Tag Archives: US

Sustainability

The Next 18 Months May Be Critical

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By Roy L Hales

The heat wave that toppled European temperature records last month, reduced half of Greenland’s ice sheet to slush. Though wildfires are common in northern regions, there is no record of anything corresponding to what is transpiring today. Close to 5.5 million hectares are ablaze in northern Russia, and another million in Alaska. As a BBC environmental correspondent recently stated, the next 18 months may be critical if we hope to halt the rise of global temperatures at 1.5 degrees.

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Technology

Renewables Are Replacing Coal In America

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By Roy L Hales

For the first time ever, in April renewable energy produced more US electricity than coal. This trend is expected to continue through May and Trump’s U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) “sees renewable generation topping coal-fired output sporadically this year, and again in 2020.” While the transition is only in the early stages, renewables are replacing coal in America.

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International

How Much Damage Can Donald Trump Do?

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By Roy L Hales

The fears seem especially strong across the renewable and environmental communities. David Suzuki writes that  “a bigoted, misogynistic, climate change denier has been elected to the highest office in what is still the world’s most powerful nation.”  Many fear that President-elect Donald Trump “is set to gut US environmental regulations, open up federal lands for fossil fuel extraction, and quit the Paris climate agreement.” Academics from many North American universities are copying information and data from U.S. government environmental websites before the new administration eradicates it. The next President’s personality “is certainly extreme by any standard.” How much damage can Donald Trump do to America?

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Technology

Reducing Natural Gas Pipeline Emissions 83%

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By Roy L Hales

screen-shot-2014-03-18-at-3-43-47-pm1Some of PSE&G’s (PSE&G) natural gas  pipelines were laid down a century ago. The New Jersey utility continued using cast iron until the 1950s. Now there is approximately one methane leak for each of the pipeline’s 3,900 miles. Though PSE&G intends to replace the entire cast iron and unprotected steel infrastructure, this is too costly ($1.5 million to $2.0 million per mile)to do overnight. With the help of new technology developed by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Google and Colorado State University. PSE&G is natural gas pipeline emissions by 83% in the area surveyed area, while replacing about 1/3 less mileage to do so.

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