[Source: Los Angeles Times] Southern California air quality officials will dramatically raise fees on toxic polluters in an effort to make oil refineries, manufacturers and other industries pay a greater share of the cost of monitoring and regulating their most health-threatening emissions. The South Coast Air Quality Management District’s governing board voted 8-4 Friday to Read More…
Newsroom
More companies exit business-bashing California for business-friendly states
[Source: Joseph Vranich] If your business is in California and you’re wondering if companies continue to leave the state, the answer is, “Yes, and anecdotal evidence is that the numbers are growing.” Before I identify the latest companies to depart California – 24 of them, which I’ve learned about only within the last three months Read More…
Despite sharp growth in electric cars, vehicle emissions keep rising
[Source: Julie Cart] It is tempting to employ any number of puns when considering California’s transportation future: The state is at a crossroads, its policies could run out of gas, dangerous curves lie ahead. But keeping in mind that the state’s climate policies demand the wholesale electrification of transportation, here’s another: California must reinvent not Read More…
$2.5 trillion ‘Holy Grail’ found? Breakthrough discovery could lead to 100 percent recyclable plastics, scientists say
[Source: Fox News] Plastic pollution in the world’s oceans may have a $2.5 trillion impact, negatively affecting “almost all marine ecosystem services,” including areas such as fisheries, recreation and heritage. But a breakthrough from scientists at Berkeley Lab could be the solution the planet needs for this eye-opening problem – recyclable plastics. The study, published Read More…
SCA 5 needs to be defeated
[Source: Fox & Hounds] Senate Constitutional Amendment 5 (SCA 5) is set for legislative hearing today. It deserves a quick defeat. Advanced by Sen. Ben Allen, D-Los Angeles, and Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, SCA 5 would lower the current two-thirds vote requirement to pass local school district parcel taxes to 55% percent. Here are Read More…
The reason renewables can’t power modern civilization is because they were never meant to
[Source: Forbes] Over the last decade, journalists have held up Germany’s renewables energy transition, the Energiewende, as an environmental model for the world. “Many poor countries, once intent on building coal-fired power plants to bring electricity to their people, are discussing whether they might leapfrog the fossil age and build clean grids from the outset,” thanks Read More…
Measures to reduce air pollution could make heatwaves worse, study suggests
[Source: Evening Standard] Measures aimed at lowering air pollution could in turn make heatwaves more severe, a study has suggested. Researchers believe tiny man-made particles, such as those produced by car exhausts, could have an influence on the severity of future heatwaves. A computerised model was used by scientists from the University of Edinburgh to carry out Read More…
Cruise ship pollution is causing serious health and environmental problems
[Source: Forbes] The cruise industry transported over 26 million customers last year and was worth upwards of $117 billion in 2017. All market projections show that the industry will continue to grow as operators continue to build new state-of-the-art ships with the latest in leisure opportunities. However, as nations strive to reduce their CO2 emissions and companies Read More…
What’s the air quality in SoCal really like?
[Source: Daily News] The recent string of showers, foliage and clear skies can give the impression that our air is clean. However, despite the tremendous progress we have made over the years, our work is not finished. Tomorrow, the American Lung Association (ALA) will release its annual State of the Air Report that grades counties Read More…