Construction Delays Make New Nuclear Power Plants Costlier than Ever

30.05.2018

The cost of building new nuclear power plants is nearly 20 per cent higher than expected due to delays, a new analysis has found.

A new analysis of the history of nuclear power plant projects shows since 2010 delays have contributed 18 per cent the costs.

These delays – which can run into years or even decades – increase the cost compared with older projects and are often overlooked when new projects are planned. The authors say that these extra costs need to be properly assessed when considering new nuclear projects.

They say nuclear projects are more like ‘mega-projects’, such as large dams, which require more rigorous financial assessments due to their high uncertainty and risk.

In the study, published today in the journal Energy Policy, the authors also suggest that because these delay costs make nuclear projects high risk, decision-makers might instead focus on more low-risk low-carbon technologies such as wind or solar power.

When assessing the cost of new nuclear projects, decision makers often use ‘overnight construction costs’, which assume the project is built on time, usually within five years. However, the ‘lead-time’ – the time between initiation of the project and completion – can cause significant extra costs.

The research team, from Imperial College London, the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro and the University of Minho, looked at total costs of nuclear projects between 1955-2016, including delay costs.

Usually, as technologies mature and experience is gained in construction, costs come down. However, the team found that for nuclear, there has been a blip in the learning curve, with costs currently increasing, especially for projects since 2010.

Lead author Dr Joana Portugal Pereira, from the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial, said: “Nuclear projects are actually becoming more complex to carry out, inducing delays and higher costs. Safety and regulatory considerations play heavily into this, particularly in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear accident in Japan.”

The analysis is one of the first to assess full financial costs of building nuclear projects throughout time, and not just the ‘overnight’ costs. It also looked at projects around the world, including newer nuclear builders like China, India, and the UAE, rather than just the traditional builders in Europe, the USA and Japan.

They say that while nuclear projects can help bridge the gap between fossil fuels and renewable energy, they could hinder progress if projects stall.

Dr Portugal Pereira said: “If we want to decarbonise our energy system, nuclear may not be the best choice for a primary strategy. Nuclear power is better late than never, but to really address climate change, it would be best if they were not late at all, as technologies like wind and solar rarely are.”

Source: Imperial College London

5 Eco-Friendly Drinking Straw Alternatives So You Can Skip Plastic

29.05.2018

Last week, New York City lawmakers introduced a bill banning plastic straws in all bars and restaurants in the Big Apple, joining the growing worldwide war against this environmental scourge.

“There are 500 million straws being used everyday in the U.S.,” Councilman Rafael L. Espinal Jr., the bill’s lead sponsor, told NY1 on Thursday. “That’s enough to fill Yankee Stadium five times over.”

The 8 million tons of plastic garbage that flows into our oceans every year can easily harm or entangle marine life, which is why it’s important for us to prevent further damage. As Espinal tweeted, “It’s time for us as consumers to protect our planet by weaning off our dependence on single use plastic.”

The councilman is right. Skipping the straw, or opting for one of these sustainable options below, is a great way to start.

1. Compostable Straws

Marvin Stone invented the original paper straw in 1888. His invention was the go-to choice until plastic varieties became the standard after the 1960s. But there are still many paper varieties on the market today, including Aardvark, which sells durable, compostable paper tubes based on Stone’s original patent. Last September, Aardvark teamed up with ocean advocacy group Lonely Whale Foundation for Strawless in Seattle, the first-ever citywide takeover to eliminate plastic straws.

Compostable straws work well if you like the convenience of something disposable or plan to serve drinks at a party or gathering. Other choices include straws made from wheat stems (yes a straw straw) or corn bioplastic (although this material is best composted in a commercial composting facility). One restaurant in Bristol, England even pairs drinks with Bucatini pasta, a spaghetti-like noodle with a hole running through the middle.

2. Bamboo

Reusable straws are ideal for sipping beverages at home or when you’re on the go. One of the best options is bamboo, as these all-natural straws are usually made without pesticides, chemicals or dyes. Bamboo is also a versatile and rapidly renewable crop. Since it’s a natural material, bamboo straws are not dishwasher-safe and must be hand-washed. You also want the straw to be bone dry after cleaning and stored in a well-ventilated place to prevent mold. Check out StrawFree, which even sells an extra-wide, boba-friendly straw so you’ll be able to sip bubble tea sans plastic.

3. Metal

Unlike bamboo, which might wear and tear over time, metal straws are made to last. I own dishwasher-safe, stainless steel straws from Bunkoza, which comes with a handy pouch and a natural wool cleaner. I love them because they keep my drinks cool, although they did clink against my teeth when I wasn’t used to them at first. If you don’t like the idea of toting around a metal tube, the Santa Fe-based team at FinalStraw have also invented the world’s first collapsible stainless steel straw that you can conveniently attach to your keychain.

4. Glass

Another eco-friendly, long-lasting option is glass. Although these can break or shatter if you are not careful, the advantage is you can see through them, so you can make sure they are squeaky clean. Another cool thing about glass straws is that they come in all kinds of colors and whimsical designs. Strawsome has advice on the perfect glass straw for you.

