What happens when technology made for the good goes bad? Unfortunately, solar panel waste is a growing problem as photovoltaics gain traction in our energy economy. According to NREL, these “decommissioned PV modules could total 1 million tons of waste in the United States by 2030, or 1% of the world’s e-waste. This presents not only waste management concerns but also opportunities for materials recovery and secondary markets.”
Read MoreOn June 2, 2022, the Colorado General Assembly signed a new piece of legislation aimed at improving air quality and protecting residents’ health. The bill, entitled “Public Protections From Toxic Air Contaminants” (HB22-1244), updated the Colorado Air Pollution Prevention and Control Act by establishing the state’s first health-based ambient air quality standards. The purpose of this legislation is to “prioritize and protect the health and well-being of all Coloradans,” focusing particularly on sensitive and vulnerable groups, such as children, the elderly, and those living in disproportionately impacted communities. In order to achieve this goal, this bill sets three priorities: (1) identifying toxic air contaminants; (2) reporting emissions data; and (3) setting health-based standards and emission control regulations.
Read MoreClimate change activists across the world, frustrated by the inaction of world leaders to address climate change, have transitioned from traditional protests to demonstrative non-violent protests like vandalizing famous works of art and supergluing themselves at various locations. While their methods may be unorthodox, their message is being spread as they make headline news. The message? That climate change is tied to capitalism and has a larger socio economic impact.
Read MoreThe Colorado River is in a state of crisis. This is not merely an ecological issue to concern environmental bleeding hearts, this is on track to deeply impact the lives of the 40 million Americans that depend on the Colorado for water and power.
Read MoreWar, famine, and human rights issues. These concepts are typically what one may think of when hearing the word “refugee.” However, a less common notion thought of when considering refugee crises is climate change. The number of climate change refugees is steadily rising and becoming more common as climate change itself continues to occur. Climate change and human rights issues are deeply intertwined, particularly when extreme changes in a natural environment leads to the displacement of individuals.
Read MoreHearing the words “Inflation Reduction Act” does not necessarily trigger thoughts of environmental legislation nor efforts of reducing the negative impacts of climate change. However, not only does President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (“the Act”) combat inflation and lower healthcare costs, it also heavily invests in clean energy. In fact, Congress has never passed such expansive investments in combatting climate change. The Act seeks to delegate funds that will invest in clean energy, allowing the United States to return to its leadership role as a major player in combatting against climate change.
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As the climate crisis continues to ravage the planet and government action remains limited, some people have resorted to extreme measures to draw attention to the problem. Some of these actions include blocking barges full of coal from leaving port, fraudulently bidding on oil and gas leases, and turning off transcontinental oil pipelines. Many of the individuals who commit such acts have faced criminal prosecution.
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The electrification of our economy is creating new challenges for energy utilities. The U.S. Energy Information Administration forecasts energy consumption worldwide to grow approximately 50% between 2018 and 2050, with renewables – solar, wind, and hydroelectric power- being the fastest growing energy resources.
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The Inflation Reduction Act (“IRA”) marks an important milestone in the fight against climate change. It outlines a multifaceted approach to tackling the ongoing climate crisis, as well as commits over $369 billion to supporting various climate initiatives. The wide variety of these initiatives is one of the strengths of the bill, however, the provision that includes tax credits for producers of clean energy will be particularly impactful.
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For the first time since Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (“CERCLA”) establishment the EPA is executing their authority under Section 102 to designate an additional hazardous substance.
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How do we see nature?
To some, nature exclusively describes those parts of the Earth which are inhuman, effectively separating human activity from the “natural world.” Others find no such distinction, viewing humans and their perceived concepts as part and parcel with what we describe as nature.
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It is well known that blood has an extensive range, as it irrigates to the body’s organs and acts as a highway for oxygen, nutrients, and as discovered by a new study—plastic. On March 24, 2022 a study was released that uncovered the first measurement of plastic in human blood. This study sampled blood from twenty-two healthy volunteers, with the goal of discovering plastic particle absorption across the membranes in the human body.
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The Colorado Legislature recently moved to hold plastic producers responsible for recycling and other waste services. House Bill 22-1355 was introduced during the 2022 regular session for the Colorado General Assembly. The bill, publicly referred to as the “Producer Responsibility Bill,” would create a producer responsibility program in Colorado in an effort to implement better management practices for recycling programs.
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“Fire season's [now] year round,” according to the incident commander for the nearly 200-acre grass fire that arose in southern Boulder, Colorado in late March 2022. Dubbed the “NCAR fire” after its location near the National Center for Atmospheric Research, this blaze thankfully proved much less destructive than the Marshall fire that struck December 30, 2021, between Boulder and Denver, destroying over 1,000 homes.
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In November the nation was shocked by the discovery that 14,000 gallons of jet-fuel leaked into ground water of the Hawaiian island, Oahu. The fuel was reported to have contaminated the drinking water supplied to 93,000 military and civilian residents. This spill resulted in a reported 5,000 illnesses and 3,000 families displaced due to the contaminated water supply which has yet to be deemed safe.
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No one owns Antarctica – sort of. But climate change activists should lobby for international law to more clearly define ice structures and laws that govern them.
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The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (“RECA”) was passed in 1990 to provide compensation for those who were affected by or participated in nuclear weapons testing and individuals who were exposed to high levels of radiation as uranium miners. It is scheduled to sunset in July 2022, exactly 77 years after the first test of a nuclear weapon deep in the desert of New Mexico.
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The national parks have had unprecedented visitation since the pandemic began. While outdoor recreation has become more in vogue over the past decade, the pandemic led to a steady increase in visitation. This visitation is not evenly distributed across all of the parks in the National Park System, however. In 2021, just twenty-five parks (out of 423 total) received over half of all national park visits.
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If you’ve ever joined a grocery store co-op, you are familiar with the cooperative as an organizing structure. Co-ops have deep roots in American rural society and the populist movement of the late 19th century, which led to the development of decentralized organizations like The Grange. The Grange supported rural communities by communally organizing sales and profits of goods including wheat, wool, and tobacco, and created communal stores for their members.
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An electricity, or electrical, grid is an interconnected network of transmission and distribution facilities that allows electricity to be delivered. Electricity can be generated through power plants, solar panels, wind turbines, and hydroelectric dams. After electricity is generated, it is then delivered through transmission and distribution power lines.
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