Japan 3.11

Part of the newly mainstream "green" movement, or whatever you'd prefer to call it, is looking at energy alternatives such as wind, solar, and hydro power which we've discussed in class, but there's also nuclear power. While there have been substantial doubts around the world about the benefits of nuclear power since the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, three years ago another disaster caused many nations to rethink nuclear power as a viable energy source. 

On 3.11.11 Japan was hit with a 9.0 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Tohoku, followed by the devastating tsunami, which caused level 7 meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant. This was a triple disaster, the most powerful known earthquake to hit Japan ever. Thousands of lives were lost, displaced, or went missing.

While the global community scrambled to provide relief and support, Fukushima also forced many nations to realize that despite advancements in technology, nuclear power was still not to be taken lightly. In the U.S. particularly, Fukushima spurred the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to re-assess safety planning and requirements for plants. Exelon, the largest nuclear-reactor operator in the U.S., decided to spend up to $500 million upgrading its plants based on lessons learned.

I wanted to write about the anniversary of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami but I don't really know why, or rather how to put it. Growing up I spent a substantial amount of time in Taiwan, another island country in the Pacific Rim with a strong Japanese influence-- it used to be a Japanese colony. My connection to Japan isn't strong on paper, but somehow I've always felt connected. 

As we move forward, let us hope that it doesn't take another disaster to wake the world up.

Resources
Fukushima, 3 Years Later: Disaster Still Lingers - Mashable

Ecological Footprint: End of the Quarter

What are my results at the end of this quarter?

My new ecological footprint is 3.66 Earths vs 5.74 from before. 

Does this accurately reflect my efforts? 

Rather than saying this reflects my efforts, I think it just reflects my knowledge gain. This time I understood better what I was (or wasn't) checking off in the quiz and it also helped me come up with some more accurate figures. Since I am graduating at the end of this year, I'm also unsure if I'll be able to continue the same practices that I set during this quarter, since my housing situation will most likely be changing. In other words, the goals I set were applicable to my current lifestyle but they might not necessarily be applicable to my next. I would like to take the new insights that I have gained wherever I go.

Walmart Releases Guide for its New Sustainability Policy

Walmart recently released its Implementation Guide for its Sustainable Chemistry Policy and its available online to view. The guide is intended to for Walmart's suppliers, to help meet Walmart's overall sustainability goals it announced last September. There's actually a lot of information on sustainability hub to sift through, but here are some key takeaways. Suppliers will be required to:

• Disclose full product formulations to The Wercs, a partner, through WERCSmart.
• Disclose all product ingredients online by product beginning January 2015.
• Disclose all priority chemicals on pack beginning January 2018.
• Complete a sustainability report describing a supplier’s performance on chemical disclosure, risk assessment, and hazard avoidance
• Reduce, restrict, and eliminate the use of "Walmart High Priority Chemicals" of which there are approximately ten.

In other words, more transparency, safer products and redesign.

One thing to note is that Walmart hasn't actually revealed what their high priority chemicals are. It clearly states on their policy page that these chemicals were determined by the company, and have yet to be made public. So much for transparency.

Other Resources

Wal-Mart Releases Guidance for Suppliers on its New Sustainability Policy - American Coatings Assocation

EPA Honors Corporations for Cutting Greenhouse Gases

The EPA recently honored fifteen different organizations for their leadership in protecting the climate at the 2014 Climate Leadership Conference in San Diego.

Nineteen awards were given out for Organizational Leadership, Individual Leadership, Supply Chain Leadership, Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management for Goal Achievement and for Goal Setting. To see the full list of winners, click here.

It's interesting to see the diversity between award recipients. Most are companies, one is a city and one a university.

Other Resouces

U.S. EPA Honors Corporations for Cutting Greenhouse Gases

Google Launches Global Forest Watch

Google has perhaps answered the age-old question: if a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?
Okay maybe not, but you can at least watch it now thanks to Global Forest Watch. From the website's "About" section, GFW is "a dynamic online forest monitoring and alert system that empowers people everywhere to better managa forests." The website allows you to monitor logging and burning of the world's forests using satellite images, open data, and crowdsourcing. It's like a near real-time security camera for tree murders!
The site just launched on February 20th and is in a beta version. It's not a solo effort by Google but in fact was convened by the World Resources Institute.

