Climate activists with Stop the Money Pipeline demonstrate in midtown Manhattan on March 3, 2021. Erik McGregor / LightRocket via Getty Images
By Jessica Corbett
"The boardrooms of the world's largest banks are polluted to the core... How are we ever meant to stop the climate crisis if the world's most powerful decision-makers are in bed with the companies behind the wheel!?"
<p>That's how Bank on Our Future — a UK-based <a href="https://bankonourfuture.uk/about/" target="_blank">network</a> pressuring financial players to align their business practices with tackling the climate crisis — <a href="https://twitter.com/bankonourfuture/status/1379700128492175362" target="_blank">responded</a> Wednesday to a new DeSmog <a href="https://www.desmogblog.com/2021/04/06/revealed-climate-conflicted-directors-leading-the-worlds-top-banks/" target="_blank">analysis</a> revealing that a majority of directors at major banks worldwide are connected to polluting companies and organizations.</p><p>"This is a ginormous and superb piece of work by the talented sleuths" at DeSmog, <a href="https://twitter.com/brohannon6/status/1379708716937805826" target="_blank">said</a> Beau O'Sullivan, a campaigner at the Sunrise Project in Australia. He added that the report "contains findings that readers may find offensive and deeply disturbing."</p>
<div id="f462f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3050e0b6dade0e32a6d46bf4dec4f301"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1379860290188234762" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Even a global #ClimateEmergency hasn't triggered rapid defunding of the industries responsible for driving climate… https://t.co/ogg5ZHjvRP</div> — Greenpeace Canada (@Greenpeace Canada)<a href="https://twitter.com/GreenpeaceCA/statuses/1379860290188234762">1617819304.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>DeSmog examined the boards of 39 banks, including seven based in the United States, and found that 65% of directors have a total of 940 past or current ties to "climate-conflicted" industries. Across all banks studied, 16% of board members had ties to companies involved in extracting coal, gas, and oil.</p><p>In addition to fossil fuels, "there were also significant ties to banks and investment vehicles supporting polluting industries, as well as to thinktanks and lobbying groups with a history of campaigning against climate action," reported DeSmog's Phoebe Cooke, Rachel Sherrington, and Mat Hope.</p>
<div id="3c383" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="aa6f7c42f2e76982624616da71193921"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1379745036175351810" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Breaking: New research by @DeSmogUK reveals that 65% of directors in powerful bank boardrooms have polluting ties t… https://t.co/7pJgsPcE9u</div> — Richard Brooks ☀️ (@Richard Brooks ☀️)<a href="https://twitter.com/R_BrooksStand/statuses/1379745036175351810">1617791825.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>"The fossil fuel industry has a well-established track record of ingratiating itself with society's opinion leaders and decision-makers," Geoffrey Supran, research associate in Harvard University's Department of the History of Science, told DeSmog about "the revolving doors between the corporate leaderships of incumbent industries."</p><p>"Having its fingers in all the pies allows the fossil fuel industry to quietly put its thumb on the scales of institutional decision-making, helping delay action, and protect the status quo," added Supran, who called the results of the analysis "predictable, yet shocking."</p>
<p>Alec Connon, coalition coordinator at <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/01/09/climate-movement-takes-aim-wall-street-because-money-only-language-fossil-fuel" target="_blank">Stop the Money Pipeline</a>, responded similarly to the revelations in an email to Common Dreams.</p><p>"It should surprise no one that Wall Street boards are brimming with executives with close ties to climate-damaging companies," he said. "Since the Paris agreement was signed in 2015, Chase, Wells Fargo, and their Wall Street ilk have loaned more than $1 trillion to the fossil fuel industry. In the climate crisis, Wall Street is a primary villain."</p><p>"Perhaps if they had fewer fossil fuel executives on their boards," Connon added, "that would begin to change."</p>
<div id="3a44b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7f9063e027aa8edbe8a5f0e4395cf682"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1379776547557621761" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Remember the military-industrial complex?
Meet it's equally nasty twin, the fossil fuel-finance complex
https://t.co/dAUlDtmrcK</div> — Bill McKibben (@Bill McKibben)<a href="https://twitter.com/billmckibben/statuses/1379776547557621761">1617799338.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>A coalition of green groups including the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) released a report last month <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/03/24/60-largest-banks-have-dumped-38-trillion-fossil-fuels-2015-report-shows" target="_blank">detailing</a> how the world's 60 biggest banks have poured over $3.8 trillion into the fossil fuel industry in the wake of the landmark climate agreement, which aims to keep global temperature rise by 2100 to "well below" 2°C, with a more ambitious target of 1.5°C.</p><p>The groups' <em>Banking on Climate</em> report generated fresh criticism of big banks' recent <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/03/08/wells-fargo-sets-new-financed-emissions-goal-climate-campaigners-warn-net-zero-not" target="_blank">pledges</a> to work toward net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. In light of DeSmog's reporting, Connon also addressed such commitments, saying that "2050 promises without 2021 action are essentially meaningless."</p><p>"We need action today, not vague promises of action in the next three decades," he continued. "Perhaps the fact that Wall Street boards are so full of fossil fuel executives is one reason why they're continuing to prioritize empty promises over immediate, meaningful policy change."</p>
<p>Since January 2020, the Stop the Money Pipeline coalition <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/01/09/climate-movement-takes-aim-wall-street-because-money-only-language-fossil-fuel" target="_blank">has pressured</a> banks, insurers, and asset managers to cut ties with companies financing climate destruction. While its initial top targets were JPMorgan Chase, BlackRock, and Liberty Mutual, the coalition has expanded its efforts — including with a recently <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/02/08/new-campaign-targets-wall-street-funding-stop-line-3-tar-sands-pipeline" target="_blank">launched</a> campaign directed at funders of Enbrige's Line 3 tar sands pipeline.</p><p>That controversial project — intensely <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/03/08/climate-time-bomb-370-groups-urge-biden-immediately-halt-line-3-pipeline" target="_blank">opposed</a> by Indigenous water protectors and climate campaigners — was the focus of a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/apr/06/banks-climate-change-line-3-pipeline-conflict-interest" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">report</a> by Emily Holden of Floodlight and Emily Atkin of HEATED, published Wednesday in The Guardian.</p><p>Citing DeSmog's finding that 77% of board members at seven major U.S. banks have ties to climate-conflicted companies or groups, the pair provided "an on-the-ground look at where all this dirty money is going," as Supran <a href="https://twitter.com/GeoffreySupran/status/1379799247600693250" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">put it</a>.</p>
<p>According to Holden and Atkin:</p><blockquote>From the U.S., Bank of America, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, and Wells Fargo have made the project possible with billions of dollars in loans, although it's impossible to tally precisely how much they have financed for the pipeline specifically. Another five large Canadian banks are also financing Enbridge, according to RAN.<br>Out of these nine North American banks backing Enbridge, six have recently published <a href="https://fortune.com/2021/03/09/wells-fargo-climate-carbon-neutral-net-zero/" target="_blank">net-zero climate goals</a>, pledging to align their investments with the international Paris climate agreement.<br>"The banks are gorging on doughnuts and then eating an apple afterwards," said Richard Brooks, the Toronto-based climate finance director for Stand.earth. "We certainly can't rely on banks or the private sector to lead us into climate safety and lead us toward emissions reductions. We need policy, we need regulation. We need government to act."</blockquote>
<p>Last week, 145 groups <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/03/31/john-kerry-urged-help-end-flow-finance-wall-street-industries-fueling-climate-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">sent</a> a letter to John Kerry, President Joe Biden's climate envoy, encouraging the former secretary of state to use his current position to help end "the flow of private finance from Wall Street to the industries driving climate change around the world — fossil fuels and forest-risk commodities."</p><p>In another pair of letters last week, federal lawmakers and environmental groups <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/04/01/lawmakers-and-groups-demand-urgent-action-fed-protect-economy-climate-risks" target="_blank">pressed</a> Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to pursue bolder efforts to protect U.S. financial institutions and the economy from risks posed by the climate crisis.</p><p>Campaigners are also calling for changes at the institutions.<br></p><p><span></span>"We need people who are willing to lead on climate on the boards of the country's largest financial institutions," said Connon. "That's why Stop the Money Pipeline is joining the <a href="https://www.proxyvoting.majorityaction.us/" target="_blank">growing calls</a> on major investors, such as BlackRock and Vanguard, demanding that they vote against any corporate directors that have proven themselves unable or unwilling to take real action on climate. That starts this shareholder season."</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/04/07/wall-street-primary-villain-climate-crisis-analysis-shows" target="_blank">Common Dreams</a>.</em><br/></p>From Your Site Articles
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Amazon and other tech employees hold a walkout past the Amazon Spheres during the Global Climate Strike on Sept. 20, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. Karen Ducey / Getty Images
Amazon illegally fired two employees after they publicly criticized the company for its lack of action on climate change and its failure to protect warehouse workers from the novel coronavirus, the National Labor Relations Board determined.
