@kathy_wei
Kathy Wei
78 w
With COP27 Ahead, Climate Pledges Have Barely Moved Forward Since COP26 Leaders will head to the COP27 summit in Egypt in less than two weeks, proposing new commitments and plan of actions despite the fact that there has been modest momentum towards meeting the world's climate targets since COP26 last year. Only 24 new or updated climate plans have been submitted since then. A new UN report released this morning examines countries' voluntary emissions reduction and climate adaptation pledges, known as nationally determined contributions, or NDCs. It found that overall, the world is still falling far short of committing to the emissions cuts needed to meet the Paris targets. That agreement calls for holding warming to "well below" 2°C, and preferably to 1.5°C compared to preindustrial levels. The NDCs currently set would set global average temperatures on a course to increase by about 2.5°C, resulting in devastating consequences. Despite calls in Glasgow during COP26 for countries to step up with more stringent emissions plans, only 24 actually did. However, the climate report details how emissions and eventual warming could actually be altered if all the unconditional and conditional pledges are met. The analysis evaluated the voluntary pledges and found that if countries actually implement them, global emissions may peak before 2030. Ideally, COP27 can spur more pledges, as the current trajectory is still insufficient in meeting the 1.5-degree target. "Government decisions and actions must reflect the level of urgency, the gravity of the threats we are facing, and the shortness of the time we have remaining to avoid the devastating consequences of runaway climate change.” https://www.axios.com/2022/10/26/climate-change-pledges-paris-targets-un
Kathy Wei
79 w
Despite Global Tumult, The Clean Energy Transition is Gaining Speed Investment in wind and solar is set to outpace oil and gas drilling for the first time this year — a milestone in the worldwide transition to clean energy that comes in spite of a spiraling energy crisis and calls to increase fossil fuel production. The International Energy Agency estimates the growth of low-carbon electricity generation this year will lead to a slight decrease in fossil fuel generation. And the U.S. Energy Information Administration projects renewables will generate more power in the United States this year than coal. These forecasts suggest the clean energy transition has remained durable in the face of prevailing headwinds. This year, the cost of energy has been thrust to the forefront of public debate. Energy prices have risen steadily in the last year due to the combination of pandemic-induced supply chain shortages, surging demand, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which upended global energy markets. Yet at the same time, strong renewable production still has persisted. The reason? The high power prices increase the returns for renewable projects, creating incentive for an energy transition. Renewables are attractive to countries facing soaring costs because wind and solar have no fuel costs and are domestically produced. The study also found that renewable projects in a handful of European countries could pay back their costs within a year at current power prices. The importance of this report lies in the impact; investments into renewables are likely to increase further moving forward as renewable project payback times shorten. https://www.eenews.net/articles/clean-energy-transition-gains-speed-despite-global-tumult/
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Hopeful news!
Kathy Wei
81 w
East Africa is on the Brink of a Drought-Caused Famine East Africa is currently facing the worst drought in 40 years, placing them on the brink of a famine that could kill 500,000 children. Warnings and pleas for help are becoming increasingly dire as the drought wipes out livestock and crops, deepening the hunger crisis. For the last four rainy seasons the annual rains have failed across Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia and forced 1.5 million people to flee their homes in search of food and water elsewhere. For those who have stayed, the devastating effects are clear. Currently, as reported by UNICEF, almost two million children in the Horn of Africa require urgent treatment for life-threatening severe acute malnutrition. The hunger problem is compounded by the war in Ukraine and the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, which has pushed up the price of cooking oil, bread and wheat flour to record highs at local markets. However, above all, climate change, caused mainly by the extraction and combustion of fossil fuels, is making droughts more frequent and more severe. Those in Somalia have described this specific ongoing drought as worse than any they can remember. While the harshest effects of warming from climate change are being felt in Africa, Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia are responsible for a negligible amount of global climate pollution. "Ironically, it's not the countries that are contributing more to that global emission that are paying the heaviest price.” Despite the fact that the world’s 50 least developed countries contribute less than 1% of global carbon emissions, 99% of all deaths from weather related disasters occur in these developing countries. This highlights the shocking social injustice of the climate crisis; As the world attempts to transition to a greener economy, meaningful, large-scale support and compensation must be given to those affected by climate related disasters. https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/northern-kenya-faces-hunger-crisis-drought-wipes-out-livestock-2022-09-29/
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It's a really huge issue .. for example in there are places in Kenya that have not received rainfall for four years straight.. this is affecting the children by causing malnutrition and death of cattle... It's devastating
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Thanks for highlighting this partly forgotten climate crisis! The people on the Horn of Africa are struggling enormously with this drought. Instead of subsidizing the fossil fuel industry with 11 million USD / minute of our tax money those resources should go here!
