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Environmental issues (solar power, global warming, etc)

Page history last edited by Anelson 15 years, 5 months ago

For each entry, include the following as the TITLE

1) the title of the news article (in quotation marks);

2) the author of the article if one is listed (Associated Press & Reuters count as authors);

3) where you read the story (eg: New York Times online), in italics;

4) The URL of the story if you read it online; the page number(s) if you read it in print;

5) the date the story was published (and if you read it on line, the time you consulted it).

At the end of the summary, write your name!

 

There are several possible sub-topics here, post stories under one of these and/or add your own headings as appropriate.

 

Global warming

Water and Climate Change

Editorial

New York Times online

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/01/opinion/lweb01water.html

Published: October 1, 2008

 

The world is slowly learning about the connection between water and energy dealing with climate change.  It is estimated that close to about 4% of the nation’s electricity is used to treat water and wastewater.  Saving water saves energy. As Americans we must understand our role in controlling the impact of our nation’s water resources. We must insure that our water resources are protected.   We must protect America’s greatest liquid assets.

         

-Adam Nelson

 

Ten States With a PLan

Editorial

New York Times online

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/opinion/25thu2.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Published: September 24, 2008

 

      About almost every proposal in climate change has occurred at state or local level. Most of the changes have occurred in California, which has mandated the most reductions in greenhouse gases from industrial sources and cars. There has been a formal start of the Regional Greenhouse House Initiative, a plan that involves 10 eastern states to reduce CO2 emissions from industrial sources by a certain time period. Each state thought will set its own regulations on the decrease of CO2 emissions. The goal of this imitative is to stabilize emissions by 2015 and then scale CO2 back by 2.5% by 2018. This is not a drastic drop in emissions of CO2 but it’s an honorable start.

-Adam Nelson

 

Blocking the sky to Save the Earth

By THOMAS HOMER-DIXON and DAVID KEITH

New York Times online

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/20/opinion/20homerdixon.html

Published: September 19, 2008 10:35

 

 

To the relief of some scientist this year, the polar ice caps haven't shrunken to that of the estimation this year. Last year, the ice cap shrank at a record-breaking pace and was at its minimum of almost 39 percent. This year it’s down about 33 percent. The loss of ice in the recent years has put the Arctic melt decade models ahead of predictions, which is raising lots of concern about the changing of the climate. The decline of sea ice can have many effects on the environment. It is said that with the loss of sea ice ,energy circulation across the northern half of the planet could shift, altering jet streams, storm tracks, rainfall patterns and food production.

-Adam Nelson

 

"E.P.A wont act on polluntant"

The Associated Press

New York Times online  

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/washington/23brfs-EPAWONTACTON_BRF.html

Published: September 23, 2008 10:18pm 

 

 

 

The E.P.A (Environmental Protection Agency) has released a statement saying they will not act on the recent release of toxins in the water. A recent study has shown that the water in 35 states has shown traces of perchlorate, a drug that can interfere with thyroid function and pose developmental health risks. In a draft that the E.P.A gave out said that the level of perchlorate would not result in a “meaningful opportunity for health risk reduction for persons served by public-water systems.” This means that E.P.A is saying that they are not willing to clean up perchlorate, which can cause health risks in the water supply because they think it won’t cause drastic harm to the public. The end of this discussion was criticized by Democrats and Environmentalists who said that the Environmental Protection Agency reacted quickly from a constant pressure given by the pentagon. 

     -Adam Nelson

 

 

Solar Power incentives

"Berkeley Approves City-Backed Loans for Solar Panels"

The New York Times online

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/18/us/18solar.html?ref=science

Published: September 17, 2008

 

 

     Berkeley, California is offering new loans to home owners that participate in a new program they are starting. The city wants to give a total of $22,000 over 20 years to home owners as part of their property tax bills if they agree to install solar panels in their houses. The home owner's property taxes would be raised, however the city believes that the amount saved on energy will make up for the cost. The city still needs to find a way to raise the 1.5 million dollars required to follow through with this plan however, and a lender whose revenue they can utilize.

     -Xenia Fisher

 

"Berkeley Approves Landmark Solar Energy Lending Program for Homeowners"

Solve Climate online

http://solveclimate.com/blog/20080918/berkeley-approves-landmark-solar-energy-lending-program-homeowners

Published: September 18, 2008

 

 

     The solar panel program that Berkeley, California has approved is one step closer to turning the world green. The people of Berkeley are hoping that other cities in America will see what they are doing and follow after them. However, officials believe that other cities will wait to see how the program works for Berkeley before following them. The idea is to have a starting 50 homes install solar panels and charge them $180 a month as part of their property tax bill. The starting revenue is 1.5 million dollars, but officials estimate that in ten years the program will be worth 80 million dollars. Many home owners don’t want to join this program because they pay less than $180 a month now for electric bills.

     -Xenia Fisher

 

"Berkeley Eyes Carbon Tax, Higher Rates"

SF Gate

The San Francisco Chronicle online

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/24/BA21133LE9.DTL&tsp=1

Published: September 24, 2008

 

     The solar program in Berkeley, California is just one measure that the city is taking to help the environment. It is part of their goal to reduce the city’s greenhouse emissions by 80% by the year 2050. On top of the installing solar panels into homes they also want to implement a carbon tax, a less than two dollar a month tax added onto home owner’s utility bills. They also want to raise parking rates, like the prices for meters and expanding the residential parking permit zones. They believe that the increase in revenue from these other measures will help with the cost of the solar program.

     -Xenia Fisher

 

"Berkeley Financing Program Brings Renewable Energy Home"

Democratic Energy Communities and Government Working on our Energy Future

 

http://www.newrules.org/de/archives/000194.html

Published: Spetember 17, 2008

 

     The City Council met back in November 2007 to approve the concept of the “Sustainable Energy Financing District” in Berkeley, California. This would allow the city to help home owners finance the installation of the solar panels in their homes by creating the Special Tax Financing law in May 2008. This law allowed for the actual creation of the Sustainable Energy Financing District.

     -Xenia Fisher

 

 

 

 

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