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<i><font size="+1"><b>August 11</b><b>, 2020</b></font></i><br>
<br>
[Boston Tea Party tactics]<br>
<b>Activists scale Citgo sign, drape banner calling for climate
justice now</b><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://whdh.com/news/activists-scale-citgo-sign-drape-banner-calling-for-climate-justice-now/">https://whdh.com/news/activists-scale-citgo-sign-drape-banner-calling-for-climate-justice-now/</a><br>
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</p>
<p><br>
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[methane has 80 times the heat-trapping power of carbon dioxide]<br>
<b>E.P.A. to Lift Obama-Era Controls on Methane, a Potent Greenhouse
Gas</b><br>
The reversal is the latest move in the Trump administration's
ongoing effort to weaken environmental rules, but it could be
quickly undone after the November election.<br>
By Coral Davenport - Aug. 10, 2020<br>
WASHINGTON -- The Trump administration is expected in the coming
days to lift Obama-era controls on the release of methane, a
powerful climate-warming gas that is emitted from leaks and flares
in oil and gas wells.<br>
<br>
The new rule on methane pollution, issued by the Environmental
Protection Agency, has been expected for months, and will be made
public before Friday, according to a person familiar with the matter
who spoke anonymously to avoid publicly pre-empting the official
announcement.<br>
<br>
The rollback of the methane rule is the latest move in the Trump
administration's ongoing effort to weaken environmental standards,
which has continued unabated during the coronavirus pandemic.<br>
- -<br>
However, this and any other regulatory changes put forth by the
Trump administration in the latter half of 2020 could be quickly
undone in the first half of 2021, if, as polls now suggest, Joseph
R. Biden Jr. wins the White House and Democrats take control of the
Senate. That's because of a Senate procedure known as the
Congressional Review Act, which gives lawmakers 60 legislative days
to overturn major new regulations issued by federal agencies. In the
early days of the Trump administration, Republicans used the
procedure to undo 14 Obama-era rules.<br>
<br>
The E.P.A.'s new methane rule eliminates federal requirements that
oil and gas companies must install technology to detect and fix
methane leaks from wells, pipelines and storage sites.<br>
E.P.A. officials say the new, weaker methane rule is needed to free
the oil and gas industry from what they call crippling regulations
at a moment when companies are suffering from plummeting prices and
falling demand driven by a sharp global economic slowdown. The
weakening of the rule, however, has been in the works for more than
a year.<br>
Environmentalists called the move another blow by Mr. Trump to the
planet's warming climate, coming behind reversals of rules on
climate-warming carbon dioxide pollution from tailpipes and power
plants, and the United States withdrawal from the Paris climate
change agreement.<br>
- -<br>
Most climate change regulations target carbon dioxide, which is
produced by burning fossil fuels and is the most damaging greenhouse
gas. Methane, which is a close second, lingers in the atmosphere for
a shorter period of time but packs a bigger punch while it lasts. By
some estimates, methane has 80 times the heat-trapping power of
carbon dioxide in the first 20 years in the atmosphere.<br>
<br>
Methane currently makes up nearly 10 percent of greenhouse gas
emissions in the United States. A significant portion of that comes
from the oil and gas industry, although other sources include cattle
and agriculture...<br>
- -<br>
In August, Andrew Wheeler, the head of the E.P.A., made public a
draft of the methane rule, saying at the time that it "removes
unnecessary and duplicative regulatory burdens from the oil and gas
industry."<br>
Peter Zalzal, an attorney with the Environmental Defense Fund, an
advocacy group, called the new rule "a deeply misguided action" that
"is manifestly inconsistent with the agency's legal obligations, and
with the science that shows methane is a dangerous pollutant."...<br>
- - <br>
Several of the biggest oil and gas companies have called on the
Trump administration to tighten restrictions on methane, not loosen
them. Larger energy companies have invested millions of dollars to
promote natural gas as a cleaner option than coal in the nation's
power plants, because natural gas produces about half as much carbon
dioxide when burned. They fear that unrestricted leaks of methane
could undermine that marketing message and hurt demand.<br>
<br>
In a 2019 public comment on a draft of the rule, Joe Ellis, a vice
president at BP, urged the E.P.A. "to continue to regulate methane
emissions from new sources and to adopt a rule for existing sources.
E.P.A. regulation of methane across the value chain is the right
thing to do for the environment, will support consistent regulation
across the U.S. and can be cost-effectively achieved with new
technology."<br>
<br>
Exxon urged the E.P.A. in 2018 to maintain core elements of the
Obama administration's policy. Gretchen Watkins, the United States
chairwoman for Shell, which has urged the Trump administration to
regulate methane emissions, said, "The negative impacts of methane
have been widely acknowledged for years, so it's frustrating and
disappointing to see the administration go in a different
direction."<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/10/climate/trump-methane-climate-change.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/10/climate/trump-methane-climate-change.html</a><br>
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<p>[Post-Doom or Collapse? Hear a great conversation]<br>
<b>Paul Ehrlich: Post-doom with Michael Dowd</b><br>
Aug 9, 2020<br>
thegreatstory<br>
This conversation with Paul Ehrlich was recorded in November 2019.
