May, 2022

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Prepare for Another Dangerous Hurricane Season Predicted for 2022

Union of Concerned Scientists

Here we are again, on the cusp of another hurricane season. June 1 is the official start, but for the past 7 years the first named storm (and sometimes the second) formed before that date. This year broke the streak, and that is a good thing. Still, both the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecast , released on May 24, and the Colorado State University (CSU) forecast , released on April 7, predict a season with above-normal activity— for the seventh consecutive year.

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More Heat, More Drought: New Analyses Offer Grim Outlook for the U.S. West.

Yale E360

The ongoing drought in the U.S. West is expected to persist through this summer, raising the risk of water shortages and wildfires. While California, Arizona, and New Mexico are now facing the brunt of the drought, new research suggests that Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming will increasingly come to look like the Southwest as temperatures continue to rise.

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River Ice break-up trends 2022

Real Climate

As in previous years, the spring break-up of river ice on the Tanana River at Nenana and the Yukon River at Dawson City in Canada (new! h/t Ed Wiebe), is a great opportunity to highlight phenology that indicates that the planet is in fact reacting to the ongoing global warming. This year, both rivers broke up on the same day (May 2nd) which is a little unusual.

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High Cost of Water Hits Home

Circle of Blue

High Cost of Water Hits Home Rising rates hurt the state’s poorest residents. Throughout the Great Lakes region and across the U.S., water systems are aging. In some communities, this means water bills that residents can’t afford or water that’s unsafe to drink. It means that vulnerable systems are even more at risk in a changing climate. From shrinking cities and small towns to the comparatively thriving suburbs, the true cost of water has been deferred for decades.

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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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Post-Consumer Recycled Plastic Packaging Demand Increases

Environment + Energy Leader

Demand for plastic packaging recycling continues to increase with many industries making advancements regarding the practice. The post Post-Consumer Recycled Plastic Packaging Demand Increases appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

Recycling 299
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Mexico y el Cambio Climático

Legal Planet

This being Cinco de Mayo, it seems like an appropriate time for a look at Mexico’s climate challenges. Mexico’s carbon emissions are about the same as those of Texas, the highest-emitting US state. Per capita emissions, however, are far lower, given Mexico’s much larger population. Mexico is also highly vulnerable to climate change. What’s the state of climate policy in Mexico?

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Beyond Magical Thinking: Time to Get Real on Climate Change

Yale E360

Despite decades of studies and climate summits, greenhouse gas emissions continue to soar. Energy scientist Vaclav Smil says it’s time to stop ricocheting between apocalyptic forecasts and rosy models of rapid CO2 cuts and focus on the difficult task of remaking our energy system. Read more on E360 ?.

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Mirror world of dark particles could explain cosmic anomaly

Physics World

A long-standing disparity between different measurements of the cosmic expansion rate might be explained, at least in part, by the existence of a “mirror world” containing copies of all known particles. That is the conclusion of three physicists in the US, who have shown how to reconcile contrasting values of the Hubble constant obtained from observations of the nearby and distant universe.

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Five Fixes for Michigan’s Drinking Water Woes

Circle of Blue

Five Fixes for Michigan’s Drinking Water Woes The Great Lakes News Collaborative asked state and national experts how Michigan could break the cycle of underfunding and poor decision-making that has left water systems across Michigan in sorry shape. Throughout the Great Lakes region and across the U.S., water systems are aging. In some communities, this means water bills that residents can’t afford or water that’s unsafe to drink.

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Individual Progress in the Fashion Industry Is Undermined by Wider Inaction

Environment + Energy Leader

The BoF Sustainability Index 2022 finds that incremental progress among a handful of larger players assessed last year is eclipsed by wider industry inaction, as the time left for fashion to curb its impact by 2030 – a milestone for global sustainability goals – runs short. . The post Individual Progress in the Fashion Industry Is Undermined by Wider Inaction 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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Good News from “Down Under”

Legal Planet

Australia has had a change of government. The Liberal Party — conservative in everything but name — lost control of the federal government to Labor. Australia was recently ranked last out of sixty countries in climate policy.The victorious Labor candidate told his supporters, “Together we can end the climate wars. Together we can take advantage of the opportunity for Australia to be a renewable energy superpower.”.

