Opinion:
¶ “The Trump Administration Has Taken Its War On Climate Crisis Action To A New Level” • The Trump administration is actively seeking ways to show its disdain for the issue of climate change. It is openly hostile to the idea that any government anywhere should do anything at all to combat something that is undeniably a crisis. [CNN]
Coal-fired power plant (Greg Goebel, Wikimedia Commons)
¶ “How Localization Can Solve Climate Change” • Politicians, revolutionaries, activists, and theorists have yet to curb the disastrous and increasingly globalized trajectory of economic polarization and ecological degradation. Perhaps this comes of our being utterly trapped in flawed ways of thinking about technology and economy. [BBC]
Science and Technology:
¶ “Farming Under Solar Panels Saves Water And Creates Energy” • Farming crops under solar panels, a process called agrivoltaics, can boost food production, water savings, and the efficiency of electricity production, researchers report. It can build resilience in the challenging areas of renewable energy and sustainable food production. [Futurity]
Crops under PVs (Patrick Murphy | University of Arizona)
¶ “Hydrogen Could Replace Coke In Steelmaking And Lower Carbon Emissions Dramatically” • Industry depends on steel to make everything from consumer goods to buildings, but steelmaking accounts for about 9% of all carbon emissions. A report claims hydrogen could replace coke for making 10 to 50% of all steel by the year 2050. [CleanTechnica]
World:
¶ “Going The Distance For A Plastic-Free Ocean” • Sarah Ferguson, a record-setting endurance swimmer, is not preparing for a race or aiming for a world title. She is putting in countless strokes and sacrifices for something much larger than herself, or anything else. She is doing it for the ocean, a cleaner, plastic-free ocean. [CNN]
Ferguson swimming around Easter Island, attended by boat
¶ “Hundreds Of Climate Sceptics To Mount International Campaign To Stop Net-Zero Targets Being Made Law” • A letter titled “There is no climate emergency,” which has been signed by 400 people who deem climate change to be a myth, is being sent to EU leaders and UN institutions ahead of key environment talks. [The Independent]
¶ “Jerusalem Transit Operator Egged Returns To BYD To Add Ten More Electric Buses” • The largest transit operator in Israel, Egged, added ten fully electric BYD buses to its fleet this week. Seven of the new buses will operate in Jerusalem. Egged has prior experience with BYD buses, having used 17 in its transit network in Haifa since 2017. [CleanTechnica]
Electric buses (BYD image)
¶ “Iran Nuclear Deal: Tehran To Develop Speedier Centrifuges” • Iran says it has begun using new advanced centrifuges to enrich uranium, the latest step in reducing its commitments under a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. The centrifuges make enriched uranium, which can be used to make reactor fuel but can also be used for nuclear weapons. [BBC]
¶ “Canada Promotes Indigenous Participation In Quebec Renewable Energy” • The government of Canada announced funding to promote Indigenous participation in Quebec’s renewable energy sector. The project is to benefit the 43 First Nations in Quebec and Labrador, with a special focus on offgrid communities. [North American Windpower]
Wind turbine in Quebec (Furetgris, Wikimedia Commons)
US:
¶ “Four Automakers Bucked Trump Policy On Emissions. Now They Are Under Antitrust Investigation” • Four automakers agreed in July to meet the tougher standards set by the California Air Resources Board rather than the Trump administration’s rules. Now, the Justice Department has opened an antitrust investigation into them. [CNN]
¶ “Indianapolis Launches The New, Fully-Electric Red Line, Powered By BYD” • IndyGo in Indianapolis launched the new Red Line this week, with a fleet of fully electric buses from BYD. The Red Line will start service Monday with 13 American-made BYD K11 articulated buses. These 60-footers can carry up to 120 passengers at a time. [CleanTechnica]
BYD K11 articulated bus (BYD image)
¶ “Pompeo Gets An Unexpected Grilling In Home State Of Kansas” • Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, gave a lecture in his home state of Kansas. He had to field tough questions on climate science, immigration and human rights in a Q&A session, starting with, “Do you support the suppression of scientific reports from within the US Department of State?” [CNN]
¶ “Ford Survey Finds Most People Have No Idea What An Electric Car Is Or What It Can Do” • Ford intends to introduce its Mustang-inspired electric SUV next year, so it commissioned a survey on consumer attitudes. What it got back was a load of negative feedback that showed how poorly people understood anything about EVs. [CleanTechnica]
All-Electric F 150 being shown to customers (Ford image)
¶ “Council Votes To Join San Diego On Regional Renewable Energy Strategy” • After a two-hour hearing, during which they were presented with four options on how to move forward with a Community Choice Energy program, the Encinitas City Council voted unanimously to join San Diego’s program, which aligns with the city’s Climate Action Plan. [Coast News]
¶ “FirstEnergy Solutions Asks Ohio Supreme Court To Block Proposed Referendum On Nuke Bailout Law” • FirstEnergy Solutions, owner of Ohio’s two nuclear power plants, filed a lawsuit with the Ohio Supreme Court to stop a proposed referendum on the state’s recently passed nuclear bailout law from getting on next year’s ballot. [Utility Dive]
Have an astoundingly enjoyable day.
geoharvey 