For more information on Paul, see:
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://earth.stanford.edu/people/pau">https://earth.stanford.edu/people/pau</a>... and
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://ccb.stanford.edu/paul-r-ehrlich">https://ccb.stanford.edu/paul-r-ehrlich</a><br>
Regenerative conversations exploring overshoot, grief, grounding
and gratitude.<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY4IppGZXEw">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY4IppGZXEw</a><br>
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[a new political fundraiser via Zoom]<br>
<b>Zoom link to attend the August 12th FUNdraiser:
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://zoom.us/j/95440521613">https://zoom.us/j/95440521613</a></b><br>
Since Trump's inauguration a dedicated group of 20-30 political
activists met for one hour each and every week to make phone calls
to elected officials, to write letters and to send postcards to
voters to resist this regime. When we needed to go virtual due to
the pandemic this small local group grew exponentially. We are now a
nationwide force of over 400 committed
volunteers! <br>
<br>
Our next exciting, crucial action is a virtual fundraising event on
Wednesday, August 12th from 8-9 PM (Eastern Time). Every penny
raised will go toward defeating Trump and taking back the Senate! <br>
<br>
Please join us for any or all of this event … not only are there
great causes to support but it will also be fun, an hour of
entertaining video clips, great live music, and inspirational
speakers. Please help get the word out by cutting and pasting this
email into a version of your own and sending it to friends and
family!<br>
<br>
You'll see from the event schedule below that we are focused on 3
groups: The Lincoln Project, Movement Voter Project and Swing Left's
'Swing the Senate' campaign. You can donate to one, two or all three
organizations.<br>
Zoom link to attend the August 12th FUNdraiser:
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://zoom.us/j/95440521613">https://zoom.us/j/95440521613</a><br>
<br>
<b>PRO-DEMOCRACY, ANTI-TRUMP A VIRTUAL FUNdraiser IN THREE ACTS:</b><br>
Wednesday, August 12th, 8:00PM (EDT)<br>
<b>Act I 8:00-8:20 PM The Lincoln Project</b><br>
We need as broad a coalition as possible to win decisively. We have
great allies in the Never-Trump group of Republicans known as The
Lincoln Project. The New York Times states that the Lincoln Project
is "producing the most potent and creatively devasting anti-Trump
ads of this election season." These former Republican campaign
managers, pollsters and election strategists share our belief in the
democratic norms and institutions that are the bedrock of the
nation. Their mission is not only to defeat Trump but to defeat
every elected Republican enabler who sold their soul to this
ignorant narcissist. Hosted by Paul Spector leader of the Friday
Group with special guest Steve Schmit, co-founder of the Lincoln
Project and MSNBC political commentator. Musical Interlude with Jim
Kweskin<br>
<br>
<b>Act II 8:20-8:40 PM Movement Voter Project (MVP)</b><br>
An amazing group supporting local progressive grassroots groups in
their effort to register hard to reach voters. We will be
specifically raising money for MVP's campaign in the battleground
states which will decide the outcome of the 2020 election. These
local groups have been building trust with voters long before the
current crisis. These groups have proven track records both in
registering people and motivating them to vote. Hosted by activist
and award-winning documentary film producer Larry Hott. Musical
Interlude with Jeff Olmsted<br>
<br>
<b>Act III 8:40-9:00 PM Swing Left's 'Swing the Senate</b><br>
If our hopes of replacing Trump are to be realized our goal of
rebuilding a just and sustainable society will still be impossible
if Mitch McConnell remains in charge of the Senate. We need to pick
up 3-4 seats in order to win a Democratic Senate Majority Swing Left
is raising money directly for the Democratic candidates in the 8
closest, most winnable Senate races. Swing Left's 'Swing the Senate'
campaign helps people donate strategically to flip the Senate.
