Endangered King Penguins March 13, 2018 https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/26/science/king-penguins-antarctica-climate-change.html?
As with so many other species, warmer temperatures are threatening the King Penguin population, and a new study published today in Nature Climate Change warns that 70 percent of the 1.6 million estimated breeding pairs of king penguins could be affected in this century. About half of the king penguin population nests on the Crozet and Prince Edward Islands, in the Indian Ocean south of Madagascar, and are projected to lose their habitat by 2100, according to the model. The 21 percent that nest on the Kerguelen Islands in the Indian Ocean and the Falkland and Tierra del Fuego islands close to South America would find their nesting grounds altered and would have to travel farther to find food and so might relocate. The fish and krill that penguins feed on are subject to overfishing and acidification with climate change, which will probably mean less food will be available in the years and decades to come. Many other species are facing the same or similar problem as the King Penguins. However, people care more about King Penguins than say some insect. Hopefully, this study and articles such as this one will motivate people to do something about climate change.
Cities Can Ban Vehicles March 11, 2018 https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/27/business/energy-environment/germany-diesel-air-pollution.html?
Germany’s highest administrative court ruled on Tuesday that vehicles can be banned from some city streets as part of efforts to improve air quality in urban areas. Environmental groups welcomed the Federal Administrative Court’s ruling, which was centered on efforts to limit emissions in Stuttgart but set a precedent for all cities in Germany. The ruling called for “proportionality,” stipulating that only older models with the highest emissions could be subject to such bans and that other considerations had to be taken into account, but automakers warned that allowing individual cities to set their own rules could result in confusion for drivers. Deutsche Umwelthilfe, an environmental and consumer rights organization that set the legal action in motion, cheered the ruling as a clear victory for residents of dozens of German cities who are suffering from respiratory and other health problems caused by air pollution. In 2016, a lower court in Stuttgart ruled in favor of Deutsche Umwelthilfe’s argument that the only way to effectively reduce nitrogen oxide levels in urban areas was to keep off the streets those vehicles responsible for the pollution, most of them diesels. The ruling allowing such bans — already popular among Germany’s European neighbors — could open the floodgates, allowing for a raft of new measures in other cities across the country. But resistance to steps that curb drivers’ rights in Germany remains deeply rooted. Diesel technology was developed in the country, and it accounts for many of the 800,000 jobs in the German auto industry. Customers are already turning away from diesel technology. The latest figures show a drop of more than 17 percent in the number of diesel-burning cars registered in January compared with December. The figures reflect a trend established in the previous year, and the authorities fear they indicate a threat to the industry. Although these new regulations will impact the economy of these German cities, in the long run it will be more beneficial. Not only will the air be cleaner but clean energy technology also creates thousands of jobs. These new regulations open the door for more environmental-minded actions in the future.
Part Suppliers Want Cleaner Cars March 9, 2018 https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/01/climate/auto-parts-emissions-regulations.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience
Car manufacturers would like to roll back standards dating from the Obama administration that mandate a deep cut in auto emissions. Automaker groups say the Obama-era rules fail to take into account the rising demand for larger vehicles, which pollute more and make progress on overall emissions more challenging. The Trump administration is reviewing the rules for possible revision. But on Thursday, five groups representing the country’s major auto suppliers urged the country to stay the course. In an unusual joint statement, the suppliers said that it was “in the nation’s best interest” that the United States continue to develop and manufacture “the cleanest and most efficient vehicles in the world.” Together, the nation’s vehicles now regularly emit more earth-warming gases than its power plants. The debate puts car-makers and their parts suppliers, two industries whose interests would seem to be intimately aligned, on opposite sides of this fundamental issue. The parts suppliers are now taking this stance because of the economical incentives. Tougher emissions rules would spur automakers to fill their vehicles with new, more efficient technologies, and the parts makers would profit from developing that equipment. Additionally, clean vehicle technology creates thousands of jobs.