5. Silicone

Unlike metal or glass, soft and bendy silicone straws don’t clink your teeth, making them ideal for kids and straw-biters. Softy Straws are made from food grade, BPA-free silicone and can handle extreme temperatures, so they work with hot drinks and can withstand the dishwasher.

Source: Eco Watch

McDonald’s Shareholders Vote to Keep Distributing Plastic Straws

29.05.2018

mcdonald-370465_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

McDonald’s shareholders rejected a proposal to take the first step in banning plastic straws at its 36,000 outlets worldwide.

The proposal, published in an SEC filing in April, would have required the fast food giant to prepare a report on the business risks of using plastic straws, and the company’s efforts to develop and implement more sustainable alternatives in its restaurants.

“We believe our company has an opportunity to improve its brand by demonstrating leadership in the elimination of plastic straws,” the proposal states.

Despite vigorous campaigning from environmental activists, the proposal received only 7.65 percent of the vote at Thursday’s annual meeting, USA TODAY reported.

The result was not surprising. The shareholders followed a recommendation from the chain’s board of directors, who said the proposal would divert resources from their other environmental initiatives, such as a pledge made in January to source all packaging from renewable or recycled sources by 2025.

“[T]he requested report is unnecessary, redundant to our current practices and initiatives, and has the potential for a diversion of resources with no corresponding benefit to the company, our customers, and our shareholders, particularly in light of our ongoing packaging sustainability efforts,” stated materials shared with shareholders before the meeting, the Mercury News reported.

McDonald’s distributes 95 million plastic straws around the world every day, according to the consumer advocacy group SumOfUs, which backed the proposal.

A SumOfUs online petition urging the company to ban plastic straws has gathered more than 480,000 signatures.

“McDonald’s uses millions of plastic straws every single day. Used for just a few seconds, then thrown away, many end up polluting our oceans,” the petition reads. “If we can get McDonald’s to ditch its dirty habit we can stop millions of plastic straws clogging up our oceans and killing the animals that live in them.”

McDonald’s might not be ready to take this step, but many businesses, municipalities and governments around the world are taking steps to reduce single-use plastics.

Earlier this week, Alaska Airlines announced it will stop distributing single-use plastic stirring straws and citrus picks in its lounges and on its domestic and international flights. On Wednesday, New York City Council introduced a bill to ban the use of plastic straws in the city.

In March, McDonald’s said it would phase out single-use plastic straws in its UK restaurants.

Source: Eco Watch

Honduran Villagers Take Legal Action to Stop Mining Firm Digging Up Graves for Gold

28.05.2018

Nothing is sacred in the path of gold miners in northwestern Honduras – not even the dead.

A transnational mining company, Aura Minerals, has been digging up graves in the 200-year-old cemetery near the community of Azacualpa, La Union, to clear the way to dig for gold.

As many as 350 bodies have reportedly been exhumed by the company’s Honduran subsidiary, Minerales de Occidente (Minosa) since the process began last fall. The issue has divided Azacualpa, a coffee-producing community perched near the edge of the decades-old San Andres open-pit gold mine, and opened up rifts within families.

Some residents fear the graveyard is the last line of defence before the Canadian-listed company will eye the community as its next extraction site.

Genaro Rodriguez, a 60-year-old construction worker and coffee producer who lives in Azacualpa, hopes a legal challenge will put a stop to the debacle – a court has ordered a temporary halt to exhumations pending further investigations.

“What we want is for the cemetery not to be touched,” Rodriguez said.

In the cemetery, about 50 meters from where the carved-out mountainside plummets into the mine, damaged tombs indicate that some coffins have already been removed.

Floresmira Lopez recently stood at her father’s grave and blocked workers from taking his remains. She blames the mining company for stress-induced health problems as well as family conflicts that have erupted over the grave-digging.

The exhumations have roots in a 2012 agreement between Azacualpa and Aura Minerals’ Honduran subsidiary, Minerales de Occidente (Minosa). The agreement promised a housing relocation project for 400 families in exchange for permission to mine a handful of sites, including the hill where the cemetery sits.

An addendum to the agreement gave individuals the right to agree to the graves of their relatives beings dug up, allowing the company to exhume remains with a single relative’s consent. Entire families are said to have wound up at odds with each other.

Miguel Lopez, president of the Azacualpa Environmental Committee, accused the company of taking advantage of poor residents and exploiting the “love of money” to manipulate and divide the community.

Some residents who have consented to exhumations have received letters setting a date and promising a cheque if they show up at the cemetery to “accompany the process”.

One Azacualpa resident, who declined to give her name, confirmed she received a second instalment of compensation the day her husband’s remains were carried out of the cemetery.

Payments are described as being in lieu of the housing project, not redress for digging up the deceased. The addendum sets February 2019 as the deadline for the third and final instalment, but also says payment will be contingent on clearing the cemetery.

Bersy Rivera, a single mother and one of the plaintiffs listed on the recent legal action, believes the company aims to negotiate “packages of the dead” to exhume as many corpses as possible in exchange for a single housing compensation deal.

85-year-old Salvador Garcia, for example, faces pressure to authorize exhumation for his three children and parents-in-law. But he is only willing to sign off on his children’s remains, saying he doesn’t want to spark problems with his in-laws’ grandchildren, who oppose exhumation.