Kathy Wei
84 w
Nike has worked in recent years to boost its image via sustainability initiatives, with the most recent one being their "Move to Zero" campaign. The campaign includes helping to safeguard one of the most important natural tools in the fight against climate change: forests. Through a partnership with WeForest, an international reforestation organization, Nike says it has funded planting more than 1.4 million trees in Brazil and Ethiopia. But as Nike portrays itself a champion of forests and an ally in the global climate fight, the company’s billionaire co-founder and chairman emeritus, Phil Knight, is pumping huge money to one of the biggest political allies of Oregon’s logging industry. Knight has given an astonishing $1.75 million to timber heiress Betsy Johnson’s bid for Oregon governor, despite her long record of catering to the logging sector. Her status in the industry has recently earned her admiration and even an award from pro-logging activists in the state with ties to several right-wing extremist groups. “We are all a little terrified here in the environmental community, her background and political affiliations are with the worst of the worst logging industry players out here.” said Steve Pedery, conservation director at Oregon Wild, a Portland-based environmental group. With greenwashing become such a defining player in the advertising realm nowadays, it is more important than ever that Nike is aware of those they endorse and consequently are affiliated with. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/nike-climate-phil-knight-bankrolling-betsy-johnson_n_631a4bbde4b082746bdd977c
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Such stories of big organizations that should be leading the fight against climate change being the ones encouraging it is saddening in so many ways
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⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️
Kathy Wei
90 w
Amazon recently released their latest sustainability report where it was revealed that their carbon footprint grew by 18% in 2021. Fueled by pandemic shopping, Amazon generated about as much climate pollution as 180 gas-fired power plants last year - up about 40% since the company first disclosed the figure, with data from 2019. This is also the second consecutive year Amazon's climate pollution grew double digits. My biggest issue with these numbers is the front Amazon has portrayed in the past year of being "climate-friendly." In 2019, former CEO Jeff Bezos announced the company planned to achieve net-zero climate pollution by 2040, but has yet to make substantial progress. These types of pledges consequently can be misleading when the numbers tell a different story. The Verge also reports that companies can aim to reach “net-zero” emissions or claim to be “carbon-neutral” by purchasing carbon offsets that are supposed to cancel out the impact of their emissions through supposedly eco-friendly projects like planting trees or protecting forests. While these are still good efforts, they still don't result in any internal change within the companies themselves and consequently rarely translate to real-world reductions. Worst of all? The figures Amazon reports are likely an undercount as Amazon does not include the emissions that come from the production of many of their products. Additionally, tracking CO2 emissions also doesn’t capture the full spectrum of Amazon’s problems. Not only are their delivery trucks have become a major source of diesel pollution, many communities where Amazon builds warehouses have called the company out for bringing more smog and soot to their neighborhoods.
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Dear Kathy Wei Thank you for getting your climate warning to level 2! We have reached out to Amazon and asked for a response. I will keep you updated on any progress! /Adam We Don't Have Time
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Pollution as part of the triple planetary crisis need to be addressed effectively
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Well, i would applaud them for putting their sustainability report in public and encourage them to peruse to rethink about their activities and realign their customer offering to a way they will be able to reduce the rising emissions from their activities.
