Posted: January 8, 2025 by main_y0ke11

Climate Corner: Dollars and (common) sense

Jan 4, 2025

Griffin Bradley

editorial@newsandsentinel.com

With the 2024 elections behind us and a second Trump administration preparing to take control in a few short weeks, I find it to be a time of reflection on the last four years. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Despite the rhetoric around America’s political realities and what the future may hold, we must also look back at the consequential policy of the Biden administration and the indelible impact it had on clean energy and climate.

The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act set a new standard for prioritizing clean energy and climate issues, putting hundreds of billions of dollars toward cleaning up our energy system, stabilizing our aging grid, and more. Over the last four years, America has seen monumental investments in clean energy and climate priorities by the federal government and private businesses alike. Now, with a new administration and a Republican trifecta in Washington, the risk of backtracking on the commitments and progress we have seen across the country is real.

We’ve all heard for months that deficit hawks in Congress look to take a “scalpel, not a sledgehammer” to spending in the next federal budget. This concept begs an overarching question: what gets cut, and who does it impact? Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has made it clear that he sees IRA funding as a key source of cuts, but little is known on what parts will stay and what parts will go. What we do know, however, is that there remains a strong contingent of Republican House members who support the IRA.

But, wait. Hasn’t one of the key talking points of the Republican Party throughout the last election cycle been that the federal government is wasting taxpayer dollars on “woke” climate issues? Then why have 18 Republicans — a bloc well large enough to tank any initiative of the current five-seat majority — signed a letter stumping for a Biden administration policy?

Well, it turns out that injecting capital into projects that have direct benefits for Americans is a popular endeavor, regardless of what party’s administration made it happen.

Since the passage of the IRA, the lion’s share of funding (nearly 4x) has gone to Republican districts. From EV battery manufacturing in North Carolina to budding energy storage technologies being developed right here in West Virginia, we are seeing an economic renaissance of sorts. Blue collar, hard-working areas of America that have been looking for new opportunities in a new economy have got it, due in no small part to the IRA.

A recent report shows over 3.3 million Americans are employed in the clean energy space as of 2023, a number that has steadily increased since 2020. Beyond federal recognition that clean energy and climate is worth investing in, these burgeoning jobs numbers show that corporate and private-sector entities agree and have doubled down on their commitments to a cleaner world. From the corporations that make many of your household products to the small startups that are on the bleeding edge of technology, there is continued support and ambition tied to investments in climate issues.

While we don’t yet know what is to come for these substantial programs and investments, we have so many examples of the good that federal funding has done, not just for clean energy and climate, but for restoring the economic value of rural America. We have the opportunity to simultaneously lift up broad swaths of our country while also making it a better place for our children, grandchildren and beyond to thrive. So, when the inevitable fight around funding in Washington starts and the IRA is on the chopping block, remember what is really at stake.

This is more than just dollars and cents.

***

Griffin Bradley is a lifelong Wood County resident, graduate of West Virginia University (B.A., Political Science ’21; M.A., Political Science ’23), and a contributing author for Mid-Ohio Valley Climate Action.

Posted: December 28, 2024 by main_y0ke11

Climate Corner: A Challenge and an Opportunity

Dec 28, 2024

Rebecca Phillips

editorial@newsandsentinel.com

2024 has been a year of climate-related disasters. On Dec. 19, Reuters published one photo from each of the countries mentioned in its coverage this year: of the 125 countries, 22, or more than 15%, of the images featured the aftermath of floods, wildfires, hurricanes, droughts, or heat waves, and this in a year that saw political upheavals and wars across the globe. In the United States alone, wildfires burned 8.4 million acres, a million and a half more than the average of the last ten years, which have seen historically high fire numbers. The eighteen named storms of the Atlantic hurricane season devastated places as far from the coast as Asheville, N.C. and, combined, caused $190 billion in damages. Twenty-four of this year’s climate-related events caused more than $1 billion each in damage and resulted in 418 human deaths in just the U.S.

The areas most at risk for property damage and loss of life are those to which Americans have been moving in recent decades, specifically, the South and Southwest. Arizona’s large cities are possible only because of water diversion from the Colorado River, and that river is drying up. Some Phoenix-area developers have been unable to get building permits because there is not enough water available to service the homes they want to build. Many home insurers have stopped writing policies for hurricane-prone areas of Florida, leaving the state the only insurer available, with half a trillion dollars in liabilities. The National Flood Insurance Program was $21 billion dollars in debt, debt for which taxpayers are ultimately responsible, before the damage caused by hurricanes Helene and Milton.

As Scripps Prize-winning journalist Abrahm Lustgarten puts it in his book “On the Move: The Overheating Earth and the Uprooting of America,” “Drought, coastal flooding, crop failures, intensifying hurricanes, extreme heat, and wildfires will begin to overlap and close in on the country from its edges, slowly making entire regions less attractive and even, in some extreme cases, unlivable. … Decades from now, the United States will be wildly different, even unrecognizable.”

These changes may make some currently growing areas less desirable. While the last few decades have seen more people leaving areas like the MOV than moving here, researchers have noticed what may be the beginning of a new pattern of climate migration, people leaving fire-and hurricane-prone areas for safer parts of the country. Many of these migrants have chosen to settle in the so-called Rust Belt, our country’s former industrial heartland. There have recently been numerous conferences and a fair amount of press on the Great Lakes region as a “climate haven,” an area likely to avoid the worst effects of climate change. Universities and think tanks have been exploring how Rust Belt cities can prepare for population gain. Already, Duluth, Minn., markets itself as “climate-proof Duluth” and in the last few years has seen nearly 2,500 new residents from other states, many of them escaping wildfires and high temperatures. This number represents an over 3% increase in its population after decades of decline. Invest Appalachia has issued a report on the central Appalachians, an area that includes the Mid-Ohio Valley, as a region that can absorb climate migrants and revitalize our communities in the process.

Yes, despite the destruction that climate change is wreaking, we can use this challenge to strengthen the communities in our less-climatically-threatened region. Go to nearly any town or city in Ohio or West Virginia and count the empty homes, retail buildings, and former schools.

