Category: Climate Action

What Is Your Community’s Climate Action Plan?

on By

Washington (GGM) Analysis | November 29, 2022 by Noreen Wise, Founder & CEO of Gallant Gold Media, and author; Image Credit: AdobeStock

The following is the requested feedback to Fairfax County’s draft Resilient Fairfax Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan, put forth for public comment from May 16, 2022 through June 15, 2022.

With so many lives at stake, as well as the survivability of the human species, it’s vitally important for every single one of us to voice our positions, and our objections when something seems amiss with our local community/county’s climate action plans, including its timeline. Everything we do and don’t do in 2022-2024 will be hyper-analyzed in the future. The IPCC, the UN, many global leaders and thousands of scientists have repeatedly warned about the urgency to act immediately. Yet so few local governments are following through.

“Every tenth of a degree matters.”Peter Kalmus, NASA Climate Scientist

Dear Resilient Fairfax County, thank you for devoting so much time and energy to this herculean task. Although the plan is 90 pages, which made it challenging for the average busy Fairfax County resident to read, it’s very well written and expertly organized and presented.  

The most notable disappointment in this great work is that it appears to be the Swiss cheese plan to address the terrifying climate crisis, with big holes throughout, that results in the Fairfax County Plan not aligning with global climate targets, as well as Biden’s and the US army’s climate goals and plans, and many peer counties across the country. 

It’s unclear why you didn’t simply borrow one of the many existing complete climate action plans, plans that don’t have holes, that are being used in cities, states and countries all over the globe.

Targeted Years of 2050 and 2085, rather than 2025 and 2030

Right from the jump, and throughout the detailed draft plan, there is a repeated emphasis on the years 2050 and 2085, rather than 2025 and 2030. Why isn’t there any action planned for 2023, 2024 and 2025? Tragically, it doesn’t appear that Fairfax County will begin work on any of the climate mitigation and adaptation strategies before 2025.

Biodiversity

The word “biodiversity” appeared only once in the entire 84 page content. Biodiversity was noted in a quote by the IUCN at the very end on page 84 just before the References begin: “Nature based solutions are ‘actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems, that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits.'” 

Additionally, the nature-based solutions section repeatedly mentioned “trees” rather than dense native biodiverse shrubs, perennials, ground cover and trees. Why not include “biodiversity” wherever you have “trees” listed? 

Was this omission intentional or have you not been following the many best-selling books about the importance of biodiversity in saving humanity from extinction, award-winning documentaries and podcasts, and the Kunming Biodiversity Conference and Proclamation? Why did you refuse to follow President Biden’s lead when he pledged his commitment to the aggressive 30×30 biodiversity conservation target a week after he was inaugurated? Why so many half-measures?

Everyone in climate circles KNOWS that boosting biodiversity (which includes diverse native trees) is now a top priority. The short-term goal is to scale-up biodiversity restoration quickly and effectively by planting native shrubs, perennials and groundcover, which includes grasses, under every native tree on every single landscape, and transforming a certain percent of back and side yards to meadows with tall grasses, with the vitally important deep roots, as well as native wildflowers. 

Biodiversity dramatically boosts soil health, helps purify the air, lowers the heat island effect, restores habitat for pollinators and birds and insects, and is a major climate mitigation solution based on how much more carbon drawdown it generates.

In New York state, the median down interstate 84 has been transformed into a dense, biodiverse no-mow median comprised of a wide variety of native flowering groundcover species. This simple project created a biodiversity corridor that stretches nearly 100 miles. Not only that, it’s absolutely beautiful, and again, significantly increases carbon drawdown. So many layers of life-saving benefits at one low cost. 

Many Fairfax County homeowners and neighborhoods are biodiversity superstars. Fairfax County residents clearly know the importance of creating biodiversity corridors in our community and the remarkable benefits. It’s shocking that Fairfax County committee seemed to intentionally exclude biodiversity. Is this because someone doesn’t want to manage the wildlife, such as deer, fox and coyotes? 

If other counties successfully manage restored wildlife, we can too. Los Angeles is building the largest wildlife crossing bridge (Annenburg Wildlife Crossing) that will stretch across 10 lanes of Hwy 101 in the Santa Monica mountains. Why is Fairfax County so reluctant to do what needs to be done? Why so much apathy? We need a wildlife crossing on Fairfax County Parkway which recently had a flock of geese stop traffic when it tried to waddle from lane to lane northbound, using their webbed feet rather than wings on a Sunday morning near the Monument Drive exit.

High Albedo Surfaces | Paint It White & Light Grey

There was not one single mention of white or light roofs, roads, sidewalks and parking lots to reflect the sun (which lowers the heat 10ºF inside the building, and 30º-50º on ground surfaces). 

Additionally, transforming surfaces to white, light grey or silver, will help save our icecaps. The albedo effect. We only have 2.5 years to save the Doomsday Glacier, which if completely melted, will result in a sea level rise of 2 – 10 feet. 

Fairfax County knows the importance of white surfaces. The school buses all have white roofs to lower the heat. Bridgewater Corporate Center, at end of Government Center Parkway in Fairfax, painted its parking lot light grey to cool the surface. 

Image Credit: Noreen Wise

Asphalt is 50ºF warmer than the air temperature. Car tires can become soft in the heat. For each 10ºF of warming on a summer day, the air pressure will increase one pound PSI. Tire range varies between 30-35. If it becomes too hot, the tires will pop when the temperature and pressure keep rising above the tire range. 

Top Climate Actions We Can Execute Immediately:
Cutting Food Waste Urgent Priority
The Whitest White Paint to Help Lower the Heat
Informed Action Will Help Restore Biodiversity
Alfalfa and Tall Grasses Are Carbon Capture Superheroes

North Carolina has light cement roads / highways so the roadways won’t buckle in high heat. White and light also helps cars stop quickly on hot days. Car tires on sizzling black asphalt, don’t have the same traction when both the tires and asphalt become soft. Cars can slide when they have to stop fast at a changing light. There will be more car accidents during high heat because of this failure to transition to white and light grey high-albedo road colors. 

Raleigh, NC
Image Credit AdobeStock

Switching to light-coloured roofs and roadways would have the equivalent effect on greenhouse grass emissions to taking one billion cars of the road for 11 years. *2009Steven Chu, Nobel laureate, Physicist and Former Energy Secretary under President Obama

Fairfax City just replaced tan cement sidewalks on Lee Highway to white cement. There’s now a line in the middle of both the sidewalk and the median, where Fairfax City white cement meets Fairfax County dark tan cement. Sadly, Fairfax County has black asphalt sidewalks lining much of Lee Highway. 

I mentioned the importance of high albedo through chat during two public virtual meetings held by Resilient Fairfax. The county obviously knows how effective high albedo surfaces are, yet chose to ignore this solution, which makes me loose faith. 

Popular Science published an article back in September 2017 with news that Los Angeles was using CoolSeal to paint miles and miles of its roads white and light grey. 

In 2018, Insider gave a shout out to NYC for its exemplary initiative in painting 9.2 million square feet of skyscraper rooftops white. Schools in Massachusettes and NY are painting their roofs white to lower the heat inside the schools which cuts electric bills and reduces CO2 emissions by 29%. 

Fairfax County is stuck on ONLY planning for green roofs. “No” to white roofs. This is NOT accidental, it’s a sad choice.

Additionally…

•No mention of living walls to lower the heat island effect in urban areas. The Kennedy Center has a fabulous living wall on its new Reach building. Georgetown has living walls on buildings lining the canal. Philadelphia has living walls throughout the historic downtown as well as up and down Independence Mall. Downton London, England has city blocks filled with living walls.