Kathy Wei
90 w
At a time where we are being pummelled by heatwaves, floods, wildfires, and so much more, fighting the climate crisis seems more pressing than ever. The recently proposed $369 billion climate bill that is soon to be voted on by Congress is a step forward in U.S. policy to curb our CO2 emissions in hopes of meeting the Paris Agreement and propelling us forward into a clean energy transition. Despite the importance of this act, many "pro-climate" companies have yet to publicly endorse it or properly educate their wide media base of its capabilities. While powerful trade associations have all declared opposition to this climate legislation in hopes of halting progress, companies like Google, Amazon, and Apple have all stayed silent. A study from Harvard Business Review reports that "companies seem to be more comfortable taking public stands on issues like race, immigration, gun violence, and transgender rights before speaking strongly on the environment." What these companies fail to realize is that the famously-adhered-to term of "business as usual" can no longer apply so as long as our environment continues to be destroyed. Especially with a bill as important as the one being voted on next week, companies are given the opportunity to speak out, to take a real and public stand for aggressive global action on climate change. (https://tinyurl.com/48bv6ubh) So far, a website tracking which companies have spoken up called https://gotimeforclimate.com/ has identified Salesforce and Constellation as only 2 out of the 21 top “pro-climate” companies who have publicly endorsed this legislation. They truly deserve climate love for their actions, hopefully setting an example for the remaining organizations to become more vocal and back their boasted "climate-friendly" status.
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Setting up the pace for others, awesome!
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So nice of Salesforce, other organizations should do the same
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A great example for others to follow!
Kathy Wei
91 w
An article by Inside Climate News recently found that the popular streaming service, Hulu, has been rejecting ads that are deemed "too controversial." Among these topics are abortion, gun control, and climate change. Earlier this month, Hulu rejected specific political ads from Democratic organizations and candidates, only letting them run until the phrase "climate change" was taken out of it. “To not discuss these topics in my campaign ad is to not address the most important issues facing the United States." Democrats argue that because streaming services are a platform that younger generations use to consume media, a major voting bloc could be cut off from valuable messages regarding the status of our climate. Regarding global warming, it’s an especially poignant problem ahead of a midterm election that many experts believe will determine whether the Biden administration can pass any meaningful national climate legislation at all, and perhaps whether the U.S. will be able meet its commitments to the Paris Agreement to rein in global warming. At the bare minimum, politics has rendered climate change a "controversial topic" despite the fact that there is a 99.9% consensus within the scientific community that climate change IS indeed real. This is a climate warning not only to Hulu, but all streaming platforms that have the amplification techniques to make consumers aware of the climate crisis. Climate change is not controversial and should not be silenced. (https://insideclimatenews.org/todaysclimate/streaming-service-hulu-is-rejecting-ads-about-climate-change/)
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Pinned by We Don't Have Time
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Dear Kathy Wei Thank you for getting your climate warning to level 2! We have reached out to Hulu and asked for a response. I will keep you updated on any progress! /Sarah We Don't Have Time
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Shame on you Hulu
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I really don't get why science is seen as controversial... these platforms have the power to educate so many and yet, they refuse to do so
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Coward!
Kathy Wei
91 w
Zahra Biabani is a 23-year-old right out of college with the goal of fueling climate optimism among the youth. Amongst giving Ted Talks, writing a book, and engaging her social media base, she is also about to launch In The Loop, the world’s first sustainable clothing rental company. Through research, she found that the main barriers for young people in renting clothes were cost, size exclusivity, and the lack of styles that people want to wear. With In The Loop, her mission to make sustainable and ethical brands more accessible to young people. In The Loop brings together a marketplace of eco-friendly brands with stringent entry requirements - "We make sure they pay a living wage, that 50% or more of their garments are made with intentionally sourced fabrics, and we also make sure that they offer public five- and 10-year sustainability goals." Each piece of clothing is 75% cheaper to rent on her site than the retail price. You get the items, return them using provided zero-waste reusable shipping bags, and then In The Loop does the cleaning, restocking, and shipping. And this is all done from Biabani’s parents’ garage. I believe a lot of current, mainstream rental companies can learn from some of the ideas Biabani has implemented in considering both her audience and impact. https://rentintheloop.com/shop/ https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/jul/15/climate-optimism-gen-z
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Welldone @zahra_biabani for implementing this idea may it be more impactful to your audience
Kathy Wei
92 w
As I shopped through the Sephora website, I was pleasantly surprised to see SAIE, a new sustainable makeup brand, attach this infographic to their marketed images. It shows a detailed description of how to recycle the packaging of their product upon use, down to the individual components and materials. While this was not an option in the choice of who I could send climate love to, I want to direct this climate love to SAIE’S CEO, Laney Crowell (https://www.linkedin.com/in/helane-crowell). This sets a great example for other giants in the cosmetic industry who are responsible for producing large amounts of plastic pollution through their packaging. It’s such a small step for a company to make, and for Sephora to implement on their website, however I truly believe that it could make a difference.