Update on the Drought Emergency in California

In an effort to relieve the drought emergency in California, state officials announced yesterday new legislation that would "provide $687.4 million to help communities deal with the devastating dry conditions and fund increases to local water supplies" (ENS). Where exactly would this money be coming from?

• The accelerated expenditure of voter-approved grants for local and regional projects that are already planned or partly completed (that have to do withstormwater, recycled water, groundwater storage and water conservation)
• Transferred out of the state’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund
• The General Fund

I'm sure if the Pacific Northwest could, we'd send some rain clouds over to California right now. Or maybe we wouldn't cause we seem really friendly in Seattle but actually we're kind of cold and constantly guarded. (If you don't know what I'm referring to, you can read about it here.)

Resources

California Lawmakers Offer $687 Million Drought Relief Bill - Environmental News Service

US and France Cooperate on Global Climate Change Pact

President Obama and French President Francois Hollande agreed to expand on their work to curb global climate change, ahead of the upcoming United Nations climate summit next year in Paris. The UN is expected to create a global binding agreement to take effect in 2020. 

Why are these two leaders urging other nations to get on board before the summit? 
It would appear that both leaders mean serious business, so they want to make sure everyone else means serious business when the summit arrives. 

In all seriousness, during his State Visit to the US, Hollande said, “How not to mention climate change when France next year will convene and host a conference? It’s not just about hosting a conference and having our hotels full. No, it’s about reaching a global goal, because there is a danger.”

Resources 
Hollande and Obama Push For Global Climate Change Pact - TIME World

Obama, Hollande Cooperate on 2015 Global Climate Change Pact - Environment News Service

Obama Signs 2014 Farm Bill

On February 7th, President Obama signed into law H.R. 2642, the Agricultural Act of 2014, which "extends, expands, or modifies federal agriculture and nutrition programs, including farm income support, crop insurance, conservation, credit assistance, trade, research, international food assistance, rural development, and other programs through the fiscal year 2018 crop year" (ENS). 

It's the most significant reform of American agriculture policy in decades, and its not without controversy.
Perhaps the most controversial part about the bill is its $8 billion cut to the Food Stamp program. (By the way this is a $956 billion bill or as some would call it, "$1 trillion".) But President Obama has downplayed this cut saying that the bill would overall be helping families, and $8 billion is far less than the $40 billion Republicans called for earlier in September.

I must admit that I'm not huge on politics, but this should be interesting to watch as it develops.


Resources
Obama Signs $1 Trillion Farm Bill Into Law - Environmental News Service

In Signing Farm Bill, Obama Extols Rural Growth - The New York Times

Super Bowl 48: How Green Was It?

Nowadays it's expected for major sporting events to take 'green' initiatives seriously. When the NFL first started their environmental program, it focused on recycling as much as possible, what you'd expect. Then about 10 years ago, the NFL voluntarily decided to address the issue of climate change/global warming by examining the Super Bowl's carbon footprint and devising ways to reduce it. For example:
-Tree-planting program
-Purchase of renewable energy credits to compensate for the additional carbon emissions Super Bowl activities cause in the host city

While these actions are definitely a good thing, some argue that the Super Bowl would be a lot greener without the ads. Why? Because those major ads promote consumption and overconsumption is what has led to many of our environmental problems. It's easier to imagine the Super Bowl held in a compostable stadium than it is to imagine the Super Bowl without ads.

I'm sure that in a couple of days we'll hear full details about the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

Resources:
Seahawks, Broncos gear up for super 'green' bowl - NBC News

Ecological Footprint: Week 5 Update

Time for another update:

1. Shop at my local co-op market at least once a week

This...hasn't happened. Turns out I don't go through groceries that quickly (probably because I bought in bulk at the beginning of the quarter). I've only accompanied my roommate when she does a Fred Meyer lately, but I did  buy some organic apples while I was there which never used to happen before.

2. Get my roommate to do laundry together

I found out that my roommate does one load of laundry every week. I usually do one load every month. Whoah there. I asked my roommate how she felt about doing loads together from now on and while she didn't say no outright, she did seem hesitant. Our plans might be foiled by the recent failure of our apartment complex's washing machine however. That sort of foils any laundry plans.

