Hemp Hemp Hurray

Hemp is really good at pulling carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. It turns out this ancient crop can’t get you high, but it can help keep temperatures low. Learn how hemp can replace carbon-intensive products and help solve climate change.

Looking for a way to boost your mood and lower stress during these difficult times? Consider finding a way to connect with the natural world. Research has shown that spending time in nature can help lower stress and boost your mood.

How Humidity Makes Heat More Deadly:
The Heat Index Explained

How hot it feels is determined primarily by the heat index, a combination of  temperature and humidity. Over the the next 60 years, the heat index is predicted to skyrocket. Climate scientist and extreme weather expert Dr. Radley Horton explains how the combination of heat and humidity will cause unprecedented suffering and disruption around the world.

Read the study Horton and his colleagues published this topic in Science Advances in May 2020: “The emergence of heat and humidity too severe for human tolerance.”

The latest number on big banks financing the climate crisis is here. Banks have funneled $2.7 trillion into fossil fuels since the Paris Agreement. All major global banks fail to seriously address the damage they’re doing to the climate. JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citi, and Bank of America topped the list of fossil fuel financiers.

See how your bank stacks up here.

Jane Fonda Cuts The Chase

2020 is the year we go after those financing the destruction of our planet. The best way to do that is to cut up your Chase ATM card right now. Follow Jane Fonda’s example and film yourself doing it, then be sure to share on social media and tag JPMorgan Chase and @yearsofliving.

Find out how to join a better bank here.

Why It’s Time To Take On The Big Banks

Author and 350.org co-founder Bill McKibben explains why it’s time for the climate movement to take on big banks like Chase. Since the Paris Agreement, which should have signaled that it’s time to move away from investing in fossil fuels, banks have done the opposite and dumped $1.9 trillion into fossil fuel companies.

Learn how to move your money here. 

We Need To Talk About Climate Change

Professor Katharine Hayhoe is not only one of the world’s top climate scientists, she’s also one of the field’s best communicators. She explains why we need to end the silence that surrounds climate change—because only 1 in 5 Americans ever hears someone they know talk about the issue. That’s a terrible way to deal with a crisis.

Is Climate Change Going To Kill Us All In 10 Years?

One of the most frequent questions climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe gets is: “Is climate change going to kill us all in 10 years?” Sometimes, the timeframe is 11 or 12 years, but nonetheless, this questions stems from a misunderstanding of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, which lays out how much we need to reduce pollution in order to avoid catastrophic climate change.

Governments Are Failing To Adapt To Sea Level Rise

Climate change is causing our seas to rise at an unprecedented rate, which is eating away at coastlines all around the world. Here in the United States the government is actually encouraging people to live near this danger, rather than adapt or move to higher ground. Michael Oppenheimer, a climate scientist who has been studying global warming for decades, explains what governments should be doing in the face of this crisis.

Pete Buttigieg’s Climate Plan

Like all the Democrats in the 2020 presidential primary race, Pete Buttigieg has released a plan to address climate change. Rather than implement regulations on specific technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Mayor Pete believes that market incentives will get the job done, including a price on carbon and lots of investment in research and development.

Andrew Yang’s Climate Change Plan

Presidential hopeful Andrew Yang has a unique plan to fix the climate crisis. He has a tech-centered approach to renewable energy and carbon sequestration, and he proposes switching nuclear energy plants from uranium to thorium. Yang says that if he’s elected, no one with ties to the fossil fuel industry would be allowed to work in his administration.

A Big Reason UN Climate Talks Aren’t Working

The fossil fuel industry has been allowed to underwrite and sponsor the United Nations climate talks for years, including the recent COP25 in Madrid. This creates a massive conflict of interest for a conference that’s supposed to be solving the climate crisis. Sponsorships give oil, coal and gas groups access to events and delegates, creating opportunities to push to weaken the Paris Agreement.

In response, a youth-led group of activists is calling for an end to polluter funding at future COPs. Learn more about the #PollutersOut campaign.

Why Melting Sea Ice Could Lead To New Kinds Of Weather

Ice in the Arctic is melting at an unprecedented rate and leading to higher sea levels. But higher temperatures aren’t the only cause. Climate scientist Radley Horton explains how the albedo effect, black carbon, and the jet stream are speeding up the rate of melting in the Arctic. And this melting ice could lead to entirely new weather patters.

How Net-Zero Buildings Can Help The Climate Crisis

The buildings where we live and work can be as big a climate solution as switching to renewable energy, because buildings consume about 40 percent of all energy. Hal Harvey, an energy and climate expert, explains how the concept of net-zero buildings and improved building codes are key to lowering emissions.

Tens of millions of people could be displaced by climate change by the end of this century. Climate scientist Michael Oppenheimer explains why that matters, and what governments need to do to prepare.

Bernie Sanders’ 2020 Climate Plan

If elected President of the United States in 2020, Senator Bernie Sanders plans to address climate change by pushing for the Green New Deal. Here’s a closer look at his campaign proposals, which he says will create millions of green jobs and is estimated to cost $16.3 trillion.

Elizabeth Warren’s Plan For The Planet

Elizabeth Warren says she “has a plan for that” and fighting the climate crisis is no exception. In this video we take a look at her green manufacturing plan for America that she would enact if she’s elected President of the United States in 2020.

Chase Bank Sit-In: Stop The Money Pipeline

The climate movement has identified a new threat: Wall Street and its financing of fossil fuels. The Stop The Money Pipeline campaign teamed up with Fire Drill Fridays to call attention to the role Chase bank is playing in the climate crisis. Bill McKibbon, Rev. Lennox Yearwood and a group of supporters hope to send a message to CEO Jamie Dimon by staging a sit-in at a Chase branch in D.C., while Jane Fonda stages a protest at the Capital building nearby.

Actor and activist Jane Fonda has a very important message for Chase Bank’s CEO Jamie Dimon. She wants him to end Chase bank’s investments in fossil fuels, or we’ll cut up our cards and move our money elsewhere.

Learn more at StopTheMoneyPipeline.com.

Joe Biden’s Climate Plan

Will Joe Biden make fighting the climate crisis a top priority if he’s elected? Here’s a look at where he stands on the issue.

Greta Thunberg Takes Davos

Greta Thunberg, who inspired a movement of school strikes for climate action, spoke bluntly to the world leaders gathered at the 2020 World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos. Her message: stop funding fossil fuel exploration, immediately end all fossil fuel subsidies, and immediately and completely divest from fossil fuels.

The concept of a Green New Deal for the United States is getting a lot of attention. But what a Green New Deal means might be different to from person to person. Energy and policy expert Hal Harvey offers a definition of what that policy should do. He explains that the government needs to set the goals for decarbonizing the economy, and then the private sector has to meet them—and he offers examples of how our country does this all the time.

Beto O’Rourke may be from a fossil fuel state, but that hasn’t stopped him from releasing a five trillion dollar plan to stop the climate crisis in its tracks. Do you think this plan has what it takes?

Jay Inslee calls himself the climate candidate for President, and he has just released a plan to tackle the crisis.

A Scottish Engineer’s Quest to Design a Kite That Can Power the World

Rod Read, an engineer and stay-at-home dad, lives on the remote Isle of Lewis in Scotland. For the past seven years, he’s been designing a kite that he thinks could revolutionize wind power.

Flying Rivers

The Amazon rainforest is under immense pressure, with the number of fires increasing 30.5% over the last year. Gisele Bündchen meets with meets with climate scientist Antonio Donato Nobre above the treetops to learn how important this forest truly is to the whole world.

The Climate Solution You Need To Know About

There are about 200 people who hold the keys to winning or losing on climate change in the United States. They’re the members of Public Utility Commissions (PUCs), who decide how local utility companies get energy. Energy expert Hal Harvey explains why we need to get them on board with solving the climate crisis.

In Mississippi, the costs of coastal flooding are adding up as climate change drives sea levels higher and higher. Do the benefits outweigh the risks?

Video by Nexus Media.

The Fossil Fuel Industry Could Set Off A “Carbon Bomb”

There’s a carbon bomb beneath our feet and new research says we’re about to light the fuse. We explain the findings, and what it all means for the goals of the Paris Agreement.

Why We’re Seeing A Lot More 100-Year Floods And Storms

You may have noticed that we’ve been seeing way more 100-year and even 500-year floods, storms, hurricanes, and other severe weather events in the past decade. Shouldn’t a 100-year storm happen…every 100 years? Scientist Radley Horton explains how these events actually have a misleading name, and the real reason the odds are turning against us.

David Wallace-Wells On Covering Climate Change

David Wallace-Wells, the author of “The Uninhabitable Earth,” shares why he feels the media, especially TV news, has failed to cover the urgency of climate change. Wallace-Wells also explains why he doesn’t shy away from evoking fear, doom and gloom in his writing.

Are We Running Out Of Drinking Water?

You may have heard that the climate crisis is causing sea levels to rise and flooding like we’ve never seen before. But the biggest water problem brought on by climate change is not having enough to drink. Climate scientist Dr. Katharine Hayhoe explains how global warming is depleting several different sources of potable freshwater.

Flavio and Ines’ family have been living off of alpacas for generations, but climate change is threatening their livelihood. Severe winter storms put their flock in danger. Thanks to The Red Cross and a strategy called “forecast-based financing,” communities like this one in Santa Lucia, Peru are getting the help they need before disaster hits.

“Our main enemy right now is not our political opponents. Our main enemy now is physics…and we cannot make deals with physics,” Greta Thunberg told the U.S. House of Representatives in a speech during her visit to Washington, D.C.

Is Fighting Climate Change Bad For The Economy?

Some people say that fighting the climate crisis is going to ruin the economy. Hal Harvey, one of the world’s top energy and climate change experts, explains why that’s not the case.

Juliana v. United States: Meet The Kids Suing Over Climate Change

Juliana v. United States is a landmark climate lawsuit against the federal government of the USA, arguing it is depriving youth of their rights to a stable climate system. In September 2019, the young plaintiffs, aged 12 to 23, traveled to Washington, D.C. to get support for their suit from members of Congress and climate strike leader Greta Thunberg. This is their story.

Special thanks to Our Children’s Trust.

Should I Have Kids?

In “An Uninhabitable Future,” author David Wallace-Wells paints a picture of a dark and frightening future that’s been destroyed by climate change. We wanted to know what’s the most common question he gets asked, and the answer surprised even us.

President Trump is attempting to open the largest forest in the United States, Tongass National Forest, to the logging industry, but the public has the chance to weigh in before he takes action.

One third of all global warming has been caused by just 20 companies, and now we know exactly who they are. Here’s what’s even worse: these companies have known their products created pollution that could change our global climate. In this installment of #BigOilKnew, we walk you through the timeline of climate change denial.

#TimeToVoteOnClimate: Governing on Climate

President Trump may not be taking climate change seriously, but governors across the country are, and it’s making a difference.

Birthstrike

Faced with the stark reality of the climate crisis, a growing movement of people are deciding not to have children. We spoke with Blythe Pepino, the founder of Birthstrike in the UK, and with Meghan Kallman and Josephine Ferorelli of Conceivable Future, a women-led network of Americans who come together to discuss the intersection of climate change and reproductive justice.

Activists from Extinction Rebellion NYC risked arrest by protesting Wall Street at the famous Charging Bull statue. One woman, Alexia, got arrested after climbing onto the statue while holding a flag with Extinction Rebellion’s hourglass symbol. This is her story.

The Climate Debate

The Democratic Party is holding twelve debates to decide the nominee for President, but it wont commit to making even one of them about the climate crisis. Voters and even some of the candidates are trying to change that.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Reveals Exxon Knew

New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez questioned Dr. Martin Hoffert during a House Oversight subcommittee hearing on civil rights. Dr. Hoffert was commissioned by ExxonMobil to study climate change, and what he reveals about what the company has known for decades is truly staggering.

Extinction Rebellion: Times Square Takeover

Extinction Rebellion NYC staged a demonstration in the middle of a Times Square intersection in an effort to disrupt “business as usual” and draw attention to the climate crisis. Hear first-hand from the rebels about why they’re willing to be arrested.

Why Are We Subsidizing Fossil Fuels?

Globally we are subsidizing the fossil fuel business to the tune of $5.3 trillion a year. Why do you think we’re giving these companies massive tax breaks when their products put our future in jeopardy? Journalist David Wallace-Wells, author of “The Uninhabitable Earth” explains.

Actor Michael C. Hall explains why he participated in an Extinction Rebellion direct action on Wall Street in New York City, and why he’s a “rebel for life.”

What Ancient Climate Can Teach Us About Today’s Crisis

Some of the most powerful civilizations in history–Vikings in Greenland, the Anasazi, the Mayan Empire–have been felled by changes in the climate, and we’re on track to join them. Unless we adapt and take action to stop it.

California Faces A Fiery Future

David Wallace-Wells, author of “The Uninhabitable Earth,” discusses how climate change is setting the stage for increasingly devastating forest fires in California.

How fast is the climate changing? It’s happened within one lifetime. David Wallace-Wells, climate journalist and author of “The Uninhabitable Earth,” explains the speed of warming that the world has seen–and will continue to see unless we take action.

These three members of Extinction Rebellion risked arrest in New York City to make a big statement about the climate crisis. We tell their story.

In 2017, the worst drought in 1,200 years was devastating California, diving farmers to the brink of disaster. Don Cheadle meets a family of farmers whose lives may never be the same as they struggle to find water in the parched Central Valley.

A Plan For Zero Carbon Transportation

Transportation is the largest source of carbon pollution in the U.S., but it doesn’t have to be that way. Car makers have proven time and time again that they are fully capable of making their vehicles cleaner and more fuel efficient. The government just has to ask them. Energy expert Hal Harvey explains.

Beyond 2 Degrees With David Wallace-Wells

Humanity is struggling to keep the Earth from heating just two degrees, but if we don’t make big changes soon the planet will heat far beyond that. Journalist David Wallace-Wells explains what that would look like.

Megan Boone: I’m A Climate Voter

You may know Megan Boone as an actor on The Blacklist. She’s also a mother, and she’s taking action to protect her daughter’s future by voting.

Strike With Us

Nine-year-old Hawkeye Huey calls for support for the global climate strike. Find a strike near you at strikewithus.org.

This video is a collaboration between Amplifier.org and Bemo Studio, and made possible by a grant from the David Rockefeller Fund.

How A Zero Carbon Grid Enables Everything

We have an incredibly powerful tool to fight climate change. It’s called the zero-carbon grid, and it enables everything using different sources of renewable energy. Hal Harvey, one of the world’s top experts on energy and climate change, explains.

Hurricane Dorian: What’s Fueling A Storm Like No Other?

