August, 2022

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Rare and Severe Weather Events Are Now More Common Thanks to Climate Change

Union of Concerned Scientists

This summer, also known as danger season , already has seen record heat waves, drought, and floods. It continues a trend of recent summers that saw record flooding, major hurricanes, and severe wildfires unlike what many of us can remember from our lifetimes. When these types of events happen, they are often couched in terms of an event once-every-x-number-of-years.

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Climate impacts of the #IRA

Real Climate

With the signing of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) on Tuesday Aug 16, the most significant climate legislation in US federal history (so far) became law. Despite the odd name (and greatly overused TLA ), the IRA contains a huge number of elements, totalling roughly $350 billion of investment, in climate solutions over the next ten years. This is an historic effort though it falls short of the broader ‘ Green New Deal ‘ goals that were proposed in 2019, and doesn’t include al

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Saltwater Intrusion, a “Slow Poison” to East Coast Drinking Water

Circle of Blue

Summer tourism, sea level rise, and storm surges threaten East Coast wells. Storm surge overwash in Charlestown barrier-strip island due to nor’easter storm in March 2018. Picture credit: Jeeban Panthi. By Hannah Richter, Circle of Blue – August 2, 2022. From its wide sandy beaches to the green fairways of its 21 golf courses, Hilton Head Island appears as it has for the past 66 years: a summer paradise.

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Germany Sees Solar Power Soar as It Works to Wean Off Russian Gas

Yale E360

German solar power is hitting new records this summer, and is set for further growth as the government enacts new policies to spur the expansion of renewable energy. Read more on E360 ?.

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How to Modernize Manufacturing Without Losing Control

Speaker: Andrew Skoog, Founder of MachinistX & President of Hexis Representatives

Manufacturing is evolving, and the right technology can empower—not replace—your workforce. Smart automation and AI-driven software are revolutionizing decision-making, optimizing processes, and improving efficiency. But how do you implement these tools with confidence and ensure they complement human expertise rather than override it? Join industry expert Andrew Skoog as he explores how manufacturers can leverage automation to enhance operations, streamline workflows, and make smarter, data-dri

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Two Companies Join Together to Produce Commercial Quantities of SAF from Hemp Biomass

Environment + Energy Leader

Atlantic Biomass signed a Letter of Intent with Bionoid signaling their joint commitment to producing commercial quantities of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) from residual hemp biomass. The post Two Companies Join Together to Produce Commercial Quantities of SAF from Hemp Biomass appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

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Making Fossil Fuels Pay for Their Damage

Legal Planet

Production and combustion of fossil fuels imposes enormous costs on society, which the industry doesn’t pay for. I want to talk about some options for using the tax system to change that. One option, a tax on carbon dioxide emissions, gets the most attention but seems politically impossible. The closest we’ve ever come to a carbon tax is a limited fee on methane emissions under the new IRA law.

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Leadership Blog Part 18 & 19: Leading with Language – At Any Level

NAEP Leadership Blog

Over the years I have considered myself fortunate to have had two successful careers, one as an environmental professional in cultural resource management ([CRM] where I am now) and one in archaeological publishing (my past life). During my time in publishing, I collaborated with archaeologists all over the world as a book editor and production manager, which taught me, ironically, important language skills I needed to succeed in a 100-percent remote setting.

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The Bureau of Reclamation’s $4 Billion Drought Question

Circle of Blue

The Inflation Reduction Act provides the agency with more than twice its annual budget for drought response. How might the funds be spent? The sun illuminates a canal in Buckeye, Arizona. Photo © J. Carl Ganter/Circle of Blue. By Brett Walton, Circle of Blue – August 11, 2022. The Inflation Reduction Act provides the Bureau of Reclamation $4 billion for drought response.

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Collateral Damage: The Environmental Impacts of the Ukraine War

Yale E360

As the war in Ukraine drags on, scientists are increasingly concerned about the environmental consequences of the destruction. From forests ignited by shelling to wrecked factories spewing pollution to precarious nuclear plants, the long-term impacts could be profound. Read more on E360 ?.

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How Beauty Brands Can Better Market Sustainability

Environment + Energy Leader

The new ‘Social Media Sustainability Playbook’ report from Eyecue Insights suggests that for industry-wide sustainability to succeed, brands must improve their messaging. The post How Beauty Brands Can Better Market Sustainability appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

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The Key to Sustainable Energy Optimization: A Data-Driven Approach for Manufacturing

Speaker: Kevin Kai Wong, President of Emergent Energy Solutions

In today's industrial landscape, the pursuit of sustainable energy optimization and decarbonization has become paramount. ♻️ Manufacturing corporations across the U.S. are facing the urgent need to align with decarbonization goals while enhancing efficiency and productivity. Unfortunately, the lack of comprehensive energy data poses a significant challenge for manufacturing managers striving to meet their targets. 📊 Join us for a practical webinar hosted by Kevin Kai Wong of Emergent Ene

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Now You’re in Law School. What Should You Take?

