Tag Archives: america

Feeling Cornered, Coal Industry Borrows From Tobacco Playbook, Activists Say

by Myrna Posted on August 16, 2016

A presentation at a trade group meeting showed that coal companies were seeing comparisons that environmentalists typically make. View post:  Feeling Cornered, Coal Industry Borrows From Tobacco Playbook, Activists Say ; ; ;

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Feeling Cornered, Coal Industry Borrows From Tobacco Playbook, Activists Say

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Lady-color now approved for lady-hunters, thank god

by MyrtisOuthwaite Posted on August 13, 2016

It’s Scented

Lady-color now approved for lady-hunters, thank god

By on Aug 13, 2016 6:06 amShare

One small step for big-game sport, one big step for feminism: Hunters can now wear pink!

New York has joined Wisconsin and Colorado in adding hot pink as a designated hunting gear color, alongside the standard “blaze orange,” to attract more women to the sport.

Assemblywoman Eileen Gunther noted to The New York Times that by making hunting gear the color that all women biologically — and that’s a fact — prefer, they will attract “the next generation into the great outdoors.”

Sure? Many hunters are outspoken conservationists, because you can’t skin a deer if the deer have succumbed to the death knell of warmer climes and deforestation. But of all the ways to get young women interested in the great outdoors, hunting is one of the more niche. After all, there are myriad woman-friendly nature appreciation activities that don’t require disemboweling a large mammal — like serenading bluebirds in a sunlit field, for example.

Why might women be — statistically speaking — less inclined toward hunting than men? Could it be because we are too gentle a sex to handle the death of an animal, or because of our innate hatred for sensible shoes? No — it is because things like this happen:

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Lady-color now approved for lady-hunters, thank god

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N.C. chief epidemiologist resigns over water safety squabble

by GeriEchevarria Posted on August 12, 2016

Coal ash chronicles

N.C. chief epidemiologist resigns over water safety squabble

By on Aug 12, 2016Share

Megan Davies, North Carolina’s chief epidemiologist, resigned this week in the latest bit of drama over drinking water safety — drama that involves the state’s biggest utility and the administration of Republican Gov. Pat McCrory. Davies, who accused state officials of deliberately misleading residents, gives up her post of seven years and an $188,000 annual salary.

The story begins in 2014, when a Duke Energy power plant spilled 40,000 tons of toxic coal ash and 27 million gallons of wastewater into the Dan River. The ash is a byproduct of burning coal, and it’s harmful to people and ecosystems, containing silica, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic.

In the aftermath of the spill, public concern grew over Duke’s 32 coal ash storage sites around the state. Many of them were revealed to be unprotected, sitting in unlined basins — just heaps of coal ash in giant pits, leaching toxic elements and a carcinogen called hexavalent chromium into the water table.

Soon after, hundreds of households near the storage sites were told by state officials not to drink from their wells due to concerns over water quality. In April 2015, Duke Energy began providing bottled water to those homes.

The do-not-drink order, however, didn’t last. A year after warning residents that their well water wasn’t safe, representatives from the state’s Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Health and Human Services changed their minds, writing to the impacted households that their water was actually fine.

Testing, however, showed that well water near the coal ash sites still had levels of hexavalent chromium higher than in the municipal water supply. And Duke Energy, it turned out, had lobbied the state to reverse the do-not-drink order, even though nothing about most of the storage sites had changed. There were still unlined coal ash sites dotting the state, and there were still toxins in the water.

The optics for the state government were bad. McCrory was an employee of Duke Energy for nearly 30 years before becoming governor, and several state employees disagreed with the decision to reverse the do-not-drink order. This included Ken Rudo, a toxicologist for the Department of Health and Human Services, who believed that it was Duke’s connection to the government that led to the reversal of the order. Emails from within the department show that Rudo pushed back against DHHS’s decision and removed his name from the letter telling residents that their water was safe.

This information came to light when the Associated Press obtained a copy of a deposition Rudo gave in July as part of a lawsuit filed against Duke by the Sierra Club and other conservation groups. Duke tried, unsuccessfully, to seal the documents, but in court Rudo accused his boss — state public health director Randall Williams — of lying to the public.

