http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm The Association of Young Americans Policy Issue of the day. en-us Wed, 08 Sep 2010 23:24:26 -0400 Fri, 06 Jun 2008 12:29:00 -0400 BlogCFC http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss young_americans@hotmail.com young_americans@hotmail.com http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/6/6/International-Energy-Agency-on-Climate-Change The International Energy Agency (IEA) released today the current edition of Energy technology Perspectives (ETP), which stated that the nations of the world need to dramatically altern their current energy policies. A press release from the IEA stated:Our current path is not sustainable: If governments around the world continue with policies in place to date the underlying premise in the ETP Baseline scenario to 2050 CO2 emissions will rise by 130% and oil demand will rise by 70%. This expansion in oil equals five times today's production of Saudi Arabia. No single form of energy or technology can provide the full solution. Improving energy efficiency is the first step and is very attractive as it results in immediate cost savings. Significantly reducing emissions from power generation is also a key component of emissions stabilisation. But even this is not enough. CO2 capture and storage, renewables, nuclear energy and energy efficiency - all must play a much more important role. New insights from this study include recognition of the important role for CO2 capture in industry, the potential for electrification of end-use sectors in combination with CO2-free electricity, the need for further development of solar electricity, and the importance of second generation biodiesel. The report comes on the same day that the U.S. Senate failed to pass, or even vote on, the almost 500 page Climate bill which had been underconsideration. NPR reports today that "Senate backers of a sweeping climate change bill failed to win enough support on Friday to end debate on the measure, effectively killing the measure for the rest of the year. [...] The Senate debate focused on bitter disagreement over the expected economic costs of putting a price on carbon dioxide, the leading greenhouse gas that comes from burning fossil fuels. Opponents said it would lead to higher energy costs."You can learn more about the issues in our Climate Change and Energy Issue Papers. Share your views in our Forums. Addicted to Oil Climate Change Fri, 06 Jun 2008 12:29:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/6/6/International-Energy-Agency-on-Climate-Change http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/5/2/Green-Colleges-and-Universities The Environmental Protection Agency released the results of their College & University Green Power Challenge. "Since the spring of 2007, EPA has ranked collegiate athletic conferences by the total amount of green power bought by their member schools. To be eligible, each school in the conference had to qualify as an EPA Green Power Partner and each conference had to collectively purchase at least 10 million kWh of green power. For added information on how your school can qualify as an EPA Green Power Partner, visit: epa.gov/greenpower/join/steps.htm. Green power is a subset of renewable energy and represents those resources and technologies that generate electricity with the highest environmental benefit. Green power is produced from eligible resources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, biomass and low-impact hydro. Green power has a superior environmental profile to traditional power generation, generating electricity with no net increase of greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere." The University of Pennsylvania purchased the most green power this year. What steps is your school or business taking, if any, in support of 'green' initiatives? Share your stories in our Addicted to Oil forum. Addicted to Oil Fri, 02 May 2008 09:10:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/5/2/Green-Colleges-and-Universities http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/5/1/Gas-prices-Unemployment-claims-rise As we get closer to the summer season (when gas prices usually hit their yearly highs) prices of gasoline continue to rise. The Boston Globe reports that gas prices on nantucket rose 60 cents in one day. "The price of regular jumped 59 cents to $4.56. Super hit $4.69, an increase of 65 cents. It was the same at On Island Gas on Sparks Avenue, where regular surged 60 cents to $4.59 and premium hit $4.75, which was a 71-cent climb above Wednesday's price. [...] A statewide survey Monday by AAA Southern New England found an average price of $3.54 per gallon for self-serve, regular unleaded. The price had jumped 16 cents from a week ago, and 35 cents more than two weeks ago. That national average was $3.60." Also, today the Department of Labor released a report that "the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 380,000, an increase of 35,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 345,000." Have you been impacted by the rise in gas prices? Have you lost a job or had difficulty finding employment? Share your experiences and concerns in the Open Forum. Addicted to Oil Economy Thu, 01 May 2008 11:38:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/5/1/Gas-prices-Unemployment-claims-rise http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/4/15/Community-Actions-on-Climate-Change While climate change is a global issue, many communities are undertaking efforts to do what they can to live and work in a 'greener' way. "[C]limate specialists say reductions will also depend on what happens on the community level through