<p>Emily Cunningham and Maren Costa were highly visible members of the small group of Amazon employees who in 2018 called for Amazon to do more to address climate change, and eventually got 8,700 colleagues to sign on to their efforts. They were fired last April, not long after their group of about 400 employees spoke out, in intentional and public violation of Amazon's tightened down internal policies clamping down on employee criticism. </p>
<p>Cunningham and Costa allege they were fired in retaliation for their activism. If they and Amazon do not settle the case, the NLRB will accuse Amazon of unfair labor practices and the case will go before an administrative law judge. Also this week, the NLRB will be counting votes to see if Amazon's 6,000 Alabama warehouse employees will unionize, a potentially major change for the company's <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2021/4/3/22365330/amazon-apology-pee-bottles-worker-warehouse-union-pocan?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=119852335&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8ItpXkY_pAKfwD2uu3GqAjLjvjaB-o5UcgzXAWs9eIOrg54B29VS_nJspYoK5ANgHeZXSUHmP5bUju45O0w37yDtV6Lw&utm_content=119852335&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">notoriously exploitative</a> labor practices.</p>
<p>As reported by <a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-climate-change-coronavirus-pandemic-a849bd3728242774ad6dbcb3aec5370a?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=119852335&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8HYci1M4nt7jFq2KU1Z3CVE6_OzTsL3eWrEz4az0bWubUd8mtIzQoMjhESNcA7mINPDP9XZ6N6Ow4otTxQAlJ-A-OhLA&utm_content=119852335&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">The Associated Press</a>:</p><blockquote>Cunningham said the ruling proves that they were on the right side of history.</blockquote><blockquote>"Amazon tried to silence us," said Cunningham. "It didn't work."</blockquote><blockquote>Because of the ruling, Amazon could be forced to offer Cunningham and Costa their jobs back, pay them back pay and reimburse them for expenses related to losing their jobs.</blockquote><blockquote>Cunningham and Costa, who were user-experience designers at Amazon, were the two most prominent voices among a group of workers who wanted the company, which has a giant carbon footprint, to take more steps to combat climate change and to stop doing business with oil and gas companies. They held protests and spoke to the media about their concerns.</blockquote><blockquote>About a year ago, Cunningham and Costa planned a call between Amazon warehouse and office workers to talk about unsafe conditions in the e-commerce giant's warehouses. Before it could happen, Amazon fired both women. An Amazon executive quit in protest, saying he couldn't stand by as whistleblowers were silenced.</blockquote>
<p><strong>For a deeper dive:</strong><br/></p><p> (NLRB determination: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/05/technology/amazon-nlrb-activist-workers.html?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=119852335&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8nZCaxs2GAMxLZ-kVDYUrqZs3eDVpntkt6Q8gYIEBJUPeMOs4Kz47-95IxDJ5XovhR5HOhwd_qMhyLTcYYehIvESmsbQ&utm_content=119852335&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">New York Times</a>, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-climate-change-coronavirus-pandemic-a849bd3728242774ad6dbcb3aec5370a?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=119852335&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8HYci1M4nt7jFq2KU1Z3CVE6_OzTsL3eWrEz4az0bWubUd8mtIzQoMjhESNcA7mINPDP9XZ6N6Ow4otTxQAlJ-A-OhLA&utm_content=119852335&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">AP</a>, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN2BS0P7?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=119852335&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--8g__E1HNyyVVEQKT24txauj8AFWA-2j38jU95gTlXQs8VrYAGezLJNsKjlXXwoNb1qhlfcpLAZaS6_L1dIGPxD9-xsQ&utm_content=119852335&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Reuters</a>; Amazon policy change: <a href="https://earther.gizmodo.com/amazon-can-t-just-change-its-rules-to-squash-activism-1846621533?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=119852335&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--FLBKYlVBJ2ZfIIa7OtORzhdZq-dfBDyT6Xgnckvd_dm6ad-Kj5-KNpTghHi4kCwgWcWideHVf5s9-NU4YycfkL5K4yQ&utm_content=119852335&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Earther</a>; Union vote: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/05/technology/amazon-control-bathroom-breaks.html?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=119852335&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8adhd83OQqBC8o4bj7aM3wedandiQeBKYxDkxahU3fS2wmmrypwvd58GS2xEMUGJ5r0EQIEXtFzXAXQGnj-B6igz9LTA&utm_content=119852335&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">New York Times</a>, <a href="https://www.al.com/business/2021/04/most-americans-support-alabama-amazon-union-drive-poll-finds.html?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=119852335&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9Fj-TTaMDN4OVSnDedLUNWgPZs5gnc7cYYrmdEWlUXW9efGjCZXNDYknbND6LEToIpi_zd5zS6IghNTO0fV2Li7mqAag&utm_content=119852335&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">AL.com</a>)</p><p><em>For more </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" target="_blank"><em>climate change</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/business/renewables/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>clean energy</em></a><em> news, you can follow Climate Nexus on </em><a href="https://twitter.com/ClimateNexus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Twitter</em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClimateNexus/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a><em>, sign up for daily </em><a href="https://www.linktrack.live/hot-news-sign-up" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Hot News</em></a><em>, and visit their news site, </em><a href="https://nexusmedianews.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Nexus Media News</em></a><em>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
- Employees Are Fighting for Climate Change at Work - EcoWatch ›
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Delta-8 THC is a cannabis product that has become a bestseller over the past few months, as many consumers find they can legally purchase it from CBD retailers. Its proponents say that Delta-8 THC will give you a nice little buzz, minus some of the more intense feelings (including paranoia) that are sometimes associated with marijuana.
Delta-8 THC is being marketed as a legal option for consumers who either don't live in a state with legal cannabis, or are a little apprehensive about how traditional psychoactive THC products will affect them. But is it all it's cracked up to be? Let's take a closer look, exploring what Delta-8 THC is, how it differs from other THC products, and whether it's actually legal for use.
<h2>What is Delta-8 THC?</h2><p>To better understand <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/27/health/marijuana-hemp-delta-8-thc.html" target="_blank">Delta-8 THC</a>, it helps to cover some basics about THC and cannabis.</p><p>Cannabis plants come chock full of different <a href="https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/cannabis-marijuana-and-cannabinoids-what-you-need-to-know" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>cannabinoids</em></a>. These are naturally-occuring chemical compounds that bind with receptors throughout your body. They can offer a wide range of mental, emotional, and physical effects; indeed, the healing and therapeutic properties marijuana or <a data-linked-post="2648563694" href="https://www.ecowatch.com/strongest-cbd-oil-2648563694.html" target="_blank">CBD products</a> offer can be attributed to cannabinoids.</p><p>One of the most common cannabinoids is what's known as Delta-9 THC. Simply put, this is the part of marijuana that gets you "high." It's worth noting that Delta-9 THC remains illegal in many states, except for in the most minute doses, and is still illegal at the federal level. CBD products are made with trace amounts of THC, ensuring that consumers can enjoy positive health effects in a perfectly legal way, without the risk of getting high.</p><p>On a chemical level, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/27/health/marijuana-hemp-delta-8-thc.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Delta-8 THC</a> is not too different from Delta-9 THC; the distinction comes down to just a few molecules. But those molecules make a big practical impact: Delta-8 THC will give you a buzz, but the psychoactive effects are considerably milder than with Delta-9 THC.</p><p>More specifically, many cannabis enthusiasts report that Delta-8 THC helps them feel good but also leaves them relatively clear-headed; and, it doesn't produce the anxiety or jitteriness that often characterize a Delta-9 THC high.</p><p>Additionally, because of the way the law is written regarding Delta-9 THC, some CBD companies now sell Delta-8 THC products in places where traditional cannabis is still illegal.</p><h2>What's the Difference Between Delta-9 THC and Delta-8 THC?</h2><p>Here are the primary differences to note between Delta-9 and Delta-8 THC:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Delta-9 THC is the primary psychoactive ingredient found in marijuana. In other words, it's the part that gets you high.</li><li>Though some states have found workarounds, Delta-9 THC is still illegal under federal law.</li><li>Delta-8 THC is also found in the cannabis plant, though it's not quite as powerful or as well-known. </li><li>Delta-8 THC is milder in its psychoactive effects. And, it's not <em>technically </em>illegal under current law.</li></ul><p>These are just a few of the key distinctions to keep in mind. Delta-8 THC is popular among consumers who want a smoother high, and don't want to violate federal law.</p><h2>Is Delta-8 THC Legal?</h2><p>We noted that Delta-8 THC is not <em>technically </em>illegal. Here, we need to get into some of the nuanced legal considerations that surround this substance.</p><p>First of all, there are plenty of cannabis companies that actively promote Delta-8 THC as a legal way to get high. Again, that's technically true, but is still a point of debate for some.</p><p>For one thing, it's not explicitly listed as an illegal substance. While federal laws, and some state laws, specifically ban Delta-9 THC, Delta-8 THC is never mentioned. More to the point, though, many proponents will cite the<a href="https://www.usda.gov/farmbill" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> 2018 Farm Bill</a>. This law legalized several industrial hemp products on a national level, including CBD.</p><p>The Farm Bill also includes some fairly nuanced positions regarding THC. In summary, the law says that hemp and cannabis-derived products are legal so long as they contain less than 0.3 percent Delta-9 THC.</p><p>With that said, some lawyers contend that Delta-8's heyday may soon come to an end. That's because the Farm Bill clears it only so long as it's derived directly from hemp; most of the Delta-8 THC products sold today aren't made from hemp, but rather from synthetically-altered CBD.</p><p>Some of these issues are a little fuzzy, and <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/delta-8-thc-legal-weed-explained-1113859/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the legal future of Delta-8 THC</a> remains a little uncertain. For now, though, many experts would argue that it is legal to purchase.</p><h2>What Kinds of Delta-8 THC Products Are Available?</h2><p><em>Each product featured here has been independently selected by the writer. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.</em></p><p>If you're looking to try Delta-8 THC products, you'll certainly find plenty of different products. Dispensaries and legal cannabis stores currently have a trove of products that use this cannabinoid. Some examples include:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Vape cartridges, tinctures, and capsules.</li><li>Beverages made with Delta-8 THC, including some seltzers.</li><li>Edibles, including Delta-8 THC gummy bears, chocolate bars, and more.</li></ul><p>The cannabis industry has really been running with Delta-8 THC, finding creative ways to bring it to market. And chances are, even more products will be springing up in the weeks and months to come. </p><p>It's very important to note that you should only purchase Delta-8 THC products from reputable brands and established cannabis retailers. We do not recommend purchasing any products that contain Delta-8 THC from gas stations or vape shops. If you are looking for a reputable place to explore these products, here are a few brands that we trust and recommend:</p>