Reach Building, Kennedy Center
Image credit Noreen Wise

•No mention of countywide, weekly compost collection pickup using green bins that would be placed curbside with the black and blue bins. Many cities across the globe added curbside compost collection years ago.

•No expectations of corporations mentioned, especially large corporations of which Fairfax County has many. Corporations are often the biggest carbon emitters and need to be regulated. 

•No mention of climate refugees from inside US. The UN warned that countries/states have to build refugee crisis into their Climate Plans. Again, that’s refugees from INSIDE our country. Dulles Airport is a major draw for people across the United States, especially those who can’t take the drought lifestyle anymore, or who have lost everything, again, in a wildfire. Millions of people from the Western states, as well as Southern coastal states, will potentially descend on Northern Virginia. Yet no mention of this likely occurrence is in the Fairfax Plan, despite UN’s insistence that it be included.

Again, thank you for everything you did so well. It’s a great accomplishment. As for all the issues you ignored and even rejected, these will create life-threatening circumstances for many innocent people who reside in the county. When extreme climate weather events occur, there will be some residents who point to this draft plan and ask why you ignored the UN, esteemed climatologistsns such as Michael E. Mann and Peter Kalmus, and global leaders like Al Gore, Bill Clinton and Nobel laureates like Stephen Chu.

NASA scientist and climate activist Peter Kalmus warned that every tenth of a degree matters. Dr. Michael Mannwarned that 1.5ºC is catastrophic warming. We’re already at 1.2ºC, just three-tenths away from catastrophic. Swiss cheese climate plans result in our community being many tenths of a degree off of where we need to be. There is not a single Fairfax County resident who wants to reach 1.6ºC or irreversible 1.7ºC. Yet, Resilient Fairfax Plan seems to be the action plan for doing just that.

© Copyright 2022. ALL Rights Reserved.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is gallantarcher_3d_socialmedia.jpg

Virginia Green Initiative, Inc. Is Making Positive Impact on Reducing Corporate CO2 Emissions

on By

Washington (GGM) Analysis | November 29, 2022 by Noreen Wise, Founder & CEO of Gallant Gold Media, and author; Image Credit: AdobeStock

Following the most recent and alarming IPCC Report on climate change, released February 28, 2022, four days after Russia invaded Ukraine, it’s become essential that we drill down on what US companies are doing to curb their greenhouse gas emissions and boost their sustainability efforts.

The IPCC’s urgent warning to rush and act now on climate was drowned out by the horror and the bravery we witnessed in Ukraine over the past six weeks. This is understandable. The Russian invasion and atrocities have been traumatizing. Yet, we mustn’t let the IPCC Report slip from our consciousness. Businesses must take advantage of the many resources available and rush to implement their action plans now, in 2022, using the many tips and suggestions that are available.

“This report is a dire warning about the consequences of inaction,” said Hoesung Lee, Chair of the IPCC. “It shows that climate change is a grave and mounting threat to our wellbeing and a healthy planet. Our actions today will shape how people adapt and nature responds to increasing climate risks.”

Individuals, schools, nonprofits and various faith groups are very vocal about their specific climate actions and their transition away from fossil fuels. Yet, companies seem to be a lot more vague about what they’re actually doing while simultaneously lauding their climate pledges. The words we hear most corporations espousing are ones that claim they’ll achieve a 50% cut in emissions by 2030, but no substantial actions are required in 2022, and possibly not even 2023. Unbelievably, companies are envisioning a last minute sprint to the finish line.

News broke in late December 2021 about Antarctica’s ‘Doomsday Glacier’ that’s melting more rapidly than anticipated. Scientists took to social media to vent frustration about inaction, concerned that if global warming isn’t slowed immediately, the Thwaites Glacier could potentially collapse within 3 – 5 years. David Holland, an environmental scientist at New York University, told the Associated Press on January 31, 2022 that, “Ultimately over time it’s (the Thwaites Glacier) going to rewrite the global coastline.” 

Scientists project that a total collapse of the Thwaites Glacier would result in a sea level rise of 2 feet. This could potentially trigger a domino effect with the glaciers that Thwaites supports also collapsing, which would raise sea levels by 10 feet.

The red flag warning of the Doomsday Glacier’s pending collapse within 3-5 years, which may end up being before the majority of US businesses and corporations actually begin the heavy lifting to dramatically lower greenhouse gases, should be heeded. In an article published Monday April 6, 2022, Business Insider confirmed this urgent timeframe requirement for effective climate action if we are to stay below 1.5ºC, underscoring the UN‘s grave warning that we only have 3 years of intense collective action to stay below 1.5ºC.

Amidst the darkness and chaos, the state of Virginia has a bright beacon of light for businesses throughout the state that are searching for a sustainability and renewable energy action plan framework: The Virginia Green Initiative, Inc.

VGI, Inc. is a vital and effective business and corporate resource that can be used to guide corporate decision making on sustainability and greenhouse gas emission reduction. This valuable online tool is for businesses of all sizes to use to kick-off a much greener, net-zero future.

VGI has 6 main green areas of focus:

  • Education and Outreach
  • Products and Services
  • Energy
  • Water Conservation
  • Transportation 
  • Waste Management 

In an interview with the Chair of Virginia Green Initiative, Inc., Candice Guillaudeu, there were meaningful insights shared about the best ways for businesses to get their climate action started. Guillaudeu provided answers to key questions that Virginia businesses may have about how to successfully achieve a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, as well as expand their sustainability practices. 

GREEN INNOVATION:
Whitest White Paint To Help Lower the Heat
Carbon Capture Start-up Verdox Launches with $80M Commitment
Watermelons In the Desert | “From Sand to Hope”


1. What are top 5 priorities Virginia businesses should focus on in 2022?

In terms of five priorities, we think this should be left up to the business itself, as each business is different in terms of their services and products that they offer.  They would need to define where their impact on the climate is the most. Is it in water usage, is it in waste, is it in transportation, etc? Use that as their priority, to begin their environmental sustainability path.

A good reference is Project Drawdown, which has a list of approximately 75 solutions that can be sorted by ranking or by industry etc.  

With the above said, all economies run on energy. We can’t continue to pull fossil fuels out of the Earth. They are a finite resource and not a long-term solution. Energy conservation should be a priority and would be a concrete, visible cost savings to a businesses’ bottom line.

2. Do you recommend deadlines to execute easy things like composting? IE “All Virginia businesses should sign up for compost collection by June 1, 2022.”

Again, it’s not our position to define these kinds of priorities, for each business.  

For home-based businesses, composting would be a huge plus in reducing waste and a great way to begin understanding the importance of local ecological systems, how the soil is important to the plants, planting native plants to support the local pollinators and other insects, the interdependence of the plants, animals, wildlife and ourselves. Using your own compost in your own garden could be a very fulfilling sense of accomplishment especially when you bring your own vegetables to your own table.  

For businesses that work out of a rented office space, where people bring their food to the office or even get take-out, the importance there would be one of Education and Outreach, buying from a business that provides sustainable packaging in their to-go boxes, not Styrofoam, or bringing their own food to the office and taking home the scraps.  Again, it’s up to each business to define their priorities, and how quickly they’re able to do it.  Obviously, the quicker the better.

