Climate crisis…champagne socialist edition…
Tag: pollution
EPA Chief Visits San Diego, Calls for Urgent Action on Border Sewage Crisis
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin visited San Diego April 22, aiming for collaborative solutions and actions to end the Tijuana River sewage crisis.
The visit “is very important for us to make sure that we aren’t just seeing and hearing firsthand on the ground in Southern California,” Zelding said at the press conference, “but ensuring that the path forward is one of max collaboration and extreme urgency to end a crisis that should have ended a long time ago.”
Zeldin said his counterpart, the Mexican environmental secretary Alicia Bárcena, had conveyed in their meeting the evening of April 21, the willingness of the Mexican president, Claudia Sheinbaum, to “have a strong collaborative relationship” with the United States, “to finally solve the issue.”
The Tijuana River pollution has been ongoing for decades, but the crisis has worsened in recent years due to Tijuana’s rapidly growing population and the deterioration of its water treatment infrastructure.
Officials said that over the past five years, more than 100 billion gallons of sewage water have been discharged into the Tijuana River, which flows to the U.S. side and enters the Pacific Ocean, causing air odors, health concerns, and beach closures.
Amidst this, the Department of Defense inspector general found that some Navy SEAL candidates became ill while training in sewage-contaminated ocean water in San Diego’s South Bay.
Catastrophe Looms Above: Space Junk Problem Grew ‘Significantly Worse’ In 2024
As if you didn’t have enough to worry about, the risk of space junk causing a catastrophic chain reaction that profoundly affects life on Earth rose significantly in 2024, according to the latest annual analysis from the European Space Energy (ESA).
The numbers are mind-boggling. ESA estimates there are now more than 1.2 million orbiting objects larger than 1cm and more than 50,000 larger than 10cm. Of the enormous number of orbiting missiles, only 40,000 are individually tracked by surveillance networks. The number in that category rose by 8% last year. Part of that increase is attributable to the August explosion of China’s Long March 6A rocket, one of the worst junk-generating incidents in decades. “If we extrapolate current trends into the future, as before, catastrophic collision numbers could rise significantly,” the ESA report said.
Don’t judge space junk’s potential for destruction using your Earthly instincts: Traveling at tens of thousands of miles per hour in space, even a small object has the potential to inflict major damage. In one incident that demonstrates that fact of physics, a 2mm piece of space once junk put a 5cm-wide dent in a climate satellite. A modest move up the scale brings much more power: “A one-centimeter piece of debris has the energy of a hand grenade,” ESA’s Tiago Soares told DW.
In an ominous 2009 incident, a Russian Cosmos satellite collided with an Iridium satellite, creating a cloud of about 2,000 pieces of junk measuring 10cm or more. That’s brings us to the nightmare scenario that should fill you with dread: The Kessler Effect. Imagine an initial major impact that creates hundreds of shards, which then start colliding with more orbiting objects, setting off a chain reaction. Actually, you don’t need your imagination.
The Tesla attacks are proof that the left is turning on itself in orgy of liberal cannibalism
Climate crusaders, those sanctimonious shepherds of the earth, are trading their pious protests for outright carnage as attacks against Tesla vehicles ripple across the country — an orgy of liberal cannibalism that’s as predictable as a vegan toting along his own tofu to a barbecue.
But setting EVs on fire isn’t the only banner of hypocrisy unfurled lately by eco-warriors — whose extremist ideologies increasingly collide with the real world to reveal their ironic outcomes.
This month, officials in the Brazilian city of Belém paved over tens of thousands of acres of protected Amazon rainforest and wetland to build a four-lane, eight-mile-long highway necessary to accommodate the roughly 50,000 climate activists who will descend on the city in November for the UN’s COP30 climate summit.
That’s not all the jet-setting eco zealots will require: The local airport is doubling its capacity, to 14 million passengers; the seaport is being redeveloped to accommodate cruise ships; a 5.3 million square foot sports and entertainment complex is under construction; and a row of hotels is going up along the new “sustainable highway,” as local authorities dub the project.
Across the world, the UK government is moving ahead on plans to bulldoze 4,000 acres of pristine countryside in Dereham and Swaffham to install a solar panel farm, one of several new solar farms under consideration in the gray, rainy little island nation.
‘Recycling’ Makes Plastic Pollution Worse
If you’re like many people, you’ve always thought a numbered-triangle symbol on the bottom of a plastic container tells you it’s recyclable—giving you peace of mind that when you toss it into a blue bin, it will be turned into something else.
That’s not true. Those symbols are Resin Identification Codes (RICs). Numbered 1 through 7, they only identify the kind of plastic an item is made of. Far from giving a sweeping assurance that RIC-stamped items are recyclable, the symbol frequently indicates a particular item absolutely cannot be recycled.
Reluctant to burden citizens with figuring out which plastics are recyclable—a chore that could dampen participation and cause confusion as recyclability of various plastics changes over time—many municipal recycling programs simply encourage people to toss all their RIC-stamped plastics in the bin and let the recyclers sort it out.
Which ones do recyclers actually want? The most-recycled plastic in America is stamped with a “1,” identifying the item as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). You’ll find it on beverage bottles, cooking oil containers, and many other liquid-containing bottles. A “2” tells you it’s high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Another generally recycling-suitable plastic, it’s used for milk jugs and laundry detergent jugs, and spray-cleaner bottles.