the dozens of choices people and businesses make every day, from eschewing bottled water to organizing carpools for employees. While individual actions cannot accomplish as much as nations or states, environmental groups say the emission reductions from people's choices add up and could help build a groundswell of political support for meaningful federal regulations to reduce greenhouse gases from power plants, cars, and factories," reports the Boston Globe. Making long term, sustained changes in our lifestyles appears to be adifficult effort. "Energy-conserving behavior is even harder to sustain, sociologists say, because people may believe their actions will have a negligible effect on a global problem, and instead of one change, people are being asked to make dozens - from line-drying laundry to taking shorter showers. Moreover, society gets most of the benefits, not individuals; the financial gains from energy efficiency aren't typically large enough to motivate people." One group has focused on encouraging people to use a clothes line, instead of a dryer, to use less energy - Project Laundry List. What changes have you undertaken, if any, to use less energy? Do you think such efforts are worthwhile? Share you thoughts and stories in the Forums. Addicted to Oil Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:10:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/4/15/Community-Actions-on-Climate-Change http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/3/31/UN-Climate-Change-Summit Beginning today, representatives of over 180 countries have come together in Thailand to duscuss global action on Climate Change at the Bangkok Climate Change Talks 2008. The summit will focus on "how to tackle this enormous challenge and begin by establishing without delay a clear work programme for the next two years. Concretely, Parties meeting in Bangkok will identify the areas that need to be further clarified as well as the issues where work needs to be done and in what order that should happen. They will also establish what input is needed from the UN at large, the business sector and others, and how this will be integrated into the overall work plan." The Christian Science Monitor reports that "the talks are following two tracks. Countries covered by the Kyoto Protocol are considering what comes next after the agreement's first enforcement period closes at the end of 2012. And everyone is taking part in setting the schedule for broader talks that will embrace countries that either haven't ratified the protocol or have ratified it but face no protocol commitments. Whether the two merge remains to be seen, some analysts say."Learn more about Climate Change here. Share your ideas, thoughts and questions in our Forums. Addicted to Oil Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:12:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/3/31/UN-Climate-Change-Summit http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/3/24/Higher-gas-prices-impacting-your-spending With gasoline seemingly comfortable at over $3 a gallon across the nation, there are reports that Americans are taking steps to use less gas. "Across the country, people already struggling with rising food prices, weak wage growth and falling home values are finding ways to manage the soaring cost of gasoline. They're combining errands, sharing rides, eliminating pleasure trips and using public transit more. With these changes, U.S. consumers caused a remarkable 1 percent drop in gas consumption the last eight-week-period over a year ago. Gas use should be rising 1.5 percent annually just to keep up with the population. The last time a drop that length was recorded was in early 1997," reports Yahoo News in an Associated Press article. Have you changed how you get around because of higher gas prices? Is that an option where you live? Learn more in our Addicted to Oil issue paper and share your thoughts in the Forums. Addicted to Oil Economy Mon, 24 Mar 2008 08:40:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/3/24/Higher-gas-prices-impacting-your-spending http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/3/21/Earlier-Spring Yesterday was officially the first day of spring, but some have observed that theclimate is much more temperate in certain areas for this time of year. "In central California, the first of the field skipper sachem, a drab little butterfly, was fluttering about on March 12. Just 25 years ago, that creature predictably emerged there anywhere from mid-April to mid-May. And sneezes are coming earlier in Philadelphia. On March 9, when allergist Dr. Donald Dvorin set up his monitor, maple pollen was already heavy in the air. Less than two decades ago, that pollen couldn't be measured until late April," reports the Associated Press. "The fingerprints of man-made climate change are evident in seasonal timing changes for thousands of species on Earth, according to dozens of studies and last year's authoritative report by the Nobel Prize-winning international climate scientists. More than 30 scientists told The Associated Press how global warming is affecting plants and animals at springtime across the country, in nearly every state." Check out the whole article in the link above and learn more about climate change on our website here. Share your thoughts and concerns about climate change in our Addicted to Oil forum. Addicted to Oil Fri, 21 Mar 2008 17:37:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/3/21/Earlier-Spring http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/3/16/Hydrogen-fueled-cars While having widely available alternative fuels to run our cars may be decades into the future, recently a hydrogen