Copenhagen: I'll Have What It's Having
I don't know how these Copenhagen businesses survive without cars and parking pic.twitter.com/tjK4425pdo
— Lloyd Alter (@lloydalter) August 31, 2017
August 31, 2017
Legal Eagles: 11 Climate Q/A's
Consider 11 climate law questions raised by Hurricane Harvey + mull over future-facing solutions
Solar Friends/Solar Foes
There are more than 2 sides in today's struggles over advancing rooftop PV
No Zoning, No Building Code, No Defense
In the name of development, Houston has no land use rules + no building codes, so who picks up the tab when disaster strikes?
August 30, 2017
Bye-Bye Nuke Plant Plan...
...Hello $6 billion from Duke Energy Florida for PV, EV chargers, battery storage systems + more
Meteorological Stickiness
Could shifts in global wind circulation induced by a changing climate contribute to the slow-moving calamities like Harvey?
Dockless Bikes: Take 2
It dodged a competitor's bullet, but Citi Bike might adopt its MO + go for a dockless system
Questions That Will Outlast Harvey
What will it take to rethink: flood insurance, oil refinery regulations, human vulnerability to 'natural" disasters, federal climate policy?
Lansing Digs Geothermal
Michigan's state capitol, Lansing, will use geothermal energy for heating + cooling
August 29, 2017
Time To Talk About Climate Change AND
Now's the time to talk about climate change + other systemic injustices turning disasters like Harvey into catastrophes
9 Things We Can Say About Harvey + Climate Chaos
Climate disruption didn't 'cause' Harvey, but it’s a huge part of the story
Germany: The Next Big Energy Thing
City-scale energy storage batteries could be the next big thing as Germany remakes its power supply system
Trouble Ahead In The Deltas
340 million people in delta areas that are sinking as sea levels rise live in increasing peril
Spotted in Sallan
Climate artist Justin Brice Guariglia caught our attention this spring, now he's featured in the Times
August 28, 2017
Clean Tech Investor: Lessons Learned
Why do clean tech investors have such a hard time making a buck + what could change for DER?
Off The Charts
#Harvey in perspective. So much rain has fallen, we've had to update the color charts on our graphics in order to effectively map it. pic.twitter.com/Su7x2K1uuz
— NWS (@NWS) August 28, 2017
Houston: Where Boom Meets Flood
Consider the climate-linked risks that Houston courts with its zoning-free real estate boom
The Sustainability-Diversity Link
Make the connection by making the good business case
On Cancer And Climate Change
Think Bold On Mass Transit
Why stop mass transit upgrades at Penn Station? The Regional Plan Association has a much bigger proposal
August 25, 2017
Buried Treasure In Energy Grid Report
Bright prospects for renewable energy can be found in the Department of Energy grid reliability report, if you look for them
Become A Better Climate Communicator
How to get to "Hey, we’re in. We’re on board with these goals to get to carbon neutrality" whether it’s individually, in companies/corporations, in our cities or our states
I Was An Exxon Scientist
Climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe, did Exxon-funded, methane research + confirms claims about the contrast between its internal cutting-edge climate research + its external climate disinformation campaign
Clear And Present Danger
US health, safety + environmental protection are under sustained assault by the EPA
August 24, 2017
Go Figure
New study finds that climate change costs will hit Trump country hardest | John Abraham https://t.co/9417TEoIPv via @guardianeco pic.twitter.com/TsPR5ksp6y
— Dana Nuccitelli (@dana1981) August 24, 2017
Listening To Trees
From the Amazon to Manhattan trees offer lessons about nature's connections
Designing For Deep Green
A design competition for net-zero energy building retrofits in NY launches this month
Tilting Against Windmills
The electricity grid reliability report issued by the Department of Energy puts its finger on the scale for fossil fuels + nuke power
August 23, 2017
Climate-Friendly Court Ruling
An appeals court upholds climate impact considerations when a federal regulator reviews gas pipeline project proposals
The Other NWA
The Non-Wires-Alternative electric power revolution gears up in NY and CA
Shanghai: Trees, Trees, Trees
Have you seen the 1000 Trees building under construction in #Shanghai? https://t.co/T9DVMujw1f
