newrepublic.com/article/145759/republican-tax-plan-assault-renewable-energyDespite President Trump's Interior Secretary, Ryan Zinke, insisting that the Trump Administration would not pick winners and losers in terms of the fossil fuel and renewable energy industries, their new tax bill is definitely in favor of fossil fuels. The Republican bill would preserve $15 billion in tax subsidies for them whilst slashing incentives for renewable energy industries as well as the electric car industry. Environmentalists are panicking, especially about the potential cut to the renewable electricity production tax credit that benefits businesses that rely on wind, solar, and geothermal. Although it has been said that the bill won't include every single anti-clean energy measure, the bill might also expand the fossil fuel industry, such as with the carbon capture tax credit, which would outweigh the fact that not every measure was added. Some of the Senate's most vocal climate champions are in support of the bill as it has been stated that fossil fuel companies will work to reduce their carbon emissions. However, there is a growing number of other environmentalists who believe that it is the "ultimate greenwashing scheme" in which the fossil fuel industries falsely appeal to the public's desire in order to get what they want.
Our society has come a long way on the journey to creating a better, energy-efficient future for the generations to come. This tax bill could throw all of that away and undermine everything that has been done thus far. Ultimately, the decision of our future now rests in the hands of the Senate, but this situation can be a lesson learned about how important it is to take care about who you vote for.
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www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/11/trumps-agriculture-department-reverses-course-biotech-rulesRules were proposed in January by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that would overhaul federal biotech regulations, essentially exempting some modern gene-edited plants from regulation whilst potentially lengthening the safety assessments of said plants. As new genetic technologies are brought forth for use in agriculture, it has grown harder to know whether and how to oversee and classify plants. However, the proposed rules would also give the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service the new job of evaluating the potential for genetically engineered plants to become noxious weeds that could harm organisms and the environment. This would put many more products under the requirement of inspection which would ultimately hurt small businesses and academic researchers that cannot afford such lengthy assessments. It seems like their fears were put to rest though because the USDA recently withdrew the proposals, an action that many feel is predictable for Donald Trump and his administration despite us not knowing the actual reason for the withdrawal.
As the world population continues to grow, the use of genetically modified plants will become much more of a necessity. More than that, we must make sure that these GE plants are safe for the world population to ensure that sicknesses are not developed. It is for these reasons that the question of regulation is so essential. Is it worth withdrawing the extended regulations in order to keep small businesses alive? This is one of many questions that will need to be answered in the coming years in order to create a better agricultural future for everyone. www.washingtonpost.com/national/a-massive-storm-flooded-houston-experts-say-californias-state-capital-could-be-next/2017/10/29/e48bf9ea-ae9f-11e7-9e58-e6288544af98_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_floodfears-925pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.f09fe6af693eAfter the recent hurricanes, it seems that levees that separate Sacramento residential areas from the American River are now bringing forth worries about flooding as well. Although it is not plausible, based upon past data, that Sacramento could ever receive enough rain for the levees to break, there are large Pacific Ocean storms, "atmospheric rivers", that periodically strike the coast and settle over the Sierra Nevada Mountains. These definitely have the potential to break the levees, and as climate change progresses and populations grow the chance of that happening increases. If they were to break, as much as twenty feet of water could seep into the city as the water from the American River flowed into the Sacramento River and so on. Fears of this have therefore caused officials to begin talking about upgrades and repairs of the flood defenses in the area. However, the competition to acquire federal dollars in order to do so has stiffened as the threat of flooding worsens. Residents have been approving tax increases to help finance the upgrades and repairs, but local governments are still struggling to cover the cost of the 1.3 million residents and $80 million that are at risk.
Potential flooding in Sacramento puts so many homes and lives in danger, especially since it is more vulnerable to catastrophic flooding than any other major city in the United States. Therefore, as climate change effects worsen, the need for proper defenses is crucial to keeping these human beings, and all other organisms in the area, safe. The Army Corps of Engineers plans to begin work on the levees next Spring and to finish in 2025. But who knows what could happen in the mean time? It should be a top priority to start and finish this project asap. news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/10/edward-o-wilson-launches-half-earth-day-species-conservation-spd/At the present time in history, climate change and worldwide extinction of animals and ecosystems are the two crises plaguing the planet. It is because of these crises that Half-Earth day, which happens to be today, was created. The purpose of today is to allow some of the most brilliant minds in science from around the world to gather and showcase model conservation efforts, research and discovery in order to develop plans for "Half-Earth". This is one of two parallel tracks we can take in order to solve the problems of climate change and extinction. One of them is to create a "Linnaean renaissance of understanding about species and their interactions within ecosystems". The goal of this approach is to accelerate research and discovery of the species and habitats that we do and don't have knowledge of. The other is "Half-Earth". If we can conserve the biodiversity on half of the planet's land surface and half of the planet's sea surface then we can protect 85% or more of Earth's species. This approach seems to have been decided as the guiding force for us humans, and Half-Earth day is the first step.
