100 Days of Action for Climate, Clean Energy Kicks Off with Coast to Coast Events

In the two weeks since the Sierra Club launched our Obama Climate and Clean Energy Legacy campaign, Sierra Club volunteers, chapters, organizers, and allies have held more than 30 inspiring (and fun!) launch events nationwide. The events they organized from coast to coast kick off 100 Days of Action, from the Inauguration to Earth Day, calling on President Obama to take bold action on the many climate and clean energy decisions before his Administration in his second term.

From Owensboro, Kentucky to Olympia, Washington and from happy hours to Martin Luther King Jr. Day marches, a movement is growing. Each day I am inspired when I hear about all the great work everyone is doing to engage people across the country in our climate and clean energy agenda for the President.

I'd like to highlight some of the awesome events that have taken place so far in our 100 Days of Action for Climate and Clean Energy.

Virginia: In Norfolk, more than 300 people (the line is pictured above) attended a screening of the documentary Chasing Ice and then stayed after to discuss climate disruption and what can be done.

Minnesota: In Minneapolis, a packed room of climate volunteer leaders and allies from faith and local groups met over breakfast to kick off a joint 100 days of action and plan upcoming actions and events.

Texas: A crowd of Texas Sierra Club volunteers participated in the Austin Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration march and festival. They carried a banner that read, "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy," (see above photo) a King quote and call to President Obama to do more on climate.

At the festival, the marchers also collected handwritten letters to President Obama from children and adults alike asking him to take action on climate.

Colorado: On Saturday, January 19, the Colorado Beyond Coal Campaign hosted a Climate and Clean Energy Legacy Happy Hour in Denver to kick-off the Legacy Campaign. More than 20 folks came by to learn about the campaign and enjoy a beer, with many of them expressing an interest in doing further work with the Sierra Club on pushing for climate action and more clean energy.

Georgia: More than 20 volunteers marched in the Atlanta MLK Day parade calling for clean air, climate justice, and a clean energy economy for Georgia by chanting "Coal power, we gotta fight, 'cause clean air is a human right!"

Pennsylvania: Activists in Philadelphia have held six events so far -- including two house parties (one photographed above) to discuss upcoming climate actions, to a happy hour for interested volunteers, and events with the Sierra Student Coalition on the Drexel University campus to get students involved.

I think my favorite event so far, though, might be the amazing "Tell Your Story" party in Inland Empire, California. Participants produced an amazing video of them telling stories about how climate disruption affects people in the city:

The 100 Days of Action continues, with many more events to come. We encourage to you contact your local Sierra Club chapter or organizer to see if there's an event coming up near you -- or organize your own!

President Obama took the first step by inviting the community to a conversation around climate disruption -- now it's up to us to respond and show the president it's time to act.

-- Mary Anne Hitt, Beyond Coal Campaign Director

http://sierraclub.typepad.com/compass/2013/01/100-days-of-action-event

Climate change impacts to U.S. coasts threaten public health, safety and economy

According to a new technical report, the effects of climate change will continue to threaten the health and vitality of U.S. coastal communities' social, economic and natural systems.

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2013/20130125_coastalclimateimpact

Another Reason Not To Drink Soft Drinks

Another Reason Not To Drink Soft Drinks is a hugg.com story linking to a video clip detailing a finding by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that soft drinks generally are containing Benzene. Which just reminds me of a recent story from India where Coca Cola was banned due to containing some hazardous chemical. Anyway, in this case there are two chemicals that are commonly added, Sodium Benzoate and Ascorbic Acid which, when mixed together and left in the right conditions, will do a chemical reaction that makes Benzene. The problem is that Benzene is a carcinogen, and these soda's are containing Benzene levels well above the accepted maximum amount.

FDA REPORT: Data on Benzene in Soft Drinks and Other Beverages

The results are preliminary and warrant further study. One detail is that the standardized maximum for Benzene levels are specified for drinking water, and are based on drinking 2 liters per day over a long period of time. I wonder how many people drink 2 liters of soft drinks per day? And it isn't known how often soft drinks end up containing benzene.

Soda Causing CANCER?

Transport and environment: facing a dilemma

The European Environment Agency (part of the EU) has published a study about transportaion, pollution, and economics titled Transport and environment: facing a dilemma.

Green Car Congress has a summary: European Environment Agency Report on the Transportation Dilemma

It goes into a 23% increase in greenhouse emissions from transportation since 1990, in Europe. Those increases have largely offset decreases in greenhouse emissions from other sectors. Since that puts at risk meeting the Kyoto meeting goals on greenhouse emissions reduction, they're
looking at several angles of transportation and reduction of emissions in that sector.

They give these key messages:

Freight transport volumes grow with no clear signs of decoupling from GDP

More goods are transported farther and more frequently. This results in increased CO2 emissions and slows the decline in air pollutant emissions. Relative decoupling of growth in freight volumes from economic growth has only been achieved in the EU-10, where the growth in GDP exceeds the high growth in transport volume.

