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Climate Brief:Air Conditioning & the climate-'Things Are Going to Break' As Power Plants strain [1]
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Date: 2022-07-23
external shading (such as shutters), painting external walls and flat roofs in pale colours that reflect the sun’s energy back out, and planting deciduous trees in front of south-facing windows that provide free shading in the summer that conveniently disappears in winter. Quicker fixes include closing windows when it’s hotter outside than inside to trap more cool air, closing blinds and curtains or fashioning external shades, and reducing heat by turning everything off standby." theguardian.com/
As searing Texas heat drives power demand to record highs, the state’s grid operator is ordering plants to run at a historic pace, often forcing them to put off maintenance to keep cranking out electricity.
That’s helped keep the lights on, for now, but the short-term focus is putting even more stress on a system that’s already stretched near the limit.
Things Are Going to Break’: Texas Power Plants Are Running Nonstop Operators are forced to defer maintenance as aging fleet is ‘run harder than it’s ever been run.’ www.bloomberg.com/...
More than a dozen wildfires are engulfing areas from Texas to California and Alaska, with electricity blackouts feared for places where the grid is coming under severe strain.www.theguardian.com
About 20% of greenhouse gases in the US come from homes. cnn
Green energy is great for fighting climate change.
(Not using any is even better)
Energy efficiency 'isn't sexy' like buying a new Tesla, but swapping out light bulbs and insulating homes to save on power bills is as essential as promoting wind and solar power, experts say
usatoday.com
Recklessness defined: breaking 6 of 9 planetary boundaries of safety
The author’s imaginative fictional intro opens the way for better understanding how humanity has pushed past planetary boundaries of safe living with respect to climate change, biosphere integrity, land-system change, biogeochemical flows, freshwater, and more.
Links:
Climate change is melting Himalayan glaciers on which hundreds of million people rely, flooding villages and leaving residents without drinking water.amp.dw.com
Climate Brief:Earth’s lakes are warming at feverish pace,Great Lakes
leading the way
www.washingtonpost.com/…
Adaptation in the Great Lakes region necessary due to climate change
kitchener.citynews.ca/...
The Amazon rainforest is losing 200,000 acres a day. Soon it will be too late Since 1988, humans have destroyed an area of rainforest roughly the size of Texas and New Mexico combinedguardian.com
HELP SAVE THE PLANET & OURSELVES:
Turn out the lights when not in use/use less Turn down the heat or AC
vent out at night if cooler
Avoid creating nighttime light pollution
Don’t waste water
Avoid burning wood (or other things), as wood fires are both pollutant and carcinogenic
Don't use pesticides
Limit your use of cars and planes (if possible)
Don't use gas powered vehicles
Take out grass and put in a garden or pond (or xeriscape )
xeriscape ) Mow, blow, and whack with electric or by hand
Plant for the animals (bees, birds etc)
Plant trees
Don't micro manage yards, go wilder
Try to use solar
Take a bus, trolley or train
Encourage your city/town to use electric buses
Use energy efficient products or products that work on clean fuels
Reduce dependence on non-biodegradable items
Walk, bike or carpool
Reuse items- give to Goodwill or Craig's list rather than dumping
Cut down or cease eating meat
Use reusable carry bags for grocerie; second choice, paper bags; not plastic
Compost
Save the bees
Be informed
Write your representative, sign petitions
E lect pro-environment candidates and demand action
Support the Green New Deal
Get involved
March
Blog about the environment
Control population
* (If you're using ac to survive no guilt is intended. But turning it lower, venting at night, and using alternative means help everyone and yourself!)*
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[1] Url:
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/7/23/2110605/-Climate-Brief-Air-Conditioning-amp-the-climate-Things-Are-Going-to-Break-As-Power-Plants-strain
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