Mayor of the municipality of La Unión, Victor Hugo Alvarado, who in last year’s election unseated the mayor who had cut Azacualpa out of the municipal budget, believes both sides failed to clarify the details, leaving the agreement “very open” to confusion and conflict.

Aside from the exhumations, local residents accused the mine of having adverse health and environmental impacts.

Minosa declined to comment on the suspension of the exhumations and allegations of manipulation and non-compliance with agreements. The parent company Aura Minerals did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

In recent months, the exhumations have taken place against a backdrop of a worsening state crackdown on social movements, amid protests against alleged election fraud, including evidence of extrajudicial killings, according to the United Nations.

President Juan Orlando Hernández’s re-election solidified an economic model, ushered in through the 2009 military coup, that champions pro-extractive industry policies.

Minosa paid over CAD$12m (£7m) in taxes and fees in Honduras in 2016.

Plaintiffs in Azacualpa are pursuing further legal action to protect the cemetery by seeking to nullify the 2012 and 2016 agreements.

Ramiro Lara of the Association of Non-Governmental Organisms of Honduras (ASONOG) expects the case to expose “irregularities” in the signing of the accords and the exhumations.

“Demonstrating the human rights violations will allow us to prevent the continued exhumation of (relatives) of people who adamantly oppose this action,” Lara said. “The exploitation of the Cemetery Mountain, which is one of the company’s strong intentions, would be avoided.”

Source: Guardian

Scotland Draft Climate Change Bill Sets 90%-by-2050 Emission Reduction Target

28.05.2018

New targets will set Scotland on course to become one of the first countries in the world to achieve a 100% reduction in carbon emissions, the Scottish government has claimed, although it has stopped short of committing to becoming carbon-neutral by 2050.

The draft climate change bill, published on Thursday morning, sets a target of a 90% reduction by 2050 – which the UK Committee on Climate Change states is currently “at the limit of feasibility” – with the aim of achieving 100% reduction, or “net-zero”, as soon as possible.

Announcing the targets, Holyrood’s climate change secretary, Roseanna Cunningham, said: “Our 90% target will be tougher even than the 100% goal set by a handful of other countries, because our legislation will set more demanding, legally binding, annual targets covering every sector of our economy. By 2030, we will cut emissions by two-thirds and, unlike other nations, we will not use carbon offsetting, where other countries are paid to cut emissions for us, to achieve our goal.”

But Tom Ballantine, chair of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, described the targets as hugely disappointing. “By failing to ally with the global momentum towards zero emissions, led by countries like France, Sweden and New Zealand, Scotland is missing a huge opportunity to end its contribution to climate change in a generation, attract clean investment and retain its position as a leader on the global stage,” he said.

Ballantine called on MSPs from all parties to push for net-zero by 2050 at the latest, to keep Scotland in line with the 2016 Paris agreement.

Earlier this month, transport minister Humza Yousaf admitted that the Scottish government did not have to the powers to ban the sale of diesel cars, despite pledging to phase them out across the country by 2032, eight years ahead of the UK government’s target.

On Tuesday, following a two-hour debate at their annual general assembly, the Church of Scotland voted by a narrow margin against divestment from oil and gas companies.

Source: Guardian

Pollutionwatch: Air Contamination Drops by 30% in China

27.05.2018

Beijing is slowly shedding its image as the world’s most polluted city. In 2013, it ranked as the 40th worst city for the particulate PM2.5 in the World Health Organisation global database. Four years on, thanks in part to a crackdown on polluters, it stands in 187th place.

Air pollution in the 62 Chinese cities tracked by the WHO dropped by an average of 30% between 2013 and 2016. China’s air pollution problems are often blamed on the country’s rapid industrial growth but the problems probably date back to the 1950s.

In air pollution terms China is two countries, divided by a line that follows the Huai river. North of this line average winter temperatures are below freezing and here free or heavily subsidised coal was provided for home heating. This led to the development of poorly controlled, coal-powered, district heating systems in towns and cities north of the river.

The laudable aim of providing home heating was disastrous for China’s air. Average particle pollution north of the Huai river was 40% greater than the south and this extra pollution caused an estimated three-year reduction in average life expectancy.

Understandably, a small but growing group of Chinese urbanites have been moving south for cleaner air.

Source: Guardian

Iceland first UK supermarket to trial deposit return scheme

27.05.2018

Iceland has become the first supermarket in the UK to trial the plastic bottle deposit return scheme.

It has installed a reverse vending machine at its store in Fulham, London, as part of a six-month programme.

It follows the government’s recently announced intention to introduce such a scheme in the country.

The machine only accepts plastic bottles bought from Iceland stores – it works by scanning the barcode following which customers get a 10p voucher to be used for every bottle recycled.

The supermarket previously pledged to eliminate plastic packaging from all of its own label products by the end of 2023.

Richard Walker, Iceland’s Managing Director said: “We’re the first supermarket to take decisive action to bring the reverse vending machine into stores… We’re doing it properly, through consultation with suppliers and by gaining understanding of how customers will act in response to the machine.

