September, 2021

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Toxin Levels Spike, Prompting Drinking Water Emergency in Northern California

Circle of Blue

Cyanotoxins in the state’s second-largest freshwater lake soared this month amid a hot, dry summer. Colorful blooms of cyanobacteria, also called blue-green algae, paint the nearshore waters of Clear Lake, California’s second-largest freshwater lake. Toxin levels in the blooms broke records in this hot, dry summer. Photo courtesy of Frank Costner.

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The definitive CO2/CH4 comparison post

Real Climate

There is a new push to reduce CH 4 emissions as a possible quick ‘win-win’ for climate and air quality. To be clear this is an eminently sensible idea – as it has been for decades (remember the ‘ Methane-to-markets’ initiative from the early 2000s?), but it inevitably brings forth a mish-mash of half-remembered, inappropriate or out-of-date comparisons between the impacts of carbon dioxide and methane.

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As the Climate Bakes, Turkey Faces a Future Without Water

Yale E360

No nation in the Mediterranean region has been hit harder by climate change than Turkey. But as heat and drought intensify, Turkey is doubling down on large-scale agriculture and development and spurring a water-supply crisis that is expected to get much worse. Read more on E360 ?.

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Hurricane Ida Shows Why We Urgently Need Bold, Just and Equitable Climate Action

Union of Concerned Scientists

More catastrophic storms are coming.

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How to Drive Cost Savings, Efficiency Gains, and Sustainability Wins with MES

Speaker: Nikhil Joshi, Founder & President of Snic Solutions

Is your manufacturing operation reaching its efficiency potential? A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) could be the game-changer, helping you reduce waste, cut costs, and lower your carbon footprint. Join Nikhil Joshi, Founder & President of Snic Solutions, in this value-packed webinar as he breaks down how MES can drive operational excellence and sustainability.

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Dear 1L.

Legal Planet

Dear 1L: You’ve gotten to law school at a crucial time for the future of the planet. The good news is that you’re arriving at a pivotal point when your work as a lawyer can make a big difference. The bad news is that we have a limited amount of time to get the situation under control. You’ll need to plunge right into the issues as a lawyer if you’re going to contribute.

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Why We Need to Upgrade Our Face Masks--and Where to Get Them

Scientific American

High-quality respirators such as N95s and K95s are now widely available and provide the best protection against COVID, according to experts. Why aren’t more people wearing them? -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com.

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Forced responses: Sep 2021

Real Climate

A bimonthly open thread for discussions related to climate solutions. Note that open discussions of climate science are here. Possible topics of interest are the trial carbon-capture effort in Iceland and the discussions in the lead up to COP26. Please be constructive and substantive. The post Forced responses: Sep 2021 first appeared on RealClimate.

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Beyond Extinction: A New Emphasis on Species Recovery

Yale E360

Scientists have long drawn up a Red List to alert officials about wildlife and plant species threatened with extinction. Now some say it’s time to flip the script and create a “green status” category that identifies how to bring these species back to sustainable levels. Read more on E360 ?.

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Will the Biden Administration Take Down America’s Meat Cartel?

Union of Concerned Scientists

Biden administration poised to break exploitive power of Big Meat and Big Chicken, including Tyson Foods.

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Citations for environmental and energy law scholars 2021

Legal Planet

Brian Leiter at Chicago is once again doing his occasional series identifying the top cited legal scholars in the United States in a range of substantive areas. As I did the last time Leiter posted these totals, I thought it might be helpful to our readers to have a list that is focused on US scholars who work substantially or primarily on environmental and energy law.

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The Key to Sustainable Energy Optimization: A Data-Driven Approach for Manufacturing

Speaker: Kevin Kai Wong, President of Emergent Energy Solutions

In today's industrial landscape, the pursuit of sustainable energy optimization and decarbonization has become paramount. ♻️ Manufacturing corporations across the U.S. are facing the urgent need to align with decarbonization goals while enhancing efficiency and productivity. Unfortunately, the lack of comprehensive energy data poses a significant challenge for manufacturing managers striving to meet their targets. 📊 Join us for a practical webinar hosted by Kevin Kai Wong of Emergent Ene

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Even Mild Cases of COVID May Leave a Mark on the Brain

Scientific American

The new findings, although preliminary, are raising concerns about the potential long-term effects of COVID-19. -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com.

