[TheClimate.Vote] March 10, 2020 - Daily Global Warming News Digest
Richard Pauli
richard at theclimate.vote
Tue Mar 10 10:53:08 EDT 2020
/*March 10, 2020*/
[another state acts]
*'Fossil Fuel Companies Knew': Honolulu Files Lawsuit Over Climate Impacts*
Diamond Head Honolulu Hawaii
Hawaii has officially joined the fight to hold fossil fuel companies
accountable for the climate crisis. On Monday the City of Honolulu filed
a lawsuit against 10 oil and gas companies, seeking monetary damages to
help pay for costs associated with climate impacts like sea level rise
and flooding.
The lawsuit, filed in Hawaii state court, is based on claims of
nuisance, failure to warn, and trespass and alleges that the climate
impacts facing the city stem from the oil companies' decades-long
campaign to mislead policymakers and the public on the dangers of fossil
fuels...
https://www.desmogblog.com/2020/03/09/fossil-fuel-companies-knew-honolulu-hawaii-lawsuit-climate-impacts
[high carbon travel]
*Are Frequent Flier Miles Killing the Planet?*
Climate activists say it is time to rethink loyalty programs that reward
consumers for taking flights.
By Seth Kugel - March 5, 2020
In October, a two-line recommendation buried on Page 35 of a report
commissioned by the United Kingdom's Committee on Climate Change
garnered disproportionate attention in the world of frequent fliers.
"Introduce a ban on air miles and frequent flier loyalty schemes that
incentivize excessive flying," it suggested.
Message boards and blogs that serve points-obsessed,
platinum-status-seeking travelers lit up. "Air miles should be axed to
deter frequent fliers, advises report," blared a headline in The Guardian.
But then, in December, hordes of passengers did what they do every year:
took cross-country or transoceanic flights for little purpose other than
maintaining elite status (and thus, access to lounges and upgrades) on
their chosen airline for 2020. Many proudly posted about the deals on
message boards or used #mileagerun and #statusrun hashtags to show off
their business-class digs on Instagram...
- - -
But where almost all airlines draw the line is to stop encouraging
people to fly. Carriers continue to partner with banks, for example,
which then flood mailboxes real and virtual with offers of 50,000 to
100,000 airline points for signing up for a credit card. From a travel
enthusiast's point of view, that's a nearly free international flight;
for a climate change activist, it's an unconscionable incentive to
pollute the planet...
- - -
It's up for debate whether the impact of loyalty programs is significant
or just symbolic. Volodymyr Bilotkach, an economist specializing in the
aviation industry at the Singapore Institute of Technology, says that,
in theory, doling out countless points that can be cashed in on flights
should increase the overall number of passengers, though we can't know
how many people used points for flights they would have paid for anyway.
But over all, he says that loyalty programs make up an insignificant
piece of the airline emissions puzzle. "I believe that all the award
travel and these mileage or status runs would collectively be 1 to 2
percent of the total, or with award travel could be a bit more," he
said, adding that much of it would fill otherwise empty seats. "I don't
think the airlines have to schedule extra flights because of that."
The very existence of status tiers and the endless chatter they engender
about upgrades and comparative luxuries may also contribute to the
demand for business- and first-class sections, whose very existence
would seem to increase jet fuel consumption. (Airplanes without
business-class sections carry far more passengers per flight and thus,
at least in theory, burn less jet fuel per passenger.) Airlines
encourage class envy, offering incentives to travel bloggers and other
influencers to show off the wonders of the business- and first-class
cabins...
- -
"I think it's crucial we address this climate crisis," said Iain
Pringle, an expert with New World Loyalty, a consultancy. "But I think
that loyalty programs are being seen as a tool for bad when actually I
think it could be a tool for good, and it's in everyone's interest to
have them be a tool for good."
What that might look like could vary -- Ms. Mendelsohn notes that
members of JetBlue's program can spend TrueBlue points on carbon offsets
when they fly, a minor step. Dr. Carmichael would like airlines to
prohibit customers from using their rewards points on flying and instead
restrict them to low-carbon goods and services like e-bikes and gym
memberships.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/05/travel/loyalty-programs-climate-change.html
[local news video]
*Schwarzenegger, Kerry, Kasich discuss climate change at World War Zero
event*
video
https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/live-schwarzenegger-kerry-kasich-discuss-climate-change-at-world-war-zero-event/
Complete 1 hour 22 min video
https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/live-schwarzenegger-kerry-kasich-discuss-climate-change-at-world-war-zero-event/
WESTERVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) -- A conversation on climate change with a
coalition called World War Zero.
It was started by former Secretary of State John Kerry.
On Sunday, he brought former governors John Kasich and Arnold
Schwarzenegger to the stage at Otterbein University in Westerville to
talk about climate change.
Kerry started the coalition late last year and this was the first of
many town halls he plans to have.
According to the event's website, World War Zero was announced in
December of last year. Kerry, Schwarzenegger, Kasich, and others started
the bipartisan initiative to bring together unlikely allies from all
walks of life to tackle climate change and pollution the same way the
world mobilized to win World War II.
- - -
Ultimately all three emphasized this is not a political issue and said
if anything is going to improve, it can't be treated as one.