<h2>What are the Pros and Cons of Delta-8 THC?</h2><p>As you consider whether Delta-8 THC is worth your time, it may be helpful to weigh the pros against the cons.</p><p><strong>Pros</strong></p><p>Let's start with some of the positives:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Delta-8 THC does have psychoactive effects, but it's a milder effect than with traditional Delta-9 THC.</li><li>Delta-8 THC is currently legal and widely accessible in multiple states.</li><li>There are a wide number of products that use Delta-8 THC.</li></ul><p><strong>Cons</strong></p><p>Now, a few of the downsides.</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Delta-8 THC isn't quite as commonplace as other cannabis products, including CBD, and some of the options on the market are expensive.</li><li>While this substance is technically legal, there are plenty of uncertainties over its legal future. It's something you want to keep in mind.</li><li>As a relatively new product, Delta-8 THC products are not regulated by the FDA and there is not independent testing in place to verify that it is safe or pure.</li></ul><p>As with any cannabis product, Delta-8 THC has its pros and cons. As you seek the cannabis product that's best for you, it's largely a matter of personal preference.</p><p>Also note that smoking, vaping, or otherwise imbibing any kind of cannabis-related product can carry some medical risks and negative health consequences. If you have any specific concerns, we recommend consulting with your doctor before you try any Delta-8 THC product.</p><p><em><strong>Josh Hurst </strong></em><em>is a journalist, critic, and essayist. He lives in Knoxville, TN, with his wife and three sons. He covers natural health, nutrition, supplements, and clean energy. His writing has appeared in Health, Shape, and Remedy Review.</em></p>
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<p>The <a href="https://www.botanyfarms.com/product/delta-10-thc-vape-cartridge/?aff=14" target="_blank">Botany Farms Delta-10 THC Vape Cartridge</a> actually contains both Delta-10 and Delta-8 THC.This is designed to provide the desired effects of Delta-8 THC but without the drowsiness. They also offer a vape cartridge with a 1:1 concentration of <a href="https://www.botanyfarms.com/product/delta-10-delta-8-thc-vape-cartridge/?aff=14" target="_blank">Delta-8 THC</a> and Delta-10 THC. Note that while vape products can be used to aid in smoking cessation, we do not recommend vaping or smoking because of the negative health effects they can cause.</p>
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An illustration of deep seabed mining. WWF
For the first time, major companies are adding their voices to the call for a ban on deep-sea mining.
<p>Google, BMW, Volvo and Samsung SD all signed a WWF <a href="https://www.noseabedmining.org/" target="_blank">statement</a> last Wednesday calling for a moratorium on the controversial practice until its environmental impacts are thoroughly understood, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mining-deepsea/google-bmw-volvo-and-samsung-sdi-sign-up-to-wwf-call-for-temporary-ban-on-deep-sea-mining-idUSKBN2BN0I6" target="_blank">Reuters reported</a>.</p><p>"We welcome this important step, and call on other companies who care about the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/ocean" target="_self">ocean</a> to join these leaders by signing on to the <a href="https://www.noseabedmining.org/" target="_blank">statement</a>," WWF International Global Ocean leader John Tanzer said in a <a href="https://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/press_releases/?1909966/Brands-Back-Call-for-Moratorium-on-Deep-Seabed-Mining" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">press release</a>. "It is a clear message to those who are swayed by the false promise that deep seabed mining is a 'green' and attractive investment proposition. It is not so."</p>
<p>Deep-sea mining would involve the extraction of mineral-rich, potato-sized nodules from the ocean floor, as <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-56607700" target="_blank">BBC News explained</a>. These nodules contain elements like cobalt that are necessary for building <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/electric-vehicles" target="_self">electric vehicle</a> batteries. Proponents therefore argue that mining the seafloor is an important tool for fighting the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change/" target="_self">climate crisis</a> while being less damaging than mining on land.</p><p>But WWF <a href="https://wwfint.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/in_too_deep_what_we_know_and_don_t_know_about_deep_seabed_mining_1.pdf" target="_blank">counters</a> that the practice could be extremely damaging for little-understood deep-sea ecosystems, harm fisheries and disrupt nutrient and carbon cycles. This argument has proved persuasive to some companies.</p><p>"It's the fear that everything we do down there could have irreversible consequences," senior BMW sustainability expert Claudia Becker told BBC News. "Those nodules grew over millions of years and if we take them out now, we don't understand how many species depend on them – what does this mean for the beginning of our food chain? There's way too little evidence, the research is just starting, it's too big a risk."</p>
<p>In signing WWF's statement, BMW and the other companies are pledging not to source minerals from the seabed, not to permit them into their supply chains and not to fund any mining exploration. They are asking the moratorium be kept in place until three conditions are met:</p><ol><li>The risks are clearly understood.</li><li>All alternative mineral sources have been used up.</li><li>It is clear the mining can be done in a way that preserves marine ecosystems and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/biodiversity" target="_self">biodiversity</a>.</li></ol><p>Despite WWF's concerns, mining companies are moving ahead with exploring the possibilities of deep-sea mining. DeepGreen, GSR and UK Seabed Resources, a UK Lockheed Martin subsidiary, all hold exploratory licenses, Reuters reported. Norway has said it could license companies to begin the practice as soon as 2023.</p>
<p>DeepGreen, which plans to mine in the Pacific, argued that the mining was necessary to fight the climate crisis and was less harmful than other ways of accessing key minerals.</p><p>"Where exactly will BMW get the battery metals it needs to fully electrify its products, and with what impact to our climate?" the company said in a statement reported by BBC News. "Will Volvo customers really prefer rainforest metals in their EVs once they realise their dire impacts on freshwater ecosystems, indigenous peoples, charismatic megafauna and carbon-storing forests?"</p><p>However, WWF argued that these are the wrong questions.</p><p>"The pro-deep seabed mining lobby is creating their own narrative by choosing to portray only some of what we know and don't know. They are selling a story that companies need deep seabed minerals in order to produce electric cars, batteries and other items that reduce carbon emissions," Jessica Battle, leader of WWF's No Deep Seabed Mining Initiative, said in the press release. "But savvy companies that are committed to sustainability are seeing through that false narrative. Deep seabed mining is an avoidable environmental disaster. We can decarbonize through innovation, redesigning, reducing, reusing and recycling."</p>
From Your Site Articles
- Will the Race for Electric Vehicles Endanger the Seafloor? - EcoWatch ›
- David Attenborough Calls For Ban on Deep-Sea Mining - EcoWatch ›
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Fossil Fuel Companies Scored Billions in Tax Breaks in 2020 Before Laying off Thousands of Workers
02 April
Business
Marathon Petroleum Corporation's Los Angeles Refinery in Carson, California, on April 25, 2020. ROBYN BECK / AFP via Getty Images
Fossil fuel companies got billions in tax breaks and laid off more than 58,000 workers last year, a report from BailoutWatch found.
<p>Provisions in the CARES Act passed last March, gave 77 fossil fuel companies $8.2 billion in tax breaks, and their laid off workers a $1,200 stimulus check. Using SEC data, the report shows Marathon Petroleum, the biggest single beneficiary, got more than $2 billion before laying off almost 2,000 workers — about 9% of its workforce at a rate of around $1 million per laid off worker. </p>
<p>Five companies went bankrupt after receiving $308.7 million in tax bailouts and laid off a total of 5,683 workers. "I'm not surprised that these companies took advantage of these tax benefits, but I'm horrified by the layoffs after they got this money," said Chris Kuveke, a researcher at BailoutWatch, told The Guardian. "Last year's stimulus was about keeping the economy going, but these companies didn't use these resources to retain their workers. These are companies that are polluting the environment, increasing the deadliness of the pandemic and letting go of their workers."</p>
<p>As reported by <a href="https://bailoutwatch.org/analysis/fossil-fuel-firmsslashed-nearly-60000-jobs-in-2020?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=119258146&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8-rVE0_CZQMGrpG-GgqcftYULAWvTdVGqDPKkerrWLoOXczngZyKhVjUR1LiCuWmGfkWSHOHp-YPHcyfBlBSOiEW0sXA&utm_content=119258146&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">BailoutWatch</a>:</p><blockquote>As Washington debates ending tax subsidies for fossil fuels, part of President Joe Biden's $2 trillion infrastructure proposal, fossil fuel companies are quietly reporting their employee headcounts and final tax bills for 2020. The data underscore the hypocrisy of <a href="https://twitter.com/APIenergy/status/1377307228261191690" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">claims</a> that fossil fuels are a necessary engine of employment and succeed on an equal playing field in the free market.<br>---<br>The bailouts are the tip of a much bigger iceberg: Fossil fuels have long benefited from a trove of tax-code provisions. In the century since they emerged, the coal, oil, and gas industries' strength has reflected not market efficiencies, as defenders claim, but government largesse that far exceeds what has so far been extended to the clean energy sector.<br></blockquote>
<p><strong>For a deeper dive:</strong><br/></p><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/apr/02/fossil-fuel-companies-billions-tax-breaks-workers?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=119258146&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_CgjhgRzMBQWd-4C-p2HpHZsxe469jF0OxS_RrJ00ySFfAGZU45yhBxhCk4vMwPFG-CUFN2kcOhv8iwdj8jjNJNVpMMA&utm_content=119258146&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>, <a href="https://insideclimatenews.org/news/02042021/fossil-fuel-companies-took-billions-in-u-s-coronavirus-relief-funds-but-still-cut-nearly-60000-jobs/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=119258146&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--4MdjEE5eiEKXeVftnpj7GxATDcsNomgwgt9nWh5BwaeH6N1PVrLA8Oo4zZTWFu-JObkTw5ETLTOnUFVqYzZfAZ4rg-A&utm_content=119258146&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">InsideClimate News</a></p><p><em>For more </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>climate change</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/business/renewables/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>clean energy</em></a><em> news, you can follow Climate Nexus on </em><a href="https://twitter.com/ClimateNexus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Twitter</em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClimateNexus/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a><em>, sign up for daily </em><a href="https://www.linktrack.live/hot-news-sign-up" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Hot News</em></a><em>, and visit their news site, </em><a href="https://nexusmedianews.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Nexus Media News</em></a><em>.</em></p>
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U.S. Infrastructure, Climate and Health Crises Deserve $10 Trillion Investment, Says AOC
01 April
Politics
Activists participate in a rally along President Joe Biden's route to deliver a speech on March 31, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Jeff Swensen / Getty Images for Green New Deal Network
By Jake Johnson
Members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus made clear Wednesday that while President Joe Biden's roughly $2.3 trillion infrastructure proposal is a welcome start, they believe the final package must be far more ambitious if it is to truly transform America's fossil fuel-dominated energy system and bring the country into line with crucial climate targets.
