Sat.Feb 10, 2024 - Fri.Feb 16, 2024

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Plastics Reckoning: PVC Is Ubiquitous, But Maybe Not for Long

Yale E360

Used in everything from water pipes to car seats, PVC has long attracted criticism: a key ingredient is carcinogenic, and its additives include known endocrine disruptors. Now, the EPA is evaluating PVC’s safety, and an emerging global plastics treaty may limit its use.

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Ohio Ratepayers Shouldn’t Have to Pay for Money-Losing Coal Plants

Union of Concerned Scientists

Large numbers of coal plants in the United States have been closing for quite some time now due to the declining economics of coal-fired power. It doesn’t make financial sense for many coal plants stay open due to competition from more affordable clean resources —such as wind and solar—as well as from other fossil fuel power plants, such as those fired by methane gas.

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A New Strategic Plan for California Offshore Wind

Legal Planet

For those following offshore wind development in California, January 19, 2024, marked an important moment—the release of the long-awaited Draft Assembly Bill 525 Offshore Wind Strategic Plan from the California Energy Commission (CEC). Some important foundations for offshore wind, a new but growing industry in California, had already been laid. Assembly Bill 525 (AB 525, Chiu, Chapter 231, Statutes of 2021) lent momentum to the development of offshore wind in the state by identifying important n

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A Breach of Fiduciary in the Oil Patch

Energy & the Law

Antero Resources Corp. v. C & R Downhole Drilling, Inc. et al , proves again the extreme risk when one bites the hand that feeds him (shoutout to Greek poet Sappho, 600 BCE. He probably had a Dalmation). Antero sued former employee Kawsak and his accomplices Robertson and his companies for breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and unjust enrichment. The jury award Antero $11.1 million against Kawsak in actual damages, $775,000 as recoupment for the value Kawcak received as a result of the breach,

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Precision in Motion: Why Process Optimization Is the Future of Manufacturing

Speaker: Jason Chester, Director, Product Management

In today’s manufacturing landscape, staying competitive means moving beyond reactive quality checks and toward real-time, data-driven process control. But what does true manufacturing process optimization look like—and why is it more urgent now than ever? Join Jason Chester in this new, thought-provoking session on how modern manufacturers are rethinking quality operations from the ground up.

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In Icy Greenland, Area Covered by Vegetation Has More Than Doubled in Size

Yale E360

In Greenland, where temperatures are rising twice as fast as across the rest of the world, the icy, rocky landscape is turning increasingly green, a new study finds.

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Grid Investments are Critical to Our Clean Energy Future

Union of Concerned Scientists

Last November, the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) released an interdisciplinary study exploring the various pathways to meeting US goals to cut heat-trapping emissions economywide 50 to 52 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions no later than 2050. The good news? It’s doable —and the United States would reap significant health and economic benefits in the process.

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We Need Gun Safety Ahead of Elections in the U.S.

Scientific American

U.S.

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How a Legal Loophole Allows Gas Leaks to Keep on Flowing

Yale E360

A new federal rule will cut major methane emissions from natural gas production. But residents of Pennsylvania’s fracking region contend that the cumulative impact of smaller leaks, which go unreported, will continue unabated, compromising their air, water, and health.

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Plug-in Hybrids: Are They Really a Solution to Reducing Emissions?

Union of Concerned Scientists

It’s immediately clear how fully-electric battery electric vehicles (BEVs) can help reduce emissions; eliminating gasoline and tailpipes in favor of increasingly clean electricity helps limit both climate change and air pollution. Plug-in hybrids are a bit more complicated. A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (or PHEV) has both a gasoline engine and one or more battery-powered electric motors.

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Rising greenhouse gases have cooling effect on Antarctica’s atmosphere

New Scientist

A "negative greenhouse effect" means rising concentrations of CO2 and methane have slightly cooled parts of Antarctica’s upper atmosphere, but that could change as the air becomes more humid

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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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Farmers in Crisis, Long Overlooked, Are Finally Getting Mental Health Support

Scientific American

Amid a mounting mental health crisis among farmers, experts are working to make help more accessible

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Nearly Half of Migratory Species in Decline, UN Report Finds

Yale E360

A sweeping new report, unveiled at the start of a major U.N. conference on the conservation of wildlife, held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, finds that nearly half of migratory species are in decline, from Egyptian vultures to steppe eagles to wild camels.

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Something Stinks: California Must End Manure Biomethane Accounting Gimmicks in its Low Carbon Fuel Standard

Union of Concerned Scientists

California’s transportation fuel policy is knee deep in cow poop, and it’s not a good look. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is considering amendments to its Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) regulation, but indicated they have no plans to address the problems caused by counter-productive subsidies for manure biomethane. CARB’s use of the LCFS as a cash cow to fund manure digesters is bad transportation fuel policy and bad agricultural policy.