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92 w
This is great! Hopefully this will inspire others to follow suit.
Kathy Wei
92 w
Nearly four decades ago, geologists cited the Outer Banks are “one of the highest natural-hazard risk zones along the entire Eastern Seaboard of the United States," due to the Banks’ unique geography and risky exposure to storms, volatile currents, and percussive winds. Today, climate change has made this even more of a pressing problem as the famed Outer Banks is fighting a battle to keep from washing away. Extreme weather, rising sea levels, and constant flooding as a result of global warming have created a dangerous future for the Banks. The Atlantic reports that areas of the Outer Banks have retreated over 200 feet in the last two decades and are currently losing about 13 feet a year. However, despite these risks of building on barrier islands, developers have continued constructing homes along the Outer Banks. Just a few years ago, highway officials built a large dike with 2,200 sandbags along the Outer Bank’s main highway to keep the ocean at bay and allow construction to continue. However, it didn’t work. Over the past few years, the Atlantic Ocean pummels the dike, crashing over the top, tearing apart sandbags, and flooding the highway. Following every storm, the dike is rebuilt, only for the work to be undone at the next storm. “It’s like the Siege of Troy,it just goes on and on. They’re trying to preserve a coastal economy that was built on a pile of shifting sand and in the long run has a high probability of failure.” This isn't just a warning to the governor of North Carolina, but all endangered shore establishments throughout the U.S. As stated by the Atlantic: "The risks aren’t limited to the Outer Banks. Nationally, U.S. coastal resorts from Cape Cod to Miami to Galveston face unprecedented and costly challenges as their shorelines narrow and floodwaters inch ever-closer to millions of houses & hotels — over one trillion-dollars-worth of property in all." We don't have time - livelihoods and establishments are endangered if we continue to value commercialism over the pressing environmental changes. https://e360.yale.edu/features/outer-banks-climate-change-flooding
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Dear Kathy Wei Thank you for getting your climate warning to level 2! We have reached out to Roy Cooper and asked for a response. I will keep you updated on any progress! /Sarah We Don't Have Time
Kathy Wei
92 w
On July 12th, Spain announced that a large part of their public transit network will be 100% free, as season tickets for suburban and regional trains will be offered at a 100% discount. This program will run from September 1st to December 31st, offering free transit covering Spain’s largest cities including Madrid and Barcelona. According to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón, the price reductions seeks to promote rail travel as “a safer, more reliable, comfortable, economical and sustainable means of transport than the private car." The program’s main objective also seeks to help citizens reduce their fuel consumption as European energy prices soar. Spain’s announcement follows many other European countries rolling out heavily discounted or free transit passes, such as Germany and Luxembourg. Reshaping public habits, these countries are helping usher in sustainable, cheap public transit as standard. I think many countries like the U.S. in which public transit systems are already very prevalent/developed can benefit environmentally from adopting a similar policy, allowing automobile emissions to be significantly lowered. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-07-15/spain-will-introduce-free-train-travel-to-help-ease-the-cost-of-living?srnd=citylab
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Dear Kathy Wei Thank you for getting your climate idea to level 2! We have reached out to U.S. Department of Transportation and asked what they think. I will keep you updated on any progress! /Marine We Don't Have Time
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The UK government prevented this happening in the UK in 2006. Alan Storkey pointed out that having coach stations on all motorways would be cheaper than widening one motorway and would increase road users from 15,000 per mile to 260,000 due to breaking distances.
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Spain's idea is also ideal for the US and for the rest of the world too.
