October, 2023

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Stopping the Carnage: A Push to Protect Birds from Window Strikes

Yale E360

A massive bird kill this month highlighted a grim problem: As many as a billion birds die in the U.S. each year by flying into windows and glass walls. Efforts are now underway in cities to dim building lights, make glass more visible, and adopt other bird-friendly practices.

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Transition to EVs: a Win for Climate; Let’s Make it a Win for US Workers

Union of Concerned Scientists

A global transition to electric transportation is underway and momentum is growing. Traditional and new auto manufacturers are bringing more and more models to market. Even in California, where a tradition of stringent regulation has pushed the industry to innovate over the past 50 years, automakers are selling EVs at levels well above sales requirements.

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The World Solved Acid Rain. We Can Also Solve Climate Change

Scientific American

Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.

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California Enacts Major Water Law Reform Legislation–But More Changes Are Needed

Legal Planet

The California Legislature has enacted and Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed into law SB 389 , an important water law reform measure authored by State Senator Ben Allen. California has one of the most antiquated and outdated water rights systems of any Western state. Indeed, California currently faces a 21st century water supply crisis; relies on a 20th century water infrastructure system; and is burdened by a 19th century water rights legal regime.

Law 317
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Smart Tech + Human Expertise = 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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The 5th International Conference on Regional Climate

Real Climate

The fifth international conference on regional climate ( ICRC 2023 ), organised by World Climate Research Programme’s ( WCRP ) coordinated downscaling experiment ( CORDEX ), has just completed. It was a hybrid on-site/online conference with hubs in both Trieste/Italy (hosted by the International Centre on Theoretical Physics, ICTP ) and Pune/India.

2002 213
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Louisiana Oilfield Settlement Agreement Fails to Release Non-Party

Energy & the Law

Most states call it a third-party beneficiary contract. Leave it to Louisiana to be different. In Adams v. Chevron USA Inc. , the plaintiffs claimed that oilfield pipe-cleaning activities of Chevron and others contaminated their land with NORM. The Grafers owned the land where, pursuant to a lease, the pipes and other equipment were cleaned. Plaintiffs also sought damages from the Grefers for their own alleged negligence.

2014 148

More Trending

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How are EV batteries (actually) recycled?

Union of Concerned Scientists

Electric Vehicle (EV) battery recycling is crucial to a sustainable, electrified transportation system. A substantial portion of key minerals for electrifying could come from recycled batteries by 2050, dramatically reducing the need for new mining. But how those batteries are recycled can make a big difference—we must use recycling processes with high mineral recovery rates and lower environmental impact.

Recycling 334
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Connecticut Issues RFP for 2 GW of Offshore Wind

Law and Environment

Earlier today, the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (“DEEP”) issued an RFP for up to 2 GW of offshore wind. The RFP solicits bids to enter into long-term power purchase agreements for energy, renewable energy certificates (RECs), and related environmental attributes. Responses to the RFP will be evaluated by various state agencies and the electric distribution companies (“EDCs”), with the ultimate selection to be made by the Commissioner of DEEP.

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Livestock Operations Are Responsible for Over Half of California’s Methane Emissions—Why Won’t CARB Regulate Them?

Legal Planet

U.S. Dep’t of Agriculture At a recent California Air Resources Board (CARB) meeting, a staff member responded to a question about why CARB’s program for reducing emissions from transportation fuels incentivized the capture of methane from landfills so much less than the capture of methane from dairies: “Landfills have a different CI [carbon intensity] score because they are regulated,” the staff member explained.

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Face masks ward off covid-19, so why are we still arguing about it?

New Scientist

The most recent review into the effectiveness of face masks has confirmed that they do help to prevent covid-19, but the intervention remains a controversial issue

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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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Fifth Circuit Punts Postproduction Cost Question to Louisiana Supreme Court

Energy & the Law

The question in Self v, BPX Operating Company is how to balance the Louisiana Civil Code Art 2292 principle of negotiorum gestio against Louisiana’s conservation statutes. When a tract of land is subject to a unit formed under La. R.S. 30:9(B) and 30:10(A(1) and the tract is not subject to a lease, the unit operator can sell the landowner’s share of production but must pay the landowner his pro rata share of “proceeds”.

Law 148
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Why Is Britain Retreating from Global Leadership on Climate Action?

Yale E360

While Britain has long been a leader in cutting emissions, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is now implementing a stunning reversal of climate-friendly policies, with new plans to “max out” oil production. Business leaders have joined environmentalists in condemning the moves.

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Electric bikes: a Less-Polluting Option for Commutes and Errands in the “New Normal”

Union of Concerned Scientists

My commute now mostly consists of the distance from my bedroom to the laptop in my home office (with a short detour to the kitchen for coffee) because I’m fortunate enough to have a job and employer that allows me to work from home. But pre-COVID, most days I used an electric bike to handle the 11-mile round trip to and from the Oakland UCS office. And while I miss seeing my colleagues in person, at times I also miss my commute!

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Ontario Government Political Staff Directed Changes to Municipal Official Plans to Favour the Interests of Select Landowners

Enviromental Defense

ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENCE AND ECOJUSTICE Toronto | Traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat – Newly obtained documents released by Ontario’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing as a result of a series of freedom of information requests show that it was partisan Minister’s Office staff – not civil service experts – who directed changes to municipal Official Plans in ways that favoured select landowners and sprawl devel

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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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Taylor Swift and Climate Change Songs

Legal Planet

We don’t need Taylor Swift to “fall in love with a climate scientist,” we just wish she’d write a song about the climate crisis. When the breathless coverage of her relationship with Travis Kelce first boosted ratings for NFL football, some suggested Swift should use her star power for good by “dating a climate scientist.” Though they probably meant well, it’s offensive—misogynist even— to suggest that Taylor Swift has nothing more to contribute to the climate movement than a date.