“The state health director’s job is to protect public health,” said Rudo. “And in this specific instance, the opposite occurred. He knowingly told people that their water was safe when we knew it wasn’t.”

When the story came out, Williams and Department of Environmental Quality representative Tom Reeder responded by publishing an open letter portraying Rudo as a rogue scientist who doesn’t understand water toxicology.

Rudo, however, was not alone in criticizing the state. After Williams and Reeder’s public takedown of Rudo, Davies, the state’s top epidemiologist, resigned in protest.

“The editorial signed by Randall Williams and Tom Reeder presents a false narrative of a lone scientist in acting independently to set health screening levels and make water use recommendations to well owners,” Davies wrote in her resignation letter this week, adding that she had personally briefed the state on the well problem multiple times in 2015.

Davies wrote that resigning from her position is a huge loss, both professionally and personally. But, she continued, “I cannot work for a Department and an Administration that deliberately misleads the public.”

Meanwhile, the hundreds of families living near coal ash sites remain in limbo. The state says their water is fine, but levels of hexavalent chromium are still high, so residents are left to decide for themselves whether to drink the water or not. If they choose not to, Duke is still delivering bottled water every two weeks. But, according to a company spokesperson, it’s not because the water isn’t safe; they’re just being good neighbors.

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N.C. chief epidemiologist resigns over water safety squabble

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Here’s the latest community to crack down on fossil fuel shipments

by HaiOdumndtizix Posted on August 11, 2016

Thanks, but no tanks

Here’s the latest community to crack down on fossil fuel shipments

By on Aug 11, 2016Share

Whatcom County, Washington, a mostly rural area in the upper northwest corner of the country, has become the latest community to crack down on fossil fuel shipments.

On Tuesday, the county council unanimously voted to impose a 60-day moratorium on permit approvals for new projects that would export crude oil or other unrefined fossil fuels. The council noted the public safety risks posed by increased fossil fuel shipments.

Whatcom County was the site of a battle earlier this year between a developer that wanted to build a coal export terminal and the Lummi Nation, which argued that the terminal would infringe on its tribal fishing rights. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sided with the Lummi in May and denied a permit for the project, which would have processed up to 54 million metric tons of exports to Asia each year, most of it coal.

The county isn’t alone in fighting against fossil fuel shipments. The cities of Spokane and Vancouver in Washington and Oakland in California have also taken or are considering steps to limit the movement of dirty fuels within their borders, citing risks to both residents and the environment.

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Here’s the latest community to crack down on fossil fuel shipments

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How Bad Is Your Air-Conditioner for the Planet?

by Myrna Posted on August 9, 2016

Governments recently met to limit a chemical with a powerful heat trapping effect, highlighting air-conditioning’s complicated environmental impact. Continue reading: How Bad Is Your Air-Conditioner for the Planet? ; ; ;

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How Bad Is Your Air-Conditioner for the Planet?

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Enjoy it while you can: Climate change is already hitting the Olympics hard

by Anh40L3815000 Posted on August 8, 2016

Hot Bods

Enjoy it while you can: Climate change is already hitting the Olympics hard

By on Aug 8, 2016Share

Sewage water isn’t the only thing competitors may be worrying about at the Rio Olympics: Hot temperatures and air pollution are already interfering with athletic performance. In a preliminary racewalking competition before the games began, 11 out of 18 competitors suffered from heat-related injuries. One athlete even passed out.

But this Olympics might be the best it gets. According to a report from Brazil’s Climate Observatory, as climate records keep falling, outdoor sports records could become much harder to break.

Already, marathon times are 2 minutes slower on average for every 10 degree Fahrenheit that temperature rises. In Rio, the problems are even more pronounced, because poor air quality from vehicle congestion makes high-performance outdoor sports difficult — even deadly. Each year, thousands of Rio’s citizens die from complications of air pollution, which is tied to lung cancer, heart attacks, strokes, and asthma.

