Climate Change | YPGG

Americans Top Environmental Concern? It’s Their Drinking Water

May 1, 2019 / Chris Boyle / 0 Comments

NEW YORK - As far as the environment is concerned, there are a number of factors that people should be worrying about these days, from climate change to micro-plastics to poisons infiltrating the very air we breathe, in addition to a whole host of other vile maladies that can be harmful to our collective health. But with all of that to choose from, a recent study has shown that one issue rises above all else in the minds of most Americans when it comes to their personal environmental concerns - their drinking water.

The poll also showed that climate change is of importance to many residents, however when it comes down to it, people want to be sure that the water they're putting into their bodies is free of any and all contaminants and not a danger to their health and well-being. File photo: Pixabay.

According to the latest Gallup poll, most US citizens are concerned about water pollution and having access to clean drinking water. The poll also showed that climate change is of importance to many residents, however when it comes down to it, people want to be sure that the water they're putting into their bodies is free of any and all contaminants and not a danger to their health and well-being.

The poll broke the United States down into four regions – Northeast, West, South, and Midwest – and in each of those regions residents were asked for their opinions on various issues affecting the environment, including global warming, tropical deforestation, air pollution, species extinction, fresh water pollution, and drinking water pollution. The poll noted that overall environmental concerns varied from region to region, but what all of the areas polled held in common was a prevailing concern regarding the quality of drinking water, with over 80 percent of each region feeling very strongly about the matter.

Honestly, the results of the poll are unsurprising. In recent years the media has reported numerous instances involving the contamination of drinking water in various areas of the United States, including the tragedy that took place in Flint, Michigan, as well as rampant algae blooms appearing in bodies of water nationwide, coal ash contamination following Hurricane Florence, as well as a new problem that is starting to gain traction with environmental scientists - PFA chemical contamination. According to reports, approximately 45 million US residents are currently drinking water that falls below Federal safety standards, and more and more people are rightfully growing concerned about it.

What some people fail to realize, however, is that the issues that the country is experiencing with water pollution are actually tied directly two other environmental concerns, including climate change and air pollution; this creates a dangerous cycle that ultimately affects the health and well-being of millions of people. For example, rising temperatures that are attributed to climate change are, in turn, causing more toxic algae blooms to grow in water; this, in turn, contaminates fish living in those bodies of water, reducing populations, and so on.

And yet, depending on the region where the polling took place, many American residents, while all concerned about drinking water quality, indicated that they were less concerned over other forms of pollution, even though that pollution may be contributing – either directly or indirectly – to their water pollution concerns. And in many places where those polled did express support for programs to help counter issues such as climate change, those same people tended to express an unwillingness for their tax money being used to pay for it.

However, the opinions of those polled not only varied from region to region, but also among the age groups situated within those regions as well. On average, younger people viewed climate change as a crisis that demands urgent action, and were more willing to have their tax monies utilized in solutions than many other groups.

What was encouraging was that among the vast majority of those polled, regardless of where in the United States they were situated, an overall concern for the well-being of the environment was expressed. However, it is nonetheless quite vital to educate the masses on how the delicate ecosystems that make up the surface of our planet are all interconnected. One bad thing that happens affects all of them eventually, and if we are to build a bright and sustainable future for following generations, it is important to understand that no one environmental problem is greater than any other in the scheme of things.

Is Climate Change Contributing to The Current Deep Freeze Gripping the US?

February 5, 2019 / Chris Boyle / 0 Comments

NEW YORK, NY - Last week, a significant portion of the population of the United States had to deal with sub-zero temperatures - the likes of which have not been seen in this country before, leading to renewed debates in regards to the effects that Climate Change are having upon the planet. It turns out that a gradual warming of the planet’s atmosphere over the long haul can actually make things colder in the here-and-now.

Areas in the Midwest last week reported temperatures as low as 50 and even 60 degrees below zero – colder than the North Pole – which is an astonishing low for a region of the country already known for harsh winter weather. Meanwhile, if we go south of the equator, Australia has been experiencing a heat wave of mammoth proportions, with average daily temperatures well into the 100’s. It’s gotten so bad in Australia, as a matter of fact, that hundreds of thousands of fish have literally choked to death in the water. And while we’re discussing the southern hemisphere, we would be remiss to mention that Antarctic’s largest glaciers have been reported to be showing signs of ruptures, an indication that the region is warming at a record pace.

