May, 2024

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Statement in Response to Another Failed Carbon Capture Project 

Enviromental Defense

Statement from Julia Levin, Associate Director, National Climate Ottawa | Traditional, unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg People – Today Capital Power announced that they would not be pursuing carbon capture at the Genesee Generating Station, east of Edmonton Alberta, given the high costs and complexity of implementing the technology. The project was first proposed in 2021, and has already received government subsidies.

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Driving on Electricity Is Now Much Cleaner than Using a Gasoline Car

Union of Concerned Scientists

Replacing gasoline with electricity greatly reduces the carbon emissions from driving. Based on where electric vehicles (EVs) have been sold, driving the average EV in the US produces global warming emissions equal to a hypothetical 94 mile per gallon gasoline car, or less than a third of the emissions of the average new gasoline car. Transportation is the largest sector for emissions , and passenger cars, trucks, and SUVs are the majority of transportation emissions, so there is no way to slow

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California Seeks to Protect Homes from Excessive Indoor Heat

Legal Planet

Hotter, deadlier, and more frequent heat waves have become one of the most surefire signs of a changing climate in our day-to-day lives. California recognized the need for action on this issue in 2022 by bringing to life AB 209 , one section of which centers around creating better indoor heat safety in homes. That should include mobile home communities, which are too often left out of this discussion.

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Parkinson’s disease could be prevented by a recent tetanus vaccine

New Scientist

People who have had a recent vaccine against tetanus appear to be less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease, suggesting that the bacterial infection is involved in the condition

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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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In Two New Studies, Scientists See Signs of Fundamental Climate Shifts in Antarctica

Inside Climate News

A steep decline of Antarctic sea ice may mark a long-term transformation in the Southern Ocean, and seawater intrusions beneath the Thwaites Glacier could explain its melting outpacing projections. By Bob Berwyn Antarctica’s vast ice fields and the floating sea ice surrounding the continent are Earth’s biggest heat shields, bouncing solar radiation away from the planet, but two studies released today show how global warming is encroaching even on the sunlight reflector in the coldest region on t

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Call for Applications: ESA Editorial Fellows

ESA

by Richard Wallace, Director of Publishing The Ecological Society of America (ESA) is delighted to announce the call for applications for its inaugural Editorial Fellows Program (EFP). The EFP is part of ESA’s ongoing efforts to provide professional development opportunities to early career ecologists and environmental scientists, especially those from historically excluded or underrepresented groups.

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New Maps Show Where Tyson Foods Is Polluting Water

Union of Concerned Scientists

Tyson Foods, the largest meat and poultry producer in the United States, churns out billions of animal products each year. In addition to countless ribeye steaks and chicken nuggets, Tyson also produces contaminated wastewater—over 18.5 billion gallons in 2022 alone. This toxic stew includes animal parts and byproducts like blood and feces, pathogens like E. coli and Enterococcus , and nitrogen and phosphorus that can deplete oxygen in bodies of water.

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Wildfires, Floods & Heat Waves: Brought to You By Big Oil

Enviromental Defense

The climate crisis is here. 2023 was the hottest year on record The degree of devastation across Canada in 2023 was difficult to comprehend. People lost their homes, communities and livelihoods. Some even lost their lives. Last year’s wildfire season was Canada’s most destructive on record, burning more than 18 million hectares across the country from British Columbia to Nova Scotia.

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Global capacity to directly suck CO2 from air has just quadrupled

New Scientist

A new plant in Iceland operated by the firm Climeworks can remove up to 36,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the air per year, more than quadrupling existing global capabilities

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Increasingly Frequent Ocean Heat Waves Trigger Mass Die-Offs of Sealife, and Grief in Marine Scientists

Inside Climate News

Heat waves recently extended across nearly 30 percent of the world’s oceans, an expanse equivalent to the surface area of North America, Asia, Europe and Africa. By Bob Berwyn Over the past several years, the temperature of the Earth’s oceans have been spiking high enough to trigger numerous die-offs of marine species , killing millions of corals, fish, mammals, birds and plants.

