined as frequent and low–severity. In other words, such fire seldom kills mature trees. These fires, we are told, mimic “historical” conditions, creating “healthy” ecosystems by clearing away fuels without killing mature trees. A “good fire” by happy coincidence reduces high-severity blazes or so…

  • One Hundred Years of Fire Suppression Narrative Challenged

    Roberts Fire near Glacier National Park, Montana. Photo George Wuerthner  A few weeks ago, I attended a panel discussion about wildfires. All the panelists and the moderator suggested that large mega fires resulted from fuels that had attained unnatural levels due to a “hundred years of fire suppression.” The idea that fire suppression is responsible…

  • The Social Carbon Cost of Public Land Livestock Grazing

    Public land livestock grazing has a significant social cost in terms of carbon emissions contributing to climate warming. Grand Staircase-Escalante NM Utah.  Photo George Wuerthner  An important paper was published in Environmental Management about the social carbon costs of public land livestock grazing. The paper Climate, Ecological, and Social Costs of Livestock Grazing on Western…

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