This is the 618th edition of the Spotlight on Green News & Views (previously known as the Green Diary Rescue). Here is the November 9 edition. Inclusion of a story in the Spotlight does not necessarily indicate my agreement with or endorsement of it.
OUTSTANDING GREEN STORIES
Milly Watt writes—The Daily Bucket - Fall Along the Hood Canal: “In early October, we took a trip down from Port Townsend, along the west side of the Hood Canal, on the Olympic Peninsula of WA. The Hood Canal is a fjord that separates the Olympic Peninsula from the Kitsap Peninsula, all on the west side of Puget Sound. The Olympic Peninsula is home to the Olympic National Park and National Forest. US hwy 101 runs along the western shore. We followed this route from the town of Quilcene to where the Hood Canal does its bend toward the town of Union. [...] The mountains in the Park are a source of abundant rainwater feeding the rivers flowing east into the Hood Canal, such as the Quilcene, Dosewallips, Duckabush, Hamma Hamma, and Skokomish Rivers. The National Forest and a few WA state parks offer trails that are dog-friendly which makes this side of the peninsula attractive to our dog-centric family. Lake Cushman is a reservoir near the town of Hoodsport, on the North Fork of the Skokomish that provides power to Tacoma. One of our hikes was the Dry Creek Trail along the upper shore of the lake. Since it was fall, after the dry summer and before the winter rains, the lake is at its lowest levels.”
CaptBLI writes—The Daily Bucket: My yard, the glen: “Purdy (my cat) will snatch a sprig of Knotgrass as if she were a profession venom collector grabbing a cobra in mid strike. A tendril will be pulled onto the patio, flipped into the air, twisted, and pounced upon before sharp tiny teeth gnaw on the green leaves. Sated, she will lay down on top of her prize and groom in self adoration. Unapologetic belches may be forthcoming. I know she is supplementing her diet with fiber and amoeba, via the grass diet, to keep her intestines healthy. The rare, basket woven hairballs are proof enough for me. My lawn has never entered into any ‘Yard of the Month’ club contests. There is a green border between the street and the house that resembles a golf course fairway (the fringes at times) but in reality, is a trimmed meadow or pasture.”
ClimateDenierRoundup writes—Tucker Carlson Showcases Rising Eco-Fascist Response To Climate Change: “Last week, Senator Bernie Sanders released an immigration plan for his presidential platform, which included a significant climate component in that it would welcome some 50,000 people displaced by climate change. In response, on Monday Tucker Carlson questioned the proposal in a way that fits comfortably with his decade-long embrace of white nationalism, asking ‘Why would a climate migrant have a right to come to my country?’ Now, to state the obvious, this is not Carlson’s country. But the question does reveal something about Carlson, which is that he considers the United States a place for white people like him, as opposed to being a nation of immigrants seeking a better life. (The indigenous people who lived here for millennia before European colonization do not appear to exist in Carlson’s conception.) As folks were quick to point out on Twitter, what followed was a clear display of eco-fascism, with Carlson invoking a sort of ‘blood and soil climate nationalism’ by complaining that welcoming immigrants (who were displaced by climate change, a problem for which the US is by far the greatest historic contributor) would be ‘crowding the country’.”
CRITTERS AND THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Shebardigan writes—The insect Apocalypse -- Don't Forget the Bees, But...: “In the continental US that I have visited recently, the signs of a 95% drop in the population of flying insects is something that apparently has not attracted attention or interest. The first real job I had after Viet-Nam was in technical field service. I covered half of Missouri and all of Kansas as the guy with the tools, spares and oscilloscope to get your information processing equipment back online. In some weeks I might put in a mileage chit for over 1,000 miles. Stopping to refuel also meant scraping the insects off the windshield while the gasoline was flowing. An absolute necessity in mid-summer. If anybody had told me back then that you could drive from Seattle to Dallas in late June and only hit four or five bugs, I would have asked which alternate universe their planet was in.”
Username4242 writes—Montana birds! (Video): “Short video showcasing some of the beautiful birds of my home state.”
OceanDiver writes—Dawn Chorus: Waterfowl Arriving Back for the Winter in the PNW: “Wintering ducks, swans and geese are a big part of why I like moving into this season, despite the shorter days and colder temps. Suddenly the waterways are alive again with conversation and activity. These migrating birds nested in fresh water to the north of here, and return to my saltwater bays (and nearby wetlands) to feast on plants and invertebrates that will be accessible throughout the winter. We get a few cold snaps but it’s rare for the ground and wetlands to be frozen for more than a few days. Today’s Dawn Chorus is my report of how this winter’s shallow-water bird season has started in my corner of the Pacific Northwest. First ducks to appear were the Hooded Merganser hens and young. Hoodies nest in ponds not far from the coast so it’s a quick trip for them back to the bays. I saw small flocks of Hoodies in September.”
