Ever wondered what your own carbon footprint looks like? Calculate it here.

Once you’ve done that, make plans to come see Carbon Nation on October 25 at 6:00 PM at the Metcalf Auditorium in the Chace Center at RISD. Carbon Nation stands on the side of pioneers who want to find Solutions…who want to stop complaining and Take Action. Carbon Nation is an optimistic, solutions-based, non-preachy, non-partisan film that shows tackling climate change boosts the economy, increases national & energy security and promotes health & a clean environment.

What more could you ask for? Come and see.

Buy your tickets online today! Time is running out!

There is no surprise that tritum has reached the drinking water aquifer at Vermont Yankee.  The claimed surprise by both Vermont Yankee officials and state officials cannot be genuine.  

In June, CLF filed testimony stating:  “every indication is that the bedrock is, or soon will be, contaminated by tritium.”  CLF’s expert hydrogeologist reviewed Vermont Yankee’s groundwater data and analysis and concluded that the tritium is deep in the groundwater and has been there for months.  This  “represents clear evidence that radionuclides released from VY … have reached the bedrock surface, and threaten the water supply aquifer beneath it.”  (p. 19-20).

Water flows down and downstream.  Any grade schooler will tell you this.  Sadly, rather than step up to acknowledge and clean up the pollution, we are getting more lies about the leaks.  It is no surprise the aquifer is contaminated.  Vermont Yankee knew this in June.  Why are they lying now?

So the 100% biodegradable packaging that PepsiCo uses for its Sun Chips snacks is going away because … well, isn’t it obvious?!

PepsiCo is taking the no-waste, completely compostable, producer-finally-taking-responsibility-for-the- waste-it generates packaging off the shelves because WE complained that the packaging makes too much noise. It is hard to believe that we as consumers would make the conscious effort NOT to buy a product simply because the part of the product that we usually throw away is too loud. The trash trucks barreling down the side streets to pick up garbage (not too loud), the people living near landfills raising their voices to complain about rodents and odors and air quality (not too loud), citizen voices raised in anger to complain about higher taxes to pay for the higher costs associated with disposal of trash (not too loud), but a socially responsible package, designed to reduce our carbon footprint, our trash footprint, our costs …too loud?

It’s time to shut up and make some noise! Be Loud, Be Proud … and, p.s. buy a composter.

Do you care about trash (or lack thereof)? Join CLF’s Trash Talk campaign. Listen for us on  95.5 WBRU or become a fan of the  Trash Talk Landfill on Facebook.

I was privileged to meet yesterday afternoon with a delegation of Russian leaders and activists to talk about decommissioning nuclear power plants.  They were mostly interested in how groups like CLF work within the system.  What are our strategies, tactics and funding to do the work we do? 

The idea that we are funded by members and bring lawsuits or intervene in proceedings seemed more foreign to them than just our different nationalities.

In a country still facing the effects of Chernobyl, it is inspiring that a group of dedicated persons – mostly volunteers – are working so hard internationally on decommissioning.  I am encouraged by their enthusiasm. 

They seemed encouraged by Vermont’s example of passing a law to allow the state legislature to vote on relicensing.  They were wondering if they could do the same in Russia.  CLF helped write and pass that law in Vermont.   Maybe it will help our planet, and not just Vermont, rely more on cleaner forms of energy in the future, and avoid any more nuclear disasters.

An exciting start to the big offshore wind energy conference in Atlantic City New Jersey came in the form of an announcement that a lease for the Cape Wind project would be signed by the Secretary of Interior and a public signing of that lease.  The folks back home at CLF posted a timely statement about that on this blog, illustrated by my debut as a breaking news photographer (if I had as nice a smartphone as my wife it would be a better picture).

As it often has been, Atlantic City is an odd mix of the artificial (including the eerie artificially lit and climate controlled casinos where you literally can’t tell if it is day or night) and the natural (the crash of the Ocean waves is as real as it gets).  And into this odd mix (and it doesn’t get much odder than “your room is in the Centurion Tower, walk past the giant statue of Caesar and make a left”) we now stir in offshore wind.

So here is a reality check – the wind turbines on the Atlantic City wastewater treatment plant are a tourist attraction and folks redeveloping the historic “Steel Pier” on the Boardwalk are seeking to put wind turbines in place there.

