Aspen is one of three U.S. cities to run on 100 percent renewable energy as of today, according to city officials. The Colorado mountain town is best known for its posh ski resorts, but this beautiful town also has established itself as a leader in environmental stewardship.
Aspen, Colorado is the third city in the U.S. to achieve 100 percent renewable energy generation.
Oscity / Shutterstock.com
The city had been using about 75 to 80 percent renewable energy until Thursday when it signed a contract with wholesale electric energy provider Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska, in order “to achieve this final leg of our goal,” David Hornbacher, utilities and environmental initiatives director, told The Aspen Times.
The goal was proposed 10 years ago as part of the city's Canary Initiative, which "identifies Aspen and other mountain communities as canaries in the coal mine with respect to their sensitivity to the effects of climate change."
The city's "100 percent" goal is just one component of its larger strategy to reduce both operational and community-wide greenhouse gas emissions 30 percent below 2004 levels by 2020 and 80 percent below 2004 levels by 2050, said Chris Menges and Will Dolan from Aspen's sustainability and utility departments. As of February, the city has reduced its operational emissions by 42 percent, while (as of July) community-wide emissions have been reduced by 7 percent (from 2004 levels).
“It was a very forward-thinking goal and truly remarkable achievement,” Hornbacher said. “This means we are powered by the forces of nature, predominately water and wind with a touch of solar and landfill gas.”
“We’ve demonstrated that it is possible” and that a small, progressive community can work together to be a pathway for others, he said. “Realistically, we hope we can inspire others to achieve these higher goals.” The first two U.S. cities to reach the goal were Burlington, Vermont and Greensburg, Kansas, which decided to make the move after it was devastated by a powerful tornado in 2007.
Aspen plans to celebrate with an "electric-pride party" and also wants to "launch a big national campaign" to show other cities that running a city on 100 percent renewable energy is possible.
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An Asian giant hornet taken from the first U.S. nest to be discovered. ELAINE THOMPSON / POOL / AFP via Getty Images
The first U.S. "murder hornet" nest has been discovered and eliminated.
<p>"Murder hornets," or Asian giant hornets as they are officially called, <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/murder-hornets-honeybees-us-2645912097.html" target="_self">first emerged</a> as a concern after four sightings of the bee-slaughtering <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/insects" target="_self">insects</a> were verified in Washington State in December 2019. Since then, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) has been working to prevent the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/invasive-species" target="_self">invasive species</a> from establishing a presence in the state, and they made headway towards that goal Saturday when they removed a nest newly discovered near Blaine, Washington.</p><p>"Got 'em," the WSDA wrote in a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WAStateDeptAg/posts/10158596587562906" target="_blank">Facebook post</a>.</p>
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7728c1de4b7ce306f2afe8918f938293"><div class="fb-video" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/WAStateDeptAg/videos/3411169195635580" data-allowfullscreen="true"></div></div>
<p>WSDA workers vacuumed the hornets out of the tree cavity where their nest was found and into canisters, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/insects-washington-asia-agriculture-united-states-c235c7f6725460b463af968bb1355445" target="_blank">The Associated Press reported</a>. They donned protective gear thick enough to defend them against the hornets' six-millimeter long stingers. The suits also included face shields because the hornets can spit venom.</p><p>The tree will now be cut down and the nest searched for newborn hornets and to see if any queens have already left. <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/scientists" target="_self">Scientists</a> think there may be other murder hornet nests in Washington State.</p>