<p><br/></p>
<p>Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said in an appearance on MSNBC late Wednesday that ideally the top-line number would be around <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/03/29/biden-prepares-unveil-infrastructure-plan-progressives-push-10-trillion-investment" target="_blank">$10 trillion in spending</a> on core infrastructure, renewable energy, healthcare improvements, and other key priorities over the next decade, a <a href="https://www.epi.org/blog/next-round-of-recovery-spending-is-about-meeting-social-needs-not-filling-macroeconomic-gaps/" target="_blank">level of investment</a> the New York Democrat presented as necessary to match the scale of the crises facing the country.</p><p>"That may be an eye-popping figure for some people," said Ocasio-Cortez, a leading <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/02/07/major-party-backing-ocasio-cortez-and-markey-unveil-green-new-deal-outlining-wwii" target="_blank">Green New Deal advocate</a>. "But we need to understand that we are in a devastating economic moment, millions of people in the United States are unemployed, we have a truly crippled healthcare system, and a planetary crisis on our hands — and we're the wealthiest nation in the history of the world. So, we can do $10 trillion."</p>
<div id="bee6d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="813f90839dd6e4921f1d866513025783"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1377457356754280448" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">[email protected] says we need $10 trillion over 10 years to deliver jobs, justice, and a livable planet.
https://t.co/EBjacEE4hW</div> — Justice Democrats (@Justice Democrats)<a href="https://twitter.com/justicedems/statuses/1377457356754280448">1617246400.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>The chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), issued a similar message in a <a href="https://progressives.house.gov/press-releases?ID=17D6B695-AFDA-4F81-ADAB-5CEBABB1A5FF" target="_blank">statement</a> released just ahead of Biden's speech in Pittsburgh, where he sketched the <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/03/31/critics-warn-biden-infrastructure-plan-falls-woefully-short-climate-crisis" target="_blank">broad outlines</a> of his plan and <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/03/31/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-american-jobs-plan/" target="_blank">promised</a> "transformational progress in our effort to tackle climate change with American jobs and American ingenuity."</p><p>"We believe this package can and should be substantially larger in size and scope," said Jayapal. "During his campaign, President Biden committed to a '$2 trillion accelerated investment' over four years on climate-focused infrastructure alone... Today's proposal, which includes many other priorities such as care jobs, will invest half that amount — roughly $2 trillion over eight years — or 1% of GDP. It makes little sense to narrow his previous ambition on infrastructure or compromise with the physical realities of climate change."</p><p>The Washington Democrat went on to voice her caucus' preference for a single, sweeping package encompassing infrastructure spending and health insurance expansions, child care and long-term care, and other measures, rather than two separate pieces of legislation. Biden is expected to unveil the healthcare-focused portion of his package — titled the American Families Plan — some time this month.</p><p>"We believe that our country is ready for an even bolder, more comprehensive, and integrated plan that demonstrates the size, scope, and speed required to aggressively slash carbon pollution and avoid climate catastrophe; create millions of good, family-sustaining, union jobs; improve Americans' health and safety; reduce racial and gender disparities; and curb income inequality by making the wealthy and large corporations finally pay their fair share in taxes," said Jayapal.</p>
<div id="46237" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6c0bd2e94d7e4944fa5f447b49bd1e62"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1377372632471982087" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Now is the time to go BIG.
https://t.co/1qmtnhXPFy</div> — Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@Rep. Pramila Jayapal)<a href="https://twitter.com/RepJayapal/statuses/1377372632471982087">1617226200.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>In his <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/03/31/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-american-jobs-plan/" target="_blank">remarks</a> late Wednesday afternoon, Biden stressed the urgency of "bold" action on climate and characterized his proposal as "a once-in-a generation investment in America," but environmentalists and progressive lawmakers said major improvements are needed to align the actual package with the president's lofty rhetoric.</p><p>As Common Dreams <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/03/31/critics-warn-biden-infrastructure-plan-falls-woefully-short-climate-crisis" target="_blank">reported</a>, climate groups are expressing concern that the package in its current form falls well short of what's needed to meet Biden's commitments to <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/joe-biden/bidens-paris-climate-goal-50-percent-rcna454" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">slash U.S. carbon emissions</a> by 50% by 2030, end <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/01/27/denouncing-handouts-big-oil-biden-calls-congress-end-40-billion-taxpayer-subsidies" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">fossil fuel subsidies</a>, transition to <a href="https://grist.org/politics/bidens-difficult-but-possible-path-to-100-clean-electricity-by-2035/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">100% clean electricity by 2035</a>, and ensure clean water for all.</p><p>"It's not enough," Evan Weber, political director of the youth-led Sunrise Movement, <a href="https://twitter.com/evanlweber/status/1377438089765740544" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">said</a> of the current package. "Set ambitious national targets. Rally the nation. Treat it like it's an emergency. And most importantly: tell the truth about the severity of the crisis... It's the only way to close the gap between the politics of now and what's needed."</p>
<p>Given Democrats' narrow majorities in both the House and Senate, progressive lawmakers have significant leverage over the size and scope of the final package, which will likely be pushed through the filibuster-proof budget reconciliation process amid Republican opposition. Whether the CPC is willing to use its power to force dramatic changes to the legislation <a href="https://www.dailyposter.com/p/corporate-dems-show-progressives" target="_blank">remains to be seen</a>.</p><p>Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), the CPC whip, said in a <a href="https://omar.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-omar-s-statement-biden-s-infrastructure-plan" target="_blank">statement</a> Wednesday that "in addition to the proposals the president laid out, we must use this moment to dramatically lower drug prices, expand Medicare to millions of people, make college more affordable, strengthen the care economy, provide a roadmap to citizenship for our immigrant communities, address the housing crisis, and make much bolder investments in green jobs."</p><p>"Now is not the time to remain beholden to a bankrupt, unpopular ideology that allows the richest people in the world to continue paying next to nothing in taxes, while millions starve in our streets," Omar added. "Now is the time to be bold, to tackle the once-in-a-millennium challenge of the climate crisis, and to ensure that we as a country at long last live up to our promise of justice for all."</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/04/01/planetary-crisis-our-hands-says-aoc-we-can-do-10-trillion-infrastructure" target="_blank">Common Dreams</a>.</em><br/></p>
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The top three countries for total emissions from flying were the U.S., China and the UK. Caroline Purser / Getty Images
Another study finds evidence that the majority of climate-damaging flights are undertaken by a small minority of frequent travelers.