One of our long-time participants, Little Tree Huggers, LLC, a pre-school daycare in Leesburg, VA that teaches about the environment, has their students actively participate in their on-site food composting program.  The kids will bring back food scraps from their home for composting at Little Tree Huggers.  And when the students collect the food at home, they’re teaching their own parents and family about how it works.  Following is a link where one of the preschoolers talks about their composting program. 

3. What sustainability transitions will take the longest to execute in your estimation?

All economies need energy to run on, and transitioning to renewable energy wherever possible is the immediate thing to do as well as seeming to take the longest amount of time to change.  

4. What’s the best way to Virginia businesses to get their supply chain reducing carbon?

The very first thing for a business is to assess its own products and services, can they be redesigned or reworked to use less of Earth’s resources?  Once they’ve assessed internally, then they can decide which of their supply chains has the most impact and research if there are other opportunities for redesign, other suppliers, etc.  Often, while assessing their own internal processes, this can lead the team to come up with other ideas for other products or services, such as a can they even fulfill a need that that wasn’t readily apparent before?

Through their conservation and sustainability efforts, I think businesses would be amazed at how much money they would start to save, increase their customer loyalty and in turn, their efforts and accomplishments would be a great resource for their own marketing.  Reassessing a business’s products and services in a different “light” if you will, can be fun and very challenging at the same time.  Employees, owners and other stakeholders can learn so much in terms of materials, new sources, as well as team building, etc.  It is a very difficult process, but is also a pragmatic one. 

5. Do you recommend Northern Virginia Fortune 500 companies like Mars and Nestle overhaul product packaging to incorporate carbon labeling?

I recommend they design their packaging so that they can take it back, not leave it up to the individual people and counties to deal with.  This would be a huge infrastructure undertaking, so I do not say this lightly.

In terms of carbon labeling, I think that would help consumers to decide what product to buy, and would be an opportunity to educate people about carbon footprints at the consumer end, but I’m not so sure that it will help in the long run.  Carbon labeling, carbon tax and trade, seems to me personally, to just offset accountability, pushing accountability to another entity, just kicking the can down the road so to speak.  

Each and every one of us, individuals and businesses alike, are all accountable for the harm we are doing to our Earth and thus to ourselves.  We’re all in this together and we all have a lot to learn and to do! 

6. Thank you, Candice!

—

The VGI, Inc. website is the first step. Click HERE to find the detailed questionnaire that is the gateway leading to the many simple steps that will drive the necessary change in your business culture . “All Virginia business are encouraged to participate in a friendly competition known as the Virginia Green Business Initiative. The ‘Challenge’ is designed to encourage and recognize specific environmental policies and practical actions that not only reduce carbon emissions, but can save businesses money.” 

We are all one, we all depend on the Earth’s ecological systems, the soil, the air, water, the trees, we are all interconnected.  Earth will continue to be, but humanity itself is at stake, and that is no joke.  Candice Guillaudeu, Chair of Virginia Green Initiative, Inc.

© Copyright 2022. ALL Rights Reserved.

Palm Oil Deforestation | The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

on By

Washington (GGM) Analysis | August 22, 2022 by Noreen Wise, Founder & CEO of Gallant Gold Media, and author; Image Credit: AdobeStock

Historically, the arctic and the antarctic are polar opposites and never experience the same weather conditions at the same time. That is until Friday, February 18, 2022, when this scientific fact melted and our new climate conditions became that much more apparent. The Arctic reached 50 degrees above normal, while temperatures in Antartica skyrocketed as high as 70 degrees, which was way beyond the pale. Again, the simultaneous heating of both poles at the same time has never happened before, which shocked scientists.

“They are opposite seasons. You don’t see the north and the south (poles) both melting at the same time,” ice scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colorado, Walt Meier, told The Associated Press on Friday evening. “It’s pretty stunning.”

Alarming phenomenon like the Arctic and Antarctic syncing have global leaders trying to wrap their minds around how to address this type of mind-bending occurrence. Scientists are digging deeper to determine if this was a random one-time weather event or a new trend, and if so, how it will affect climate conditions around the world.

We as individuals have to draw our own conclusions and create individual climate action plans so we can become part of the solution. Hopefully, the majority of us will rush as quickly as scientists have been warning us to do. Buy an EV, install solar, begin kitchen scrap composting, alter our household food system, transition our pesticide-covered monoculture lawns to biodiverse no mow yards, and refuse plastic all will help in dramatically lowering our carbon footprints. These types of lifestyle-changing actions will also drawdown much more carbon, especially in our yards through biodiversity. But targeted consumer choices will be what ends up making the winning difference. We have to be willing to REFUSE products that are destroying the forests and peatlands which store the majority of carbon. In the end, it will be collective refusal through boycotts that will save us.

If large global companies can immediately influence the outcome of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by pulling out of Russia (boycotting Russia), then we must apply the same tactic to consumer brands, banks, pension funds, mutual funds, and retirement accounts who are funding and participating in mass global deforestation and biodiversity loss, as well as the extinction of thousands of plants, animals, insects and microbes. Hundreds of global corporations exiting Russia underscored how effective mass boycotting is.

NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS:
Is There a CSA Near You? | One Acre Farm
Informed Action Will Restore Biodiversity
Kelp Farming the Big Blue Climate Solution

Palm oil is found in 50% of the goods sold in grocery stores, supermarkets, and big box stores like Target and Walmart. Consumer favorites such as ice cream, chocolate, packaged bread, margarine, cookies, frozen meals, as well as soap, detergent, cosmetics, etc are the ones most responsible. We must develop the excellent habit of reading every label in search of palm oil, no matter how fine the print, and refusing to buy the product if we find it. This will be difficult at first, but will become much easier with practice. 

A decrease in revenue and sinking stock prices are the only forces that companies respond to. 

The 2021 global production of palm oil reached a staggering 73 million tons and is projected to grow to 75.5 million tons in 2022. Production levels of this magnitude, require hefty financing from major international banks, who hold a blind eye to the deforestation required for these output levels. Globally, 27 million hectares have been deforested and converted to monoculture-biodiversity-loss palm oil plantations. There is a very long list of US Corporations that are guilty of boosting their profits through deforestation. Sadly, Amazon is at the very top of the list. 

The following are a few of the deforestation overachievers that we must boycott until they end their use of palm oil produced through deforestation:

  • Amazon.com
  • Archer-Daniels Midland
  • Clorox
  • Colgate-Palmolive
  • Conagra Brands
  • Costco Wholesale
  • CVS
  • Dollar General and Dollar Tree
  • Domino’s Pizza
  • Estee Lauder Cos
  • General Mills
  • Hershey
  • Johnson & Johnson
  • Kellogg
  • Kimberly-Clark
  • Kraft Heinz
  • Kroger
  • McDonalds
  • Nestle
  • Nike
  • PepsiCo
  • Prada
  • Proctor & Gamble
  • Shell
  • Starbucks
  • Target
  • Tyson Foods
  • Unilver
  • Walmart
  • Wendy’s
  • Williams-Sonoma
  • Yum Brands!

A handful of the most well-known US international banks and lenders funding willfully irresponsible deforestation are:

  • Bank of America
  • BlackRock
  • Citigroup
  • Credit Suisse
  • Deutsche Bank
  • HSBC Holdings 
  • JPMorgan Chase
  • Morgan Stanley 

A budding list of companies have begun moving away from palm oil in the production of consumer products, or at the very least they’ve switched to using palm oil from palm trees NOT grown on monoculture palm plantations that require deforestation. Other companies are using alternative types of oil. (Click here to find a list that will be helpful in finding new “palm oil free” brands.) 