<div id="a3b24" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="38572c61a5ebaf7cbdae52cd9f3cf21d"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1320151317495439361" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Quite a morning shooting Asian giant hornets and our WA Ag workers taking them out in Blaine. Love those sting-resi… https://t.co/uooInt70T9</div> — Elaine Thompson /// journalism matters (@Elaine Thompson /// journalism matters)<a href="https://twitter.com/ElaineMThompson/statuses/1320151317495439361">1603583575.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>Murder hornets earned their nickname because they attack in groups and can inject a victim with as much venom as a snake bite. They are native to China, Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Vietnam and other Asian countries, where they kill as many as three dozen people every year.</p><p>While that may sound like a lot, species of wasps, hornets and bees already common in the U.S. kill an average of 62 people a year, The Associated Press pointed out.</p><p>The main danger that Asian giant hornets pose is to <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/honeybees" target="_self">honeybees</a>: A small group of them can kill an entire hive within hours, the <a href="https://agr.wa.gov/about-wsda/news-and-media-relations/news-releases?article=31875" target="_blank">WSDA said</a>.</p>
<p>Honeybees in Japan have evolved to surround invading hornets and vibrate until they cook the intruder alive, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/oct/23/murder-hornet-us-first-nest-found-washington-state" target="_blank">The Guardian reported</a>. But North American honeybees have not evolved with Asian giant hornets, so they would not have any such defense strategies. Farmers are concerned that the hornets could devastate U.S. honeybee populations if they were to spread. This would also have serious consequences for all the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/food" target="_self">foods</a> that bees pollinate.</p><p>The WSDA discovered the first U.S. Asian giant hornet nest around 4 p.m. on Oct. 22. The nest was located after the WSDA tied radio trackers to some captured hornets with dental floss, The Associated Press reported.</p>
<div id="ef0b1" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4b5bd1f1de8027364b6a15f8bfb6a358"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1319651074744094720" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">The rumors are true - our entomologists located the first-ever #AsianGiantHornet nest in the U.S. late yesterday. P… https://t.co/0LmpZToVHj</div> — WA St Dept of Agr (@WA St Dept of Agr)<a href="https://twitter.com/WSDAgov/statuses/1319651074744094720">1603464308.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>The first Asian giant hornet was trapped in the U.S. in July, the WSDA said. Since then, its entomologists have been working to locate and eliminate any nests.</p>
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An aerial view shows drought conditions in the Amazon rainforest on Feb. 20, 2015 in Brazil. Lena Trindade / Brazil Photos / LightRocket / Getty Images
By Jennifer Ann Thomas
For the first time, researchers have developed a model capable of anticipating drought periods in the Amazon up to 18 months in advance. The study was conducted by scientists from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), in Germany, as part of the Tipping Points in the Earth System (TiPES) project, led by physicist Catrin Ciemer and published in the journal Environmental Research Letters.
<p>The model was developed based on surface temperature analysis of the Atlantic Ocean. The relation between the humidity of the oceans and the rainfall regime in the Amazon is part of the intrinsic functioning of the biomes. Any variation in temperature, as a result of global warming, is enough to trigger a series of consequences.</p><p>According to physicist and study co-author Niklas Boers, the early-warning system developed by the group is based on a very simple mechanism: "We discovered that every two years the surface temperatures in the north and south tropical Atlantic develop a dipole, a phenomenon that occurs when temperatures increase in one region and decrease in another."</p><p>The drought forecast alert is issued when this pattern begins to develop. "The dipole modifies the direction of the trade winds, which take moisture from the Atlantic Ocean to South America. This change of direction is responsible for causing droughts mainly in the center-south of the Amazon," Boers said. From the model they developed, the researchers were able to trace back six of the seven main drought events that have occurred in the Amazon since the 1980s.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDU5MDk1Ny9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MTEyOTM5MX0.6RM-Ryoiz3vfY9Dx2ocN14yrDAN91nn3Yk0okz-s0YI/img.jpg?width=980" id="ca886" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e04a515f2eb64460d1cc274c685bbc02" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Average monthly sea surface temperature (in degrees Celsius, red scale) and average continental rainfall in South America (in millimeters/month, blue scale) from 1981 to 2016. Sea surface temperatures and precipitation are generally higher around the equator. On the left, the area where El Niño – Southern Oscillation (ENSO) occurs; dotted lines indicate the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) in January and July, responsible for transporting heat and humidity from the oceans around the tropics.