Many of these are sturdy buildings in established areas, well worth saving if there were people to do so. In addition to physical infrastructure, our region contains close-knit, welcoming communities. Imagine Wood and Washington counties with 7,000 or so additional residents bringing their skills and ideas, easing labor shortages, creating new businesses raising families. This is a possible dream if we prepare for it, as Marietta is doing with the Reimagine Marietta process.

Creating the physical and social infrastructure for a growing rather than a declining region is not an easy task, but a crisis can provide an opportunity. Climate change is almost certain to bring a stormier, hotter, more dangerous world with less land hospitable to human civilization; however, in our region we have the opportunity to grow and strengthen communities that can thrive more than they ever have.

My wish for the New Year.

***

Rebecca Phillips taught research writing at WVU Parkersburg and is a member of Mid-Ohio Valley Climate Action.

Posted: December 21, 2024 by main_y0ke11

Climate Corner: The solstice and our fragile balance

Dec 21, 2024

Jean Ambrose

editorial@newsandsentinel.com

This morning at 4:21 a.m., as most of us in West Virginia were still in bed, the Earth paused. Today marks the winter solstice — the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. At this precise moment, our planet, wobbling on its 23-degree axial tilt, stopped leaning away from the sun and began tilting back toward it. The term “solstice” originates from the Latin solstitium, meaning “sun standing still,” symbolizing this fleeting moment of stillness before the Earth shifts its course.

This axial tilt is vital for life, shaping our seasons and moderating Earth’s temperatures to sustain an extraordinary diversity of organisms, including humans. Ancient cultures, deeply attuned to the seasons, built structures like Stonehenge in England, Machu Picchu in Peru, and the Cahokia mounds in Illinois to track celestial events. These monuments testify to humanity’s deep reliance on nature’s cycles and the celebration of the solstice as a time of balance and renewal.

The winter solstice signifies both an ending and a beginning. While the cold and darkness prevail, Earth’s subtle tilt triggers the first signs of change. Plants and animals begin to respond to the lengthening days, setting the stage for spring’s rebirth. For centuries, cultures have commemorated this turning point with rituals and feasts, emphasizing themes of renewal, community, and the enduring promise of light. These traditions serve as reminders of our shared humanity and connection to the rhythms of nature.

Yet, in our modern lives, we have grown distant from these cycles. This detachment not only weakens our sense of belonging but also harms our stewardship of the planet. While ancient peoples found comfort in the predictability of seasonal patterns, today, human activities are disrupting these natural rhythms. The climate crisis–fueled by deforestation, fossil fuel consumption, and unchecked industrialization–is destabilizing the very cycles we once depended on. Seasons are shifting, temperatures are rising, and ecosystems are under mounting stress.

In its resilience, Earth is attempting to rebalance itself, but the strain caused by humanity’s thoughtless greed is unprecedented. Unchecked pollution, exploitation of natural resources, and rampant greenhouse gas emissions have pushed the planet’s climate systems into disarray. The natural cycles that once ensured stability can no longer be trusted in the same way. This unsettling reality underscores the consequences of prioritizing short-term gains over long-term sustainability. By pushing Earth beyond its limits, we endanger not just the environment but our own future.

The solstice invites us to reflect on the balance between darkness and light, not just in nature but in our relationship with the planet. Reconnecting with the natural world–whether by eating local foods according to the seasons, reducing our carbon footprint, or simply observing the beauty around us — offers a pathway to restore harmony. It reminds us of the intricate web of life we belong to and the responsibility we share to protect it.

As we celebrate the return of the sun, let us also pledge to safeguard the cycles that sustain life. The solstice is more than a moment in time; it is a call to action. Even in the darkest moments, there is potential for renewal and growth. By confronting the climate crisis, we honor the wisdom of the natural world and help secure a brighter, more sustainable future for all.

So when you hang a wreath, let it remind you of the wheel of life. Shut off the electricity and light candles as you feast with friends and family. Appreciate the sun and soil and water that were essential to the food on your table and the contributions of immigrants and marginalized communities who make this abundance possible. Finally, as we gather in our communities, be strengthened in the sure knowledge that we cannot protect our families, our futures, or our planet alone — we will always need each other.

***

Jean Ambrose lives on a ridge near Mountwood Park.

Posted: December 14, 2024 by main_y0ke11

Climate Corner: No peace for Earth

Dec 14, 2024

Aaron Dunbar

editorial@newsandsentinel.com

In October of 1963, Bing Crosby released his iconic rendition of the classic holiday song, “Do You Hear What I Hear?” While the song’s lyrics are in clear reference to the Nativity, it was originally written and composed by the husband and wife duo of Noel Regney and Gloria Shayne, during the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Listened to from this perspective, it becomes clear that the mention of stars “with a tail as long as a kite” and pleas to “pray for peace, people everywhere” were a direct response to the very real nuclear fears of the age.

“I had thought I’d never write a Christmas song,” Regney once recounted. “Christmas had become so commercial. But this was the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis. In the studio, the producer was listening to the radio to see if we had been obliterated. En route to my home, I saw two mothers with their babies in strollers. The little angels were looking at each other and smiling. All of a sudden, my mood was extraordinary.”

At the time of its writing, Shayne confessed that the two of them were unable to even fully perform the song themselves due to the emotional intensity of its subject matter. “Our little song broke us up. You must realize there was a threat of war at the time.”

Six decades on, and this haunting holiday tune sadly maintains the same degree of relevance as the day that it was written. Last year on Christmas Day, the birthplace of Christ was literally being bombed with munitions manufactured and provided to Israel by the United States. This year, the same administration perpetrating the genocide in Gaza is doing everything it can to provoke nuclear conflict with Russia on its way out the door, funneling billions in weapons to Ukraine and twisting Volodymyr Zelenskky’s arm to try and lower his country’s draft age to 18. Our tragic failure to learn from history and to insist on imperialist conflict escalation over diplomacy makes a song like “Do You Hear What I Hear?” truly evergreen.

As someone who genuinely loves this time of year, I find myself increasingly shaken by the jarring contrast of the holiday season with the ongoing destruction of our planet, whether through war or environmental catastrophe — or, as is often the case, through the intermingling of both.