REFUSING palm oil must to become our way of life asap. It’s simple and inexpensive. All that’s required is determination. Additionally, saying “NO” to products that are fueling climate change pays unexpected dividends. Happiness. Happiness derived from doing good and refusing to buy products that contain palm oil will not only be an individual mood-elevator, it will also improve our overall well-being. This is significant. Let’s make it happen.

© Copyright 2022. ALL Rights Reserved.

2022 Mustang Mach-E and Ford Promise Plan

on By

Washington (GGM) Analysis | May 8, 2022 by Sarah J. Kings

Many eco-conscious consumers are looking to electric vehicles, EVs, to help combat the climate crisis. EV’s are responsible for much lower emissions than their gas-powered counterparts, and they cost less overall to maintain and drive. Still, with starting prices ranging from $29,000 to upwards of $100,000- depending on the make and model- some people may be hesitant to switch to electric as economic concerns grow.

On July 29, 2020 Ford announced the start of the Ford Promise plan. Under this new initiative, any new financed Ford can be returned without penalty to the buyer, if the buyer loses their job within one year of purchase.  Ford is the only major automotive company making this type of commitment to its customers. With this added safety net, getting an EV is more in reach for the average consumer than ever.

Instagram – @wasatchfrontford

Ford offers eight hybrid models on its lineup, but the car to look at is the Mustang Mach-E which Consumer Report‘s 2022 top EV pick, replacing Tesla’s Model 3. The Mustang Mach-E is an all-electric vehicle that has 314 miles of range and can get up to 61 miles of range in 10 minutes when charging with a 150kW DC Fast Charger. Ford boasts the inclusion of FordPass for purchasers—  this gives owners of Ford EVs, or Hybrids, access to over 13,500 charging stations nationwide. 

Instagram – @ford

This all-electric mustang launched in late 2020. The stylish and sexy design, topped with exciting new tech features, has people lining up to pre-order their own. With substantial federal rebates and the Ford Promise’s added security, owning a 2022 Mustang Mach-E is a viable option for those searching for a new EV. Help combat the climate crisis purchase of this cutting-edge car!

ENTERTAINMENT & CLIMATE ACTION MESSAGING:
“Dr. Mindy, can I be vulnerable in your car?” | Don’t Look Up
Leonardo DiCaprio Pours His Money into His Passion
Don’t Look Up’s Gorilla In the Room

Tl;dr

  • EV’s are responsible for much lower emissions than their gas-powered cars
  • July 29, 2020 Ford announced new initiatives under the Ford Promise plan
  • Any new financed Ford can be returned without penalty to the buyer, if the buyer loses their job within one year of purchase
  • Ford offers eight hybrid models on its current lineup
  • The 2022 Mustang Mach-E is all-electric and has 314 miles of range
  • The Mach-E gets up to 61 miles of range in 10 minutes when charging with a 150kW DC Fast Charger
  • With the FordPass Ford owners have access to over 13,500 charging stations nationwide

© Copyright 2020-2022. ALL Rights Reserved.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is gallantarcher_3d_socialmedia.jpg

San Francisco’s Goal to Become Our First Zero-Waste City

on By

Washington (GGM) Analysis | February 28, 2022 by Noreen Wise, Founder & CEO of Gallant Gold Media, and author; Image Credit: AdobeStock

In 2002, San Francisco set its sights on becoming the first waste-free city in the United States. Since then, the Golden City has proven itself to be a national waste management role model. Phase 1 of the city’s masterplan was to divert 75% of its waste by 2010, which it artfully achieved two years early. The speed of San Francisco’s success was likely tied to California’s Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989 which mandated that each local jurisdiction in California divert 50% of its waste materials. California fined cities $10,000 per day if they fell below 50% which led to strong compliance. 

Once 75% was reached, San Francisco soon had its eye set on 100% diversion, a true circular economy. The city’s rapid positive results were achieved through a series of strong legislative measures:

Three-stream Collection Program

The three-stream collection program (green bin for kitchen and yard scraps, blue bin for recyclables, and black bin for everything else which should be very little) is mainstream in most communities in Canada as well as many EU countries. If it’s not mainstream where you live, it means we have to work that much harder as individuals to create a three-stream program in our homes since composting is required if we are to stay below 1.5ºC and cut CO2e emissions 50% by 2030. 

San Francisco began its journey to become waste free in 2002, 20 years ago. Despite their early start, they still rushed. We have to hurry that much faster since most US communities are very far behind. 

For example, Fairfax County, Virginia, has no plan to mandate composting anytime soon, 2024 or 2025 at the earliest. But there are thousands of residents who are very green and want curbside compost pickup. Most of the schools in Fairfax County compost. The county set-up drop-off locations that are full to capacity at the end of each week, which shows how dedicated so many county residents are to green bins. Legislation would speed things up. Since those of us in Fairfax County know the county plans to wait years, and San Francisco has proven that the only thing that works is legislation that mandates composting with very steep fines, we’ll have to lobby to get the board of supervisors to move more quickly. In the meantime, we’ll have to signup for compost collection on our own.

Compost collection services are popping up in most metro areas across the country. If our towns and cities don’t have drop-off locations, and we don’t have a yard to create our own outdoor bins, we can easily signup for compost collection. Composting is an absolute necessity in saving the human species. Not only does composting cut methane, compost added to our soil boosts carbon drawdown. Putting a banana peel in a paper bag and dropping it at a compost drop-off location is not difficult. Composting is very low hanging fruit.

Methane

One third of all the food produced becomes waste, much of which in dumped into landfills. As mentioned, this rich organic material turns into methane. Landfills emit 2 billion tons of methane each year. Methane is 80 times stronger than carbon dioxide. Cutting methane from landfills is the quickest and easiest greenhouse gas to eliminate. If you’re not already composting, you can begin today. Just place all kitchen scraps in a brown paper bag and drop-off at town site each weekend. The bags can be stored in the refrigerator until you’re ready to drop-off.

Plastic Packaging

Most community waste comes from unrecyclable plastic. The vast majority of plastic is manufactured from petroleum and is toxic. The global plastic crisis that has killed millions of ocean species, and according to Sir David Attenboroughis responsible for up to one million early deaths per year, generates mountains of microplastics that are now in our food supply (we eat 100 bits of microplastics per meal, which amounts to one credit card a week, 52 credit cards per year). Recent news about nanoplastics found in the air that we breath, especially those who live and work in our cities, is that much more alarming and should motivate us to refuse plastic. Green sustainability companies have spent years inventing plastic-free alternatives for nearly every plastic-packaged product. Bar shampoo is a great example, laundry detergent sheets is another. 

Reduce-Reuse-Refuse-Upcycle

We have to be strong and refuse to buy products if there are no non-plastic alternative. Initially, this wasn’t easy for me. But, I soon found that it becomes easier with practice. Three years ago I took my first step at refusing when I refused to buy ketchup because I couldn’t find an alternative brand packaged in glass. Heinz sells ketchup in glass bottles in Canada, but not the US. So, I switched to barbecue sauce, and haven’t looked back. I also refuse to buy organic margarine because it’s only packaged in plastic. Just this past weekend, I added refusing to buy my absolute favorite salad dressing when the manufacturer switched from a glass bottle to plastic. I had to find a new favorite brand.

Reusable containers or bags instead of single-use plastic is another way to reduce waste. Upcycling is fun and creative and is an excellent way to reduce waste as well. Children love upcycling projects where they can create something new from old scraps, especially gifts for family and friends. The goal is to create a circular economy where nothing is ever thrown away.