“On hot days in polluted areas, it is healthier to go out and have a beer (in the shade) than to practice sport outdoors,” said Luzimar Teixeira, professor at the School of physical education at the University of São Paulo.

The report notes that competitors may be able to mitigate the effects of climate change through technological advances like high-tech equipment and clothing, but those advances are not likely to be available to athletes from less wealthy nations.

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Enjoy it while you can: Climate change is already hitting the Olympics hard

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What is ‘Glamping’?

by LillianaLlewell Posted on August 7, 2016

I grew up camping, but as I get older, “glamping” is definitely taking on more appeal. Don’t know the difference?

Camping is the no-frills way to get out and experience the wild. You might sleep in sleeping bags on a mat on the ground, in a tent you’ve pitched after perhaps hiking into a campsite on a trail that could be challenging to traverse. You’ll builda fire in a fire pit or power up your cookstove and make a meal that, while delicious, might also be pretty basic. Your “bathroom” could be an outhouse or a spot away from camp that you dig yourself. You may have to purify water to drink and cook and clean with; there may not be showering or bathing facilities.

“Glamping” combines the experience of the wildwith a bit more glamour and comfort. In fact, Glamping.com says glamping offers travelers a way to “experience the positive aspects of camping without the ‘uncomfortable’ negatives….to experience the great outdoors without sacrificing luxury.”

I love traditional stylecamping precisely because it IS so basic. Just head out somewhere, throw up a tent, roll out a bag, and look up at the sky. That can be pretty perfect.

But I’ve had a few glamping trips, too, and they were pretty great. For example, on my first trip to Africa, I went on a camping safari in Kenya. With two guides and some other campers, a few of usdrove into the bush, threw up tents, slept in sleeping bags, and cooked over a fire. Our camp was surrounded by barbed wire to keep out big game like lions and cheetahs, but that was it. When we went to the outhouse, our guide came with us in case some animals were on the prowl.

The second time I went to Africa, it was definitely glamping. My family slept in clean spacious tents on actual beds that were really comfortable. In one camp, showers were attached to our tents and though they weren’t filled with hot water, the water was definitely warm enough to provide a comfortable cleanse. Our food was cookedin an outdoor kitchen and was bothabundant and gourmet. Though elephants did roam around the camp, we didn’t have to worry about lions or rhinos because the compound was so well protected.

The camping trip was thrilling because it felt so edgy and dangerous. Who cares if it was grimy and the food, while filling, was a little on the plain side?

The glamping trip was wonderful because it was socomfortable but still exotic. We got very close to lots of animals and probably learned more about local cultures because we had more time to stop in villages and talk with people rather than have to scurryto find a campsite before sunset.

If you like the idea of glamping, you’ll have two major considerations: where to do it, and how to do it.

Pretty much every continent offers glamping options, and at prices that can range from less than a hundred dollars a night to ten times that much. For example, in South America, Ypora in Argentina, offers tents, solar power,safari style tents and running water, all with meals included, for $40 a night. On the other hand, the Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica in Peru starts at $542 a night, along with more upscale amenities. You can see a list of glamping facilities by continent here.GoGlamping.net focuses specifically on glamping in England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, Italy, Portugal and Spain.

As for accommodations, you’ll find a variety of exotic ways to put a roof over your head. In addition to fancy safari trips, glamping lodging includes:

Airstream trailers
Treehouses
Teepees
Huts and Cottages
Yurts
Cubes, Pods and Domes

Glamping doesn’t only have to be for you. Many locations are pet friendly. These options listed on GlampingHub.com partner with PETA and The Humane Society to make sure they offer safe and health accommodations if you want to bring your dog on your trip.

Some trips are a hybrid of camping and glamping. That’s what I got when I did a 10-day rafting trip through the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River. Wehad to pitch our own tents, roll out our sleeping bags, and pack everything up in the morning. Only the bravest among us dared take a bath in the fridge Colorado waters. On the other hand, we had three gourmet meals cooked for us every day, were handily and safely transported down the river, guided on fascinating canyon hikes, and concluded the trip in a lovely hotel.