It may be that I’m out holiday shopping, my car’s radio tuned in to Christmas carols for the entire month of December, and apropos of nothing I’ll find myself contemplating a near certain future in which the Global North’s consumption of fossil fuels has locked the world into 2C or more of global warming. This in itself would be enough to kill off 99% of the world’s coral reefs, and likely lead to the deaths of more than a billion people — and yet it increasingly seems that this figure is on the low end of what we can expect in years to come.

Walking past a mall Santa, I can’t help but think of the North and South Poles heating faster than anywhere else on the planet, or the Antarctic Doomsday Glacier that’s been melting at an accelerated rate, threatening catastrophic sea level rise.

Santa himself, I’m reminded, was largely popularized in his modern-day form by Coca-Cola, a company which has been named the largest plastic polluter on the planet for some five years in a row at this point. Evidently not satisfied with limiting themselves to a single area of environmental desecration, in 2024 Coke decided to replace their widely celebrated and iconic holiday ads with a series of visually grotesque commercials created through generative AI. This technology, as I detailed in a previous Climate Corner column, is expected to contribute to a doubling of the world’s energy needs by 2026, accelerating the already disastrous rate of global heating while also guzzling down millions of gallons of water, leading to global scarcities of this most vital resource.

It’s strange to me, as well, to watch a nation that proudly labels itself as “Christian,” celebrating the birth of Christ while living as culturally divorced from His teachings as possible. Violence and overconsumption have become our national brand, and we’ve taken to worshiping the corrupt CEOs and arms dealers making billions from the engineering of mass scale human tragedy as their own kinds of messiahs. Jesus, in His teachings, is unmistakable in His condemnation of the rich to the fires of hell, as well as His uplifting of the poor, the meek, and the foreigner upon this earth. Why, then, in 2024, when the chasm between the wealthy and poor has never been greater, when the lies and corruption of the wealthy and those in power have never been of more tragic consequence to the world than they are now, are we taught by our culture to emulate those who have gone completely insane with greed, and to reject the poor, the vulnerable, and those in need from among our number?

Finally, as yet another year of climate inaction draws to a close, I find myself wondering how many “good years” we still have left before things truly start to collapse. Even this, I know, is a privileged notion to entertain, as I lie under warm blankets in a well-heated home, with plenty of food to eat, clean water to drink, and so far mostly insulated from the ravages of the climate crisis, which have already left so many with nothing in this world. I do my best to go about my business, making plans for a future I know the generation of children being born today will likely never have. I read about yet another “hottest year on record” in the books, knowing that this will only be true until next Christmas rolls around.

In spite of all of this, my love for the true spirit of the holidays remains undamped. Noel Regney’s “pray for peace, people everywhere” is a call to action that stays with me year round. Not just to pray for it, but to personally manifest it, and to try to give back whatever amount of light into this ever darkening world that I can.

***

Aaron Dunbar is a member of Mid-Ohio Valley Climate Action.

Posted: December 7, 2024 by main_y0ke11

Appalachian hydrogen hub is a dirty-energy boondoggle that should be canceled

December 6, 2024

Randy Pokladnik

Cleveland.com editorial

In the fall of 2023, the Biden administration’s Department of Energy (DOE) announced a $7 billion investment in seven regional hydrogen hubs, to be financed through the Inflation Reduction Act. One of those hubs, the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub or ARCH2, will receive up to $925 million and see projects spanning the states of Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. The future of ARCH2 is uncertain and may be affected by the incoming administration.

After the initial announcements of projects, DOE promised there would be opportunities for community engagement — but that has not happened. The Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations and the DOE held listening sessions about the hub this spring, and on Nov. 7, an open house was held in Dunbar, West Virginia. Open houses scheduled for Ohio and West Virginia have been postponed indefinitely. Very little technical information about the various projects has been released to the public, making it difficult for citizens to engage or comment on projects. As a result, on May 28, over 50 environmental organizations signed a letter created by the Ohio River Valley Institute (ORVI), asking the DOE to suspend negotiations on the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub until more information on the projects was released.

In addition, a recent report by ORVI pointed out that, “Four project development partners have exited ARCH2 and five of the 15 originally proposed projects have been scrubbed.”

Projects still in play in Ohio include: two Plug Power/Amazon facilities, Independence Hydrogen, and the Dominion Energy/Stark Area Regional Transit Authority project. The majority of partners in the ARCH2 hub are fossil fuel corporations or companies with ties to fossil fuels. No renewable energy companies are involved in ARCH2. Any energy used for Plug Power water electrolysis plants will be fossil-fuel-based, as Ohio only produces 4% of its electricity from renewables.

ARCH2′s hydrogen will be “blue hydrogen” — hydrogen collected from fracked methane gas molecules using steam methane reforming. The result will be more dangerous fracking for our communities, more fugitive methane emissions, more water withdrawals, more radioactive brine, more truck traffic, more exposures to carcinogens, and more fracking infrastructure.

The Achilles heel of blue hydrogen is its reliance on carbon-capture-storage technology (CCS) to sequester carbon dioxide and store it in Class VI injection wells. CCS is expensive and ineffective. One example is the Gorgon facility in Australia which operated at a third of its capacity. The pipelines used for CO2 transportation can rupture and release concentrated carbon dioxide, which is an asphyxiant. A pipeline rupture in Satartia, Mississippi injured 45 people.

Hydrogen gas is explosive and highly flammable; can permeate steel as well as plastics; is an indirect greenhouse gas; creates toxic NOx emissions when blended with methane for a fuel; and causes the embrittlement of steel, which would make transportation via existing pipelines problematic.

Economically speaking, hydrogen as an energy carrier is extremely expensive and thus requires significant subsidies. Each time an energy source is converted to another form of energy, energy is lost during the conversion. “It will always be more efficient to rely first on the direct use of renewable electricity wherever it is possible to do so,” argues a 2021 Earthjustice report.