<p>Carlos Nobre, a renowned Brazilian climate scientist who was not involved in the study, said global warming is making the northern cycle of warmer waters stronger and more present. In the future, he said, we should expect the southern Amazon to become less humid. "The mega droughts of 2005, 2010 and the ongoing one are directly associated with the increase in temperatures in the north tropical Atlantic Ocean," Nobre said.</p><p>"However, unlike in previous years, the current mega drought began in May and June, not interfering in the rains during the summer season. It is too early to say that the warmer waters will continue throughout the months and if they will cause a continued drought until the next rainy season."</p><p>In a context of global warming, there is a close connection between rising ocean temperatures and environmental balance, and the repercussions are felt deep into the forest: what happens on the high seas can impact life in the Amazon.</p><p>Janaína Bumbeer, an oceanographer and science and conservation analyst with the Boticário Group Foundation for Nature Protection, said it's not enough to only understand a single aspect of ecology — it's necessary to understand phenomena in a systemic way. "The relation between the ocean temperature, the climate and the winds is very delicate," said Bumbeer, who was not involved in the new study. "Any increase of 1° Celsius [1.8° Fahrenheit] affects the rainfall regime on the continent." The greater the frequency of anomalies in the seas, she said, the more recurrent the extreme climatic events.</p>
<p>Faced with the effects of climate change, there is a risk that the Northern Hemisphere will heat up faster than the South, which would stimulate the occurrence of the Atlantic dipole and lead to a more intense frequency of droughts in the Amazon.</p><p>Even with the possibility of predicting a drought period in the region, there is little to be done to actually mitigate the direct impacts on the forest. People who live in the Amazon, especially rural farmers, traditional communities, Indigenous people, and those who depend on river transportation to get around (water levels can become so low that navigability becomes impossible) will be the ones who will benefit from the information, the researchers say. "Indirectly, [with the drought forecast alert] it is possible to have a positive influence on the Amazon ecosystem. The more in advance farmers and traditional communities can plan, the less traumatic the interference of the climate will be," Boers said.</p><p>With drought comes another concern: an increase in fires, directly associated with illegal deforestation. According to data from Brazil's National Space Research Institute (INPE), in September of this year, 31,017 hot spots were recorded, the second-worst September in a decade and a 60% increase from the same month last year. Because the Amazon is a humid tropical forest, fire is not part of the biome's natural dynamics, as it is in the temperate forests of the U.S. West Coast. In the Amazon, fires are usually associated with human actions. And in periods of drought, hotspots have the right conditions to grow in extent and to cause greater impacts on the ecosystem.</p><p>"There are innumerous evidence on the possibility of the forest becoming a savanna through the effects of human action," Boers said. "The biome is already very close to the <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2019/12/the-tipping-point-is-here-it-is-now-top-amazon-scientists-warn/" target="_blank">tipping point</a>."</p><p>Such a large-scale effect would lead to an increase in carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, which would further accelerate global warming. The study's underlying message is that all natural phenomena are interconnected. And it demonstrates that as humanity persists on the current economic model of consumption, the effects on the planet will only get worse, to the point of endangering the world's largest tropical forest and its rich biodiversity.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2020/10/atlantic-trends-can-predict-amazon-drought-18-months-away-study-finds/" target="_blank">Mongabay</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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People take a group selfie on top of Parliament Hill in north London, Britain, on Oct. 25, 2020. There have been "dramatic improvements in London's air quality" since 2016, Mayor Sadiq Khan announced. Xinhua / Han Yan via Getty Images
By Sean Fleming
Londoners worrying about air quality can now breathe a little easier, thanks to news from the city's mayor.
<p>There have been "dramatic improvements in London's air quality across the capital since 2016," the office of London Mayor Sadiq Khan says. Those improvements include a 94% reduction in the number of people living in areas that exceed the legal limit for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels. There has also been a marked improvement in the air quality surrounding schools, the <a href="https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/air_quality_in_london_2016-2020_october2020final.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Air Quality in London 2016-2020 report</a> says.</p>
<h3>The ULEZ Example</h3><p>While some of the more recent improvements in air quality might be <a href="https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/assets/documents/reports/cat09/2007010844_Estimation_of_Changes_in_Air_Pollution_During_COVID-19_outbreak_in_the_UK.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">due to reduced emissions levels during the pandemic</a>, the report states there had already been a 35% fall in central London's NO2 levels between 2017 and the pre-lockdown part of early 2020. Much of the achievement has been attributed to the city's ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ), which came into force in April 2019.</p><p>The London ULEZ was the first of its kind and has some of the world's toughest standards. Older vehicles and those with <a href="https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ultra-low-emission-zone/cars" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">high emissions are subject to a daily charge of around $16</a>. That's in addition to a charge of around $20 to <a href="https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">drive in central London's Congestion Charge zone</a>.</p><p>The ULEZ is being gradually widened to cover a greater area of London in late 2021. Similar schemes are now <a href="https://urbanaccessregulations.eu/countries-mainmenu-147" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">commonplace across much of Europe</a>.</p><p>It isn't all good news for London, though. Many thousands of its residents are affected by <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/air-pollution">air pollution</a> levels that exceed World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. The problem particularly impacts inner-city parts of London, and the mayor's office warns that "deprived Londoners and [those] from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities" are likely to be "exposed to the worst air pollution."</p>
