In Between Times 3-8-2024
Most ethical companies, Broad thinking on carbon emissions, Chinese carbon issues, Gray whales on the East Coast?
Join us at Earthx2024 in Dallas this Earth Day. It’s the world’s largest green gathering!
Hilton Anatole | Dallas, Texas
April 22-26,2024
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Enter code: EARLYBIRD15 for 15% off conference tickets.
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Bimbo, PepsiCo make most ethical companies list
The adage is that it is best to do well by doing good. That is the best type of business and it is a philosophy that makes for strong companies and increased resiliency. The best business is win/win.
In fairness this list includes what appears to be some arbitrary metrics, but it is probably a good barometer of company culture.
(From Food Business News)
Mexico City-based food company Bimbo is on the list for the eighth year in a row.
“For us, this recognition represents the commitment of each of our associates, who build a space of harmony aligned with our beliefs, where well-being and transparency govern all our decisions,” said Ignacio Stepancic, global leader of regulatory compliance at Grupo Bimbo. “We are very grateful for this recognition. Ethics goes beyond words because it is based on a continuous commitment to do and say the right thing.”
Click here for the article.
We must think more broadly to reduce U.S. carbon emissions
It is important not to get pigeonholed when finding solutions to the carbon equation. Dogma is the enemy of real progress more often than not and new technologies can come out of nowhere and turn conventional wisdom on its head.
Also reducing US carbon emissions is important but why are we not focusing more closely on China which produces over twice the carbon we do and continues to emit more and more year over year?
(From The Real Clear Wire)
…the administration’s decision to ease its EV mandates suggests that we may be on the cusp of a more practical-minded approach to emissions policymaking. This is a welcome development that reflects not only the immediate reality of the climate crisis but also the concerns voiced by Americans across the country about the practicality of such a forceful EV transition.
All-encompassing challenges require expansive mindsets to address them swiftly and effectively. It’s good to see America’s policymakers awaken to this principle, which has grounded the advanced biofuels sector’s efforts to produce widely available low carbon fuel technologies that can be deployed today in support of our shared climate goals. By supporting low-carbon solutions for the liquid fuel space alongside EVs, we can make more meaningful and lasting carbon reductions in America.
Click here for the article.
China accounts for nearly all new coal-fired power plant construction
The US and China are definitely not playing by the same rules.
It is worth noting also that this is the data we can see. China is an authoritarian state and opacity in the energy sector is a longstanding problem.
(From Power)
Data from Global Energy Monitor (GEM), a group that tracks thermal and renewable power generation projects worldwide, shows that China was responsible for construction of 96% of all new coal-fired facilities globally last year, and for almost 70% of all new coal-fueled power plants that came online.
GEM, a San Francisco, California-based non-governmental research organization, on Feb. 5 published its latest Global Coal Plant Tracker, which provides information about new construction and other data by country and by megawatt capacity. The report shows China accounted for nearly all new construction that would use coal, along with 81% of newly announced projects. The country accounted for more than 47 GW of new coal-fired generation capacity coming online in 2023, or 68% of the global total of new operating units.
Click here for the article.
China off track on all key climate commitments as coal power approvals continue
(From GlobalEnergyMonitor.org)
Following its 2021 pledge to “strictly control” new coal power, Chinese approvals of new coal power plants increased fourfold over 2022 and 2023, compared with the previous five-year period between 2016 and 2020.
Since the beginning of 2022, an estimated 218 GW of new coal power plants have been permitted. 89 GW of this capacity had already started construction as of the end of 2023, while another 128 GW had yet to break ground.
The pledge to “strictly control” new coal power is just one of the climate commitments that China is struggling to meet.
Click here for the article.
Whale not seen in 200 years spotted in New England waters, scientists say
When your editor was a very little boy he’d go whale watching with his parents in California. I have a very distinct memory of standing next to my dad at an overlook on the PCH and scanning the blue horizon for gray whales.
I never thought I’d see one on the East Coast. But now I just might.
A gray whale was recently spotted off of the coast of New England. It is believed to be the same whale spotted off of Florida last year.
How did it get to the Atlantic?
The theory is that because there is less sea ice in the Arctic the whale was able to make its way along the Canadian northland and down into the North Atlantic.
Whatever the reason we’ll be keeping our eyes peeled at the beach this summer.
(From 12onyourside.com)
The Northwest Passage, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific through the Arctic Ocean in Canada, has regularly been ice-free in the summertime in recent years, partly due to rising global temperatures.
The extent of the sea ice typically limits the species range of gray whales, experts said, as the whales cannot break through the thick winter ice that usually blocks the passage. Now, gray whales can potentially travel the passage in the summer, something that wouldn’t have been possible in the previous century.
“This sighting highlights how important each survey is. While we expect to see humpback, right, and fin whales, the ocean is a dynamic ecosystem, and you never know what you’ll find,” O’Brien said. “These sightings of gray whales in the Atlantic serve as a reminder of how quickly marine species respond to climate change, given the chance.”
Click here for the article.
Scientists map key habitats to save endangered sharks and rays
In another life we spent a lot of time in the ocean surfing. We’ve seen plenty of sharks and plenty of stingrays. But we must say that we had an opportunity to explore an outer island of the Bahamas last year and we were taken aback. The shear amount of wildlife was breathtaking. Lemon sharks, bull sharks (which can be very nasty), rays of all sorts including manta rays inhabited the little corner we were fortunate enough to spend some time in. We remember thinking how much of a miracle the place was and that it should be protected.
(From Green Citizen)
The project's ultimate goal is not automatic protection for these areas but to inform and influence existing conservation planning and management processes. By providing a scientific foundation for the importance of specific habitats, the ISRA project hopes to facilitate the integration of these areas into broader conservation frameworks, such as marine protected areas or other types of ocean preserves.
As the project progresses, the collaboration of hundreds of scientists and experts worldwide is pivotal in highlighting the need for focused conservation efforts on these special marine environments. Through the ISRA project, there is hope that endangered sharks and rays can be given the attention and protection they need to survive and thrive, ensuring their continued role in the ocean's intricate web of life.
Click here for the article.
The best electric SUVs for the money in 2024
We recently had the opportunity to spend a weekend driving a brand new plugin hybrid and we loved it. It seems a perfect mix of yesterday’s tech and tomorrow’s tech. The gas needle barely nudged the whole weekend and we drove it, a lot.
But if you are inclined to go fully electric there are plenty of choices now. Below a guide.
(From US News)
Our Best Electric SUVs for the Money award starts by looking at a vehicle's MSRP, but it doesn't end there. We also used data from Vincentric, which collects information on the total cost of ownership of any particular vehicle over five years. We combined that information with real-time transaction prices from TrueCar to see what actual buyers were paying for these SUVs. These add up to a meaningful measurement of value.
Click here for the article.
EVENT
March 14 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm CDT
Bridging Differences for Collective Impact
Location: Online
An interactive panel of educators will showcase the interplay between civic engagement, civic learning, and bridging divides and how they bring this to their classrooms. Attendees will have a chance to experience and walk away with concrete resources to try in the classroom including: (1) short 10-minute activities, (2) lessons, or (3) full-blown curricula.
The confirmed panelists are:
Dr. Kathy Anthes, former Commissioner of Education at the Colorado Department of Education, current Director of FORWARD (moderator)
Nick D’Amuro, Coordinator of School Improvement, Genesee Valley BOCES
Elizabeth Clay Roy, CEO, Generation Citizen
Mitch Espeland, High School Social Studies Teacher, Park County School District #6, Cody Wyoming