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A Possible Crisis in the Cosmos Could Lead to a New Understanding of the Universe

Scientific American

Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.

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Merger Clause Defeats Claim to the Farmhouse

Energy & the Law

Barkley v. Connally , a “bet-the-farm” case if there ever was one, invokes the merger clause, a basic principle of contract law. Clients and lawyers: Read this analysis so as to avoid boundless grief and disappointment for client and lawyer alike. Jim Barkley, having undergone bankruptcy and nearing retirement, agreed to sell his farm to Connally, owner of an adjacent tract, if Jim and Ms.

2017 148
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The Planet’s Big Blue Machine: Why the Ocean Engine Matters

Yale E360

The ocean is an enormous engine, turning heat energy into motion, says physicist Helen Czerski. But human activity is threatening that machine — depriving the seas of oxygen, increasing stratification, and potentially changing the currents that influence global weather.

Ocean 363
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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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We Need Large-Scale Solar. A New Agreement Points the Way Forward

Union of Concerned Scientists

The solar energy sector is big and getting bigger. That’s a really good thing given the central role we expect and need solar to play in a just transition away from fossil fuels. But solar’s growth, especially in large arrays, has made it much more visible in communities and landscapes across the country, sparking a lot of conversations about land use, technology options, community engagement, and how best to site the many more megawatts of solar we need.

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Who Were the Worst of the Worst Climate Polluters in 2022?

Inside Climate News

EPA’s annual greenhouse gas report for large emitters show some facilities slashed their emissions while others polluted more than ever. By Phil McKenna Emissions from the largest greenhouse gas emitters in the U.S. were down slightly in 2022, but thousands of industrial facilities with substantial emissions remain, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s recently released Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program data.

2022 145
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The New Speaker Nominee and the Environment

Legal Planet

Tom Emmer, the newly picked Republican nominee for Speaker of the House, is a relative unknown despite having been part of the House Republican’s leadership team. Emmer, who grew up in an affluent suburb of Minneapolis, became a lawyer and then state representative. He successfully ran to replace Michele Bachman. If you’ve forgotten about her, she was essentially the Marjorie Taylor Greene of her era.

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To Lead a Meaningful Life, Become Your Own Hero

Scientific American

Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.

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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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Another Remand in Louisiana Coastal Zone Cases

Energy & the Law

Parish of Plaquemines v. Northcoast Oil Co. is yet another remand of yet another of the 43 suits filed in state courts against a legion of oil and gas companies under the Louisiana’s State and Local Coastal Resources Management Act of 1978. The suits arise out of the defendants’ decades-long oil production activities on the Louisiana coast. So far, the message seems to be: Producers, surrender to the jurisdiction of the state courts and trust in the wisdom of the well-intentioned citizen-jurors

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Abandoned Lands: A Hidden Resource for Restoring Biodiversity

Yale E360

Abandoned farmland has been increasing, with a billion acres — an area half the size of Australia — lost globally. Ecologists are increasingly pointing to the potential of these lands and of degraded forests as neglected resources for rewilding and for capturing carbon.

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Sowing Scholar-Activism: Situating Solidarity Alongside Science

Union of Concerned Scientists

Many frontline communities serve as the source of scientific data for researchers and scientists looking to use them as research topics—but see little to no benefit in sharing their knowledge, expertise, and traditions. Some communities have even seen their efforts and livelihoods undermined by outside scholarship, and from these negative experiences, develop a healthy distrust of academics.

Politics 297
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EPA to Fund Studies of Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Agriculture

Inside Climate News

Environmental regulators announced new grants to help researchers investigate how harmful PFAS affect plants and animals in agricultural environments. By Liza Gross The Environmental Protection Agency announced on Thursday $8 million in new research funding to understand how the toxic compounds known as “forever chemicals” are affecting plants and animals in agricultural, rural and tribal communities.

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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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California Climate Policy: A Preliminary Report Card

Legal Planet

We all know that California’s climate policies have led the nation. But how well have these policies actually worked? That’s not as easy to answer as you might think. You have to do some digging to come up with the numbers, and their meaning isn’t always completely clear. If you compare California with the country as a whole, however, it does seem clear that our climate policies have had a real impact on emissions.

2009 290
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Humans Absorb Bias from AI--And Keep It after They Stop Using the Algorithm

Scientific American

People may learn from and replicate the skewed perspective of an artificial intelligence algorithm, and they carry this bias beyond their interactions with the AI

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Lessee: Don’t Covet Your Neighbor’s Operations

Energy & the Law

Can the Texas lessee perpetuate his oil and gas lease by “constructive participation” in wells drilled by another? Under the facts in Cromwell v. Anadarko E&P Onshore, LLC, the answer is no. Cromwell and Anadarko’s wells In 2009 Cromwell obtained the Ferrer and Tantalo leases covering small fractional interests in several sections. Anadarko owned working interests in the same sections.

2009 148
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Human-Caused Warming Now a Major Factor in Formation of El Niño

Yale E360

A new study finds that climate change has become a significant factor in the formation of El Niños.

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California Can Do It

Union of Concerned Scientists

I’m not a native Californian but an adopted one. I love the way the state isn’t afraid to lead in times of great change. I was reminded of this recently when visiting the Rosie the Riveter museum, not far from my home in the Bay Area. Photos and audio recordings from the 1940s recreate a time of enormous upheaval. Amid fascist forces marching across Europe, democracy and a lot of lives were on the line.