6412093 writes—The Daily Bucket--The Daily Eagle: “I often walk around Bethany Lake, 10 miles west of Portland Oregon. Swollen creeks pour into it from two directions, after the rains start. The Park Dept. stocks the lake with rainbow trout. Ducks are always there, and at least one goose.I am heartbroken because I haven’t seen a heron for two days. They fish here also. But I did see an bald eagle of undetermined age. Two eagles nest a mile north of here. A single eagle showed up last fall and exchanged squawks with the resident couple. I dunno if that one’s reappeared. The eagles dominate this particular perch; it’s the highest tree near the lake. It also affords a view north to the known eagles’ nest. I saw a red tail hawk on that branch once but the crows chased it away.”
6412093 writes—The Daily Bucket--Trigger Warning: “The Great Blue Heron is one of the largest birds in North America, standing 4 feet tall with a six foot wing span. When the birds evolved from the dinosaurs, the Herons emerged, but herons changed very little over the last few million years. Their wide wings resemble the extinct Pterodactyl, a winged lizard. Herons (and cranes and egrets) have extensive mating dances that reveal graceful movements which seem out of place from such a spindly legged-creature. But Herons have another display of balance and speed; their stalking of prey. They cantilever like a feathered construction crane to hover over a targeted fish. I’ve spent hours watching herons stalk fish in my backyard ponds. I don’t know what happens to the time. To me, their hunting methods are lyrically enchanting. To the fish, not so much. And perhaps you, gentle reader, would prefer to look away, rather than read on and see how the crouching Heron means that several goldfish will leave the mortal coil.”
noweasels writes—Hundreds of Koalas Feared Dead as Wildfires Destroy Australian Nature Preserve: “More than 850,000 hectares of land in New South Wales have been razed since the start of this year's unprecedented bushfire season. [...] Koala experts were warning as early as last Wednesday that the fires could have catastrophic effects on the important colony of koalas in the Lake Innes Nature Preserve near Port Macquarie. (See map.)The Guardian reported that the blaze had likely originated with a lightning strike near Port Macquarie, which is also home to the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital. By Tuesday, it had already burned more than 2,000 hectares, including the Nature Preserve. The Port Macquarie Koala hospital president, Sue Ashton, said the feared loss was a ‘tragedy.’ ‘The beauty of this particular population is that it’s so genetically diverse that it’s of national significance,’ she said. ‘A lot of the koalas are being mixed and crossbred now ... so to lose a large part of that population is very devastating’.”
CLIMATE CHAOS
Pakalolo writes—Abrupt permafrost thaw will cause Arctic wildfire severity to double from one year to the next: “The high Arctic is in serious trouble from the fossil fuel and extraction industries to the degradation of the region's biomes from climate change. Despite the best efforts of the Trump regime to silence climate scientists, while sabotaging and burying their work, more and more studies are sounding the alarm that we are now floating aimlessly in uncharted waters. A new study by researchers at McGill University and, published in the journal Nature (behind a paywall), found that the thawing permafrost surface layer will be abrupt and have a devastating effect on humans, ecosystems and, engineering processes. Many thought that these changes would happen gradually. Loss of sea ice is warming the permafrost that will create a climate crisis that we do not ever want to face. From the abstract: Here we project that soil moisture will decrease abruptly (within a few months) in response to permafrost degradation over large areas of the present-day permafrost region, based on analysis of transient climate change simulations performed using a state-of-the-art regional climate model. This regime shift is reflected in abrupt increases in summer near-surface temperature and convective precipitation, and decreases in relative humidity and surface runoff. Of particular relevance to northern systems are changes to the bearing capacity of the soil due to increased drainage, increases in the potential for intense rainfall events and increases in lightning frequency. Combined with increases in forest fuel combustibility, these are projected to abruptly and substantially increase the severity of wildfires, which constitute one of the greatest risks to northern ecosystems, communities and infrastructures.”
