April, 2021

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Are Huge Tree Planting Projects More Hype than Solution?

Yale E360

High-profile programs aimed at planting billions of trees are being launched worldwide. But a growing number of scientists are warning that these massive projects can wreck natural ecosystems, dry up water supplies, damage agriculture, and push people off their land. Read more on E360 ?.

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Nenana Ice Classic 2021

Real Climate

And… it’s that time again. The clock stopped on the Nenana ice classic this afternoon (April 30, 12:50pm AT). This is pretty much on trend and unsurprising given the relatively slightly cool winter in Alaska. The jackpot on offer this year was $233,591 but will likely be shared among several winners. This year’s ‘break up’ is a little odd, since the ice moved sufficiently to trigger the clock, but not enough to actually topple the tripod (which is still visible as t

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The Revealed Preference of Porch Pirates

Environmental and Urban Economics

A case study about petty crime. A risk neutral thief will steal if the expected benefits are greater than the expected cost. The expected cost of theft (for those without a guilty conscience) equals the probability of detection multiplied by the $ punishment if caught. The expected benefits depend on what the person steals. What is the resale value of the object?

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Stories and Science: Eco-justice, Action & Hope

NAEP Leadership Blog

Stories and Science: Eco-justice, Action & Hope The National Storytelling Network has an Open Call for Proposals for their EarthUp conference to be held online this April. The theme of the conference is "Stories and Science: Eco-justice, Action & Hope." We are especially looking for interactive panels, workshops, and masterclasses that address issues around eco-justice and effective action in the world.

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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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Ambiguity Foils Right of Way Agreement

Energy & the Law

Co-author Brittany Blakey. The central issue in the Texas case of Cook v. Cimarex Energy Co. : Did Cook grant Cimarex a right of way across Cook’s land to the location of two Cimarex wells. No he didn’t. Reversing the trial court, the court of appeals concluded that two Contracts of Release were ambiguous. Neither party was entitled to summary judgment, so its back to the Ochilltree County courthouse for a large helping of he-said-she-said.

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Podcast: Sustainable Energy Democracy and the Law

Energy and Climate Law

What is the role of law in sustainable energy democracy? How can law help to shape the concept of energy democracy and how can it be translated into concrete legal action? A new podcast by Govtran featuring Kaisa Huhta and Leonie Reins discusses our latest book, forthcoming in September 2021 with Brill , that has been co-authored by brilliant energy and environmental scholars from the International Association of Energy Law.

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Should the official Atlantic hurricane season be lengthened?

Real Climate

By Jim Kossin, Tim Hall, Mike Mann, and Stefan Rahmstorf The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season broke a number of records , with the formation of an unprecedented 30 “named storms” (storms that reach wind-speed intensity of at least 18 m/s and are then given an official name). The season also started earlier than normal. In fact, when ranked by their order in the season, the date of formation of every named storm, from Tropical Storm Arthur to Hurricane Iota was substantially earlier tha

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New device can detect airborne virus particles that cause COVID-19, says maker

Physics World

A device claimed to detect the virus that causes COVID-19 in ambient air within 2–3 min has been successfully tested at two universities in the US. It was developed by the company Smiths Detection , which says that the test has a sensitivity equivalent to PCR testing. The test is now commercially available in the US and is being prepared for a global rollout.

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WHEN MY LUNGS TOOK THE BEATING: COVID-19

Cleannovate

Busy Friday hit with a bang (as usual). I was supposed to have a teaching class, followed by a lab session and another teaching class. But somehow things just changed and the lab session had to be converted into a teaching class. Suddenly, I was forced to come up with a PowerPoint class within 15 minutes. I had to do something akin to a miracle to capture the concetration of students for two hours.

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Texas Legislature to Consider Oil and Gas Lien Law Amendment

Energy & the Law

Co-author Brittany Blakey. Texas lien law in some cases does not require the filing of a financing statement for priority perfection. However, as you might have learned in In re First River Energy , the Delaware Uniform Commercial Code did not recognize the priority of Texas producers’ unfiled, unperfected security interests in proceeds under Texas Business and Commerce Code Section 9.343.