Kathy Wei
94 w
The Texas education system has long been dealing with back-and-forth debate in a process to set out science education standards. The reason? Oil and gas representatives have played a massive role in influencing the standards for courses and textbooks for kids from kindergarten to 12th grade. For the first time this year, the state board considered requiring that students learn about human-caused climate change. However, instituting this requirement has come with a tense dispute. For example, at the most recent hearing in Austin, members of the State Board of Education debated whether 8th grade science students should be required to “describe efforts to mitigate climate change.” While science teachers argued in favor of the proposed new requirement, other representatives argued to kill it. An attorney for Shell Oil Company was one fighting in opposition, and ended up winning. In the end, the board voted to require that eighth grade science students “describe the carbon cycle” instead. The consequences are extremely apparent. In 2020 the National Center for Science Education hired experts to grade the science standards of all 50 states - Texas was one of six states that made an F. However, the effect is not limited to Texas; because Texas is one of the largest textbook purchasers in the nation, publishers tend to follow Texas science standards when creating the material that they sell across all of America. This all demonstrates effort from the fossil fuel industry to “green” their public image. While the industry continues to downplay the crisis it has created, it also is stopping efforts to provide clear science about this crisis “to a young generation whose world will be defined by it.” As more hearings are held, it is more important than ever that we make sure our youth is properly educated on the state of our environment. We cannot call on them to take action so long as they are oblivious to it. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/subverting-climate-science-in-the-classroom/
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This is absolutely absurd... This is the time climate change awareness should be on the rise... Shame on them
Kathy Wei
94 w
Students across America have been fighting now for years against their academic institutions to divest from fossil fuels upon realizing the strong financial relationships that link the two industries together. CNN reports that just the top 5 schools of U.S. (Yale, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, AND Vanderbilt) alone generated more than $150 billion in endowments which holds an enormous impact when invested into fossil fuel companies. While some universities have already committed to full divestment amidst student protest, the University of Chicago has failed to take any action. Rather, just last month, they appointed “a huge Wall Street fossil fuel profiteer” as the new chairman on their Board of Trustees. David Rubenstein is the co-founder and chairman of the one of the world’s largest private equity firms that oversees $325 billion in assets, in which billions are invested into fossil fuels, oil, and gas operations in the U.S. David Rubenstein has made his love for oil and gas painfully clear - in an interview conducted in 2016, when questioned upon whether he prefers oil to gas investing, he responded “that’s like asking me which one of my children I like the best.” It doesn’t help that David Rubenstein appears to be one of the most well-connected business moguls in the US - he already has board seats over countless prestigious universities and cultural institutions such as the National Gallery of Art, Harvard University, and the Council of Foreign Relations. The University of Chicago has made many “green” gestures around climate, but this recent appointment and steadfast refusal to divest from fossil fuels prove their efforts to be a mere front of sustainability, masking their continued investment into an industry that is killing our planet. Action must be taken - we must hold those with power accountable. https://news.littlesis.org/2022/06/30/the-university-of-chicagos-new-board-of-trustees-chair-is-a-private-equity-oil-baron/ https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2022/5/11/barr-op-ed-rubenstein/
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Dear Kathy Wei Thank you for getting your climate warning to level 2! We have reached out to The University of Chicago and asked for a response. I will keep you updated on any progress! /Adam We Don't Have Time
Kathy Wei
95 w
The new fad of space tourism will likely be at the detriment of our plane, accelerating global warming and depleting our ozone layer. A recent study found that rockets launched by billionaires Elon Musk and Richard Branson emitted high levels of black carbon. Black carbon, which comes from burning fossil fuels or biomass, absorbs light from the sun and releases thermal energy, making it a powerful climate warming agent. As rockets blast into space, they emit black carbon into the stratosphere where it remains for up to four years before bouncing back down to earth. Black carbon emitted in the stratosphere is 500 times worse for the climate than the same emission on or near the surface of the earth. On top of that, all rockets also contribute to additional ozone depletion through the emissions of nitrogen oxides upon re-entry into the stratosphere. “We should think very carefully about regulating this industry before it gets out of hand. It would be a real shame for humanity to look back in 50 or 100 years when we’ve got thousands of rocket launches a year and think, ‘If only we’d done something.’” https://insideclimatenews.org/news/29062022/space-tourism-climate/
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Space tourism shouldn't even be a thing, especially if it is at the expense of our future and our own planet!