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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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Longest-Ever COVID Infection Lasted More Than 600 Days

Scientific American

A Dutch man with lymphoma and other blood disorders was infected with the COVID-causing virus for nearly two years, during which time the pathogen evolved numerous mutations

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Environmental Groups Challenge Highway Expansion Project in Court

NRDC

Environmental groups filed suit today to challenge the Yolo I-80 highway expansion project. Citing a flawed environmental impact report that understates the true impacts to traffic, climate and air quality, the groups petitioned the courts to require Caltrans to redo.

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Get Ready: 85% Chance of Above-Normal Atlantic Hurricane Season that May Break Records

Union of Concerned Scientists

Source: [link] The May 23 outlook from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ) forecasts 17 to 25 named storms, eight to 13 of which could become hurricanes. NOAA [link] Four to seven major hurricanes are forecast. This is a concerning outlook, and it can be explained as follows. The recipe for the 2024 hurricane outlook Ingredients : Record warm sea surface temperature ( SST ) for most of the Atlantic (currently 1-2 degrees Celsius above average, which is more like temperat

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Alberta’s New Committee on Tar Sands Tailings is Too Little, Too Late 

Enviromental Defense

Statement by Aliénor Rougeot, Program Manager, Climate and Energy Toronto | Traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat – Alberta’s newly announced Oil Sands Mine Water Steering Committee is just another attempt to delay action and distract from the daily harm caused by toxic tailings in the tar sands.

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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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Our writers pick their favourite science fiction books of all time

New Scientist

We asked New Scientist staff to pick their favourite science fiction books. Here are the results, ranging from 19th-century classics to modern day offerings, and from Octavia E. Butler to Iain M.

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The Department of Agriculture Rubber-Stamped Tyson’s “Climate Friendly” Beef, but No One Has Seen the Data Behind the Company’s Claim

Inside Climate News

As millions of taxpayer dollars flow to livestock companies claiming to raise “low carbon” beef, watchdog groups scrutinize the government’s oversight. By Georgina Gustin About five miles south of Broken Bow, in the heart of central Nebraska, thousands of cattle stand in feedlots at Adams Land & Cattle Co., a supplier of beef to the meat giant Tyson Foods.

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The Strongest Solar Storm in 20 Years Did Little Damage, but Worse Space Weather Is Coming

Scientific American

Years of careful planning helped safeguard against last weekend’s severe space weather, but we still don’t know how we’d cope with a monster event

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Utah Nursery Gives Endangered Fish a Place to Grow

Cool Green Science

A Nature Conservancy preserve in Moab, Utah offers hopeful news for endangered razorback suckers: this fall, 51 juvenile suckers were […] The post Utah Nursery Gives Endangered Fish a Place to Grow appeared first on Cool Green Science.

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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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From Whale Oil to Wind Power: the Fossil Fuel Industry’s Disinformation Is an Ocean of Hypocrisy

Union of Concerned Scientists

Call me Ishmael. Some years ago, I began to feel the most important thing I could do was learn how to replace fossil fuel with renewable energy. I had seen from an early age how oil dependency distorted and aggravated conflicts around the world, especially in the Middle East. For 30 years I have been an advocate for offshore wind development off New England’s coast and for the creation of institutions to support a transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

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Why We Must Talk About Climate Change When Things Are on Fire

Enviromental Defense

There’s a line in a song by Midnight Oil that was very popular in the environmental movement when I was younger: “How can we sleep when our beds are burning?” Since starting with Environmental Defence in January, I’ve been grappling with an updated version of those song lyrics: “Why we must talk about climate change when everything is burning?” Two communities in northern Alberta have been put on evacuation alert as wildfires close in.

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Quantum 'arrow of time' suggests early universe had no entanglement

New Scientist

One way to explain why time only moves forward is the quantum arrow of time, and it has major implications for both the universe's early period and its eventual demise

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The Torture and Killing of a Wolf, a New Endangered Species Lawsuit and Novel Science Revive Wyoming Debate Over the Predator

Inside Climate News

Conservationists are split over how to protect a keystone species in the Cowboy State. Can new science estimating the predators’ effects on carbon sequestration provide a path forward? By Jake Bolster On Feb. 29, Cody Roberts was out hunting on his snowmobile in Wyoming when he crossed paths with a lone gray wolf in the state’s “predator zone,” where wolves can be killed by almost any means and without a license.