“There are 12 million tonnes of plastic entering our oceans every year so we feel a responsibility both to tackle the issue of plastic packaging as we are doing with our own label products and to give our customers the power to make a difference themselves.”

Source: Energy Live News

High CO2 Levels Make Rice Less Nutritious, Study Finds

26.05.2018

Research published Wednesday in Science Advances found that rice grown with the higher atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations expected by the end of this century was less nutritious, signaling bad news for the more than two billion people who rely on the grain as their primary food source, a University of Washington (UW) press release published in EurekAlert! Reported.

“Rice has been a dietary staple for thousands of years for many populations in Asia and is the fastest growing food staple in Africa,” study co-author and Director of the UW Center for Health & the Global Environment Kristie Ebi said in the release. “Reductions in the nutritional quality of rice could affect maternal and child health for millions of people.”

The team of researchers from China, Japan, Australia and the U.S. conducted a field study in China and Japan of 18 strains of rice. They confirmed previous studies showing that the higher levels of carbon dioxide expected by 2100 decreased the amount of zinc, protein and iron found in rice. They also discovered for the first time that the higher carbon dioxide levels also decreased the amount of B1, B2, B5 and B9 vitamins, which are important for helping people get the most energy from their food.

Overall, average B1 levels decreased by 17.1 percent, average B2 levels by 16.6 percent, average B5 levels by 12.7 percent, average B9 levels by 30.3 percent, average iron levels by 8 percent, average zinc levels by 5.1 percent and average protein levels by 10.3 percent.

Researchers said that the lowered nutritional content of rice is most likely to impact the 600 million people, mostly in Southeast Asian countries, who rely on rice for more than 50 percent of their energy and protein intake. The region is already projected to be especially vulnerable to climate risks such as extreme weather and sea level rise. A 2018 ranking by HSBC of the nations most vulnerable to climate change found that half of the top ten were in South or Southeast Asia, The World Economic Forum reported. This study adds another worry.

“This is an underappreciated risk of burning of fossil fuels and deforestation,” Ebi said.

Rice nutrition will also have a greater impact on people living in countries with lower Gross Domestic Products (GDPs), since people tend to diversify their diet as their country’s GDP improves. Lowered nutrition could increase the risk of malaria, stunting and diarrhea in impacted populations, the study found.

The study complicates the idea that carbon dioxide will increase plant growth. “People say more CO2 is plant food—and it is. But how plants respond to that sudden increase in food will impact human health as well, from nutritional deficits, to ethno-pharmacology, to seasonal pollen allergies—in ways that we don’t yet understand,” study co-author and U.S. Department of Agriculture researcher Lewis Ziska said in the release.

He further told The Guardian that more research was needed to assess the impact of increased carbon dioxide levels on the nutritional content of other crops.

“Many important cereals like wheat as well as staples like potatoes may be impacted by this as well,” he said.

The researchers said it might be possible to select for strains of rice that resisted the nutritional effects of increased carbon dioxide, but that this would take time. Another possibility would be to nutritionally enrich the rice with special fertilizers or enhancements after harvest and to educate impacted populations of the need to supplement their diets as carbon dioxide levels rise.

Source: Eco Watch

Plastic Killed Most Sperm Whales Found Dead in Greek Waters Since 2001

25.05.2018

More than a third of the sperm whales found dead in the eastern Mediterranean since 2011 were killed by plastic debris, researchers from the Pelagos Cetacean Research Institute in Athens found.

Necropsies on nine of the 24 dead whales found in Greek waters revealed that their stomachs were filled with large amounts of plastic, The Times reported on the Pelagos analysis.

Marine biologists studying the carcasses said the animals likely suffered slow and “excruciating” deaths from the blockage.

One juvenile male found off the coast Mykonos swallowed more than a hundred items of plastic, including single-use plastic bags. One of the bags came from a shop in Thessaloniki, a city 500 miles away.

“The young whale suffered an excruciating death,” Pelgaos director Alexandros Frantzis told The Times. “We alone are accountable.”

“It’s alarming but not surprising,” Frantzis added. “The trend is bound to get worse because the amount of plastic waste in the Aegean Sea is growing.”

Sperm whales are considered endangered in the Mediterranean. Cetaceans in these waters face threats from high levels of ship traffic, pollution, human density, tourism and fishing, Lifegate noted.

Plastic waste has also become a problem in this marine region. A sperm whale found dead in southern Spain in February was killed after ingesting 64 pounds of mostly plastic garbage. Experts determined the whale was unable to expel or digest the trash, causing it to die from peritonitis, or an infection of the abdomen.

Plastic pollution is a worldwide crisis and, unfortunately, marine life bears the brunt of its harmful impacts. In Australia, a recent video shows four single-use plastic bags being pulled from the stomach of a tiger shark found in South Coast waters, the Northern Daily Leader reported. The shark, which appeared emaciated, likely confused the bags for squid.

The footage has sparked calls for a ban on plastic bags in Australia.

“We have to rethink how we use plastic,” marine biologist Murray MacDonald told the Northern Daily Leader after viewing the video. “The evidence is starting to mount rapidly that we just cannot throw away plastic as we have been.”