Pay-as-you-throw

Many communities in multiple states are beginning to charge households for the amount of black bin trash they have each month. Blue recycle bins are free. But black bin is pay by quantity. “Pay-as-you-thow” (PAYT) is the common nickname cities give their black bin programs, although it’s typically a purple bag that can be purchased in stores, either a 15 gallon size or 30 gallon. Across the country, cities are finding that once households have to pay for the quantity of landfill trash they have, they drastically cut the amount without any hesitation.

Coalitions

San Francisco is a member of various zero waste and climate action coalitions whose members share ideas and brainstorm solutions:

Being part of a coalition of like-mined, green-action individuals and/or organizations is a very effective way to build momentum within a community to transition to a green lifestyle. Churches are often an effective driver of climate action, especially when they connect with the other faiths in town and form a united force.

CLIMATE CHANGE & ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS:
Plastic Bank and Ocean Bound Social Plastic, Really?
Alarming Findings | Are We Inhaling Nanoplastics?
Golf Courses and the “Good Life” May Kill You

The vast majority of initiatives that drove quick change in San Francisco were mandatory with painful consequences for anyone who failed to comply. Voting for climate candidates who truly believe that the best time to act on climate was yesterday will be what makes the difference in getting legislation passed. 

Today, the IPCC held a press conference when it released its 2022 findings on the climate crisis. The UN Secretary General, António Guterres spoke first, and very passionately stressed the urgency of action. “Now is the time to turn rage into action. Every fraction of a degree matters. Every voice can make a difference. And every second counts.”

All of us who care must be the voices in our communities that drive our leaders to act immediately and pass the much needed green legislation. If San Francisco can do it, we can all do it.

© Copyright 2022. ALL Rights Reserved.

Leonardo DiCaprio Pours His Money into His Passion, the Environment

on By

Washington (GGM) Analysis | February 24, 2022 by Noreen Wise, Founder & CEO of Gallant Gold Media, and author; Image Credit: AdobeStock

Leonardo DiCaprio announced on Twitter that he was proud to be a new investor in Champagne Telmont. Telmont’s commitment to biodiversity on its land, use of 100% renewable energy, and determination to “radically lower its environmental footprint” were key factors in DiCaprio’s decision to join the 100 year old Champagne House. 

Au Nom de la Terre, “In the Name of Mother Nature,” is the essence of Champagne Telmont. Founded in 1912, this fourth-generation house is located in Damery, near Épernay, France, the center of France’s champagne district Northeast of Paris. Telmont has taken a “pioneering, multi-pronged approach” to addressing the harsh climate change realities. Its objectives read like a combination biodiversity restoration strategy and climate action agenda. With less than 4% of vineyards being certified organic, Telmont has an ambitious goal to become 100% organic by 2025, and to assist its partner vineyards to reach a complete transition to organic by 2031.

But that’s not all. Telmont is already using 100% clean energy. It will forgo air freight for its distribution as well as its supply. It will choose transporters based on their CSR score (Corporate Social Responsibility). No more clear glass bottles made from 0% recycled glass. Instead only classic green champagne bottles which are manufactured using 85%recycled glass. Product labeling has become a very big deal on the climate front. Telmont’s bottles will each be numbered individually and will feature “the detailed composition and production methods of the wine inside.”

“Leonardo DiCaprio’s decision to become a shareholder sends Telmont a strong message of support that will encourage us as we carry out our ambitious plans. We share the same convictions and the same commitment to protecting the environment. The House has one foot in tradition and the other in modernity, but both firmly rooted in the terroir! We aim to act in the name of Mother Nature in everything we do,” said Ludovic du Plessis, Chairman & Shareholder of Champagne Telmont.

DeCipario’s track record as an environmentalist is heavy in action. Additionally, his deep knowledge about how to conserve and restore biodiversity, improve soil health to maintain strong yields while eliminating all pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers, as well as executing a noble and ambitious agenda during challenging climate conditions, will make DiCaprio a valuable addition to the Telmont board of directors. 

NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS:
Is There a CSA Near You? | One Acre Farm
Informed Action Will Restore Biodiversity
Kelp Farming the Big Blue Climate Solution

One of the pages of the Leonardo DeCaprio Foundation reads: “Farming for carbon: why farmers are key to fighting climate change.” The 2020 award-winning documentary Kiss the Ground highlighted how the linchpin to carbon drawdown through farmers and agriculture is tied to improving soil health through regenerative ag practices. 

DiCaprio is a founding board member of Re:Wild. He’s also on the boards of Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), International Fund for Animal Welfare, and Co-Chair for the Earth Alliance. 

In September 2014, DiCaprio was named a United Nations Messenger for Peace for his environmental activism. He was presented the Crystal Award by the World Economic Forum in 2016 for using his global platform to call attention to the urgent need to address climate change. DiCaprio is a personal friend of Michael E. Mann, a distinguished climatologist and one of the lead authors of the 2021 IPCC Report, referred to as a Code Red for Humanity.

Dicaprio’s significant investment in Telmont’s mission will help create a path for other vineyards and businesses to follow, which will enable swifter climate action in these critical next eight years. DiCaprio joining Telmont is about a lot more than his Great Gatsby champagne meme on Twitter. LOL. 

According to People Magazine, The Telmont House first reached out for discussions with DiCaprio in 2019. Covid slowed things down. A Fobes article went on to explain that at the end of 2020, Rémy Cointreau, a spirit portfolio, became majority owner of Telmont. Ludovic du Plessis was the one who shepherded the acquisition and was appointed Chairman and CEO of Telmont. Ludovic du Plessis and Leonardo DiCaprio have known each other for 15 years.

Interestingly, back in the 1600s, King Louis the XIV’s doctor prescribed a daily dose of champagne. Louis went on to drink a glass with every meal for the rest of his life. But, it was actually Marie Antoinette who elevated champagne to be the beverage of choice for celebrations. She threw wild parties in her rustic Versailles hamlet where they frolicked while they drank champagne. It’s been said that he Coupe champagne glass was molded from Marie Antoinette’s left breast. Coincidentally, the Coupe champagne glass is now referred to as the Gatsby glass which is the one in the DiCaprio meme.

Mark your calendars and be sure to place your orders for Au Nom de la Terre early. An organic bottle of Telmont Réserve Brut will start at $90, which is $20 more than the current $70. The higher price is considered a green premiumand should be something we’re eager to pay to support vital carbon-cutting, sustainable practices. 

Champagne Day is October 23. And National Champagne Day is December 31. The 2024 summer Olympics will be held in Paris. Let there be lots of Telmont corks popping! Paris has placed planting rich biodiversity in dense urban areas of Paris as one of the pillars of the ecological legacy to celebrate the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

© Copyright 2020-2022. ALL Rights Reserved.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is gallantarcher_3d_socialmedia.jpg

Plant Fruit Trees in Public Spaces to Fight Climate & Hunger

on By

Washington (GGM) Analysis | February 22, 2022 by Noreen Wise, Founder & CEO of Gallant Gold Media, and author; Image Credit: AdobeStock

The Trillion Tree Campaign was announced in January 2020 at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos 2020. This bold initiative grew from the Billion Tree Campaign launched in 2006 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). This valiant vision, which will hopefully motivate all nations around the world to participate, has already inspired 193 countries into action, planting 13.6 billion trees. Amazing results, but we’re still a long way off target.