Sher Watts Spooner writes—Trump pulled out of Paris climate pact. A new president will rejoin. It's still not nearly enough: “A pact that was aspirational and nonbinding was bound to produce disappointments. Progress on climate action has been too slow, and countries aren’t meeting the goals set at the meeting. A piece in The American Prospect points out that no G7 country is on track to meet its promised actions. The U.S. will not be the only country letting down the planet. Among the world’s largest and most advanced economies, not a single country will achieve the mission of the Paris Agreement to prevent more than 1.5 degrees of warming by the end of the century. In other words, if you want to know why young people around the world have taken to the streets by the millions, desperate for a commensurate response to the climate emergency, it’s because only one government in the world (Morocco) has properly stepped up to this point. So industrialized countries are falling short. Here in the U.S., 24 governors, mostly Democrats, are telling the world that they still want to uphold the pact.”
Lefty Coaster writes—Venice is under 6 ft. of water - the Mayor blames Climate Change: “” ‘Venice is on its knees,’ Mayor Luigi Brugnaro says as the lagoon city suffers through some of the worst flooding in its history. The highest tide in 50 years has brought seawater that is threatening monuments and works of art in the historic city. With more than 85 percent of the city flooded, Brugnaro says the city is in a state of emergency and that he has asked Italy's government for help. Water driven by strong winds and storms overwhelmed seawalls and smashed brick docks, shoving boats into streets and leaving parts of landmarks such as St. Mark's Basilica and La Fenice Opera House underwater. Although the crypt at St. Mark's has been flooded, a member of the management board tells Italian news agency ANSA the main concern is that water may have damaged the basilica's support columns.
MargaretPOA writes—Well This is Stupid: “Dinesh D’Souza is not just a right wing stooge and convicted felon, he is also apparently dabbling in competitive stupidity. Remember Nuclear Winter? The study that postulated that a full out nuclear war would be even more devastating than the destruction unleashed by the weapons directly because the particulates would cause global temperatures to plummet? Well neither does dear old Dinesh.
Yeah, dude, Homer is probably not your best spokesman but in this case I think he's the most appropriate. So D’Souza is in denial of climate change and his evidence consists of the fact that a nuclear winter never occurred. I would be more inclined to attribute it to the fact that WE DIDN’T HAVE A NUCLEAR WAR! I spent the mid to late eighties and early nineties in the Navy and I just don’t remember that global nuclear war that we had…. Of course I’ve slept since then and my memory isn’t what it used to be but I have never been so stoned, so absolutely hammered so as to say anything that stupid.”
ClimateDenierRoundup writes—Delingpole Admits His ‘Finest Hour’ Was Cribbing WUWT To Kick Off Climategate: “Ten years ago, in mid-November of 2009, someone hacked emails from the Climate Research Unit of the University of East Anglia, and began sharing them with various climate blogs. From there, unscrupulous deniers took quotes out of context, truncated them, or otherwise misrepresented the years of scientific correspondence to allege wrongdoing. BBC Four is running a program on ‘Climategate’ this week, and we also expect deniers to dust off their lies on the debacle too. One of the first people to pull the story out of the blogs and into the mainstream was James Delingpole, who recently described the experience in a Spectator column headlined ‘My finest hour.’ Delingpole writes how he’s ‘not altogether sure it was worth it’ to get the ‘scoop that will make his name’ that ‘every journalist dreams of,’ because ‘for every ardent fan it made me it probably lost me a couple more’. He describes how his dream-come-true scoop ‘dropped into [his] lap’ when he saw it on Watts Up With That (so it wasn’t a scoop at all because it was already public...but whatever). Delingpole describes how little journalism he actually did before publishing, in that ‘All [he] did was top, tail, adapt it and popularise it by giving it a bit of snark, context and spin. Then I nicked the title from a commenter… Et voilà! Climategate was born’.”
Naomi Oreskes via TomDispatch writes— Why Science Failed to Stop Climate Change: “Much focus has been put on ExxonMobil’s history of disseminating disinformation, partly because of the documented discrepancies between what that company said in public about climate change and what its officials said (and funded) in private. Recently, a trial began in New York City accusing the company of misleading its investors, while Massachusetts is prosecuting ExxonMobil for misleading consumers as well. If only it had just been that one company, but for more than 30 years, the fossil-fuel industry and its allies have denied the truth about anthropogenic global warming. They have systematically misled the American people and so purposely contributed to endless delays in dealing with the issue by, among other things, discounting and disparaging climate science, mispresenting scientific findings, and attempting to discredit climate scientists. These activities are documented in great detail in How Americans Were Deliberately Misled about Climate Change, a report I recently co-authored, as well as in my 2010 book and 2014 film, Merchants of Doubt. A key aspect of the fossil-fuel industry’s disinformation campaign was the mobilization of ‘third-party allies’: organizations and groups with which it would collaborate and that, in some cases, it would be responsible for creating.”
