Flame Skimmer in in Bosque State Park, N.M. See Desert Scientist's post below.
Many environmentally related posts appearing at Daily Kos each week don't attract the attention they deserve. To help get more eyeballs, Spotlight on Green News & Views (previously known as the Green Diary Rescue) normally appears twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
The most recent Spotlight can be seen here. More than
23,110 environmentally oriented diaries have been rescued for inclusion in this weekly collection since 2006. Inclusion of a diary in the Spotlight does not necessarily indicate my agreement with or endorsement of it.
The Daily Bucket: Mesilla Valley Bosque in Summer—by
Desert Scientist: "When I get the chance I head over to the Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park near the town of Mesilla in southern New Mexico to do a bit of bird watching and general natural history. The hike around the desert to the edge of the pond and back along the drain is always of interest and occasionally provides an exciting encounter. The Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park has had a number of interesting sightings in the last month or two, starting with a common ground dove in mid May and going through sightings of Townsend's warbler, red-breasted nuthatch, orchard oriole and hooded oriole in June. The red-breasted nuthatch was a real surprise to me, but there was no mistaking that bird! Unfortunately it did not stay in one place in the tamarisk thicket for me to photograph it. Somebody else has also seen the Townsend's warbler, and the orioles were seen earlier by others and photographed. The river was finally filled at the end of May, having been bone dry for a week or so before then. The farmers should get about 11 acre inches of irrigation water, above the allotments for either 2013 or 2014, but much below the 3-4 acre feet of the past years. The Bosque pond filled early in June, bringing with it a place for several female mallards, a green heron, several great-blue herons, a black-crowned night heron juvenile and a great egret."
Niels Bohr, 9/11, and climate change—by
SninkyPoo: "What do you worry about when you worry about climate change? I worry about quantum jumps, in two flavors. One I fear will happen before we’re ready, and one I believe we desperately need. Just about a year ago, on July 29, 2014, Dr. Jason Box tweeted 'If even a small fraction of Arctic sea floor carbon is released to the atmosphere, we’re f’d.' He later explained to a reporter at Vice.com just why he was so worried. Per Box, methane bubbles appear to be reaching the surface of the sea, which could heat the atmosphere and speed up the process of climate change. Methane is more than 20 times more potent than CO2 [carbon dioxide] in trapping infrared as part of the natural greenhouse effect, he said. Methane getting to the surface—that's potent stuff. We're on a trajectory to an unmanageable heating scenario, and we need to get off it. We’re f**ked at a certain point, right? It just becomes unmanageable. The climate dragon is being poked, and eventually the dragon becomes pissed off enough to trash the place."
You can find more excerpts from green diaries below the orange spill.
Climate Chaos
#MondayMorningClimateWarning—by SninkyPoo: "Can you help me get it to trend? #MondayMorningClimateWarming is a modest, Twitter-based start to increasing the pressure on the huge number of folks in Congress who aren’t paying attention to—or do not 'believe in'—climate change. It’s a small step in the direction of getting them to pay attention to this vital, urgent issue and do something other than talk about how 'not scientists' they are. The wonderful Organizing for Action site is still up, and it has a clean, easy-to-navigate interface that allows you to tweet directly to the climate change denier(s) who represent/s you in Congress. While it’s true that many of these fine folks won’t see our tweets on their hand-held devices, it is also true that politicians are exquisitely sensitive, fine-tuned opinion sensors, with quivering feelers held high to detect any change in the winds of public opinion."
Curry's Confused Call for Air Conditioning—by ClimateDenierRoundup: "In a long, semi-rambling post about heat waves and climate, Judith Curry concludes with a statement putting her firmly out of the consensus and into the 'delay' camp—she suggests that instead of reducing emissions all we need is more air conditioning. While air-conditioning is, of course, a short-term adaptation, its limits should be clear to anyone who gives it some thought. Are we supposed to air-condition the fields where agricultural producers work or where children play at school recess? What about places without power grids or people who can't afford AC units? The inanity of Curry's position is perfectly captured by a post at 'Get Energy Smart! Now!' where the author compares Curry's 'solution' to the classic Futurama clip where a giant ice cube is dropped into the ocean to cool the planet. Curry apparently needs to be reminded that in some places where air conditioning is most desperately needed, the power grid is already stretched beyond capacity. Further, it's the poorest who are most at risk, who often cannot afford to purchase and power an air-conditioner."
