Cough, Cough

These are your lungs on air pollution.

It’s good to hear President Bush is yet again giving lip service to cutting down on oil consumption and boosting alternative fuels. Problem is, his nice little State of the Union nod to global warming wasn’t his first attempt at pretending to be half concerned about the environment, and despite rising demands for real action and mounting evidence about how we’re all going to suffocate, he continues to maintain that there’s no need for mandatory emissions controls. Is this Alice in Wonderland? I mean, you know something is up when the CEOs of 10 major U.S. corporations — including General Electric, DuPont and Caterpillar — are trying to get the president to go along with mandatory greenhouse gas caps.

In the same week that the companies united in a group called the U.S. Climate Action Partnership to stump for regulatory controls, yet another damning climate report is soon expected to be released. According to news reports, the 1,600-page study is bleak. Top U.S. climate scientist Jerry Mahlman, who reviewed the tome, told The Associated Press that the impact of warming is “obvious,” and that it’s visible in the air, water and melting ice.

But don’t worry, Dallasites, at least TXU’s throat-lacerating, lung-clogging coal plants are sure to be right in line with the U.S. Climate Action Partnership’s goals. At least, that’s what they told Bloomberg News early this week. Nevermind the fact that company honchos were horrified that the lowly media would be sitting-in on their little chat with Mayor Laura Miller. I guess we’re not entitled to any details on what we’ll soon be breathing, but no matter, I’m sure their plans are nothing but clean energy, all the time. So breathe deep, everyone. —Megan Feldman