<h3>Not the Worst – or the Best</h3><p>When compared with the rest of Europe, London's air quality is among neither the worst nor the best. According to a study conducted by Greenmatch, the <a href="https://www.greenmatch.co.uk/blog/2018/11/mapped-europes-most-and-least-polluted-countries#Most" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">three most polluting countries</a> are Turkey, Poland and Latvia. The three with the cleanest air are Sweden, Finland and France.</p><p>Across Europe, <a href="https://www.eea.europa.eu/media/newsreleases/many-europeans-still-exposed-to-air-pollution-2015/premature-deaths-attributable-to-air-pollution" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">more than 500,000 early deaths per year have been blamed on poor air quality</a>. The European Environment Agency looked at data from 40 countries across the continent and calculated the effects on mortality of ozone, PM2.5 fine particulate matter and NO2.</p><p>Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.greenmatch.co.uk/blog/2018/11/mapped-europes-most-and-least-polluted-countries#Most" target="_blank">the UK's fuel-derived CO2 emissions are slightly better than the European average</a>, according to an analysis of data from WHO, International Energy Agency and Data Worldbank, carried out by the energy service Greenmatch.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDU5MDgyMS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNzQ3ODE2OH0.hw-1XpgE0rdJYghtwn9K28BJXsCYeqwX0rmyxYwpqRw/img.png?width=980" id="60b40" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ca3fe53108d9219031edde7172b447cc" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
<p>In France last year, a court ruled that the state had taken "<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-48762911" target="_blank">insufficient measures concerning the quality of air" in Paris between 2012 and 2016</a>, the BBC reports. The case in question was brought by a woman and her daughter who claimed polluted Parisian air had harmed their health.</p><p>Worldwide, as many as <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/29-10-2018-more-than-90-of-the-world%e2%80%99s-children-breathe-toxic-air-every-day" target="_blank">600,000 children are thought to have died in a single year because of poor air quality</a>. "Polluted air is poisoning millions of children and ruining their lives. This is inexcusable. Every child should be able to breathe clean air so they can grow and fulfill their full potential," Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, wrote in a report in 2018. Analyzing data from 2016, the report also concluded that around 93% of children younger than 15 routinely breathe "air that is so polluted it puts their health and development at serious risk."</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/10/london-europe-emissions-limits-air-pollution/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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Japan's Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide poses for a portrait on September 14, 2020 in Tokyo, Japan, after being elected Liberal Democratic Party President. Nicolas Datiche / Pool / Getty Images
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced that Japan will become country carbon neutral by 2050, Bloomberg reported.
<p>As the world's third-largest economy, this will require a "fundamental shift" away from coal, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/japan-climate-emissions/2020/10/26/b6ea2b5a-1752-11eb-8bda-814ca56e138b_story.html" target="_blank">The Washington Post</a> reported.</p><p>Suga replaced former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe last month, after he resigned due to health issues. This was Suga's first parliament policy speech since taking office. </p><p>He announced, "The Suga administration will seek to make a virtuous cycle between the economy and the environment," Bloomberg reported. "We will put all possible efforts into creating a green society."</p>
<p>Additionally, "Responding to climate change is no longer a constraint on economic growth," <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/japan-climate-emissions/2020/10/26/b6ea2b5a-1752-11eb-8bda-814ca56e138b_story.html" target="_blank">The Washington Post</a> reported from Suga's speech. "We need to change our thinking to the view that taking assertive measures against climate change will lead to changes in industrial structure and the economy that will bring about great growth."</p><p>However, Suga did not offer any details about how carbon neutrality will be achieved, although he referenced carbon recycling and next generation solar cells. The Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Hiroshi Kajiyama told reporters that more details will be presented in a report later this year, according to Bloomberg, including wind energy, hydrogen and improved battery storage.<br></p><p>The move follows commitments from other major economies responsible for an outsized share of greenhouse gas emissions, including the world's largest emitter, China.<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/china-climate-action-2060-2648140974.html?rebelltitem=5" target="_self"> China has set a 2060 target </a>for carbon neutrality. Japan is the world's fifth-largest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/26/business/japans-carbon-neutrality.html" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>.</p>
<p>Japanese policy experts believe a number of factors drove the announcement, including mounting pressure from inside Japan to tackle the climate crisis, plus international competition. It would be "somewhat embarrassing for Japan to have a net zero emissions timeline later than China," Takeshi Kuramochi, a climate policy researcher at the NewClimate Institute told The New York Times.</p><p>Sam Annesley, executive director of Greenpeace Japan, added that sustainability should also include a move away from nuclear power. "Nearly 10 years on from Fukushima we are still facing the disastrous consequences of nuclear power, and this radioactive legacy has made clear that nuclear energy has no place in a green, sustainable future," <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/26/japan-will-become-carbon-neutral-by-2050-pm-pledges" target="_blank">The Guardian</a> reported.</p>
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Trump Administration Plans Seismic Testing for Oil in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge This Winter
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Politics
A caribou in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Danielle Brigida / CC BY 2.0
The Trump administration released on Friday its plan to start oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) this winter, as The Hill reported.