Hosted by Tzipora Lederman, Director of Grassroots Donations at
Swing Left and Paul Spector.<br>
<br>
Zoom link to attend the August 12th FUNdraiser:
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://zoom.us/j/95440521613">https://zoom.us/j/95440521613</a><br>
<br>
WAYS YOU CAN MAKE THIS FUNdraiser SUCCESSFUL!<br>
1. Join Us on Zoom Wednesday, August 12th at 8:00PM(EDT)- It will be
an inspiring and fun event. Come for any or all of it! <br>
<br>
2. Send This Email to Everyone-The primary way people will hear
about this event is through an email sent to them by someone like
you. Please cut and paste this email into your own version. Make
any changes you want!! Add a personal touch and send it on to
everyone of your email contacts, from YOU!!<br>
<br>
3. Post the event on Social Media<br>
If you CANNOT come on August 12th, use the link(s) below. Clicking
on the link will bring you to our special FUNdraiser donation page
for the group(s) you wish to donate to:<br>
<br>
<b>The Lincoln Project</b><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://secure.anedot.com/the-lincoln-project/august12">https://secure.anedot.com/the-lincoln-project/august12</a><br>
<b>Movement Voter Project </b> <br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://secure.actblue.com/donate/big5?refcode=westernmass081220">https://secure.actblue.com/donate/big5?refcode=westernmass081220</a><br>
<b>Swing the Senate </b><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://secure.actblue.com/donate/swing-us-senate-left?refcode=three_acts">https://secure.actblue.com/donate/swing-us-senate-left?refcode=three_acts</a><br>
<br>
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[Technical Breakthrough]<br>
<b>Perovskite Solar Cells: Game changer?</b><br>
Aug 9, 2020<br>
Just Have a Think<br>
Perovskite mineral was discovered over 150 years ago, but it's only
recently that scientists have been able to synthesise the properties
of the material in laboratories using commonly available chemicals.
And what they're finding is that it can give a big boost to the
performance of existing solar cell technology. This week we take at
look at how it works. <br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkFf8kRwOo8">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkFf8kRwOo8</a><br>
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[Oh no, not my coffee too!]<br>
<b>The global coffee crisis is coming</b><br>
Aug 10, 2020<br>
Vox<br>
It's becoming harder and harder to grow. <br>
Coffee is one of the most popular commodities on Earth. It's grown
by nearly 125 million farmers, from Latin America to Africa to Asia.
But as man-made climate change warms the atmosphere, the notoriously
particular coffee plant is struggling. Places like Colombia, which
once had the perfect climate to grow Arabica coffee, are changing.
Now, experts estimate the amount of land that can sustain coffee
will fall 50 percent by 2050. It's not just a crisis for consumers
but for the millions who have made a livelihood out of growing
coffee. <br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IN4ZcZAUbA">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IN4ZcZAUbA</a><br>
<br>
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</p>
[radar altimeter missions]<br>
<b>Climate change: Satellites record history of Antarctic melting</b><br>
Twenty-five years of satellite observations have been used to
reconstruct a detailed history of Antarctica's ice shelves.<br>
<br>
These ice platforms are the floating protrusions of glaciers flowing
off the land, and ring the entire continent.<br>
<br>
The European Space Agency data-set confirms the shelves' melting
trend...<br>
- -<br>
The fascinating aspect to this study is that the scientists can also
now trace precisely where at depth the melting is occurring. Some of
these floating platforms of ice (the biggest is the size of France)
extend many hundreds of metres below the sea surface.<br>
<br>
The researchers can tell from the satellites' data whether the
wastage is happening close to the thinnest parts of the shelves or
at their fronts, or deep down in those places where the glacier ice
coming off land first becomes buoyant and starts to float...<br>
"That kind of information can tell us a lot about the melting
processes involved, how they're working - and the effects that
meltwater can have," said Scripps' Prof Helen Fricker.<br>
<br>
"So, it's not just that the shelves are melting. It's how they're
melting - and where their meltwater is being injected into the
ocean."<br>
Thinning ice shelves do not contribute directly to sea-level rise.
That's because the floating ice has already displaced its equivalent
volume of water.<br>
<br>
But there is an indirect consequence. If the shelves are weakened,
the land ice behind can flow more quickly into the ocean, and this
will lead to sea-level rise. This is happening, and has been
measured by other satellites.<br>
<br>
Prof David Vaughan is the director of science at the British
Antarctic Survey. He was not connected with the study which is
published in Nature Geoscience.<br>
<br>
He told BBC News: "The Scripps team has produced a map of Antarctica
that shows thinning around the margin in a strip of mottled red and
blue colours. The detail at the coastline is absolutely phenomenal.<br>
<br>
"We really can now identify the parts of ice shelves that are most
crucial to the story of thinning. There'll be a lot of
oceanographers spending a lot of time looking at where the melting
and the thinning is actually occurring, and trying to work out
exactly why those areas have been affected."<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-53725288">https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-53725288</a><br>
<br>
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[Digging back into the internet news archive]<br>
<font size="+1"><b>On this day in the history of global warming -
August 11, 2017 </b></font><br>
August 11, 2017: The New York Times reports on the machinations and
secrecy of EPA head Scott Pruitt.<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/11/us/politics/scott-pruitt-epa.html?mwrsm=Email">https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/11/us/politics/scott-pruitt-epa.html?mwrsm=Email</a>
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