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Space tourism is only a rich people's luxury that will waste precious resources (like other rich people's things interestingly)
Kathy Wei
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Just this morning, The Biden Administration through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued a request to inform a $500 million program to place clean energy demonstration projects on current or former mine lands across America. This project presents opportunities for job creation and immense carbon pollution reductions. The U.S. currently is reported to have 17,750 mine land sites totaling 1.5 million acres - if these sites are devoted to producing clean energy, we can produce up to 89 GW of electricity. That’s enough power to supply about 20 million homes. "Developing clean energy on mine lands is an opportunity for fossil fuel communities, which have powered our nation for a generation, to receive an economic boost and play a leadership role in our clean energy transition. The investments in the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help America's mining workforce apply their skills to grow and deploy cheaper, cleaner energy across the country.” - U.S. Secretary of Energy DOE expects to announce a funding opportunity to solicit project proposals in 2023 https://www.energy.gov/articles/biden-administration-launches-500-million-program-transform-mines-new-clean-energy-hubs
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94 w
Commendable
Kathy Wei
95 w
American Clean Power is the leading federation of renewable energy companies in the US, expediting the advancement of clean energy as the dominant power source in America. They specifically have been working to develop the first generation of offshore wind projects in the United States which not only will provide a large source of clean energy, but also create thousands of new jobs in the process. Offshore wind allows countries to tap into a “vast new source of clean, domestic energy” by placing turbines in areas that are close to populous cities with high energy demands. It is a source of stable, inexhaustible energy that generates no air or water pollution, releases no hazardous or radioactive wastes, does not deplete fresh water resources, and requires no mining, transportation, or refining of a feedstock or fuel. Additionally, it has zero fuel cost, meaning its utilities can lock in at a determined price for at least 20 years, which acts as a hedge on the current, volatile fossil fuel prices. The US currently only has one operational offshore wind project, but American Clean Power has been working with companies to ensure that many more are on the way. This presents an extremely viable solution for fighting the climate crisis, and a great effort to harness the immense power within our planet. https://cleanpower.org/facts/offshore-wind/
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Yes, offshore wind power can be a game changer!
Kathy Wei
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In 1997, the Kyoto Protocol created a reporting loophole for militaries - military operations were exempt from reporting greenhouse emissions. In 2015, the Paris Accords changed this - the decision of whether to report military emissions was now left up to individual countries. As a result, the US has not been transparent about our military’s true climate footprint. However, pulling from just the Department of Energy data, the U.S. has produced more than 1.2 billion tons of greenhouse gases since 2001. This means our military emits more than entire countries like Portugal and Denmark. This also means the Department of Defense accounts for nearly 80% of the government's fuel consumption. While green initiatives have been expressed, the absence of reporting leads to a lack of accountability. But in the face of a global crisis, we are running out of time. Studies conducted this year show the U.S. military to be a large emitter of greenhouse gases. We must start implementing the green initiatives raised, before it is too late. https://insideclimatenews.org/news/18012022/military-carbon-emissions/
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This is why the environmental movement should also be a peace movement: we don't have time for war
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It's such a sad thing that the military isn't transparent on their carbon emissions which is a blackmail to its government which is keen on setting NetZero targets.