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‘The Opportunity Is Now’: Water Advocates View Upcoming UN Climate Conference as Moment of Relevance

Circle of Blue

Water was overlooked in past global climate talks. Advocates are focusing on the Glasgow meeting to highlight water’s indispensable climate role. Demonstrators took to the streets at the 2009 global climate convention in Copenhagen. Photo © J. Carl Ganter/Circle of Blue. Adaptation, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and accounting for climate damages will be prominent topics at the UN climate convention in November.

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Tomato is first CRISPR-edited food to go on sale in the world

New Scientist

A tomato with higher levels of a nutrient linked to reduced stress can now be bought in Japan – it is the first CRISPR-edited food in the world to be launched commercially

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Why Saving World’s Peatlands Can Help Stabilize the Climate

Yale E360

Peatlands make up 3 percent of the earth’s landscape, yet absorb large amounts of carbon and harbor surprising biodiversity. Although peat bogs and fens are under increasing environmental threat, efforts to protect and restore these ecosystems are gathering momentum. Read more on E360 ?.

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Implementing D.E.J.I. Strategies in Energy, Environment, and Transportation

Speaker: Antoine M. Thompson, Executive Director of the Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition

Diversity, Equity, Justice, and Inclusion (DEJI) policies, programs, and initiatives are critically important as we move forward with public and private sector climate and sustainability goals and plans. Underserved and socially, economically, and racially disadvantaged communities bear the burden of pollution, higher energy costs, limited resources, and limited investments in the clean energy and transportation sectors.

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Ask a Scientist: Tyson’s Near Monopoly is Bad for Workers, Farmers and Communities

Union of Concerned Scientists

Rebecca Boehm, an economist with the UCS Food and Environment Program, looked at Arkansas and the biggest poultry producer in the state, Tyson Foods, as a case study and published her findings in August in conjunction with a Guardian investigative story. I recently spoke with Dr. Boehm about her report.

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Los Angeles County Passes Motions to Protect Environmental Justice Communities from Urban Oil Drilling

Legal Planet

This post is co-authored by Sean Hecht , Cara Horowitz , and Beth Kent. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors passed three motions earlier this month that will start a process of phasing out existing oil and gas drilling on unincorporated land within the County, prohibiting new oil and gas extraction wells , and implementing a strategy to transition workers to stable jobs in the clean energy economy.

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Footprint Discovery Hints at Humans in the Americas More Than 20,000 Years Ago

Scientific American

Seeds found in fossilized tracks fuel new speculation about when—and how—people arrived. -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com.

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The Town that Flood-Proofed Itself

Circle of Blue

Ottawa, Illinois learned how to keep its residents out of harm’s way. But on the river’s edge, safety has often required sacrifice. Flooding has long been part of life in Ottawa, Illinois. Photo © Laura Gersony / Circle of Blue. Climate change and upstream development made the riverfront town of Ottawa, Illinois even more prone to flooding.

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Shaping a Resilient Future: Climate Impact on Vulnerable Populations

Speaker: Laurie Schoeman Director, Climate & Sustainability, Capital

As households and communities across the nation face challenges such as hurricanes, wildfires, drought, extreme heat and cold, and thawing permafrost and flooding, we are increasingly searching for ways to mitigate and prevent climate impacts. During this event, national climate and housing expert Laurie Schoeman will discuss topics including: The two paths for climate action: decarbonization and adaptation.

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Ada Twist, Scientist review: Brilliant children's TV for the curious

New Scientist

Netflix's adaptation of the bestselling picture book series Ada Twist, Scientist will be loved by children and provoke a smile from even the most jaded parents

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How Adding Rock Dust to Soil Can Help Get Carbon into the Ground

Yale E360

Researchers are finding that when pulverized rock is applied to agricultural fields, the soil pulls far more carbon from the air and crop yields increase. More studies are underway, but some scientists say this method shows significant benefits for farmers and the climate. Read more on E360 ?.

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A Functioning Democracy Focuses on Funding Priorities, Not Whether to Defund the Government

Union of Concerned Scientists

There are real-world consequences for this political gameplaying – including for science and scientists.