Species are going extinct at such a rate that us humans could deplete most of them by the end of the century. Not only that, but unlike climate change, extinction is not reversible. If our society cannot stop this, we will have no other option than to turn to a life of geoengineering and "terranauts". We will need to manually take over all of the processes that normally occur naturally all over the planet. Half-Earth day is a gleaming light in the growing darkness of our planet, and it should be interesting to see what comes out of it. newrepublic.com/article/145278/rebuild-homes-wildfire-zonesThe recent wildfires in California have been devastating and destructive for many of the residents in those areas. It will take some time, but eventually these residents will need to find someplace else to live. What is shocking though is that most wish to rebuild in the same exact areas because they already own the property. More than that, developers all across the country are building, and will continue to build, in wildfire-prone areas. And the wildfires across the country will only grow longer and stronger with climate change. Officials have suggested ordering where and how people should build their homes, but it seems out of the question as backlash is likely to surface from Americans, conservatives, who fear for taxpayers. So, if building in these areas is inevitable the question becomes what can our communities do to decrease the damage created by the deadliest and most destructive blazes in U.S. history? Possible answers include requiring residents to rebuild using concrete, stone, glass, and other fire-resistant building material as well as requiring that homeowners plant vegetation that does not easily catch fire or dry out. On the federal level, President Trump could create national standards for building in the Wildland-Urban Interface, which is fancy wording for high-risk fire zone, or increase the Forest Service’s budget for prevention measures. All of these answers have yet to be put into effect though, and a lot of the responsibility will continue to lie with the state and local governments who control zoning regulation.
We will likely see increases in wildfires, and the duration of them, in the near future as climate change rages on. Therefore, it is important that as families and developers continue to build where these wildfires occur we prepare for the destruction and damage. Now is the time to pressure developers to halt their trend of building in these areas. Now is the time to begin using smart land-use strategies to reduce potential damage. Now is the time to enact smart policy to save money and save lives. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/epas-pruitt-signs-proposed-rule-to-unravel-clean-power-plan/2017/10/10/96c83d2c-add2-11e7-a908-a3470754bbb9_story.html?tid=a_inl&utm_term=.6507ae7e0e30EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt issued a proposed rule Tuesday to repeal the clean power plan aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. power plants. The 2014 climate rule was never put into effect, but using coal as an electricity source in the U.S continued to wane. It accounted for about 30 percent of output last year, putting it below natural gas for the first time. Therefore, despite the proposed repeal being aimed at getting the struggling coal industry back on its feet, the policy reversal is unlikely to affect the nation’s overall shift from coal to natural gas. Still, Rhodium Group estimates that without new federal or state action, the nation is on track to fall short of long-term climate targets adopted under the Paris Climate Agreement. And John Larsen, the Rhodium Group’s director, said the rule’s repeal could affect between 12 and 21 states not already on track to meet its targets. In other words, we are not completely in the clear if this repeal goes into effect.
We do not want our nation moving backwards on the road to making the planet a more efficient and sustainable place to live. In a time where carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are at an all time high, it does not seem like the smartest decision to scale back on greenhouse gas regulations. Therefore, one could take a lesson from the states and corporations that have stated that they will maintain their efforts to reduce greenhouse gases despite the proposed repeal. The best thing we can do as of now is show those in favor of deregulating environmental protection rules that we will persist in protecting the Earth and all of its inhabitants no matter what they do. newrepublic.com/article/145019/americas-natural-disaster-response-disaster The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), formed only 38 years ago, has seen a sharp increase in the number of extremely expensive disasters, and this year is no different. Moreover, the three major natural disasters that have occurred recently likely make this the most expensive year yet. This has proven difficult for FEMA to deal with, especially since their Disaster Relief Fund (DRF), consisting of money for declared catastrophes, did not account for the damage caused by three, humongous hurricanes. Seeing as the fund is determined by the annual average cost of disasters in years past and not the worst case scenario, it seems as though FEMA was not even able to provide relief for Harvey alone. As a result, the agency was forced to ask Congress for supplemental funding which was responded to with $22 billion dollars. This was still not enough, however, and in the next three months Congress will be asked for billions of dollars more. Evidence shows that this year was not a fluke as the number of catastrophes over $1 billion dollars, and the intensity of them, continue to increase. This means that FEMA should not expect their troubles to end any time soon.