elenacarlena writes—Regenerative Culture: New Strategies of Climate Denial: “A recent story in The Guardian is important for the issues it outlines of which climate change warriors should be aware: Climate change deniers’ new battle front attacked, by Robin McKie: Mann told the Observer that although flat rejection of global warming was becoming increasingly hard to maintain in the face of mounting evidence, this did not mean climate change deniers were giving up the fight. ‘First of all, there is an attempt being made by them to deflect attention away from finding policy solutions to global warming towards promoting individual behaviour changes that affect people’s diets, travel choices and other personal behaviour,’ said Mann. ‘This is a deflection campaign and a lot of well-meaning people have been taken in by it’. We want to address this at Regenerative Culture because we are most definitely not of the opinion that individual action is the only thing one should do. But when individual action “infects” society, then it is that much easier to pass policies that will benefit climate change. Here at DKos, we are a sister group to Green Revolution, which will discuss political action to address climate change, even extreme action when it’s called for.”
Extreme Weather & Natural Phenomena
Lefty Coaster writes—An inferno in New South Wales as a catastrophic fire danger is forecast for Sydney: “For the first time ever, there is a catastrophic fire danger forecast for Sydney, as firefighters battle dozens of blazes across NSW and Queensland. Authorities warn lives at risk as horror fire day predicted for NSW on Tuesday. New South Wales. At least 150 homes are destroyed and the figure is expected to rise. There are 72 fires burning across the state, with 36 not under control and 13 listed as watch and act.”
Pakalolo writes—Sydney, population five million, receives first ever 'catastrophic fire warning': “Yesterday not a single drop of rain fell on continental Australia. The Bureau of Meteorology was unable to identify any other day where this event had happened before. It is all part of a gut wrenching pattern of unrelenting bone dry conditions, heat and wildfires that have been plaguing the country for months. The bone-dry conditions are predicted to persist through the summer. There is a possibility that these unprecedented conditions were set in motion by a stratospheric warming event over Antarctica. [...] Today, the cities of Sydney, Wollongong and, Newcastle are threatened by bushfires so intense that a new warning system was put in place for the first time in the city’s history. These fires have reached the suburbs, and erratic weather conditions threaten most of eastern Australia. Urban citizens were warned of catastrophic damage from smoke and fire and that they should prepare themselves for a worst-case scenario.”
ECO-ACTION & ECO JUSTICE
Marissa Higgins writes—Mural of 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg goes up in San Francisco to mixed responses: “Greta Thunberg, the 16-year-old who has become an international advocate for saving the planet, is the literal face of a new mural going up in San Francisco, California. Argentinian muralist Andrés Petreselli, who signs his work as Cobre, is painting the large mural, which comes in at 60-ft.-tall and 30-ft.-wide, entirely for free. He told SFGate in an interview, ‘Climate change is real. This girl Greta is awesome and she knows what she's doing. I hope with this mural people will realize we have to take care of the world.’ The mural, which is going up in Union Square, in central San Francisco, depicts the teenage environmental advocate looking down at people on the street. Some on Twitter have compared the mural to everyone from Vladimir Putin to Wednesday Adams. ‘If 95% people are going to like it, then my job is well done,’ the artist told TIME, noting he’s already received negative feedback on his Instagram. ‘Haters gonna hate’.”
CANDIDATES, STATE AND DC ECO-RELATED POLITICS
Joan McCarter writes—Susan Collins loses League of Conservation Voters endorsement: Just two years ago, the League of Conservation Voters declared that Sen. Susan Collins, Republican from Maine, ‘is an extremely important ally in the fight to protect the environment and public health. […] Her leadership is more important now than ever, and we are grateful that she continues to stand up to big polluters by supporting climate action and protections for the air we breathe, the water we drink and the lands we cherish.’ What a difference two years, two new Supreme Court justices, and countless Senate votes backing Donald Trump make. This time around, the LCV is endorsing Democratic candidate Sara Gideon, one of a handful of challengers to Collins. "From her time as a town councilor to her tenure as Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, Speaker Gideon has been a leader fighting the climate crisis, promoting clean energy, & banning offshore drilling in Maine," LCV tweeted in its announcement. In its endorsements, the LCV says that it seeks to "elect environmental champions who will address the climate crisis and advance a more equitable clean energy future." Beyond that, though, "LCV Action Fund understands the critical importance of a representative democracy and is committed to endorsing candidates that are reflective of the diverse communities and identities across the country.’ Sorry, Susan Collins. That's just not you anymore.”