Europe colder than the North Pole March 9, 2018 https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/01/climate/polar-vortex-europe-cold.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience
CSubfreezing temperatures have spread across much of Europe over the past week, stretching from Poland to Spain. On the other hand, the North Pole is above the freezing mark in the dead of winter; there are no direct measurements there, but merging satellite data with other temperature data shows that temperatures soared this week to 35 degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius). That is 50 degrees Fahrenheit above normal, and 78 degrees warmer than in parts of Norway. Why is this happening? It is due to a phenomenon called the polar vortex. The polar vortex is a low-pressure system that, as its name suggests, ordinarily rests over the North Pole. (There is also a polar vortex over the Antarctic.) A growing body of research suggests that because of climate change the warming Arctic is weakening the polar vortex. There is not yet a scientific consensus over the root cause of the weakening polar vortex, however, some scientist point to melting sea ice, caused by global warming. The loss of ice creates patterns of high pressure near the Barents Sea and Kara Sea off northern Russia. That high pressure blocks the low-pressure system of the polar vortex, weakening it in the process. When the polar vortex weakens it allows cold air to escape and head south. First of all, this is incredible but not in a good way. This insane weather will impact so many people and I just hope they all stay safe and warm for that matter. It is important to say that climate change will impact all of us, directly and/or indirectly. We should care and try to do something not just when it directly impacts us.
Next Big Volcano February 9, 2018
It TheclimateimpactofaPinatubo sizeeruptionisalsoanaturalanalogofan ideathathasexistedonthefringesofscienceforyears: geoengineering, or interveningintheatmospheretodeliberatelycooltheplanet. Agung'slastmajoreruptionoccurredin1963, andshoulditfullyblowwith similarfuryitcouldpumpenoughsulfurdioxidegashighenoughintothe atmospheretohaveameasurablecoolingeffect. Ahugeeruptioncouldalsotemporarilydamagetheozonelayer, whichscientists wouldalsostudy. Therelativepowerofaneruptionisrankedonan "Explosivityindex," ascale from0to8dependinglargelyonthevolumeofejectedashandgasandhow highitgoes-100,000feetormoreinsomecases. Theindexdoesnotnecessarilycorrelatetoimpactonclimate: Theeruptionof Mount St.HelensinWashingtonin1980wasofsimilarexplosivenessbuthad littlecoolingeffectbecausemostoftheashandgaswasexpelledlaterally ratherthanupward.PressNASAresearchersaremappingouta plantomonitoraPinatubolikeevent- "Thescaleoferuptionthatwouldleadto bothozonedepletionandalotofsurfacecooling," saidPaulA.Newman, a seniorscientistattheagencywhoishelpingtodeveloptheplan. SomevolcanologistssuggestthatbecauseAgunghadapowerfuleruptiononly halfacenturyago, anyeruptionnowmightnotbebigenough. It is scary to think that we are expecting a volcano to erupt in order to cool the planet. I mean, it would definitely be a cool event to see, especially one of this magnitude, but we should not rely on nature to fix what we have caused. It is our responsibility to find solutions to the problems we made.
Withdraw Nomination of Climate Skeptic February 9, 2018 https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/04/climate/trump-climate-nominee-white-withdraw.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fclimate
President Trump resubmitted Ms. White's nomination to the senate last month but now plans to withdraw it because of worries that the votes aren't there, the White House official said. The Washington post on Saturday reported the White House decision to withdraw the nomination. "Withdrawing Kathleen Harnett White's nomination is the right thing to do," Senator Tom Carper of Delaware, the top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, said in a statement. Sara Chieffo, vice president for government affairs at the League of Conservation Voters, blasted Ms. White as an "Antiscience extremist" and called the decision a "Victory for science." Ms. White could not be reached for comment. The Texas Policy Foundation, a free market think tank where Ms. White currently serves as a senior fellow, also could not immediately be reached. This is an update to a previous keep up. This is good news because withdrawing Ms. White's name may clear the way for a Senate consideration of other environmental nominees and because it could indicate a change. Hopefully, the next nominee will actually be competent and not just an "antiscience extremist." It is infuriating that this is something I hope will happen rather than what should just be the norm.
