Latest News from ADKCAP
Mon, 09/17/2012 - 09:47
from New York League of Conservation Voters
Thursday’s Primary was nearly a clean sweep for New York’s environment, with several up-and-coming candidates passing their first test and many "green" veterans fending off tough challenges.
Although several races are still too close to call, NYLCV's endorsed candidates had a very strong showing. Virtually all of our top-priority candidates were successful, and NYLCV looks forward to standing with them over the next two months for their general election campaigns.
In the...
Fri, 09/07/2012 - 11:09
Program for Municipalities
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is accepting applications for the Household Hazardous Waste State Assistance Program. These recycling programs can consist of single-day collections, mobile collections or a permanent facility. Collection-day sponsors must submit a detailed plan to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation at least 60 days before a collection day takes place. Sponsors must also obtain the DEC’s written approval prior to collection day....
Tue, 09/04/2012 - 17:50
from Vermont Public Radio
Gund’s Eric Zencey spoke to the Lake Champlain Lakekeeper, Louis Porter, about flaws in the current economic accounting system. With this system, Irene’s destruction counts as positive economic growth in Vermont, while the economic benefits provided by intact floodplains aren’t quantified and therefore not counted. Porter concludes his commentary by emphasizing the how the Gund Institute’s work on Vermont’s Genuine Progress Indicator provides alternative measures...
Tue, 09/04/2012 - 17:47
from EESI Climate Change News
A new study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) proposes a carbon tax that would raise $1.5 trillion over a 10-year period. Presented in light of looming budget cuts and growing national debt, the study examined the impact of a national tax of $20 per ton of carbon beginning in 2013 and increasing four percent per year. In addition to the direct financial benefits, the study projected that by 2050 the tax would cut oil imports by 10 million barrels per day and reduce carbon...
Fri, 08/24/2012 - 07:48
from EESI Climate Change News
A study published August 5 in the journal Nature Climate Change provides further support to recent findings (see August 13 issue) that the United States will suffer more severe droughts in the future, and that climate change will play an important role in increasing the frequency and intensity of those droughts. Previous climate models that predicted more severe and widespread droughts have been criticized because they did not fully reflect actual drought patterns when they were applied to...
Fri, 08/24/2012 - 07:46
from EESI Climate Change News
An August 14 study of over 250 species of birds, spiders, and insects published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has found that these animals are taking refuge in nature reserves and protected areas as they move north in response to climate change. Warming temperatures are forcing many species to leave their habitats in search of cooler conditions, but urban zones or areas with intense agriculture can serve as barriers to the movement of many animals. This research shows...
Fri, 08/24/2012 - 07:43
from EESI Climate Change News
Monroe County, Florida, which encompasses all of the Florida Keys, is set to release its first ever climate action plan this fall. On some Florida islands, just one foot of elevation separates freshwater-dependent pine forests from saltwater mangrove marshes. "As the sea rises and the salt water keeps coming in, the rest of the area eventually is going to look like this marsh," said Chris Bergh, a director at the Nature Conservancy. "It's just a matter of time." David Bender...
Wed, 08/22/2012 - 07:03
from EESI Climate Change News
Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy and other state officials took part in a panel discussion last week to discuss the impact of climate change on efforts to preserve the Long Island Sound. "The water is definitely getting warmer; there is no doubt about that," Malloy said. "Climate change is already having an impact on the Sound, and it is getting faster." The panelists were optimistic about ongoing sewage plant modernizations and a general trend toward reduced nitrogen...
Wed, 08/22/2012 - 07:00
from EESI Climate Change News
A July 31 report benchmarking the emissions of the 100 largest U.S. power producers finds that investment in clean energy and energy efficiency is having an impact on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Electricity generation accounts for 40 percent of U.S. CO2 emissions. The study, performed by Ceres, the National Resources Defense Council, Bank of America, and three power producers, encompasses 86 percent of U.S. generation and 88 percent of electricity-related carbon emissions. It finds that...
Tue, 08/14/2012 - 15:41
from EESI Climate Change News
As a record-breaking drought continues across much of the United States, many of the nation’s food producers are breeding a new generation of drought-resistant plants and animals to guard against the changing climate. Many ranchers are breeding their North American cattle with African and Indian stock that have developed a natural tolerance to heat and drought. Farmers are working on new corn varieties that have larger root systems to soak up more water when rainfall is scarce. The...