Source: Eco Watch

Hitting Toughest Climate Target Will Save World $30tn in Damages, Analysis Shows

25.05.2018

klimatske-promene — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Achieving the toughest climate change target set in the global Paris agreement will save the world about $30tn in damages, far more than the costs of cutting carbon emissions, according to a new economic analysis.

Most nations, representing 90% of global population, would benefit economically from keeping global warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, the research indicates. This includes almost all the world’s poorest countries, as well as the three biggest economies – the US, China and Japan – contradicting the claim of US president, Donald Trump, that climate action is too costly.

Australia and South Africa would also benefit, with the biggest winners being Middle East nations, which are threatened with extreme heatwaves beyond the limit of human survival.

However, some cold countries – particularly Russia, Canada and Scandinavian nations – are likely to have their growth restricted if the 1.5C target is met, the study suggests. This is because a small amount of additional warming to 2C would be beneficial to their economies. The UK and Ireland could also see some restriction, though the estimates span a wide range of outcomes.

The research, published the journal Nature, is among the first to assess the economic impact of meeting the Paris climate goals. Data from the last 50 years shows clearly that when temperatures rise, GDP and other economic measures fall in most nations, due to impacts on factors including labour productivity, agricultural output and health.

The scientists used this relationship and 40 global climate models to estimate the future economic impact of meeting the 1.5C target – a tough goal given the world has already experienced 1C of man-made warming. They also assessed the long-standing 2C target and the impact of 3C of warming, which is the level expected unless current plans for action are increased.

“By the end of the century, we find the world will be about 3% wealthier if we actually achieve the 1.5C target relative to 2C target,” said Marshall Burke, assistant professor at Stanford University in the US, who led the new work. “In dollar terms, this represents about $30tn in cumulative benefits.”

The estimated cost of meeting the 1.5C target is about $0.5tn over the next 30 years,” he said: “So our evidence suggest the benefits of meeting the targets vastly outweigh the costs.”

“We also calculated what’s going to be the additional economic cost if we hit 3C instead of 2C. This will cost the globe an additional 5-10% of GDP, relative to 2C; that is tens of trillions of dollars. These are very large numbers,” he said.

The researchers acknowledge there are significant uncertainties in their economic modelling, but said they are confident that keeping climate change to 1.5C is very likely to benefit the vast majority of the world’s people.

The exact size of the benefit will depend, for example, on whether new technologies are created that help societies adapt to global warming, such as clean, cheap air conditioning, or whether climate tipping points are passed, bringing more severe damage such as rapid sea level rise. “The caveats apply to both the impacts and the adaptation,” said Prof Noah Diffenbaugh, also at Stanford University.

The economic analysis did not include the impacts of climate change on areas that are harder to quantify, such as the natural ecosystems that are vital for clean air and water and fertile soils, or the health benefits of burning less fossil fuel. Including these would make the benefits of action even greater.

Prof Maximilian Auffhammer, at the University of California Berkeley, US, and not part of the research team said: “Translating the impacts of climate change into economic damages is challenging. Pinning down just how large the effects of climate will be on the long-term growth of GDP needs to be a high priority for future work.”

“I think the authors of this study are doing the best job possible, by basing their estimates on a rigorous analysis and clearly stating their assumptions,” said Prof Wolfram Schlenker, at Columbia University, US.

Source: Guardian

World’s Largest Battery and Rapid-Charge Network Launches to Accelerate EV Adoption

24.05.2018

London-based Pivot Power unveiled plans to build the world’s first national network of grid-scale batteries and rapid-charge stations across the UK to accelerate electric vehicle (EV) adoption and to usher in low-carbon transport.

The ambitious £1.6 billion ($2.1 billion) initiative consists of 50-megawatt batteries constructed at 45 sites around the country and located near towns and major roads. The hubs will be installed at electricity sub-stations to help National Grid manage supply and demand.

Pivot Power aims to address the three major barriers to EV adoption identified by the country’s Department for Transport: Availability of chargers, range of a charge, and cost. The company says it will offer mass charging at competitive rates, which will also help lower the costs of EV ownership.

Britain intends to ban all new gasoline- and diesel-fueled vehicles by 2040, so it must ramp up its charging infrastructure to keep pace with electric car adoption. More EVs on the road will also bring more strain on the nation’s power grid.

“We expect the use of electric vehicles to grow rapidly,” said Graeme Cooper, National Grid project director for electric vehicles, in a statement. “This innovative solution will help accelerate adoption by providing a network of rapid charging stations across the country enabling cars to charge quickly, efficiently and as cost-effectively as possible.”

“It will also give the system operator more choice and flexibility for managing the demands in the day to day running of the network, and also help mass EV charging,” Cooper added.

The 2-gigawatt battery network will also be the world’s largest. The total capacity can store enough electricity to supply 235,000 average homes for a day, or about two thirds the power of the planned Hinkley C nuclear power plant, the company touted in a press release.

Pivot Power plans to have operational batteries at 10 sites in the next 18 months. A site on the south coast, pending planning approval, could be operational by the middle of 2019. These hubs can support various infrastructure, including public rapid charging stations, electric bus depots and bases for large transport fleets.