Considering the fact that FEMA has not had enough funding for the tragedies that have been surrounding us so far this year, it seems only logical that reform of the DRF start to be brought about. The scramble to seek aid from Congress should serve as a lesson that the current way in which we fund relief based on average cost is simply unsustainable. There are multiple solutions floating around, but one thing is for certain. The only way that we can effectively soften the blow of natural disasters such as Hurricane Harvey, Irma, and Maria is to focus on preparation and not wait until afterwards to start seeking the help we need. www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/09/21/flints-lead-poisoned-water-had-a-horrifyingly-large-effect-on-fetal-deaths-study-finds/?utm_term=.8d21896041acEvidence has surfaced of an increase in infant mortality, and a decrease in fertility rates, in Flint, Michigan since the start of their water crisis in 2014. During the April of that year, it was decided that the community would temporarily draw its public water supply from the Flint River while the city worked on a pipeline at Lake Huron. Residents noticed a strange odor and color in the water right away, but officials insisted that it was safe until September 2015. It was during this time that studies began finding lead levels higher than the safety threshold in the water, and it was switched back in October 2015. However, it seems that it was too late as many children were affected, including those still in the womb. Maternal lead exposure can cause fetal deaths, reduced birth weight and even prenatal growth abnormalities. According to a study conducted by Daniel Grossman and David Slusky, fetal death rates increased 58% in the Flint area, and no other surrounding areas had the same change. Not to mention, those who survive, and the older children who have been exposed, are likely to have a range of issues that include cognitive deficiencies and increased antisocial behavior.
This is important because not only do half of Flint, Michigan's residents live in poverty, but the plan to overhaul water infrastructure there could take years. This community is still without water that is completely safe and clean, and their population is likely headed towards a decline due to the increase in fetal deaths. The effects of this will likely unfold soon unless Flint, Michigan receives the support it needs to fix the problem fast. newrepublic.com/minutes/144924/three-million-americans-suffering-hurricane-mariaHurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico Wednesday with 140 mph winds and rain that caused major flooding. Although the full extent of the damage is unknown due to a complete power outage, there are a few effects that we do have knowledge of. Some areas, like Cucharillas and Puente Blanco in Catano, are completely destroyed. Also, evidence of raw sewage leaks are already starting to materialize considering Puerto Rico's sewage pumps run on electricity that currently is not available. The most unique form of pollution that people are worried about though is the five-story pile of contaminated coal waste out in the open of Guayama. Applied Energy Systems refused to cover it before Hurricane Irma hit, and it has not been determined whether they took the time to secure the ash this time. Flooding has also been a major effect so far, placing Rio Grande practically underwater. President Trump has declared the region in a state of emergency. However, he has not declared it a disaster zone which would free up federal funding for recovery.
Many people fail to realize that the citizens of Puerto Rico also happen to be living on US territory. Because they are on US territory, we can say that over three million Americans have already been effected by Hurricane Maria. This is not something that Americans should turn the other way from because they feel like it does not concern them. The people of Puerto Rico are going to need our help, and I hope that everyone will be just as generous in regards to support as they were with Harvey. www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-california-mexico-earthquake-20170908-htmlstory.htmlWhat with all of the devastating natural disasters that have been occurring around the world, especially the earthquake in Mexico last Thursday, scientists have been discussing the possibility of an 8.2 earthquake along the San Andres Fault. This earthquake could be catastrophic for every city in Southern California, and could prove to be far more destructive than Mexico's. The San Andres Fault runs extremely close and underneath populated areas whereas Mexico's earthquake started about 450 miles from Mexico City and about 43 miles under the surface. A ShakeOut report explained the potential effects that the earthquake would have on any given day. It included the potential for extreme level 10 shaking, up to 100,000 landslides, and all of the western U.S. losing power. It also spoke of the chance of buildings being destroyed from fire and collapsing which could in turn lead to many deaths and injuries. A seismic warning system has been under development for the west coast; and despite Trump's budget almost getting rid of the system, bipartisan complaints and a congressional committee were able to keep the funding.
This is extremely important for anyone living in the West, and especially for those in California. For years, it has been said that we would have another earthquake, and at this point we are overdue. It could happen any day now, but instead of just sitting by it is in everyone's best interest to prepare. Put together a bag, secure the house, and encourage others to do the same. That way, everyone will be knowledgeable enough to survive when the day finally comes. |
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