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A Daughter’s Story: White Supremacy and the Poor People’s Campaign

Union of Concerned Scientists

UCS is honored to be a mobilizing partner for the Poor People’s Campaign , a nonviolent call to moral revival. If you can join us in Washington, DC on June 18 th in solidarity with their march and assembly, I hope you will. Buffalo. Charlottesville. El Paso. Pittsburgh. Charleston. I’ve been fortunate to visit all these great cities. Each has its own character, architecture, arts scene, mix of peoples and histories, its delicious foods and its distinctive accents.

Politics 279
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Thawing Permafrost In Sweden Releases Less Methane Than Feared, Study Finds

Yale E360

A study in northern Sweden found that melting permafrost released one tenth as much methane as expected, suggesting emissions from thawing Arctic tundra could be less than previously feared. Read more on E360 ?.

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Fifth force could explain puzzling orbits of dwarf galaxies

Physics World

New physics, in the form of a “fifth force”, could be responsible for the odd and unexplained arrangement of dwarf galaxies orbiting the Milky Way and other large galaxies – according to new research done it the UK. The new force could also shed light on the nature of dark matter, a mysterious substance that accounts for about 85% of the matter in the universe.

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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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What’s Up With Water — May 10, 2022

Circle of Blue

This week’s episode of What’s Up With Water covers recent heatwaves in India and Pakistan and the reason some homes in Australia may become “uninsurable.” Plus, Circle of Blue reports on how rising water costs in Michigan are impacting low-income households. Transcript. Welcome to “What’s Up With Water” – your need-to-know news of the world’s water from Circle of Blue.

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Mandarin Oriental Sets Energy, Emissions, Waste, and Water Reduction Targets

Environment + Energy Leader

In 2012, the Mandarin Oriental set out to make a lasting impact — sustainability-wise. The company has been striving to reduce its environmental footprint by setting bold energy, emissions, waste, and water targets. Its goal has been to reduce its overall footprint by 20–25% across these targets. The post Mandarin Oriental Sets Energy, Emissions, Waste, and Water Reduction Targets appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

Waste 289
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My Kind of Town

Legal Planet

“My kind of town, Chicago is my kind of town.” Or so Frank Sinatra sang. I’m not sure he really felt that way himself, but the song rings a chord with me. I didn’t grow up in Chicago but we visited frequently to see my parents’ families. Chicago is also, as it turns out, ground zero for climate change. The Chicago lakefront has been a site of contestation, development, and preservation since its early days.

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A Year After the Shell Ruling: Big Victories and Next Steps for Climate Litigation

Union of Concerned Scientists

Today marks one year since the precedent-setting court ruling in the Netherlands, which ordered Shell to cut its activities’ carbon emissions by 45 percent compared to 2019 levels to align with the Paris climate agreement. The ruling was a landmark for climate litigation, demonstrating the potential power of the courts to help ensure a just climate future.

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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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Salt Scourge: The Dual Threat of Warming and Rising Salinity

Yale E360

As rising seas increase saltwater intrusion and soaring temperatures cause greater evaporation, scientists say that the mounting levels of salt in waters and in soils pose a major climate-related danger and could become a leading cause of climate migration globally. Read more on E360 ?.

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Driverless cars could force other road users to drive more efficiently

New Scientist

Cars controlled by AI drive smoothly and more efficiently, and a computer model suggests the effect spreads to nearby drivers too

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Some Michigan Water Systems Are Overbuilt, Underfunded. Are Mergers The Answer?

Circle of Blue

Some Michigan Water Systems Are Overbuilt, Underfunded. Are Mergers The Answer? Customers get cheaper, cleaner water when communities share the cost of infrastructure. But Michigan’s experience shows how political conflicts and logistical challenges can complicate the math. Throughout the Great Lakes region and across the U.S., water systems are aging.