Hurricane Dorian moved slowly towards the East Coast of the United States after devastating the Bahamas. It’s one of the most powerful storms to have formed in the Atlantic. Find out why Dorian is a storm like no other.

How To Change Your Diet To Fight Climate Change

One of the biggest differences you can make in the fight against climate change is changing your diet. Instead of cutting carbs, would you be willing to cut carbon instead?

The Amazon Rainforest is on fire, plunging Sao Paolo, the largest city in South America, into darkness. But this isn’t a new problem. Fires in the rainforest have increased over 80% in 2019 compared to the prior year. Here’s what you need to know.

Rainforests provide water, food, and livelihoods for billions of people around the world, contain millions of species, and are one of our best solutions to fight the climate crisis. They are also in grave peril. With deforestation continuing to be on the rise, the world needs inspire more voices to battle forces that are destroying nature and the best solution to climate change. Join Dr. Jane Goodall to mobilize a movement built on the values we share across our religions and spiritual traditions to be stewards of the Earth.

William Pendley: The Public Land Official Who Wants To Sell All Of America’s Public Lands

William Perry Pendley is a conservative lawyer and career bureaucrat. President Trump made him head of the Bureau of Land Management. But now that he’s in charge of America’s public lands, Pendley wants to sell them off to the highest bidder.

Environmental Racism is Bad for Your Brain

Jeremy Deaton interviews Harriet Washington, a medical ethicist and author of A Terrible Thing to Waste: Environmental Racism and Its Assault on the American Mind and Beth Gardiner, author of Choked: Life and Breath in the Age of Air Pollution.

Is It Or Isn’t It Recyclable?

Recycling really does lower emissions, but it’s important to do it right. Here at The YEARS Project, our staff has a lot of questions about what can be recycled. Can you recycle pizza boxes, batteries or takeout containers? Keep in mind that recycling rules vary a lot from place to place, so be sure to look up your local guidelines.

President Trump Is Gutting The Endangered Species Act

President Donald Trump has announced sweeping changes to the Endangered Species Act, changes that will benefit big polluters at the expense of America’s most vulnerable animals.

Jack Black takes a seat for a talk therapy session with psychiatrist Lise Van Susteren. They discuss the psychology of climate change. Can she help him?

Why Blackrock Got Seriously Pranked

Blackrock, the biggest investor in fossil fuels, announced it was pulling out of dirty energy entirely. There was just one tiny problem…it wasn’t true.

The Green New Deal is about more than dealing with the climate crisis. It’s about dealing with the climate crisis in a way that creates a fairer, better, world. Policy lead Rhiana Gunn-Wright explains.

Why The Green New Deal Will Save the Economy, Not Ruin It

Will the Green New Deal really cost $93 trillion? Rhiana Gunn-Wright, the policy lead for the Green New Deal, debunks some of the biggest myths about the policy including outlandish claims about its cost.

Does The Green New Deal Have To Happen In 10 Years?

It’s going to take a massive national mobilization to tackle the climate crisis before it’s too late. Policy lead on the Green New Deal, Rhiana Gunn-Wright explains why it’s not only possible, but has a historical precedent.

Exxon’s Car of the Future

One of the first modern electric cars wasn’t made by an auto-company. It was made by the oil industry. So why did they end up killing it off?

These Amazon Employees Are Fighting Their Company’s Secret Carbon Footprint

Amazon is the most valuable public company in the world, but it’s been keeping its carbon footprint a secret. This Prime Day, a group of workers is trying to change that.

Future In The Forest

What happens if an entire generation leaves the forest behind? It could be a disaster for the environment. Rainforest Alliance is helping young people in Mexico’s Yucatan find a way to stay and protect the ecosystem.

The Green New Deal Doesn’t Need Republicans

Rhiana Gunn-Wright, policy lead on the Green New Deal, addresses the myth that the plan must appeal to Republicans, and addresses comments made by Senator Diane Feinstein to young Sunrise Movement members who visited her office.

The Kids Are Not Alright

Young people have forced climate change to the top of the political agenda. Rhiana Gunn-Wright, the policy lead for the Green New Deal explains why they can’t be forced out of the room now.

Made in partnership with Sunrise Movement.

#ClimateFacts: Toxic Chemical Floods

2,500 toxic chemical sites across the U.S. are in imminent danger of spilling.

Have A Climate Debate

The climate crisis poses an existential threat to the survival of the species…and it’s time we talked about it. What do you think?

What’s Your Climate Plan?

Election season is heating up and so is the planet. That’s why it’s so important to ask every presidential candidate one fundamental question…

#WarOnOurFuture: Trump Censors Science

The Trump Administration is actively trying to get scientists to censor their reports, all to suit his political agenda.

Surprising Solutions To The Climate Crisis

Dr. Jonathan Foley, Executive Director of Project Drawdown, explains how solving climate change can save the world money. What’s even better? We have the tools to do it today.

The Need for EV Charging Stations

The number of electric vehicles hitting the road in the next ten years is expected to increase dramatically. Where are all those EVs going to charge up?

What Killed The Puffins?

Thousands of puffins died all at once off the coast of Alaska. Now, scientists finally know the reason why.

The Hottest Place On Earth

330 million people are blistering under a 122 degree heatwave in India, and it won’t be the last one.

Climate Mission Critical

America’s top military officials are warning of a major new threat on the horizon: climate change. 

The Solution To Climate Change Is All Around Us

We could get a third of the way to our climate change goals without any technology at all. All we need is to turn to the power of nature. Here are three natural strategies that could help us solve the climate crisis.

From Tree Leaves To Hyperloops, Can Tech Save The Planet?

There are tons of high-tech climate change solutions just around the corner, but there are hundreds of others that are already here.

Orangutan Extinction

If we don’t stop deforestation, orangutans could go extinct within the next ten years. Harrison Ford goes to Indonesia to learn what’s going on.

Declare A Climate Emergency

The activist group Extinction Rebellion shut down London for 10 days to get the U.K to declare a climate emergency. Christina Moses ‏explains what happened next.

Saving The Rainforest With Sustainable Coffee. It’s Not Too Latte!

Palm oil is in almost everything, and it’s responsible for huge amounts of deforestation across the globe. Scottish Entrepreneurs Fergus Moore and Scott Kennedy have found a way to replace it, using nothing more than a cup of coffee.

Climate change isn’t all melting glaciers and warming weather. Here are six ways climate change will impact you that you may never have considered.

Norway has billions of barrels of oil right off its coast, but thanks to a passionate and determined youth movement, the country decided to keep them in the ground.

David Letterman Goes to the Bank

Renewables are changing lives in rural India, as small businesses replace expensive, dirty, and unreliable diesel generators, with cheap, clean, sustainable solar energy. David Letterman visits one such business.

In 1930, there were approximately 10 million elephants in Africa. Today there are only 350,000. By 2030, there could be zero.

You may never have heard of Bill Wehrum, but he’s been put in charge of your air at the EPA. Once you learn who he is and about his conflicts of interest, you may want to change that.

A new U.N. report says a million species are at risk of extinction. Where are the emergency meetings?

What if we could put America’s public lands to work fighting climate change? Elizabeth Warren has released a plan to do just that, which is now being considered by a committee in congress. 

#WeCanSolveThis: Clean Meat

What if we could make real meat without ever having to kill a single animal? Believe it or not, it’s already been done and it has huge implications for the future of our planet.

#ClimateFacts: Dying Oceans

Scientists have discovered the oceans are warming 40% faster than previously thought. Joshua Jackson heads to Australia to learn what climate change means for the future of coral reefs.

The Nuclear Family

Nuclear plants are closing across New England, so why are these environmentalists rallying to their defense? The Years Project partnered with Exelon to find out.

Climate Wars: Yemen

What happens to a society when people start running out of water? New York Times reporter Thomas Friedman went to Yemen to find out.

Climate Change Is Cooking Salmon in the Pacific Northwest

Meet a community that depends on salmon, and learn how their way of life is changing because of warming oceans.

NYC’s Green New Deal

Buildings are responsible for 70% of all of New York City’s carbon pollution. The good news is that NYC just passed its own version of the Green New Deal, which will lower emissions from skyscrapers across the city–including Trump Tower.

Insect Extinction

The world’s insects are disappearing, in part because of climate change. If we don’t stop it, this disappearance will set off a catastrophic chain of events.

#WarOnOurFuture: Big Banks Back Big Oil

The big banks talk a big game about going green, so why are they pouring big bucks into fossil fuels?

#ClimateFacts: Flooded Farms

Midwestern farmers have already lost a million animals and a million acres of crops to climate fueled flooding this year. For many families, it may mean the end of the line.

#ClimateFacts: Glacier Danger

There are about 200,000 glaciers all across the world. But they’re melting and the communities that depend on them are feeling the pain.

#WarOnOurFuture: Environmental Inequity

Communities of color may not be producing the majority of America’s pollution, but they’re far more likely to be exposed to its effects.

#WarOnOurFuture: Dirty Money

In total, the 57 Senators who voted against the Green New Deal received 11 times more fossil fuel money than their colleagues. Do you think it influenced their votes?

#WeCanSolveThis: Harnessing The Power of The Earth

Before John Wick was the co-founder of the Marin Carbon Project, he was just trying to find a way to get rid of weeds on his ranch when he stumbled upon a powerful climate change solution. Then he learned about an approach to farming helps sequester carbon in the soil, and could be a major solution in the fight against climate change.

#TimeToVoteOnClimate: Green New Reality Check

When Congressman Sean Duffy disparaged the Green New Deal as “an elitist fantasy,” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez gave him a reality check.

Student Climate Strike

Over a million high schoolers, middle schoolers, and even elementary school students from around the world cut class and took to the streets to send a powerful message to adults. They say it’s time adults take climate change seriously.

Three Mile Island

Three Mile Island was the worst nuclear disaster in American history, but everything you’ve heard about it could be wrong.

Forty years later, The YEARS Project has partnered with Exelon to take a look back.

#ClimateFacts: Midwest Historic Floods

A bomb cyclone has slammed into the Midwest leaving devastating flooding in its wake, and forecasters say this could be just the beginning.

#ClimateFacts: Black Carbon

Huge swathes of the Arctic are turning black and scientists have finally discovered the reason why.

#WarOnOurFuture: Open for Oil

Millions of Americans felt the pain of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, but the Trump Administration made sure big oil and gas companies weren’t among them.

#WarOnOurFuture: Saving Grand Staircase

This land holds the secret to the dinosaurs, but the Trump Administration is trying to destroy it, and it’s lying about the reason why. Made in partnership with Earthjustice.

March 15: Youth Climate Strike

“Just make a sign and go protest,” says Alexandria Villasenor.

On March 15, tens of thousands of kids around the world will be skipping school to fight for their futures. Learn more at: YouthClimateStrikeus.org

#TimeToVoteOnClimate: Jay Inslee Runs For President

Jay Inslee, the governor of Washington state, just announced he’s running for president. He thinks he can win by making climate change his campaign’s top priority.

#WarOnOurFuture: Green New Deal Vote

Senator Mitch McConnell is fighting to bring the Green New Deal up for a vote, but it’s not because he’s become an environmentalist overnight.

#WeCanSolveThis: The Dawn of Sunrise

The young people of the Sunrise Movement are done waiting for politicians to protect their futures. They’re taking the fight to Congress, and it’s getting results.

#ClimateFacts: Plants Don’t Suck

One of the most powerful tools in the fight against climate change may be reaching its limit.

#ClimateFacts: Bankrupted By Climate

Pacific Gas and Electric is the largest utility in California, providing power to over 40% of the state. In the wake of the deadly wildfire seasons of the past two years, the company is facing bankruptcy.

#WeCanSolveThis: L.A. Dumps Natural Gas

Instead of spending billions on fixing three natural gas power plants, Los Angeles is turning to renewables. L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti says the plan is the “Green New Deal” happening now.

#WarOnOurFuture: National Emergency

President Trump just declared a state of emergency on the border, but he’s ignoring the real emergency right under his nose.

#WarOnOurFuture: Manufacturing Doubt

Republican climate change denial began long before President Trump. A leaked Republican strategy memo helps sheds light on how we got to where we are today.

#WarOnOurFuture: The State Of Our Union

President Trump’s State of the Union Address was nearly an hour and a half long, but what he didn’t say speaks volumes.

#ClimateFacts: The Storm Inside

In the aftermath of a climate disaster, survivors may recover physically but the mental health impacts can last for years to come. Psychiatrist Lise Van Susteren explains “solastalgia” and other aspects of climate anxiety.

#WeCanSolveThis: Germany Quits Coal

Germany is quitting coal for good, and at the same time helping coal workers avoid unemployment.

#ClimateFacts: Boiling Oceans

Scientists have discovered that the world’s oceans are warming 40% faster than we thought. That has dire implications for sea creatures and people.

A Titanic Climate Solution

Imagine if Exxon Mobil suddenly pledged to switch to 100% renewable energy by 2050. That’s essentially what just happened with Maersk, the world’s largest shipping company, when they announced their plan to go carbon neutral by 2050.

Big Oil Knew: The Confusion Memo

An internal oil industry memo has surfaced, revealing a secret plan to wage a misinformation campaign on the American public.

The Coal Lobbyist EPA Chief

Andrew Wheeler spent most of the last decade working as a fossil fuel lobbyist. President Donald J. Trump is trying to put him in charge of the Environmental Protection Agency.

#ClimateFacts: The Junk Food Effect

The increased levels of carbon dioxide is having an effect on how plants grow–and their nutrients.

TV’s Climate Silence

NBC’s Meet the Press recently took a stand by saying they’ll no longer give airtime to climate change denial. That’s a great first step, but we also need network news to spend more time talking about climate change in general. According to Media Matters research, in 2017 (the most recent year analyzed) CBS, NBC, ABC and Fox combined only showed 6 stories about the link between climate change and extreme weather.

Coal Ash in the Water

There’s no way to store toxic coal waste that’s completely safe. There’s also no way to mine and burn coal that doesn’t threaten communities, our waterways and our climate. Duke Energy needs to stop burning coal, clean up its toxic mess, and invest in abundant, affordable clean energy sources like solar and wind.

Deal Or No New Deal

The new class of Democrats in Congress has a bold new plan to tackle climate change called the Green New Deal, but its future may already be in jeopardy.

Youth Rebellion

All across the world, young people are mobilizing to take their futures into their own hands.

2018: A Year In Climate Disasters

2018 was a brutal year for climate change fueled disasters, but without action it will be just a small preview of things to come.

President Trump’s Assaults on Climate

In 2018, President Trump and his administration did everything in their power to get rid of environmental protections and make climate change worse. Here are seven examples.

#WarOnOurFuture: The Inferior Secretary

President Trump’s scandal-ridden Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is resigning, but his replacement could be even worse.