Extreme Weather & Natural Phenomena
JunkScience Minimizes Heat Wave Risks—by ClimateDenierRoundup: "Europe endured a record-setting heat wave this past week, with Germany breaking its all-time heat record and the UK, the Netherlands and France all setting new July heat records. The last week of June, Pakistan experienced a deadly heat wave, which claimed the lives of over 1,300 people and caused 100,000 heatstrokes, while in May, India was struck by an even more deadly heat wave that killed more than 2,500 people. These last two heat waves are among the ten deadliest heat waves in recorded history. In the US, June was a record-hot month, with Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Nevada and Alaska all setting new monthly records. How have some in the denier community responded? By dismissing the severity of these events and calling those who point out the alarming death tolls and their climate change connection "charlatans." At JunkScience, a guest post says, "whenever we get a bit of sunshine, somebody…is wheeled out to warn us that we're all going to drop like flies." The post also cites (and misconstrues) a paper recently published on the mortality risk of high and low temperatures to argue that extreme heat mortality is overly-hyped, and cold temperatures are more of a concern."
This Is What Global Warming Looks Like—by Agathena: "Fires raging across B.C. This is due to very hot weather and months without rain, in our rainforests. And higher temperatures than ever before, all part of a warming planet. This is an example of what we risk when we do not do ENOUGH to mitigate climate change. Will you hear me in Paris? We have an air quality advisory in BC that we must stay in our homes especially the very young and the very old. The air is heavy, it burns to breath it in. Breathing as an issue trumps everything. [...] Interior Alaska fires still growing; more hot, dry weather on the way The seven named fires grew to a total of 235,783 acres, although heavy smoke made it difficult for fire crews to map exactly where and how much some of the fires moved. In particular, the Hay Slough, Harper Bend, Bering Creek and Blind River fires all made significant runs. Crews are working to protect cabins in the area, and all miners and other landowners have been advised to leave the area. The Tozitna fire jumped fire lines near Site Road, but was still 2 miles north and 1 mile west of the closest inhabited structure. [...] As of Saturday, 299 fires were burning in Alaska, 36 of which are staffed."
The Daily Bucket - smoke on the water...the Pacific Northwest is burning—by Ocean Diver: "July 5, 2015. Salish Sea, Pacific Northwest. Reports last week of fire on Goose Island drew us out onto the water to see for ourselves what is going on there. Goose Island is a major bird nesting site in the San Juan Islands, owned by the Nature Conservancy. On June 26 careless law-breaking yahoos playing with homemade fireworks accidentally (?) set Goose Island on fire. Hundreds of gulls and cormorants caring for eggs and newborn chicks were displaced by the flames and smoke, and by volunteer firefighting efforts over the next few days. The local fire department sprayed seawater to stop the spread of fire through tinder-dry grass, but gave up when it became evident the fire was feeding on deep accumulations of guano. The Nature Conservancy has decided to let it burn itself out. Smoke is everywhere in the Pacific Northwest right now. Here's what we're seeing and smelling in the Salish Sea, with some regional perspective."
Record Summer Heat in the NW -- by the Numbers—by
jamess: "We're working on 10th day in a row with 95-100 F temperatures here in the cool NW. 'Normal' is the usually in upper 70s, for this time of year. Long-range forecast, calls for an end to the Heat Wave in about a week. (I think they said that same thing about a week ago, lol.) Say Hello! to the 'New Normal'"
Critters & the Great Outdoors
Completely mesmerizing footage of Great Barrier Reef from on top of a sea turtle—by Walter Einenkel: "GoPro and the WWF and others put together a video. Their cameraman? A turtle. To find out more about the level of pollution affecting turtles within the Great Barrier Reef, WWF is working on innovative project in Queensland with the support of our partners Banrock Station Wines Environmental Trust, James Cook University, The University of Queensland, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, State and Commonwealth government agencies, Indigenous rangers and local community groups. As part of that project, the opportunity arose to very carefully fit a small GoPro camera to a turtle, to better understand the post-release behaviour of tagged green turtles."