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Puppy-Dog Eyes in Wild Canines Sparks Rethink on Dog Evolution

Scientific American

The eyebrows of the African wild dog have scientists wondering whether other canine species besides domestic dogs can make the irresistible “puppy-dog eyes” expression

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Colorado Legislative Roundup: 2024

NRDC

This legislative session, Colorado once again solidified its place as a climate leader by taking on new and innovative approaches to reduce emissions and protect the environment.

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The House Has 13 Working Days to Save RECA. Here’s What’s Happened in 2024 So Far.

Union of Concerned Scientists

The clock is ticking for the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA), which provides health screenings and compensation for people sickened by radiation from U.S. nuclear weapons production. RECA is set to expire on June 7; this would mean not only an end to life-saving health screenings and compensation, but also to the hopes of thousands of downwinders and uranium industry workers who have been unfairly excluded from the program for decades.

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Statement in response to the Government of Alberta’s attack on greenwashing amendments in Bill C-59 

Enviromental Defense

Statement by Emilia Belliveau, Energy Transition Program Manager Montréal/Tiohtià:ke | Traditional, unceded lands of the Kanien’kehá:ka/Mohawk Nation, a gathering place for many First Nations, including the Anishinaabeg – We are disappointed that the Government of Alberta is attacking the federal government’s attempts to clamp down on greenwashing. On May 28th the House of Commons passed Bill C-59 , which helps prevent greenwashing by requiring companies to provide evidence for their environment

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Autoimmune conditions linked to reactivated X chromosome genes

New Scientist

The inactivation of one copy of the X chromosome in female mammals may start to fail as they get older, which may be why women have a higher risk of autoimmune conditions such as lupus

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Farmers and Ranchers Love the IRA’s Climate-Smart Funding. Will the House Farm Bill Pull the Rug Out from Under Them?

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)

Photo credit: USDA For over a year and a half, countless farmers and ranchers nationwide have been sending an unmistakable message to policymakers in Washington, DC – that the climate-smart agriculture funding included in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is exactly what they’ve been looking for. Since the IRA was signed into law on August 16, 2022, the farmer-driven demand – in red states and blue states alike – for these resources has far outpaced availability.

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The 2024 Hurricane Season Could Be a Dangerous One

Scientific American

The National Hurricane Center’s hurricane season outlook for the Atlantic Ocean forecasts 17 to 25 named storms in 2024 because of an expected combination of warm ocean temperatures and a La Niña climate pattern

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Meet the Crown-of-Thorns Starfish

Ocean Conservancy

Mesmerizing crowns. Gorgeous colors. Alien-like appearances beneath our ocean’s surface. There’s no doubt about it that crown-of-thorns starfish are fascinating animals. But don’t be fooled by the beautiful hues and interesting spikes … too many of these animals in one place can be destructive to coral reefs and dangerous to both humans and marine wildlife.

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Climate Extremes Slammed Latin America and the Caribbean Last Year. A New UN Report Details the Impacts and Costs

Inside Climate News

Some scientists in the region said many of the effects seen today weren’t expected until the second half of the century. By Bob Berwyn Extreme climate shocks, intensified by global warming, killed hundreds of people and devastated livelihoods and ecosystems across Latin America and the Caribbean in 2023, scientists with the World Meteorological Organization said earlier this week when they released the annual state of the climate report for the region.

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The Ontario Government’s Anti-Density Bill 185 is so Extreme and Corrupt that even Density Opponents are Concerned

Enviromental Defense

Statement from Phil Pothen, Land Use and Land Development program manager Toronto | Traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat – The Ontario government’s latest attempt to kneecap efforts to build more homes in neighbourhoods – and supercharge suburban sprawl – is so extreme that even some long-time opponents of density are joining the opposition.

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Oldest known human viruses found hidden within Neanderthal bones

New Scientist

Genetic analysis of 50,000-year-old Neanderthal skeletons has uncovered the remnants of three viruses related to modern human pathogens, and the researchers think they could be recreated

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