ClimateDenierRoundup writes—Koch Industries Ramps Up Lobbying Spending On Climate And Energy Legislation: “Nearly a year ago, we were skeptical when Politico Magazine ran a feature on Charles Koch’s son Chase, and the supposed shift away from politics the network was poised to take. And we were similarly wary of a story last May in the Washington Post about the network’s softer, less political rebrand. While it’s impossible to divine the Kochs’ true intentions, one easy way to check and see if they’ve stepped up or stepped back from political spending is to look at what they’ve done in terms of lobbying since last year. Lo and behold, despite the stories saying the network is moving to more charitable giving, Koch Industry’s lobbying spending has increased somewhat significantly. Disclosures obtained by PRWatch show that Koch Industries spent even more money on lobbying in the first three quarters of 2019, $9.1 million, than it did by that point in 2018 ($7.7 million). DeSmog has the spending broken down by quarter, as well as links to the disclosure forms and the issues and legislation that Koch Industries lobbied on.”
ENERGY
Dan Bacher writes—Fifty Organizations Urge Governor Newsom to Support Public Takeover of PG&E: “As support for a public takeover of PG&E continues to build in California, 50 organizations, joined by Former PUC President Loretta Lynch, sent a letter to Gov. Newsom on November 14 demanding a public takeover of the company as a step towards holding accountable what they called a ‘rogue utility.’ Pointing out that PG&E, now in bankruptcy proceedings, has shut off power to millions of people and been found responsible for starting hundreds of wildfires, the groups blasted the investor-owned utility for paying out dividends and executive bonuses rather than investing in maintenance and infrastructure. The letter states, ‘We urge you to facilitate a public takeover of PG&E to protect ratepayers, California communities, and our climate. PG&E has shut off power to millions of residents, been found responsible for starting numerous wildfires that have killed Californians, destroyed homes, neighborhoods and whole towns, and cost billions of dollars. This devastation is the result of PG&E’s decision to neglect maintenance and investments in infrastructure in favor of paying out billions in shareholder profits and executive pay.’ The call for a public takeover takes place after PG&E spent $2,198,221 on lobbying the Legislature, Governor’s Office and other state officials and regulators in the first three quarters of 2019 — and after spending nearly $10 million on lobbying in Sacramento last year.”
Nuclear
Mokurai writes—Renewable Friday: Nuclear Energy: “Q: Can any form of nuclear power save us from Global Warming? Can any reach commercial deployment, and also be built in the quantities needed, before we can get to 100% renewables? A: No. We don't have 30 years to spare. We have to be Carbon Neutral in less than 30 years, not only in electricity, but also in transportation, agriculture, and manufacturing. We have to be well launched on going Carbon Negative, at a rate of tens of gigatons annually, with the goal of extracting more than a teraton of carbon from the atmosphere and oceans ASAP. The nuclear industry’s COP 21 dilemma: 100% renewables is attainable. This article, the source of the graphic up top today, is mainly about debunking self-serving nuclear energy industry myths. That conveniently means that I don't have to do it for you. The main point of the article was true four years ago, and is truer today, as costs for wind, solar, and especially batteries continue to tumble.”
Fossil Fuels & Emissions Controls
Dan Bacher writes—Western States Petroleum Association has spent $6.6 million lobbying CA officials in 2019 so far: “Unlike many other oil and gas producing states including Texas, Colorado and Pennsylvania, supposedly ‘green’ California has no health and safety zones around oil and gas drilling operations. For example, the state of Texas requires the fracking operations maintain 250 foot setbacks from homes, schools and other facilities while the City of Dallas mandates 1500 foot setbacks around oil and gas wells. This year Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance) introduced legislation, AB 345, to change things in California. This legislation that would ensure that new oil and gas wells not on federal land are located 2,500 feet away from homes, schools, hospitals, playgrounds and health clinics. Unfortunately, intense lobbying pressure from the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) and legislators receiving big donations from Chevron and other big oil companies prevented the legislature from approving the legislation — and it has been made into a two year bill.”