Of course, New Englanders don’t like to think that they can learn from anyone.  We generally like to be a model for others – a way of thinking that has been around for many years.

Building a healthy and thriving New England will mean that we learn from Europe, where offshore wind is real and growing.  And yes, we should follow the lead of other places like New Jersey that are moving forward.

We need to do this right.  We need to be very conscious of the need to protect our Ocean flora and fauna – and to put in place true marine spatial planning, planning smart and thoughtful use of our submerged public lands.  But we need to do it.

We need to rid ourselves of coal fired generation, we need to make our homes, factories and offices much more efficient, we need to drive more efficient and cleaner cars, we need to drive less and we need to fully develop solar power and we need to do so much more in order to build a healthy and thriving New England.

But all these things are additive – none of them are instead of the others.  And part of the pile of actions that are needed is making appropriate and timely use of our offshore wind resources – and the signing of the lease this morning and the many actions and approaches being discussed and developed at this conference are steps towards doing that.

Tomorrow, the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Ian Bowles, will announce new state support for electric vehicles and the infrastructure needed to support them.  This is great news for the environment and the economy.

Electric vehicles are a vital piece of the puzzle when it comes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful pollutants from the transportation sector.  These benefits are multiplied when electric cars are powered by clean renewable energy such as wind and solar.  In fact, electric cars are especially compatible with wind power which is often at its height when electric cars are charging at night.  Although these benefits are dampened in parts of the country where coal-fired power provides the majority of electricity, electric cars are still an improvement over the status quo.   So purging the system of old coal-fired power plants will maximize the positive impacts of these vehicles.

In addition, electric vehicles, like the Nissan Leaf will need charging stations, batteries, and maintenance—all of which will create solid, new green collar jobs.  One of the fastest growing electric car battery manufacturers started right here in Massachusetts, and with programs like the one at UMass Lowell (which is hosting the summit) and other leading educational institutions in Massachusetts, this sector will continue to grow and provide revenues and jobs for years to come.  This announcement is yet another sign of Massachusetts’ commitment to fight climate change by embracing innovative solutions.  It follows on the heels of, and will support the agreement entered into between Massachusetts and Nissan earlier this year.

Electric vehicles are one of the significant types of technologies that would benefit from the adoption of a regional Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) that is being developed by eleven Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states and would create a robust market for transportation fuels that are cleaner than petroleum.  Of course, electric cars are only one piece of the puzzle.  Increasing public transit, supporting smart growth, and reducing vehicle miles traveled are also essential to cutting the climate change impacts from transporation which is currently the fastest growing sector for greenhouse gas emissions.

Check out the work that CLF is doing to promote a regional low carbon fuel standard and increased public transit, and take action to support transportation solutions for the entire region.

Hotter Temperatures More than Doubled Smog Days in New England

On October 1, the EPA announced that the number of bad air quality days increased from 11 last year to 28 in 2010.  These are also known as “high ozone days” and are triggered when ozone levels exceed the standards EPA has set to protect public health. Excessive ozone, more commonly known as smog, results from a combination of nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds and heat and sunlight. Even short-term exposure to smog has been shown to shorten lives and cause other severe health impacts, including shortness of breath, chest pain, asthma attacks, and increased hospitalization for vulnerable populations such as the very young, elderly, and those already suffering from lung or heart disease. In children, smog can also result in dramatic long-term impacts such as reduced lung development and function.

The hotter the day, the worse the smog—and that smog is intensified by the increased use of electricity from coal and other fossil fuel-fired power plants when we crank up our air conditioners.  Emissions from cars and trucks add to the dangerous mix, and as climate change progresses, the temperatures continue to rise.

Until now, the greater Boston area had experienced an average of 14 days of 90 degrees or more per year. In 2007, the Union of Concerned Scientists had estimated that climate change would result in no more than 15-18 days of 90+ degree weather from 2010-2039.

But in 2010, Boston endured 23 days of 90+ degree weather, far outstripping both the annual average and predictions of what that number would be in the future.  Although EPA has proposed stronger emissions limitations for power plants and cars and trucks, the rapid rise in 90+ degree days is a side effect of climate change that has already been set in motion, and it will continue and worsen unless we take action now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Coal-fired power plants rank as one of the primary culprits when it comes to emitting climate change pollutants and nitrogen oxides.  Across the nation, coal-fired power plants are the second largest source of nitrogen oxide emissions, and here in New England alone, eight coal-fired power plants churn out 10,515 tons of nitrogen oxide a year and millions of tons of carbon dioxide.  By contributing to climate change and increasing smog-forming pollutants, coal-fired power plants pose a major threat to New England’s air quality.  Creating a healthier future for New England means creating a Coal Free New England.  CLF is committed to shutting down each one of these polluting plants by 2020.  Work with CLF to create a thriving, healthy New England.