It’s all downhill from there. Chances are your bin has plenty of #5—polypropylene (PP)—which is frequently used for single-serve coffee-maker pods; yogurt, butter, prescription pill and soft tofu containers; and the lids on paperboard raisin cartons. Unfortunately, while there’s been a modest recent uptick in recyclers’ interest, polypropylene generally isn’t being recycled in the United States.
Microplastics Found In Human Brains Have Increased By 50% In The Last Eight Years
The plastic pollution crisis just got personal. A new study from the University of New Mexico reveals an unsettling truth: microscopic plastic particles are accumulating in human brains at significantly higher concentrations than in other organs – and these levels have surged 50% in just eight years.
Scientists examining postmortem brain tissue found microplastic concentrations were about 12 times higher than those in the liver or kidney. Even more concerning, brain samples from individuals with dementia contained up to ten times more plastic than those without the condition, though researchers emphasize it’s too early to determine if microplastics contribute to the disease.
“This really changes the landscape. It makes it so much more personal,” says lead researcher Matthew Campen, Distinguished and Regents’ Professor at UNM’s College of Pharmacy, in a statement.
How Much Of The World’s Plastic Waste Actually Gets Recycled?
The United States, the world’s largest plastic polluter, recycles a mere 5% of its household plastic waste.
Around the world, the situation is slightly better, but a staggering 91% of plastic waste is still incinerated, landfilled, or mismanaged (e.g. dumped into the ocean).
Why It’s Probably Better To Throw Plastic in the Trash
Millions of Americans dutifully fill their recycling bins each week, motivated by the knowledge that they’re doing something good for the environment. But the sad fact is that much of what is tossed in the recycling bin is eventually heaped into landfills.
John Stossel brought attention to the issue in a video segment shared on X Thursday morning, to which Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk replied, “Recycling is pointless.”
While this bombshell might be jarring – especially if you’re someone who dutifully cleans their recyclables before caringly placing them in bins – Thomas Kinnaman, an environmental economist from Bucknell University, says it’s actually not as bad as you think.
As Kinnaman discovered in a 2014 study – a complete life cycle analysis of the recycling process – it doesn’t make much economic or environmental sense to recycle plastic and glass in much of the developed world. Despite claims that plastics are recyclable, really only PET and HDPE (types 1 and 2 in North America) can be readily reused. In total, only 9% of plastic is melted and reformed. The rest goes into landfills or the wider environment.
City Journal science journalist John Tierney pointed out in Stossel’s segment that the economics of recycling have only worsened over time. Both plastic and glass are fairly easy on the environment to produce, but are often very tricky, costly, and intense to recycle. When you factor in all of the water used to decontaminate plastic and glass, the immense distances traversed transporting them (usually by truck, train, or ship), and the mechanical and chemical processes utilized to transform them into new goods, it becomes clear that they are better off in a landfill.
With novel technologies, this situation could very well change, but for now, most plastics should be thrown in the trash, Kinnaman says – though he cautions that his “provocative results certainly require confirmation from future independent and objective research before broad policy goals can be adjusted.”
“Also, many of the benefits and costs associated with waste disposal and recycling vary across regions of the country and world, and thus optimal recycling rates may also vary,” he wrote.
While plastic and glass should probably be crushed and buried in a landfill, aluminum, tin, and paper – especially cardboard – should absolutely be recycled. Just make sure that they’re not overly contaminated with food waste or small bits of non-recyclable waste. Such adulteration can render them unrecyclable.
Officials Issue Warning After Oddly Colored Snow Falls on Town: ‘Avoid Ingesting or Direct Skin Contact’
The picturesque sight of snow blanketing a Maine town became something far less attractive.
On Tuesday, residents of Rumford found that instead of fluffy white stuff covering yards and fields, they looked upon brown snow, according to WJW-TV
The town posted an explanation on Facebook, saying the local paper mill was to blame.
“The Town has confirmed that due to a malfunction at the Mill there was a release of spent black liquor which resulted in precipitation of brown or tan colored snow. This is mostly in the areas of Town nearest to the Mill,” it posted.
The post said the snow should be left alone.
“The pH of this substance is 10 which is alkali and therefore a skin irritant. Although it is non-toxic it should not be touched or otherwise put in contact with skin,” the post said.
“We have been in contact with the Mill and they have already rectified the issue and have informed their regulators. In the meantime we are also notifying the school district to let kids know not to play with ‘brown snow,’” the post said.
“It is likely advisable to keep your pets away from this snow. We are hopeful the rain tomorrow will wash most of the substance away and flush it off the ground and people’s homes or property,” the post said.
The post said that Maine Department of Environmental Protection tests showed the pH of the snow was around 8, compared to water, which has a pH of 7.
Puerto Rico Trash Problem: Understanding the Crisis and Working Toward Solutions
Puerto Rico is grappling with a pressing trash problem that’s not just a visual blight, but a serious threat to its stunning landscapes, marine life, and the environment. The urgency of this crisis is underscored by its far-reaching impacts on health, tourism, and the economy. Let’s delve into the reasons behind this crisis, its profound effects on Puerto Rico, and the ongoing efforts to restore the island to its former glory.
The Puerto Rico trash problem has been growing for decades. With a population of around 3.2 million, the island generates about 3.7 million tons of waste yearly. Despite being small, the island’s landfills are full and there’s no proper recycling infrastructure. This trash crisis affects everything from health to the economy so solutions are crucial for Puerto Rico’s future.
Hellbound and Down 
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