Cameras on Polar Bears February 9, 2018 https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/01/climate/polar-bear-cameras.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fclimate
Whilesummerisafeastingperiodforotherbearspecies, forpolarbearsitisa timeofhunger. Spring, justbeforetheseaicebeginsits seasonalbreakup, isacriticaltimefor polarbearstogaintheweighttheyneedtocarrythemthroughuntiltheseaice reforms, sotheresearcherstrackedthebearsinAprilof2014, 2015and 2016."Springisthepuppingseasonfortheseals," saidDr.Bechshoft. Lesssea icemeansthebearshavetoworkhardertofindthem. Everyadditionalmilethatapolarbearhastotraverseunderitsownpoweris thatmuchmorefoodthebearhastoeat. Theonlywayforthebearstorestorethatlostenergywastocatchmoreseals. Thenewinformationonhowdwindlingseaiceaffectsthehealthoffemalepolar bearscouldbeimportantforconservationefforts. "Noseaice, nopolarbears, it'sreallysimple," saidDr.Bechshoft. The only thing I can think about is the video of the polar bear that is weak, hungry, and not too far off from death. It is heartbreaking because it reflects so much about human nature. Considering the extinction rate, how many more species have to be driven to extinction in order to see a change?
2017 Among Hottest Years Ever Recorded January 18, 2018 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2018/01/18/2017-was-among-the-planets-hottest-years-on-
2017 was among the hottest years ever recorded, government scientists reported Thursday. The renewed evidence of climate change, driven by human emissions of greenhouse gases, comes as the Trump administration moves to open new areas for oil drilling and rolls back regulations that sought to reduce global warming, most prominently by moving to repeal the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan. The administration said it would withdraw from the Paris climate agreement last year. Further stirring the climate debate, 2017 was a year of record breaking disasters affecting the United States, including devastating California wildfires and a trio of hurricanes that cost over $200 billion — events of the sort many experts fear may worsen as the planet warms. 2017 was unequivocally the warmest year on record that was not substantially influenced by the periodic El Niño phenomenon, which releases added warmth from the Pacific Ocean and was present in the record warm years of 2015 and 2016. The Washington administration needs to start putting the environment, our future, and citizens before profits. The facts are there, they cannot argue how devastating 2017 was. Withdraw from the Paris climate agreement and rolling back many of the regulations from the Obama administration are only going to make matters worse.
"First came the fires. Now come the floods." December 9, 2017 https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/09/us/california-mudslides.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-
At least 13 people — and possibly more, the authorities warned — were killed on Tuesday and more than two dozen were injured as a vast area northwest of Los Angeles, recently scorched in the state’s largest wildfire on record, became the scene of another disaster, as a driving rainstorm, the heaviest in nearly a year, triggered floods and mudslides.At least 13 people — and possibly more, the authorities warned — were killed on Tuesday and more than two dozen were injured as a vast area northwest of Los Angeles, recently scorched in the state’s largest wildfire on record, became the scene of another disaster, as a driving rainstorm, the heaviest in nearly a year, triggered floods and mudslides. Before anything else, everyone that has been helping not only during this catastrophe but also during the Thomas Fire have been absolutely priceless for all of these communities. Although it is sad to see that it is only when things like this happen that we unite and work together. Also, it seems as though every day there is some new catastrophe occurring; one on top of the other, like in this case. And lets not forget that many of the areas impacted by last year's events are still suffering, and we need to do more about it for ALL the areas impacted, including Puerto Rico.
Curbing Climate Change Emissions December 20, 2017 https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/19/climate/china-carbon-market-climate-change-emissions.html
China released plans on Tuesday to start a giant market to trade credits for the right to emit planet-warming greenhouse gases. If it works as intended, an emissions market will give Chinese power companies a financial incentive to operate more cleanly. China is reacting to pressure at home and abroad to clean up its act. Rising sea levels could devastate its heavily populated coast. The Chinese public is increasingly worried about broader environmental issues like urban smog, water quality and soil pollution. It is good to see that countries and people around the world are fighting one of the biggest and most pressing problem. China, being the country with the greatest carbon emissions is making changes for the best, I mean, looking at the picture alone is depressing. What is also depressing is seeing how our government, contrary to the rest of the world, is taking action. Rather than moving forward, it seems as if we are moving backwards.