The Daily Bucket: Butterflyweed Gone to Pod—by
PHScott: "
Early July 2015. There is one Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa in the Milkweed family) in my sideyard. I often post photos or write a bucket about it when it blooms, as do y'all. It's colorful pretty and draws interesting bugs and butterflies. Once in awhile those blooms get pollinated and produce a pod. Here's one I first saw back on June 8—so tiny I wasn't sure if it was just another pedicel gone bust, one more among a hundred blooms that didn't get triggered. Last day of June established that yes there is a pod."
Dawn Chorus: Osprey and Eagle—by OceanDiver: "These glorious birds always take my breath away. I am so fortunate I live where they appear fairly often, and keep an ear open for the faint scree of a Bald Eagle or the musical chirp of an Osprey, ready to drop everything and look up, to watch before they glide over the horizon. Incredibly, last month I saw an interaction between them—just an ephemeral moment but thrilling to me. It probably happens a lot among them but I got lucky, happened to be right there. Had my camera so I can share it here at the Dawn Chorus, at least a few of the pics that were reasonably in focus! I know you folks love these gorgeous birds too."
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you...—by
SninkyPoo: "I live in Seattle now. I consider myself a New Yorker despite not having lived there since right after 9/11 (it’s been a long, strange trip). And my family farm is in Iowa. As a kid I spent weeks there every summer, peeling potatoes, hanging up laundry, picking beans, making pickles, husking corn, going fishing, “helping” Grandpa Channer milk the cows, exploring in the pasture beyond the apple orchard, and taking minute inventory of the astounding variety of insect life. I was a mini-biologist back then, and the farm was paradise for someone so inclined. Everywhere, there were insects. If you couldn’t see them you could hear them, thrumming and whirring and scratching as they went about their business. Bees crowded the garden, all industry and drive amongst the peonies and bachelor’s button. Palm-sized garden spiders hung in wait in the long grass at the far side of the driveway, midriffs bright with orange and scarlet coats of arms. An almost infinite variety of beetles were everywhere to discover—huge ferocious stag beetles, pretty ladybirds, longhorns, and loud, startling click beetles."
Action Alert: Stop Striped Bass Eradication Bill—by Dan Bacher: "The following is an action alert to stop the odious striped bass extermination bill, AB 1201 (Salas). Send your fax to Katharine Moore, Ph.D., Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee Consultant at: 916-323-2232: The first document is a copy of our letter of opposition to current bill and the second is a copy of the our letter of opposition to AB 1201 (Salas) that we sent the Senate Natural Resources & Water Committee yesterday. The bill has taken a number of amendments since its introduction. It now requires the CDFW to establish a science based program that 'addresses' impacts to the estuary’s native fish species caused by non-native species. In brief, it’s a hunting license for striped bass and largemouth bass. The water interests would like the CDFW to establish a science bass program that stops the predation of native species by non-native species."
Climate change is changing male lizards into female lizards—by Walter Einenkel: "University of Canberra researchers have confirmed climate-induced gender changing of male dragon lizards into female dragon lizards: The researchers, who have long studied Australia's bearded dragon lizards, have been able to show that a reptile's sex determination process can switch rapidly from one determined by chromosomes to one determined by temperature. Lead author Dr Clare Holleley, a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Canberra's Institute for Applied Ecology, explained: 'We had previously been able to demonstrate in the lab that when exposed to extreme temperatures, genetically male dragons turned into females.' 'Now we have shown that these sex reversed individuals are fertile and that this is a natural occurring phenomenon.'"
