Sat.Sep 28, 2024 - Fri.Oct 04, 2024

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Hurricane Helene’s Massive Destruction Was Supercharged by Climate Change, Here’s How You Can Help 

Union of Concerned Scientists

Hurricane Helene has left an 800-mile path of destruction across Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Kentucky. Right now, people are desperately waiting to hear from loved ones to confirm their safety, while others are living their worst fears as the death toll rises. My heart is heavy. The grief of yet another climate-changed event is overwhelming.

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On Navajo Lands, Ancient Ways Are Restoring the Parched Earth

Yale E360

Farming once thrived in the Black Mesa region, before overgrazing and climate change wreaked havoc with the land. Today, the Navajo are restoring their watersheds — and boosting their food sovereignty — with earthen berms and small dams made of woven brush, sticks, and rocks.

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A Good Day to Drop Big Oil

Legal Planet

On Sunday, October 6, sports teams throughout the U.S. will participate in something called Green Sports Day, an annual event to promote sustainability in sports. Often, it’s a chance for a franchise to promote the recycling or energy conservation that goes on at its stadium. One thing these teams almost certainly will not be talking about—but should be—is the oil and gas companies that continue to buy influence with American audiences through a wide range of sponsorships in major league sports

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UPCYCLING: GOLDEN BEEF TALLOW (THE SOAP)

Cleannovate

The thing with beef tallow is that it turns waxy immediately it’s removed from the flame. Wax, as we know it, it hard. And that’s exactly what we are looking for when we want to make bar soap. Combine hardness with good foaming, and you have a superb soap bar that can serve you for ages. And that’s what we shall be talking about here.

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Changing the Game with MES: Cut Costs, Drive Efficiency, & Achieve Sustainability Goals!

Speaker: Nikhil Joshi, Founder & President of Snic Solutions

In an era where efficiency is king, are you leveraging the right tools to transform your manufacturing processes? A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) is critical for enhancing operational efficiency, reducing waste, and optimizing energy usage—key factors for improving your bottom line and lowering your carbon footprint. Join Nikhil Joshi, a manufacturing technology expert with 18+ years of hands-on experience, in this new webinar as he uncovers the secrets of MES and how to best utilize thes

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Bankrolling the Burn: Why Climate Scientists are Taking on Fossil Fuel Financiers

Union of Concerned Scientists

Timed to coincide with the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), last week’s Climate Week in New York City s spotlighted the urgent need for ambitious worldwide climate action. The death toll and devastation of Hurricane Helene has underscored that urgency. UNGA and the upcoming international climate negotiations in Baku, Azerbaijan (known as COP29 ), are crucial because governments bear primary responsibility for adopting and implementing policies that will sharply reduce global warming emiss

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Why We Need a Strong Global Agreement on Plastics Pollution

Yale E360

Twenty years ago, scientist Richard Thompson sounded the alarm on microplastics pollution. Now, as understanding of the problem has grown, he says it is critical that international negotiators produce an effective plastics treaty when they meet next month in South Korea.

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Parts of Antarctica are turning green at an 'astounding' rate

New Scientist

Satellite images of the Antarctic Peninsula and nearby islands reveal that the area covered by vegetation grew dramatically between 1986 and 2021 and the rate of growth has accelerated since 2016

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Protecting Public Health Is Complicated. But Science Can Help, and the Time Is Now.

Union of Concerned Scientists

For a long time, public health protections that limit the harm of pollutants have been narrowly targeted, asking “Will this chemical from this source pose harm to people?” But that’s not how pollution is actually experienced. When we breathe the air or drink the water, we’re taking in any potential contaminants all at once—with effects that can combine or even compound.

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In UK, Renewables Bring About Death of Coal

Yale E360

Birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, Britain is this week shutting down its last coal plant. Starting Tuesday, its power grid will be permanently coal-free.

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SB 1221 is Law. Time for Targeted Neighborhood Electrification.

Legal Planet

Governor Newsom recently signed a bill ( SB 1221 ) that lays the groundwork for a vital shift in California’s clean energy transition. The bill– by Senator Dave Min , with support from key decarbonization advocates –will create a pilot program at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to designate up to 30 “neighborhood decarbonization zone” projects.

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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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Ants can be used to make yogurt – and now we know how it works

New Scientist

A traditional yogurt-making practice from south-eastern Europe uses live ants as a starter, with the insects providing the bacteria and acid needed to initiate fermentation

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How to Avoid Misunderstanding Chinese Nuclear Weapons Policy

Union of Concerned Scientists

During a recent presentation on whether the world is “destined for a Cold War in the 21st century,” one of the panelists drew attention to a sentence from an authoritative Chinese document that said China decided to “accelerate the development of strategic deterrent capabilities.” A colleague walked away from the presentation with the impression “strategic deterrent capabilities” refered to nuclear weapons.

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Study Finds Plastic Additives in the Air

Yale E360

Scientists have found evidence of plastic additives in the air over Southern California, including one additive that has been banned from use in toys.

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How Climate Change Intensified Helene and the Appalachian Floods

Inside Climate News

Rain just before the storm set the stage for a catastrophe. By Sean Sublette Helene is the fourth Gulf Coast hurricane to make landfall this year. Only five other years had that many since comprehensive hurricane records began in 1851.