Richard Fedder writes—STILL HOPE – IN MAJOR U-TURN CONSERVATIVE UK GOVERNMENT HALTS FRACKING, PROTECTS ENVIRONMENT: “Not long ago, Boris Johnson, the right-wing extremist who rode Brexit to power, hailed fracking as ‘glorious news for humanity,’ and urged the UK to ‘leave no stone unturned’ in pursuit of shale gas. But last Friday, Johnson’s government pulled the plug, declaring a moratorium on all fracking in the UK ‘until compelling new evidence is provided’ proving it can be done safely. Who ever would have imagined? Johnson is the Donald Trump of British politics, though a bit smarter and more self-aware. And the Conservative Party is almost as irrational, anti-science, and unpersuadable as the Republicans … Well, maybe not quite.At the time of Johnson’s comment, the only active fracking site in the UK was in Lancashire, England. The parts of the UK not controlled by the Tories – Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland – had already banned fracking. But this past summer, fracking in Lancashire triggered multiple earthquakes, exceeding the government’s limits, and thereby forcing an immediate halt to operations.”
Pipelines & Other Oil and Gas Transport
Michael Brune writes—Pipelines Are Safe, Coal Is Strong, and Pigs Fly: “In recent weeks, two of the fossil fuel industry’s favorite talking points were again shown to be magical thinking: Pipelines are safe and coal is coming back. TC Energy officials assured the country that the original Keystone pipeline would be ‘the safest in the US.’ It would only leak every seven to 11 years, they told the US government. In the nine years it’s operated, it’s sprung 21 leaks, including one that produced a six-story geyser of crude. In late October, it started leaking again, pouring 383,000 gallons of sludgy tar sands oil into fragile North Dakota wetlands. The spill was discovered as hearings were being held on the pipeline’s proposed extension, Keystone XL, which is also advertised as America’s safest pipeline. But the coalition of Indigenous people, farmers, landowners, and environmentalists who have spent years opposing KXL have never been fooled. Whatever TC Energy would like to pretend, Keystone XL is almost certain to leak some of the world’s dirtiest, most polluting fuels.”
TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE
Mokurai writes—EV Tuesday: Cummins Hydrogen Hybrid Truck: “Cummins Engine Company of Columbus, Indiana (Mike Pence's hometown) has brought out a pure electric semi product for integration into truck products by other companies, and is now adding a hydrogen fuel cell truck. Cummins makes engines for trucks, ships, trains and more in a variety of technologies, including diesel, natural gas, pure electric, and now hydrogen fuel cells. It began more than a century ago with diesel engines, and has been a world leader in diesel technology. Although diesel will be around for decades to come, Cummins is preparing to convert to whatever technologies the market demands. What are the benefits of hydrogen fuel cell technology? Today, compared to electric batteries, fuel cell powertrains would have a higher energy density and are quicker to refuel, making them more suitable for applications with longer daily ranges that cannot be accomplished by batteries alone. Analyses indicate, for example, that PEM fuel cells could be a viable solution for medium to long haul trucks, while battery only vehicles may be more suitable for short haul vehicles. Currently, the battery capacity needed for the range requirements of long-haul, and the resulting weight from the batteries, is prohibitive for trucks that need to reserve that weight for their load.”
rufe writes—Consumer Reports: Trump fuel economy freeze will cost consumers $300 billion: “One of the signature deregulatory moves by the Trump administration has been the attempt to freeze the Obama administration's increased Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards requiring rapid increased fuel economy for new cars to combat climate change. The Trump administration is also suing the State of California to block CARB from using its authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions directly. Environmentalists argue that climate change will bring economic costs and that the technology to meet Obama's targets exists already today (modern hybrids get nearly double the target). The Trump administration has argued that freezing the new standards will save consumers money and promote slightly heavier (and therefore marginally safer) cars. A new analysis by respected consumer advocacy group Consumer Reports challenges the first of the administration's claims, showing that increased demand for fuel will more than offset the savings in vehicle purchases, costing consumers hundreds of billions of dollars.”
rufe writes—California will not buy vehicles from GM, Toyota, others opposing higher fuel economy standards: “Beginning in January The state of California will no longer purchase fleet vehicles from automakers that do not sign on to a voluntary agreement to improve fuel economy. This is a substantial toughening of the state's position on regulating greenhouse gas emissions. It also goes around the EPA's authority as the state can make purchasing decisions based in any criteria they wish. GM will be hit particular hard as they will lose tens of millions of dollars worth of sales annually. Currently Honda, Volkswagen, Ford, and BMW are the only signatories to the deal while other automakers have opposed California's authority to regulate greenhouse gasses in court.The state will also no longer purchase gasoline-powered sedans effective immediately (excluding public safety vehicles). It is unclear if this will allow TZEV (i.e. plug-in hybrids) to serve the state's most rural areas or if it is limited to battery and fuel-cell electric vehicles.”