3. I will walk to campus 3/5 days, and walk home 3/5 days

This has been successful!

So that's how things currently look. Perhaps it's time to develop another new goal?

4. Don't buy as many things that I don't need

In my case, this applies mostly to food but can apply to all products. We, Americans especially, over-consume and a lot of the things we buy end up as waste. It can be hard to tell ourselves that no, we don't actually need that thing. It's not just the number of things we buy either, it's the size too. For example, it took me awhile to get out of the habit of buying the bigger carton of milk for a better deal when all I really needed was the half liter.

Why Are Monarch Butterflies Vanishing?

The 2013 monarch butterfly migration recorded an all-time low in Mexico, where the butterflies come from Canada and the United States every year to hibernate for the winter. There are driving factors in all three countries. First, the primary food source for monarch butterflies is the milkweed plant and its being wiped out by herbicides used on genetically modified crops in North America. Next, the monarch habitat has shrunk due to deforestation and forest degradation in sanctuaries along the border between the states of Michoacan and the State of Mexico. Last, extreme climate conditions in Canada, the United States and Mexico are making the entire life cycle more difficult for these butterflies.

We've all heard this story before unfortunately: Human behavior is inducing climate change, which is damaging the natural habitat of a species, who are now on the brink of extinction. From the bees to the polar bears, humankind's current lifestyle is detrimental to other species on the planet. But are we doing enough to prevent this from happening?

A little sidenote, my friend works at the Pacific Science Center's Tropical Butterfly House and while he loves his job, he says that sometimes it can be a little depressing to sweep dead butterflies off the floor. Especially if he gets caught by innocent children who don't understand what he's hiding behind his back.

Resources:

Monarch Butterfly 2013 Migration Smallest on Record

Monarch Watch

Ecological Footprint: Week 3 Update

With any long-term goal, it is helpful to set smaller goals that will help you get there! These small goals should be specific and measurable and as suggested by my professor, concerning daily activities.  

I don't really understand how my initial result was so high compared to other students. I don't drive, I'm not a carnivore, and I feel as though I've already adopted some good energy/water-saving habits. When I said that I have little information, I meant on things that I suspect most college students aren't fully aware of: how the apartment I currently rent was built, what my roommate does when I'm not around, and so on. I was a little stumped! After looking through some more online suggestions, here are some changes:

1. Shop at my local co-op market: This one's not changing, but I guess since I usually buy some produce once a week, I'll say that I'll visit the co-op once a week at least.
2. Get my roommate to do laundry together: I'm not sure if I can convince her yet because she's sort of a germaphobe, that's why she does laundry more often than I do, but if we did our loads together then we'd be saving on energy, water, and quarters!
3. Walk to/from campus more often, avoid taking the bus: I will walk to campus 3/5 days, and walk home 3/5 days. Why not everyday? Cause I bus to work after classes on some days.

Drought Emergency in California (and Nevada)

Last year was the driest year California has ever recorded, since the state started measuring rainfall in 1849 before it even became a state. Statewide averages can sometimes hide important fluctuations between in-state regions. The following images illustrate that (1) southern California is much more severe than northern California as one might expect and (2) no relief occurred in January 2014, which only added on to the extreme lack of precipitation during October through December 2013.

Basically this deficit has been years in the making and the forecast for 2014 isn't looking any better.

Resources

California Has Driest Year Ever -- And It May Get Worse

The Ecological Footprint of a College Student

Whether or not I'm an average college student is debatable, but here are my results after taking the Ecological Footprint Quiz:

Here's what I'm going to do about it
The best thing for me to try and reduce is either my food or goods and services footprint. A lot of the things in my carbon and housing footprint are out of my hands at this stage in life, so it makes sense. I can...
-Shop at my local co-op market more often. I seriously live only half a mile away from it but not gonna lie, it just hasn't been that important to me.
-Plant a garden. Well I can't plant a garden around my apartment building but I can grow herbs on the windowsill.
-Recycle electronics. I'm already a little OCD about sorting recyclables but I'm terribly at recycling electronics. I actually hoard them for years not knowing how to properly dispose of them. 

Notes
-I answered the quiz as if I was predominately living with my family which is not the case but i just have more information. 
-I also approximated on several numbers.
-I wasn't sure on a number of things, pretty much, even after googling them.