#WeCanSolveThis: 10 Signs of Climate Progress from 2018

We have the technology and know-how to solve climate change, we just need to scale it up. Here are 10 signs of incredible progress in 2018.

Coal’s Toxic Legacy

There are over 1,400 pits filled with toxic coal ash in the United States, and many are leaking.

Video made in partnership with Earthjustice.

Fowl Play

The Trump Administration is trying to open up another 9 million acres of public land to fossil fuel companies, whether it succeeds could all hinge on the Sage Grouse.

Rise: From One Island to Another

Watch this poetic expedition between two islanders, one from the Marshall Islands and one from Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland), connecting their realities of melting glaciers and rising sea levels. Kathy Jetn̄il-Kijiner and Aka Niviâna use their poetry to showcase the linkages between their homelands in the face of climate change.

This is an invitation to take a few minutes to watch this film, unplug from your daily distractions, immerse yourself in the beauty of our shared home, and let the poetry heal.

Film made by Dan Lin for 350.org.

The town in Poland’s coal region uniting against coal

What would it take for a town of people outside the Polish coal city of Katowice to turn against the fuel that drove the economy, culture and prosperity of the region? Welcome to Imielin, the town fighting for their homes and livelihoods against coal development on the doorstep of the COP24 climate talks.

Video by Greenpeace International.

Robert Reich: Climate and Inequality

Climate change and widening inequality are not two separate issues.

Colorado Climate, Jobs and Justice Town Hall

More than 250,000 people rallied for climate action, jobs and justice in more than 800 cities in over 90 countries on September 8, 2018. Denver, Colorado was one of those places.

Texas Immigrant Detention Center Stifled by Pollution

An immigrant detention center in Karnes City, Texas is the subject of dangerous air and water pollution.

Meet the Artist Behind the Freedom to Breathe Bus

Celeste Beyers talks about her art for the Freedom to Breathe bus tour.

Bayou Bridge Pipeline Protests

Public officials in Louisiana have criminalized protest. The men and women fighting the Bayou Bridge pipeline are finding new ways to stand up to the oil and gas industry.

Climate Change Ballet

Glacier: A Climate Change Ballet uses movement and dance to make climate change more emotionally immediate to audiences.

Freedom to Breathe Solutions

This summer, the Freedom to Breathe Tour visited communities across the country that are working to reduce carbon emissions and make their communities healthier and more resilient.

#WeCanSolveThis: Fighting The Power

This town was poisoned by coal for decades. Then, the town decided to fight back.

#CimateFacts: Heading Towards Collapse

Rice, the world’s most important crop, is heading towards collapse. If we don’t stop climate change, nearly half the world could be left hungry.

Drill Baby Drill

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is one of America’s last untouched pieces of wilderness. The Trump Administration is rushing to open it up to oil companies.

#ClimateFacts: Ocean Dead Zones

The oceans are running out of oxygen, and climate change is fueling the decline.

The High Price Of Fashion

60% of all clothing is thrown out within a year of being manufactured, but it doesn’t have to be this way.

Burying the Truth

The Trump Administration tried to bury one of the most significant climate reports in American history, but this report is too important to ignore.

Attack of the Bark Beetle

There’s something out there killing more trees than all forest fires combined, and it’s smaller than a fingernail.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and The Youth Movement

Why is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in Nancy Pelosi’s office with all these young people? They’re calling on congress to pass a “Green New Deal” to address climate change.

#WarOnOurFuture: Silencing Science

The Trump Administration is eliminating the EPA’s Office of the Science Advisor and that’s just one front in its all-out war on science.

#WarOnOurFuture #YEARSproject

#ClimateFacts: California’s Wildfires Are The New Abnormal

The wildfire ravaging California is now the deadliest in state history. This isn’t the new normal, it’s the new abnormal, and we need to talk about why.

Rings of Fire

Wildfires are raging across California once again, raising the question: Can wildfire season get any worse? Former firefighter Tom Swetnam has discovered a way to understand the future of fires by looking into the past.

Enemy of the Amazon

Newly elected President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro holds the future of the world’s largest rainforest in his hands. His plans for it put us all in jeopardy.

Obama’s Big Solution to Climate Change

We revisit our interview with Barack Obama from season 1 of Years of Living Dangerously in light of the environmental rollbacks enacted by the Trump administration. Thomas Friedman sat down with the then-President of the United States to discuss the world’s biggest problem, and the biggest way to solve it.

#WeCanSolveThis: The Solar QWNN Helps Disaster Survivors

The solar-powered QWNN offers a buy-one-give-one deal that delivers solar lights and chargers to people in need. This light is also a phone charger and battery pack.

Safe Passage

West Wing start Bradley Whitford returns to Washington to explore what it takes to get Republicans in Congress to care about climate change, and meets the inspiring citizens lobby to make it happen.

#ClimateFacts: The Secret Cost of Air Pollution

Air pollution isn’t just bad for your lungs, it’s bad for your brain.

Coal, Oil, And Gas Are Counting On You

The election is just around the corner and this year, the world’s biggest polluters are counting on you.

#WeCanSolveThis: Save Hambach Forest

Activists, citizens and the internet search company Ecosia are coming together to try to stop energy company RWE from cutting down a 12,000-year-old forest to mine for coal.

Exxon Knew In The 70s

Exxon knew about the dangers of climate change in the 1970s, according to internal company documents.

Why Lesley Stahl Thinks President Trump Should Go to Greenland

President Donald Trump may have told Lesley Stahl that he doesn’t know if humans are causing climate change, but that doesn’t change the fact that scientists do. Years of Living Dangerously sent Lesley to Greenland to meet with one, and see the impacts herself.

#ClimateFacts: HSBC’s Climate Warning

HSBC, one of the world’s largest banks is warning that climate change poses a major threat to the world economy, and it’s not alone. 

Minneapolis Community Solar

Communities most impacted by fossil fuels often are given no say in the kind of energy that powers their local communities. In Minneapolis, Shiloh Temple International Ministries, Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light, Masjid An-Nur, Cooperative Energy Futures, IPS Solar, and North Minneapolis came together to build this community solar project, which is a vivid example of how diverse communities are addressing their energy needs and paving the way for a sustainable renewable future for us all.

Paid Actors at Public Hearings

At a public hearing in New Orleans, paid actors were brought in to crowd out testimony from the real community concerned about a power plant.

President Macron’s Speech

During a speech to the United Nations, France’s President Emmanuel Macron proposed an end to signing trade agreements with those who don’t comply with the Paris Agreement. Right now, the main target for such a measure is the United States.

The Most Important Thing

There are a million little things you can do to fight climate change everyday. This November, there’s one gigantic one: vote.

No Fossil Fuel Money Pledge

Can politicians take money from big polluters and still represent the people? Over 1000 candidates running for office in the U.S. have said no! They signed the no fossil fuel money pledge.

Smart Thermostats

Smart Thermostats can save you money, and help save the environment at the same time!

Made in partnership with Outrider Foundation.

The Degree of Disaster

The worst of climate change was supposed to be decades away, but the worlds top climate scientists just came out with the latest edition of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report saying it’s closer than we ever could have ever imagined.

Hurricane Michael Hits

Supercharged by extra-warm ocean waters, Hurricane Michael slammed into Florida with windspeeds just 2 miles per hour short of a Category 5 storm.

Is There Anything More Important?

John Russell: I’m A Climate Voter

John is a 28-year-old farmer, small business owner, and biodiesel producer from Wellsville, Ohio. He is the owner of Fall Creek Farm and previously held jobs in energy development. Growing up in Appalachia, John knows that renewable energy technologies could reinvigorate the local economy.

Made in partnership with Generation Progress.

The End of Coal

In 1950 there were 388,000 coal miners in the U.S. Today there are 53,000. It’s time to talk honestly about the real reasons why.

Tracee Bird: I’m A Climate Voter

When wildfires tore through Tracee’s home she knew she was feeling the sting of climate change firsthand. This year she’s taking action to stop it. Join her at TheYearsProject.com/Vote

Made in partnership with Environmental Voter Project.

#WeCanSolveThis: Citizens’ Climate Lobby

Big oil, the coal industry, and other climate polluters all have well-paid lobbyists who shell out millions of dollars to protect their interests. So who’s lobbying the government to take climate action? Meet Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL).

Made in partnership with Outrider Foundation.

Bakersfield Boys: We’re Climate Voters

Their town has some of the worst air in America. Troy (35), Noé (20), and Justin (21) are students at Bakersfield College in California and the developers of the Kern Air Project. They’re also voters. Join them at BeAClimateVoter.org.

Made in partnership with Generation Progress.

Dengue Fever

If we don’t tackle climate change, the world could see over 12 million more cases of dengue fever each year due to growing mosquito populations. In some cases, that could be deadly.

Yvonna’s Story

Yvonna is a mother, and she cares about her children’s future. That’s why this year, she’s a voter. Join her at TheYearsProject.com/Vote

Made in partnership with Environmental Voter Project.

#WeCanSolveThis: Plastic Emissions

When you think about plastic and pollution, you probably picture discarded plastic ending up in the ocean or by the side of the highway. But plastic also contributes to air pollution and climate change, especially single-use plastic.

Made in partnership with Outrider Foundation.

The Wind Is Blowing

The winds of change are blowing, and they’re bringing clean energy, prosperity, and good jobs to the U.S.

Made in partnership with Outrider Foundation.

Bryn Bird: I’m a Climate Voter

Bryn Bird is a 34-year-old military navy wife, mother, and co-owner of Bird’s Haven Farms, a family-owned farm in Granville, Ohio. Throughout her lifetime, she’s seen the impacts of climate change on the farm and is concerned about what farming will be like when her daughters are old enough to take over.

That’s why she’s a #ClimateVoter.

Made in partnership with Generation Progress.

Dr. Futernick: I’m A Climate Voter

Dr. Marc Futernick is the medical director of his hospital’s emergency department. One of his biggest concerns is climate change, because of the surge of patients he sees when heatwaves hit. That’s why he’s a climate voter.

#WeCanSolveThis: We Are Still In – Halfway to Paris

America is nearly halfway to meeting its Paris climate goals, but not because of President Donald Trump or the actions of his administration. Meet the coalition of cities, states and businesses that have picked up the mantle of climate leadership.

#WeCanSolveThis: The Forgotten Solution

There’s a natural solution to climate change all around us, but we’re taking it for granted. Alec Baldwin and Dr. Jane Goodall explain why we can’t let forests be the forgotten solution.

Created in partnership with Jane Goodall Institute. Special thanks to the Mebêngôkre people of Brazil featured in this video. They are a tribe working to keep their forests safe from destruction, but like other indigenous groups protecting the forests, they’re lives and livelihoods are in peril from illegal and legal farming, logging, and gold mines in the Amazon.

Liz Keifer: I’m A Climate Voter

Liz is a mother of two and she isn’t going to let climate change take her kids’ future away. This year she’s taking action. Find out more at www.TheYearsProject.com/Vote

Tony Love: I’m a Climate Voter

Climate change nearly killed Tony and his family. This year, he’s doing something about it.

Join Tony. Pledge to vote at www.TheYearsProject.com/vote

Nalleli’s Climate Voter Story

Nalleli Cobo spent her childhood being poisoned by fossil fuel companies, because of oil wells in the neighborhood where she grew up. But she fought back.

Now you can too. Pledge to be a Climate Voter at www.TheYearsProject.com/Vote

Green Roofs

Green roofs don’t just look cool, they can also help cool the planet! They sequester carbon, clean the air, insulate buildings and even provide habitat for wildlife.

Hurricane Florence Bears Down

Here’s how climate change is setting the stage to make Hurricane Florence one of the most destructive storms ever to hit the East Coast.

Christian’s Story

Christian Acevedo is an 18-year-old Cuban and Puerto Rican-American resident of Miami. Right before the hurricane season last year, he went to Puerto Rico to visit and connect with relatives he had never met before. But once Hurricane Maria hit with devastating results, he didn’t hear from his family for three weeks.

Be a climate voter too: BeAClimateVoter.org

Food Waste

Trashing food not only wastes resources, it also contributes to climate change. The good news is that are are many ways to address this problem, and feed people at the same time.

Made in partnership with Outrider.

Sarah Yi: I’m A Climate Voter

Sarah Yi, originally from Hawaii, currently resides in Los Angeles. At Occidental College, she is the associate director of the Food Energy and Sustainability Team and is on the Public Relations Team. She strives to reduce her carbon footprint in every facet of her life, but knows that voting is the number one way to take climate action.

Join her at Join her at BeAClimateVoter.org.

California Commits to 100% Clean Energy

The world’s fifth largest economy is committing to 100% clean energy! The state of California’s electricity will be carbon-free by 2045.

Delaney Reynolds: I’m a Climate Voter

Delaney Reynolds is an 18-year-old marine biology student at the University of Miami. She is the Founder and CEO of The Sink or Swim Project, an educational and political advocacy organization that teaches kids in Miami about climate change.

#WeCanSolveThis: Underwater Data Centers

Microsoft sunk one of its data centers to the bottom of the ocean, and it could help save the planet. How? The experiment, called Project Natick, aims to lower the amount of energy needed to cool the equipment.

Trump’s Dirty Power Plan

President Donald Trump is replacing the Clean Power Plan with a dirty one that could result in the premature deaths of over a thousand Americans every year. He hopes his plan will help the coal industry, but it will worsen climate change.

Cory Beattie: I’m a Climate Voter

A former wildland firefighter, Cory’s seen the ravages of climate change firsthand. So, he’s doing everything he can to stop it. That’s why he’s a climate voter.

The Worst Polluter

Some people try to argue that the United States shouldn’t act on climate change because China and India aren’t doing their part. Here’s how you can respond to them.

Nighttime Heat

Scorching midday heat is making all the headlines, but there’s a bigger story happening at night. There are some serious health risks if they body can’t cool off during the nighttime.

Kilan Bishop: I’m a Climate Voter

Kilan Bishop is a 26-year-old PhD student at the University of Miami. She became engaged with environmental justice when she noticed there were not a lot of people of color at the forefront of the climate activist community, which motivated her to join the board of the City of Miami’s Sea Level Rise Committee.

Be a climate voter too: BeAClimateVoter.org

Trump’s Fiery Tweet

President Donald J. Trump blasted out a tweet about the largest fire in California history, but its contents has firefighters scratching their heads. 

Climate Denial In The Classroom

The Heartland Institute, which is backed by big oil interests, is trying to spread climate change denial in schools across the U.S.

The Carr Wildfire

The Carr wildfire raged across California to become one of the most destructive fires in state history, but if we stay on our current course, megafires like this will be the new norm.

The EPA’s Plan to Upend Emission Standards

Under the Trump Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency is rolling out a plan to upend auto-emissions standards across the nation. This new plan would allow cars to be less fuel efficient, permit more pollution, and cost consumers billions at the pump. That would be bad for our health and climate change.

