 Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn Designated Superfund Status
For over a hundred years, the Gowanus Canal was used as a dumping ground for a host of refining and manufacturing companies. It is now one of the most polluted waterways in the U.S., with high concentrations of heavy metals and PCBs in the sediment. Though the Bloomberg administration was seeking to avoid a Superfund designation (believing that it could manage a faster cleanup without the Superfund stigma), the EPA will now begin the cleanup process, expected to take 10-12 years.
Are Methane Emissions from the Arctic Becoming a Big Problem?
There is some worrisome news coming out of the Arctic, where a recent study in Science has found that methane is bubbling up from deposits in the seafloor. Methane, 25 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, could amplify global warming as deposits located in the arctic permafrost and on the sea floor become more active. However, the short-lived nature of methane (compared to CO2) may make methane less worrisome than some think. Unfortunately the jury is still out.
The G.O.P.’s Green Rogue – Senator Lindsey Graham
Senator Lindsey Graham has been one of the sole Republican members of congress that has been actively pushing for domestic climate change legislation. In case you missed it, Tom Friedman’s column on how Senator Graham frames his push for a price on carbon emissions is well worth a read.
A Polar Bear Jawbone Provides Clues to the Species Evolution
It turns out that polar bear split from brown bears only 150,000 years ago. DNA evidence from a 130,000 year old jaw bone provides evidence that polar bears have been through warming periods before, giving hope that they would be able to adapt to rapidly warming temperatures in the arctic.
When I was younger I remember feeling the Loma Prieta quake while at an after-school program, and then upon returning home, heading next door to see my neighbor’s swimming pool still thrashing about. It was a peculiar sight.
 (Photo: Creative Corps / Flickr) That sense of peculiarity has returned to me these last couple months. First the earthquake in Haiti occurring a little less than a year after I was in the country assisting with a post disaster environmental assessment. And now the earthquake in Chile. Concepcion, Chile, the second largest city in the country that has sustained some of the most horrific damage, was my home for the better part of five months a number of years ago. The epicenter of the quake itself was disturbingly close to a remote stretch of coastline where my friends and I would retreat to camp and surf.
Both of these earthquakes are reminders that Earth is not a static place, but a changing and at times violent one. Some of those changes are gradual, and other times, as we have observed, they are sudden and severe. Both Haiti and Chile offer two examples of the latter case. Continue reading Catastrophe in Chile vs. Haiti and the Built Environment
A Massive Earthquake Rocks Chile – Why the Discrepancy in Damage and Death?
The 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Chile yesterday was 501 times as powerful as the earthquake that leveled Port-au-Prince, yet the death toll in Chile has been almost insignificant in comparison – >250,000 vs. 704 (at last count). The differences in geography, development, and preparedness are described by The Washington Post. Also check out USGS shake maps for Chile and Haiti.
Leading Arguments on Why We Need to Deal With Global Warming
Two articles in The New York Times today make the case for agressive action on combating climate change. Al Gore writes a persuasive op-ed on how climate change is an existential threat, while Robert Frank argues that the consequences of inaction in tackling climate change is far greater than the costs of dealing with it.
Floating Garbage Patch in the Atlantic Ocean Found
Plastic debris is continuing to accumulate in the world’s oceans and is concentrated in certain areas due to ocean currents. One area, known as the “Pacific garbage patch” is the size of Texas and located between the US west coast and Hawaii. Researchers have now found a similar area in the Atlantic, with a maximum plastic density of 200,000 pieces per square kilometer. Floating plastic “stuff” is ingested by and ensnares fish, seabirds, and other forms of marine life.
Is Cap-and-Trade Dead?
The Washington Post reports that three key senators (Kerry, Lieberman, and Graham) have been working feveroushly to draft an alternative to cap-and-trade. Instead of a setting up a national cap on emissions, their plan would target three sectors – electric utilities, transportation, and industry differently. Expect more news on this in the coming weeks as this plan is formally unveiled.
 Everything always looks a bit brighter after it rains This past week my girlfriend and I headed south through California to enjoy a little retreat together before an extended time apart. It is a drive I have done countless times, but it is considerably more enjoyable with company. We started off in Davis, and drove all the way south to San Diego, with plans to head back north through Los Angeles and then Santa Barbara on our way home toward San Francisco, and for Lisa, then off to Cambodia.
This past summer we made a similar drive down I-5 but were met with very different views. January and February have been wet months in California and instead of wide blue skies we were met with gray ones. In September 2009 water was on a lot of people’s minds in California, and none more so than the farmers of Central California. The state’s three yearlong drought (with a fourth on the way) had been especially hard on the Central Valley’s agricultural heartland, and there were dusty reminders of those troubles everywhere you looked (see a previous post on California’s drought and water woes). Continue reading A Drive Through Water, Weather, and Erosion in Southern California
The bicycle is increasingly being seen as a viable urban transportation alternative in cities worldwide. Bike commuting has clear health, traffic congestion, and environmental benefits, and should be encouraged to help make cities more livable and sustainable.
I love urban biking. The idea of cruising the streets in traffic is my idea of a good time. Recognizing that this practice might not be everyone’s cup of tea, I overwhelmingly support efforts to make urban areas more bike friendly, such as the installation of bike lanes.
I see three benefits to encouraging bicycles as a viable form of urban transportation:
- Cycling has clear health benefits, particularly with the obesity epidemic sweeping the country.
- Increasing the number of bicyclists for commuting or running errands decreases the number of cars on the road, thereby helping to ease traffic congestion.
- It is one of the most environmentally friendly forms of transportation, causing neither greenhouse gases nor various forms of air pollution.
After living in San Francisco for five months, I have found that this a great place in which to get around by bike.
Not only is the city relatively compact, but there are well-defined bike lanes and routes throughout the city. The majority of the bike routes allow riders to avoid some of the more substantial hills and highly trafficked streets. Couple these benefits with the temperate climate, the incredible vistas, and San Francisco is a great place to ride year round.
Continue reading Paving the Way for Bicycle Transportation in Cities
California has approved a statewide green building code (CALGREEN) that sets minimum standards for green building in the state. This initiative is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and conserve water, and by incorporating it into the existing building code, should minimize compliance costs.
 Governor Schwarzenegger of California
Last week, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that the California Building Standards Commission had approved a new Green Building Standards Code, known as CALGREEN (pdf). These new set of building standards, applying only to new construction and taking effect January of 2011, is the first statewide green building code in the nation.
“With this first-in-the nation mandatory green building standards code, California continues to pave the way in energy efficiency and environmental protection. Today’s action lays the foundation for the move to greener buildings constructed with environmentally advanced building practices that decrease waste, reduce energy use and conserve resources,” said Governor Schwarzenegger.
Buildings in California account for one-quarter of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions. The California Air Resources Board estimates that CALGREEN will avoid 3 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent in 2020. It will also reduce water use by 20% and divert 50% of construction waste to landfills.
Continue reading CALGREEN: New California Green Building Code
The following photos were taken during a March 2009 field assignment in Haiti. The purpose of that trip was to conduct a post-disaster environmental needs assessment following the 2008 hurricane season. This gallery offers some images of what Port-au-Prince looked like at that time, and provides a visual context for the sort of building construction and materials that made the city so vulnerable to the January 12 earthquake. It also offers a brief look at some of the environmental challenges facing Haiti. Now more than ever, Haiti will need help to reverse many of these trends as it starts the long process of rebuilding. It will be one of the most significant environmental recovery efforts ever launched.
See also:
Port-au-Prince, Haiti: An Environmental Catastrophe
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