Hydrogen projects globally are seeing a lack of a market, and companies are abandoning new hydrogen projects. The high costs of hydrogen will be passed on to ratepayers and citizens. Why support more extractive industries in our region? Why gamble on there being a long-term market for hydrogen gas? It would make more sense to spend money on safe, affordable energy projects such as wind turbines, solar arrays, energy efficiency, and electrification of transportation.

Anti-fracking activist Randi Pokladnik is a lifelong resident of the Ohio River Valley and a retired Weirton Steel research chemist with a Ph.D. in environmental studies.

Posted: December 7, 2024 by main_y0ke11

Climate Corner: Blooming in an unfavorable climate

Dec 7, 2024

Callie Lyons

editorial@newsandsentinel.com

In the face of a political climate that feels increasingly unfavorable, especially for environmentalists and those advocating for systemic change, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and hopeless. The challenges–stagnant policies, rising climate impacts, and polarized discourse — can seem insurmountable. Yet, history shows that hope thrives in adversity, and progress often begins with small, focused steps.

Reframing hopelessness into hope starts with the realization that while circumstances may not change overnight, our response to them can. This means mastering the art of blooming where we’re planted, finding opportunities for growth and impact, even in the harshest conditions.

“Bloom where you’re planted” isn’t just a metaphor; it’s a strategy. Environmental advocates, youth activists, and marginalized groups all face unique barriers, yet their stories are filled with examples of persistence leading to progress. Local actions — whether installing solar panels on a school roof, planting community gardens, or enacting green municipal policies — have ripple effects.

When we accept our current position as a starting point, rather than a fixed limitation, we empower ourselves to turn challenges into opportunities for growth.

Change is rarely the work of one person or group — it’s the result of united efforts. Coalitions are essential for achieving progress in tough times. Youth activists partnering with scientists, environmental justice organizations collaborating with healthcare professionals, and faith-based groups joining hands with conservationists show the power of diverse alliances.

Challenges often force us to innovate, and the environmental movement is no stranger to doing more with less. Limited resources, whether time, funding, or political support, can inspire groundbreaking solutions.

This principle applies to personal action, too. You don’t need an unlimited budget to reduce waste, adopt sustainable habits, or educate others about climate issues. Small steps, like hosting a workshop or planting a pollinator garden, can inspire broader action.

At its core, this approach to reframing hopelessness is about rediscovering agency. When challenges feel overwhelming, the antidote lies in identifying what we can do and doing it with purpose. Here are three pillars to keep in mind:

Find Strength in Small Victories

Celebrate and share progress, no matter how modest. Whether it’s a city adopting a renewable energy standard or a community rallying to protect local wetlands, every win fuels the larger fight.

Collaborate Across Divides

Build unexpected alliances. Environmentalists working with businesses, or scientists partnering with religious groups, can create momentum by focusing on common ground.

Embrace a Vision for the Future

Use storytelling and education to paint a vivid picture of what’s possible. Hope isn’t passive–it’s the product of actionable plans and the belief that today’s work can create tomorrow’s change.

Yes, the road ahead is steep, and the challenges are vast. But adversity has always been the proving ground for progress. From the civil rights movement to the environmental victories of the past, history reminds us that persistence, collaboration, and creativity can overcome even the toughest odds.

So, let’s bloom where we’re planted. Let’s build coalitions that amplify our voices and find innovative ways to do more with less. And above all, let’s replace hopelessness with a hope grounded in action–a hope that fuels us to create the change we desperately need.

The future is unwritten, but it is not without authors. Together, we can write a story of resilience, collaboration, and hope. Let’s get to work.

***

Callie Lyons is a journalist, researcher and author who works for FITSNews. Her 2007 book “Stain-Resistant, Nonstick, Waterproof and Lethal: The Hidden Dangers of C8,” was the first to cover forever chemicals and their impact on communities — a story later told in the movie “Dark Waters.” Her investigative work has been featured in media outlets, publications, and documentaries all over the world. Lyons also appears in “Citizen Sleuth” — a 2023 documentary exploring the genre of true crime.

Posted: November 30, 2024 by main_y0ke11

Climate Corner: COP(out)29

Nov 30, 2024

Giulia Mannarino

editorial@newsandsentinel.com

The United Nations Security Council is the only organ of the United Nations that has the power to make decisions that member states are obligated to implement. Their five permanent members have veto power and are China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland and the United States. There also are ten non-permanent members which are elected each year for a two year term by the U.N. General Assembly. The Presidency of the Security Council rotates monthly among the members. The United Nations Secretary-General is appointed by the Security Council. That individual is the chief administrative officer of the U.N. and has many responsibilities including heading the Secretariat, the part of the U.N. that carries out the organization’s programs, policies and day-to-day work. The UNSG is expected to advocate for all the world’s people, especially the poor and vulnerable. UNSGs serve a five-year term and can be re-appointed for a second five-year term. There is no limit to the number of terms a UNSG can serve; however, no one has held the office for more than two terms.

In the context of the U.N., “COP” stands for “Conference of Parties.” It refers to the 198 parties that have ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. This includes 197 countries plus the European Union and constitutes near universal membership. The host country of the COP rotates among the five U.N. regional groups with regional group members determining which country from their region will make an offer to host. Preventing “dangerous” human interference with the climate system is the main aim of the UNFCCC. Their conferences, held yearly, are the world’s only multilateral decision-making forum on climate change. The group reviews progress made toward goals and discusses and determines further actions to address the crisis of global warming.

The first COP was held in 1995 in Berlin, Germany. The last three COPs have been held in countries considered major fossil fuel producers; Egypt (COP27), United Arab Emirates (COP28) and most recently Azerbaijan (COP29), raising concerns about a conflict of interest.

These host nations can prioritize their fossil fuel interests over strong climate action, potentially allowing fossil fuel lobbyists significant influence during the negotiations. In fact, COP29 opened with a minister’s defense of fossil fuels and 1,880 fossil fuel industry lobbyists attended. This number exceeds the number of delegates attending for each of the five permanent member nations of the Security Council (China — 969, France — 649, Russian Federation — 900, United Kingdom — 470, USA — 405). COP29, originally scheduled for 12 days, was extended to finalize critical but chaotic negotiations especially concerning the amount of funding for a “Loss and Damages Fund” that came out of COP28. These funds are to be paid by countries and corporations that have caused the problem to help the undeveloped countries that have been impacted. But the final amount approved was inadequate and will not be disbursed for years. Other issues not resolved were postponed to be taken up next year.