Energy
Coal, Oil, Gas & Nuclear
Shell's Arctic icebreaker damaged enroute to Alaska's Chukchi Sea.—by Pakalolo: "According to Fuel Fix, Shell has discovered a ballast hole leak in the hull of their 22 year old icebreaker, the MSV Fennica. The 22-year-old icebreaker has since returned to the port in Dutch Harbor and is being examined by marine experts, but it is uncertain how quickly the breach in its hull can be repaired and whether this will delay Shell’s hopes to begin drilling an oil well in the Chukchi Sea later this month. This is not good news for Shell. They had hoped that with the Obama Administration approving their permits to drill for oil in the Chukchi Sea they would finally be able to destroy the Arctic ecosystem in order to make a buck for their shareholders. But problems have somewhat delayed their mission in the Arctic.">center>
Renewables & Conservation
Obama administration unveils plan to triple solar capacity in subsidized housing—by Hunter: "The Obama administration is moving forward with new projects to expand the use of ever-cheaper solar power in America. This time it's a plan to bring solar panels to America's lower and middle class, people who could greatly benefit from lower electricity bills and generally can't come up with the necessary funds to install those systems. [...] Expanding the use of solar power to a broader base of Americans is critical if solar is to make a substantive dent in the nation's carbon emissions. A program targeting lower-income Americans makes good economic sense as well, because lower utility bills means more money to be spent on other family needs."
U.S. Army has announced that they are developing smaller and cheaper solar cells—by Walter Einenkel: "The U.S. Army just announced that is has been able to patent a tiny photovoltaic solar cell able to convert light energy into electrical energy. Co-inventor Dr. Michael Scalora: 'Low-cost, compact, flexible and efficient solar cells are destined to impact all sorts of Department of Defense applications, as lightweight solar panels will eventually power all kinds of equipment, particularly in remote, inaccessible areas,' he said. 'The key to the development of efficient, compact solar cells are advances in nanotechnology, nano-fabrication techniques and thin-film production. Current solar cells based on single crystal [pure] silicon have advanced significantly over the years.' This patent is the result of research begun in 1990s on the optical properties of metals. Once again proving that scientific research being done on something seemingly benign can turn into important innovations down the road. It's an important thing to understand so you don't end up listening to people like Lamar Smith."
Fracking
Brown Administration Approves Nine New Offshore Fracks—by Dan Bacher: "The administration of Governor Jerry Brown lived up to its role as one of the most Big Oil-friendly regimes in California history by recently approving 9 new plans for extensive new offshore fracking near the California coast. The state’s Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources approved the permits for nine new fracking operations in Long Beach Harbor, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. The new offshore fracks, which would begin in August and continue through December, would be the first in state waters since 2013. 'Haven’t we seen enough dead wildlife and polluted beaches?' said Kristen Monsell, a Center attorney. 'Every offshore frack increases the risk of chemical pollution or another devastating oil spill. Gov. Brown has to recognize that halting offshore fracking is critical to protecting marine animals and coastal communities from this toxic technique.'"
Keystone XL & Other Fossil Fuel Transportation
Bombs in Our Backyards—by Michael Brune: "The hospitals prepared for an influx of wounded that never came. People either escaped or they died. The youngest victim was four years old; the oldest was 93. In all, 47 people died on the night of July 6, 2013, when an out-of-control oil train carrying Bakken crude oil derailed in the small Quebec town of Lac-Mégantic, 22 miles from the U.S. border. [...] The truth is that if we keep shipping dangerous oil by train under unsafe conditions, it's only a matter of time before there is another tragedy. The Department of Transportation estimated that we could see a disaster like the one at Lac-Mégantic every two years. What's more, it could happen almost anywhere. Thousands of oil trains are crisscrossing the U.S. as oil companies ship extreme oil from the tar sands and from shale oil fields to coastal refineries and ports, where much of the oil is processed and exported to the world market. It's estimated that 25 million of us live within one mile of tracks that carry oil tanker cars. My own family lives just a couple of miles from one of those rail lines."