Passenger transport volumes have paralleled economic growth

Passenger transport volumes have grown in most Member States. Relative decoupling has been achieved in only five new EU Member States. It is, however, likely that with time development in the EU-10 will parallel the older ones.

Greenhouse gas emissions from transport are growing

Transport's energy consumption (and their emission of greenhouse gases) are increasing steadily because transport volumes are growing faster than the energy efficiency of different means of transport. The increase in greenhouse gas emissions from transport threatens European progress towards its Kyoto targets. Therefore, additional policy initiatives and instruments are needed.

Harmful emissions decline, but air quality problems require continued attention

Transport, especially road transport, is becoming cleaner because of increasingly strict emission standards for the different transport modes. Nevertheless, air quality in cities does not yet meet the limit values set by European regulation and still has a major negative impact on human health.

Road freight continues to gain market share

Road transport has gained a greater and rising share of the freight market. This development constitutes a move farther away from the EU objective of stabilising the share at its 1998 level. At present, there are policy initiatives aimed at a modal shift for long-distance and large-scale transport.

Air passenger transport grows, while the share of road and rail remain constant

Changing the modal split towards rail transport and away from passenger cars is not being achieved. There are still no signs of this common transport policy goal being met. Both modes are growing at the same rate as total passenger transport volume. In addition, the share of aviation is increasing whereas the share of bus and coach is decreasing.

Developments in fuels contribute to emission reductions

All countries where data are currently available have met the 2005 limit value for low sulphur content in road transport fuels. The remaining ones are expected to hit their targets as well. In addition, some countries have already achieved the 2009 target on zero sulphur fuels. Moreover, steps towards sulphur reduction are being taken in other modes. However, much work remains to be done.

The share of biofuels is increasing, although currently reported shares are below the targets of the biofuels directive.

Car occupancy and lorry load factors decline in countries for which data are available

There are few data available on occupancy rates and load factors. Data for those countries show average occupancy rates for passenger cars are lower than a decade ago. Growing car ownership, the decreasing average size of households and disperse spatial patterns are the main causes for low occupancy rates. The limited data available also show a trend towards poorer use of heavy goods vehicle capacity. Apparently, the higher transport costs, resulting from lower utilisation, are exceeded by benefits such as reduced production costs. A reverse of these market trends could reduce environmental impact.

New technology can cut emissions and fuel consumption, but more effort is needed to achieve CO2 targets

New engine and vehicle technologies have entered the market, reducing pollutant emissions and improving fuel efficiency. Although the fuel efficiency of passenger cars has improved in recent years, more effort is required from car manufacturers to meet the goals of the voluntary CO2 commitment. Additional effort will be required by all stakeholders to bring the Community's objective of 120 g of CO2/km within reach.

Price structures are increasingly aligned with and yet well below external costs level

There are a number of initiatives to align price structures better with the external impact of transport. However, transport prices are generally well below the marginal social cost level. This is resulting in over-consumption of transport. Further improvement of transport pricing is an opportunity to better balance the benefits and negative impacts of transport.

Do you know what you're drinking?

Water contamination can have a negative affect on the health of you and your family. The effects may be immediate or long term. A USGS survey found that 70% of private wells were contaminated. EPA recommends that you test for a minimum of coliform bacteria, nitrate and lead, even if you have public water.

A simple water test can restore your confidence in the safety of you and your family. More importantly, testing may reveal contaminants that you have unknowingly been living with for many years.

Suburban Water Testing labs offers an extensive array of tests that can be performed. The tests come in various cost levels. This is information which can give you peace of mind.

"Green" buildings as a productivity enhancement?

The "Green" building idea has been long in development. The ideal is to make the buildings in a way that they're less damaging in multiple ways. For example, not built from materials that cause the occupants sickness. Or built with passive solar heating and/or cooling features. Or installed with toilet plumbing that uses less water.

Selling green buildings with people power (By Martin LaMonica, Staff Writer, CNET News.com, Published: October 28, 2005, 4:00 AM PDT)

The idea here is that what will drive the adoption of "green buildings" is employee productivity gains. The article cites a few sources claiming productivity gains. Which makes me wonder where they might be coming from, and the article doesn't really point to the source of the productivity gains.

Clearly if a building is built so it doesn't impede the health of its occupants, then they'll be sick less often and you might spin that as a productivity gain. But how does installing solar panels on a building make the occupants more productive?

Not that I'm resisting installation of solar panels. I'd be excited to have more businesses doing so. And there can be an effect on business bottom line, because once the solar panels are paid off the company has free electricity (minus a few administrative and maintenance costs). While that affects the health of the business, how can it affect employee health?

Clean Tech Venture Forum (cleantech.com): Hosted a "venture forum" from which this article seems to have been derived.

The Cleantech Venture Network is a unique opportunity for investors and others to profitably facilitate the growth of young companies with the potential for delivering major economic, environmental and social benefits. Cleantech organizes Venture Forums, provides deal flow, publishes its Venture Monitors and offers related services to investors and entrepreneurs. In doing so, the Network will accelerate the development of the next and necessary wave of ventures.

