Current Event 12/7 - COP21 Sustainable Coffee Challenge

"A new initiative aiming to make coffee the world's first sustainable agriculture product has been launched with support from key industry players including Starbucks and the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA)."

This is huge. The Sustainable Coffee Challenge, looks to develop a framework for greening one of the largest agriculture commodities in the world: coffee. The challenge was launched this week at the Paris climate conference by Conservation International, a US environmental charity. Peter Seligmann, chairman and chief executive of Conservation International claimed "This will require commitments by roasters to support increased demand for sustainability. It will also require improved measurement of how far the sector has come in the sustainability journey — and just how far we have to go."

According to the article, nearly half of the world's coffee was produced in accordance with CI's sustainability metrics, however, only 12 percent was sold as "sustainable" in the international markets. 

The coffee industry has great incentive to lead with sustainability initiatives. They are at most risk for financial lost from a changing climate. "Nearly every major coffee-producing region of the world is now experiencing some impacts from climate change, with warming temperatures, drought and changing weather patterns all having an effect on coffee production."

Implementing sustainable practices in coffee production can stop deforestation and lay the groundwork for other agriculture sectors to follow suit.

I'm excited to see what other great challenges and initiatives are going to come out of COP21.

Reference:

http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2437454/cop21-industry-giants-launch-sustainable-coffee-challenge

Ecological Footprint Re-calculation 12/7

After re-calculating my ecological footprint, I'm very stoked to see I had a .3 reduction in the number of Planet Earths it takes to support my lifestyle. The biggest reduction category I saw throughout the quarter was my impact through food consumption. My initial footprint was 3.7 Earths, 16.6 global acres of productive area. After implementing my reduction strategies into my lifestyle, my new calculations show 3.4 Planet Earths, and 15.1 global acres. It may not seem like a drastic change, but I'm pretty happy to actually see results, I was concerned that my calculation would remain the same even with the reduction plans I took on. Reduction plans listed below:

Reduction Plans:
1) I will reduce my consumption of meat products, by having 2 meat-less days a week.
2) I will do my best to purchase produce and meat products from local, sustainable businesses.
3) I will carpool to the river during salmon runs (fly fishing).
4) I will purchase and use a power strip for my apartment's media center.

I was able to stick with all of these throughout the quarter. At times, I had difficulty buying local, sustainable food, due to a lack of steady finances and it's availability. I think it will be way easier to stay local once the spring and summer Farmer's Market is open again. I believe the meat-less days added to my weekly diet had the greatest effect on my overall footprint. These reduction plans are definitely something I will adhere to for the rest of my life. They are seriously simple changes that practically every person should be able to do. I thought it was interesting that I didn't see much of a change in my electricity bill after putting in a power strip and monitoring it. One of my roommates is really bad about leaving all of his electronics and bedroom lights on, so I feel like that offset any ghost power we saved on with a power strip. Finally, I didn't go out fishing, or hiking for that matter, by myself. We were able to carpool and save on gas consumption and miles driven.

Current Event 11/30 - San Francisco Plastic Bottle Ban

There is a new ban in the city of San Francisco: plastic water bottles! The city is now the first major metropolis in the United States to ban the sale of plastic water bottles. This is a huge win for the environment, plastic is one of the biggest battles environmentalists have been dealing with the past few decades. It is estimated that roughly half of all plastic products on earth are used only once before being tossed. Over the next four years, the SF plan will phase out the sale of plastic water bottles containing 21 oz or less. Violators of the new ban could see up to $1000 in fines. I'm not sure if the fine is targeting consumers of plastic water bottles or those selling them within the city limits, the article doesn't really specify.

Hopefully, this lays the groundwork for other major cities to follow the bold move. I'm surprised smaller progressive towns, such as Bellingham, haven't already tried to implement such a ban. I'm sure Seattle will be right behind SF in their effort to reduce plastic waste. I still can't believe plastic water bottles are even a thing. What a scam. But that's neither here nor there, and after a ban like that in SF, it won't be anywhere! This should serve as an incentive or at least a scare to companies such as Nestle or Dasani to start rethinking their business models. I can't imagine that in the next thirty years these water bottle manufactures will even exist. Only time will tell.

http://www.trueactivist.com/san-francisco-becomes-first-city-to-ban-the-sale-of-plastic-bottles/

Current Event 11/29 - Japan Whaling

In March of 2014, the International Court of Justice ruled that Japan's traditional whaling hunt in the Antarctic should cease. This fueled an abrupt stop to the 2014/15 whaling season in Japan. Despite global outrage, Japan announced that it will continue its whaling program in the 2015/16 whaling season (under a revised plan). Their revised plan indicates a cut of allowed catch by two-thirds down to 333 individuals (previously 1000). Japan claims whaling is part of their cultural tradition and is necessary for feeding the Japanese population.