<p>The <a href="https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2003258/510" target="_blank">plan</a> was put forth by the Kaktovik Iñupiat Corporation and released by the Bureau of Land Management. The plan calls for the start of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/seismic-airgun-blasting">seismic testing</a> on millions of acres, spanning an 847.8 square mile area, on the east side of the refuge in an area where polar bears and other <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wildlife">wildlife</a> reside. The seismic testing will allow the Kaktovik Iñupiat Corporation to detect the presence of oil in the area.</p><p>Seismic testing works in a way that is similar to ultrasound technology. It generates acoustic waves deep underground that produce a picture that can pinpoint oil deposits, according to The Hill.</p>
<p>The Bureau of Land Management said it would allow for 14 days of public comment before deciding if it should issue a permit, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/24/climate/anwr-seismic-tests-arctic-refuge.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>.</p><p>Environmental activists have argued that the short timeframe means it is impossible to conduct an adequate environmental review of the proposal. The plan involves using heavy trucks fanned out across the area to create a grid pattern. It also requires a crew of 180 workers who would need ample supplies and mobile living quarters, according to The New York Times.</p><p>The National Wildlife Federation argues that the rushed comment period in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic ensures that public opposition will not be heard adequately.</p>
<p>"This is a desperate attempt to jam through a plan that could kill denning polar bears, imperil other wildlife, threaten the Gwich'in people, and cause long-lasting damage to the Arctic," said Tracy Stone-Manning, associate vice president for public lands at the National Wildlife Federation, in a <a href="https://www.nwf.org/Latest-News/Press-Releases/2020/10-23-20-Arctic-Seismic-Testing" target="_blank">statement</a>. "By rushing this plan through while ordinary Americans are focused on the COVID-19 pandemic and their own health and safety, it's clear this administration wants to cut the public out of public lands in order to advance its dangerously myopic and misguided energy agenda."</p><p>The company intending to conduct the seismic test said it will exercise caution should it encounter any wildlife during its exploration. Environmentalists countered that it's not the interactions that worry them as much as the permanent alterations to the Arctic tundra that could upset the delicate balance of the ecosystem that polar bears and other animals depend on.</p>
<p>"Allowing huge thumper trucks and camps onto sacred lands where they leave deep and lasting wounds is a threat to my people, the animals, our food, and our way of life," said Bernadette Demientieff, the executive director of the Gwich'in Steering Committee, in a statement, as The Hill reported. "We have raised concerns repeatedly about this administration rushing the process and shortcutting our review."</p><p>The Wilderness Society also sees the plan as a politically motivated move that will silence the public.</p><p>"The submission of this application and BLM's choice to act on it so close to the election shows how desperate the administration is to turn over one of the nation's most sensitive landscapes to the oil industry," said Lois Epstein, director of the Arctic program for the Wilderness Society, in a statement, as The New York Times reported. "The federal government is recklessly rushing and irresponsibly denying the public adequate time to assess the application and submit comments."</p><p>The New York Times also noted that the proposal calls for the work to be carried out by Houston-based SAExploration, which declared bankruptcy, and was accused of accounting fraud earlier this month by the Securities and Exchange Commission.</p>
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