Legal Planet

On Monday, I explained why this is an especially urgent time for new law students to be thinking about the climate crisis and how they can contribute as lawyers. The next question is how to prepare for that work. . Here’s what I would say to a student in that position: The first thing to realize is that you can make a contribution without being an “environmental lawyer” in the conventional sense.

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Why I Have Renewed Hope for Climate Action on Farms

Union of Concerned Scientists

Watching the climate crisis unfolding all around us, I’ve experienced a rollercoaster of hope and disappointment over the last year. With last week’s surprise announcement about a Senate compromise on climate action legislation, I’m back to hope again. My colleagues have argued forcefully about what’s at stake and how the Inflation Reduction Act would affect the cars we drive.

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Massachusetts Passes Climate Bill Focused on Clean Energy and Offshore Wind

Law and Environment

Governor Baker signed the climate bill ( H.5060 ), titled An Act Driving Clean Energy and Offshore Wind, into law on Thursday August 11, 2022. The act combines and modifies provisions from the House’s proposed offshore wind bill (H.4524) and the Senate’s proposed omnibus climate bill (S.2819). The legislation covers a wide range of policy changes focused on electrifying vehicles and transit, reducing fossil fuel connections in new construction, and revamping policy related to solar, offshore win

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Living in a ‘Critical State’: The Price of a South African Town’s Dirty Water

Circle of Blue

In Winberg, residents have to boil their water or risk falling ill. . Residents of a new informal settlement outside Winburg gather to fill containers with water from a pipe supplied by the municipality. Sana Ntho, 54, said the water either has to be boiled or disinfected before drinking. With no electricity available, and firewood a scarce commodity, she adds a spoon of bleach to every 20-liter bucket of water.

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Implementing D.E.J.I. Strategies in Energy, Environment, and Transportation

Speaker: Antoine M. Thompson, Executive Director of the Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition

Diversity, Equity, Justice, and Inclusion (DEJI) policies, programs, and initiatives are critically important as we move forward with public and private sector climate and sustainability goals and plans. Underserved and socially, economically, and racially disadvantaged communities bear the burden of pollution, higher energy costs, limited resources, and limited investments in the clean energy and transportation sectors.

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River Cleanups Move to the Next Level Using Grasses and Oysters

Yale E360

In the Delaware River and other waterways and estuaries across the United States, scientists and conservationists are restoring aquatic vegetation and beds of mussels and oysters to fight pollution and create a strong foundation for healthy ecosystems. Read more on E360 ?.

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Report: Recycling Rate Can Be Boosted with Minimal Investment and Existing Infrastructure

Environment + Energy Leader

The Association of Plastic Recyclers found that US plastic recyclers could increase the recycling rate with minimal additional investment and using existing processing infrastructure in the US. The post Report: Recycling Rate Can Be Boosted with Minimal Investment and Existing Infrastructure appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

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Environmental Law in US Law Schools

Legal Planet

Although I’ve taught environmental law for a long time, my knowledge of the programs at U.S. law schools is pretty hit or miss. In the hope of finding out more, I did a quick survey of U.S. schools. The results make it clear that environmental law has a foothold at law schools of all kinds. Here are the details about my “quick and dirty” survey.

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What the Inflation Reduction Act Means for Electric Vehicles

Union of Concerned Scientists

In a surprise announcement, Senate Democrats unveiled a reconciliation bill, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which could help reduce heat-trapping emissions by roughly 40% by 2030, a significant step toward our climate goals. As part of the climate-focused changes, this bill includes significant changes to the electric vehicle (EV) tax credit.

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Shaping a Resilient Future: Climate Impact on Vulnerable Populations

Speaker: Laurie Schoeman Director, Climate & Sustainability, Capital

As households and communities across the nation face challenges such as hurricanes, wildfires, drought, extreme heat and cold, and thawing permafrost and flooding, we are increasingly searching for ways to mitigate and prevent climate impacts. During this event, national climate and housing expert Laurie Schoeman will discuss topics including: The two paths for climate action: decarbonization and adaptation.

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These are the UK supermarket items with the worst environmental impact

New Scientist

Meat, fish and cheese top the list of food products with the biggest environmental impact, in new research that points the way to widespread eco labels

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Federal Water Tap, August 15: House Passes Inflation Reduction Act

Circle of Blue

The Rundown. The House version of the historic bill retains $4 billion for western drought response. The EPA negotiates a timeline for mercury standards for rivers and lakes in Idaho. FEMA will soon open the application process for $2.3 billion in infrastructure resilience grants. Federal health agencies release a mapping tool to spotlight the unequal burdens of pollution.