Tree Die-Offs December 13, 2017 https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/11/science/trees-climate-die-offs-west.html
Ponderosa pine and pinyon forests in the American West will die at an increasing rate as the world grows warmer, becoming less and less resilient when they are weakened by higher temperatures. Warming temperatures increasingly stress the forests, which means they will no longer survive the shorter droughts they once endured. Future droughts will be hotter as the planet warms. Such die-offs can lead to a state change, a radical shift in which the forest disappears and becomes a different type of ecosystem, perhaps a grassland or shrub land. California’s most recent drought, from 2012 to this year, killed more than 100 million trees. In Arizona, Colorado, Utah and New Mexico, more than 350 million pinyon pines over 4,600 square miles died in one year, from 2002 to 2003, showing how a changing climate can rapidly wipe out broad swaths of forest. Trees that are weakened by drought can no longer muster enough sap to protect themselves from beetle attacks. Adding to drought problems is air pollution such as ozone, which weakens trees. Widespread forest destruction from warming climates is a huge disaster. We will lose the ecosystems they provide and, since forests take up and store a great deal of carbon, which, if loosed when they die, could greatly add to carbon emissions. In many parts of the world, people rely directly on fruit and nuts and other foods from the forest, and the wildlife that find shelter there. This is happening in many parts of the U.S. and around the world; this is impacting our lives every day.
Raging Southern California Fire December 4, 2017 https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/06/us/california-fires.html
A fast-moving wildfire struck one of America’s major cities on Wednesday. It burned up to the edges of the 405 freeway, the nation’s busiest highway carrying about 400,000 vehicles a day, where the northbound lanes were closed for much of the day and commuters drove through a shower of ash with flames rising in the horizon. The fires compounded the suffering of what has already been one of the state’s worst fire seasons on record, including the blazes that ravaged the wine country north of San Francisco in October. A gray-brown pall, tinted orange in places, hung across a region that is home to millions of people, and the regional air quality agency warned that the air posed a health hazard in places. Hundreds of schools were ordered closed for the rest of the week because of the thick blanket of smoke filling the skies. The fires in total destroyed more than 300 homes, businesses and other buildings. Helping to spread the fires are the Santa Ana winds, which occur as cold, high-pressure air over Nevada and Utah descend into Southern California, accelerating and warming. The strong winds that are fueling the fires can be said to be normal of late fall in Southern California. What is different is the amount of dry vegetation. This year we have had a dry year in California, especially in Southern California. Not only that but this year has also been one of the hottest years in record. As the temperature continues to increase, autumn and winter will be taken over by summer. People should not only fear for the destruction and loss of lives that a catastrophe can cause but they should also be alarmed that this fire is occurring in December.
Controversial Environmental Nominee December 1, 2017 http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/362328-senate-panel-advances-controversial-environmental-nominee
Senators voted 11-10 to send the nomination of Kathleen Hartnett White to serve on the Council of Environmental Quality (CEQ) to the Senate floor. Members also advanced Andrew Wheeler, Trump’s nominee to be deputy administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), on another party-line vote. Hartnett White is a think tank official and former Texas environmental regulator with a reputation as a climate change skeptic who dismisses the science behind the influence of carbon emissions and other pollutants on the Earth's warming trend. Democrats raised concerns about her past statements on science. She has called belief in climate change “paganism,” said renewable energy is “parasitic” and questioned the health risks of pollutants like ozone. At this point, only a year after Trump was elected president, news like this do not come as a surprise. It is still infuriating but not a surprise. From the beginning we knew that Trunp himself was a skeptic, calling climate change a “hoax”, yet people still voted for him. That shows just how much the general public believes in what is happening all around them. If Trump can get elected even after everything he has said it should not surprise us that he is trying to put other skeptics in charge of the EPA.
Alaska's Permafrost is Melting December 1, 2017 https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/08/23/climate/alaska-permafrost-thawing.html?