— Lauren Zullo (@lauren_zullo) August 23, 2017
Shareholders/Employees Sue Exxon Mobil
Law suits by Exxon shareholders + employees assert they were misled about the financial risks of their investments due to climate change
Cool Your City
Effective, doable actions to cutdown on the urban heat island effect
August 22, 2017
Very Ferry
Hoboken-to-Midtown Ferry is to become Permanent! https://t.co/wFqvMKSZcD #OurWaterfront pic.twitter.com/NZ70Gb4G6B
— Waterfront Alliance (@OurWaterfront) August 22, 2017
Solar Set To Outshine Nuclear
Global capacity to generate solar power could exceed nuclear power by 2022
Solar Aces The Eclipse
California's solar rich power grid did just fine with the eclipse
August 21, 2017
Green Roof Proof
Do green roofs live up to their promise? researchers in Hoboken,NJ to study which designs work best
Know The Score
The first environmental action scorecard for NY state legislators is released by the League of Conservation Voters
London: Reinventing Mobility
The Mayor of London issues a proposal aiming to change the way people choose to travel
Germany: Electricity Now
Electricity generation mix Germany, so far in 2017:
— Kees van der Leun (@Sustainable2050) August 21, 2017
50% fossil (41% coal + 9% gas)
50% non-fossil (38% renewables + 12% nuclear) pic.twitter.com/Gd0mIyvZBP
Shoot The Messenger
Count the ways the Trump administration's disbanding a federal climate change advisory panel is wrong
Rx For Congestion And Mass Transit Ills
Tolling the East River bridges is good for what ails NYC transit, editorializes the New work Times and calls for a new state law
Debate: Wrong/Right Path To Climate Action
Consider this: three things wrong with Democrats'/environmentalists' approaches to climate action
In The Summertime
August 18, 2017
A Carbon Cheerful Scenario
Consider this: how Dems might get Trump to enact a carbon tax
July: Not Cooling Off
July 2017 ties with July 2016 for record-breaking heat
Clean Energy Industry Downplays Climate
A new Washington lobbying campaign by the renewable energy industry will downplay climate + talk up jobs + grid reliability
Berlin/Hamburg: More District Energy Systems
German district-scale heating systems expand with urban growth -- but most still burn coal
Help Wanted: Sr. Writer Climate/Energy Program
Media Matters for America, a progressive, Washington, D.C.-based, nonprofit research + information center that monitors, analyzes + corrects conservative misinformation in the U.S. media, seeks a Senior Writer for its Climate and Energy Program
August 17, 2017
Climate Science At Work: Clouds
What we know now and what's not yet known about the climate change/cloud nexus
My Summer Reading
Here's a review of 2140, a slightly sci-fi take on a very climate-changed NYC in the not so distant future; I say it's a good read
US Energy Use - From Past To Future
While technological change has been a constant in the history of energy in the US, flat-lining usage is something new
It's China's Fault, Maybe Not
A central question at tariff hearings about failed US solar panel makers is who's to blame, cheap Chinese imports or business errors by US manufacturers?
Climate Lessons From California
Lesson #1, it is possible to cut GHG emissions + have a bragging rights about your economy
Urban Alchemy
Transforming the Fresh Kills garbage dump into a NYC park starts with a $22.9 million contract award
August 16, 2017
Abuzz In The Flatiron
Check out the new inhabitants in @MadSqParkNYC @FlatironNY @FlatIronHot @penbrush @discovering_NYC @NYCBeekeepers https://t.co/UV56Jyr4yj pic.twitter.com/te1KpQm777
— GothamToGo (@afinelyne) August 16, 2017
V2G
For everyone who uses a car, the vehicle to grid circuit would be transformative
Put A New Spin On Things
Wow. One rotation from the biggest wind turbine in the world off the coast of Liverpool can power a house for 29 hours! #renewables #go100re pic.twitter.com/v0ICHpTX46
— Mike Hudema (@MikeHudema) August 16, 2017
Help Is On The Way
With the ability to multi-task, electric vehicle batteries could become much more valuable
Germany: Boosting Onshore Wind
Licenses to create 1 gigawatt of new onshore wind power capacity are issued by German regulators
August 15, 2017
The Dots Are Adding Up
Curious about the number of #wind projects in the US? Now there's a map for that https://t.co/bGo58f8lx3
— Marstel-Day, LLC (@MarstelDay) August 15, 2017
Tell Me Why
What explains the 14% fall in US carbon emissions from 2005-2016?