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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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PM2.5 and Environmental Justice — and Electric Vehicles– and Tires

Law and Environment

I’ve frequently discussed in recent years the mounting evidence for the need to lower the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for PM 2.5. There is also substantial evidence that PM exposure is an environmental justice issue. In this context, electrification of our transportation system is seen as having a substantial co-benefit in the reduction of vehicle-related PM emissions, particularly in EJ communities. .

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In Europe, a Backlash Is Growing Over Incinerating Garbage

Yale E360

For years, European countries have built “waste-to-energy” incinerators, saying new technology minimized pollution and boosted energy production. But with increasing concern about the plants’ CO2 emissions, the EU is now withdrawing support for these trash-burning facilities. Read more on E360 ?.

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Unlocking the Potential of our "Unlocking the Potential of Post-Industrial Cities" Book

Environmental and Urban Economics

In February 2021, Johns Hopkins University Press published my new co-authored book Unlocking the Potential of Post-Industrial Cities. Mac McComas and I have written an urban economics book that takes a sober and realistic look at urban economic growth and quality of life in the key center cities of Baltimore, Cleveland, Detroit, Philly, Pittsburgh and St.

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Unforced Variations: Apr 2021

Real Climate

This month’s open thread for climate science discussions. Be nice, it’s Earth month. The post Unforced Variations: Apr 2021 first appeared on RealClimate.

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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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Is Philly Being Snubbed Again?

Academy of Natural Sciences

As I examined the map and zoomed in closer to the Philadelphia region, it was obvious. There was a big empty place on the map that mostly outlined Philly. The map I was looking at was one showing where Brood X of the 17-year cicadas (also called periodical cicadas) had been recorded in previous years and likely would appear this year. The map , generated by John Cooley, PhD, is based on more than 45 years of field work by Chris Simon and Cooley and also specimen records in museum collections inc

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Climate Change for Energy Professionals – Part 4

Energy & the Law

The fourth installment on the climate change debate by Gray Reed energy partner Paul Yale looks at criticisms of Bjorn Lomborg’s False Alarm: How Climate Panic Costs Us Billions, Hurts the Poor, and Fails to Fix the Planet. These short summaries can’t do justice to Paul’s articles, or the books themselves for that matter. I encourage you to read them.

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Melting glaciers have been shifting the Earth’s poles since 1995, new study suggests

Physics World

The rotation of the Earth has been affected over the past 25 years by the rapid melting of glaciers caused by climate change, according to a study done by scientists in China and Denmark. Using satellite data and modelling, the team has shown that the melting of glaciers has caused an eastward shift in the position of the true North Pole and South Pole that began in 1995.

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Why the Market for ‘Blue Carbon’ Credits May Be Poised to Take Off

Yale E360

Seagrasses, mangrove forests, and coastal wetlands store vast amounts of carbon, and their preservation and restoration hold great potential to bank CO2 and keep it out of the atmosphere. But can the blue carbon market avoid the pitfalls that have plagued land-based programs? Read more on E360 ?.

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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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The Great Climate Change Race Between The Rising Threat and Our Increasing Ability to "Take a Punch"

Environmental and Urban Economics

In their important book: The Race Between Education and Technology, Claudia Goldin and Larry Katz use a supply and demand framework to discuss changes in the U.S labor markets over the last 100 years. For decades in the middle of the 20th Century when manufacturing was thriving in the U.S, the wage premium for being highly educated was steady over time and more Americans were graduating from high school and these two facts combined meant that income inequality was declining.

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Testimony before the United States House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce 2021 Texas Grid Failure

Environmental Progress

Click to download testimony. Testimony before the United States House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce For a hearing on “Power Struggle: Examining the 2021 Texas Grid Failure” Written statement submitted by: Michael D. Shellenberger Founder and President Environmental Progress 2569 Telegraph Avenue Berkeley, CA 94704 March 24, 2021 Good morning Chairman Pallone, Ranking Member Rodgers, Chairperson DeGette of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations DeGette, and members

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The Rights of Nature — Can an Ecosystem Bear Legal Rights?

Law Columbia

By Tiffany Challe*. Photo by Mark Koch on Unsplash. On Earth Day, citizens all around the world make a concerted effort to reflect upon their relationship with nature, and collectively share what specific actions we can take to protect our planet against threats such as air and water pollution, deforestation, species decline, extreme weather events, and more — all of which are exacerbated by climate change.