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Genetically modified banana approved by regulators for first time

New Scientist

Regulators in Australia and New Zealand havegiven the green light to growing a genetically modified banana resistant to a devastating fungal disease spreading worldwide

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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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To Design Cities Right, We Need to Focus on People

Scientific American

Far too often, city planning is approached as an engineering problem, instead of connecting people with the land

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The World Is Losing Migratory Species At Alarming Rates

Inside Climate News

A first of its kind U.N. study by conservation scientists finds nearly half of internationally protected migratory species are on their way to extinction. By Katie Surma Humans are driving migratory animals—sea turtles, chimpanzees, lions and penguins, among dozens of other species—towards extinction, according to the most comprehensive assessment of migratory species ever carried out.

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A New Election Science Task Force Aims to Strengthen Our Elections—and Our Democracy 

Union of Concerned Scientists

A strong and healthy democracy reflects the will of the people. It gives everyone an equal opportunity to participate and have their vote counted, regardless of race, gender, wealth, or social status. It ensures that all voters have the ability to advocate for themselves and their communities. It depends on all of us to take part and strengthen our democracy together, and science has a crucial role to play.

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Realism of OpenAI’s Sora video generator raises security concerns

New Scientist

The latest AI model capable of converting text into video is attracting praise from some AI researchers, while also raising concerns about the risks of video deepfakes during global elections in 2024

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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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Newly Discovered Asteroid Fragments Are As Old as the Solar System

Scientific American

Fragments from Asteroid 2024 BX1 have proven to be a rare meteorite type that helps reveal the early solar system's building blocks

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California Isn’t Ready for a Megaflood. Or the Loss of Daniel Swain.

Inside Climate News

The state’s legendary and beloved “climate scientist-communicator” finds his public outreach isn’t valued by the institutions in America that fund science. By Liza Gross Powerful storms drenched California last week, as massive rivers in the sky unleashed destructive downpours and winds that caused widespread flooding and mudslides, toppled trees that killed four people in Northern California, cut power to nearly 900,000 people statewide and dumped record-setting rainfall on Southern California,

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California Regulators Increased Their Clean Energy Ambition. Will They Deliver?

Union of Concerned Scientists

Today, California took another important step in planning for the transition to clean energy, a step that’s been a long time coming. To reach the state’s goals of 100% clean electricity and economy-wide carbon neutrality by 2045, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has been tasked with planning the clean electricity transition via its Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) process.

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Russia’s space weapon: Is it nuclear and does it pose a threat?

New Scientist

US officials have warned of a new international security threat – a mysterious Russian space weapon that may possess nuclear capabilities.

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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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Smoking May Compromise Immune Health, Even Years After Quitting

Scientific American

A new study found persistent effects of smoking on the adaptive immune system, but how this translates to health risks remains unclear

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Couples therapy – let’s fix our relationship with the financial sector

Enviromental Defense

Roses are red, violets are blue. I love climate-aligned financial regulations, and you should too. You have a relationship with your bank and pension, but the way they are managing your money might not be in the best interest of you or the climate. Maybe it’s started to grind your gears. This Valentine’s Day, we ask: how can we fix the broken relationship between financial institutions and climate action, so you can feel good about your bank again?

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One of the World’s Rarest Whales

Ocean Conservancy

Each year we discover new species on land and at sea. In 2023, more than 5,000 new deep-sea species were discovered in a large area between Hawaii and Mexico in the Pacific. Defying all biological norms, recently discovered Antarctic strawberry-feather star species can have more than 20 arms. Jumping size brackets, in 2019 a new species called Sato’s beaked whales was identified in the North Pacific , and in 2021, the 40-foot-long Rice’s whale was formally recognized in the Gulf of Mexico.

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Microdosing LSD increases the complexity of your brain signals

New Scientist

A measure of consciousness called neural complexity increases even with small doses of LSD, but we still don't know the potential risks of microdosing psychedelic drugs

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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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Space Lasers Will Seek a New Kind of Gravitational Waves

Scientific American

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) will open a new era in astronomy that brings scientists to the brink of studying gravitational waves from the beginning of time

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A New Study Revealed Big Underestimates of Greenland Ice Loss—and the Power of New Technologies to Track the Changes

Inside Climate News

Better tracking of declines at the edges of the ice sheets suggests previous estimates missed 20 percent of the meltoff. The research highlights the role AI can play in accurately capturing the glaciers’ decline. By Moriah McDonald Although a new study of the mass of the Greenland Ice Sheet shows that previous research underestimated its ice loss by about 20 percent, which could lead to unexpected increases in sea level rise, it also held good news about the technological advancements used to ma

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As Demand Grows for Electric Cars, So Does the Market for Green Jobs in the EV Industry

NRDC

Analysts expect openings for all types of electric vehicle jobs to expand over the next decade, with new opportunities across the country.

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Nanobot uses a DNA clutch to engage its engine

New Scientist

A tiny robot with a clutch that mimics similar mechanisms found in microorganisms could be used to trigger the internal workings of a cell

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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.