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When Agencies Fail  

Legal Planet

What happens when agencies fail in their jobs? People can die. The most dramatic example is the opioid crisis, in which a whole series of state and federal agencies fell short. The result has been hundreds of thousands of deaths. The FDA was one of the prime culprits. It bought into a myth, carefully cultivated by the drug industry, that opioids were needed to treat an “epidemic” of chronic pain, with little likelihood of addiction when prescribed by doctors.

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Sustainability at Retail

Sustainability impacts every nation, company, and person around the world. So much so that, in 2015, the United Nations (UN) issued a call for action by all countries to work toward sustainable development. In response to this and as part of a global Sustainability at Retail initiative, Shop! worked collaboratively with its global affiliates to address these critical issues in this white paper.

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Why the Term 'JEDI' Is Problematic for Describing Programs That Promote Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Scientific American

They’re meant to be heroes within the Star Wars universe, but the Jedi are inappropriate symbols for justice work. -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com.

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Colorado River Forecasts Not a ‘Crystal Ball’

Circle of Blue

Computer models inform key decisions in the Colorado River basin. But they cannot predict the future. . Precipitation in the mountains of Colorado is a source of uncertainty for water availability in the Colorado River basin. Photo © J. Carl Ganter/Circle of Blue. The Bureau of Reclamation’s 24-month study, in the simplest terms, projects water levels for the next two years at 12 federal reservoirs in the Colorado River basin, including Lakes Mead and Powell, the countries largest reservo

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The Rate of Global Warming During Next 25 Years Could Be Double What it Was In The Previous 50, a Renowned Climate Scientist Warns

Inside Climate News

Former NASA climate scientist James Hansen urged Congress decades ago to act on climate change. Now he says he expects reduced aerosol pollution to lead to a steep temperature rise. By Bob Berwyn James Hansen, a climate scientist who shook Washington when he told Congress 33 years ago that human emissions of greenhouse gases were cooking the planet, is now warning that he expects the rate of global warming to double in the next 20 years.

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As Italy’s Glaciers Recede, a Stunning World of Ice Is Being Lost

Yale E360

Photographer Luigi Avantaggiato has trekked high into the Italian Alps to document the melting of some of the world’s most studied glaciers. His images track the glaciers’ increasingly rapid retreat and capture the stark beauty of a land in transition as the ice disappears. Read more on E360 ?.

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3 Tips for Getting Started in Science Advocacy as an Early Career Scientist

Union of Concerned Scientists

It's September–or as we know it at UCS, Early Career Scientist Month! Melissa Varga provides some wise and informed advice about how to be an effective advocate, for those just beginning their careers in science.

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The Global Methane Pledge

Legal Planet

I have written before about the importance of taking action quickly to reduce and eliminate methane emissions, including here. On Friday, the US and EU announced a Global Methane Pledge, which the UK and others immediately joined. The Pledge received limited press coverage, but it is an important step that will lead to real action, particularly if more nations join the Pledge in the run-up to COP 26 in November.

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Agroecology Is the Solution to World Hunger

Scientific American

Millions of farmers are growing and sharing food in ways that enhance nutrition, biodiversity and quality of life. -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com.

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As Drought Grips American West, Irrigation Becomes Selling Point for Michigan

Circle of Blue

As Drought Grips American West, Irrigation Becomes Selling Point for Michigan. Michigan farmers irrigate with 187 billion gallons of groundwater a year. Is the state prepared for more? Michigan counts nearly 11,000 agricultural wells, 3,800 of them installed from 2010 to 2020. Once concentrated in southwest Michigan, high-volume irrigation wells have spread north as far as Antrim County, and through central Michigan. © J.

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UN says global carbon emissions set to rise 16 per cent by 2030

New Scientist

A UN analysis of countries' latest plans to cut carbon emissions shows they will actually rise 16 per cent on 2010 levels by 2030, leaving only a small window to limit global warming to 1.

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Can the World’s Most Polluting Heavy Industries Decarbonize?

Yale E360

The production of steel, cement, and ammonia together emit about one-fifth of all human-caused CO2. Technologies are emerging that promise to decarbonize these problem industries, but analysts warn that big challenges remain before the processes can be cleaned up. Read more on E360 ?.