U.S. Green Building Council (usgbc.org): A council of leaders in the building industry that promote green buildings.

Green Building Expo (http://www.greenbuildexpo.org/)

LEED building rating system

Developed by the USGBC membership, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is a national consensus-based, market-driven building rating system designed to accelerate the development and implementation of green building practices. In short, it is a leading-edge system for designing, constructing and certifying the world’s greenest and best buildings. The full program offers training workshops, professional accreditation, resource support and third-party certification of building performance. LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations (LEED-NC), was launched in March 2000 following review by the entire USGBC membership and a national pilot testing program. LEED-NC is designed for rating new and existing commercial and institutional buildings; however, active member committees are developing criteria addressing other project types.

Liberty Property Trust (http://www.libertyproperty.com/): Is a real estate investment trust (REIT) corporation who is said in the CNET article to have committed to building and operating only green buildings. REIT's own and administer real estate for rental, so for a REIT to operate only green buildings means that decision has affected dozens or hundreds of companies. However it seems from the article this is only a pledge, as they are said to be seeking LEED certification. On Liberty Property's web site they don't discuss green buildings.

Building Investment Decision Support (http://cbpd.arc.cmu.edu/bids/) is a program developed at Carnegie Mellon University that helps someone make decisions around green building features. WARNING: The dumbasses made this specifically for Internet Exploiter.

Carnegie Mellon’s BIDS, Building Investment Decision Support, is a case-based decision-making tool that calculates the economic value added of investing in high performance building systems based on the findings of building owners and researchers around the world. The framework of multiple life-cycle variables to cost justify key design innovations within a rich data base of international case studies, and the EVA/NPV calculator that incorporates a range of financial assumptions linked to international organizations, is fully patented by U.S and Pennsylvania law as well as legally adopted by all ABSIC members.

But ... it's not all roses: LEEDing Us Astray? Top green-building system is in desperate need of repair (By Auden Schendler and Randy Udall, 26 Oct 2005, gristmagazine.com)

Perchlorate in food/water/environment/etc

Perchlorate is a chemical used in rocket fuel, but it's being found widely throughout the U.S. environment, food supply, water supply, etc.

Rocket fuel chemical in California cow milk (June 22, 2004; CNN unfortunately CNN doesn't have it on their site any longer)

SAN FRANCISCO, California (AP) -- Young children and pregnant women who drink milk from California cows may be exposed to unsafe levels of a toxic chemical used in rocket fuel, according to a new study by an environmental group.

The study released Tuesday by the Environmental Working Group comes as state and federal regulators consider setting new standards to regulate perchlorate -- the explosive ingredient in missile fuel that has been linked to thyroid damage.

"Perchlorate exposure is more widespread than we have been led to believe," said Bill Walker, vice president for the West Coast office of the EWG, a research and advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C.

Study: Rocket fuel chemical taints food, water (By Michael Coren, CNN, Friday, February 25, 2005)

There are few sure ways to avoid ingesting perchlorate, the chemical used in rocket fuel that researchers have detected in breast milk at levels five to eight times higher than those considered safe, experts say.

Studies by the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency suggest that perchlorate enters the food supply through reservoirs and tainted irrigation water that contaminates crops and livestock.

The chemical has been found in store-bought produce, such as lettuce, in milk and in public drinking water supplies across the United States. More than 11 million people have some level of perchlorate in their drinking water, according to the National Research Council.

Perchlorate is used in explosives and as an ingredient in solid rocket fuel. Although found naturally in some areas, production of the chemical began in the mid-1940s by the U.S. military and aerospace industry, which accounts for 90 percent of its use, according to the EPA. Few consumer products contain the chemical, which is used in mortars, grenades, fireworks, lubricating oils and air bags.

... "Our findings are very surprising because we found that perchlorate in breast milk is widespread, doesn't appear to come from drinking water, appears to suppress iodide in breast milk, and in some cases, the levels are really high," said Ph.D. student Andrea Kirk. Perchlorate can inhibit thyroid hormones and may cause iodine deficiencies that lead to learning disabilities or lower IQ.

Air Pollution Linked to Genetic Mutations

Inherited Mutations Linked to Air Pollution (WebMD May 13, 2004)

Air pollution is bad for your health -- and may affect the health of future generations, mouse studies suggest.
...
James S. Quinn, PhD, and colleagues previously found that sea gulls near steel mills had higher rates of DNA mutations than gulls in rural areas. They now show that offspring from normal mice housed near steel factories and a busy highway had higher DNA mutation rates than offspring from normal mice housed in a rural area.

Air Pollution Causes Genetic Mutations (Genome News Network May 13, 2004)

Study links sooty pollution, genetic mutations (CNN Friday, May 14, 2004)

Air Pollution Linked to Genetic Mutations (Washington Post Friday, May 14, 2004)