Attack on the Endangered Species Act

The White House and Congress are making moves to seriously weaken the Endangered Species Act. That would be bad for both some of the most iconic animals in the United States and the global climate.

Forest Loss in 2017

In 2017 alone, 40 football fields worth of forest were cut down or burned…every minute. That’s terrible news for climate change.

#WeCanSolveThis: Kids’ Climate Lawsuit

The Supreme Court has ruled that the Trump Administration must face a group of kids suing the government over climate change. These young people argue the U.S. is depriving its young citizens of a stable future by willfully ignoring climate change and taking actions that worsen global warming.

Ireland Divests

The Emerald Isle is getting even greener! Ireland is becoming the first country in the world to divest from fossil fuels. They’re sending a message that it’s time to transition to a low-carbon economy.

Wildfires In Greece

Greece is experiencing the worst wildfires in decades, with at least 80 deaths. If we don’t do something about climate change, we’ll see consequences like these more often.

#ClimateFacts: Global Heat Waves

Record-breaking heat waves are rippling across the planet, bringing death and destruction in their wake.

Rep. Carlos Curbelo’s Carbon Tax

This Congressman just introduced a bold piece of legislation to fight climate change. And he’s a Republican.

Glider Kit Trucks

On the day Scott Pruitt resigned from the Environmental Protection Agency, he handed a big giveaway to some of the biggest polluters on the road. In a memo, Pruitt announced the EPA will enforce a cap on how many glider kit trucks manufacturers can sell. This type of truck can pollute up to 55% more.

#WeCanSolveThis: California Hits Its Goal

California has some of the most ambitious climate change goals in the U.S., in terms of greenhouse gas emissions reductions. The numbers are in, and the state just learn it hit its goal…four years ahead of schedule.

Thomas Friedman Interviews a Kansas Wheat Farmer

Pulitzer Prize-winner Thomas Friedman speaks to a wheat farmer in Kansas, the number one wheat producing state in the country. The farmer reports that a few years ago it was like somebody flicked a switch and his region began experiencing unprecedented heat and dryness.

Chris Hayes interviews Staten Island’s Congressman after Superstorm Sandy

Staten Island’s Republican Congressman Michael Grimm is a climate change skeptic. After much of his district was devastated by Superstorm Sandy, Chris Hayes seeks to understand when Grimm thinks climate change will become a policy priority.

Thomas Friedman interviews a Syrian refugee

Pulitzer Prize-winner Thomas L. Friedman sits down with a young Syrian refugee living in the U.S. She discusses her experience of the Syrian civil war and its relationship to the drought, which occurred four years before the revolution and represents the worst drought in Syria’s modern history.

The New EPA Chief: Andrew Wheeler

Scott Pruitt has resigned from his position as Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, but his replacement could be even worse. Meet Andrew Wheeler.

#ClimateFacts: Ticks and Climate Change

A warming planet means more ticks, and more diseases like Lyme, in more places than ever before. 

Stranded Assets Explained

Fossil fuel companies are some of the richest and most powerful in the world, thanks to their massive reserves of oil, coal and gas. But what happens when society realizes we can’t burn most of those reserves? Here’s why these companies should be worried about stranded assets.

Scott Pruitt Leaves the EPA

Embattled EPA head Scott Pruitt resigned after a series of scandals. We take a look back at his controversial tenure.

Jim Bridenstine

As a Congressman, Jim Bridenstine spent years as a vocal climate change denier. It took him less than a month leading NASA to change his mind. He now believes the climate is changing and that human activity is playing a large part in causing it, and is determined to further understand the problem.

Trump’s War on Solar

President Trump is waging a trade war on imported solar panels, but American workers are the first casualties.

#ClimateFacts: How California Wildfires Hurt Farmers

In 2017, California’s record wildfire season devastated farmers and ranchers, hitting them with a bill of over $170 million. 

#WeCanSolveThis: Better Refrigerants

Air conditioners might cool your house but they’re warming the planet. The good news is they don’t have to in the future, thanks to the Kigali Amendment.

America Ferrera interviews a Kansas farmer who was impacted by the drought.

Ground Zero

New York Times columnist Mark Bittman explores the destruction Hurricane Sandy left behind.

#ClimateFacts: Hurricane Maria’s Impact on Agriculture

When Hurricane Maria slammed into Puerto Rico, it virtually wiped out farmers and ranchers, putting the island’s ability to feed itself in jeopardy.

CURRENT SOURCES:
[i] USAToday.com. Puerto Rico’s farmers face near total loss from Hurricane Maria. Oct. 7th. 2017. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/10/07/puerto-ricos-farmers-face-near-total-loss-hurricane-maria/736372001/
[ii] Ibid.
[iii] Eater.com. How Puerto Rico’s Food Industry Is Picking Up the Pieces After Hurricane Maria. Dec. 8th. 2017. https://www.eater.com/2017/12/8/16739310/puerto-rico-restaurant-industry-farmers-hurricane-maria
[iv]NYTimes.com. Puerto Rico’s Agriculture and Farmers Decimated by Maria. Sept. 24th. 2017. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/24/us/puerto-rico-hurricane-maria-agriculture-.html
[v] Ibid.
[vi] EFE.com. Puerto Rico: Hurricane-triggered crop, livestock damage exceeds $2 bn. Nov. 29th. 2017. https://www.efe.com/efe/english/world/puerto-rico-hurricane-triggered-crop-livestock-damage-exceeds-2-bn/50000262-3453519
[vii] Futurity.org.Ocean warming accelerated over past 100 years. Feb. 20th. 2012. https://www.futurity.org/ocean-warming-accelerated-over-past-100-years/
[viii] NYTimes.com. Oceans Are Absorbing Almost All of the Globe’s Excess Heat. Sept. 12th. 2016. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/09/12/science/earth/ocean-warming-climate-change.html
[ix] WashingtonPost.com. What’s in the path of Hurricane Maria. Sept. 21st. 2017. https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/national/hurricane-maria/?utm_term=.bf5e6c0d12d1
[x] CNN.com. How to survive climate change: A lesson from Hurricane Maria. Mar. 20th. 2018. https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/20/health/surviving-climate-change-hurricane-maria-partner/index.html

#WeCanSolveThis: Restoring American Forests

American Forests, one of the oldest conservation organizations in the U.S., is fighting climate change by planting trees. Since 1990, they’ve planted over 50 million trees.

SOURCES:
[i] GlobalForestWatch.org. TREE COVER LOSS IN UNITED STATES. https://www.globalforestwatch.org/country/USA?category=forest-change
[ii] AmericanForests.org. Forests as Carbon Sinks. Jul 18 2017. http://www.americanforests.org/blog/forests-carbon-sinks/
[iii] AmericanForests.org. Our Story. https://www.americanforests.org/discover-american-forests/our-story/
[iv] Ibid.
[v] AmericanForests.org. PLANT TREES NO SHOVEL REQUIRED. http://www.americanforests.org/ways-to-give/plant-trees/
[iii] https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2018/04/this-group-is-tackling-deforestation/?popupally_stop=subscriber&utm_source=News+from+Yale+Climate+Connections+(Daily)&utm_campaign=6cbac6b760-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_07_31&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_31a3024b9b-6cbac6b760-59262373

#ClimateFacts: Antarctic Ice Melt

Antarctica is melting three times faster than it was just ten years ago, shedding 200 billions tons of ice into the oceans every year.

SOURCES:
[i]  The New York Times. Antarctica Is Melting Three Times as Fast as a Decade Ago. Jun. 13. 2018.

[ii] The Washington Post. Antarctic ice loss has tripled in a decade. If that continues, we are in serious trouble. Jun. 13. 2018.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2018/06/13/antarctic-ice-loss-has-tripled-in-a-decade-if-that-continues-we-are-in-serious-trouble/?nor  
[iii] Ibid
[iv] Ibid
[v] Smithsonian.com. Antarctic Ice Loss Has Tripled Over the Past Decade. Jun. 14. 2018.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/antarctic-ice-loss-has-tripled-over-past-decade-180969373/
[vi]  Ibid
[vii] Ibid
[viii] The Washington Post. Antarctic ice loss has tripled in a decade. If that continues, we are in serious trouble. Jun. 13. 2018.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2018/06/13/antarctic-ice-loss-has-tripled-in-a-decade-if-that-continues-we-are-in-serious-trouble/?nor

How Hurricane Irma Hurt Florida Farmers

Last year, Hurricane Irma cost farmers and ranchers hundred of millions in damages and losses. In some parts of the state 90 percent of crops were lost. Even if you don’t live in an area that gets directly hit by hurricanes, we all depend on a stable climate for our food.

How Hurricane Harvey Hit Farmers and Ranchers

The ramifications of Hurricane Harvey stretched far beyond the City of Houston. The storm wreaked havoc on Texas farmers and ranchers, killing cattle and nearly wiping out an entire cotton crop.

SOURCES:
[i] Youtube.com. Hurricane Harvey // Rescuers Save Drowning Cow. Aug. 29th. 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raX6YhspzMo
[ii] Agweb.com. Thousands of Texas Cattle May Have Died in Wake of Harvey. Sept. 8th. 2017. https://www.agweb.com/article/thousands-of-texas-cattle-may-have-died-in-wake-of-harvey-naa-associated-press/
[iii] Interview with Dr. David P. Anderson. Texas A&M.
[iv] Today.TAMU.Edu. 1.2 Million Beef Cows In 54 Texas Counties Affected By Hurricane Harvey. Aug. 29th. 2017. https://today.tamu.edu/2017/08/29/1-2-million-beef-cows-in-54-texas-counties-affected-by-hurricane-harvey/
[v] USNews.com. Texas Cotton Hit Hardest as Harvey Ag Losses Top $200M. Oct. 27th. 2017. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/texas/articles/2017-10-27/texas-cotton-hit-hardest-as-harvey-ag-losses-top-200m
[vi] Ibid.
[vii] ThinkProgress.org. Climate change fueled Hurricane Harvey’s destruction last year. This year could be worse. May. 11th. 2018. https://thinkprogress.org/climate-change-hurricanes-harvey-puerto-rico-a13410f5781c/
[viii] NPR.org. Record Heat In The Gulf Fueled Hurricane Harvey’s Deluge. May. 10th. 2018. https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/05/10/610140149/record-heat-in-the-gulf-fueled-hurricane-harveys-deluge
[ix] NYTimes.com.Scientists Link Hurricane Harvey’s Record Rainfall to Climate Change. Dec. 13th. 2017. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/13/climate/hurricane-harvey-climate-change.html
[x] News.Nationalgeographic.com. 2017 Hurricane Season Was the Most Expensive in U.S. History. Nov. 30th. 2017. https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/11/2017-hurricane-season-most-expensive-us-history-spd/

Puerto Rico’s Solar Powered School

It’s been nearly a year since Hurricane Maria ravaged Puerto Rico and power on some parts of the island still hasn’t been restored. But thanks to the power of solar, this school is lighting its halls and the path to a new future.

Can Costa Rica Go 100% Renewable?

Can Costa Rica, already a renewable energy champion, completely eliminate fossil fuels? New President Carlos Alvarado Quesada thinks so, and he has a plan to do it by 2021.

SOURCES:
[i] CommonDreams.org. Costa Rica Will Become World’s First Carbon-Free Country by 2021, New President Says. Mar. 10th. 2018. https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/05/10/costa-rica-will-become-worlds-first-carbon-free-country-2021-new-president-says
[ii] Ibid.
[iii] Ibid.
[iv] Reuters.com. Costa Rica’s new president promises plan to speed clean transport. Apr. 30th. 2018. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-costa-rica-politics-renewables/costa-ricas-new-president-promises-plan-to-speed-clean-transport-idUSKBN1I11M5
[v] Independent.co.uk. Costa Rica to ban fossil fuels and become world’s first decarbonised society. May. 10th. 2018. https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/costa-rica-fossil-fuels-ban-president-carlos-alvarado-climate-change-global-warming-a8344541.html

Memo From The White House: Ignore Climate Science

U.S. President Donald Trump wants to prop up fossil fuels, but his own government agencies keep reporting on the climate change threat. A newly obtained memo reveals one of his solutions: Just ignore them.

SOURCES:
[i] WashingtonPost.com. In an internal memo, the White House considered whether to simply ‘ignore’ federal climate research. May. 23rd. 2018.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2018/05/23/in-an-internal-memo-the-white-house-considered-whether-to-simply-ignore-federal-climate-research/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.2bf7f7a5cf9a
[ii] Ibid.
[iii] NASA.gov. Long-Term Warming Trend Continued in 2017: NASA, NOAA. Jan. 18th. 2018. https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/long-term-warming-trend-continued-in-2017-nasa-noaa
[iv] WashingtonPost.com. In an internal memo, the White House considered whether to simply ‘ignore’ federal climate research. May. 23rd. 2018.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2018/05/23/in-an-internal-memo-the-white-house-considered-whether-to-simply-ignore-federal-climate-research/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.2bf7f7a5cf9a
[v] Science2017.globalchange.gov. Climate Science Special Report. https://science2017.globalchange.gov/

Pakistan Heat

On April 30th 2018, temperatures in Nawabshah, Pakistan reached a scorching 122°F, one of Earth’s hottest April temperatures in recorded history, and it’s part of an alarming trend.

Fossil Fuel Handouts

You won’t believe how much taxpayer money the U.S. government is spending to prop up fossil fuels like oil, coal and gas.

Why March?

#ThisIsZeroHour

Hockey Goes Green

A warming planet has put the future of hockey on thin ice. So the NHL is taking action, setting an example for leagues across the world. Shouldn’t every sport be competing to go green?

The International Solar Alliance

Have you heard of the International Solar Alliance? They plan to triple the amount of solar power in the world, and change millions of lives in the process.

SOURCES:
[i] Greenrideal.com. France and India Reaffirm Their Commitment to Solar Power. Mar. 14th. 2018. https://greenerideal.com/news/france-and-india-reaffirm-their-commitment-to-solar-power/
[ii] Greentechnmedia.com. IEA: Global Installed PV Capacity Leaps to 303 Gigawatts. Apr. 27th. 2017. https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/iea-global-installed-pv-capacity-leaps-to-303-gw#gs.y_sTz_4
[iii] PV-tech.org. International Solar Alliance founding eyes 1,000GW of PV with US$1 trillion funding by 2030. Mar. 12th. 2018. https://www.pv-tech.org/news/international-solar-alliance-founding-eyes-1000gw-of-pv-with-us1-trillion-f
[iv] isolaralliance.org. About ISA. http://isolaralliance.org/AboutISA.aspx
[v] Climatechangenews.com. International Solar Alliance to launch 121 projects at New Delhi summit. Feb. 19th. 2018. http://www.climatechangenews.com/2018/02/19/international-solar-alliance-launch-121-projects-new-delhi-summit/
[vi] Reuters.com. France to commit 700 million euros to International Solar Alliance. Mar. 11th. 2018. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-solar-alliance/france-to-commit-700-million-euros-to-international-solar-alliance-idUSKCN1GN0JU
[vii] TheHindu.com. India commits $1.4 billion for solar energy worldwide. Mar. 12th. 2018. http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-commits-14-billion-for-solar-energy-worldwide/article23042868.ece

California Solar On Every House

Soon almost every home in California will be powered by the sun! Starting in 2020, nearly every home built in CA will require solar panels.