The ninth and current UNSG is Antonio Guterres who took office in January 2017 and was re-appointed to a second term. Guterres was born in Lisbon, Portugal and graduated from the Instituto Superior Tecnico with an engineering degree. He has served in Portugal’s Parliament as well as its Prime Minister and as U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. Guterres, who is fluent in four languages, has made over a hundred speeches about the climate emergency and has regularly called out governments and companies for adding “fuel to the flames of climate change.” Many of his speeches can be viewed on YouTube. His message is that countries must find the will to address the threat of global warming. He has emphasized that 1.5 degrees C is an important tipping point and the need for action to prevent it is unprecedented. Guterres often emphasizes the fact that those least responsible for the problem are hardest hit by the consequences. He believes it is not too late to take action but that it will require maximum global cooperation. A speech he delivered June 5, 2024, titled:“Special Address on Climate Action: A Moment Of Truth,” includes a doable global climate action plan. Guterres’s command of the English language is excellent, but his accent, at least to my ears, seems to mispronounce the word “fuel” as “fool.” It is unintentional, but entertaining and seems accurate.

***

Giulia Mannarino of Belleville, is a grandmother concerned about her two granddaughters’ futures and a member of Mid-Ohio Valley Climate Action.

Posted: November 23, 2024 by main_y0ke11

Climate Corner: A mission to empower people

Nov 23, 2024

Eric Engle

editorial@newsandsentinel.com

Mid-Ohio Valley Climate Action has now contributed our Climate Corner column to the Parkersburg News and Sentinel for over three-and-a-half years. I want to thank the editor for her willingness to have published our column all this time and to continue publishing as we submit. It has been the honor and privilege of all our writers to keep information on the global climate crisis and related subjects in the weekend editions of the paper.

The community has largely been accepting, or at the very least deferential, to our column and we also appreciate that as we continue to engage with folks in the area in numerous ways. Some published responses to our column, though, particularly by one writer, have been derogatory, often fallacious, and made use of refuted talking points. I’d like to address that here, as well as share with you our plans as an organization for 2025 following the outcomes of the recent elections.

MOVCA is an organization consisting of and supported by people from all walks of life. While I am an outspoken atheist Humanist, many of our members and supporters are people of faith embracing many different belief systems and faith traditions and affiliated with a wide array of churches and other religious organizations. We have long been recipients of financial support, for example, from the Sisters of St. Joseph in Wheeling, W.Va., as part of their efforts to help carry forward the message of Pope Francis’s second encyclical, Laudato Si’ (“praise be to you”), which was about caring for the planet.

Caring for creation is considered an important part of many Protestant Christian faiths as well and many of our Protestant members have joined in our efforts for that purpose. We count among our members folks who are not only Roman Catholic and Protestant Christians but also Jewish, members of the Baha’i Faith, Buddhists, Unitarian Universalists, Catholic Universalists, and others.

I won’t use this column to engage in theological discussions or argue about faith vs. works, but what I want to make clear is that there are many, many community members who disagree with the writer in question from a position of faith and do not believe that climate change as it is occurring today is just some cyclical pattern of life on earth or that we must passively relegate responsibility for addressing it to a deity.

Anthropogenic (human-caused) global climate change is real and it’s at crisis levels as we alter the delicate balances of our life support systems on timescales never witnessed in geologic history. We are not attempting to save the planet itself; it would go on and numerous life forms would thrive without us. We are attempting to spare ourselves and posterity a great deal of agony and the very real possibility that we will make our only home in the cosmos uninhabitable, both for us and for countless other species.

As far as solutions, renewable energy options like solar and wind are not “pixie dust,” but crucial forms of energy production harnessing the inexhaustible rays of our solar system’s star and the inextinguishable force of air streams circling and churning around our planet. Coupled with storage technologies, some about to be produced in Weirton, W.Va., they are a vital way of kicking our expensive, filthy, dangerous, and planet-destabilizing fossil fuels habits. We’ve already ceded too much ground to China which, despite extensive continued coal use, has become far and away the leader in the manufacturing and production of the energy of the 21st Century.

In 2025, it is MOVCA’s goal to be a central hub in our area for information on the affordability, accessibility, and functional performance and importance of renewable and sustainable alternatives to the status quo. Solar arrays, energy storage options, zero tailpipe emissions transport and charging options, maximization of energy efficiencies, more sustainable agriculture and diets, localization of consumption, composting methodologies, recycling everything possible and doing so effectively, and other means of more simple and sustainable living will be our focus.

In accordance with our mission and values, we will still organize and mobilize around public policy, engage where needed in the judicial system, advocate for responsible investment and divestment, and educate and inform the public on the crises at hand. However, given the outcomes of the 2024 elections, we will concentrate more of our energy and resources on empowering people directly.

Working with coalition partners and our student climate ambassador program, we will utilize our website, social media presences, email lists, other media (TV, radio, newspapers, billboards), and our public programming and presentations to relay this vital information to the public and help folks make changes that are safer, healthier, more sustainable, and, very importantly, save them money.

We at MOVCA wish you a happy, safe, and healthy holiday season and look forward to working with you in the new year with renewed resolve and passion equal to the task, come what may.

***

Eric Engle is board president of Mid-Ohio Valley Climate Action

Posted: November 16, 2024 by main_y0ke11

Climate Corner: Caution – the Renewable Fuel Standard story

Nov 16, 2024

Vic Elam

editorial@newsandsentinel.com

In 2006, the Federal Government passed the Renewable Fuel Standard, and the Environmental Protection Agency was tasked with implementing it. It seemed like a great idea at the time – what could go wrong, producing biofuels from crops to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and prop up the agriculture community. Let’s look a little closer at the reality of this “great” idea.