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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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Space may be filled with more antimatter than we can explain

New Scientist

A detector on the International Space Station found signatures of unexpectedly abundant antimatter – which may have been created in clashes of dark matter particles

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This Hydrogen Tax Loophole Would Spike Carbon Emissions–But it’s Not Too Late. 

Union of Concerned Scientists

For hydrogen to have any role in the clean energy transition , it must be cleanly produced. The Section 45V Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit (“45V”), passed as part of 2022’s landmark climate investment law , was specifically designed to spur the shift away from today’s dirty methods of hydrogen production to truly clean production processes instead.

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Edge of Antarctica Has Grown Dramatically Greener

Yale E360

Over the last four decades, vegetation cover on the Antarctic Peninsula has grown tenfold, a new study finds.

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What to Expect in the EPA’s New Lead in Tap Water Rule

NRDC

The EPA will soon issue a major new rule to control lead in tap water. We expect it will finally take a big step toward addressing this public health scourge.

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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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Ancient plankton suggests extreme El Niños will become twice as common

New Scientist

Plankton that lived during the last glacial maximum have helped confirm the accuracy of our climate models – suggesting the predictions those models make about future El Niño events are accurate too

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Wetlands 101

Enviromental Defense

The experience of exploring a wetland is like no other. The sounds of birds singing and frogs croaking, paired with the incredible sights like watching turtles sunbathe on rocks and logs, or seeing a beaver collect materials for its dam, wetlands are truly remarkable ecosystems. On top of being a natural paradise, wetlands are some of the hardest working ecosystems – which is why they are often referred to as the “kidneys of the earth.

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Unforced Variations: Oct 2024

Real Climate

This month’s open thread for climate topics. Please stay vaguely on topic and do not abuse other commenters. The post Unforced Variations: Oct 2024 first appeared on RealClimate.

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Greening of Antarctica is Another Sign of Significant Climate Shift on the Frozen Continent

Inside Climate News

New research documents accelerating plant growth on the Antarctic Peninsula and nearby islands. By Bob Berwyn When satellites first started peering down on the craggy, glaciated Antarctic Peninsula about 40 years ago, they saw only a few tiny patches of vegetation covering a total of about 8,000 square feet—less than a football field.

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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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Ancient DNA tells story of toddler who lived in Italy 17,000 years ago

New Scientist

A young boy who lived towards the end of the last glacial period had dark skin, blue eyes and a congenital heart condition, a study of his genome reveals

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Power-Thirsty AI Turns to Mothballed Nuclear Plants. Is That Safe?

Scientific American

As Microsoft strikes a deal to restart a reactor at Three Mile Island to power AI, nuclear specialists weigh in on the unprecedented process

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California Becomes First State to Ban “Sell By” Dates on Packaged Foods

NRDC

Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 660, which bans the use of consumer-facing “Sell By” dates and requires the use of standardized food date labeling terminology, reducing consumer confusion and the environmental and socio-economic impacts of food waste

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Hurricane Helene Raises Questions About Raising Animals in Increasingly Vulnerable Places

Inside Climate News

Greenhouse gas emissions from livestock are growing. So are climate-fueled storms that pummel the industry. By Georgina Gustin Matthew. Michael. Florence. Now Helene.

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China's answer to SpaceX's Starlink is also threatening astronomy

New Scientist

The first 18 satellites of a planned Chinese mega constellation are brighter than all but 500 stars in the sky, raising fears of a huge impact on astronomy

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Court Finds Typical Levels of Drinking Water Fluoridation Present an Unreasonable Risk to Health, Directs EPA to Take Regulatory Action

Nanotech

After the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) denied a 2016 petition filed under Section 21 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) requesting that EPA consider whether fluoride in drinking water presents an unreasonable risk of injury to human health, a coalition of non-governmental organizations (NGO) promptly filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

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DEP Begins Accepting Grant Applications Oct. 9 To Plug Orphan Conventional Oil & Gas Wells Abandoned By Their Owners

PA Environment Daily

On October 2, the Department of Environmental Protection announced it will begin accepting applications on October 9 for grants to plug orphan conventional oil and gas wells abandoned by their owners. The new program is part of the $76 million in funding Pennsylvania received from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for plugging wells abandoned by conventional oil and gas well owners.

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Focusing on Foreign Investments: Congress Aims to Add Agriculture to CFIUS

National Law Center

On September 11, 2024, the House passed the Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024 (H.R. 9456) which seeks. The post Focusing on Foreign Investments: Congress Aims to Add Agriculture to CFIUS appeared first on National Agricultural Law Center.

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Here's how coral reefs might survive hotter, more acidic oceans

New Scientist

Coral reefs around the world are at risk of collapse due to rising temperatures and acidifying oceans, but the natural adaptability of some species may help buy time

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About

PBS Nature

Discover the wildlife of Transylvania, a mysterious and secretive region hiding some of Europe’s last true wilderness. Its soaring Carpathian Mountains and vast ancient forests still provide sanctuary for some of Europe’s most charismatic animals – wolves, bears and lynx. History, folklore and nature create a special blend of wild magic in Transylvania.

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