“We want to future-proof the UK’s energy system and accelerate the electric vehicle revolution, helping the UK to clean up its air and meet climate targets,” Pivot Power CEO Matt Allen said in a statement. “Big problems require big solutions, and we are moving fast to put in place a unique network to support a clean, affordable, secure energy system and embrace the low-carbon economy.”

Michael Liebreich, the founder of Bloomberg New Energy Finance, is an advisor and early investor in Pivot Power.

“Renewables, batteries and electric vehicles are going to completely transform our power system, not just because they help clean up our horrible air quality and meet our climate targets, but because their costs are falling far faster than people realize,” he stated.

Source: Eco Watch

Illegal Online Sales of Endangered Wildlife Rife in Europe

24.05.2018

polar bear — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

The online sale of endangered and threatened wildlife is rife across Europe, a new investigation has revealed, ranging from live cheetahs, orangutans and bears to ivory, polar bear skins and many live reptiles and birds.

Researchers from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (Ifaw) spent six weeks tracking adverts on 100 online marketplaces in four countries, the UK, Germany, France and Russia. They found more than 5,000 adverts offering to sell almost 12,000 items, worth $4m (£3m) in total. All the specimens were species in which trade is restricted or banned by the global Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species.

Wildlife groups have worked with online marketplaces including eBay, Gumtree and Preloved to cut the trade and the results of the survey are an improvement compared to a previous Ifaw report in 2014. In March, 21 technology giants including Google, eBay, Etsy, Facebook and Instagram became part of the Global Coalition to End Wildlife Trafficking Online, and committed to bring the online illegal trade in threatened species down by 80% by 2020.

“It is great to see we are making really significant inroads into disrupting and dismantling the trade,” said Tania McCrea-Steele at Ifaw. “But the scale of the trade is still enormous.”

Almost 20% of the adverts were for ivory and while the number had dropped significantly in the UK and France, a surge was seen in Germany, where traders developed new code words to mask their sales. “It is a war of attrition and we can never let our guard down,” said McCrea-Steele. The UK is implementing a stricter ban on ivory sales and the EU is under pressure from African nations to follow suit.

Reptiles for the pet trade were the single biggest group, making up 37% of the adverts, with live turtles and tortoises being sold in large numbers. Endangered birds were also common, making up 31% of the adverts. Parrots were the most frequently advertised, but almost 500 owls and 350 birds of prey were also offered.

Most of the adverts of large, live animals were found in Russia, where big cats or bears are regarded by some as status symbols. Leopards, cheetahs and jaguars were all offered for sale in Russia, as were more than 130 live primates, including orangutans, lemurs and gibbons.

However, seven live primates were also found in UK adverts and one live bear advert was found in Germany. More commonly offered for sale in the UK were big cat skins from lions, tigers and leopards, as well as polar bear skins.

Some endangered species can be legally traded, for example if they are bred in captivity. But it is often difficult to tell which sales are legal, as few adverts provide sufficient information, such as certificate numbers. “The legal trade can serve as cover for the illegal trade,” warned McCrea-Steele.

The Ifaw researchers selected 327 of the adverts that appeared most clearly illegal and have shared the information with law enforcement authorities. McCrea-Steele said that online wildlife trading has become big business: “I have seen investigations where enforcers walk into a room of someone they have identified as trading online and they have floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall animal body parts – rooms of death, which are deeply disturbing.”

Source: Guardian

The Treasures of Amino Acids discovered in Wild apple’s Elixir

23.05.2018

The evidence of medicinal properties of the forgotten tree species which is almost completely extinct in Europe was attributed, as it often happens, to a mere coincidence. When Zivota Nikolic in 2012 on his visit to his hometown near Vrnjacka Banja tried unsuccessfully to combat a flu virus with various over-the-counter medication in order to be able to travel back to America, where he lived at the time, he received by chance a recommendation to also try a homemade wild apple “vinegar”. He recovered in only a few hours and embarked on an airplane determined to do everything possible to make the product of this neglected and inedible fruit recognized and available as a universal “emergency aid” in our country and around the world.

He did not forget to take with him the “vinegar” sample that restored his strength. Upon his return to his home in Texas, Zivota sent a small amount of this preparation to a laboratory analysis in Dallas. They promptly called him and asked him to explain the composition of this liquid. They could not believe that, apart from the sugar that accelerates fermentation, nothing has been added to the preparation considering that a large number of amino acids in a free state cannot be obtained without the addition of other substances. Zivota was no less surprised by this discovery. He realized that actually, it was not a vinegar at all, but an elixir. That aroused his curiosity but also entrepreneurial spirit. Quite enough for the first step.

He was already back in Serbia in 2013 in order to buy out wild apples and make the healing elixir that he would sell throughout America. The year was exceptionally fruitful and very soon a word spread out among fruit picker workers in Vrnjacka Banja area about the “American” and his plan, and in the end, 500 tons of wild apples were processed, and Zivota obtained the first amounts of his elixir and tea.