fueling station opened in White Plains, NY. "In partnership with General Motors and a division of Shell Oil, the city has opened on its property the only hydrogen refueling station in the metropolitan area equipped for public use, G.M. and city officials said. Proponents laud hydrogen-powered, or fuel-cell, vehicles for producing virtually no emissions and reducing the need for traditional fossil fuel. The vehicles are still in development and out of most consumers' reach with price tags for some ringing in at nearly $90,000 but they are already refueling at the station on the Public Works Department's refueling site," reports the New York Times. The White Plains CitizeNetReporter writes "This fueling station is also part of a U.S. Department of Energy hydrogen infrastructure program whereShell will provide hydrogen fuel to General Motors fuel cell vehicles in this program. Shell will also provide fuel to other GM FCVs [Fuel Cell Vehicles] being introduced into the New York City metro area."Learn more about alternative energies here. Share your thoughs on US enery polic and climate change in our forums. Addicted to Oil Sun, 16 Mar 2008 10:22:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/3/16/Hydrogen-fueled-cars http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/2/20/Oil-over-100-a-Barrel The price of oil closed yesterday over $100 for the first time. "The price hit a new high of $100.10 a barrel before settling at $100.01 a barrel, up $4.51, when the market closed at 2:30 p.m. The price in late electronic trading dropped only slightly, to $99.99 a barrel," reports the Washington Post. Supply concerns and flat US consumption appeared related to the price increase. "The president of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Chakib Khelil, said last week that there was no need to boost production to dampen high prices. Instead, he and other oil ministers have suggested that OPEC might even cut output at its March 5 meeting to make sure that an economic slowdown in the United States doesn't lower prices. In addition, traders fretted that political violence in Nigeria and Iraq could disrupt exports from those nations. But with U.S. stocks of crude oil and refined products comfortably within historical ranges, and with signs that U.S. gasoline consumption has stopped growing, analysts said yesterday's jump in prices was caused by financial factors as much as supply." How have higher gas prices impacted your spending and energy use? Share your thoughts and concerns in the Forums. Learn more about energy and oil in our Addicted to Oil issue paper. Addicted to Oil Economy Middle East Wed, 20 Feb 2008 08:59:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/2/20/Oil-over-100-a-Barrel http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/1/17/Climate-Change-Talk-Canceled-in-Montana-School A member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Steven W. Running, a professor of ecology at the University of Montana, was going to speak with high school students in Montana about climate change, but the session was canceled after some townspeople complained. "Dr. Running was a lead author of a global warming report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the 400-member United Nations body that shared last year's Nobel Peace Prize with former Vice President Al Gore. But when some residents complained that his presentation here would be one-sided because no opposing view would be offered, the superintendent of Choteau School District No. 1, Kevin St. John, canceled it," reports the New York Times. "Dr. Running, 57, said high school students were an important audience for his message about climate change. 'Our generation caused the problem,' he said, 'and I want to talk to high schools because they are the generation that will solve the problem. And we can't solve the problem without a free discussion.'" What do you think of the talk by Prof. Running being canceled? Have you experienced any similar situations at your school? Learn more about climate change here and share your thoughts in the Addicted to Oil forum. Addicted to Oil Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:36:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2008/1/17/Climate-Change-Talk-Canceled-in-Montana-School http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2007/12/19/Energy-Bill-signed-into-Law President Bush signed into law today an energy bill that sets higher efficiency standards for cars and other home product, among other provisions. The USA Today reports, "The bill will require an automaker's fleet of cars, pickups, SUVs and vans to have an average fuel economy of 35 miles per gallon in 2020. The standards currently are an average 27.5 mpg for cars and 22.5 mpg for light trucks. The bill requires a massive increase in the production of plant-based ethanol for motor fuels, from roughly 6 billion gallons this year to 36 billion gallons by 2022. The auto industry backed the bill after lobbying unsuccessfully to have separate fuel economy standards for cars and trucks." The White House notes that the law will reduce our dependence on oil by, Increasing the supply of alternative fuel sources by setting a mandatory Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) requiring fuel producers to use at least 36 billion gallons of biofuel in 2022. Reducing U.S. demand for oil by setting a national fuel economy standard of 35 miles per gallon by 2020 which will increase fuel economy standards by 40 percent and save billions of gallons of fuel. Share your thoughts on the law in our Addicted to Oil Forum. Addicted to Oil Wed, 19 Dec 2007 19:48:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2007/12/19/Energy-Bill-signed-into-Law