If it's Friday, it's the Climate Minute, your weekly source of climate change related news and views. Big day as the EPA is about to announce new powerplant CO2 rules, the IPCC report is about to go out next week, and skeptics are going into overdrive...
Now for the links:
The EPA has just announced their new regulations to address carbon pollution from new powerplants. As we recorded this podcast we only had advance stories, like those from the New York Times, for those not o...
If it's Friday, it's the Climate Minute, your weekly source of climate change related news and views. Big day as the EPA is about to announce new powerplant CO2 rules, the IPCC report is about to go out next week, and skeptics are going into overdrive...
Now for the links:
The EPA has just announced their new regulations to address carbon pollution from new powerplants. As we recorded this podcast we only had advance stories, like those from the New York Times, for those not on board with climate change action: Washington Times, and this story from Canada Free Press which had an interesting mention of a possible $15/ton "fine" for coal plants unable to meet the strict limits. (Which actually looks a lot like a proto-carbon tax.)
Since we recorded (like minutes after we ended), EPA announced their regs, which you can find on this page. For an audio message from EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, go here.
(By the way, did you know only 50 coal plants emit a full 12% of US carbon emissions? No kidding, check this out.)
Naturally all this climate action (IPCC and new powerplant regs) leads to an opposite reaction, and the Skeptics have been busy.
First, the House Energy and Commerce Committee had a hearing on the President's climate action which "only" drew two cabinet level witnesses, Gina and Energy Secretary Ernie Moniz. If you have three hours to kill you can always watch the YouTube video.
For the "best and worst" quotes from the hearing, as judged by Grist, go here.
Next, our good buddies (sarcasm alert) at the Heartland Institute have launched a bizzaro-world IPCC report, the NIPCC (Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change, oh how clever...) "Climate Change Reconsidered II" which, in their words, "uses layman's language to present solid evidence that today's climate changes are well within the bounds of natural variability." Here's an Inside Climate story about the efforts, and if you're game, here's the report itself.
Does fracking release less methane than EPA has previously estimated? A study underway by the Environmental Defense Fund, University of Texas, and nine petroleum companies may be leading to that conclusion. Read more about it on Grist here.
Sunday night Al Jazeera America will show Bill McKibben's "Do The Math" documentary at 9:00pm Eastern.
This Sunday marks the Autumnal Equinox, and by mid-week days and nights will be equal in New England as we plow ahead toward summer.
And finally, our thoughts and prayers are with those in Colorado impacted by the recent floods.
Things to Do:
For more about 350.org's "Draw the Line Against Keystone" events, and to find one near you, go here. You can enter your zipcode in the box on the upper left and find an event near you, or create your own event.
You can support a great organization while helping to honor an excellent local activist at the Clean Water Action's Annual Benefit party on Saturday, September 21st from 3 to 5pm, where Boston Climate Action's Loie Hayes will be recognized for her tremendous activism on the local level.
If you're thinking about changing careers toward something more sustainable, the Fifth annual Green Careers Conference is coming up Thursday, October 3rd, at the Marlboro Holiday Inn.
Remember, for more climate activities near you check out our MCAN climate action calendar. You can enter events as well as browse for interesting things to do.
As always, it’s been a pleasure sharing climate news and views with you. You know, you can subscribe to our iTunes feed and get our podcasts automatically here. Feel free to give us your thoughts on our Facebook page, or through old-fashioned email. You can even follow us on twitter @MassClimate , so there are lots of ways for you to listen and participate in the dialog.
When you are on the website, please contribute to MCAN. Every dollar you give will be doubled by a generous backer, so long as we reach our fundraising goal.
So we will close the way we always close, by saying that because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is a patriotic duty as citizens, we insist that the US put a price on carbon. Good bye and see you next week…
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