“It’s the little things citizens do. That’s what will make the difference. My little thing is planting trees,” said Wangari Maathai, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, founder of the Green Belt Movement. With 2.7 billion people who are food insecure across the globe in 2022, choosing native fruit trees to plant in public spaces, will not only store more carbon but also curb hunger through healthy, nutritional means, feeding hungry families, birds and animals. Thinking smarter with our limited time and resources will save many lives. Recommended locations for native fruits trees and berry bushes:

  • parks
  • school yards
  • playgrounds
  • library grounds
  • university campuses
  • churchyards
  • corporate campuses

NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS:
Is There a CSA Near You? | One Acre Farm
Informed Action Will Restore Biodiversity
Kelp Farming the Big Blue Climate Solution

Different types of fruit trees thrive in different regions of the country. It’s wonderful to see families stop and pick wild raspberries on the trails in my county. Here are a few that grow well in the East Coast, South & West Coast Regions:

  • apple
  • pear
  • peach
  • avocado
  • grapes
  • black berries
  • raspberries

According to the World Economic Forum video above, there are a number of cities who have jumped in with the dual purpose fruit tree initiative. Not only do these trees cut carbon, they also curb hunger through healthy, nutritional means. When one solution can address two of the world’s most dire circumstances, you know this is money and action well spent.

With hundreds of thousands of American youth actively participating in plant-a-tree programs, as well as large corporations joining the effort, it’s time to promote the multiple benefits of scaling up the planting of fruit trees in communities around the country.

© Copyright 2020-2022. ALL Rights Reserved.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is gallantarcher_3d_socialmedia.jpg

Breakthrough Tech Start-up Antora Energy to Receive $50M | Thermal Battery

on By

Washington (GGM) Analysis | February 21, 2022, by Noreen Wise, Founder & CEO of Gallant Gold Media, and author; Image Credit: AdobeStock

Decarbonizing American industry in order to reach our Paris Agreement targets and save humanity has seemed like an impossible mission thus far. The high heat necessary to produce materials like steel, cement, paper, aluminum, plastics, chemicals, etc, which require temperatures above 1000ºC, (steel melts at 1500ºC), haven’t been achievable at a scalable cost. This is an alarming reality considering American industry must eliminate 8 gigatons of carbon (GtC) per year. That’s 8 billion tons of carbon per year by 2050, and 4 GtC by 2030. The steel industry on its own must cut 3 of the 8 GtC, and the cement industry, 2 of the 8 GtC.

Some of the most brilliant minds in the world have been stymied by the endless, insurmountable obstacles that have confronted those in search for a solution to this predicament. Research, testing and more testing, more research, more testing. In 2020, global fossil fuel subsidies were a staggering $5.9 trillion, which has kept the cost of oil, coal and gas artificially low. Meanwhile, the slow adoption of clean energy, and meager subsidies, have kept the prices of renewables artificially high. This bizarre incongruity has made clean energy 5x more expensive than dirty fossil fuel energy at industrial sites.

News broke on February 16, 2022 that Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV) along with Chris Sacca’s Lowcarbon Capital and Shell’s venture capital arm committed to invest a total of $50 million in Antora Energy’s innovative tech solution for low cost clean energy storage in thermal batteries, to replace low cost high carbon emitting natural gas boilers that are currently used to produce industry materials that require extreme high heat. Antora’s thermal batteries are zero-carbon. 

Antora Energy’s CEO Andrew Ponec shared his exciting vision for the future in a Medium article that outlined Antora’s discovery and purpose. “For the first time in history, zero-carbon power from solar and wind is now cheaper than fossil fuels in many parts of the world and the trend is now accelerating on every continent.” Ponec explained that the transition to renewables has begun accelerating at an astonishing rate. 

Such a hope-inspiring statement. Climate scientists must be heaving a collective sigh of relief. But will investors and portfolio managers be able to respond at the same rapid pace?

Antora Energy’s Solution

Antora Energy has “developed a thermal energy storage system capable of turning sunshine and wind into reliable heat and power for heavy industry — cheaper than fossil fuels,” stated Ponec. “Just like fossil fuels, we can create the extreme temperatures needed to generate electricity and supply high-temperature heat to manufacturing processes, and we can do it for cheap. But there’s one key difference: We do it with zero emissions.”

Antora had to overcome two significant barriers:

1. Material. What material was Antora able to find that could meet the requirements of durability, cost, performance, and scalability to store thermal energy.

2. Heat Recovery. How was Antora able to turn the stored heat back into useful energy for its customers.

The winning material proved to be carbon itself. Ponec exuded his enthusiasm in his explanation. “Carbon is an extraordinary material. It is available at extremely low cost, it’s virtually unlimited on earth, it has a massive existing supply chain and a long history of widespread industrial use, and it has superlative physical properties. The more we understood about carbon, the more it blew our minds.” 

CLIMATE CHANGE & ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS:
Plastic Bank and Ocean Bound Social Plastic, Really?
Alarming Findings | Are We Inhaling Nanoplastics?
Golf Courses and the “Good Life” May Kill You

The Gist of It

  • Solid carbon blocks for storage are “derived from a solid carbon feedstock that is a waste byproduct of other industrial processes and one of the cheapest materials on earth.”
  • 30 million tons of carbon blocks are produced each year in the metal industry, which is more than enough to generate terawatt-hours per year of energy storage capacity.
  • Solid carbon has no toxins, nor does it create environmental justice conflicts, and it has no supply chain limitations. 

Antora Energy’s CEO, Andrew Ponec inspires enthusiasm and hope that we will succeed at staying below 1.5ºC. His views are not the ones we usually see on social media. He explained that when he and the co-founders (Justin Briggs and David Bierman) began this journey, they were looking to find a way to create a solution that would generate massive greenhouse gas reduction in an area that not many people were working on. They landed on heavy industries that use significant power and heat. “There is a rising movement of engineers, business leaders, policy makers, financiers, and others dedicated to stopping climate change for the future of humanity. In just the past year we’ve seen a marked shift in the momentum behind climate solutions. People are coming together with new hope and new passion for the teams and technologies that will decarbonize our energy system while expanding its benefits to everyone.”

© Copyright 2022. ALL Rights Reserved.

.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is gallantarcher_3d_socialmedia.jpg

Acclaimed Climatologist Blasts Big Oil’s Sham Climate Pledges

on By

Washington (GGM) Analysis | February 15, 2022, by Noreen Wise, Founder & CEO of Gallant Gold Media, and author; Image Credit: AdobeStock

Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Science at Penn State and climatologist, Dr. Michael E. Mann, provided cold, harsh facts to the House Oversight and Reform Committee in his opening testimony on Tuesday morning February 8, 2022. These chilling details, that were televised live on C-Span across the globe, continued for 3 hours and 30 minutes as Mann and his fellow witnesses (Ms.Tracey Lewis, policy counsel for Public Citizen’s climate program; Ms. Katie Tubb, senior policy analyst for energy and environmental issues, Heritage Foundation; and Mr. Mark van Baal, Founder, Follow This) answered questions posed by each Representative on the Committee. 

At issue, Fueling the Climate Crisis: Examining Big Oil’s Climate Pledges. Mann stunned viewers by sharing information that was difficult to process on an emotional level, considering how barbaric and inhumane these revelations are, and that the burning of fossil fuels cause more than 8 million premature deaths each year, that climate disasters have brutalized communities across the globe, and that 2.7 billion people are now food insecure, many of whom are children.