Fund Manager Urges Climate Risk Disclosure
With $4 trillion under management, Vanguard's call for corporate disclosure of how climate change could affect business affairs + asset valuations will be heard
Just Do Them
50 small ways to make NYC a better place (i am partial to #42) https://t.co/UylrQnHVXj via @CurbedNY @transalt
— Paul Steely White (@PSteely) August 15, 2017
Houston: Green For Some
The greening of Houston misses many neighborhoods still burdened with chronic pollution + toxic environmental risks
Australia: Coal Emissions Woes
An Australian environmental justice group reports on emissions from coal-burning power plants that would be illegal elsewhere
Follow The Oil
Which major oil companies are dipping toes into green energy tech?
August 14, 2017
Europe: Powered By Wind
Yesterday, wind produced 12% of Europe's electricity: Austria 34%, Denmark 31%, Germany 27%, Spain 17%, Italy 15%, UK 13%, Portugal 13% pic.twitter.com/UMc2ekuCEk
— Kees van der Leun (@Sustainable2050) August 13, 2017
Egypt: Rising Climate Fears
Rising waters raise worries for Egyptians about climate disruption impacts on their lives
On The Public Dole
Failure to complete a $14 billion nuclear power project may be no obstacle to getting federal aid
FAQ's For Offshore Wind
With New York holding public hearingsabout offshore wind this week, check out these FAQ's
Solarize NY Update
Need some good news?, here you go
It's Big, It's Passive, It's East Harlem
The nation's biggest Passive House project, coming to East Harlem, will create 655 affordable housing units
Arctic: Hot And Bothered
Climate scientist Stephen Ramsdorf says, ""The melting of the Arctic will come to haunt us all".
There's A Problem Here
Since most Republicans in Washington deny the climate problem, it's hard to know what will make the party do something about it
August 11, 2017
Introducing REV Connect
REV Connect, a centralized portal for distributed energy providers, could be a game changer for NY
Summer Reading
The Next Recycling Frontier
Start now to develop recycling capacities for the rising tide of electric vehicle batteries
From Dirty To Clean
#Solar Brightfields: Gigawatts of #CleanEnergy Potential on America's Landfills and Brownfields https://t.co/TCeCmDahZp @Forbes pic.twitter.com/G8QEPO3Abp
— Ryan Kushner (@KushyKush) August 11, 2017
Stealth Bike-Share Rides Into Town
A dockless bike-share program drops in unannounced on NYC
UK: Climate Denier Star Gets Fact-Checked
Lord Lawson, a vocal UK climate denier, gets fact checked on his BBC interview remarks
Brain Shrinkage
DOE National Energy Labs face steep cuts in the agency's budget proposal
August 10, 2017
Raising Big Bucks To Save The Subway
Making the case for tolling NYC's free bridges + creating a central business district congestion fee that would create $1.5 billion dedicated to fixing the subway system
Subway Needs New Power System
Governor Cuomo says the subway system's whole power distribution system needs an overhaul
Target The Wind
Target to buy 100 megawatts of Kansas wind energy, enough to offset carbon emissions from 150 of its California stores
The Strength Of Weak Ties
With 80% of the world's populations projected to live in cities by 2100, reliance on the creativity that urban life sparks to grow sustainable + resiliently will be a must
The Strength Of Weak Ties
With 80% of the world's population living in cities by 2100, reliance on the creativity urban life sparks to grow sustainably + resiliently will be a must
August 09, 2017
Conservative Climate Split
EPA chief Pruitt's attacks on climate science opens rifts among conservatives allies
Australia: Shareholder Climate Suit
The Australian Commonwealth Bank is sued by shareholders over inadequate disclosure of climate change risks
Stranger Than Fiction
Right-wing sting artist blows his cover in possible attack on national environmental organization
August 08, 2017
Consider This
According to the draft National Climate Assessment, which the Trump Administration may never finalize + release "Many lines of evidence demonstrate that it is extremely likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid 20th century. Over the last century, there are no convincing alternative explanations supported by the extent of observational evidence."