Clearly, the climate – the statistics of weather over long periods of time – of this planet, as opposed to the weather – which is merely the current state of the atmosphere – is in a period of rapid flux never before seen in human history, and as 2019 begins, it appears that the new year is picking up right where 2018 left off, unfortunately, with Climate Change accelerating at a destructive rate. However, it’s easy to see why people might be confused as to how Climate Change can be responsible for both exceedingly hot and exceedingly cold weather patterns at the same time, but these extremes fit with research into how humanity’s carbon footprint upon our planet are having such an impact.

Simply put, carbon emissions as a result of human activity are cumulatively increasing up in the planet’s atmosphere; as a result of this build-up of carbon, the warming of the planet overall begins to increase, causing the polar ice caps to melt and disrupt the temperature gradient between the Earth’s North and South Poles and the equator. This has the effect of flattening out the temperature gradient, which according to theory causes the jet streams – wind patterns that drive the planet’s weather systems – to weaken.

The weakening of the jet streams results in heavier, high-pressure weather fronts to be more difficult to propel on their natural path, causing them to remain in regions longer than they ordinarily would, resulting in potential heat waves. Likewise, during winter in the Arctic, warmer air drawn from the south as a result of a looser polar vortex not only makes for higher temperatures in the region, but also allows frigid air to escape to neighboring parts of the planet that it wouldn’t ordinarily reach; this explains the freakishly cold spell that the American Midwest is currently enduring.

The global trend is that temperatures overall are on the rise, and according to reports, the last four years has been the warmest on record. If mankind wishes to avert the eventual environmental disaster that the planet is facing in the future, countries need to come to an understanding and work together in order to save the Earth. Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are the highest they have ever been, according to reports; Earth is millions of years old, while mankind has only inhabited the planet for a mere 200,000 years, so the human race has no real experience with the new climate that is being created by its actions.

Recently, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change – a climate science division of the United Nations – noted that North America and Australia are expected to bear the brunt of rising temperatures, which will result in unexpected, unprecedented, and at-times unpredictable changes to weather patterns as time goes by. More areas are reporting droughts, heat waves, rising sea levels, and acidifying oceans, and only by working together and making a uniform plan to reduce carbon emissions will curb the scourge of Climate Change.

Environmental Highlights of 2018 Are Paving Way to Bright and Sustainable 2019

January 10, 2019 / Chris Boyle / 0 Comments

NEW YORK, NY - While the fight to sustain and protect the environment on this fragile little sphere that we all occupy is a constant uphill battle, 2018 was nonetheless a year that saw significant progress in advancing the “green” agenda, laying down the groundwork for an even more successful and productive 2019.

The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued a report in October of 2018 that the planet has only 12 years left in which mankind can institute changes – particularly a cut of at least 50 percent in carbon emissions by the planet as a whole – that will help to circumvent the most harmful and hard-hitting effects of global climate change.

This report was given credence by a report put out approximately a month later by the United States government, backing up the IPCC’s claims, noting that climate change has already had a serious impact upon America in the form of an increase in wildfires and hurricanes and that the occurrence and severity of these events will only increase if something is not done. The widespread coverage these reports received in the media last year helped to communicate the vital importance of combating global warming by all countries, great and small.

However, despite this grim news, 2018 also saw a great many stories regarding how the global community is taking steps to safeguard the environment in a number of effective and progressive ways, and that these efforts will carry over into the new year and beyond.

For example, clean, renewable energy sources were turned to at a much higher level than ever before in years past; companies worldwide purchased more clean energy solutions in a mere six months than in all of 2017 as a whole, which represents a significant investment by the overall business community in pledging themselves to using green power sources – including solar and wind – for their needs.

Electric vehicle sales from 2017 to 2018 also increased by a factor of 50 percent, and are predicted to continue their upward climb for the foreseeable future as the technology is further developed and refined, experts say. Their success is such that major automotive manufacturers such as Volvo, Nissan, Audi, Jaguar, and Mercedes are getting in on the act, with plans to develop and sell various models of electric cars in 2019. Also, many countries are adopting the use of electric buses for mass transportation needs, with China leading the way by replacing tens of thousands of internal combustion-based buses with their electric equivalent every month or two.

Major corporations has increased their transparency and public engagement in terms of their progress in adopting green attitudes as well; many well-known companies have installed displays in publicly-accessible areas of their buildings to engage visitors and convey the steps they have taken to reduce their carbon footprint, reduce their impact upon the environment, and incorporate sustainable practices in their business model.

In addition, 2018 saw a vast increase in the number of large companies that are rolling up their sleeves and pitching in with the cleanup of the Earth by way of monetary donations in the face of disaster relief across the planet. At the turn of the millennium, fewer than 35 percent of big businesses pitched in at all; fast-forward to 2018, and that number has risen to almost 90 percent, which is a definite sign of the overall trend in the corporate world to embracing sustainability and doing their part in protecting the planet that we all live on.