"Franky, what we all oughta do, ok, we can have our allegiances to
Republicans or Democrats, but let's not forget the most important thing
is we're all in the same rowboat and we can't just be one side rows this
way and the other rows the other," Kasich said. "We don't go anywhere."
"It's not a party issue at all because there is no Democratic air or
Republican air, we all breathe the same air," added Schwarzenegger.
"There's no Democratic water or Republican water. We all drink the same
water, so don't fall for those tricks. It's not a political issue."
The auditorium inside Otterbein's Cowan Hall was full for World War
Zero's first town hall. In the crowd was Cathy Rau.
"It was great to see diverse leaders come together from different
backgrounds," she said. "I really liked a lot of the things they were
presenting and it was very exciting to see them wanting to really take a
lead."
Fossil fuels, renewable energy, and energy storage were just some of the
topics talked about. Schwarzenegger brought up his work in California.
He said to get people to act on climate change, the messaging needs to
be more clear.
"We in California have been very successful because our messaging was
different rather than just talking about the rising sea levels and all
that stuff that most people cannot relate to," he said. "We have to talk
about things that people can relate to"
There was some advice given on how to start fighting climate change.
Some audience members told me they were hoping for more specifics about
central Ohio, but overall liked what they heard, and are glad
conversations are happening.
"For me, the environment is the number one issue," said attendee Marian
Jacques. "If we don't have clean air and clean water, nothing else
really matters."
World War Zero's goal is to drive ten million climate conversations in
2020, including at town halls like Sunday's event at Otterbein, the
website stated.
The event was sponsored by the Columbus Metropolitan Club and Otterbein
University.
https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/live-schwarzenegger-kerry-kasich-discuss-climate-change-at-world-war-zero-event/
- -
[Organization web site]
*World War Zero*
Join Us
Powerful forces are denying the climate crisis and standing in the way
of policy changes that could save the planet. Join World War Zero to end
the climate crisis and move us toward our critical goal: achieving net
zero carbon emissions.
End The Climate Crisis
https://worldwarzero.com/
[former candidate]
*Tom Steyer: What I Learned While Running for President*
The establishment has failed many hard-working people. If we don't call
it out, nothing will change.
By Tom Steyer
Mr. Steyer was a Democratic candidate for president.
- -
Most people I met felt that the government was broken and that their
vote didn't count because of a corporate stranglehold on our democracy.
- -
Let me be clear: I understand that I have benefited from being part of
this world. But this campaign has reinforced my passion for spending all
my time and money to change the political neglect that has brought this
nation to a very low place.
The unwillingness of our government to treat people fairly across racial
and ethnic boundaries was especially jarring to me. If you love
Americans, watching cruelty based on race -- in virtually every aspect
of life -- is unbearable. It's even worse when it's casual and
unnoticed. I sat in the dining room with black residents of Denmark,
S.C., who were literally being poisoned by the water coming out of their
taps while being ignored by their government for years.
I've heard the exact same story from Latino communities in the San
Joaquin Valley. I listened to Native Americans ask that their deals with
the federal government be just partially met -- they were not even
demanding full compliance. I listened to an African-American
entrepreneur in Nevada tell me he could only get bank financing for his
venture at an extortionate rate. He called it "a tax on being black."..
- - -
The campaign reinforced my deep misgivings about how the elite media,
political insiders and big corporations have an impact on our democracy.
I watched as the Democratic National Committee ignored public appeals
from me and others to change the debate process to ensure a more diverse
group of candidates made the stage, only to change the rules a few weeks
later to allow Mike Bloomberg to participate in the debates...
- - -
Real change will start with mobilizing to stop Donald Trump from being
re-elected and Mitch McConnell from running the Senate. Real change will
continue when we create a national commission on race to decide the best
way to implement reparations, and declare a climate emergency so we can
finally address this crisis.
I am no longer a candidate for president, but I remain as committed as
ever to organizing -- and winning -- these fights on behalf of the
American people.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/08/opinion/tom-steyer-president.html
[Yale says]
*Seven of the best new documentaries about global warming*
The films screened at the recent Wild & Scenic Film Festival.
- -
Seven films to add to your climate watchlist
There were too many standouts at the 18th annual environmental film
festival to list here, including several "Yuby Award" winners (named in
honor of the Yuba River, which the festival was launched to help
protect). Following are a few highlights that exemplify the human impact
of climate change, in alphabetical order:
After the Fire https://player.vimeo.com/video/255336063
Blowout: Inside America's Energy Gamble
https://www.youtube.com/embed/VsqEw2NTf5g
The Condor and the Eagle https://player.vimeo.com/video/359405536
Last Call for the Bayou: Five Stories from Louisiana's Disappearing
Coastline https://player.vimeo.com/video/323350759
Lowland Kids https://player.vimeo.com/video/282694564
Mossville: When Great Trees Fall https://player.vimeo.com/video/145085489
The Story of Plastic https://www.youtube.com/embed/krhZmrDVv_k
https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2020/03/seven-of-the-best-new-documentaries-about-global-warming/
[Digging back into the internet news archive]
*On this day in the history of global warming - March 10, 2013 *
MSNBC's Chris Hayes observes that Planet Earth's temperature is at a
height not seen in 4,000 years.
http://video.msnbc.msn.com/up/51123230
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