<p>The research, <a href="https://www.wearepossible.org/latest-news/elite-status-how-a-small-minority-around-the-world-take-an-unfair-share-of-flights" target="_blank">published by the UK-based climate charity Possible</a>, is based on a review of the existing literature on global flight frequency before the coronavirus pandemic disrupted the aviation industry. It found extensive evidence of flight inequality both between and within countries.</p><p>"This report shows the same pattern of inequality around the world — a small minority of frequent flyers take an unfair share of the flights," Possible's Alethea Warrington told <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-56582094" target="_blank">BBC News</a>. "While the poorest communities are already suffering the impacts of a warming climate, the benefits of high-carbon lifestyles are enjoyed only by the few. A lot of people travel. But only the privileged few fly often."</p><p>Globally, few people fly regularly. Less than 20 percent of people have ever flown, according to the report, and only five to 10 percent of the world's population flies in any year. Further, the wealthiest 10 percent of people are responsible for 76 percent of the energy consumption involved with packaged holidays.</p><p>Meanwhile, the top 10 countries for aviation emissions account for 60 percent of the world's total, while the top 30 account for 86 percent. The top three countries for total emissions from flying were the U.S., China and the UK, while the top five for per capita emissions from residents came from Singapore, Finland, Iceland, Australia and the UK.</p>
<p>At the same time, a gap remains within those top-flying countries between the most frequent flyers and everyone else.</p><ul><li>U.S.: 12 percent of the population takes 66 percent of the flights</li><li>UK: around 15 percent of the population takes 70 percent of the flights</li><li>France: two percent of the population takes 50 percent of the flights</li><li>Canada: 22 percent of the population takes 73 percent of the flights</li><li>Netherlands: eight percent of the population takes 42 percent of the flights</li></ul><p>To address these inequalities and reduce aviation emissions, Possible is proposing a Frequent Flyer Levy in the UK, which would tax people who take more flights.</p><p>"Air travel is a uniquely damaging behavior, resulting in more emissions per hour than any other activity, bar starting forest fires. So targeting climate policy at the elite minority responsible for most of the environmental damage from flights could help tackle the climate problem without taking away access to the most important and valued services that air travel provides to society," Leo Murray, Possible director of innovation, told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/31/elite-minority-frequent-flyers-aviation-climate-damage-flights-environmental" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>.</p><p>Other environmental groups agree with the frequent flyer levy, but also argue for an end to frequent flyer rewards programs.</p>
<p>"Taxing frequent fliers is a good idea — but we also have to do something about air miles, which reward frequent fliers for flying more frequently," Greenpeace Executive Director John Sauven told BBC News. "This is obscene during a climate crisis — and it should be stopped."<br></p><p>However, a UK treasury spokesperson noted that there would be some problems implementing a frequent flyer levy. It could be complicated to apply, raise privacy concerns, be hard to enforce for people holding more than one passport and pose a problem for people who travel for essential work.</p><p>The airline industry also opposed the tax and argued in favor of technological fixes.</p><p>"Taxes have proved to be an ineffective way to tackle emissions," Michael Gill, executive director at the International Air Transport Association, told The Guardian. "The focus instead should be on practical means to mitigate the CO2 impact of aviation, while still enabling people to fly for business and family reasons."</p><p>However, Finlay Asher, a climate activist and former airline engineer, said technological innovation was not likely to do the trick.</p><p>"As an engineer working on future aircraft technology, I quickly realized that technology development is moving too slowly compared with growth in air traffic," Asher told The Guardian. "The only way to reduce emissions from the sector in time is government policy to fairly limit demand for flights. Without that, no amount of technology will help."</p>
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Most Economists Agree: Benefits of 'Drastic' Climate Action Outweigh Costs of Status Quo
31 March
Business
Climate change protesters urge climate action and funding for the Green New Deal on September 23, 2019 in Washington, DC. Mark Wilson / Getty Images
By Jessica Corbett
While scientists and campaigners continue calling on world leaders to pursue more ambitious policies to cut planet-heating emissions based on moral arguments and physical dangers, a U.S. think tank released survey results on Tuesday that make a clear economic case for sweeping climate action.
<p>The Institute for Policy Integrity at New York University School of Law invited 2,169 Ph.D. economists to take a 15-question online survey "focused on climate change risks, economic damage estimates, and emissions abatement," according to a <a href="https://policyintegrity.org/files/publications/Economic_Consensus_on_Climate.pdf?utm_medium=email&_hsmi=118665090&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8UlpxuBsD08ecvP9TNwOkply5Q2DuPP6dN8iM9Fv7PJ5gHZL5_IymPLQnoWxg4YmJ6ZqUHKSzQYgHyJ4zQXgiRADXbXA&utm_content=118665090&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">report</a> on the results. Nearly three-quarters of the 738 economists who participated in the survey say they agree that "immediate and drastic action is necessary."</p><p>"In sharp contrast, less than 1% believe that climate change is 'not a serious problem,'" the report says, noting a jump in support for bold climate action now compared with a 2015 survey. "Nearly 80% of respondents also self-report an increase in their level of concern about climate change over the past five years, underscoring the high level of overall concern among this group."</p>
<div id="2c758" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a3822d8d90de8c601eb93e546e723e73"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1376929649192669184" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Just out: an impressive new international survey of 738 economists with expertise in climate by @NYULaw… https://t.co/eHGdjvMLHl</div> — Dana Nuccitelli (@Dana Nuccitelli)<a href="https://twitter.com/dana1981/statuses/1376929649192669184">1617120585.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>Of those surveyed, 76% believe the climate crisis will likely or very likely have a negative effect on global economic growth rates. Additionally, 70% think climate change will make income inequality worse within most countries and 89% think it will exacerbate inequality between high-income and low-income countries.</p><p>"People who spend their careers studying our economy are in widespread agreement that climate change will be expensive, potentially devastatingly so," said Peter Howard, economics director at the institute and co-author of the research, in a statement. "These findings show a clear economic case for urgent climate action."</p><p>As the report details:</p><blockquote>Respondents were asked to estimate the economic impacts of several different climate scenarios. They project that economic damages from climate change will reach $1.7 trillion per year by 2025, and roughly $30 trillion per year (5% of projected GDP) by 2075 if the current warming trend continues. Their damage estimates rise precipitously as warming intensifies, topping $140 trillion annually at a 5°C increase and $730 trillion at a 7°C increase. As expected, experts believe that the risk of extremely high/catastrophic damages significantly increases at these high temperatures.<br></blockquote><p>Sixty-six percent of respondents "agree that the benefits of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 would likely outweigh the costs," compared with just 12% who disagree. As the report says: "Costs are often cited as a reason to delay or avoid strong action on climate change, but this survey of hundreds of expert economists suggests that the weight of evidence is on the side of rapid action."</p><p>The economists also foresee a "rapid expansion of clean energy technologies" in the coming decades, and 65% of respondents expect the costs of emerging zero-emission and negative-emission tech will drop rapidly, similar to the recent developments with solar and wind energy. While a majority also expects negative-emission technologies will become viable in the second half of the century, the report notes that "a very high percentage of 'No Opinion' responses underscores the uncertainty of this projection."</p>
<div id="124a9" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="2788989b4c66f6a664c501573849306c"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1376900704741232646" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Our global survey of over 700 economists gathered expert views on a series of key climate change questions. The ov… https://t.co/ftp9Ix3Sbq</div> — Institute for Policy Integrity (@Institute for Policy Integrity)<a href="https://twitter.com/PolicyIntegrity/statuses/1376900704741232646">1617113684.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>"Economists overwhelmingly support rapid emissions reductions, and they are optimistic about key technology costs continuing to drop," said co-author Derek Sylvan, strategy director at the institute. "There is a clear consensus among these experts that the status quo seems far more costly than a major energy transition."</p><p>The survey comes as governments party to the Paris agreement are revising and releasing emissions pledges for the next decade ahead of a global summit in November. A United Nations report recently <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/02/26/red-alert-our-planet-new-un-report-shows-radically-bolder-action-needed-hit-15degc" target="_blank">warned</a> that the pledges put forth so far are dramatically inadequate. As Power Shift Africa director Mohamed Adow said: "It's staggering how far off track countries are to dealing with the climate crisis."</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/03/30/most-economists-agree-benefits-drastic-climate-action-outweigh-costs-status-quo" target="_blank">Common Dreams</a>.</em></p>
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President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris during remarks on COVID-19 response and vaccinations at South Court Auditorium in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on March 29, 2021. Demetrius Freeman / The Washington Post via Getty Images
Today in Pittsburgh, President Biden will outline his American Jobs Plan, proposals for major infrastructure investments in clean energy, water system updates, and other economy-growing initiatives designed to create millions of jobs, address aging infrastructure and lessen racial and other inequities throughout the economy.