OCEANS, WATER, DROUGHT
Dan Bacher writes—Reclamation releases Westlands water contract exhibits that opponents say are 'vague placeholders': “In response to a letter sent by fishing and environmental groups on October 29 and the reporting on the Westlands Water District’s permanent 1.15 million acre feet contract, the Bureau of Reclamation on Friday announced that it has released the Westlands draft repayment contract and has extended the 60-day public comment period until January 8, 2020. Conservation, environmental justice and public interest groups responded with outrage on November 8 to media reports that Secretary David Bernhardt’s Interior Department is poised to award one of the first contracts for federal water ‘in perpetuity’ to the powerful Westlands Water District—the largest agricultural water district in the U.S. and Bernhardt’s former lobby client. The draft Bureau of Reclamation contract dated October 22 shows that Interior plans to deliver Westlands up to 1.15 million acre-feet of water a year, more than double the water supply used by the City of Los Angeles in 2018, according to Roll Call.”
Dan Bacher writes—Hundreds pack hearing to protest Trump administration proposal to dredge San Francisco Bay: “Hundreds of people packed a hearing in Pinole, California, to protest the US Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) plan to dredge San Francisco Bay on behalf of Big Oil yesterday evening. Community activists presented to Trump administration officials a petition signed by more than 20,500 people opposed to the project. A video of the public hearing and testimony from community members is online at https://www.facebook.com/standearth/videos/269008784037354/. ‘Deepening the Bay to accommodate bigger vessels carrying dirty tar sands crude oil puts communities along the water and near the refineries at risk,’ said Isabella Zizi, Climate Campaigner at Stand.earth and member of Protect the Bay. ‘The environmental impact statement for this project completely ignores the harmful air impacts to local communities that would result from increased refinery operations’.”
John M. Webb writes—Top Comments: Flint STILL doesn't have clean water and the effects are getting worse: “The latest? Flint’s Children Suffer in Class After Years of Drinking the Lead-Poisoned Water That’s right. A cash strapped school system is faced with an increased need for ‘struggling with demands for individualized education programs and behavioral interventions for children with high lead exposure’. Think about that. We have known that lead is dangerous for a long time. After five years of exposure Every Damn Day, the city’s students are paying the price for inaction on the water supply in Flint. The contamination of this long-struggling city’s water exposed nearly 30,000 schoolchildren to a neurotoxin known to have detrimental effects on children’s developing brains and nervous systems. Requests for special education or behavioral interventions began rising four years ago, when the water contamination became public, bolstering a class-action lawsuit that demanded more resources for Flint’s children. This is nothing less than a national disgrace.”
eddiemauro writes—Cleaner Water for a Better Life: “Tucked in East Africa and nested at the Kenyan border lies the city of is Moshi, Tanzania. [...] The town is known to be the gateway to the mountain, where thousands flock to Mount Kilimanjaro every year. While tourists carry their purified water in their packs, local children at surrounding schools struggle to find water that will not make them sick. As natural water treks down from the peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro, it funnels into a network of rivers and streams that surge to neighboring communities — seeping into wells and then into municipal pipe systems. At the foot of the mountain, communities like Moshi rely on this natural runoff for their main source of water. But by the time water reaches Moshi, the water is utterly undrinkable — filled with contaminants from surface runoff, rundown pipe systems, dirty rainwater, and wells — making it unsafe for locals to drink.”
AGRICULTURE, FOOD & GARDENING
estreya writes—Saturday Morning Garden Blogging, Vol. 15.46: Autumn's Primary Colors: “As many of you know, one of my main challenges as far as “landscape design” is concerned is the use of bold colors in my garden. Try as i might, Roy G. Biv is the Loch Ness Monster of my yard, and i struggle mightily to gather proof of Mr. Biv's existence. Now that autumn is in full swing here in the Pacific Northwest, this ‘problem’ is amplified by poor weather and the ever-shortening days. But let's go on a little scouting mission, shall we? Let's take a look around to see how many of the rainbow's primary colors we can find in my yard this time of year … The only blue in my garden is more about my frame of mind than anything that can be photographed. But i'm not worried. Like autumn itself, the blues won't last forever … Do you have a lot of color in your yard this time of year? And what's going on in your gardens?”
