Bad Carbon Karma: Lawyer Flies from Oregon to Saudi Arabia Every Three Weeks

Thomas Nelson, a lawyer from Oregon, regularly flies back and forth to Saudi Arabia to visit a client who can’t fly to the U.S. That’s ‘regularly’ not as in once or twice a year, but every three weeks. Nelson says he’s forced to do so because his client faces charges here for financing terrorism, and that he’s afraid to communicate via telephone or email due to possible surveillance.

From the New York Times:

Because he is constantly shifting time zones to see his client face to face, “I just don’t sleep normally anymore,” Mr. Nelson said. “But I don’t have a choice. It’s very clear to me that anything I say to my client or to other lawyers in this case is being recorded.”

Across the country, and especially here in Oregon, it seems, lawyers who represent suspects in terrorism-related investigations complain that their ability to do their jobs is being hindered by the suspicion that the government is listening in, using the eavesdropping authority it obtained — or granted itself — after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

There are all kinds of issues in play here, not the least of which is the creepy fact that the government is able to violate lawyer-client privilege by snooping on their communications. But there’s an unspoken aspect to it: what about all of the carbon being produced by the constant unnecessary flights? Oregon to Saudi Arabia is a very long trip – and as the article suggests, Nelson isn’t the only one making frequent flights like this. I can only imagine how large this guy’s carbon footprint is. It’s stupid and definitely bad for the earth…

Link [New York Times]

Photo credit: Karl Dolenc

Saudi Arabian King Abdullah Thinks Seven Generations Out, Will Leave Newly Discovered Oil Fields Untapped For Now

You’ve gotta give it to Saudi King Abdullah- he’s thinking about the children, well his children at least. He recently ordered some of his country’s latest discovered oil fields set aside for future generations.

Business 24|7 has it:

“I keep no secret from you that when there were some new finds, I told them, ‘no, leave it in the ground, with grace from god, our children need it’,” King Abdullah said in remarks made late on Saturday.

US President George W Bush in January urged the Saudi King to help tame soaring prices by encouraging Opec to pump more oil. On separate trips to Saudi Arabia this year, the US Energy Secretary also asked for more oil, while the Vice-President discussed high prices with the king.

I don’t think I really need to point out the ironic absurdity of this and will leave this one for you to work out. Happy Monday, it’s going to be a great week.

Link [Business 24|7]