Starting just a few feet below the surface and extending tens or even hundreds of feet down, Alaska's permafrost contains vast amounts of carbon in organic matter. Worldwide, permafrost is thought to contain about twice as much carbon as is currently in the atmosphere. Scientists have estimated that the process of permafrost thawing could contribute as much as 1.7 degrees Fahrenheit to global warming over the next several centuries, independent of what society does to reduce emissions from burning fossil fuels and other activities. Even in colder northern Alaska, where permafrost in some parts of the North Slope extends more than 2,100 feet below the surface, scientists are seeing stark changes. In addition to greenhouse gas emissions, thawing wreaks havoc on infrastructure, causing slumping of land when ice loses volume as it turns to water. The thawing of permafrost is a gradual process. The ground is fully frozen in winter, and begins to thaw from the top down as air temperatures rise in spring. As average temperatures increase over years, this thawed, or active, layer can increase in depth. Thawing permafrost underneath or at the edge of a lake can cause it to drain like a leaky bathtub. I do not know what else people need to finally open their eyes and see the impact we are having on the Earth. Some will probably argue that the melting of the permafrost is natural and not a sign of global warming just like carbon dioxide is a natural component of the atmosphere and thus not causing climate change. But when we take a look at the rates at which the thawing is occurring, we cannot deny the fact that the process is not occurring at a normal rate. We are destroying ecosystems and habitats, and consequently driving millions of species to extinction. It is too late to stop the damage we have caused and are currently making, but we can still work towards stopping and changing what will occur in the future if we continue on like this.
Santa Rosa Evacuees Fear they cannot Afford to Return November 9, 2017 http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-rebuild-santa-rosa-20171109-story.html
With rents surging as high as $13,000 a month in the aftermath of a fire that destroyed 3,000 Santa Rosa homes, people are not sure they will be able to afford to stay in the increasingly expensive wine country city. A month after wildfires ripped through this city of more than 160,000, there are debates about the fate of working-class residents and undocumented immigrants. The shortage of available housing for displaced residents has pushed rental rates into the stratosphere. As of Tuesday, amid the largest debris-removal campaign in state history, about 13,000 claims have been submitted by Sonoma County residents for Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance of some kind, officials said. The federal government has advanced $5.8 million to residents who lost their homes, and the state has requested $7.9 billion from Washington to fund long-term recovery efforts. It is sad that it takes a natural disaster to bring us together, but it is on the darkess moments that people unite. So many people have lost their homes, their life time work, and there is nothing they can do. If they are forced to move because of prices it’s not just displaced residents or immigrants that would be leaving the area but teachers, doctors, and other workers that are needed in the area and that without them the situation will only be worse.
Yellowstone and Glacier National Park Grizzlies November 4, 2017 https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/03/science/grizzly-bears-yellowstone-genes.html?
In a new paper, biologists say that as grizzly populations increase in both Glacier and Yellowstone, more adventurous males from both parks are journeying farther to stake out territory, winding up in places where they have not been seen in a century or more. If they keep roaming and expanding, the two populations will likely reconnect, perhaps as soon as five or 10 years from now. A mingling of the separate populations would go a long way toward bolstering the genetics of the isolated Yellowstone grizzlies. While much of the land between the two parks is publicly owned and wild, it becomes a gauntlet in some places as bears migrate into towns, cities, ranches and farms. Conservation groups and biologists say it’s a race against time to protect some of the open land between the two parks and to assure permanent transit routes for wildlife through land purchases or conservation easement. Protecting migration corridors between Yellowstone, Glacier and Canada would benefit not just bears, she said, but cougars, wolverines and other animals. This is an exciting event that is occurring at the moment. This will be beneficial for the Grizzly bears because it increase genetic diversity, which can help them better adapt to changing conditions, such as changing climate, changing food sources and disease resistance. It is important to not only ensure that the bears have open migration corridors but also to educate people in the surrounding areas about bear-proofing garbage cans and sealing off beehives and chicken coops with electric fencing and other safety measures they need to take. This will protect both the people and the bears.
Illicit Global Ape Trade November 4, 2017 https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/04/world/africa/ape-trafficking-bonobos-orangutans.html
Ape trafficking is a little-known corner of the illicit wildlife trade, a global criminal enterprise that hauls in billions of dollars. But unlike the thriving business in elephant ivory, rhino horns, tiger bone wine or pangolin scales, ape smuggling involves live animals — some of the most endangered, intelligent and sensitive animals on Earth. Malnourished and terrified apes have been seized across the world, in undercover busts or at border checkpoints, in countries as varied as France, Nepal, Thailand, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kuwait. For every successful bust, wildlife specialists say, five to 10 other animals slip through. And for every smuggled ape, several more may have been killed in the process. Poachers often wipe out entire families to get their hands on a single infant, which is far easier to smuggle. Apes are big business — a gorilla baby can cost as much as $250,000 — but who exactly is buying these animals is often as opaque as the traffickers’ identity. Many times, researchers say, they can only begin to track where the apes have ended up by stumbling across the Facebook posts and YouTube videos of rich pet collectors. And it’s not as if smuggling is the only threat apes face. The world’s hunger for biofuels and palm oil — a cheap food product used in things like lipstick, instant noodles and Oreos — is leveling tropical rain forests and turning them into farms. According to the Arcus Foundation, a nonprofit group that studies apes, Indonesia and Malaysia have tripled their palm oil production in the past 15 years, wiping out the habitats of thousands of orangutans. In Africa, it’s the same, with new rubber plantations, new roads and new farms cutting deeply into gorilla areas. International wildlife regulations prohibit the trade of endangered apes for commercial purposes.