First, a little background. The U.S. produces corn on more than 90 million acres a year and soybeans on about 87 million acres. And just for clarification for some who are not familiar, when we say corn, we are not talking about the corn you get from your local grocery store or farmer’s market or grow in your garden, that is sweet corn. We are referring to what I call field corn. Field corn is used as feed for livestock including cattle, hogs, chickens, and more. Corn syrup is produced from corn, and with the advent of ethanol production a large amount is used for that. Soybeans are similar in their uses and instead of ethanol it is used to produce biodiesel.

The Renewable Fuel Standard requires a certain amount of ethanol and biodiesel be blended with traditional gasoline and diesel fuel in exchange for financial incentives. In 2022, 15.36 billion gallons of ethanol, and 1.62 billion gallons of biodiesel were produced in the U.S. with 1.31 and .24 billion gallons exported.

Here’s the problem: Production of ethanol inflated the price of corn so much that it caused farmers, who had marginal agriculture quality land that was conserved for wildlife and was sequestering carbon, to convert that land to corn production and in some cases converting native prairie. Corn production typically requires intensive inputs such as fertilizer, irrigation, chemical application, all of which require massive fuel usage and have harmful effects, such as soil erosion, chemical impacts, reduction in aquifer storage, quick run-off that results in flooding and denies aquifer recharge, transportation impacts, etc. Higher prices caused food insecurity problems; and biofuel production may be partially responsible for beneficial insect population declines. The U.S. exports much of our corn and soybean production to countries like China for their livestock feed and when we create a world market for more production, then other countries find it a market to fill and they start converting wildlife habitat (like rainforest) to farming. The problems were similar for soybean production. The price of corn has since moderated, but the stated impacts remain and there are many more negative impacts that I will not expound upon here. In the end, if everything was wrapped into a cost/benefit analysis, I feel quite certain that bio-fuel production would be found to be more damaging to the climate than normal fossil fuel production. We need a different solution.

EPA is required to assess the impacts of the Renewable Fuel Standard and adjust accordingly, and that analysis is to include environmental and wildlife impacts, but in a cursory review of the documentation found in the Federal Register and elsewhere, I found little evidence that all the environmental impacts are being weighed. I feel that it would be hard to really assess the carbon release impacts from things like converted forest in South America.

The latest effort is to lower the carbon output from the aviation industry with Sustainable Aviation Fuel which is a similar process to other biofuel production except that hydrogen will need to be added to increase the energy density of the fuel. Hydrogen can be produced with green technology, but that is rare. An honest, holistic look at all implications of SAF production is needed.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is necessary for the future of our planet and ourselves, but looking at solutions with a critical eye is crucial to keep us from going down dead-end roads. I’m sure that there will be many alternatives tried out before we really settle on the right recipe that will take us into the future.

***

Vic Elam is an avid outdoorsman and contributor to organizations that share his concern for our environment, including Mid-Ohio Valley Climate Action.

Posted: November 14, 2024 by main_y0ke11

Suggested Readings for November 2024

MOVCA Selected Media Postings October 2024 (plus a few missed in the last listing)

Compiled by Cindy Taylor

NOTE from Cindy: When scrolling through this selected media listing, you will find some media postings openly available without any costs, while other sites may have a paywall or request contributions (or registration). MOVCA appreciates the coverage provided by independent journalists, coalition groups and all media sources that publicize climate and environmental concerns, sustainable solutions, legislative actions, and opportunities for community members to learn and make a difference. Public libraries and educational institutions have many of these sources available to everyone.

 

Available on The Marietta Times:

October 8, 2024 Letter to Editor by Debra Miller

“Brine is not Brine Waste”   (Online link unavailable.)

 

Available online in The Parkersburg News and Sentinel:

 

October 5, 2024 Article by Steven Allen Adams

“Routing Interest: West Virginia sees successes and challenges as state celebrates national manufacturing day’

https://www.newsandsentinel.com/news/business/2024/10/routing-interest-west-virginia-sees-successes-and-challenges-as-state-celebrates-national-manufacturing-day/

 

Available on the Charleston Gazette-Mail:

See articles by Mike Tony, Environment and Energy Reporter:

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/energy_and_environment/

 

Available on WTAP:

October 31, 2024 Feature by Chase Campbell

“Parkersburg Utility Board inventorying lead pipes”

https://www.wtap.com/2024/10/31/parkersburg-utility-board-inventorying-lead-pipes/

 

October 24, 2024 Feature by Chase Campbell

“Chemours cuts ribbon on new polymer production line”

https://www.wtap.com/2024/10/24/chemours-cuts-ribbon-new-polymer-production-line/

 

October 24, 2024 Feature by Chase Campbell

“Washington-Morgan Community Action adopts on-demand public transit in Marietta”

https://www.wtap.com/2024/10/24/washington-morgan-community-action-adopts-on-demand-public-transit-marietta/

 

October 18, 2024 Feature by Chase Campbell

“Marietta College hosts Energy Technical Exhibition”

https://www.wtap.com/2024/10/18/marietta-college-hosts-energy-technical-exhibition/

 

Available on WTRF.com

October 10, 2024 Feature by Associated Press

“West Virginia factory receives $405 million in funding to speed up manufacturing”

https://www.wtrf.com/west-virginia/west-virginia-factory-receives-405-million-in-funding-to-speed-up-manufacturing/

 

Available on WFMJ.com:  

October 1, 2024 News Feature by Chris Cerenelli Text and video. (Dr. Randi Pokladnik was the speaker)

“SOBE Concerned Citizens hosts environmental expert, legal reps at town hall”

https://www.wfmj.com/story/51593531/sobe-concerned-citizens-hosts-environmental-expert-legal-reps-at-town-hall

 

Available on West Virginia Watch:

October 8, 2024 Article by Caity Coyne

“Bill increasing WV’s authority over regulation of nuclear materials head to Justice for signature”

https://westvirginiawatch.com/2024/10/08/bill-increasing-wvs-authority-over-regulation-of-nuclear-materials-heads-to-justice-for-signature/

 

Available on Save Ohio Parks: https://saveohioparks.org

October 31, 2024 Opinion post by Melinda Zemper, Anne Sparks, Jenny Morgan, Mary Huck and Cathy Cowen Becker