– In our product made from the wild apple, there are 16 amino acids – 8 are essential and 8 are non-essential. We can influence the volume and quantity, so we are able to increase or reduce amino acids according to the needs. The free-form amino acids differ from the amino acids found in proteins precisely because they are not correlated and due to this fact, they work faster and in a different way. They are actually acids for emergency relief because when injuries occur, they get on the scene and accelerate the healing. This is where the value of our product is – says Zivota, emphasizing that the “production” of the preparation is not a short-term nor always a safe job, as it takes 300 days for apple fermentation, and from the moment of picking/ harvesting the fruit until obtaining the finished product passes a full year, and currently the amount of fruit exclusively depends on weather conditions and the year’s fertility. Zivota’s goal is to preserve the wild apple as a variety and that weather conditions do not interfere with its cultivation; therefore, he plans to plant seedlings.

This apple variety was almost entirely extinct in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria because it is completely useless in the forest – it has no value either as a tree or as a fruit. Only Romanians plant the wild apple. In the Carpathians, where strong winds blow, they afforest the area with this species, because it is the only one that can survive in a harsh climate. Surprisingly, it was preserved as a species in our country. It can be found in Macedonia, Bosnia, Bulgaria. It is not only preserved in our country, but it also doesn’t grow anywhere as much as it does in our country.

It is interesting that the fruit of the wild apple cannot be wormy or rotten because it contains an acid that serves as the natural preservative and also as the natural protection from flies and worms. Although this apple is not edible, sometimes its frozen fruits laying on the ground are a real feast for hungry forest animals.

Unlike its cultivated relative, the wild apple has between 8 and 10 percent of sugar, and the concentration depends on multiple factors – the year, rainfall, altitude, and others. Precisely because it does not contain a lot of sugar, which would interfere with the process of creation of amino acids, with an abundance of yeast wild apple even continues to “live” in the packaging of Zivota’s supplements. That is why he calls his products the living fluid.

– Wild apple is a self-sustaining species. It contains everything to survive. Hence its remarkable composition and effectiveness. It goes without saying that the wild apple does not need to be sprayed. Simply there is no need for that. On the other hand, we do not see yet the real effect of excessive spraying of domesticated fruit. Perhaps in the next fifty years, we will see the true extent of uncontrolled use of chemicals. I believe that people also do not read the instruction manual when using insecticides and other chemicals, but if you find dead sparrows under the cherry tree that you sprayed with the product purchased in an agricultural pharmacy, it is obvious that the problem is not only in measurement, concentration, and poor handling. I think that such a product should not even be on sale, – Zivota warns and states that we should have more trust in the knowledge that is passed on from generation to generation in comparison to imported products.

Prepared by: Tamara Zjacic

You can read the entire text in the tenth issue of the Energy Portal Magazine SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, in March 2018.

Can the Mediterranean Diet Protect You Against Air Pollution Health Risks?

23.05.2018

bruschetta-3352415_960_720 — Photo-illustration: Pixabay

Air pollution is a serious and growing public health concern. Ninety-five percent of the Earth’s population breathes unsafe air, and scientists are discovering more and more health risks associated with doing so.

However, since the solution to air pollution depends on political decisions and technological innovation, it is hard for individuals to know how to protect themselves. Until now. A new study has found that eating a Mediterranean diet might limit the long-term health impacts of certain types of deadly air pollution, Time reported Monday.

Researchers at the New York University (NYU) School of Medicine compared the health outcomes for almost 550,000 Americans near the age of 62 over 17 years based on their exposure to particulate matter, nitrous oxide and ozone and how closely their eating habits matched the Mediterranean diet of fruits, vegetables, fish, poultry, legumes, whole grains and olive oil. They found that Mediterranean-type eaters were less likely than others to die after exposure to particulate matter and nitrous oxide.

The findings were presented at the American Thoracic Society 2018 International Conference taking place from May 18 to 23 in San Diego.

“[A]doption of a Mediterranean diet has the potential to reduce the effects of air pollution in a substantial population in the United States,” senior study author George Thurston said in a press release published by ScienceDaily.

Thurston explained that the Mediterranean diet is high in antioxidants, so the findings backed the hypothesis that air pollution harms human health by increasing inflammation.

“Given the benefits we found of a diet high in anti-oxidants, our results are consistent with the hypothesis that particle air pollution caused by fossil fuel combustion adversely affects health by inducing oxidative stress and inflammation,” he said.

The study builds on previous research indicating that an antioxidant rich diet can mitigate the health impacts of short-term exposure to air pollution.

“What we did not know was whether diet can influence the association between long-term air pollution exposure and health effects,” NYU School of Medicine doctoral student Chris C. Lim said in the press release.

They found that, for those who did not stick to a Mediterranean diet, deaths overall increased by 5 percent for every 10 parts per billion (ppb) increase in long-term nitrous oxide exposure, compared to 2 percent for those who followed the diet most strictly.

When it came to cardiovascular disease deaths, those increased by 10 percent per 10 ppb increase in nitrous oxide exposure for those who least followed the diet compared to two percent for those who most followed it.

Heart attack deaths due to nitrous oxide exposure increased by 12 percent per ppb compared to 4 percent per ppb for the least and most adherent to the diet.