<p>Biden's $2 trillion plan to fight climate change and revitalize the American economy includes calls for Congressional funding to the tune of: $16 billion to employ union oil and gas workers to cap orphaned oil and gas wells and clean up mines, $35 billion in clean tech R&D to address the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-crisis" target="_self">climate crisis</a>, $85 billion to modernize public transit systems, $174 billion to promote <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/electric-vehicles" target="_self">electric vehicles</a> through consumer incentives, supply chain support, charging network build outs, school bus electrification, and electrifying the federal fleet, $100 billion for power grid modernization and resilience, and $213 billion to build, modernize, and weatherize affordable housing.</p>
<p>Biden's plan also calls for investing $111 billion to improve the country's <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/drinking-water" target="_self">drinking water</a> systems, including eliminating all lead water pipes and service lines in the country. Labor and environmental groups called for even greater ambition and spending to "build a more just, equitable, clean and more prosperous American economy" in a letter to Biden and Democratic Congressional leaders. Funding will pay for itself over 15 years, the administration says, by a combination of eliminating fossil fuel subsidies, raising corporate taxes, ending offshore-tax havens and strengthening corporate tax enforcement.</p>
<p>The plan also calls for passage of a bill aimed at significantly strengthening workers' rights to organize. The $2 trillion plan push is just the first of the administration's massive two-part infrastructure investment agenda as Biden is expected to release part two, the "American Families Plan" in two weeks. </p>
<p><strong>For a deeper dive:</strong><br/></p><p><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2021/03/31/biden-infrastructure-climate-plan/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=118865891&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_RArlqOPSkNGuWEQ2Exfn745iYfz7IIR2QbT3vqlPG4k4SSfjg0S2aS6K_bkKV6O3ymVDUZU0I00Rjt8gFI9v57uAiwg&utm_content=118865891&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Washington Post</a>, <a href="https://login.politicopro.com/?redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fsubscriber.politicopro.com%2Farticle%2F2021%2F03%2Fwhat-bidens-plan-seeks-for-climate-clean-energy-and-water-2045506%3Futm_campaign%3DHot%2520News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=118865891&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_9OeQ7yLbd5aWToK7H5E2OJvirpDGOdIJQ20H5nHoPyeHCPa5rYas5fvMhTJg4J2Z600ZqV_dvl-SuVGtNYbvdJPejhQ&utm_content=118865891&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">POLITICO Pro</a>, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/31/business/economy/biden-infrastructure-plan.html?searchResultPosition=1&utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=118865891&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--nw8fDMowGLlJA-JCJWR9o0hNen04YVOeLq-cm2lpLdC7tQav8UBAIjc-PatFxnvt7iVImCHv7Fd1En3INHZcRpcWdcA&utm_content=118865891&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>, <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/30/biden-infrastructure-plan-478627?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=118865891&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-__0OCkLT__BzecPoZsh9FFB5_6s7g2_EtvvZ6rPRvcLwBQhVhte3NtLWfIq5mFXC4uNDLaV7GItmL5yybfO9t7V-d0SA&utm_content=118865891&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">POLITICO</a>, <a href="https://newsletter.climatenexus.org/e2t/tc/VW784p3Jqlf9V338b98qTgKKVNrtzX4pRkD7N3wqV775nxH1V3Zsc37CgTLGW97NTdB5Rb7lKVnmD3P9gBbX9W1QXBpW6N41tbW7t4fCQ69LkcyW5LNMDQ5ZNRzrW3wPlhx6ty4BSN5ynmbWfh0zbN2gMnQYPXh6DW66skJd6j75hvN4FJ_QrBSN8PW5Jw3MM44F8-ZW5dbDkP2Q8LqKW40c4TT3j9YMqW2P5gY72TKcsfW3_gdLQ3pbMlNW2_xzxM2S2pl8W8_d0bT8lWHH2W5Dpj0G6Q_ds-W5CWssf6xMPM_VkQg9k3gDZ1jW2lq2yG1jRzk-N1v9FjcQQ4vHW54Khk62jjR5ZW3_f0Md7bBnP6W2jK7sY73TgRdW467Vlh3ccc55W5PDQ8q100wpCN4hRzlW6KSXwW3c0wNf3NfX8kN5b-2BCf0x7KW1k9NT95tF6XPW1BKjWl8p7XB9W4KXD-88YmP0-https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-nation/2021/03/29/Joe-Biden-Pittsburgh-infrastructure-proposal-United-Steelworkers-Conor-Lamb/stories/202103290090?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=118865891&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6OIdHhZshdz756ULxsIxSRUubrxp10Nx_O-8EQSXyt3igJ8oe1_13FUnfKIdjY8SC330edKxkSzks-21RN92uQgNw5Q&utm_content=118865891&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pittsburgh Post-Gazette</a>, <a href="https://www.vox.com/22334274/joe-biden-infrastructure-climate-push-explained?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=118865891&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_cSN9RrswTO4aBf5cGh2QOsiF9c6FsLdHX3urytAWkymb1UnvOSp7C-Yij2TiXOyqKoe1zu5pHAo37W9kNmmg-cDAxQw&utm_content=118865891&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Vox</a>; Labor and green groups: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-30/biden-urged-to-spend-4-trillion-by-labor-environment-groups?sref=oUjKJw8m&utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=118865891&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-93OO7mEMnsiw5wtxdKeodW2QoyGaPsqR_k_iqAP9T404BYdMx7Fawd76m3n7ajCfW26asXA89H0E6dfhboFIjFqH58zg&utm_content=118865891&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bloomberg</a>; Pay-fors and taxes: <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/biden-makes-a-big-gamble-on-infrastructure-spending--and-higher-taxes-on-the-wealthy-to-pay-for-it/2021/03/30/6fc7d928-90da-11eb-9668-89be11273c09_story.html?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=118865891&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8AkcItXDCTeFaO55ZNv0Vyr8hJQLbC10Gkk5v9n_X2EKq6PRGzGYMQ5S8dzmBpGIhAli3mBVao99wm5QFMG_I8JPuRNg&utm_content=118865891&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Washington Post</a>, <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/30/blue-state-democrats-salt-taxes-478556?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=118865891&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9wzXWI54uwaY34BAB7G5bCom6IxIxxMzMBVWgQSrjX7YsqIm-tcYuI1lK1Nxqsv87e4CNxnacCwFyDYZQIRZOd30O4Zw&utm_content=118865891&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">POLITICO</a>, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/30/business/economy/biden-infrastructure-taxes.html?searchResultPosition=3&utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=118865891&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--uISMA_pOXi4rnr-PrNYjlj4mUuNCHidkqFeH2OMmNcivTE1QPSrpBEz2ACVhUOdGKXxeIfx21PLuwdAjoS4bM-QYQBg&utm_content=118865891&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The New York Times</a></p><p><em>For more </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>climate change</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/business/renewables/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>clean energy</em></a><em> news, you can follow Climate Nexus on </em><a href="https://twitter.com/ClimateNexus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Twitter</em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClimateNexus/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a><em>, sign up for daily </em><a href="https://www.linktrack.live/hot-news-sign-up" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Hot News</em></a><em>, and visit their news site, </em><a href="https://nexusmedianews.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Nexus Media News</em></a><em>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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Reclaiming Abandoned Mines: Turning Coal Country’s Toxic Legacy Into Assets
29 March
Insights + Opinion
The Ehrenfeld Abandoned Mine Reclamation Project is the first of dozens of similar reclamation initiatives under the Abandoned Mine Lands Economic Revitalization Pilot Program. U.S. Dept. of the Interior
By Tara Lohan
Mined lands reclaimed for biking trails, office parks — even a winery. Efforts like these are already underway in Appalachia to reclaim the region's toxic history, restore blighted lands, and create economic opportunities in areas where decades-old mines haven't been properly cleaned up.
<p>The projects are sorely needed. And so are many more. But the money to fund and enable them remains elusive.</p><p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/05/us/politics/trump-coal-industry.html#:~:text=In%20part%20because%20of%20the,production%20since%20at%20least%201932." target="_blank">Mining production is falling</a>, which is good news for tackling climate change and air pollution, but Appalachia and other coal states are also feeling the economic pain that comes with it. And that loss is more acute on top of pandemic-related revenue shortfalls and the mounting bills from the industry's environmental degradation.</p>
<p>Local leaders and organizations working in coal communities see a way to flip the script, though. The Revelator spoke with Rebecca Shelton, the director of policy and organizing for <a href="https://aclc.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Appalachian Citizens' Law Center</a> in Kentucky, about efforts focusing on one particular area that's plagued coal communities for more than 50 years: cleaning up abandoned mine lands.</p><p>Shelton explains the history behind these lands, the big legislative opportunities developing in Washington, and what coal communities need to prepare for a low-carbon future.</p>
<p><strong>What are abandoned mine lands?</strong></p><p>Technically an abandoned mine land is land where no reclamation was done after mining. Prior to the passage of <a href="https://www.osmre.gov/lrg.shtm" target="_blank">Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act</a> in 1977, coal-mining companies weren't required to reclaim — or clean up — the land they mined.</p><p>What SMCRA did, in addition to creating requirements for companies to do reclamation into the future, was create an abandoned mine land fund to distribute money to states and tribes with historic mining so that they could clean up those old sites. The revenue for that fund comes from a small tax on current coal production.</p><p>The program has accomplished a lot. It has closed 46,000 open mine portals, reclaimed more than 1,000 miles of high walls, stabilized slopes, and restored a lot of water supplies.</p><p>It's been a successful program, but the work is far from done. A conservative estimate is that there's still more than $11 billion needed to clean up existing identified liability across the U.S. [for sites mined before 1977].</p>
<p><strong>What are the risks if we don't do this?</strong></p><p>There are safety, health and environmental issues.</p><p>Just this spring we've already gotten calls from folks living adjacent to abandoned mine lands that are experiencing slides [from wet weather causing slopes destabilized by mining to give way]. People's homes can be completely destabilized, and if they don't get out in time, it can be really dangerous.</p><p>There's also a lot of existing acid mine drainage across coal-mining communities, which is water that's leaking iron oxides and other heavy metals from these abandoned mine lands. This is bad for the ecology of the streams, but heavy metals are also not safe for humans to be exposed to.</p>
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Acid mine drainage in a stream. Rachel Brennan / CC BY-NC 2.0
<p><strong>There's legislation in Congress now that could help deal with this issue. What are those bills?</strong></p><p>One bill is the reauthorization of the abandoned mine land fund. That bill is absolutely critical because the fee on coal production, which is the only source of revenue for the fund, will expire at the end of September if Congress doesn't take action.</p><p>If Congress fails to extend that, we may not see any more funding for the $11 billion needed to clean up abandoned mine lands. If passed, the bill would reauthorize the fee at its current level for 15 more years.</p><p>The challenge is that even if the fee is reauthorized, it'll likely generate only around $1.6 billion — based on current coal-production projections — and that's vastly inadequate to cover all of the liabilities that exist.</p><p>Also, when the abandoned mine land fund was first started, there were some funds that were not redistributed to states and tribes and have just remained in the fund — [about] $2.5 billion that's not being dispersed on an annual basis.</p><p>So another bill, the <a href="https://cartwright.house.gov/uploadedfiles/reclaim_act_section_by_section_117th.pdf" target="_blank">RECLAIM Act</a>, would authorize [an initial] $1 billion to be dispersed out of that fund that would go to approximately 20 states and tribes over the next five years. This money would be distributed differently than the regular funds in that any kind of project would have to have a plan in place for community and economic development.</p><p>So though the funds can only be used for reclamation, they need to be reclamation with a plan. There are so many high-priority and dangerous abandoned mine land sites that exist, and the RECLAIM Act funds would prioritize supporting community and economic development for communities adjacent to these lands.</p>
<p><strong>How much support are you seeing for these bills?</strong></p><p>We see momentum in this Congress, and there's a lot of conversation around investing in our nation's infrastructure. We see abandoned mine lands and their remediation as natural infrastructure that we need to invest in to keep our communities safe and prepare them for the future.</p><p>But we also see these bills as important pieces of an economic recovery package. COVID-19 has really exacerbated so many of the existing health and economic crises already in coal communities.</p><p>When we talk about economic stimulus and job creation, we also see reauthorizing the abandoned mine land fund as contributing to that because it takes a lot of work and creates a lot of jobs to do land reclamation.</p>