“Opinion: Vote ‘Yes’ on Ohio Issue 1 if You Love State Parks and Democracy”

https://saveohioparks.org/2024/10/31/opinion-vote-yes-on-ohio-issue-1-if-you-love-state-parks-and-democracy/

 

October 8, 2024 Article by Melinda Zemper

“Hold State Legislative Candidates Accountable for Voting to Frack Ohio State Parks”

https://saveohioparks.org/2024/10/08/hold-state-legislative-candidates-accountable-for-voting-to-frack-ohio-state-parks/

 

Available on West Virginia Rivers Coalition:

Posted October 30, 2024 “Public Meetings on Energy & Water Protections November 2024”

https://wvrivers.org/2024/10/november-public-meetings/

 

October 22, 2024  Action Alert: “Take action to protect West Virginia from toxic chemicals”

https://wvrivers.org/2024/10/toxic-substance-control-act/

 

October 2, 2024 “Special Session Alert: Stop Radioactive Waste Disposal in WV”

https://wvrivers.org/2024/10/stop-hb-208/

 

Available on ReImagine Appalachia:

See all events (to register) and access recordings and resources: https://reimagineappalachia.org/events/

October 29, 2024 2PM Virtual Event

“Connecting Students to Our Story, A Case Study in Community Engagement and Action”

https://reimagineappalachia.org/reimagine-appalachia-connecting-students-to-our-story-a-case-study-in-community-engagement-and-action/

 

October 24, 2024 3PM Listening session via Zoom

““The Make It In Appalachia Series: Creating Green Building Product Supply Chains in Appalachia”

https://reimagineappalachia.org/the-make-it-in-appalachia-series-creating-green-building-product-supply-chains-in-appalachia/

 

October 11, 2024 ReImagine Appalachia Blog Posting

“Hurricane Helene Highlights Appalachia’s Rising Flood Risk”

https://reimagineappalachia.org/hurricane-helene-highlights-appalachias-rising-flood-risk/

 

October 16, 2024 12-3PM Zoom session “The Second Annual Redeveloping Shuttered Coal Plants Summit”

https://reimagineappalachia.org/the-second-annual-redeveloping-shuttered-coal-plants-summit/

 

October 15, 2024 Blog Post by Blaise Reader, Arts & Culture Associate at ReImagine Appalachia

“Abandoned Mind Land Development”

https://reimagineappalachia.org/abandoned-mine-land-development/

 

October 10, 2024 3PM  Virtual listening session via Zoom (includes link to Zoom recording)

“The Make It In Appalachia Series: Manufacturing Alternatives to Single-Use Plastic”  How can bio-based materials tackle the problem of plastic waste?

https://reimagineappalachia.org/the-make-it-in-appalachia-series-presents/

 

Available on Ohio River Valley Institute (ORVI):

October 25, 2024 Report by Kathy Hipple, Senior Research Fellow, and Nick Messenger, Economist & Senior Reseacher

“Policy Brief: Advancing Green Steel in the Mon Valley”

https://ohiorivervalleyinstitute.org/advancing-green-steel-in-the-mon-valley/

 

October 22, 2024 Article by Jeff St. John for Canary Media

“One year in, US clean hydrogen hubs face questions – have few answers”

https://ohiorivervalleyinstitute.org/one-year-in-us-clean-hydrogen-hubs-face-questions-and-have-few-answers/

 

October 11, 2024 Research Report by Sean O’Leary

“Is The ARCH2 Hydrogen Hub Coming Apart? Sure Looks Like it”

https://ohiorivervalleyinstitute.org/is-the-arch2-hydrogen-hub-coming-apart-sure-looks-like-it/

 

October 9, 2024 Research Article by Sean O’Leary

“Carbon Capture: Description, History, Effectiveness, & Cost”

https://ohiorivervalleyinstitute.org/carbon-capture-description-history-effectiveness-cost/

 

October 7, 2024 ORVI Staff report

“Pennsylvanians overwhelmingly support stricter regulations on fracking”

https://ohiorivervalleyinstitute.org/pennsylvanians-overwhelmingly-support-stricter-regulations-on-fracking/

 

Available on Conservation West Virginia:

October 7, 2024 Article by Neal Barkus

“Appalachian Hurricane Flooding Intensified by Climate Change”

https://www.conservewv.org/appalachian-hurricane-flooding-intensified-by-climate-change-2/

 

Appalachian Voices https://appvoices.org

Regularly updated “Catastrophic impacts from Hurricane Helene devastate Appalachia”  Resources to Help

https://appvoices.org/helene-relief/

 

Available on FaCT (Faith Communities Together for a Sustainable Future:  https://factsustain.org

See  Distinguished Speakers: https://factsustain.org/Distinguished/

November 16, 2024 3PM Upcoming: “Climate Uncensored” with Kevin Anderson and Dan Calverley CANCELED

October 9, 2024 7PM Distinguished Speaker: Mohamed Amer Meziane, author of The States of the Earth

https://factsustain.org/Distinguished/

 

Available on Fractracker Alliance:  see https://www.fractracker.org/about-us/

October 17,  2024  Report by Dr. Ted Auch, Pres. FaCT & Midwest Director for FracTracker Alliance

“Analyzing Project 2025: Implications For Environmental Policy and Regulation”

https://www.fractracker.org/2024/10/analyzing-project-2025/

 

October 17, 2024 Article by Sarah Carballo

“Fracking’s Role in the 2024 Election: an Uncertain Future for Pennsylvania and Beyond”

https://www.fractracker.org/2024/10/frackings-role-in-the-2024-election/

 

Available on AXIOS:

October 3, 2024 Article by Dan Moore

“Exclusive: Green Groups decry steel merger’s climate impacts”

https://www.axios.com/pro/energy-policy/2024/10/03/exclusive-green-groups-decry-steel-mergers-climate-impacts

MOVCA is signature of letter asking Congress to reject Nippon Steel Corporation’s  plans to keep U.S. Steel stuck on coal.