Enbridge Stuffs Provision into WI Budget to Expedite Controversial Piece of "Keystone XL Clone"—by Steve Horn: "On Thursday, July 3 on the eve of a long Fourth of July holiday weekend, Canadian pipeline company giant Enbridge landed a sweetheart deal: a provision in the 2015 Wisconsin Budget that will serve to expedite permitting for its controversial proposed Line 61 tar sands pipeline expansion project. Line 61 cuts diagonally across Wisconsin and goes into north-central Illinois, beginning in Superior, Wisconsin and terminating in Flanagan, Illinois. The Wisconsin Gazette refers to the pipeline as the 'XXL' pipeline because it is bigger in size and has higher carrying capacity than the more well known tar sands pipeline cousin, TransCanada's Keystone XL, and is 'buried beneath every major waterway' in the state. Further, Line 61 is a key piece of what DeSmog has coined Enbridge's 'Keystone XL Clone' pipeline system, connecting at the north to the proposed Alberta Clipper pipeline expansion project and to the south to the already-functional Flanagan South pipeline. Flanagan South then connects to the Seaway Twin pipeline, which flows to the Gulf coast refineries and the global export market, like the southern leg of Keystone XL."
Candidates, DC, State & Local Eco-Politics
As President, Hillary's policies would send us spiraling into the worst effects of climate change—by VL Baker: "Hillary Clinton has a very poor environmental record. The best she has done is say that climate change is real. That may be good enough for a republican, but it's not good enough to save us from the worst effects of climate change. It won't leave our children and grandchildren with a safe, livable home. It won't be enough to follow President Obama's environmental policies either. Because President Obama has followed his one step forward two steps back environmental policy and we now find ourselves in a climate crisis with very little time for solutions. Bill McKibben has written about Hillary's climate record. There's a reason environmentalists don't trust her. Hillary sold fracking to the world. Hillary won't give a position a Keystone XL Pipeline. Hillary crafted and has sold the TPP around the world. The TPP threatens half a century of environmental progress just to strengthen corporations pockets. Hillary is Monsanto Mama. Hillary has yet to swear off fossil fuel money."
Bernie Sanders Strikes The Heart Of The Koch Empire With Bill To Give Solar Energy To The Poor—by VL Baker: "Bernie Sanders does it again, not just speaking truth to power but hitting them where it hurts, in their pockets. Today, Bernie introduced a Solar Initiative to make solar energy more accessible to low income families. From Sen. Sanders website: 'While the cost of solar panels has gone down in recent years, it is still out of reach for millions of low-income families that need it the most,' said Sanders. 'Families across this country struggle to pay electricity bills and access to solar energy can help reduce these costs.' The Low Income Solar Act of 2015 was introduced on the same day the White House proposed an initiative to make solar power more accessible to households and businesses. The Sanders bill would provide $200 million in loans and grants through the Department of Energy to offset the upfront costs for solar arrays on community facilities, public housing and low-income family homes. These projects would be required to prioritize loans for woman- and minority-owned small businesses and set aside funding for developing solar arrays in Appalachia, Indian tribal lands and Alaskan native communities."
IL-Sen: Environmental Groups Make Mark Kirk (R) A Top Target With $1 Million Ad Buy—by poopdogcomedy: "Sierra Club announced Monday morning that it has launched an aggressive regional ad campaign calling out Illinois’ U.S. Senator Mark Kirk for voting against public health and clean air in Congress by attacking the Clean Power Plan three times in June. The nation’s largest grassroots environmental organization kicked off a weeklong newspaper and digital ad blitz with a full-page advertisement in the print edition of Monday’s Daily Herald, the largest exclusively suburban newspaper in the Chicago area, which serves 90 communities in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, and McHenry counties. 'Senator Mark Kirk voted repeatedly against the health of Illinois families by attacking the Clean Power Plan, the first ever steps to limit carbon pollution from dirty, coal-fired power plants' said Liz Perera, Sierra Club Climate Policy Director. 'The Clean Power Plan’s efforts to curb carbon pollution will help prevent up to 6,600 deaths and up to 150,000 asthma attacks in children every year. That’s why the majority of Illinoisans support the Clean Power Plan. Senator Kirk needs to stand with his constituents, not with the polluters that are hurting their health.'"