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Not too surprised sadly, we don't have time for war
Kathy Wei
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An upcoming Supreme Court Decision may determine the future of our planet. Here’s what you need to know about West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency: The Supreme Court is set to rule in the next few days on a case blocking the EPA’s ability to regulate carbon emissions from power plants and regulate overall pollution. The case was brought by Republican attorneys general, conservative allies, and coal companies in an effort to tilt courts against climate change. West Virginia is a major coal-mining state and doesn’t want the EPA limiting their business or possibly shutting them down with the new initiatives to limit fossil fuels. If this case goes through, it presents a scary future in blocking the climate goals Biden had planned for, such as zeroing out carbon pollution from power plants. “If the Supreme Court limits the EPA’s authority to regulate pollutants, the public health and environmental consequences would be profoundly damaging to human health, the planet and future generations." https://www.npr.org/2022/06/22/1106863267/the-supreme-court-may-issue-a-ruling-that-could-hurt-bidens-climate-change-plans
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Such an important decision... let's hope SCOTUS doesn't also screw up our planet
Kathy Wei
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I have always seen the advertising of “renting” clothing as a environmental step forward, but after reviewing the popular company “Rent the Runway” I was shocked to find out the environmental damage this method secretly has despite their portrayed marketing. A 2021 released study evaluating the environmental impacts of the 5 different ways of owning and disposing of clothing, like renting, resale, and recycling, found renting to have the highest climate impact. The hidden costs come from the immense waste generated from excessive plastic packaging, a long and constant need for transportation, and the dry cleaning involved. Articles since this report came out have criticized renting companies of essentially “greenwashing,” using a front of sustainability to mask a practice that only further damages the planet. However, despite this, I believe companies like Rent the Runway have room for reform, and rather than issue a Climate Warning, I’d rather give a Climate Idea, encouraging them to make changes such as switching to sustainable packaging (over plastic), or perhaps using electric cars to transport their clothes. Wet-cleaning (https://laundrylux.com/blog/wet-cleaning-eco-friendly-alternative-for-dry-clean/) has also been found to be an eco-friendly, comparable option to dry cleaning that Rent The Runway can look into. With these changes enacted, Rent the Runway and other popular rental clothing companies can embody the eco-friendly message they hopefully want to portray, emerging from the criticism they’ve been facing. https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2021/07/renting-runway-clothes-environmental-problems-fast-fashion-study-climate-change/
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I am very surprised, I always thought it was more sustainable... so thank you very much for sharing!
Kathy Wei
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Starbucks has long been using “100% arabica beans, all sourced from Latin America,” however the Washington Post reports that as our climate warms, these types of coffee beans lack the resilience against changes in temperature to survive. These worrying effects have already been observed, with Brazil increasing export prices this year after experiencing their worst frost in at least 40 years. Washington Post also reports that “by 2050, coffee demand is forecast to triple — but the way coffee has been produced up to this point cannot be scaled to rise to that challenge.” A climate idea for Starbucks would be to start shifting their species of beans they use for their coffee. By diversifying their source, Starbucks can find climate resilient beans and mitigate the environmental damage of arabica-growing hot spots. Recent discovery and research on new species, such as Stenophylla and Robusta, introduce a promising future. Researchers are now “optimistic that these new beans will recalibrate coffee’s climate equation,” bringing “different sources of resilience to a changing climate.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2022/06/09/climate-change-coffee-stenophylla-arabica-robusta/
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Dear Kathy Wei Thank you for getting your climate idea to level 2! We have reached out to Starbucks and asked what they think. I will keep you updated on any progress! /Adam We Don't Have Time
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Truly a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
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Good idea! 💚 🌿 🌴
Kathy Wei
96 w
Today, Canada laid out their regulations to reduce plastic use, announcing a ban beginning December 2022 of 6 large groups of single-use plastic. These groups are plastic bags, cutlery, straws, stir sticks, carrier rings, and takeout containers. By 2030, Canada also promised all plastic packaging to contain at least 50% of recycled content. You can read the full act and prohibition regulations here: https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/canadian-environmental-protection-act-registry/publications/single-use-plastics-prohibition-regulations.html While the act falls short in the absence of regulation of plastic packaging goods, which is the “leading source of plastic worldwide,” the absence of these 6 popular types of plastic will still have a profound impact, and can set an example for other countries to follow. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jun/20/canada-ban-single-use-plastics
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93 w
Dear Kathy Wei Thank you for getting your climate love to level 2! We have reached out to Parliament of Canada and requested a response. I will keep you updated on any progress! /Adam We Don't Have Time
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96 w
A great step ahead
Kathy Wei
96 w
Last month, Coke announced a new design of packaging where the cap stays attached to the bottle, making it easier for consumers to recycle the entire package rather than littering or discarding the individual caps. By 2024, all plastic Coke bottles in the U.K. will adopt this design and set to eventually phase across Europe. This is all part of Coke’s initiative to solve the growing plastic crisis, in which they have announced plans to use at least 50% of recycled material in their packaging by 2030. While this is a small change (and in my opinion, I think Coke can do a lot more seeing they are a massive contributor to plastic pollution), it is still a step forward in the right direction, and can encourage other companies to start making adjustments. Any kind of climate action, small or large, is still action at the end of the day, bringing us closer to fighting this climate crisis. https://www.wsj.com/articles/coca-cola-introducing-bottles-with-caps-that-stay-attached-11652824151
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96 w
Can't they just stop using plastic???