 

Available on Whyy.org   

October 1, 2024 Article by Susan Phillips

“Fracking in Pennsylvania hasn’t gone as well as some may think”

https://whyy.org/articles/fracking-pennsylvania-shale-gas-workforce-health-environmental-damage/

 

Appearing on-line on WV Public Broadcasting or WOUB (PBS) or NPR

October 23, 2024 Article by Curtis Tate
“W.Va. Battery Manufacturer Gets $10 Million Federal Boost”

https://wvpublic.org/w-va-battery-manufacturer-gets-10-million-federal-boost/

 

October 18, 2024 Article by Curtis Tate

“Mon Power Repurposes Brownfield Sites For Solar Power”

https://wvpublic.org/mon-power-repurposes-brownfield-sites-for-solar-power/

 

October 16,  2024 Article by Curtis Tate

“Supreme Court Won’t Block EPA Carbon Limits On Power Plants”

https://wvpublic.org/supreme-court-wont-block-epa-carbon-limits-on-power-plants/

 

October 11, 2024 Article by Rosie Wong

“Ohio provides funds to restore the Sunday Creek Watershed”

https://woub.org/2024/10/11/funds-sunday-creek-watershed-to-improve-wildlife-habitat/

 

SEE ALSO THESE EVENTS, RESOURCES, RESEARCH AND ARTICLES OF INTEREST

Available on WV Department of Environmental Protection:

October 24, 2024 News Release:

“WVDEP’s Office of Oil and Gas hosting public meetings to develop criteria for plugging Marginal Conventional Wells”

https://dep.wv.gov/news/Pages/WVDEP’s-Office-of-Oil-and-Gas-hosting-public-meetings-to-develop-criteria-for-plugging-Marginal-Conventional-Wells.aspx

Note: Meeting scheduled November 14,2024 6-8PM at North Bend State Park, 202 North Bend Park Rd., Cairo, WV

 

See ARCH2 Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub: https://www.arch2hub.com

 

Available on Energy.gov Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations:

https://www.energy.gov/oced/office-clean-energy-demonstrations

Read about Appalachian Hydrogen Hub (ARCH2):

https://www.energy.gov/oced/appalachian-hydrogen-hub-arch2

 

Available on Energy News Network:

October 21, 2024 Article by Julian Spector/ Canary Media

“Can energy-rich Pennsylvania chart a path toward decarbonization?”

https://energynews.us/2024/10/21/can-energy-rich-pennsylvania-chart-a-path-toward-decarbonization/

 

October 18, 2024 Article by Jeff St. John/ Canary Media

“One year in, U.S. clean hydrogen hubs face questions – have few answers”

https://energynews.us/2024/10/18/one-year-in-u-s-clean-hydrogen-hubs-face-questions-and-have-few-answers/

 

October 3, 2024 Article by Kari Lydersen

“Midwest study finds solar farms don’t hurt property values – and they may even boost them”

https://energynews.us/2024/09/26/ohio-drought-renews-worries-about-massive-use-of-water-for-fracking/

 

September 26, 2024 Article by Kathiann M. Kowalski

“Ohio drought renews worries about massive use of water for fracking”

https://energynews.us/2024/09/26/ohio-drought-renews-worries-about-massive-use-of-water-for-fracking/

 

Available on Inside Climate News:

October 26, 2024  Clean Energy Article- Interview by Paloma Beltran with Jamie Beard

“How Fracking Technology Could Drive a Clean-Energy Boom”

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/26102024/fracking-technology-geothermal-energy/

 

October 18, 2024 Fossil Fuels Article by Jon Hurdle       (ORVI research cited)

“Appalachian Hydrogen Hub Plan Struggles Amid Economic Worries, Study Says”

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/18102024/appalachian-hydrogen-hub-plan-struggles/

 

October 12, 2024 Article by Miranda Green

“Fossil Fuel Interests Are Working To Kill Solar in One Ohio County. The Hometown Newspaper is Helping”

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/12102024/ohio-fossil-fuel-interests-solar/

 

Available on The Guardian:

October 18, 2024 Article by Tom Perkins

“Some types of PFAS may cause sleep disorders in young adults, study finds”

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/oct/18/pfas-sleep-disorders

 

October 17, 2024 Article by Jessica Glenza

“Overwhelming majority of young Americans worry about climate crisis”

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/oct/17/young-americans-climate-change

 

September 30, 2024 Article by Sharon Lerner  text and audio

“EPA will withdraw approval of Chevron plastic-based fuels likely to cause cancer”

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/sep/30/epa-withdraws-approval-chevron-fuels-causing-cancer

 

See The U.S. Climate Vulnerability Index: https://climatevulnerabilityindex.org

This resource “helps you see which communities face the greatest challenges from the impacts of a changing climate…. shows what is driving the challenges, so policymakers & communities themselves can take action to build climate resilience where it is needed most.”

 

Available on Climate Central:

Regularly updated. See Maps: Climate Shift Index Global Map (You can also search by city)

https://csi.climatecentral.org/climate-shift-index

 

Available on Yale Climate Connections:

October 30, 2024 Article by Dana Nuccitelli

“The planet is ‘on the brink of an irreversible climate disaster’ scientists warn”

https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2024/10/the-planet-is-on-the-brink-of-an-irreversible-climate-disaster-scientists-warn/

 

October 29, 2024 Commentary by Karin Kirk

“Driven by sunshine: A geologist and writer reflects on how far we’ve come”

https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2024/10/driven-by-sunshine-a-geologist-and-writer-reflects-on-how-far-weve-come/

 

October 28, 2024 Feature by YCC Team

“The chemicals in air conditioning units can contribute to global warming”

https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2024/10/the-chemicals-in-air-conditioning-units-can-contribute-to-global-warming/

 

October 23, 2024 Article by Karin Kirk

“Jobs in wind, solar, and energy storage are booming. Is your state keeping up?”

https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2024/10/jobs-in-wind-solar-and-energy-storage-are-booming-is-your-state-keeping-up/

 

Available on For A Green Future (Podcast):

October 21, 2024 Podcast   “For a Green Future: A Visit to Frackland”

Joe DeMare interviews Dr. Randi Pokladnik about ARCH 2 beginning about half-way through the program @minute 14.

https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/foragreenfuture/episodes/2024-10-21T14_50_58-07_00

 

 

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