SOURCES:
[i] USAToday.com. California panel approves historic plan to require solar panels on new homes. May 9th. 2018. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2018/05/09/california-solar-panels-state-may-require-them-new-homes/594364002/
[ii] Fox6Now.com. 50% less energy:’ California may become 1st state to require solar panels on new homes. May. 8th. 2018. http://fox6now.com/2018/05/08/50-less-energy-california-may-become-1st-state-to-require-solar-panels-on-new-homes/
[iii] InsideClimateNews.org. California Just Became First State to Mandate Solar Panels on New Homes. May. 9th. 2018. https://insideclimatenews.org/news/09052018/california-solar-panel-mandate-new-homes-energy-standards-efficiency-climate-change-impact
[iv] NBCNews.com. California becomes first state to require solar panels on new homes. May. 9th. 2018. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/california-becomes-first-state-require-solar-panels-new-homes-n872531
[v] Ibid

Slower Gulf Stream

Warming oceans are slowing down the Gulf Stream, one of the world’s most important currents. If it stops entirely, it could wreak havoc.

America Forges Ahead with Geothermal Energy

The U.S. can tap into a huge source of renewable energy that few people are talking about: geothermal. This technology has already transformed Iceland.

17 States Sue Trump’s EPA

U.S. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt is trying to make cars less fuel efficient. But California and 16 other states are stepping up to stop him, by suing the EPA to keep clean fuel efficiency standards.

SOURCES:
[i] OAG.CA.GOV. Petition for Review. May. 1st. 2018. https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press_releases/2018-05-01%20Petition%20Revised%20MTE.pdf
[ii] NPR.org. States Sue The EPA To Protect Obama-Era Fuel Efficiency Standards. May. 1st. 2018. https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/05/01/607447344/states-sue-the-epa-to-protect-obama-era-fuel-efficiency-standards
[iii] NBCNews.com. 17 states and D.C. sue Trump administration to maintain vehicle fuel-efficiency standards. May. 1st. 2018. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/17-states-d-c-sue-trump-administration-maintain-vehicle-fuel-n870531
[iv] OAG.CA.GOV. Petition for Review. May. 1st. 2018. https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press_releases/2018-05-01%20Petition%20Revised%20MTE.pdf
[v] EPA.GOV. Midterm Evaluation of Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Model Years 2022-2025. 2017 https://www.epa.gov/regulations-emissions-vehicles-and-engines/midterm-evaluation-light-duty-vehicle-greenhouse-gas#previoussteps
[vi] Ibid.

Thirsty World

If climate change continues unabated, half the global population is expected to suffer from severe water shortage by 2050. Is this the world we want to live in?

SOURCES:
[i] ThinkProgress.org. Water shortages will put 5 billion people at risk by 2050, U.N. warns. Mar. 19th. 2018. https://thinkprogress.org/un-warns-water-scarcity-increasing-risk-5624cb8ae912/
[ii] Ibid.
[iii] Reliefweb.int. The impact of disasters on agriculture and food security 2015. Nov. 26th. 2015.
https://reliefweb.int/report/world/impact-disasters-agriculture-and-food-security-2015
[iv] ThinkProgress.org. Water shortages will put 5 billion people at risk by 2050, U.N. warns. Mar. 19th. 2018. https://thinkprogress.org/un-warns-water-scarcity-increasing-risk-5624cb8ae912/
[v] Un.org. Africa Review Report on Drought and Desertification. http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/csd/csd16/rim/eca_bg3.pdf
[vi] Sciencedaily.com. Asia Faces Food Shortage By 2050 Without Water Reform. Aug. 28th. 2009.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090817143558.htm
[vii] TIME.com. How Drought and Extreme Heat Are Killing the World’s Crops. Jan. 6th. 2016.
http://time.com/4170029/crop-production-extreme-heat-climate-change/
[viii] UNESDOC.UNESCO.ORG. The United Nations World Water Development Report 2018. 2018. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0026/002614/261424e.pdf
[ix] Ibid.
[x] Ibid.

Greenest Team In Sports

Have you heard of the Forest Green Rovers Football Club? This soccer team might just be the greenest team in sports, and they could teach us all a lot about how to fight climate change.

Scott Pruitt’s Legacy

U.S. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt testified to Congress to defend himself amid mounting allegations of waste, cronyism, and corruption. But his political scandals might not be the worst legacy Mr. Pruitt leaves behind.

SOURCES:
[i] NYTimes.com. Scott Pruitt Met With Lobbyist Whose Wife Rented Him a $50-a-Night Condo. Apr. 21st. 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/21/climate/pruitt-hart-condo-epa-lobbying.html
[ii] WashingtonPost.com. First-class travel distinguishes Scott Pruitt’s EPA tenure. Feb. 11th. 2018. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/first-class-travel-distinguishes-scott-pruitts-epa-tenure/2018/02/11/5bb89afc-0b7d-11e8-8b0d-891602206fb7_story.html?utm_term=.a5a0fb8f8d0f
[iii] TheHill.com. Pruitt flew coach when taxpayers were not paying for his travel: report. Apr. 6th. 2018. http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/382060-pruitt-flew-coach-when-taxpayers-were-not-paying-for-his-travel
[iv] TheHill.com. Internal email contradicts Pruitt’s story on raises: report. Apr. 9th. 2018. http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/382331-internal-email-contradicts-pruitts-story-on-raises-report
[v] NYTimes.com. E.P.A. Officials Sidelined After Questioning Scott Pruitt. Apr. 5th. 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/05/business/epa-officials-questioned-scott-pruitt.html
[vi] Newsweek.com. pruitt directly oversaw efforts to erase climate change info from epa website, emails reveal. Feb. 2nd. 2018. http://www.newsweek.com/scott-pruitt-personally-oversaw-efforts-erase-climate-change-information-epa-798069
[vii] WashingtonPost.com. EPA’s new science advisers add more industry experts, conservatives to the mix. Nov. 14th. 2017. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/11/04/pruitts-new-science-advisers-add-more-industry-experts-conservatives-to-the-mix/
[viii] WashingtonPost.com. Scott Pruitt calls for an ‘exit’ from the Paris accord, sharpening the Trump White House’s climate rift. Apr. 14th. 2017. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/04/14/trumps-epa-chief-scott-pruitt-calls-for-an-exit-to-the-paris-climate-agreement/?utm_term=.c0ab7e4c2357
[ix] Insideclimatenews.org. Trump’s EPA Starts Process for Replacing Clean Power Plan. Dec. 18th. 2017. https://insideclimatenews.org/news/18122017/clean-power-plan-trump-epa-repeal-replace-obama-climate-change-power-plant-emissions
[x] TheHill.com. EPA loosens rules on some ‘major’ air pollution sources. Jan. 25th. 2018. http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/370786-epa-loosens-rules-on-some-major-air-pollution-sources
[xi] NYTimes.com.Calling Car Pollution Standards ‘Too High,’ E.P.A. Sets Up Fight With California
Image. Apr. 2nd. 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/02/climate/trump-auto-emissions-rules.html

Rain Bombs

What do you get when you combine extreme rains with tornado strength winds? You get rain bombs, and climate change is making them worse.

Banking on the Wind

What if you could make money every time the wind blows? Matt Brown, who is running to be Rhode Island’s next governor, has a plan to make it happen, one that could spread to every state in the nation.

Catholic Organizations Divest

In honor of Earth Day, the Global Catholic Climate Movement announced over 30 Catholic organizations from around the world are divesting from fossil fuels.

SOURCES:
[I] Interviews with The Global Catholic Climate Movement, April 2018
[II] Caritas. Who We Are. https://www.caritas.org/who-we-are/
[III] The Guardian. Catholic church to make record divestment from fossil fuels. Oct. 3. 2017.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/oct/03/catholic-church-to-make-record-divestment-from-fossil-fuels

McDonald’s Going Green

Hamburgers have a big carbon footprint, but McDonald’s just made a big vow to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Here’s a look at how they’re going to do it.

Colombian Youth Save The Amazon

When these kids saw their government failing to tackle climate change and allowing the rainforest to be cut down, they stood up and fought for their future.

Permafrost Melt

As the name suggests, permafrost is supposed to stay frozen. But climate change is starting to melt it, releasing planet-warming methane. That should have us all worried.

New Zealand: No New Offshore Drilling

New Zealand has announced it will stop issuing permits for offshore oil and gas exploration. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the country is committed to the goal of becoming a net zero emissions economy by 2050.

Ryan Zinke is for the Birds

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke told a group of fossil fuel executives that wind power kills too many birds to be environmentally friendly. We put together a list of things that kill more birds than wind turbines to put that in perspective.

SOURCES:
[i] Axios.com. Fact-checking Zinke’s claim that wind turbines kill 750,000 birds a year. Mar. 2018. https://www.axios.com/fact-checking-zinkes-bird-death-claim-1520379825-0dbede05-9934-42f6-988b-58c9e3fbe280.html
[ii] ThinkProgress.org. CHART: How Many Birds Are Killed By Wind, Solar, Oil, And Coal?. Aug. 26th. 2014. https://thinkprogress.org/chart-how-many-birds-are-killed-by-wind-solar-oil-and-coal-230d2a939bbb/

#ClimateFacts: White Morphs

lead species to extinction. This #ClimateFacts video explains why.

SOURCES:
[i] Science.Sciencemag.org. Winter color polymorphisms identify global hot spots for evolutionary rescue from climate change. Feb. 15th. 2018. http://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2018/02/14/science.aan8097?rss=1
[ii] Ibid.
[iii] PopularMechanics.com. Science Says Winters are Coming Later, Leaving Faster. Oct. 28th. 2017. https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a28819/winter-climate-change/
[iv] The Atlantic.com.To Survive, These Animals Must Lose Their Camouflage. Feb. 15th. 2018. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/02/in-a-less-snowy-world-can-white-coated-animals-survive/553400/
[v] Ibid.
[vi] DW.com. Evolution to the rescue for white-coated critters caught out by climate change. Feb.15th. 2018. http://www.dw.com/en/evolution-to-the-rescue-for-white-coated-critters-caught-out-by-climate-change/a-42588948
[vii] Ibid.
[viii] Science.Sciencemag.org. Winter color polymorphisms identify global hot spots for evolutionary rescue from climate change. Feb. 15th. 2018. http://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2018/02/14/science.aan8097?rss=1
[ix] Ibid.
[x] Ibid.

China Deploys Its Military to Plant Forests

Climate change is one of the biggest global security threats out there, so China is deploying its military to fight it…with trees.

SOURCES:
[i] Independent.co.uk. China reassigns 60,000 soldiers to plant trees in bid to fight pollution. Feb. 13th. 2018. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/china-tree-plant-soldiers-reassign-climate-change-global-warming-deforestation-a8208836.html
[ii]Futurism.com. China Will Plant 32,400 Square Miles of Trees to Combat Air Pollution. Feb. 16th. 2018. https://futurism.com/china-plant-32400-square-miles-trees-combat-air-pollution/
[iii] Census.gov. United States Summary: 2000. April 2004. https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/phc3-us-pt1.pdf
[iv] Arborenvironmentalalliance.com. Carbon and Tree Facts. 2008. http://www.arborenvironmentalalliance.com/carbon-tree-facts.asp
[v] News.Vice.com. 60,000 chinese troops are about to plant enough trees to cover utah. Feb. 16th. 2018. https://news.vice.com/en_ca/article/j5bjvx/china-soldiers-trees-planting-beijing-pollution
[vi]Forest area (% of land area). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/AG.LND.FRST.ZS?year_high_desc=true
[vii] Stars and Stripes. Trump Differ on Climate Change. July. 1st. 2017.
http://slite.dma.mil/issues/july2017/20170701.pdf
[viii] Ibid.
[ix] BusinessInsider.com. These are the 25 most powerful militaries in the world — and there’s a clear winner. Feb. 16th. 2018. http://www.businessinsider.com/most-powerful-militaries-in-the-world-ranked-2018-2#1-united-states-25

Scott Pruitt Gets Sweet Deal on Rent from Fossil Fuel Lobbyist

U.S. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt is so cozy with the fossil fuel lobby, they’re basically living together. But his way-below-market apartment rental in D.C. is just the tip of his unethical spending iceberg.

SOURCES:
[i] ABCNews.go.com. Pruitt arranged condo deal through energy lobbyist, source says. Mar. 30th. 2018. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/pruitt-arranged-condo-deal-energy-lobbyist-source/story?id=54121795
[ii] ibid.
[iii] ABCNews.go.com. EXCLUSIVE: EPA chief Pruitt joined by family in condo tied to lobbyist ‘power couple’. Mar. 30th. 2018.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/exclusive-epa-chief-pruitt-joined-family-condo-tied/story?id=54125092
[iv] ABCNews.go.com. Pruitt arranged condo deal through energy lobbyist, source says. Mar. 30th. 2018. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/pruitt-arranged-condo-deal-energy-lobbyist-source/story?id=54121795
[v] Ibid.
[vi] NYTimes.com.E.P.A. Announces Repeal of Major Obama-Era Carbon Emissions Rule. Oct. 9th. 2017. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/09/climate/clean-power-plan.html
[vii] CNBC.com. EPA chief Scott Pruitt took first-class, military, charter flights that cost taxpayers more than $163,000 in first year alone: Report. Mar. 21st. 2018. https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/21/epa-chief-scott-pruitt-took-flights-costing-taxpayers-163000.html
[viii] Ecowatch.com.Report: EPA Hires 12 More Bodyguards for Pruitt, Costing $2M Annually for Full Security Team. Oct. 23rd. 2017. https://www.ecowatch.com/epa-pruitt-bodyguards-2500198933.html
[ix] Newsweek.com. scott pruitt spent more than $40,000 on epa private phone booth. Mar. 14th. 2018. http://www.newsweek.com/scott-pruitt-phone-booth-epa-expenditure-844989
[x] USAToday.com. EPA ethics counsel: Scott Pruitt’s $50-a-night room deal wasn’t ‘prohibited gift at all’. Mar. 30th. 2018. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2018/03/30/reports-epas-scott-pruitt-made-50-night-room-deal-energy-lobbyists-wife/472670002/

Don Cheadle Meets Cotton Farmer Kurtis Thomas

Texas cotton farmer Kurtis Thomas is a lifelong Republican and evangelical Christian with some serious doubts about climate change. He meets with evangelical climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe and Don Cheadle to explain why and see if they can change his mind.