For particulate matter, cardiac disease deaths increased by 17 percent per 10 micrgrams per cubic meter of increased exposure for those who least followed the diet compared to 5 percent per 10 micrograms per cubic meter for those who most followed it, and heart attack deaths increased by 20 percent per 10 micrograms per cubic meter for the least adherent compared to 5 percent for the most faithful.

Following a Mediterranean diet was not found to improve health outcomes following ozone exposure.

While Time pointed out that more research needs to be done before it is assured that a dietary change can provide a bulwark against air pollution, you won’t hurt your health, or your taste buds, by switching to a Mediterranean diet just in case.

As Lim told Time, “Eat your veggies.”

Source: Eco Watch

EVs Can’t Change the World Until We Change How We Sell Them

23.05.2018

electric-car-789325_960_720 — Foto-ilustracija: Pixabay

Car salespeople have a reputation for being pushy, but there’s one thing they aren’t trying to hard sell: electric vehicles (EVs).

While some of us would prefer getting a root canal to buying a car, researchers from Aarhus University in Denmark and the University of Sussex undertook the daunting task of visiting 82 car dealerships a total of 126 times as part of a new study published yesterday in Nature Energy. During those visits, they noticed a pattern in the way dealers approached selling EVs, and it could be slowing their adoption.

For their study, the researchers put on their acting caps and posed as interested car buyers at dealerships in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden — nations generally considered to be at the forefront of the clean energy revolution.

They went in completely neutral, expressing no preference for any particular type of vehicle so they could see how the salespeople would react. Here’s what they found:

Salespeople much preferred selling internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) to selling EVs. During two-thirds of the visits, they “strongly or solely oriented” the researchers to buy an ICEV and “actively dismissed” EVs.
Seventy-seven percent of salespeople at the dealerships that did sell EVs didn’t mention that the EVs existed. One even denied his dealership sold EVs, only admitting it when pressed.
Salespeople really didn’t know much about EVs. During 71 percent of the visits, they displayed either low knowledge or none at all. They said vehicles had shorter ranges and longer charging times than they did, and misinformed buyers about the tax benefits.

The researchers left each visit knowing the car they would purchase had the visit been “real.” The chance of it being an EV was less than 15 percent with the exception of one city: Oslo.

“The evidenced misinformation and omission of EVs within the sales conversation hinders the ability of mass market consumers to consider electric vehicles as a purchasing option, and potentially even remain incognizant of EVs’ existence,” lead author Gerardo Zarazua de Rubens said in a press release.

In addition to visiting all those dealerships, the researchers also interviewed experts to figure out why EVs got the cold shoulder. The short answer? Salespeople are just following the lead of the government and auto industry.

“The effects of national transport policy were clear while at the dealerships. Dealers consistently were looking to sell the product that was easiest to sell and had the best benefits for consumers,” said co-author Lance Noel. “It’s clear that if governments want consumers to purchase EVs, then governments need to make it more beneficial for consumers, otherwise the dealers will always revert to the cheaper, easier ICEV,” he added.

The auto industry, meanwhile, needs to do more to educate salespeople about EV options. The researchers suggest new training initiatives so that dealers will be more adept at selling EVs.

Convincing people to buy EVs is hard enough. The last thing we need are dismissive, misinformed salespeople adding another barrier to adoption, and prolonging humanity’s dependence on environment-destroying fossil fuels.

Source: Futurism

Vancouver Bans Plastic Straws, Foam Cups and Containers

22.05.2018

Vancouver has become the first major Canadian city to adopt a ban on a range of single-use plastics.

Starting June 1, 2019, the distribution of plastic drinking straws and polystyrene foam cups and take-out containers will be prohibited.

The initiative is part of the city’s ambitious “Zero Waste 2040” strategy to eliminate the disposal of solid waste by 2040, which Vancouver City Council unanimously passed on Wednesday.

Vancouver is the first city in the world to approve a comprehensive zero waste strategic plan, mayor Gregor Robertson touted.

According to The Globe and Mail, the new rule on plastic straws, cups and containers applies to to restaurants and vendors with city business licenses. Details for enforcement are still being worked out. A fine of $250 for offenders is being considered.

“It’s a coastal city, with the plastic items having a significant impact on the environment, we feel it’s important to take action,” City of Vancouver director of waste management and resource recovery Albert Shamess told the publication.

The City of Vancouver estimated that 7 million straws are thrown into the garbage every day. Every week, about 2.6 million plastic-lined cups and 2 million plastic bags are thrown out, with cups and take-out containers making up 50 percent of all items in public waste bins. It also costs taxpayers about $2.5 million a year to collect this trash.

Vancouver wants to establish itself as “the greenest city in the world by 2020,” an initiative that focuses on zero carbon, zero waste and healthy ecosystems.

This week, city officials also approved a flexible bylaw to reduce other types of disposable items, including disposable cups as well as plastic and paper shopping bags.

Under the bylaw, businesses must choose one of the following options:

No distribution of disposable cups or plastic/paper bags
Charging a fee for disposable cups or paper/plastic bags
Other mechanisms to be finalized through consultation

Notably, the city will impose an outright distribution ban on single-use bags and cups if the new rules do not lead to a significant reduction of waste by 2021.

Source: Eco Watch

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