No Katrina, but still too close for comfort: The projected path for Tropical Storm Isaac looks an awful lot like the track Hurricane Katrina followed seven years ago this week, with devastating results. The good news: Isaac will likely hit the Gulf Coast in far weaker form, possibly as a Cateogry 1 storm; Katrina had ramped all the way up to a Cat 5, the most destructive category, until weakening a bit before landfall. Still, Isaac could potentially disrupt U.S. oil and gas supplies as it crosses "Refinery Row." Times-Picayune, Reuters
Dangerous denial: Enbridge's emergency plans for the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline in Canada (read about it in the latest issue of OnEarth magazine) are meant for conventional crude -- not the much heavier, more corrosive, chemical-laden tar sands oil the pipeline would be carrying. The company says there's no difference between the two forms of oil once they spill. The people of western Michigan, victims of Embridge's destructive 2010 spill into the Kalamazoo River, would beg to differ. So would pretty much every scientist or expert who has studied the stuff. Globe and Mail
Global warming in the shark tank?: Many U.S. zoos and aquariums, concerned about backlash, are struggling with how to incorporate climate change into their educational initiatives and tours. Some feel their mission requires them to explain how flora and fauna are being affected by a warming world, but others, like Atlanta's Georgia Aquarium, take pains to ensure that their guests never hear the term "global warming." New York Times
Cow migration: The record-breaking drought across the U.S. is forcing ranchers to send their cows back east to find grazing grounds. The unlucky ones end up at cattle meat auctions before their time. Mother Jones
World going veggie?: Experts warn that the world's meat-eating habits might have to shift dramatically if we are to feed 9 billion people by 2050. There might not be enough water available for humanity to keep getting 20 percent of its protein from animal-based products, according to a new study. Adopting a vegetarian diet might be the only way to stave off severe famines across the globe. Guardian
Still booming: The rapid expansion of natural gas drilling in Pennsylvania and surrounding states isn't slowing down yet. In the first half of 2011, Pennsylvania produced 435 billion cubic feet of natural gas. This year, that number jumped to 895 billion cubic feet of gas, with more than 2,700 actively producing wells. Pocono Record
Electrified Congress: With the outsized influence of the oil and gas industry in Congress, it's probably no surprise that only two U.S. senators own electric cars. But new legislation looks to bring more EVs to D.C. by installing charging stations near Capitol Hill. Maybe lawmakers will get hooked and help do the same for their home districts. Business Green
Tips: @OnEarthMag (tag it #greenreads)
Image: NOAA