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Mother Hubbard Clause Saves a Property Deed

Energy & the Law

Co-author Rusty Tucker. Bell v. Midway Petroleum Grp., L.P. , was a trespass to try title action, suit to quiet title for possession of a land, and a counterclaim for title by adverse possession. There are several … … Takeaways. A Mother Hubbard Clause can save a deed in which the property description fails to satisfy the Statute of Frauds.

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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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Surface electromagnetic fields mapped in 3D at the nanoscale

Physics World

The first three-dimensional map of the electromagnetic field that “clings” to the surface of a cube less than 200 nm across casts a fresh light on how materials dissipate heat at the nanoscale. The images, obtained by researchers in France and Austria, reveal the presence of infrared photon-like excitations known as surface phonon polaritons near the cube’s surface – a phenomenon that might be exploited to convey waste heat away from nanoelectronic components and so cool them down.

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Species or Ecosystems: How Best to Restore the Natural World?

Yale E360

What’s the best way to protect nature and restore what has been lost? A series of new scientific papers offer conflicting views on whether efforts should focus on individual species or ecosystems and point to the role human inhabitants can play in conserving landscapes. Read more on E360 ?.

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Free Admission Days for Hospital Workers

Academy of Natural Sciences

In honor of National Hospital Week, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University , the Barnes Foundation , Eastern State Penitentiary , the Franklin Institute , the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) , and the Philadelphia Museum of Art jointly announce Free Admission Days for Hospital Workers. The joint initiative honors the service and dedication of hospital workers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Breakthrough for Nature & People

Washington Nature

We’re celebrating major wins for climate, environmental justice, wildfire resilience and natural resources as an extraordinary legislative session ends. A landmark set of climate policies that will shape Washington’s future were approved this weekend, as legislators concluded a session like no other. As we take stock of the incredible progress, we’re grateful to our partners and legislative champions for their work to create a better world for future generations.

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New Greenpeace report on deforestation in West Papua shines a light on the worst offenders

Corp Watch

"License to Clear" - a new Greenpeace report on deforestation in West Papua - shines a light on the worst offenders: Korindo, Posco International, Nobel Group, Hayel Saeed Anam Group, KPN Corp, Eagle High Plantations, Indonusa, Carson Cumberbatch/Goodhope Asia, DTK Opportunity, Digoel Agri/Bumi Mitratrans Marjaya Group, Salim & Victory.

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Getting Others on Board with Going Green: WIIFM (post 2 of 5)

Eco Coach

In the first post in this five-part series focused on getting others on board with going green, the focus was on leading by example. This is something that is key in creating behavior change. If the leader isn’t taking the actions she/he is asking others to take, why should others take those actions? This brings us to a second approach to use when looking to create culture change.

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China’s Beijing Graphene Institute looks to accelerate the ‘graphene era’

Physics World

Graphene pioneer: Zhongfan Liu is founding president of Beijing Graphene Institute. (Courtesy: Beijing Graphene Institute). What is the role of the Beijing Graphene Institute (BGI) and why was it created? Officially opened in 2018, the BGI is committed to building a world-leading graphene R&D cluster and developing the worldwide graphene industry.

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Births Among Endangered Right Whales Show an Encouraging Rebound

Yale E360

Critically endangered North Atlantic right whales gave birth to the largest number of calves in six years, offering a glimmer of hope for a population that has been driven to the verge of extinction because of entanglements with fishing gear and collisions with ships. Read more on E360 ?.

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Seven Steps to Sustainable Gardening

Academy of Natural Sciences

Over the past year, COVID-19 has forced us all to spend much more time at home. For most of us, it has been a stressful year, but many people have used this time to learn how to slow down and focus on the world around them. With the pandemic’s onset in early spring, many non-gardeners turned to flowerpots, raised beds and backyard patches, both due to worries about food shortages and for something to do.

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Make Your Voice Heard for Nature

Washington Nature

As the session runs toward adjournment on April 25, the Clean Fuels bill urgently needs your support. Urge your senator to support a strong clean fuel standard: The Clean Fuel Standard bill, HB 1091 , has passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate, but the House’s version is stronger. Conference committee members are: Rep. Fitzgibbon (D-34, West Seattle) Rep.

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