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Abandoned mines can pose serious health and safety hazards, such as landslides, erosion and surface instability. USGS
<p><strong>We've talked about the legacy issues from lands mined before 1977, but what concerns are there from current or recent mining? Is that reclamation being done adequately?</strong></p><p>That's an area that also needs a closer look.</p><p>As the industry declines, we've seen coal companies file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy or reorganization. And when they do this, oftentimes they're granted permission to get rid of liabilities that would affect their solvency. Sometimes those liabilities are reclamation obligations, pension funds or black lung disability funds.</p><p>And then what you see is smaller companies taking on these permits that the reorganizing company no longer wants. But many are under-capitalized and they sometimes don't have the ability to even produce coal, or if they do they can't keep up with the reclamation. And it's dangerous for communities if there's environmental violations that aren't getting addressed.</p><p>I'll give you a recent example. Blackjewel [the sixth-largest U.S. coal producer] <a href="https://www.kentucky.com/news/state/kentucky/article250112599.html" target="_blank">went bankrupt</a> in the summer of 2019. Since then there's been very little done to address any kind of environmental violations existing on their permits.</p><p>Because of SMCRA, companies are required to have bonds in order to obtain their mining permits, but these bonds are not always adequate. The Kentucky Energy and Environment cabinet made a statement in the Blackjewel bankruptcy proceedings that it estimated that reclamation obligations on these permits were going to fall short $20 to $50 million.</p>
<p><strong>What else is needed to help coal communities transition to a low-carbon economy?</strong></p><p>That's a big question. We have to address these legacy issues in order to help transition these communities into the future. And we have to address the problems right now of folks who are losing their jobs and need to be supported through training programs or through education credits.</p><p>But we also need to be thinking about the future more broadly. What will be in place 20 years from now for the younger generation?</p><p>There's going to be a lot of gaps in local tax revenues because so much of the tax base has been reliant on the coal industry, which makes it really difficult for communities to continue to provide public services and keep up infrastructure as that industry declines. It's going to be critical to think about that and invest in that.</p><p>I think the best approach is to find solutions that work for [specific] places. And to do that we need to listen to community leaders and folks in these communities that have already been working to build something new for many years. There are solutions that I think can apply to all places, but there also needs to be a targeted intention to create opportunities where communities can develop their own paths forward.</p>
<p><em>Tara Lohan is deputy editor of The Revelator.<br/></em></p><p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://therevelator.org/abandoned-mines-legislation/" target="_blank">The Revelator</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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DmitriMaruta / iStock / Getty Images Plus
By Noah Horowitz
While the energy efficiency of America's smart televisions has improved greatly since flat panel models were first introduced, some of the energy savings are at risk due to new "smart wake" features that can waste a lot of power when the TV is in standby mode.
<p>These features provide the user with the convenience of waking their TV through a voice command to a nearby smart speaker, or to seamlessly shift from watching content on a tablet or phone to the TV, without using a remote control. Our extensive laboratory testing on the standby power of 10 different models found that in many cases, enabling these features caused a TV's overall annual electricity consumption to skyrocket by as much as 75 percent.</p>
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<p>All that extra standby power adds up. NRDC estimates it will cost purchasers of 2021 TVs who enable smart wake features an additional $750 million on their utility bills over these TVs' seven-year lifetime, barring future manufacturer design improvements. The extra electricity consumption also will lead to more than 3 million tons of additional carbon dioxide emissions.</p><p>Spoiler alert, Samsung and LG TVs have found a way to support smart wake on their internet-connected televisions WITHOUT a noticeable increase in standby power levels. Other models we tested, however, were like vampires continuously guzzling electricity while waiting to be fully awakened.</p>
<h3>What Are 'Smart Wake' Features?</h3><p>The vast majority of new TVs offer the user the ability to be connected wirelessly to a smart speaker like the Amazon Echo (which many simply call Alexa). The user can then wake or control the TV simply with voice commands by saying things like, "Alexa turn on the TV" or "OK Google, turn on the Knicks game." Another option is "wake by cast," which allows a user who is viewing a movie or show on a tablet or phone to click on the little casting icon, and their TV will quickly wake and display the same content. Lastly, users can download an app to turn their phone into a virtual remote control that can wake and control their TV. These three features are forms of "smart wake" that avoid the hassle of having to locate and use a remote control.</p>
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iStock / Diy13
<h3>How Did We Test the TVs?</h3><p>NRDC partnered with Pacific Crest Laboratories (PCL) for the first in-depth study of the standby power of different TVs when these features were enabled. Most of the ten TVs we tested required the user to go into the menu and turn on/enable the smart wake features. Each manufacturer had its own terminology for the settings and in some cases, the user needed to select the Quick Start feature for things to operate properly. We tested a range of TV brands, both major and small, as well as a variety of operating systems (e.g., Roku, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, etc.) that these TVs are controlled by.</p><p>Prior to testing we connected the TV to a live internet signal and downloaded the latest software update. After displaying video content, we turned off the TV and measured its standby power. We then configured the TV so the smart wake features were enabled, including selecting wake on cast and linking the smart speaker to the TV via a wireless connection.</p><p>Subsequently, we confirmed whether the smart wake features worked and measured the TV's standby power for 40 minutes. Given that TVs may not fully power down for several minutes, we waited 20 minutes before starting our measurements and then recorded the average standby power over the next 20 minutes.</p>
<h3>What Impact Did Smart Wake Have on TV Standby Power?</h3><p>The average standby power level of TVs tested without any smart wake features enabled was 0.6 watts. Once we turned on the smart wake features, standby power levels jumped dramatically. This table shows the brands tested, along with their operating system (OS). Some of the operating systems like Android TV are used by multiple manufacturers, whereas LG and Samsung have their own proprietary operating systems, WebOS and Tizen, respectively.</p>
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<p>Two things to note: a) Samsung and LG TVs supported smart wake features without a noticeable increase in standby power; and b) for all the other TVs tested we saw standby power levels from roughly 5 to 20 watts. We conferred with the <a href="https://neea.org/news/transforming-the-televisions-market" target="_blank">Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance</a> (NEEA), which has tested roughly 40 TVs in both on and standby modes and done lots of great work in this space, and reported an average standby power level of 12.5 watts for models that showed elevated standby power levels with smart wake. (We used this value in our modeling discussed below.)</p><p>In follow-up conversations with Vizio, we learned that their TVs support wake by phone (using the phone as a remote control) when their TV is in the default Eco Mode setting and were able to achieve standby power level of less than 1 watt. The 14.4-watt level in the table was based on testing with the Vizio TV's Quick Start setting selected as that was required to get their wake by cast and wake by voice features to work properly.</p>
<h3>National Impacts</h3><p>NRDC and PCL developed a model to quantify the national impact of smart wake features. We excluded Samsung and LG TVs, which together represent just under half of U.S. market share, as they did not show elevated smart wake standby levels. We assumed an incremental standby power level of 11.9 watts, and that half of all users would configure their TVs to use one or more of the smart wake features. (Note: this <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200127005430/en/52-of-Smart-Speaker-Owners-Are-Controlling-TV-With-Voice-Strategy-Analytics#:~:text=BOSTON%2D%2D(BUSINESS%20WIRE)%2D%2D,TV%20device%20at%20least%20weekly" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">article</a> shows half of smart speaker owners connect them to TVs. While we don't know exactly what percentage use wake by cast or wake by phone, we believe it's significant and likely to grow as the manufacturers make these features easier to use and consumers become more aware of them.)</p><p>On a per TV basis, we assumed an average TV draws around 60 watts of electricity in active use and 0.6 watts in standby. Assuming a duty cycle of 5 hours on and 19 hours off per day, this translates to an annual energy use of 108 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year. If that same TV had smart wake enabled and drew 12.5 watts in standby, its annual energy use jumped to 191 kWh/yr. — an increase of 76.3 percent. Over the TV's typical 7-year lifetime, it will consume an extra $75 of electricity, and twice that in areas with higher utility rates, like California and Hawaii.</p><p>We then quantified the national impacts by assuming that half of the 40 million TVs sold in the U.S. each year have inefficient smart wake designs, and half of those have smart wake enabled. The incremental energy used by these 10 million TVs over their lifetime adds up to:</p><ul><li>5,777-gigawatt hours (GWh) of additional electricity use, which is equivalent to the annual output of two large (500 megawatt) coal-burning power plants</li><li>$750 million in higher consumer utility bills</li><li>Over 3 million tons of CO2 emissions</li></ul><p>To put all this extra energy use into perspective, it's roughly equivalent to one year's worth of electricity consumption by all the households in Portland, OR and Tampa combined!</p><p>All of these impacts are just for the U.S. market and become a lot larger when international sales are considered.</p>
<h3>Where to From Here?</h3><p>The good news from this study is that two TV manufacturers already demonstrated that a TV can support all these smart wake features with no energy or performance penalty. We hope our study serves as a call to action for other manufacturers to work with their operating system vendors to provide a good user experience with these smart wake features enabled while achieving similar low standby power levels.</p><p>Our policy level recommendations include:</p><ul><li>The test method used by manufacturers and regulators to measure the energy use of TVs must be updated to ensure the TV is connected to the internet during testing and with smart wake features enabled, and that the increased standby power use this may cause is captured and reported.</li><li>The Environmental Protection Agency should update its test method and eligibility criteria for ENERGY STAR® to ensure TVs that qualify for the label have low standby power levels, including when smart wake features are enabled.</li><li>The Federal Trade Commission should update <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2010/10/starting-2011-ftc-will-require-energyguide-labels-televisions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the testing and reporting instructions</a> for its yellow ENERGY GUIDE label, which compares the energy use and operating costs of similar sized TVs.</li></ul>
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Courtesy of EPA
<p>As a result of our research and conversations with some of the manufacturers and companies that develop the operating systems, we believe these entities now understand this issue and appear committed to trying to make the necessary changes.</p><p>Let's hope that in the not too distant future the other TV manufacturers make the necessary software fixes so they catch up to Samsung and LG and we can prevent this unnecessary energy waste and the pollution that comes with it. That's something worth tuning into!</p>
<p><em>Noah Horowitz is the director of the Center for Energy Efficiency Standards, Climate & Clean Energy Program at Natural Resources Defense Council.</em></p><p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/experts/noah-horowitz/your-smart-tv-may-have-insomnia-and-guzzle-power-when" target="_blank">NRDC</a>.</em></p>
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Hawaiian food rescue group Aloha Harvest has helped to prevent food waste during the ongoing pandemic.