I think this is ridiculous. I understand the value of culture and tradition for a population of people, but I feel like the severity of current environmental issues should take priority when making decisions concerning natural resources, whether those resources are a food source or an energy source. For example, driving cars has always been apart of American tradition since the dawn of the industrial revolution, we shouldn't be exempt from stricter carbon standards just because automobiles has been an integral part of our history.

I don't know how threatened or endangered the whale species is that Japanese fisherman target, but the idea of taken over three hundred whales out of the ocean each year is, in my opinion, absolutely absurd. There are not major whale populations comparable to that of salmon or any other ocean food source, and it seems this is another present example of a tragedy of the commons. I'm fairly sure the nutritional value of a whale isn't even something to marvel or regard highly. Not to mention the mercury content in a species so big has to be of great concern. I hope the International Court of Justice will address this immediately and label it as a high priority. Ideally, before the 2016 whaling season begins.

http://www.voanews.com/content/despite-ruling-japan-to-resume-whaling-in-antarctic-ocean/3078542.html

Current Event 11/17 - Fracking Public Lands

According to an article by Ryan Schleeter, a writer for Greenpeace's blog, The Environmentalist, oil and gas companies are trying to acquire the rights to more than 200 million acres of public land to frack for natural gas. This is on top of the 30 million acres these companies already abuse for fracking operations. Much of the area that is being targeted is either in National Forests, State Parks, or on the surrounding area of America's National Parks. These areas are quite literally the most prized land that America has left and if it was allowed for fracking exploration, I don't believe many of these places could recover. Some of the targeted(threatened) land includes: Glacier National Park, White River National Forest, and the Arapaho National Forest. 

Glacier National Park

I really can't imagine that our political system would allow for this destructive exploration to take place, however our government hasn't failed to surprise me before. I believe there is currently a bill trying to be pushed through Congress that would ban fracking on public lands, such as national forests. I am having trouble finding out how close that bill is being voted on but it would be a huge hit for the fracking industry. Hopefully, our politicians are able to recognize not only, the dangers to public health and greenhouse gas emissions, but also the destruction of America's wild land that is already such a scarce reserve.

source

http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/not-even-national-parks-are-safe-from-fracking/ 

Current Event 11/12 - Hydroelectric Power, City Water Pipes

This article look into the city of Portland, OR installing energy generating turbines in the city's water pipes. Essentially, flushing your toilet will produce energy. This is a form of hydroelectric energy that doesn't block fish passage or completely disturb river ecosystems, and honestly it's surprising this is the first case of this kind of technology being used in American cities. The company heading this, Lucid Energy, places a small turbine in already existing water pipes and captures energy anytime water is flowing into or out of a residence. The energy produced can be used to offset the cost of delivery water to the city or be diverted to the grid to power homes or businesses. The turbines can be installed in both clean drinking water pipes or waste-water pipes. The electricity generated will be able to power up to 150 homes. I believe that this should be implemented on a larger scale in every major city across the US, or the globe for that matter. It is silly to be wasting the kinetic energy of moving water flowing through a city's plumbing infrastructure.

The only critique of this, along with most other innovative ideas that solve our energy crisis, is the cost factor. It is estimated to cost over a million dollars to retrofit the existing pipes with these turbines that can only power 150 homes. I wonder if they increased the scale of the project if the returns would start to offset the cost of retrofitting or even installing new pipes.

https://www.minds.com/blog/view/415942000412463104/portland-installs-turbines-in-their-city-water-pipes-powers-city-by-flushing-toilets

This is a diagram of what the turbines would look like,

Current Event 11/5 - Disconnection with nature.

This article details a massive trend showing up in almost every first world country around the globe. The trend - children losing contact with the natural world. With the sweeping rise of technology, and more so, the ease of use of such tech like computers, smart phones and tablets, more and more kids seem to find themselves inside, not enjoying the outdoors like generations before them always have. This article presents the idea that if children lose their connection with nature, there isn't going to be anyone willing to fight to protect the environment in the near future. Some studies of demographics and children's inclination to be outside revealed some shocking statistics: 

• In the UK, between one generation, the proportion of kids who regularly went outside for leisure fell from 50 percent to about 10 percent. 
• Between 1997 and 2003, in the US, children with outdoor hobbies (biking, skiing, etc.) fell by about half. 
• Teenagers in Britain find themselves staring at a screen over half of any given day (not including sleep).

The author seems to attribute these statistics to the parents of these children, being irrationally fearful of strangers and other aspects of wild lands that could harm their kids. Personally, I think parents need to allow their children to roam and get outside, I am concerned that the kids are too preoccupied with their smart phones to want to go outside, but they should at the very least be given the option. My dad would always take me and my siblings out camping and hiking. I grew a strong connection with nature very early on in my childhood. I would definitely say I am here today as a student of sustainability because of my childhood experiences. Those who immerse themselves in the outdoors have a duty to protect it. And if there is no one going outside to discover and reveal these places to the world, no one is going to care when businesses destroy them for resources. 

Reference: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/nov/19/children-lose-contact-with-nature?CMP=share_btn_tw