In contrast, coal mines are being closed across the world; 2018 saw Germany close its last remaining coal mine, and France is slated to do away with a majority of its coal mines by 2021. In addition, India has called off their plans to construct a number of new coal mines in their country as well and are investing in newer, green energy technologies to take up the slack for their power needs.

As you can see, 2018, while presenting some speed bumps in the global fight to preserve the environment, nonetheless was a red-letter year when it comes to not only shedding well-publicized light on the plight of climate change and how it’s affecting us in the here and now, but also when it comes to the nations of the world embracing green tech and power and curbing their reliance on fossil fuels. Indeed, the groundwork has been laid to ensure that 2019 will be even better.

A Blockchain Project That Has Ignited an Energy Revolution – ELONCITY Secures 20 Million USD in Investment

September 30, 2018 / Lee Ann Rush / 0 Comments

BEIJING -- The AI Grid Foundation has secured $20 Million in investments from dozens of global institutions including OK Blockchain Capital, Krypital Group, Starwin Capital, Fenbushi Capital, LD Capital, Horman Capital, Collinstar Capital, Interblock Capital, JRR Crypto, Fly Fund, Qingzheng Capital, Decentrust Capital, Powerlink Labs, GVC. PE, Ceyuan Digital Assets, and private investors. The ELONCITY investors focus on the long-term goals of improving community's lives around the world. These investors are ardent supporters of the AI Grid Foundation's mission to promote the ELONCITY Model and enable universal access to safe, reliable, affordable, sustainable and equitable energy services for all.

The rapid growth of the earth's population and the industrialization of developing countries are driving global energy demands to unprecedented levels. The world's energy dependence on fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas pose significant risks to the environment and are one of the leading drivers of detrimental climate changes.

The majority of scientists around the world agree that based on our current trajectory, the world is heading towards a series of irreversible ecological disasters. One possible pathway to alter this course is to decrease our dependence on fossil fuels drastically. The need for "GHG-free renewable energy" has become a pressing issue, concerning all of humanity.

With these challenges, new approaches to energy production and distribution are needed. The solutions must support vibrant and sustainable global growth. Andy Li founded the AI Grid Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Singapore. The AI Grid Foundation advocates for the employment of decentralized renewable energy as a viable solution to the problems of our existing energy system. The AI Grid Foundation has collaborated with organizations and communities around the world to develop the ELONCITY Model, a community-based and consensus-driven approach that employs decentralized renewable energy resources as a means of removing barriers to universal, safe, secure, reliable, affordable, healthy, and equitable electricity services.

Andy Li, founder of the AI Grid Foundation and the principal creator of the ELONCITY Model, previously led ChinaCache in building the content distribution network (CDN) Internet infrastructure. CDN is analogous to decentralized energy resources in the realm of the Internet. Andy also led Alibaba's Cloud Computing Data Center Architecture team to pioneer the application of direct current (DC) power systems for mega data centers in Asia. Additionally, Andy became a master of network traffic engineering during his tenure at Cisco Systems. His work helped realize system intelligence at the edge of the network, which is significantly superior to the traditional core distribution networks. Since 2014, Andy has been leading POMCube Inc. to develop intelligent network battery energy storage systems ("BESS"). POMCube will be one of the AI Grid Foundation's technology partners in piloting the ELONCITY microgrids and demonstrating the open standard ELONCITY Token Protocol (ECTP). Andy's team has successfully implemented BESS technology in residential households, commercial buildings, and small communities. Today, the AI Grid Foundation can provide customers with on-site renewable electricity generation and intelligently store locally produced electricity. Currently, Andy's team is developing a state-of-the-art blockchain smart contract platform to empower the customers to exchange renewable electricity with each other.

Andy Li aims to change the fundamental power infrastructure, promote the innovation of decentralized renewable energy technologies, address the fundamental inefficiencies of the existing centralized energy infrastructure, and to realize his dream of renewable energy becoming the de-facto resources for the emerging energy future. Although the journey to realize this aspiration is challenging, Andy Li has met many like-minded innovators and entrepreneurs in recent years that also want to tackle large energy problems to create a safer and healthier world.

Martin Friel, the director of the Birmingham Energy Institute at the University of Birmingham, said, "Globally, the biggest challenge facing the future of the energy sector will be building air conditioning." Building heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) consumes the largest energy load in a typical building, consuming more than half of the average building's electricity demand. To address this challenge, the AI Grid Foundation has forged a strategic partnership with GREE Electric Appliances, the world's largest HVAC manufacturer and a pioneer in the energy field. Andy Li and Dong Mingzhu, the founder of GREE Electric Appliances, plan to collaborate to drive market-wide adoption of direct current (DC) HVAC systems. The DC HVAC can significantly increase the efficiency of renewable energy systems by eliminating losses due to repeated DC-AC-DC conversions.

