Watch 1PM Weekly News - January 29, 2024
This week Anton covers six breaking news stories--from eco-friendly laundry detergent possibly being another greenwashed product to an oil lobby spending millions on positive ad campaigns.
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Colleges Cutting Carbon Emissions with Geoexchange
Colleges throughout the country are implementing a new way to heat and cool their campuses, the process is called geoexchange. Geoexchange works like a heat storage bank. In the summer, heat is drawn out of warm buildings which cools them, and transferred to water that is sent into pipes deep underground. The heated water is stored beneath the frostline and warms surrounding rock. In winter, the heated water is pumped back up through the pipe systems in the buildings. Working in tandem with heat pumps, the impact on the carbon footprint can be up to 90%. Large projects that cost hundreds of millions of dollars pay for themselves in 10-20 years. Besides making large strides to becoming carbon neutral, the colleges are receiving enthusiastic support from students, faculty, staff and alumni.
Largest Gas Export in US Paused by Government
The decision to move forward on approving the largest gas export terminal in the United States has been paused for a year by the US Government amid concerns about the environmental impact on climate change, the economy and national security. Called Calcasieu Pass 2, or CP2, the natural gas export terminal would cost $10 billion, and be located along the shipping channel that connects Lake Charles, LA to the Gulf of Mexico. This comes at a time when the United States leads the world in both liquefied natural gas exports and oil and gas production. The project would first require an approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and then will shift to the Energy Department for consideration.
- https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/24/biden-pauses-cp2-gas-export-hub,
- https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/24/climate/biden-lng-export-terminal-cp2.html,
Legal Win Against US Navy’s Pollution in Potomac River
The Naval Surface Warfare Center has been testing weapons and munitions on the Potomac River for over 100 years. Located about 53 miles south of Washington, D.C, the Navy has, by its own estimates discharged over 33 million pounds of munitions into the river that include 225 tons of toxic heavy metal manganese and 15,000 tons of iron. In response, environmental advocates and petitioners filed a notice of intent to sue the Navy under the Endangered Species Act and the Clean Water Act. The Navy has in turn agreed to obtain a pollution discharge permit that will include regulatory safeguards. A study by a nonprofit called the Environmental Working Group analyzed the U.S. Department of Defense records, and found that in 63 military bases in 29 states, there were approximately 3,000 drinking water wells that were contaminated with PFOS, or forever chemicals.
- https://insideclimatenews.org/news/25012024/us-navy-pollution-in-potomac-river-clean-water-act-violation/,
Animal Rights Win in South Korea as Dog Meat is Banned
South Korea’s parliament has made a landmark decision to ban the country’s dog meat trade. It’s now illegal to open dog farms, slaughterhouses and processing facilities that are related to dog meat, a tradition in South Korea that has been around for centuries. With rapid globalization and urbanization giving rise to the number of people owning pets, the demand for dog meat has fallen significantly in just the last two decades. The Korean Association of Edible Dogs says that the legislation will impact approximately 3,500 farms, 3,000 restaurants and 1.5 million dogs. The law goes into effect in 2027, giving the industry a three-year grace period to transition away from the trade. Once in force, violators will face penalties of up to three years in prison along with a $23,000 fine. Animal rights organizations have hailed the move. Quote. “While my heart breaks for all the millions of dogs for whom this change has come too late, I am overjoyed that South Korea can now close this miserable chapter in our history and embrace a dog-friendly future,” said JungAh, a popular South Korean singer, actress and entertainer.
Circular Economy Innovators to Keep an Eye On
Since 2020, 11 circular economy startups have emerged as unicorns with a value of over $1 billion each. What these companies share are circular economic principles like eliminating waste and pollution, regenerating nature and circulating products and materials. For example, secondhand fashion company Vinted was valued at $3.81 billion in 2021, and says it saved 453 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide in 2021 alone. Another company is Apeel, which is valued at $2 billion, and addresses single-use plastic and global food waste by coating fresh produce with an edible, plant-based layer that allows fruit and vegetables to stay fresh up to three times longer. Yet another company is Notpla, that replaces fossil fuel-based single-use plastic packaging with a seaweed-based solution, which is a low-impact material that can absorb up to 20 times more C02 than land forests. Circular economy startups are already having far-reaching and long-lasting impacts, stay tuned.