“ExxonMobil’s own scientists, in a secret 1982 report that was never released to the public, made remarkably accurate predictions of both the rise that we would see in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and the planetary warming that would result given business as usual extraction and burning of fossil fuels,” Mann said in a brisk, even pace, seemingly aware of how quickly time flies and wanting to get everything on the record before his five minutes were up. “They even used the word ‘catastrophic’ to describe the potential impacts of that warming. But rather than come forward with what their own scientists had concluded, they engaged in a campaign of denial and delay which continues on today.” 

Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA) was up at bat at the hearing’s three hour mark. Chevron is headquartered in DeSaulnier’s district in the San Francisco Bay area of Northern California. Additionally, there are four oil refineries in DeSaulnier’s district. He’s been at war with big oil for years and thus has a unique perspective that enabled him to drill down a bit deeper and tap into what might prove to be a winning strategy in light of the well-documented, slick and deceptive, big oil greenwashing delay tactics. 

In 2016, Desaulnier, along with his California colleague Congressman Ted Lieu, whose district includes another big West Coast fossil fuel footprint in Torrance, California, south of Los Angeles, requested information through a hearing “on what Exxon had done to obfuscate its role and its knowledge.” This was following an LA Times investigative series into California oil polluters that was conducted in partnership with Climate Action. DeSaulnier and Lieu are still waiting for much of the requested response from Exxon. Nearly 7 years, and still waiting. We only have 8 years left to cut carbon emissions 50% by 2030. There is absolutely no more time for waiting for oil giants to do what they should have done years ago.

Image Credit: Noreen Wise
Marble statue in front of Rayburn House Office Building on Independence Ave in DC, across the street from the US Capitol, covered in black, toxic fossil fuel pollution.

Mann also outlined just how dire the climate crisis already is in his opening testimony. “We are now paying the extreme opportunity cost of that delay in the form of withering heat waves, more destructive tornado outbreaks, wildfires, and floods exacerbated by climate change. Whether it’s the apocalyptic wildfires that once again ravaged California and the west this summer, a heat dome over the Pacific Northwest that made parts of Canada feel like Phoenix on the 4th of July, or the devastating floods my state of Pennsylvania experienced as the remnants of climate change-fueled hurricane Ida dumped months’ worth of rainfall in a few hours, it is clear that dangerous climate change is upon us. These events are costing the U.S. hundreds of billions of dollars a year and the toll in dollars and human lives will continue to increase in the absence of concerted action.”

DeSaulnier provided quoted assurances from the big oil companies on what they’re busy doing to transition to clean energy:

  • BP says it will be a very different kind of energy company by 2030 “as we scale up investment in low carbon energy.”
  • Chevron: “Leadership and innovation to advance a low carbon future.”
  • Exxon: “Committed to helping form our energy systems in working to reduce emissions in the short term, while also working on advancing decarbonization solutions.” 

DeSaulnier brought everyone back to reality by adding, “Contrast that with their financial reports from 2010-2018,” and then outlined the total capital expenditures of each oil giant to underscore that their actions don’t match their words:

  • BP spent 2.3% on low carbon investments.
  • Shell spent 1.3% on low carbon investments.
  • Chevron spent .23%. Gasp! (DeSaulnier stared at the camera in disbelief. “A California company!”) 
  • Exxon spent .22% on low carbon investments.

He continued with additional evidence of successful big oil delay tactics that undermine America’s strength, stability and health. “According to the Low Carbon Disclosure Project, 24 of the largest publicly owned oil companies spent less than 1% of their budgets on low carbon investments between 2010-2017.”

Not only is this morally wrong, but it undermines America’s economic strength, Desaulnier emphasized. There’s a global shift to a green economy and clean energy. Major financial resources are moving in that direction. Fossil fuel’s delay in transitioning means that money is flowing into foreign countries. “So we are in a race to be globally competitive to transition.” China is installing 100,000 charging stations each month. The United States only has 42,000 charging stations total. China has more than 1.5 million total.

With internal anger and frustration churning away in most viewers by this point in DeSaulnier’s five minutes, and these alarming and disproportionate numbers underscoring how far behind the United States is in the transition curve, and how many jobs we’ve already lost because of our delay, DeSaulnier sought answers to several tough questions from two witnesses.

CONGRESSMAN MARK DESAULNIER: So, Dr. Mann, why should we trust them when they say they’re going to transition and work with us?

DR. MICHAEL E. MANN: They’re not going to do this voluntarily. What more evidence do we need for that? That’s why we need policy that makes it necessary for them to move in the direction that we know they have to go.

CONGRESSMAN MARK DESAULNIER: Ms. Lewis, shouldn’t they be accountable legally for the delay they’ve caused us in being competitive and also in meeting our targets in terms of reducing carbon?

MS. LEWIS: It’s very clear they can be held accountable. Congress has done it before. The tobacco settlements. …Mortgage Crisis. Done before. So, it can be done again.

With the answers to his burning questions now on the record, DeSaulnier closed his five minutes by referencing Dr. Mann’s earlier statement regarding big oil companies that are following the same business model that’s been used many times before. Shareholders, investors and corporate officers who leave with “tons of money” (tobacco producers, pharmaceuticals, gun manufacturers) while everyone else has to deal with the crises and immense suffering.

“In my area, the local editorial board once said, ‘We’re addicted to this product. We’re dealing with a drug dealer here. Where we’re trying to extract ourselves from a relationship. Thank you, Madam Chair, I yield back.’”

Viewers were left to bare the heavy truth that we can never trust the climate pledges of America’s oil giants and thus our futures are all in peril.

Today, news broke that Sandy Hook families reached a historic $73 million settlement agreement with gun manufacturer Remington.

We saw legal accountability with Purdue Pharma, as well. After years of extraordinary suicide rates, and millions of young people struggling with addiction to heavily marketed opioids, in 2018, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey became the first to sue Purdue Pharma executives for misleading physicians in the company’s twisted plot to boost their profit. A $4 billion settlement was reached in July of 2021 between Perdue Pharma, Massachusetts and 14 other states.

*The February 8, 2022 House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing on the Fueling the Climate Crisis: Examining Big Oil’s Climate Pledges is of such great importance, with dozens of extraordinary moments, Gallant Gold Media will be highlighting many of the representatives’ statements and questions in the upcoming weeks and months.

© Copyright 2022. ALL Rights Reserved.

Michael E. Mann: 

  • Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Science at Penn State University
  • Joint Appointment with the Department of Geosciences
  • Director of the Penn State Earth System Science Center
  • One of the Lead Authors of the 2021 IPCC Report
  • Author of The New Climate War, along with 5 other books
  • Author of 200+ total peer-reviewed/edited publications
  • Undergrduate degree Physics and Applied Math University of Applied Math, University of California at Berkley
  • M.S. degree in Physics, Yale University
  • Ph.D. in Geology & Geophysics, Yale University

Awards and Honors

2021      Leo Szilard Lectureship Award, American Physical Society

2020      Stephen Schneider Lecture, American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting

2020      World Sustainability Award, MDPI Sustainability Foundation

2020      Ten Most Influential Earth Scientists, Academic

2020      Elected to U.S. National Academy of Sciences

2020      Louis J. Battan Author’s Award, American Meteorological Society (AMS), for “The Tantrum that Saved the World”

2019      Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement

2018      Climate Communication Prize, American Geophysical Union (AGU)

2018      Elected Fellow of the Geological Society of America.

2018      Award for Public Engagement with Science, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

2018      Elected Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, Center for Skeptical Inquiry.

2017      Stephen H. Schneider Award for Outstanding Climate Science Communication, Climate One

2016      Elected Vice Chair, Topical Group on Physics of Climate (GPC), American Physical Society (APS)

2015      Elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science

2014      Named Highly Cited Researcher, Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) 

2014      Friend of the Planet Award, National Center for Science Education

2013      National Conservation Achievement Award, National Wildlife Federation

2013      Bloomberg News list of 50 Most Influential People

2013      Elected Fellow of the American Meteorological Society

2012      Hans Oeschger Medal, European Geosciences Union

2011      Elected Member-at-Large of Section W (Atmospheric & Hydrospheric Sciences), American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