Time after time, we see just how harmful and destructive our actions are. Apes are endangered because of us. They are taken, abused, and sold to wealthy homes and unscrupulous zoos. And all for what reason? The answer is short and sickening. For our amusement. Then there is also the fact that their homes are being destroyed and they are being forced to move away all because of the demand for biofuels, palm oil, rubber, and other products. This is heartless. For money, traffickers are willing to seize apes while corporations destroy their homes. And then there is us, the consumers and the bystanders that do nothing about the issue. I think it is our duty not only to raise awareness about these appalling crimes but also to fight back against them. Social media is used by traffickers to sell baby apes. We can also use social media to fight back and spread the message.
Firefighters Continue to Battle Massive California Wildfires October 15, 2017 http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-california-fires-20171014-story.html
As the death toll rises to 40, firefighters struggle to get the upper hand against several massive wildfires that have ravaged Northern California for almost a week. Officials say they are making good progress on the Tubbs and Atlas fires. which are both more than 50% contained. Firefighters will concentrate their forces on the Nuns fire, which is 30% contained. There was some concern the Tubbs and Nuns fires could merge. During a night of strong winds, the 46,000-acre Nuns fire in Sonoma County grew by at least 300 acres, threatening the outskirts of the city of Sonoma and the Oakmont neighborhood in Santa Rosa. Twenty-two people have died in the Tubbs fire in Sonoma County, eight in Mendocino County, four in Yuba County and six in Napa County. Last year we had a high wet season and this year we have had one of the hottest summers recorded, that along with high temperatures and strong winds have fueled these enormous wildfires and have allowed them to expand rapidly. We can only expect the death toll to increase even more and to see more structures and homes burn to ashes. These year we have seen the most devastating and destructive natural disasters ever, yet people are still skeptical about climate change and the urgency for action on our part.
U.S. - Mexico Colorado River Agreement October 5, 2017 https://www.newsdeeply.com/water/articles/2017/10/05/environment-is-big-winner-in-u-s-mexico-colorado-river-
Farmers and cities in both countries will reap benefits from Minute 323, an update to an existing agreement that seeks to sustainably manage the water of the overburdened Colorado River basin. This new agreement requires the United States to invest millions of dollars in water conservation projects in Mexico – like plugging leaks in irrigation canals and helping farmers implement water-efficient technology. The river’s beleaguered delta, which has received barely a trickle of water for years, may see the most dramatic benefits of all. Through 2026, 210,000 acre-feet of water, provided by stakeholders both north and south of the border, will be allowed to flow through the lower reaches of the Colorado, just upstream from the Sea of Cortez. Minute 323 requires the U.S. and Mexican governments and a coalition of environmental groups to bear equal shares of the cost of delivering the environmental flows, which will provide basic seasonal benefits, like supporting the regrowth of riparian habitat stressed by dry years and replenishing local groundwater reserves. Agreements like this, where Mexico and the U.S. work together, are the most beneficial for not just the countries but also for the environment. Minute 323 aims to stabilize the declining level of the Colorado lake. It will also lead to more efficient water-usage on Mexico's part. The water from the lake is shared by both countries and it is therefore the duty of both countries to preserve and efficiently use it. This agreement might also lead to more sustainable water usage by both countries in other regions.