Paradise Soon
Solar power + battery storage equal a clean energy "paradise" to come in Kauai
An Inconvenient Sequel
If Al Gore isn't the real star of his new climate documentary, who is?
Climate-Prudent Re-Insurance
Re-insurance giant Swiss Re, with $155 billion in assets has already moved more than $110 billion of it into ESG funds.
Congestion Pricing - A Definite Maybe
Congestion pricing might be on Cuomo's to do list for NYC transit, stay tuned
Mass Transit, Media, City Hall
Just because City Hall is out of sight, don't think its out of mind when it comes to mass transit and mass media circa 1900
August 07, 2017
Fossil Fuel Feeds On Subsidies
With global subsidies worth trillions, fossil fuels don't live or die on market forces
Carbon Rising
Confirmed: July average CO2 measured at Mauna Loa was 407.1 ppm, +2.7 ppm higher than last year: still going up rapidly! pic.twitter.com/JnePrXix7c
— Kees van der Leun (@Sustainable2050) August 7, 2017
Making Green Bills Better
The Environmental Defense Fund has suggestions for making proposed NYC energy efficiency bills even more efficient
Wind Makes Work - Or Doesn't
Spin into the controversy about whether the wind energy industry is creating (enough) job domestic jobs
30 In, 20 To Go
As of July 2017, 30 states + DC have adopted #EnergyEfficiency policies. Is yours one of them? https://t.co/gBPSbKQES9 @EIAgov pic.twitter.com/CtXyOUYC58
— IMT (@IMT_speaks) August 7, 2017
Big Headaches For NYC Straphangers
It's not just subway delays, scheduled runs are actually cancelled, the New York Times reports
Get Indivisible On Environmental Action
Environmental protections are at risk in Washington -- get informed and do something about that
Cuts In NYC Flood Protection
Planning + construction delay at a big NYC flood protection project, an East River Park, may both put New Yorkers + federal project funding at risk
August 04, 2017
San Antonio: Texas Solar Star
How San Antonio, TX became a solar powerhouse
9 States Mull New Carbon Caps
The nine RGGI-member states plan their next carbon cap + trade moves, despite Trump's climate rollbacks
Fact-Checking POTUS
What's fact + what's something else in Trump's energy + environment remarks made in West Virginia?
Death Rattle In US Nuke Industry
Strong signs that the US is running out of nuclear power options
Jacobson v Clack
Mark Jacobson makes the case for a 100% renewable energy system while Christopher Clack calls this goal a dead end
August 03, 2017
South Asia: Heat-Humidity-Death
Heat waves in South Asia nearing heat + humidity levels that kill
How Cool Is That
August at C40 is all about Cool Cities that are tackling rising temperatures with creative solutions. Read more 👉 https://t.co/O5D8KVs4Cm pic.twitter.com/b5eutVrK6a
— C40 Cities (@c40cities) August 3, 2017
Developers And Trade Unions Agree...
...NYC's next Mayor needs to get reach the goal of making buildings energy efficient, here's a Roadmap
NYC's 1st Mass Transit Hub
Grand Central Depot, 1872. When it was constructed, it was on the northern edge of the city and surrounded by empty lots pic.twitter.com/W7xtrQlTuO
— Discovering NYC (@discovering_NYC) August 3, 2017
Moving Past The Summer Of Hell
Suggestions for Governor + Mayor to make the NYC transit system great again
August 02, 2017
Holland: The Great Cycling Revival
How Holland revived urban biking by way of a modern cycling infrastructure
Sue EPA For Smog Control Delay
Eric Schneiderman + 13 other state Attorney Generals sue the EPA for delaying its new ozone control rule
Science v Administration
Scientists are apprehensive about what the Trump Administration might do to a draft technical climate change report
August 01, 2017
2020 Wish List
A climate action champion would make a great 2020 Presidential candidate
Offshore Wind: Early Days
US offshore wind projects being inked by European energy companies, despite uncertainties
Nuke Plan RIP: Lots Of Losers
South Carolina utility customers will foot much of the bill for a failed nuclear power project