Environmentalism

By Phillip Stalley | – When it comes to climate change, no nation is more important than China. It consumes more coal than the rest of the world combined, and it is the leading emitter of greenhouse gases, accounting for nearly 30% of global emissions. Unless China takes rapid steps to control its greenhouse gas […]

Climate Crisis

How Green Buildings can boost Productivity, well-being and Health of Workers

The Conversation

By Md Sazan Rahman | – Most people now recognize the energy savings benefits of green buildings. These buildings use less water, energy and other natural resources. In some cases, they can increase biodiversity, produce their own energy and reduce the urban heat island effect. Recent research shows that green buildings can also improve the […]

Climate Crisis

We are so F*cked unless we act Now: The 7 Hottest Years on Record were the last 7 Years

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service reports that the seven hottest years on record “by a clear margin” were the past seven years. This finding underlines the way global heating is speeding up, as we put more and more heat-trapping carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Global temperatures fluctuate with […]

Climate Crisis

‘Don’t Look Up’: Hollywood’s primer on climate denial illustrates 5 myths that fuel rejection of science

The Conversation

By Gale Sinatra and Barbara K. Hofer | – Every disaster movie seems to open with a scientist being ignored. “Don’t Look Up” is no exception – in fact, people ignoring or flat out denying scientific evidence is the point. Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence play astronomers who make a literally Earth-shattering discovery and then […]

Employment

Top 3 Pieces of Good News in 2021 – Because Optimists are the Problem Solvers

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – News corporations think good news does not sell, which is why you see so little of it on television or on the front page of news web sites. Executives at for-profit news believe their corporations benefit, just as do social media platforms, from provoking your fight or flight reflexes– making […]

Climate Crisis

Keep it in the Ground: We can’t limit Global Heating to Safe Levels unless We Ban all new Oil and Gas Fields

The Conversation

By David Waltham | – As a professor of geophysics, I have spent 36 years training young geologists destined to work in the fossil fuel industry how to look for oil and gas. But now I believe it’s time to stop fossil-fuel exploration and halt the development of all new oil and gas fields. We […]

Climate Crisis

2021’s US Climate Disasters revealed an East-West Divide, with one side of the Country too Wet, the other dangerously Dry

The Conversation

By Shuang-Ye Wu | – Alongside a lingering global pandemic, the year 2021 was filled with climate disasters, some so intense they surprised even the scientists who study them. Extreme rainstorms turned to raging flash floods that swept through mountain towns in Europe, killing over 200 people. Across Asia, excessive rainfall inundated wide areas and […]

Climate Crisis

New Biden EPA Auto Emissions Rules mandate 10-fold Increase in annual Electric Vehicle sales by 2026

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – In good news for electric vehicles and the greening of US transportation, the Biden administration on Monday substantially toughened automobile and light truck emissions standards, mandating that they get an average of 40 miles per gallon by 2026. The incremental toughening begins next fall with the 2023 models. The Biden […]

Environment

Biden, Infrastructure Law in Hand, Will at Last replace all Poisonous Lead Water Pipes from Coast to Coast

The Conversation

By Gabriel Filippelli | – The Biden administration has released a plan to accelerate removal of lead water pipes and lead paint from U.S. homes. As a geochemist and environmental health researcher who has studied the heartbreaking impacts of lead poisoning in children for decades, I am happy to see high-level attention paid to this […]