http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2007/12/13/UPDATE--Powering-THIS-Country-with-Windmills Yesterday's blog was about a Wall Street Journal article on a young man in Malawi who built his own windmills. Today in the New York Times there is an article about people in the US purchasing windmills to offset some of their electricity costs. "Until recently, wind turbines were used primarily by those who lived outside the range of local utility lines, or who wanted to live completely off the grid. Now, reductions in their size and cost, along with improvements in their efficiency, are allowing suburban homeowners with no dissident leanings to speak of to install them in growing numbers, with concerns over rising energy costs and global warming driving the demand," reports the Times. " Residential turbines, which account for half those sales, are typically 33 to 100 feet tall, with outputs of two to 10 kilowatts. They cost between $12,000 and $55,000, but in recent years, 19 states, including California, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts and Ohio, have begun offering incentives and rebates that can cut purchase prices by up to 50 percent. And last week, the United States House of Representatives passed a bill that would help states provide grants and low-interest loans for residential turbines (as well as solar panels and geothermal heat pumps), and that would offer a 30 percent federal tax credit on turbine purchases, up to $4,000; the Senate is now considering a similar measure. A 10-kilowatt turbine in an area with an average wind speed of 12 miles per hour can lead to a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to removing 1.3 cars from the road, according to the wind energy association." Have anyone where you live recently installed a windmill at their home? Do you think government should provide incentives and rebates fpeople to install windmills on their property? Learn more about alternative energy sources here. Share your thoughts on energy policy in the Addicted to Oil Forum. Addicted to Oil Thu, 13 Dec 2007 09:07:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2007/12/13/UPDATE--Powering-THIS-Country-with-Windmills http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2007/12/12/Powering-his-Country-by-Windmills Today's Wall Street Journal has an article about a 20-year-old William Kamkwamba who has a dream "to power up his country [Malawi] one windmill at a time." The Journal recounts that "So far, he has built three windmills in his yard here, using blue-gum trees and bicycle parts. His tallest, at 39 feet, towers over this windswept village, clattering away as it powers his family's few electrical appliances: 10 six-watt light bulbs, a TV set and a radio. The machine draws in visitors from miles around. Self-taught, Mr. Kamkwamba took up windmill building after seeing a picture of one in an old textbook. He's currently working on a design for a windmill powerful enough to pump water from wells and provide lighting for Masitala, a cluster of buildings where about 60 families live." Are you or someone you know working on interesting ideas for power generation? Share any ideas, along with yur thoughts on U.S. energy policy in the Addicted to Oil Forum. Addicted to Oil Wed, 12 Dec 2007 11:59:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2007/12/12/Powering-his-Country-by-Windmills http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2007/10/8/Geopolitical-Implications-of-Arctic-Melting As noted in our 10/2 post, the summer melting of the arctic was substantially greater than typical, or even expected. It resulted, in fact, in the thawing of the 'northwest passage' (waters between Canada, Alaska and Russia), raising the question of who controls those waters and the surrounding resources. "Canada maintains the waterway that connects the Atlantic with the Pacific lies within its territorial waters. It has backed that up with plans for a new military base in the Arctic. However, the United States, and other countries claim international rights to use the route for shipping," reports the BBC. Learn more about Climate Change here. Share your questions and concerns in the Addicted to Oil Forum. Addicted to Oil Mon, 08 Oct 2007 12:50:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2007/10/8/Geopolitical-Implications-of-Arctic-Melting http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2007/10/2/Arctic-Melting-Fast There have been concerns raised over the last several years about the possibility of the arctic melting. New studies show that it has happened much more quickly than expected. "The Arctic ice cap shrank so much this summer that waves briefly lapped along two long-imagined Arctic shipping routes, the Northwest Passage over Canada and the Northern Sea Route over Russia. Over all, the floating ice dwindled to an extent unparalleled in a century or more, by several estimates," reports the New York Times. "The pace of change has far exceeded what had been estimated by almost all the simulations used to envision how the Arctic will respond to rising concentrations of greenhouse gases linked to global warming. But that disconnect can cut two ways. Are the models overly conservative? Or are they missing natural influences that can cause wide swings in ice and temperature, thereby dwarfing the slow background warming?" Check out the entire article at the link above. Learn more about climate change here on our website. Share your thoughts and concerns in the Addicted to Oil forum. Addicted to Oil Tue, 02 Oct 2007 09:11:00 -0400 http://associationofyoungamericans.com/blog/index.cfm/2007/10/2/Arctic-Melting-Fast