Andy Li also established strong collaborative ties with another innovative leader, Dai Zhen. Dai Zhen is the current Clean Energy Ambassador to the United Nations. He has the skills to promote renewable energy and local energy distribution that will accelerate the implementation of the global green energy infrastructure. Dai Zhen will serve as the lead advisor to the AI Grid Foundation on the ELONCITY project. His in-depth expertise and experience in the energy and blockchain sectors will be highly beneficial in the development and wide-scale proliferation of the ELONCITY Model.

It is often said that there are two kinds of sectors where disruptive breakthroughs happen. One is an area that is extremely complex and contains significant technological innovations. The other is an area with opportunities that are visible but are extremely difficult to turn into reality. The ELONCITY project encapsulates both.

This is the reason why many of the world's leading blockchain investment firms are competing to become a cornerstone investor in ELONCITY. Investing in ELONCITY means investing in not only the application of blockchain technology and decentralized renewable energy but also investing in the development of the shared regenerative energy future for communities globally.

New Report Identifies 30 Solutions for Reducing Greenhouse Gasses Through Behavior Change

September 30, 2018 / Lee Ann Rush / 0 Comments

ARLINGTON, VA. - A new report from Rare’s Center for Behavior & the Environment quantifies the contribution individual behavior change can make toward curbing greenhouse gas emissions. The Center’s analysis of 80 climate solutions outlined in Project Drawdown, a comprehensive plan to mitigate global warming, found that individual behavior plays a significant role in 30 of them. Further analysis of those 30 solutions, based on the emissions reduction potential estimates in Drawdown, found that greater adoption could help reduce about one-third of the projected global emissions between 2020 to 2050. The report also offers practitioners behavioral science tools to promote the adoption of the solutions.

“Undoubtedly, this list does demonstrate the massive potential that individuals and communities can have in terms of contributing to efforts to reduce emissions,” reads the report. “Solving the global climate change crisis is going to rely on, in one way or another, changing human behavior.”

The report divides the 30 solutions into four categories (food; agriculture and land management; transportation; and energy and materials) and identifies significant potential for mitigation. The total emissions reduction potential of these solutions is between 393 and 729 gigatons of carbon dioxide-equivalent greenhouse gases. Based on Drawdown’s modeling estimates, the projected total greenhouse gas emissions from 2020-2050 is 1,979 gigatons. Therefore, large-scale adoption of these 30 behavioral solutions could mitigate up to 36.8 percent of emissions between 2020 and 2050, increasing the chances for achieving the necessary milestones to keep global temperature rise to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.

"Tackling climate change can seem overwhelming, and people often feel like they can’t possibly make a difference. This report proves otherwise,” said Brett Jenks, President & CEO of Rare. “Our findings should offer hope to everyone looking for what they can do on a personal level to help address the climate crisis.”

The final chapter of the report outlines ways that behavior change tools can be applied to conservation and climate action.

“Compiling this list of solutions is just one step. Now we need people to adopt them,” said Kevin Green, Senior Director at the Center for Behavior & the Environment at Rare. “The Center for Behavior & the Environment is dedicated to connecting the growing body of knowledge about human behavior and decision making with many inspiring efforts all over the world to promote the adoption of sustainable, climate-smart behaviors.”

To encourage adoption, Rare will look to proven solutions. Earlier this year, Rare was joined by Conservation International, National Geographic, The Nature Conservancy, the United Nations Development Programme and the World Wildlife Fund in launching Solution Search, a global competition to identify, reward, and spotlight innovative, promising solutions to helping consumers adopt more climate-smart behaviors. The competition is currently in the judging phase, with finalists set to be announced later this Fall.

The report’s authors include Katie Williamson, Katie Velasco, and Kevin Green of the Center for Behavior & the Environment; and Aven Satre-Meloy, a doctoral student and Rhodes Scholar in the School of Geography and the Environment at Oxford University.

A copy of the report can be downloaded at Rare.org/Center.

The report is the first produced by the Center for Behavior & the Environment, which Rare established in 2017 to apply the latest insights from behavioral research to the world’s biggest conservation challenges. By closing the loop between the science of human motivation and decision-making and the practice of environmental stewardship, Rare hopes the Center will serve as a catalyst for promoting widespread adoption of more sustainable behaviors.

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