Pressure to Step Up Hurricane Recovery In Puerto Rico September 28, 2017 https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/28/us/politics/trump-administration-puerto-rico-hurricane-maria-response.html
The Trump administration finally responded to Puerto Rico's desperate call for assistance. About 7,200 troops are on the island, as are about 2,800 federal relief workers. But, officials are still struggling to get supplies out of ports to be distributed across an island of 3.4 million people where there is no electricity and scant phone service. Officials say that some containers are sitting in the ports because businesses are not in a position to receive supplies. Warehouses are damaged and, apart from generators, no power source are available to keep perishable goods cold. The Army Corps of Engineers was put in charge of restoring power on the island. Administration officials also said that federal forces have joined officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help. It took Trump and his administration an entire week or so before they started to send help to the island. In that week, the people of Puerto Rico, Americans, had to deal with this devastation all by themselves. Even now, the help that was sent is not enough. The entire is devastated, in ruins. Basic necessities, such as water, are scarce. People sleep in houses without roofs, while others have to sleep in the street because they no longer have a home. Needless to say, Trump's response and aid should have come sooner. Now, we need to increase the number of federal troops to help with the delivery of goods and assist the people.
Puerto Rico Faces Mountain of Obstacles September 21, 2017 https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/21/us/hurricane-maria-puerto-rico-recovery.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&c
Power is out everywhere, cellphones are mostly useless, and much of the water is undrinkable. Puerto Rico, still reeling from Hurricane Irma, which knocked out 70 percent of the power when it grazed the island two weeks ago, faces a mountain of need in the coming months just as the federal government is stretched to the limit grappling with the destruction left by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. With most radio stations, television antennas and cellphone towers down, Governor Rosselló said the government had no contact with local officials with knowledge of how much damage has been done. The Federal Communications Commission estimated on Thursday that Puerto Rico had lost 95 percent of its wireless cell sites. This hurricane season has been especially bad for the United States. Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and now Maria have caused a tremendous amount of destruction that will surely take years for Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands to recover. But it is important for the government to help all areas that were affected, even the territories. The economy of the island has been in a deep recession for the past years, to a point that they had to declare bankruptcy. This is our opportunity to rebuild their infrastructure and help the economy grow.
Nursing Home Deaths Heighten Scrutiny of Disaster Planning September 14, 2017 https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/14/us/nursing-home-deaths-irma.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=second-column
The tragic deaths on Wednesday of eight nursing home residents in Florida’s post-hurricane heat have led to a discussion of new health care rules that will better prepare health care institutions for disasters. The new federal rule will require that nursing homes have “alternate sources of energy to maintain temperatures to protect resident health and safety. A criminal investigation was continuing Thursday into the deaths of the residents, who ranged in age from 71 to 99, in a nursing home lacking air-conditioning because of widespread power failures from Hurricane Irma. The nursing home had a generator, but it did not power the air-conditioning, which usually requires a much more powerful generator, or a second unit. Such a generator is not required by current rules — and it is unclear whether those enforcing the new rules will require it, either. As with many rules, cost is an issue, and homes that rely on Medicaid reimbursements say their thin margins make purchases like a second generator a daunting expense. Over the past few weeks we have seen Hurricanes Harvey and Irma leave nothing but disaster and problems in their paths. They have shown us just how unprepared we are for storms of this magnitude. We need policy changes that will actually work to prepare our cities and states for natural disasters and that will keep the people safe. The federal, state, and local governments need to work together to bring on this vital change. The deaths of the eight nursing home residents could have been prevented. We can either make some changes and work together or we can watch hurricanes destroy peoples' lives.
New Law Aims to Reduce Food Waste September 7, 2017 http://www.climatecentral.org/news/new-jersey-cutting-food-waste-to-help-climate-21644
A new law in New Jersey aims to reduce the state's ecological footprint and feed the hungry at the same time. To do this, the state plans to drastically reduce the amount of wasted food that ends up in landfills. The law requires the state to develop a plan over the next year to cut the state’s food waste by half by 2030. Up to 40 percent of the food produced in the U.S. ends up uneaten and tossed into the garbage. Discarded food also wastes cropland and energy that are used in the production of food. If the worldwide food waste were a country, it would be the world’s third-largest climate polluter after China and the U.S. Decomposing food pollutes the atmosphere with methane, a greenhouse gas 34 times as powerful in warming the climate as carbon dioxide over the course of a century. Several other states also have laws regarding food waste. California mandates organic food waste recycling and requires businesses to cap the amount of food they send to the landfill each year. Connecticut and Rhode Island also require many businesses to cap the amount of food thrown out. Massachusetts and Vermont have a weight limit on food waste both individuals and businesses can throw away. The new administration is full of skeptics regarding climate change, so it is up to the states, cities, small communities, and individuals to do something about one of the biggest issues we have ever faced. Passing laws like the the one above is not only beneficial to the environment and the world as a whole but it also helps feed the hungry and poor of New Jersey. Also, this law will produce economic opportunities and jobs for recycling businesses, composers, and others. Trump plans on creating more jobs by trying to bring back companies and revive the coal industry, but if he really plans to achieve that goal then he needs to realize that supporting sustainable energy resources and more eco-friendly laws in the end will result more beneficial for the environment, society, and our economy.