2008      Elected Fellow of the American Geophysical Union

2008      Profiled in American Environmental Leaders From Colonial Times to the Present

2008      Website “RealClimate.org” (co-founded by M. Mann) chosen as one of top 15 “green” websites by Time Magazine (April 2008)

2007      Contributed (with other IPCC report authors) to the award of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize

2006      American Geophysical Union Editors’ Citation for Excellence in Refereeing (for ‘Geophysical Research letters’)

2005      Website “RealClimate.org” (co-founded by M. Mann) chosen as one of top 25 “Science and Technology” websites by Scientific American

2005      John Russell Mather Paper award for 2005 by the Association of American Geographers [for article: Frauenfeld, O., Davis, R.E., and Mann, M.E., A Distinctly Interdecadal Signal of Pacific Ocean-Atmosphere Interaction, Journal of Climate 18, 1709-1718, 2005]

2002      Named by Scientific American as one of 50 leading visionaries in science and technology

2002      Outstanding Scientific Paper award for 2002 by NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) [for article:  Delworth, T.L., Mann, M.E., Observed and Simulated Multidecadal Variability in the Northern Hemisphere, Climate Dynamics, 16, 661-676, 2000]

2002      Article [Mann et al, “Global-scale temperature patterns and climate forcing over the past six centuries”, Nature, 392, 779-787, 1998] selected for ‘fast moving fronts’ by Institute for Scientific Information (ISI)

2002      Selected as one of 10 ‘Mead Honored Faculty’, University of Virginia

1998      Council of Graduate Schools’ Distinguished Dissertation Award, nominated

1997      Phillip M. Orville Prize for outstanding dissertation in the earth sciences, Yale University

1996      Alexander Hollaender Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship (DOE)

1989      Josiah Willard Gibbs Prize for outstanding research and scholarship in Physics, Yale University

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is gallantarcher_3d_socialmedia.jpg

“We will use our buying power to drive change in industry”

on By

Washington (GGM) Analysis | February 12, 2022, by Noreen Wise, Founder & CEO of Gallant Gold Media, and author; Image Credit: AdobeStock

The formidable US Army, with its massive buying power, arrived on the climate action battlefield this week, armed with its Army Climate Strategy (ACS) and ready for rapid execution. The ACS acknowledges that climate change has destabilized the world, and that the army must move swiftly to stay out in front of our adversaries who are intent on jockeying for an advantage in a climate-altered world.

“The Army will lead by example. We will tap into the creativity, capabilities, and commitment of Army professionals operating on every continent. We will use our buying power to drive change in industry and leverage best practices from many sources. We will engage with local communities and foreign partners to ensure mutual readiness and security in a rapidly changing environment.”

Christine E. Wormuth, Secretary of the Army, in a foreword to the United States Army Climate Strategy (ACS)

Current climate impacts will continue to disrupt the US Army’s readiness, as it combats existing climate change crises that threaten America’s security. The Army’s objective is to build on the momentum it has already established to achieve Army-wide unity with the implementation of the ACS across its 130 Army installations worldwide. The US Army’s long history of excelling at the convergence of modernization and readiness to create a superior armed forces, is woven into the ACS which has outlined three Lines of Effort (LOE):

LOE 1: Installations. Strategic Outcome: enhance resilience and sustainability by adapting infrastructure and natural environments to climate change risks, securing access to training and testing lands into the future, and mitigating GHG emissions.

LOE 2: Acquisitions & Logistics. Strategic Outcome: increase operational capability while reducing sustainment demand and strengthening climate resilience.

LOE 3: Training. Strategic Outcome: prepare a force that is ready to operate in a climate-altered world. 

A complete list of intermediate objectives for each of the three LOEs is outlined in the ACS. The following are the top highlights with the corresponding year for deliverables. 

LOE 1, Installations:

  • Install a microgrid on every installation by 2035
  • Achieve on-site carbon pollution-free power generation for Army critical missions on all installations by 2040 
  • Provide 100% carbon-pollution-free electricity for Army installations’ needs by 2030 
  • Achieve 50% reduction in GHG emissions from all Army buildings by 2032, from a 2005 baseline
  • Field an all-electric light-duty non-tactical vehicle fleet by 2027
  • Field an all-electric non-tactical vehicle fleet by 2035

An all-electric fleet of light-duty non-tactical vehicles within 5 years is an example of the kind of urgency climate scientists have been warning is needed to stay below 1.5ºC. The volume of these Army light-duty non-tactical  EVs will help drive down EV prices for American consumers as we too transition to electric vehicles within the same 5 years. A massive solar panel investment for microgrid installations is an advantageous accelerator that will drive down the cost of solar for consumers. These hard commitments, with dates and quantities, will drive change. 

LOE 2, Acquisitions & Logistics:

  • Analyze all Army supply chain Tier 1 sources and contracts for climate change risks and vulnerabilities by 2025
  • Develop plans, policies, and contracts to ensure Army supply chain resilience by 2028
  • Significantly reduce operational energy and water use by 2035
  • Field purpose-built hybrid-drive tactical vehicles by 2035 and fully electric tactical vehicles by 2050

The army acknowledges that in order to have the future competitive advantage, it must strengthen its operational capabilities as quickly as possible. The LOE 2 list has 12 objectives, most of which have deliverable dates of 2050, which is too far away to accurately evaluate how each will impact consumer prices, if at all. American corporations should follow the Army’s supply chain resiliency strategies in order to navigate around the existing supply chain challenges in consumer markets. The ACS stresses that “the Army sees great promise for sustainment demand reduction through advanced technology, future contingency basing, clean procurement, and resilient supply chains.”

LOE 3, Training:

  • Beginning in 2024, publish climate change lessons and best practices every two years
  • Update Army programs of instruction for leader development and workforce training to incorporate climate change topics no later than 2028
  • Ensure that all Army operational and strategic exercises and simulations consider climate change risks and threats by 2028
  • Develop ways to reduce direct GHG emissions resulting from Army individual and collective training by 2028

The ACS emphasizes that it must simultaneously prepare “a force that is ready to operate in a climate-altered world” while “maintaining the ability to win in combat.” It will have to overhaul training practices to cut its CO2 emissions. Additionally, the Army is evaluating what and how it conducts all of its training. Not only the training of its people and units, but also of its headquarters.

It would be very advantageous for US corporations and cities to review the Army’s Climate Strategy. The organizational structure, LOEs and objectives, as well as the Army’s determined speed, would benefit all. Sharing a climate strategy template can be a starting point for others and can be modified to align with key corporate or government objectives. Ultimately, everyone should be doing the exact same thing at the exact same time. If each and every business, corporation, and city in the US was implementing their climate strategies/climate action plans simultaneously, we’d create country-wide unity and many of the obstacles slowing us down would disappear.

© Copyright 2022. ALL Rights Reserved.

“This is not about saving our planet, it’s about saving ourselves…The truth is, with or without us, the natural world will rebuild.”
—Sir David Attenborough, A Life On Our Planet
“WE MUST REWILD THE WORLD!”