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96 w
It's a nice idea that baby steps are allowed as long as they are going to find alternatives for the plastic bottles in the long run
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96 w
This is a very negligible step taken by a company whose amount of littered plastic bottles choking and killing marine life are higher than any other.I wonder what makes it difficult for Coca-Cola to fully adopt their already existing glass bottles that are I guess are up to a litter in capacity or scout for other better alternatives. Attaching the cap to the bottle could have been relevant if it was done ages ago other than now.,what's needed now is a complete face-off of plastics if possible.
Kathy Wei
96 w
This morning, UN Secretary-General António Guterres spoke at the virtual climate and energy meeting hosted by the White House which “included countries representing 80% of global GDP, population, and greenhouse gas emissions.” He issued dire warnings against further investment in fossil fuels and asked for action among leaders of the world’s largest economies. Some key points that Guterres highlighted this morning include: - The presence of an infinite solution of wind, sun, and tidal energy: “We can successfully replace finite, polluting fossil fuels with infinite renewable resources. We can make the energy equation add up.” - The clear and present danger of fossil fuel expansion: “We seem trapped in a world where fossil fuel producers and financiers have humanity by the throat.” - The war in Ukraine’s effect on climate: “Let’s make sure the war in Ukraine is not used to increase that dependency. Today’s most pressing domestic problems – like inflation and gas prices – are themselves climate and fossil fuel problems.” -The need to take action with a 5-point renewable energy revolution: (1)treat renewable technologies as a freely available global public good, (2)expand and diversify renewable energy supply chains, (3)shift fossil fuel subsidies to vulnerable people that want to engage in the green economy, (4)reform bureaucracies to fast-track approval processes, (5)triple public and private investments in renewables to at least $4 trillion dollars a year. https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/06/1120662 Photo illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios. Photo: Mark Baker-Pool/Getty Images
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96 w
The world's leaders need to start listening to him! NOW
Kathy Wei
96 w
PFAs, also known as “forever chemicals,” do not naturally break down, and rather accumulate in the environment and human bodies. Their use in large industries have posed major problems, as the PFAs have been found to contaminate the drinking water of 200 million+ people. These chemicals place people at risk of serious health problems upon exposure. Despite this, large PFA polluters such as the US military and 3M continue to use them out of their financial benefits. Thankfully, the EPA announced this week their plan to impose mandatory limitations on PFA use after recognizing the overwhelming body of scientific evidence regarding their toxicity to both the human body and the environment. While the EPA deserves a climate love for taking action, this is more of a baby step as these are just 4 out of the thousands of toxic chemicals. “Health advisories are a long way from enforceable limits and an even much longer way to actual cleanups where these substances are finally removed from our waters, soil and food chain.” https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jun/15/epa-limits-toxic-forever-chemicals
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96 w
At last! Very much needed, let's hope they manage to do it
Kathy Wei
97 w
The Biden administration announced on World Ocean Day their plan to create a new marine sanctuary in New York, providing protection for the Hudson Canyon which has long been “home to a diverse range of endangered, protected, and sensitive species.” This comes as a step in Biden’s “America is Beautiful” initiative, which seeks to conserve 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030. As climate change threatens these species by increasing the risks of ocean acidification and oxygen depletion, this is a huge step forward in protecting our national sanctuaries and their unique ecosystems. https://www.axios.com/2022/06/08/biden-hudson-canyon-marine-sanctuary
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97 w
I love how President Joe Biden is taking this issue of climate change seriously,wish other leaders would follow his lead
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78 w
It would be very discouraging to hold such big events for records only. I hope to see tangible actions henceforth.