Driving Towards Denial

President Donald Trump’s EPA is preparing to rollback federal regulations requiring cars to be cleaner and more fuel efficient. This, amid auto-industry lobbying to cast doubt on the proven scientific links between tailpipe pollution, human health, and climate change.

SOURCES:
[i] TIME.com. How Drivers Will Decide the Fate of the Climate. Dec. 1st. 2017. http://time.com/5039882/donald-trump-carbon-emissions-auto-industry/
[ii] NYTimes.com.U.S. Sets Higher Fuel Efficiency Standards. Aug. 28th. 2012.

[iii] Blog.UCSUSA.org. Automakers Turn to Climate Deniers in Quest to Lower Fuel Economy Regulations. Mar. 19th. 2018. https://blog.ucsusa.org/dave-cooke/automakers-turn-to-climate-deniers-in-quest-to-lower-fuel-economy-regulations?_ga=2.248397447.1694123490.1522339611-672865297.1521077822&_gac=1.37474324.1521077822.EAIaIQobChMIoKv-t5jt2QIVgYTICh3clQzUEAAYASAAEgITk_D_BwE
[iv] Ibid.
[v] ThinkProgress.com. Car companies hire climate science denier to do hit job on clean cars. Mar. 22nd. 2018. https://thinkprogress.org/car-companies-hire-climate-denier-to-attack-clean-cars-e533fd00420c/
[vi] Blog.UCSUSA.org. Automakers Turn to Climate Deniers in Quest to Lower Fuel Economy Regulations. Mar. 19th. 2018. https://blog.ucsusa.org/dave-cooke/automakers-turn-to-climate-deniers-in-quest-to-lower-fuel-economy-regulations?_ga=2.248397447.1694123490.1522339611-672865297.1521077822&_gac=1.37474324.1521077822.EAIaIQobChMIoKv-t5jt2QIVgYTICh3clQzUEAAYASAAEgITk_D_BwE
[vii] NYTimes.com. Automakers Shift Gears on Climate Change. Mar. 22nd. 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/21/climate/climate-change-sylvia-earle.html
[viii] VOX.com. Power plants are no longer America’s biggest climate problem. Transportation is. June. 13th. 2016. https://www.vox.com/2016/6/13/11911798/emissions-electricity-versus-transportation
[ix] UCSUSA.org. Fuel Economy and Emissions Standards for Cars and Trucks, Model Years 2017 to 2025. June. 2016. https://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/attach/2016/06/Fuel-Economy-Standards-2017-2025-summary.pdf
[x] Bloomberg.com. California’s Ready to Retaliate If Trump Cuts Auto Rules, Sources Say. Mar. 27th. 2018. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-30/epa-chief-s-50-a-night-rental-said-to-raise-white-house-angst

VW Beyond Dieselgate

Volkswagen, rocked by a massive emissions cheating scandal, has announced plans to create the largest electric car fleet in the world. Do you think the company can turn over a new leaf? 

SOURCES:
[i] Bloomberg.com. VW Just Gave Tesla a $25 Billion Battery Shock. Mar. 13th. 2018. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-13/vw-secures-25-billion-battery-supplies-in-electric-car-surge
[ii] Ibid.
[iii] Ibid.
[iv] TheGuardian.com. VW scandal: emissions cheats could face criminal charges. Feb. 2nd. 2018. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/feb/02/vw-scandal-emissions-cheats-could-face-criminal-charges
[v] TheGuardian.com. W scandal caused nearly 1m tonnes of extra pollution, analysis shows. Sept. 23rd. 2015. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/sep/22/vw-scandal-caused-nearly-1m-tonnes-of-extra-pollution-analysis-shows
[vi] NBCNews.com. Volkswagen Slapped With Largest Ever Fine for Automakers. Apr. 21st. 2017. https://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/judge-approves-largest-fine-u-s-history-volkswagen-n749406

Drought in the U.S.

Water experts predict that essential food producing areas in the Western United States will run out of water in the the next 20-30 years due to climate change.

Monumental Disinformation

As President Donald Trump prepares to auction off huge swathes of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante National Monuments, new documents have come to light revealing the truth behind his decision to shrink them.

The Last Northern White Rhinos

Before his death, Sudan, the last male Northern White Rhinoceros, was known as the loneliest animal on Earth. If we don’t stop our destructive practices before it’s too late, there will be plenty of animals ready to claim that title.

Certified Wood and Paper

Do you know where your wood and paper are coming from? There’s an easy way to know if they’re sustainable or if they’re contributing to climate change.

Look for the FSC label.

SOURCES:
[i] Why should I become fsc certified? https://ic.fsc.org/en/for-business/business-benefits/becoming-fsc-certified
[ii] YEARS Interview with Edgar Gonzalez Godoy, Rainforest Alliance’s Mexico Director
[iii] Content.Sierraclub.org. FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL (FSC) HANDBOOK for State Forests
By Sierra Club Forest Certification and Green Building Team. Dec. 2014. https://content.sierraclub.org/ourwildamerica/sites/content.sierraclub.org.ourwildamerica/files/documents/FSC%20HANDBOOK%20State%20forests.pdf
[iv] The Impact of Forest Stewardship Council© (FSC) Certification http://d2ouvy59p0dg6k.cloudfront.net/downloads/fsc_research_review.pdf
[v] US.FSC.Org. Find Products. https://us.fsc.org/en-us/market/find-products
[vi] US.FSC.Org. Family Forests. https://us.fsc.org/en-us/certification/forest-management-certification/family-forests

Disaster Unpreparedness Agency

The agency tasked with preparing U.S. for disasters, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), just left the country woefully unprepared for climate change.

SOURCES:
[i] NPR. FEMA Drops ‘Climate Change’ From Its Strategic Plan. Mar. 15, 2018. https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/03/15/594140026/fema-drops-climate-change-from-its-strategic-plan
[ii]Globalchange.gov. National Climate Assessment
https://nca2014.globalchange.gov/
[iii] NPR. FEMA Drops ‘Climate Change’ From Its Strategic Plan. Mar. 15, 2018. https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/03/15/594140026/fema-drops-climate-change-from-its-strategic-plan
[iv] Ibid
[v] Bloomberg. FEMA Strips Mention of ‘Climate Change’ From Its Strategic Plan. Mar. 15th. 2018. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-15/fema-strips-mention-of-climate-change-from-its-strategic-plan

Green Corporate Goals

Did you know that over one hundred companies have pledged to get 100% of their electricity from renewables?

Made in partnership with The Climate Reality Project.

Matteo Salvini

Climate change is forcing hundreds of thousands of African immigrants to Italy’s shores. In response, politician Matteo Salvini has called for a mass cleansing.

Arnold Schwarzenegger Plans to Sue the Oil Industry

“They know they are killing people and they continue doing the same thing over and over,” says Arnold Schwarzenegger, one of the Executive Producers of Years of Living Dangerously. The fossil fuel industry has been hiding the truth about their product for years. That’s why he is suing to hold them accountable.

Mike Pompeo: The Congressman From Koch

Does it matter that Rex Tillerson is out as Secretary of State? It does when you meet his replacement, the so-called Congressman from Koch Mike Pompeo, a climate change denier.

SOURCES:
[i] The New York Times. Rex Tillerson Out as Trump’s Secretary of State, Replaced by Mike Pompeo. Mar 13th, 2018

[ii] The Nation. The Koch Brothers’ Favorite Congressman Will Be in Charge of the CIA. Nov 18, 2016 https://www.thenation.com/article/the-koch-brothers-favorite-congressman-will-be-in-charge-of-the-cia/
[iii] Ibid
[iv] Motherboard. A Secretary of State Pompeo Would Be Bad for Climate Issues. Dec 1, 2017 https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/vbzg93/secretary-of-state-mike-pompeo-climate-change-denier
[v] OpenSecrets.Org. Mike Pompeo, Kansas. https://www.opensecrets.org/members-of-congress/summary?cycle=Career&type=I&cid=N00030744&newMem=N
[vi] League of Conservation Voters. National Environmental Scorecard: Mike Pompeo. http://scorecard.lcv.org/moc/mike-pompeo
[vii] The Kansas City Star/McClatchy. Pentagon, Trump are at odds on climate change — and Democrats are taking advantage. Jun 29, 2017
http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article158716619.html
[viii] E & E News. Tillerson exit might bring climate disbelief to State. Nov 30, 2017
https://www.eenews.net/stories/1060067727
[ix] Ibid.
[x] Ibid.
[xi] Politico. Trump’s climate science doubters. Mar 6, 2018 https://www.politico.com/interactives/2018/climate-science-doubters/
[xii] E & E News. Tillerson exit might bring climate disbelief to State. Nov 30, 2017
https://www.eenews.net/stories/1060067727

Bomb Cyclone Riley

Winter Storm Riley pummeled the East Coast and broke flood records in the Boston area. But this freezing storm isn’t evidence against climate change.

Heatwave in the Arctic

The Arctic is running a fever, with temperatures rising to 45 degrees above normal. Could it be causing the freezing temperatures we’re seeing in Europe?

Nanticoke Generating Station

The Nanticoke Generating Station in Ontario, Canada used to be the world’s largest coal power plant. Now they’re turning it into a solar plant.

Mosquitoes Are Getting Deadlier

It might surprise you, but the mosquitos are the deadliest animal on Earth. And they’re about to get a lot more dangerous, thanks to climate change.

Melting Snowpack

Melting snowpacks are vital for maintaining water supplies, and they’ve been getting smaller due to climate change.

Kids’ Climate Lawsuit

Do you think we have the right to a stable, livable climate? The kids of Our Children’s Trust do, and they’re suing the U.S. Government to make it happen.

San Francisco Leads The Way

Looking to tackle climate change where you live? San Francisco is a model for every city in the nation.

Can you get your hometown to follow suit?

Offshore Wind

Offshore wind power is picking up in the US, and that’s good news for our future. This source of clean energy can help curb climate change, while bringing jobs to the local economy. #WeCanSolveThis

Still photo by Kim Hansen.

Gisele Bündchen: The Battle in the Forest

Protecting the Amazon Rainforest is one of the most powerful tools we have in the fight against climate change. But after years of conservation success, deforestation is on the rise again in Brazil. Gisele Bündchen heads into the forest to learn what’s going on and how we can stop it.

Poison In The Water

Mercury is one of the most toxic substances on Earth, and the coal industry is delivering it to our food supply. Our #ClimateFacts video explains.

Warming World

Thanks to fossil fuel pollution, most people have never experienced a normal climate. Have you been alive during a cooler than average year?

SOURCES:
[i] NCDC.NOAA.Gov. Global Climate Report – Annual 2017. https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/201713
[ii] Climate.Gov. Climate Change: Global Temperature. Sept. 11th. 2017. https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-global-temperature
[iii] Biography.com. Gerald Ford. Jan. 6th. 2016.
https://www.biography.com/people/gerald-ford-9298683
[iv] IMDB.com. Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977) Filming & Production. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076759/locations#filming_dates
[v] AllAboutSteveJobs.com. Timeline of Steve Jobs.
https://allaboutstevejobs.com/bio/timeline
[vi] Climate.Gov. NOAA Climate.gov Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Global Warming. Feb. 25th. 2014. https://www.climate.gov/sites/default/files/Climate_gov_GlobalWarming_FAQ_15Aug13.pdf
[vii] NRDC.org. The Worst Summer Ever? Record Temperatures Heat Up the United States. Sept. 2010. https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/WorstSummerEver4pgr.pdf
[viii] Ibid.
[ix] NYTimes.com. 2017 Was One of the Hottest Years on Record. And That Was Without El Niño. Jan. 18th. 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/01/18/climate/hottest-year-2017.html

Green Jobs

According to the U.S. Labor Department, clean energy jobs are among the fast-growing in the country. But these sectors could be growing even faster if Washington supported wind and solar as much as some other countries do.

Made in partnership with The Climate Reality Project.

We Need More Climate Candidates

It’s one of the biggest crises facing America today but only one member of Congress is giving it the prominence it deserves: Sheldon Whitehouse. Why don’t other leaders care as much?

You can help change this. Take the pledge here: http://theyearsproject.com/learn/news/take-the-pledge-to-vote-for-the-environment/

Heat & High School Football

Every summer, countless young football players will take to the field and be exposed to dangerously high temperatures. It can have tragic consequences, and climate change will only make it worse.

Trump’s Renewable Energy Budget Cuts

President Donald Trump has called for a 72% cut in renewable and energy efficiency spending, which would seriously hinder the U.S.’s ability to keep up with cutting-edge energy technology. Will Congress approve this plan?

SOURCES:
[i] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook: Fastest Growing Occupations 2016-26. Jan 30, 2018. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/fastest-growing.htm
[ii] WashingtonPost.com. White House seeks 72 percent cut to clean energy research, underscoring administration’s preference for fossil fuels. Feb. 1st. 2018. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/white-house-seeks-72-percent-cut-to-clean-energy-research-underscoring-administrations-preference-for-fossil-fuelsv/2018/01/31/c2c69350-05f3-11e8-b48c-b07fea957bd5_story.html?utm_term=.d34df9ac0b77
[iii] Energy.Gov. About the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. https://energy.gov/eere/about-office-energy-efficiency-and-renewable-energy
[iv] VOX.com. Wind and solar power are saving Americans an astounding amount of money. Aug. 18th. 2017. https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2017/8/18/16160456/wind-solar-power-saving-money
[v] EESI.org. Fact Sheet – Jobs in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (2017). Feb. 15th. 2017. http://www.eesi.org/papers/view/fact-sheet-jobs-in-renewable-energy-and-energy-efficiency-2017
[vi] Ibid.
[vii] Energy.Gov. Department of Energy FY 2017 Congressional Budget Request. Feb. 2016. https://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2016/02/f29/FY2017BudgetinBrief_0.pdf
[viii]CNBC.com. Trump once again seeks to slash funding for clean energy in 2019 budget. Jan. 31. 2018.https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/31/trump-again-seeks-to-slash-funding-for-clean-energy-in-2019-budget.html
[ix] Ibid.

During his State of The Union speech, President Trump told Americans, that we have endured floods and fires and storms. He just never explained why.