2022 244
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Individual Progress in the Fashion Industry Is Undermined by Wider Inaction

Environment + Energy Leader

The BoF Sustainability Index 2022 finds that incremental progress among a handful of larger players assessed last year is eclipsed by wider industry inaction, as the time left for fashion to curb its impact by 2030 – a milestone for global sustainability goals – runs short. . The post Individual Progress in the Fashion Industry Is Undermined by Wider Inaction appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

2030 246
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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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A “Hunger Catastrophe” in the Making

Legal Planet

Grain shipments at Port of Novorossiysk. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons. The global food system is in crisis for the third time in fifteen years. Food prices are hitting all-time highs, pushing hundreds of millions of people deeper into poverty and food insecurity and threatening political stability in regions around the world. The World Food Programme has called the current situation a “ hunger catastrophe ,” noting that since 2019, the number of people facing acute food insecurity has more t

Politics 246
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Consumers Tell Tyson Foods to Keep Its Sustainability Promise

Union of Concerned Scientists

My colleagues and I here at the Union of Concerned Scientists were surprised when we saw the size of the “feed footprint” attributable to meat and poultry giant Tyson Foods. The term refers to the amount of farmland used to grow feed grains for the vast numbers of chickens, pigs, and cattle Tyson slaughters and processes every year. According to our r e c e n t analysis , that acreage in 2020 was nearly twice the size of the state of New Jersey.

2020 264
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Germany Slashes Summer Train Fares More Than 90 Percent to Curb Driving, Save Fuel

Yale E360

Germany's parliament has set summer train fares at 9 euros per month in a bid to slash pollution and curb imports of Russian oil by spurring drivers to take public transit. Read more on E360 ?.

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Rare X-rays from white-dwarf explosion spotted by chance

Physics World

Astronomers have made the first observations of X-rays being emitted from a white-dwarf star that has burst into life while stripping material from a companion star. The process caused a thermonuclear runaway that resulted in a massive explosion or nova. Ole König a PhD student at the Dr Karl Remeis-Observatory and Erlangen Centre for Astroparticle Physics at Friedrich-Alexander-University, Germany?

Radiation 145
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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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Short-Changing Michigan Local Governments Has Resulted in Deteriorating Water Systems and Other Services

Circle of Blue

Short-Changing Michigan Local Governments Has Resulted in Deteriorating Water Systems and Other Services. Throughout the Great Lakes region and across the U.S., water systems are aging. In some communities, this means water bills that residents can’t afford or water that’s unsafe to drink. It means that vulnerable systems are even more at risk in a changing climate.

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Mandarin Oriental Sets Energy, Emissions, Waste, and Water Reduction Targets

Environment + Energy Leader

In 2012, the Mandarin Oriental set out to make a lasting impact — sustainability-wise. The company has been striving to reduce its environmental footprint by setting bold energy, emissions, waste, and water targets. Its goal has been to reduce its overall footprint by 20–25% across these targets. The post Mandarin Oriental Sets Energy, Emissions, Waste, and Water Reduction Targets appeared first on Environment + Energy Leader.

Waste 246
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Badly Drafted and Constitutionally Suspect

Legal Planet

Texas and a number of other states have passed laws banning what they call “boycotts of fossil fuel companies.” More precisely, they ban state investment or contracting with firms that “boycott” fossil fuel companies. Besides being fundamentally misguided and difficult to implement, these blacklist laws are incompetently drafted and quite likely unconstitutional.

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Minnesota Lawmakers Could Go Big on Clean Energy, or Go Small

Union of Concerned Scientists

Minnesota needs substantial investments now to build toward an equitable clean energy future. The good news is, Minnesota legislators have a chance to pass the level of investment needed to set the state on a path to a carbon-free economy. The bad news is, they have to find a compromise between two vastly different clean energy bills—by Monday. The science is clear: Limiting the adverse effects of climate change requires rapid reductions in emissions now.

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As Conflict Persists, Gold Mining Boom Is Ravaging Myanmar

Yale E360

With a military junta retaking power last year, a gold rush is increasingly despoiling rivers in the Myanmar state of Kachin, polluting water with mercury, destroying riverbanks and farmland, and disrupting the traditional way of life of the region’s ethnic groups. Read more on E360 ?.

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