Watch 1PM Weekly News - October 23, 2023
This week Shelby covers seven breaking news stories--from electric grids struggling to keep up with climate change solutions to salt water penetrating the Mississippi river.
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Investment in Clean Hydrogen
The US executive office has announced a $7 billion investment in clean hydrogen. The initiative aims to infuse funding into the development of new hydrogen power infrastructure. Hydrogen fuel is produced through the separation of water molecules, and current iterations are fossil-fuel intensive. But environmental experts believe the fuel can be made greener and can contribute to cutting back on climate emissions. Industry officials and their unions stress that affordability will be key to make clean hydrogen fuel feasible and accessible.
Electric Grids Aren’t Keeping Up with Climate Change Solutions
Last week, the International Energy Agency released a report demonstrating that most countries do not currently have the infrastructure required to support a full shift to green energy technologies like solar panels, wind turbines, and electric vehicles. Power lines and electric grids are outdated and lack the capacity to handle the increasing demand for electricity. The report estimates that “countries would need to double their investment in transmission lines and other infrastructure…by 2030.” The agency’s director compared current climate policy to “building the fastest, most beautiful car you possibly can, but then you forget to build the roads for it.” But the report isn’t advocating to give up on climate change solutions. On the contrary, they point out that a slow transition will add billions of tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Instead, we should focus on investing in the infrastructure needed to support an electric future.
Climate Super-Pollutants Released by Louisiana Chemical Plant
According to a report from the Environmental Investigation Agency, a chemical plant in Louisiana operated by Honeywell International allegedly released chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, into the environment. CFCs deplete ozone and are typically banned by international environmental agreements. But in the US, some exemptions have been granted to the chemical industry despite environmental risks. Even with these exemptions, the investigation agency’s report states that Honeywell’s operation emitted greenhouse gasses beyond what it reported to the Environmental Protection Agency. Honeywell stated that they’re following all reporting requirements, but a spokesperson for the EPA said they would be following up with questions about their most recent report.
Saltwater Penetrates the Mississippi River
Also in Louisiana, New Orleans’ drinking water is being threatened by ocean saltwater that is penetrating the drought-hit Mississippi River. In September, the mayor declared a state of emergency and warned that if seawater continues to move toward the city, residents could be forced to use bottled water for essential cooking and cleaning. It remains to be seen if rainy weather systems upriver this week will be able to combat the problem before it gets worse. The threat is imminent in New Orleans today, but other coastal cities are at risk as sea levels rise and weather events grow more extreme.
- https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/oct/10/louisiana-drinking-water-saltwater-mississippi-river
Phoenix Tries to Beat the Heat
The summer of 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona broke records both in terms of overall high temperatures with one day hitting 111 degrees Fahrenheit and in the number of consecutive days at 110 degrees or above–a whopping 54 days. The crushing heat wave caused at least 300 deaths, mostly among those experiencing homelessness. Meanwhile, demand for electricity consumption reached record highs as residents battled the heat with air conditioning. And to make matters worse, the city overutilized its groundwater supply until it was “tapped out.” Mayor Kate Gallego of Phoenix was interviewed by Inside Climate News this month, and she shared some plans to make Phoenix “the most sustainable desert city in the world.” First, the city created the Office of Heat Response and Mitigation to address extreme heat. Next, they will utilize a $10 million federal grant to pursue tree planting to provide shade and capture carbon. And finally, they are investing in infrastructure projects like increasing their light rail capacity and pursuing a diverse portfolio of water supply options. The full Q&A with the mayor will be in the show notes for other ways Phoenix is trying to beat the heat.
- https://insideclimatenews.org/news/16102023/hottest-summer-phoenix-mayor-outlines-future/
- https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/10/phoenix-arizona-new-heat-record-hot-summer
Manatees Considered for Endangered Status
In 2017, the US Fish and Wildlife Service downlisted the West Indian manatee from endangered to threatened. At the time, the agency said this was a change in name, but not in protection. But since then, manatee deaths have climbed. 2021 was the deadliest year on record with 1,100 deaths compared to 538 in 2017. Threats include harmful algae blooms and loss of seagrass, which has left the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to take steps such as providing “supplemental lettuce for starving manatees.” Now the US Fish and Wildlife Service is considering restoring manatees’ endangered status and tightening protections for the animals.
- https://insideclimatenews.org/news/11102023/fish-and-wildlife-service-to-consider-restoring-manatees-endangered-status/
Leave Your Leaves
And finally, it's common practice in the US for people with lawns and trees to spend autumn raking up fallen leaves, putting them in bags, and leaving them for their municipality’s yard waste pickup. The Environmental Protection Agency estimated in 2018 that 10.5 million tons of yard trimmings, including leaves, enter landfills each year. That’s more than seven percent of ALL landfill waste. And in the case of leaves, there’s an easy alternative. Just leave them. Leaf-covered lawns “protect wildlife and soil health” and “provide a habitat during the cold winter months for critical pollinator species such as bees, butterflies, and moths.” Even lawn care company Scotts recommends simply mowing your lawn as usual to break up leaves and help them decompose right where they are. In short, leave your leaves alone!