Daily Digest 5/13 - Dollar In Graver Danger Than Euro, The Dangers Of Shale Gas Extraction, Fukushima In America

• Dollar In Graver Danger Than The Euro
• Connecticut Siting Council Rejects Prospect Wind Farm
• Shale Gas Extraction: The Need To Be Seen To Be Clean
• Japan's Fukushima Crisis Drives Protests Over World's Largest Nuclear Plant In India
• Disaster Plan Problems Found at U.S. Nuclear Plants
• Shrinking Oil Supplies Put Alaskan Pipeline at Risk
• Fukushima In America
• What's More Expensive: Farmers' Markets or Grocery Stores?
• Dr. Huber Explains Science Behind New Organism and Threat from Monsanto's Roundup, GMOs to Disease and Infertility

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Economy

Dollar In Graver Danger Than The Euro (PeterHendra)

Think of it this way: in the US, Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke has testified that going off the gold standard during the Great Depression helped the US recover faster than other countries. Fast-forward to today: we believe Bernanke embraces a weaker currency as a monetary policy tool to help address the current state of the US economy. What many overlook is that someone must be on the other side of that trade: today it is the eurozone, which is experiencing a strong currency, despite the many challenges in the 17-nation bloc.

Energy

Connecticut Siting Council Rejects Prospect Wind Farm (joemanc)

The Connecticut Siting Council Thursday rejected a wind-farm developer's proposal to construct two, 492-foot industrial turbines in Prospect, citing the density of the homes in the area and the turbines' height.

The plan by BNE Energy Inc., of West Hartford, was the first large-scale commercial wind energy project to come before the council. "Based on the record in this proceeding we find the visual effects associated with the construction of the proposed 3.2 megawatt wind farm to be in conflict with the policies of the state and are therefore sufficient reason to deny the proposal," council members wrote.

Shale Gas Extraction: The Need To Be Seen To Be Clean (jdargis)

These are the signs of America’s natural-gas boom. Thanks to new drilling technology, and in particular a controversial process called hydraulic fracturing or “fracking,” the size of the proven reserves is growing. At the end of 2009 the United States had estimated reserves of 283.9 trillion cubic feet (8 trillion cubic metres) of natural gas, up 11% from the year before. In 2010 the country produced 22.6 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, up from 18.9 trillion cubic feet in 2005. The price at the wellhead has dropped from $7.33 per thousand cubic feet to $4.16 during the same period.

Japan's Fukushima Crisis Drives Protests Over World's Largest Nuclear Plant In India (jdargis)

India's break-neck growth has driven an intense need for energy – and nuclear power has been accepted within the country as a suitable and clean way to deliver this. But in the wake of the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, citizens in and around Jaitapur, the seismic activity-prone region where the Indian government plans to build a 9,900 mega watt power station, are upset.

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Disaster Plan Problems Found at U.S. Nuclear Plants (jdargis)

Officials said the problems that had been found were addressed immediately but not everything had been inspected. Mr. Virgilio said he expected to have a fuller picture soon.

Shrinking Oil Supplies Put Alaskan Pipeline at Risk (txfloods)

When the famed Trans Alaska Pipeline carried two million barrels of oil a day, the naturally warm crude surged 800 miles to the Port of Valdez in three days and arrived at a temperature of about 100 degrees.

Now, dwindling oil production along Alaska's northern edge means the pipeline carries less than one-third the volume it once did—and the crude takes five times as long to get to its destination.

Environment

Fukushima in America (jdargis)

It’s been two months since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that claimed tens of thousands of lives and caused, at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant, the country’s worst nuclear accident.

What's More Expensive: Farmers' Markets or Grocery Stores? (jdargis)

The elitist perception probably hurts markets more than the actual cost of food. If produce prescriptions and studies like these can change that, perhaps they can live up to their promise for more widespread social transformation. As New York City's Greenmarket founder Barry Benepe told me, successful markets can truly transform public spaces.

Dr. Huber Explains Science Behind New Organism and Threat from Monsanto's Roundup, GMOs to Disease and Infertility (Don S.)

David Murphy of Food Democracy Now interviews Dr. Don Huber, Professor Emeritus of Plant Pathology, Purdue University on discovery of new organism and crop disease, livestock infertility and threats to U.S. food and agriculture.

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