SOURCES:
[i] Reuters, 2017 was second hottest year on record, after sizzling 2016: report, Jan, 4th 2017
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-climatechange-temperatures/2017-was-second-hottest-year-on-record-after-sizzling-2016-report-idUSKBN1ET1JF
[ii] LaTimes.com. San Francisco sets all-time heat record downtown at 106 degrees during state’s hottest recorded summer. Sep. 1st. 2017. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-california-heat-wave-weekend-20170901-story.html
[iii] WashingtonPost.com.The grim scope of 2017’s California wildfire season is now clear. The danger’s not over. Jan. 4th. 2018. https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/national/california-wildfires-comparison/
[iv] WashingtonPost.com.Harvey unloaded 33 trillion gallons of water in the U.S.. Sept. 2nd. 2017. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2017/08/30/harvey-has-unloaded-24-5-trillion-gallons-of-water-on-texas-and-louisiana
[v] NPR.org. One-Third Of Florida Residents Told To Evacuate Before Hurricane Irma Makes Landfall. Sept. 9th. 2017. https://www.npr.org/2017/09/09/549802448/one-third-of-florida-residents-told-to-evacuate-before-hurricane-irma-makes-land
[vi] BBC.com. Hurricane Irma: Two-thirds of Florida without power. Sept. 12th. 2017. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41234292
[vii] TheAtlantic.com. After Four Months, Much of Puerto Rico Still Dark and Damaged. Jan. 29th. 2018. https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2018/01/after-four-months-much-of-puerto-rico-still-dark-and-damaged/551756/
[viii] Time.com. Hurricanes, Floods and Wildfires Cost the U.S. a Record Amount of Money in 2017. Jan. 8th. 2018. http://time.com/5093043/natural-disasters-cost-us/
[ix] TheHill.com. Trump: We are getting out of Paris climate deal. June. 1st. 2017.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/335955-trump-pulls-us-out-of-paris-climate-deal
[x] TheAtlantic.com. Trump’s Coal Bailout Is Dead. Jan. 9th. 2018. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/01/trumps-coal-bailout-is-dead/550037/

Trump Debunked On Climate Change

President Donald Trump finally articulated his position on climate change in an interview with Piers Morgan…and it couldn’t be more divorced from reality. Here’s a much needed fact check.

SOURCES:
[i] ChicagoTribune.com. AP FACT CHECK: Trump’s half-baked claims on climate, economy. Jan. 29th. 2018. http://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-bc-us–fact-check-week-20180129-story.html
[ii] PMM.Nasa.Gov. What’s in a Name? Global Warming vs. Climate Change. Dec. 5th. 2008. https://pmm.nasa.gov/education/articles/whats-name-global-warming-vs-climate-change
[iii] Climate.Gov. NOAA Climate.gov Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Global Warming. Feb. 25th. 2014. https://www.climate.gov/sites/default/files/Climate_gov_GlobalWarming_FAQ_15Aug13.pdf
[iv] Ibid.
[v] Ibid.
[vi] ChicagoTribune.com. AP FACT CHECK: Trump’s half-baked claims on climate, economy. Jan. 29th. 2018. http://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-bc-us–fact-check-week-20180129-story.html
[vii] NSIDC.org. Arctic sea ice at minimum extent. Sep. 19th. 2017. http://nsidc.org/arcticseaicenews/2017/09/arctic-sea-ice-at-minimum-extent-2/
[viii] Climate.Nasa.Gov. Arctic Sea Ice Minimum. https://climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/arctic-sea-ice/
[ix] ChicagoTribune.com. AP FACT CHECK: Trump’s half-baked claims on climate, economy. Jan. 29th. 2018. http://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-bc-us–fact-check-week-20180129-story.html

Out of Africa with Tom Friedman

New York Times reporter Thomas Friedman heads to Niger and Senegal and learns how climate change fueled drought is leading to a new wave of African migration.

Climate Migrants

Leaders are rising to power in the US and Europe on a wave of anti-immigrant sentiment. They’ve called these migrants a lot of undue names, but they neglect one of the most accurate: victims of climate change.

Mercer & the Museum of Natural History

Rebekah Mercer’s foundation may have given $4 million to the American Museum of Natural History, but over 200 climate scientists are demanding she step down from the Museum’s board.

SOURCES:
[i] NYTimes.com. Scientists Rebel Over a Trump Ally at the Natural History Museum. Jan 25th. 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/25/climate/rebekah-mercer-natural-history-museum.html?login=email&auth=login-email
[ii] Ibid.
[iii] DeSmog Blog. How Donald Trump Kingmaker-Billionaires Robert and Rebekah Mercer Have Poured Millions Into Climate Science Denial. Jan 12, 2017. https://www.desmogblog.com/2017/01/12/trump-kingmaker-billionaires-robert-rebekah-mercer-pouring-millions-climate-science-denial
[iv] NYTimes.com. Scientists Rebel Over a Trump Ally at the Natural History Museum. Jan 25th. 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/25/climate/rebekah-mercer-natural-history-museum.html?login=email&auth=login-email
[v] NewYorker.com. Hedge-Fund Tycoon Behind the Trump Presidency. Mar. 27th. 2017. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/03/27/the-reclusive-hedge-fund-tycoon-behind-the-trump-presidency
[vi] Press Release. 200 Top Scientists Urge American Museum of Natural History to Kick Climate Denial Funder Rebekah Mercer off its Board. Jan 26th. 2018. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aFKocbQgxYTXPloaARAN-AcWizLL06n0kcZhJuABQd0/edit?usp=sharing
[vii] NYTimes.com. Scientists Rebel Over a Trump Ally at the Natural History Museum. Jan 25th. 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/25/climate/rebekah-mercer-natural-history-museum.html?login=email&auth=login-email

Trump’s Solar Trade War

President Donald Trump slapped a huge tax on foreign made solar panels. He claims it will create jobs but it won’t. Instead it could stop the thriving American solar industry in its tracks.

SOURCES:
[i] https://www.seia.org/news/presidents-decision-solar-tariffs-loss-america
[ii] https://www.seia.org/news/seia-opposes-section-201-petition
[iii] https://www.seia.org/blog/solar-installer-fastest-growing-job-america
[iv] https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-china-is-dominating-the-solar-industry/
[v]https://www.seia.org/sites/default/files/2017-09/Profiles%20in%20Manufacturing_09-07-17.compressed.pdf
[vi] https://www.seia.org/sites/default/files/2017-12/SEIA-USTR-Testimony-Packaged-Full.pdf
[vii] https://www.seia.org/blog/solar-installer-fastest-growing-job-america
[viii] https://www.seia.org/news/presidents-decision-solar-tariffs-loss-america
[ix] https://www.eenews.net/assets/2017/10/02/document_gw_02.pdf
[x] https://www.seia.org/research-resources/seia-prehearing-remedy-brief
[xi]Ibid.

#ClimateFacts: Cape Town

Cape Town, South Africa is about to become the first major city in the world to run out of water. This #ClimateFacts video explains what that’s going to be like.

SOURCES:
[i] Time.com. Cape Town Is 90 Days Away From Running Out of Water. January 15th. 2018. http://time.com/5103259/cape-town-water-crisis/
[ii] ABCNews.go.com. Drought-stricken Cape Town, South Africa, could run out of water by April’s ‘day zero’. Jan 17th. 2018. http://abcnews.go.com/International/drought-stricken-cape-town-south-africa-run-water/story?id=52402170
[iii] Time.com. Cape Town Is 90 Days Away From Running Out of Water. January 15th. 2018. http://time.com/5103259/cape-town-water-crisis/
[iv] Ibid
[v] Ibid
[vi] ABCNews.go.com. Drought-stricken Cape Town, South Africa, could run out of water by April’s ‘day zero’. Jan 17th. 2018. http://abcnews.go.com/International/drought-stricken-cape-town-south-africa-run-water/story?id=52402170
[vii] Water.USGS.Gov.Water Questions & Answers How much water does the average person use at home per day? Dec 2nd. 2016. https://water.usgs.gov/edu/qa-home-percapita.html
[viii] Time.com. Cape Town Is 90 Days Away From Running Out of Water. January 15th. 2018. http://time.com/5103259/cape-town-water-crisis/

#WeCanSolveThis: Norway Charges Ahead

Norway is charging ahead of the United States with its EV policy, and is on track to phase out all diesel and gas cars by 2025. What’s holding America back?

SOURCES
[i] NYTimes.com. In Norway, Electric and Hybrid Cars Outsell Conventional Models. Jan 4th. 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/04/business/energy-environment/norway-electric-hybrid-cars.html
[ii] QZ.com. Ladies and gentlemen, the winners and losers of the electric car race (so far). Oct 22nd. 2018. https://qz.com/1102552/ladies-and-gentlemen-the-winners-and-losers-of-the-electric-car-race-so-far/
[iii] NYTimes.com. In Norway, Electric and Hybrid Cars Outsell Conventional Models. Jan 4th. 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/04/business/energy-environment/norway-electric-hybrid-cars.html
[iv] NPR.org. Norway Takes The Lead In Electric Cars (With Generous Subsidies). Mar 11th. 2014. https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2014/03/11/288611696/norway-takes-the-lead-in-electric-cars-with-generous-subsidies
[v] Info.Nobil.No. The Norwegian Charging Station Database for Electromobility. http://info.nobil.no/images/downloads/nobilbrosjyre.pdf
[vi] NBCNews.com. These Countries Want to Ban All Vehicles That Run on Gas or Diesel. Jul 10th. 2017. https://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/these-countries-want-ban-all-vehicles-run-gas-or-diesel-n781431

Road to Elephant Extinction

Fiesta Warinwa from the African Wildlife Foundation explains to Aasif Mandvi how climate change is killing off some of Africa’s great animals, like elephants.

#WeCanSolveThis: SolarPuff

Designer Alice Min Soo Chun was inspired by origami to create a solar lantern that could be folded flat. Her invention, the SolarPuff, has already helped bring light to people around the world, from earthquake victims in Haiti to refugees from Syria. SolarPuff offers a buy-one-give-one model, so you can get your own solar light to use yourself, and at the same time donate a light to someone in need. You can also just donate with the Give A Light program.

#ClimateFacts: Bridge to Nowhere

How does so-called clean natural gas shape up against coal? The answer might surprise you.

SOURCES:
[i] http://www.foeeurope.org/sites/default/files/extractive_industries/2017/natural_gas_and_climate_change_anderson_broderick_october2017.pdf
[ii] https://www.uniongas.com/about-us/about-natural-gas/Chemical-Composition-of-Natural-Gas
[iii] https://thinkprogress.org/more-bad-news-for-fracking-ipcc-warns-methane-traps-much-more-heat-than-we-thought-9c2badf392df/#
[iv] Years of Living Dangerously, Season One, Episode 106
[v] Ibid.
[vi] Ibid.
[vii] USA Today. Scott Pruitt on a mission to change the climate of the EPA. 11/26/17. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/11/26/scott-pruitt-mission-change-culture-epa/889633001/

#WeCanSolveThis: Sustainable Stadiums

The there may be some fierce rivalries in the NFL, but these football teams are united in their mission for sustainable stadiums. Here’s how these facilities are helping to lower their contribution to climate change.

SOURCES:
[i] News.Gallup.com. Football Still Americans’ Favorite Sport to Watch. Jan 4th. 2018. http://news.gallup.com/poll/224864/football-americans-favorite-sport-watch.aspx
[ii] Vikings.com. U.S. Bank Stadium Achieves LEED Certification. Nov 20. 2017. http://www.vikings.com/news/article-1/US-Bank-Stadium-Achieves-LEED-Certification/8e28b697-f7df-497a-9bf9-7f8e7675193e
[iii] Energy.Gov. 5 NFL Football Stadiums Score Big on Efficiency. Sep 11th. 2017.
https://energy.gov/eere/articles/5-nfl-football-stadiums-score-big-efficiency

Still Photo:  Greg Gjerdingen

Big Apple vs. Big Oil

The Big Apple is taking on Big Oil, holding fossil fuel companies accountable for the billions New York City will have to spend to fight climate change. Do you think other cities will get on board?

#ClimateFacts: California Mudslides

California’s devastating mudslides have killed at least 15 with dozens still missing. Our #ClimateFacts video explains how the state’s climate fueled wildfires set the stage for this ongoing disaster.

SOURCES:
[i] The New York Times. “Southern California Mudslides: Death Toll Rises to 15, With Dozens More Missing” Jan. 10, 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/10/us/montecito-mudslides-california.html
[ii] Ibid
[iii] Ibid
[iv] The Verge. “How California’s record wildfire season paved the way for catastrophic mudslides” Jan 9, 2018. https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/9/16870848/mudslides-montecito-santa-barbara-county-california-record-wildfire-season-science-rain
[v] Ibid
[vi] Arizona Cooperative Extension. “Soil Erosion Control after Wildfire.” Tom DeGomez.
https://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/pubs/az1293.pdf
[vii] Ibid

#WeCanSolveThis: Bye Bye Coal Bailout

President Donald Trump and Energy Secretary Rick Perry have been trying to engineer a multi-billion dollar bailout for big coal. But that plan just hit a major roadblock, and that’s welcome news for the climate.

SOURCES:
[i] The Atlantic.com. Trump’s Coal Bailout Is Dead. Jan 9th. 2018. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/01/trumps-coal-bailout-is-dead/550037/
[ii] Nasdaq.com Coal Industry Outlook – October 2017. Oct 2nd. 2017. http://www.nasdaq.com/article/coal-industry-outlook-october-2017-cm854294
[iii] Ibid
[iv] RTOInsider.com ICF Analysis: DOE NOPR Cost Could near $4B/Year. Oct 4th. 2017. https://www.rtoinsider.com/icf-doe-nopr-76642/
[v] Politico.com. Energy regulator rejects Perry’s plan to boost coal. Jan 8th. 2018. https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/08/rick-perry-energy-coal-nuclear-269263
[vi] Energy.gov. Grid Resiliency Pricing Rule. Jan 8th. 2018. https://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2017/09/f37/Notice%20of%20Proposed%20Rulemaking%20.pdf
[vii] Bloomberg.com. Regulators Reject Perry’s Plan to Help Coal and Nuclear Plants. Jan 8th. 2018. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-08/perry-plan-to-help-coal-nuclear-plants-rejected-by-regulators
[viii] FERC.gov.FERC Initiates New Proceeding on Grid Resilience, Terminates DOE NOPR Proceeding Jan 8th. 2018. https://www.ferc.gov/media/news-releases/2018/2018-1/01-08-18.asp#.WlUd3JM-dE4

#ClimateFacts: Who Will Be Hit the Hardest? Some changes are not yet saved.

How bad will climate change get? It depend where you live. Everyone in the U.S. will be affected by climate change, but in different ways.

CLIMATE CHANGE: IT’S NOT VERY FAIR, IS IT?