Clean Water, Fracking, Mountain Top Removal all being debated now on House Floor. Votes tonight.—by e2247: "Clean Power Plan and the Clean Water Rule with much much more is all being debated right now on House floor ~~ (or watch C-SPAN here). 2016 Interior and Environment bill (House - Appropriations Committee Report: H. Rept. 114-170) is currently pending final vote on the House floor while further action remains to be seen from the Senate. Democrats have repeated calls to block appropriations bills that adhere to sequester-level spending limits. In a point-by-point document from EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT; OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET on June 23rd the Administration has reiterated its veto threat. H.R.2822 (bill Title: Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016) is how the GOP wants to allow more mountain top removal with the tailing being dumped over the edge into the mountain valleys without regard for keeping the valley waters clean, there by causing more robust clusters of many illnesses that none of us want."
Vote No On Appropriations Bills That De-fund EPA and DOI—by e2247: "2016 Interior and Environment bill (House - Appropriations Committee Report: H. Rept. 114-170) is currently pending final vote on the House floor while further action remains to be seen from the Senate. Democrats have repeated calls to block appropriations bills that adhere to sequester-level spending limits. In a point-by-point document from EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT; OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET on June 23rd the Administration has reiterated its veto threat. Betty McCollom [MN-4] Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies minority Ranking Member managed floor action for the fight to keep GOP floor amendments from further de-fanging Endangered Species Act, slashing more funding that in some cases is already proposed back to 2005 inflation-adjusted levels and many other public protections. She was helped by her subcommittee colleague, Chellie Pingree [ME-1]."
Eco-Action & Eco Justice
Episcopal church to divest holdings from fossil fuel industry—by Walter Einenkel: "The Episcopal Church is on a roll these days. Just days after voting to allow gay marriages to be performed in their churches, church leaders have voted to divest more than $350 million of their interests from the fossil fuel industry. 'The vote says that this is a moral issue and that we really have to think about where we are putting our money,' said Betsy Blake Bennett, archdeacon in the Episcopal diocese of Nebraska, who supported divestment. [...] It's another step towards progress for the Episcopal Church. This makes them the third major denomination in recent years to divest their sizable interests out of the fossil fuel industry, joining other organizations in the move towards a future not dependent on oil."
Transportation & Infrastructure
Congress returns to renewed transportation funding fight—by Joan McCarter: "Congress has a lot of work to squeeze in the next few weeks starting today, having just returned from their July 4th recess and looking forward to the month-long August break. At the top of the list: transportation funding. Members in both parties are fed up with the new normal for funding infrastructure programs, a seemingly never-ending series of short-term bills. The most recent one expires July 31, and this time Senate Democrats and some House Republicans are insisting the next one last at least several years. Just coming up with the $11 billion needed to keep the federal highway program running until the end of the year—let alone fully addressing a national infrastructure riddled with crumbling roads and bridges—will be challenging, given the need to offset any spending increase with a corresponding cut or revenue increase. But finding the $90 billion lawmakers need for the six-year highway and transit bill that Congress wants will be nearly impossible for a GOP that’s strongly averse to raising money with new taxes but has little room for further budget cuts."