Explosions possible after ‘pops’ heard at storm-crippled Texas chemical plant August 30, 2017 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2017/08/30/texas-town-under-emergency-evacuation-as-flooded-chemical-plant-nears-explosion
Crosby, a small town east of Houston, was evacuated Wednesday afternoon due to the imminent explosion of a chemical plant that is, as of now, standing in six feet of water. The plant manufactures organic peroxides, a family of compounds used in everything from pharmaceuticals to construction materials such as counter tops and pipes. But the material must remain cold otherwise it can combust. According to Arkema, the French firm that owns the plant, the facility’s coolant system and inundated power generators have failed and they have lost critical refrigeration of the materials on site that could now explode and cause a subsequent intense fire. Local media reported that a mandatory evacuation zone was established for a 1.5-mile radius. Harris County Emergency Operations Center notified company officials early Thursday of two explosions and black smoke coming from the facility. Sheriff Ed Gonzalez told reporters that the fumes created by the chemical reaction are “not anything toxic; it is not anything that we feel is a danger to the community at all.” FEMA later said that overflights by chemical-detecting aircraft showed the smoke did not contain “concerning” levels of hazardous materials. Hurricane Harvey has been a catastrophe that will take Texas and everyone else impacted by it years to recover from. The chemical plant at Crosby is just a small part of the aftermath. The people of the area not only have to deal with the flooding but also with the possibility that a major explosion can, and will very likely occur, at the plant; an intense fire and/ or toxic chemicals is another danger that the people of Crosby and other areas are facing. It’s important that we along with the government work together to alleviate the problems that Harvey has caused. The amount of money and effort that will be required to recover after this is like nothing we have seen in the past. The worst part is that if people continue to believe that climate change is a hoax and we go on believing that our lifestyle is sustainable, natural catastrophes like Harvey will become even more severe.
S.B. 623 Pushed To Solve California Drinking Water Crisis August 24, 2017 https://www.newsdeeply.com/water/articles/2017/07/27/unlikely-allies-push-bill-to-solve-california-drinking-water-crisis
People from all across the San Joaquin Valley traveled to Sacramento to show their support for Senate Bill 623, the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund. The water supplies of many low income communities in the California farm belt are contaminated with agricultural pesticides, arsenic, and other toxins. The bill would establish a new funding source to help communities like these have access to safe drinking water. The fund would be used not only for the construction of water treatment plants but also for their operation and maintenance. Currently, there is no dollar amount attached to the bill, but clean water advocates have estimated around $140 million to $150 million annually. How the fund will raise revenue is still being negotiated and will determine whether the legislation makes it to Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk. This is important because two unexpected allies are supporting the bill - environmental justice groups and agriculture. They are cooperating to bring an end to the water crisis that is affecting so many communities in California. But as hopeful as the bill may be, it is also controversial. The environmental community opposes the legislation becausethey believe the bill would limit enforcement by water boards against agricultural operations for contributing excessive nitrate in groundwater if the operation meets mitigation requirements, including paying a fee into the fund. This basically means that the people who have been contaminating our water in the first place, will be given immunity by buying into the fund whose goal is to clean our groundwater; they are paying to pollute. Nothing is settled yet, so before the bill passes, if it ever does, it is important for people to realize what is at stake. There is no doubt that we need to help the communities that have been the hardest hit with the water crisis, but we should make sure that whatever plan we agree upon will be an actual solution that will work now and in the long run. If we don’t work efficiently, then we can end up creating a vicious cycle of polluting and then trying to amend.