SOURCES:
[i] Hsiang et al. Estimating economic damage from climate change in the United States. Science 356, 1362–1369 (2017) 30 June 2017 http://science.sciencemag.org/content/356/6345/1362.full
[ii] Ibid.
[iii] Ibid.
[iv] Ibid.
[v] Ibid.
[vi] Ibid.
[vii] Ibid.

Massachusetts Carbon Tax

Massachusetts could be the first state in the U.S. to implement a tax (or fee) on carbon pollution. Here’s how the state could benefit from being a leader in the fight against climate change.

SOURCES:
[i] Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “Air Quality and Health Co-Benefits of a Carbon Fee-and-Rebate Bill in Massachusetts.” April 27, 2017. https://1jf7652uqh8csljrqst8yp9l-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Study-Carbon-Pricing-and-Public-Health.pdf
[ii] WBUR.org. “A ‘Tax’ Or ‘The Cost Of Pollution’? Mass. Debates Surcharge On Fossil Fuel.” September 19, 2017.
http://www.wbur.org/bostonomix/2017/09/19/massachusetts-surcharge-fossil-fuels
[iii] Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources. ”Analysis of Carbon Pricing as a Mechanism to Reduce GHG Emissions in Massachusetts.” December 2014. https://1jf7652uqh8csljrqst8yp9l-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/DOER-Carbon-Pricing-study-4-pager-071415.pdf

Trump’s Offshore Drilling Announcement

President Trump and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke have announced plans to open up nearly all US waters to offshore drilling, raising widespread opposition on both sides of the aisle. What do you think?

SOURCES:
[i] The New York Times. “ Trump Moves to Open Nearly All Offshore Waters to Drilling.” Jan. 4, 2018.

[ii] Ibid
[iii] Huffington Post. Trump Administration Proposes Massive Expansion Of Offshore Drilling Jan. 4, 2018.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-turmp-offshore-oil_us_5a2fe66ae4b078950283bee3
[iv]The New York Times. “ Trump Moves to Open Nearly All Offshore Waters to Drilling.” Jan. 4, 2018.

[v] The Washington Post. “Trump administration plans to allow drilling off all U.S. Waters” Jan. 4th 2018
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2018/01/04/trump-administration-plans-to-allow-drilling-off-all-u-s-waters/?hpid=hp_no-name_no-name%3Apage%2Fbreaking-news-bar&tidr=a_breakingnews&utm_term=.ab0baa253c37
[vi] Ibid
[vii] Ibid
[viii] Ibid

#WeCanSolveThis: 100% Renewable Cities

Did you know that a growing number of American cities are powered by 100 percent renewable energy? This video, part of a new series in partnership with Climate Reality, shows that the country is becoming greener, cleaner, and more sustainable.

SOURCES:
[i] https://www.triplepundit.com/2015/02/burlington-vermont-runs-100-renewable-energy/
[ii] https://www.sierraclub.org/sites/www.sierraclub.org/files/blog/RF100-Case-Studies-Report-2017.pdf
[iii] https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2017/04/las-vegas-city-buildings-go-100-renewable/
[iv] http://www.sierraclub.org/ready-for-100/cities-ready-for-100
[va] https://www.triplepundit.com/2015/02/burlington-vermont-runs-100-renewable-energy/
[vb] https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2017/04/las-vegas-city-buildings-go-100-renewable/
[vi] http://www.sierraclub.org/ready-for-100/cities-ready-for-100

#ClimateFacts: It’s Cold Outside

A bomb cyclone blizzard in 2018 capping off two frigid weeks on the east coast left many wondering: How can the globe be warming if it’s so cold? Our latest #ClimateFacts video explains.

SOURCES:
[i] United States Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2147.html
[ii] Vox,Trump thinks climate change isn’t real because it’s cold out. This map proves him wrong, Dec 29, 2017
https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/12/28/16827022/climate-change-cold-arctic-snap-us-canada-jet-stream
[iii] Weather Underground, New Year’s Freeze-Out: It Can Still Get Cold, Even in a Warming Climate, Dec 29, 2017
https://www.wunderground.com/cat6/new-years-freeze-out-it-can-still-get-cold-even-warming-climate
[iv] Ibid
[v] Reuters, 2017 was second hottest year on record, after sizzling 2016: report, Jan, 4th 2017
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-climatechange-temperatures/2017-was-second-hottest-year-on-record-after-sizzling-2016-report-idUSKBN1ET1JF
[vi] NASA, NASA, NOAA Data Show 2016 Warmest Year on Record Globally, Jan. 18, 2017
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-noaa-data-show-2016-warmest-year-on-record-globally

Jack Black: Saving Miami

Miami may not look like a city on the verge of disaster, but rising seas and political roadblocks are turning this glistening coastal paradise into the next Atlantis.

#ClimateFacts: Unhealthy Climate

Climate change is the biggest global health threat of the 21st century.

SOURCES:
[i] The Lancet. The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: from 25 years of inaction to a global transformation for public health. Oct. 30, 2017
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32464-9
[ii] Ibid.
[iii] NationalGeographic.com. By 2100, Deadly Heat May Threaten Majority of Humankind. June 19, 2017. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/06/heatwaves-climate-change-global-warming/
[iv] The Lancet. The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: from 25 years of inaction to a global transformation for public health. Oct. 30, 2017
[iv] Ibid.
[v] Ibid.
[vi] The Washington Post. Wheat, one of the world’s most important crops, is being threatened by climate change. Sept. 12, 2016
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/09/12/climate-change-is-really-bad-for-wheat-which-is-really-bad-for-us/?utm_term=.682ce0d6abb4
[vii] International Rice Research Institute. Rice and Climate Change. http://irri.org/news/hot-topics/rice-and-climate-change
[viii] Politico. The great nutrient collapse. September 13, 2017 http://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2017/09/13/food-nutrients-carbon-dioxide-000511
[ix] The Lancet. The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: from 25 years of inaction to a global transformation for public health. Oct. 30, 2017
[x] The Lancet. The Lancet Commission on pollution and health. October 19, 2017
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32345-0
[xi] The Lancet. Managing the Health Effects of Climate Change. May 16, 2009
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(09)60935-1

#WeCanSolveThis: China’s Carbon Market

In December of 2017, China announced plans to roll out the largest carbon market in the world. Here’s a look at how it’s going to lower carbon pollution across the board.

SOURCES:
[i] The New York Times. China Unveils an Ambitious Plan to Curb Climate Change Emissions. Dec 19, 2017. https://nyti.ms/2D4AnXx
[ii ] Quartz. The complete guide to the world’s largest carbon market that just launched in China. Dec 19, 2017 https://qz.com/1159667/china-is-launching-the-worlds-largest-carbon-market/
[iii] Ibid.
[iv] Ibid.
[v] Ibid.

Indigenous Protectors

One of the most effective ways to protect the world’s forests is by supporting the people who have been protecting them for generations. If we want to solve climate change, we have to support the land rights of indigenous peoples. It’s the right thing to do for people and the planet.

WarOnOurFuture: National Security Threat

President Donald J. Trump has announced a new national security strategy for the United States, removing climate change from the list of global threats. Maybe he should have consulted with the U.S. Military first?

SOURCES:
[i] Propublica, Trump’s Defense Secretary Cites Climate Change as National Security Challenge. Mar 14, 2017. https://www.propublica.org/article/trumps-defense-secretary-cites-climate-change-national-security-challenge
[iia] Congressional Record, 115th Congress, 1st Session Issue: Vol. 163, No. 177. Nov 1, 2017.
https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/2017/11/1/house-section/article/H8374-1
[iib] Stars and Stripes. Trump Differ on Climate Change. July 1, 2017.
http://slite.dma.mil/issues/july2017/20170701.pdf
[iii] Climate Security Consensus Project, Statement, Sept 2016. https://climateandsecurity.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/climate-and-security-consensus-project-statement-2016_09.pdf
[iv] U.S. Department of Defense. Quadrennial Defense Review 2014. Mar 4, 2014. https://www.defense.gov/Portals/1/features/defenseReviews/QDR/2014_Quadrennial_Defense_Review.pdf
[v] Washington Post. Drought helped cause Syria’s war. Will climate change bring more like it? Sept 10, 2017. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2013/09/10/drought-helped-caused-syrias-war-will-climate-change-bring-more-like-it/?utm_term=.7cdbbb7a06aa
[vi] Inside Climate News. Rising Seas Are Flooding Virginia’s Naval Base, and There’s No Plan to Fix It. Oct 25, 2017. https://insideclimatenews.org/news/10252017/military-norfolk-naval-base-flooding-climate-change-sea-level-global-warming-virginia
[vii] Time. A Melting Arctic Could Spark a New Cold War. May 12, 2017. http://time.com/4773238/russia-cold-war-united-states-artic-donald-trump-barack-obama-vladimir-putin/

#WeCanSolveThis: The World Bank Backs Off Oil

The World Bank will stop funding nearly all new oil and gas development, firmly acknowledging that the fight against poverty and the fight against climate change are one and the same.

SOURCES:
[i] Devex, World Bank to quit upstream oil and gas projects after 2019, 12/12/17 https://www.devex.com/news/world-bank-to-quit-upstream-oil-and-gas-projects-after-2019-91736
[ii] Oil Change International, World Bank Steals Show at One Planet Summit by Phasing Out Upstream Oil and Gas Finance 12/12/17 http://priceofoil.org/2017/12/12/reaction-world-bank-upstream-oil-gas-finance/
[iii] World Bank http://www.worldbank.org/en/about
[iv]The Guardian, Climate change could drive 122m more people into extreme poverty by 2030, 10/17/16
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2016/oct/17/climate-change-could-drive-122m-more-people-into-extreme-poverty-by-2030-un-united-nations-report
[v] The Guardian, Leave fossil fuels buried to prevent climate change, study urges, 01/07/15 ]https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jan/07/much-worlds-fossil-fuel-reserve-must-stay-buried-prevent-climate-change-study-says
[vi] Devex, World Bank to quit upstream oil and gas projects after 2019, 12/12/17 https://www.devex.com/news/world-bank-to-quit-upstream-oil-and-gas-projects-after-2019-91736

War on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

Congress is trying to sell off the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to pay for America’s latest round of tax cuts. But their math doesn’t add up, leaving the taxpayer short over $950 million, and one irreplaceable wilderness.

SOURCES:
[i] The Hill. GOP on verge of opening Arctic refuge to drilling 12/03/17 http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/362881-gop-on-verge-of-opening-arctic-refuge-to-drilling
[ii] The Washington Examiner. Murkowski confident Arctic drilling can raise $1 billion 11/02/17 http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/daily-on-energy-murkowski-confident-arctic-drilling-can-raise-1-billion/article/2176964
[iii] Anchorage Daily News. Small bidders snatch up land near ANWR in state oil lease sale 12/07/17 https://www.adn.com/business-economy/energy/2017/12/06/small-bidders-snatch-up-land-near-anwr-in-state-lease-sale/

[iv] Bureau of Land Management. BLM Offers Largest Number of Tracts Ever for Oil and Gas Lease Sale Within the NPR-A https://www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-offers-largest-number-tracts-ever-oil-gas-lease-sale-within-npr
[v] Anchorage Daily News. Small bidders snatch up land near ANWR in state oil lease sale 12/07/17 https://www.adn.com/business-economy/energy/2017/12/06/small-bidders-snatch-up-land-near-anwr-in-state-lease-sale/
[vi] Center for American Progress. Arctic National Wildlife Refuge 101. 10/10/2017 https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/news/2017/10/10/440559/arctic-national-wildlife-refuge-101/
[vii]Slate. I Want My Oil Yesterday! Why It Takes So Long to Drill in Alaska 11/10/05
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2005/11/i_want_my_oil_yesterday.html
[viii] Center for American Progress. Arctic National Wildlife Refuge 101. 10/10/2017 https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/news/2017/10/10/440559/arctic-national-wildlife-refuge-101/
[ix] Ibid

Video Still: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

President Donald Trump just eliminated 2 million acres of protected federal lands from Bears Ears National Monument and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Is that even legal?

ALEC

Is renewable energy being held down where you live? It might be because fossil fuel companies are literally writing the laws, with help from the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).

SOURCES:
[i] Center for Media and Democracy. ALEC Exposed. https://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/What_is_ALEC%3F
[ii] ALEC’s Climate Change Denial. http://alecclimatechangedenial.org/corporate-funders/
[iiia] The New York Times. Rooftop Solar Dims Under Pressure From Utility Lobbyists. July 8, 2017. https://nyti.ms/2tUYma2
[iiib] Center for American Progress. The Latest Threat to Electric Cars. March 31, 2017. https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/news/2017/03/31/429641/latest-threat-electric-cars/
[iv] Bloomberg. Koch-Funded Group Prods Trump’s EPA to Say Climate Change Not a Risk. November 15, 2017.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-11-15/coal-funded-alec-prods-trump-to-say-climate-change-not-a-risk
[v] The Natural Resources Defense Council. EPA’s Endangerment Finding: The Legal And Scientific Foundation For Climate Action. May 2017. https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/epa-endangerment-finding-fs.pdf
[vi] Scientific American. One Big Legal Obstacle Keeps Trump from Undoing Greenhouse Gas Regulation. April 26, 2017. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/one-big-legal-obstacle-keeps-trump-from-undoing-greenhouse-gas-regulation/
[vii] Center for Media and Democracy. Corporations that Have Cut Ties to ALEC. https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Corporations_that_Have_Cut_Ties_to_ALEC
[viii] ALEC’s Climate Change Denial. http://alecclimatechangedenial.org/corporate-funders/

Bears Ears National Monument

President Donald J. Trump has just announced that he is shrinking the Bears Ears National Monument by nearly 90 percent and the Grand Staircase-Escalante monument by nearly 50 percent.

SOURCES:
[ia] https://twitter.com/JenniferJJacobs/status/937765325252255744
[ib] http://wapo.st/2AuV6CS?tid=ss_tw&utm_term=.b7394da96392
[ii] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-10/trump-takes-aim-at-western-monuments-that-may-hold-oil-riches
[iii] http://wapo.st/2AuV6CS?tid=ss_tw&utm_term=.b7394da96392
[iv] http://westernvaluesproject.org/zinke-releases-energy-burdens-report-full-of-special-interests-giveaways/
[v] http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/compass-points/2017/11/17/businesses-ask-trump-administration-to-leave-national-monuments-intact
[vi] Ibid.
[viia] Ibid.
[viib] http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/story/1508800071cax86xesbqk
[viii] http://westernvaluesproject.org/statement-trump-bets-again-on-scandal-plagued-interior-secretary/
[ixa] http://wapo.st/2fphB2X?tid=ss_tw&utm_term=.7964beaa1a28
[ixb]
https://www.nrdc.org/trump-watch/trump-administration-review-ban-uranium-mining-near-grand-canyon