In many respects, it was the best of both worlds.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

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What is ‘Glamping’?

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Volkswagen says it’s cleaning up its emissions, this time for reals

by AdolfoBourget Posted on August 4, 2016

Sorry (I Ain’t Sorry)

Volkswagen says it’s cleaning up its emissions, this time for reals

By on Aug 4, 2016Share

What’s a car company to do when its name becomes synonymous with dirty emissions? If you’re Volkswagen, seek redemption.

This week, the German auto manufacturer announced the rollout of air pollution-cutting filters on 7 million of its new cars. The particulate filters, which should cut soot by 90 percent by 2022, will cause “significant reduction” in vehicles’ emissions, according to the company. Beginning in 2017, the Volkswagen Tiguan and the Audi A5 will sport the new filters.

This is a change — or, at the very least, a mea culpa — for the company whose environmental track record was demolished in the wake of a massive emissions regulations cheating scandal uncovered in 2015. The rigged emissions tests that Volkswagen programmed for 11 million cars released as much as 41,000 tons of nitrogen oxides (a group of gases that contribute to air pollution) into the air annually. They also earned the company multiple investigations into its emissions practices, a drop in stock prices, and, most recently, a lawsuit brought by the German state of Bavaria.

With the new filters, can we believe that Volkswagen is really turning a new, greener leaf? It’s a possibility — but not a guarantee.

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Volkswagen says it’s cleaning up its emissions, this time for reals

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Canada’s Trudeau promises to do no harm to First Nations, does harm anyway

by HermelindaKauper Posted on August 3, 2016

Canada’s Trudeau promises to do no harm to First Nations, does harm anyway

By on Aug 3, 2016Share

Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was expected, by some, to reset his government’s relationship with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples, because he claimed his administration “will never impose solutions from the top down.”

Less than a year after assuming office, he’s already broken his word: Instead of working in partnership with indigenous peoples, Trudeau’s government is backing a hydroelectric dam project that will cause unnecessary and irreparable harm.

As DeSmog Canada reports, Trudeau’s government is pushing through permits for the British Columbia dam project, which is contested by the West Moberly and Prophet River First Nations. The dam’s own environmental assessment report finds dam would flood surrounding agricultural land and “result in the loss of some important multi-use, cultural areas and valued landscapes.” The losses would be permanent and a violation of treaty.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans told DeSmog Canada that it would take First Nations’ concerns into account — but those concerns mean very little once construction goes forward.

Despite so many promises from Trudeau, indigenous peoples still have to take Canada’s government to court to answer for broken treaties and broken promises.

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Canada’s Trudeau promises to do no harm to First Nations, does harm anyway

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Crazy hot Siberian summer leads to anthrax poisoning

by HenrietTKQ Posted on August 3, 2016

Crazy hot Siberian summer leads to anthrax poisoning

By on Aug 3, 2016 5:15 amShare

Americans may best know anthrax as the white powder that caused a panic after it was found in the mail post-September 11 attacks, but it’s also a naturally occurring, lethal bacteria. Anthrax surfaced recently in the far northern reaches of the planet, hospitalizing at least 72 nomadic herders outside the Arctic Circle and killing a 12-year-old boy.

The Guardian reports that unusually high temperatures in Yamal, a peninsula in Siberian Russia, thawed anthrax spores that were frozen in permafrost for centuries. Temperatures reached up to 95 degrees in Siberia this past month, when they’re usually in the mid-70s this time of year. When the permafrost thaws, anthrax and other bacteria enter the groundwater, sickening both humans and animals who ingest it.

The Nenets people who occupy the region already suffer harm from colonization, industrialization, and climate change. The oil and gas industry, especially, has endangered the herders’ way of life by affecting reindeer migration patterns.

Anthrax hasn’t been seen in the region since 1941, but rising temperatures and melting permafrost are expected to expose more ancient cemeteries and burial grounds, increasing the risk of anthrax poisoning. Nor is anthrax the only danger of thawing permafrost: It also releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas that is bad news for everyone.

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Crazy hot Siberian summer leads to anthrax poisoning

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