Last year, COVID-19 lockdowns forced many restaurants to close and events to be canceled at the last minute, so a lot of food that was already purchased stood to be wasted.
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<p>"There were a lot of businesses that were faced with that harsh reality that they just had so much food that could not be utilized," says Phil Acosta of <a target="_blank" href="https://alohaharvest.org/">Aloha Harvest</a>, a Hawaiian food rescue organization.</p><p>The group quickly mobilized to collect that food and distribute it to people in need.</p><p>As the pandemic wore on, chefs whose restaurants were closed rushed to help meet the growing demand. Aloha Harvest partnered with an organization called <a target="_blank" href="https://www.chefhui.com/">Chef Hui</a>.</p>
<p>"And we started to prepare foods and get that out to the community – so, ready-to-eat, ready-to-heat type of meals," Acosta says.</p><p>Rescuing food not only helps feed people. It can also reduce global warming pollution because less food needs to be grown, packaged, and shipped. And less waste ends up rotting in landfills and releasing methane, a potent greenhouse gas.</p><p>"We want to make sure that everything that's produced is consumed in some way and not wasted," Acosta says. "We need to do a much better job of utilizing our precious food resources."</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2021/03/food-rescue-group-in-hawaii-reduces-food-waste-feeds-community/" target="_blank">Yale Climate Connections</a>.</em></p>
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Climate activists with Stop the Money Pipeline hold a rally in midtown Manhattan on March 3, 2021. Erik McGregor / LightRocket via Getty Images
The world's biggest banks gave fossil fuel companies $3.8 trillion in financing in the years following the Paris agreement, according to a new report.
<p>Even though 2020 lending was down 9% compared to the previous year, it was still higher than in 2016, when the Paris agreement took effect, and lending to the 100 <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/fossil-fuels">fossil fuel</a> companies with the biggest plans to expand actually rose by 10%. American and Canadian banks accounted for 13 of the 60 banks reviewed in the report, with JPMorgan Chase providing more fossil fuel financing than any other bank.</p>
<p>The report comes as <a href="https://nexusmedianews.com/top_story/bankfwd-target-fossil-fuel/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=117584424&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_P7fzmLJ4ri51C3L8rDGvVn0_eGv33FCZONgGN6SRZ-HRyGZLzOGLx5InQe8yltcgfJnmpaMu2Q5fqkb3kEjTCBlR1Ow&utm_content=117584424&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">pressure is mounting</a> on financial institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels driving <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-change">climate change</a> and multiple banks have touted promises to cut and offset their greenhouse gas pollution, including <a href="https://www.ran.org/bankingonclimatechaos2021/?utm_campaign=Hot%2520News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=117584424&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_3MSjS-jUXjJyzIjKXPJA6Odn8J7BQ1u5c1qsjDEpMntfT6CugQuudPYbj6DbCsJ_ov7aL5_MDnkr3b6bb6qs0LJ4NPA&utm_content=117584424&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">JPMorgan</a>, <a href="https://nexusmedianews.com/top_story/hsbc-says-it-will-try-to-be-carbon-neutral-by-2050/?swcfpc=1&utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=117584424&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8sXciDQZeR89O3oA2--cQPey1mWZjEQ2Ns0oyY9byOmUnpA6If4CnoAlg7eYmmmiPE-rkdWenoA1VwengeozkoX8evfA&utm_content=117584424&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">HSBC</a>, and <a href="https://nexusmedianews.com/top_story/citigroup-exxon-make-climate-moves/?swcfpc=1&utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=117584424&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--eX_tyeeUPq-ETr2lvDvBMpUEPOTxw9Bt7TjtNW_5d2OZhVwUiWTaCFlOUYEoLbpTcmQuPUdw1wSJn7jnStUWvEx7tmQ&utm_content=117584424&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Citigroup</a>. </p>
<p>As reported by <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/24/big-banks-trillion-dollar-finance-for-fossil-fuels-shocking-says-report?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=117584424&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_MKM9JdZ8Bt7RiSTNFEp0FC50FpYO9GnEW59XKx6vfFW5g-BrqfBgRzF0S2ESWltnMSpd64D4HbTZmMGGpMrXYbhZWFQ&utm_content=117584424&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>:</p><blockquote>"When we look at the five years overall, the trend is still going in the wrong direction, which is obviously the exact opposite of where we need to be going to live up to the goals of the Paris Agreement," said Alison Kirsch, at Rainforest Action Network and an author of the report. "None of these 60 banks have made, without loopholes, a plan to exit fossil fuels."</blockquote><blockquote>"We have seen progress in restricting financing for special places like the Arctic or greenhouse-gas-intensive forms of oil, like tar sands, but these are such a small piece of the pie," she said.</blockquote>
<p><strong>For a deeper dive:</strong><br/></p><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/24/big-banks-trillion-dollar-finance-for-fossil-fuels-shocking-says-report?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=117584424&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_MKM9JdZ8Bt7RiSTNFEp0FC50FpYO9GnEW59XKx6vfFW5g-BrqfBgRzF0S2ESWltnMSpd64D4HbTZmMGGpMrXYbhZWFQ&utm_content=117584424&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL8N2LL540?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=117584424&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--k5YatmqfKimcbMmW_T7vuokL1AAS-mu9C5ZJWmdy4-4n5--f0PNXNqSInhmTi6JLBRhvsUyyIiGXJJOb0DdeoDvnPyA&utm_content=117584424&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Reuters</a>, <a href="https://www.barrons.com/news/banks-provide-4-tn-to-oil-since-climate-deal-ngos-01616558709?tesla=y&utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=117584424&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8DQxqEfYj1enS9HXMc1mtCnJ5J5rdcfvS5IAZ2umSvNLKdvxGCYbvCPewC44FBoW_RKHQcAGxacNQXLdveLRw1O4Bkwg&utm_content=117584424&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">AFP</a>, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-24/bnp-paribas-bucked-2020-industry-trend-in-fossil-fuel-financing?sref=oUjKJw8m&utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=117584424&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_CScjdGgBW0tbD1bxiQrp7B3S7VniLrv2PmIwuZUAG4EReOGQhTEMFR6mGrsmeT-GOdM3k4fBLH3Wrj03tgLpnLNw1tg&utm_content=117584424&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bloomberg</a>, <a href="https://morningconsult.com/2021/03/24/banks-fossil-fuels-financing-report/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=117584424&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8_1m7rXQ77OqU8bhv461z27mYcWS5GHCXsynAYaHVVrTGxLAPLNK9OrQ2U0nmdO-WOa8B3X4ZJFKpCvmzcNjBD_M-6xQ&utm_content=117584424&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Morning Consult</a>, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/24/how-much-the-largest-banks-have-invested-in-fossil-fuel-report.html?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=117584424&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8yDXbU9ZnlMg2z0a0-S6h9jbvwkiENlYtlothw1tL0la9t8ylpPkZMasAJCkEsLS2cHAfVWwPXLyrPIMjP0yAgt8jbmA&utm_content=117584424&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CNBC</a>, <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/banks-fossil-fuels-finance-climate-change_n_605a45b8c5b6cebf58d28d52?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=117584424&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--574CcOQZ1zLDI9_v7Ox7189aTm2CMR9RZY08Ztv0zmQStJwWyGtgotRjLVPdyHKPxgWzohjvuZwC0UQAz-RjdbgGXIQ&utm_content=117584424&utm_source=hs_email" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">HuffPost</a></p><p><em>For more </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>climate change</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/business/renewables/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>clean energy</em></a><em> news, you can follow Climate Nexus on </em><a href="https://twitter.com/ClimateNexus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Twitter</em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClimateNexus/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a><em>, sign up for daily </em><a href="https://www.linktrack.live/hot-news-sign-up" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Hot News</em></a><em>, and visit their news site, </em><a href="https://nexusmedianews.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Nexus Media News</em></a><em>.</em></p><p><em></em><em>Correction: A previous version of this story stated wrongly that the biggest banks gave fossil fuel companies $32.8 trillion in financing. It is $3.8 trillion.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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