NewsPhotosFeatures writes—Food for Thought: Instead of Killing the Planet, Reduce or Put Food Waste to Good Use: “One third of all the food produced in the world is wasted, but in the United States, that figure balloons to 40%. Even more indicting is the fact that 90% of food waste goes into a landfill, where, without oxygen, that waste over time is converted to methane, a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide. And yet 815 million people around the world go hungry. In the United States, the wealthiest country in the world, 41 million suffer food insecurity, including one out of six children (yet the Trump Administration wants to curtail the SNAP food stamp program which 45 million Americans now depend on).. On Long Island, 300,000 do not get enough to eat or know where their next meal will come from. ‘You could fill Citifield with all the children we are helping two times and still a line out the door,’ said Island Harvest CEO Randi Shubin Dresner. And yet, with so much food going to waste, how we produce food, process it, package it, distribute it, transport it, and ultimately discard it is the single biggest cause of forest deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and contributes mightily to the climate crisis which ultimately, will result in even greater shortages of food and water – a most unvirtuous cycle.”
SassyDemocrat writes—Time to End the "Farm" Safety Law Exemptions that Big Ag is Spilling HazMat Through! “Ol’ friend dropped by yesterday, seemed pretty shaken. Being a veteran of the trades not much rattles him, he’s seen it all and survived. But I’ve never seen him so stressed as he told me of what almost became a major HazMat spill, and the company didn’t give a darn. My union brother is a retiree who took a seasonal job delivering tank trailers of ammonia to supplement his retirement. Ammonia otherwise known as NH3 is nasty stuff, just a one percent solution in the air can kill you. But it’s a staple of mass scale farming, delivered to the farm in 1000 gallon tank trailers that weight up to 7500 pounds. And did I mention that those trailers have no brakes? We were lucky this time, the trailer stayed upright and intact with no leaks.”
MISCELLANY
fourthcornerman writes—Check out John Oliver's defiant "F You" to Coal Tyrant Bob Murray: “For those of you who are familiar with the Last Week Tonight- Murray Coal battle, or even if you’re not John will give the background, this week’s show was a fantastic take-down of one of the slimiest corporate overlords in the world. There’s also a bit about stupid harassing lawsuits which is eye-opening, but after that it’s time to dance! ”
rox carter writes—Justice in Bhopal, India (35th Anniversary of the Bhopal Gas Disaster): “As the 35th Anniversary of the Bhopal Gas Disaster approaches, we want to ensure justice for survivors. Indian courts have summoned Dow Chemical to face criminal charges for Union Carbide's role in the Bhopal Gas Disaster, with an upcoming court date on November 13, 2019. Since 2014, the Department of Justice (DOJ) (USA) has not served the summons to Dow Chemical Company, USA,violating international treaties. The Government of India has sent at least two reminders asking them to serve the summons, which was issued by Bhopal court in May 2019. We have been made aware that the request is pending before Linda McKinney of the DOJ.”
Austin Bailey writes—5 Things: Meatheads, Retired Dogs, Natural Gas Bans, Killing EVs, Heineken Dumps Plastic: “It’s hard to imagine any ballot measure in Texas that would garner 94% approval, but this one did. An amendment to the state constitution that allows retired police dogs to be adopted by their handler or another qualified individual, at no cost to them, won this overwhelming public support. Prior to the adoption of this amendment police dogs that were unable to continue to do police work were considered surplus equipment – potentially auctioned off, but often euthanized. Shortly after becoming sheriff, Skinner was tasked with deciding the fate of two “old and ailing” two K-9s in his department—an experience that led him to partner with sheriffs in neighboring counties to champion changes to the state constitution. Some Texas law enforcement officials found ways of working around the antiquated law. In Austin, reports the Statesman’s Nicole Cobler, the police department sells retired dogs to their handler or another employee for just $1.”
Austin Bailey writes—
5 Things: Backyard Tigers, Faux Meat, Fire Down Under, Coke's Legacy, Leave It In The Ground: “
Investors like it. Conservationists like it. Even some vegans appear to like it. The ‘it’ is alternative meat made from plant protein. Various faux meat producers such as Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods are beginning to penetrate the market with products that mimic the texture and taste of real meat. There is no doubt that widespread acceptance of faux meat products would put a dent in the 15% of greenhouse gas emissions generated by livestock farming. Still, f
aux meat doesn’t assemble itself. It requires processing and that processing is energy intensive. The carbon footprint of faux meat is far less than real meat, but there is still a carbon price to be paid . … such meat alternatives emit around five times more greenhouse gases than unprocessed sources of plant protein according to Marco Springmann, a senior environmental researcher at Oxford University. "They're somewhere between unprocessed legumes, and chicken," he says of the climate impact of highly engineered, meaty vegan products.”