Oceans, Water & Drought
Louisiana Bill is a Win for Sea Turtles and Shrimp Fishermen—by pmustain: "For many ocean lovers, sustainable seafood guides, like the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, are key to enjoying seafood while making choices that are healthy for our bodies and our oceans. These take the guess work out of knowing how some seafood negatively affects marine habitats and wildlife. For example, eating wild shrimp caught in Alaska waters is considered a 'best choice' because the population is stable and the methods used to catch them inflict little damage to the surrounding ecosystem. But the fine nets used in the Gulf of Mexico are more disruptive. The Southeast Shrimp Trawl fishery has been responsible for some of the highest rates of bycatch in the country, including an estimated 53,000 endangered or threatened sea turtles each year. Bycatch, or the capture of non-target fish and ocean wildlife, remains one of the biggest threats to the health of the oceans, contributing to the decline of marine life around the world. Until yesterday, users of Seafood Watch would have noticed that shrimp specifically from Louisiana were on the âavoidâ list, while shrimp from neighboring states were not. This is because in 1987 Louisiana passed a law preventing enforcement of a federal requirement for Turtle Excluder Devices, or TEDs, which allow turtles to escape from the nets. The Louisiana legislature, with support from the stateâs shrimp industry, passed a bill that would change the 'avoid' classification by reversing the 1987 law. Last Wednesday, Governor Jindal signed it, and the day after that, Monterey Bay Aquarium changed the status of Louisiana wild shrimp from 'avoid,' to 'good alternative.' This policy will prevent thousands of sea turtle deaths every year."
California drought myths and science—by SkepticalRaptor: "In an attempt to make these numbers small enough to be useful, California uses about 143 billion liters (38 billion gallons) of water every day across all purposes. Fracking uses around 265 million liters of water EVERY YEAR. Sticking with the simplest math available, fracking accounts for 0.00062% of the state’s annual freshwater withdrawals–stopping fracking would not even have a tiny effect on the water use (admittedly, it could have an effect on water use in a localized area). There are lots of reasons to dislike fracking. But taking water from thirsty Californians is certainly not one of them. Simple math says it's so."
Delta Tunnels: New Plan, New EIR, Same Old Water Grab—by Dan Bacher: "Today, Restore the Delta and a coalition of advocates for the San Francisco Bay-Delta held a teleconference to preview the EIR/EIS for the revised Delta Tunnels project (formerly known as the Bay Delta Conservation Plan) to be released on Friday, July 10. The old plan failed to meet federal standards under the Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act, or to pencil out for water users. Under the leadership of Governor Brown’s administration, and public relations efforts like Californians for Water Security, tunnel boosters have rebranded the project 'CA Water Fix' and 'CA Eco Restore,' though it will do neither. Advocates warned that this repackaging of the water export tunnels will waste up to $60 billion dollars without creating any new water, won’t help desperate communities during the drought, or fund innovative water conservation, stormwater capture, or water recycling projects that cities are eager to build for resilience in a changing climate."
Trash, Pollution & Hazardous Waste
Michigan PM-2.5 Air Pollution Episode in Last 24 Hours—by LakeSuperior: "Michigan has been experiencing a PM-2.5 air
pollution episode in the last 24 hours. The combined effect of usual and ordinary emissions, some possible photo-chemical activity, July 4th celebrations and long-range transport of smoke from Canadian wildfires has caused some high 1 hr average PM-2.5 concentrations, as well as 24 hour average PM-2.5 concentrations exceeding the the level of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for PM-2.5 of 35 micrograms/cubic meter (24-hour average). Michigan Department of Environmental Quality data shows 24 hour concentrations of PM-2.5 detected from yesterday to today that are over the level of the PM 2.5 NAAQS at Allen Park, Dearborn, Flint, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Tecumseh and Ypsilanti."
Miscellany
Fuel-free Outdoor Cooking—by Delta Overdue: "I live in the western United States where most, if not all of us are suffering from drought to one extent or another. We've had an especially hot streak going here in the greater Portland area for the past week. Cooking inside seems like a really bad idea, adding heat to an already hot house. Most homes around here don't have air conditioning, so the problem is made worse. Hence, we do a lot of our cooking outdoors this time of year. Well, this no longer has to involve starting a fire. A company called GoSun makes a solar powered stove that can reach temperatures of 700 degrees Farenheit! Beyond that, this is a socially responsible company that wants to make a difference in the world. For every five stoves they sell, they will donate one so that it can be deployed somewhere in the world where gathering fuel for cooking is a major aspect of life. [...] I've never seen anything like it. Sure there have been various solar cookers over the years, but this looks like one that actually works without waiting forever."
Cooking Without Gas!