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Parts of Great Barrier Reef See Most Extensive Coral Cover In 36 Years

Yale E360

In the northern and central stretches of the Great Barrier Reef, scientists have recorded the most extensive coral cover seen in 36 years of study, according to a new report from the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS). Read more on E360 ?.

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Canadian Farmers Push Back Against Fertilizer Emissions Target

Environment + Energy Leader

The country wants to reduce the agriculture emissions by 30% through 2030. The post Canadian Farmers Push Back Against Fertilizer Emissions Target appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

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Sustainability at Retail

Sustainability impacts every nation, company, and person around the world. So much so that, in 2015, the United Nations (UN) issued a call for action by all countries to work toward sustainable development. In response to this and as part of a global Sustainability at Retail initiative, Shop! worked collaboratively with its global affiliates to address these critical issues in this white paper.

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Don’t hamstring carbon removal

Legal Planet

Assessments by the IPCC have made clear that the most feasible way for the world to meet its target of restricting climate change to below two degrees Celsius of warming includes rapid and massive expansion of carbon removal technology – technology that would extract carbon dioxide and permanently sequester that carbon dioxide underground. California has long been a leader in decarbonization, but proposed legislation in Sacramento would hamstring California’s efforts to advance carbon removal.

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September Is Here. That Means Another Nail-Biter for California’s Grid.

Union of Concerned Scientists

For a lot of folks, September brings to mind the end of summer, the time to go back to school and get back into the swing of work and home routines, and of course the classic Earth, Wind & Fire song. But not for me. For California power grid experts, September is a nerve-wracking month, still very much part of danger season on the West Coast. At any point in the summer, extreme heat could trigger electricity supply shortages and rotating power outages.

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One in 8 people got long covid after infection early in the pandemic

New Scientist

Researchers estimated the prevalence of long covid using survey data from the Netherlands in the early stages of the pandemic

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Federal Water Tap, August 1: EPA Shows Interest in Fireworks Contamination of Drinking Water Sources

Circle of Blue

The Rundown. The EPA will fund research into drinking water contamination following fireworks shows. S. and Canadian governments assess the state of the Great Lakes. The GAO assesses technologies for detecting and treating PFAS chemicals. The Senate passes water infrastructure legislation. The Bureau of Reclamation releases a draft environmental impact statement for the White Mountain Apache Tribe water system.

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How to Drive Cost Savings, Efficiency Gains, and Sustainability Wins with MES

Speaker: Nikhil Joshi, Founder & President of Snic Solutions

Is your manufacturing operation reaching its efficiency potential? A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) could be the game-changer, helping you reduce waste, cut costs, and lower your carbon footprint. Join Nikhil Joshi, Founder & President of Snic Solutions, in this value-packed webinar as he breaks down how MES can drive operational excellence and sustainability.

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In Nebraska, Bighorn Sheep Reclaim Their Former High Plains Home

Yale E360

In “High Plains Wild” — the Third Runner-Up in the 2022 Yale Environment 360 Film Contest — filmmaker Mariah Lundgren tells the story of efforts by wildlife biologists, conservationists, and landowners to reintroduce and sustain the magnificent bighorn sheep in Nebraska. Read more on E360 ?.

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Emissions Reduction Ebook Helps Companies Balance Sustainability and Profitability

Environment + Energy Leader

New ebook offers help for sustainability professionals who want to make emissions reduction a cornerstone of their sustainability strategies while successfully managing profitability. The post Emissions Reduction Ebook Helps Companies Balance Sustainability and Profitability appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

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Can’t Add Solar Panels to Your Roof? Join a Community Solar Farm

Earth 911

Although solar energy has skyrocketed in popularity in recent years, many people aren’t in the. The post Can’t Add Solar Panels to Your Roof? Join a Community Solar Farm appeared first on Earth911.

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Congress Considers First-Ever Purchase Incentive for Commercial EVs

Union of Concerned Scientists

Last week, Senators Schumer and Manchin announced a compromise on a reconciliation bill, called the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 , that includes significant climate and air quality progress and a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions nationwide by 40 percent by 2030. This bill would establish a federal tax credit for businesses to purchase electric and plug-in hybrid trucks, buses, vans, shuttles, and other heavy-duty vehicles, among many significant investments in decarbonization and air q

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UK government to hold back data on state of biodiversity in England

New Scientist

Only 7 of 24 of biodiversity indicators will be published this year, and many of those being omitted show a deterioriating natural environment