Yes! On Monday October, 25, 2010 you’re invited to the Providence premiere of Carbon Nation, a documentary about climate solutions. Filmmaker Peter Byck has taken a complex and polarizing topic and made it apolitical, accessible, and entertaining. You’ll meet (to name a few):

• A rancher bringing new life to a Texas town through wind farming.
• Government employees working to make the military more energy efficient.
• Farmers using innovative, low-carbon growing methods.

The screening, presented by the Conservation Law Foundation and ClimateCounts.org, will be followed by a discussion with director Peter Byck and a panel of environmental pundits and climate policy experts. A reception with light refreshments will follow the discussion.

The details:

Screening of Carbon Nation, a film about climate solutions
Monday, October 25
6 p.m.
RISD Metcalf Auditorium at the Chace Center
20 N. Main Street
Providence, RI

Tickets are $20 online for general admission and $5 online for students.* There will be a $5 premium for purchasing tickets at the door, so buy your tickets online today!

You won’t want to miss this! Tell a friend (or two) and come enjoy an evening that celebrates solutions, inspiration, and action.

I’m one of those people who believes that climate change is the biggest challenge facing the planet, but I was baffled about how to react when I saw the Polar Bear ad for the Nissan Leaf®.  At first I thought it must be an ad by one of the national environmental groups, and I was shocked that they could afford the spot on the opening night of Thursday Night Football®.  When I realized it was an ad for an electric car, I couldn’t decide whether to be thrilled or concerned.  On one hand, I am thankful to see a multi-national corporation embracing the problem of climate change and investing in solutions.  Nissan’s commitment is virtually heroic when compared to the oil and coal industries’ multi-million dollar campaigns to confuse the world about the reality of climate change.  In addition, emissions from cars and trucks are one of the most rapidly growing sources of greenhouse gas pollution in the United States and worldwide, and electric cars are a promising solution. So why couldn’t I just enjoy the moment and applaud a victory in the climate change battle?

Two reasons.

First, fueling cars on electricity isn’t as effective if that electricity comes from coal-fired power plants. This is a real-world example of jumping “out of the frying pan and into the fire.”  If we reduce gasoline use but ramp up coal burning and all the things that come with it—mountaintop removal mining, strip mining, coal ash, mercury pollution and so on—then we reduce positive impacts of electric cars, and  contribute to plenty of other environmental damage.[1] Solving the problem of climate change demands action on all fronts, not just a transformation of the cars we drive, but of the electricity that fuels them and the rest of our society. If electric cars are really going to be part of the solution, then we must work to get renewable energy flowing through the transmission lines that power them. At the same time, we must also work to reduce our overall energy demand through energy efficiency and other new technologies.

Second, I love polar bears. Sometimes I almost cry during the Coke® ads, but I worry that when people see us pointing to polar bears and penguins as the victims of climate change, they will fail to see it as a problem that impacts people.  I understand that pictures of the wreckage from Hurricane Katrina,  victims of flooding in the Midwest or Pakistan or countless other “natural disasters” intensified by climate change are painful to see and painful to contemplate, but they are just as much the symbol of climate change as polar bears.

I know I can’t expect Nissan to focus its ad campaign on maximizing awareness and action on climate change, and that creating a market for and successfully putting electric cars on the road is already a big step forward; however, I hope ads like Nissan’s, will move people to think about all of the everyday choices we make that affect the climate and not just what kind of cars we drive Here are just a few of the ways that you can fight climate change:

1. Maximize energy efficiency at home. Check out some of the incentives and rebates available.
2. Ask your electric provider if they have a renewable energy option. National Grid offers a GreenUp option, and NStar offers NStar Green and a number of other providers.
3. Bike or use public transit whenever you can.  MassBike provides great information and training on commuting.
4. Become a CLF member to learn about climate change issues in Massachusetts.

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[1] Notably, this is less of an issue in areas like New England where natural gas power plants make up the bulk of the electric grid.