In the third edition of ClimateRoots Newsletter, you'll learn from this weeks featured writer about college students' willingness to eat sustainably, and a potential method on how to teach them about it. We'll then dive into the headlines of the week, including some pretty insane weather patterns, even to the point of raining oil! Rounding out this issue, we'll touch on community solar: what it is, who it impacts and why you should consider getting involved.

Fresh Food Delivery / Image Courtesy of Wix

Featured Writer - Samantha Pender

In the third edition of ClimateRoots' Newsletter, our featured writer is Samantha Pender. Samantha received her undergraduate degree in Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Rhode Island and is currently continuing her graduate studies with URI in their Masters of Science/Dietetic Internship Program. Samantha spent time in a Nutrition and Sustainability research lab trying to understand how to effectively teach college students about sustainable eating. She has worked on sustainability efforts with URI dining services, URI campus recreation, and the Rhode Island Public Health Institute and is consistently advocating for a more accessible and sustainable food system.

This weeks article is an overview of a study Samantha was involved in that addresses college students' readiness to eat sustainably and how online research is crucial for future understanding of eating habits and sustainability. An often overlooked source of harmful emissions and environmental pollution, she discusses how our current food system will fall drastically short on sustainability standards with today’s eating habits. Her research joins a growing chorus that sees a potential solution on the consumer side of food that could reduce food waste and increase food sustainability.

 Click below to read the full article and bibliography.

Weekly Headlines

ExxonMobile Lobbyists Caught Red Handed Admitting to Companies Anti-Climate Agenda (Unearthed, Heated, New York Times, The Guardian, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal)

• An Unearthed undercover reporter duped two ExxonMobile lobbyists into admitting their companies continued attempt to downplay the climate crisis.

• They unknowingly exposed their companies efforts to remove climate measures from Biden’s infrastructure plan, while claiming that all their lobbying is, in fact, legal.

• "Did we aggressively fight against some of the science? Yes." - Watch the videos here.

International Panel of Lawyers Defines Ecocide, Hoping to Criminalize it in the ICC (InsideClimate News, NBC, Washington Post, The Guardian)

• A group of lawyers convened by the Stop Ecocide Foundation has defined ecocide in a criminal sense for the first time.

• One of the 123 member nations (which do not include the US, China, India or Russia) of the International Criminal Court (ICC) will need to formally request its inclusion in the crimes that the court can investigate.

• If proposed, this ratification would likely take years, but most advocates agree this is a step in the right direction to hold polluters accountable.

The Pacific Northwest gets Burned by one of Worst Heat Waves in Recent Memory (Climate Signals, AP, Axios, NBC, Washington Post, Heated)

• The Pacific Northwest is bracing itself for a likely historic heat wave, which is set to see both extreme heat and length.

• Current weather patterns have resulted in a high pressure ‘heat dome’ trapping warm air in the region while simultaneously forcing the relieving cool temperatures of the Jet Stream further North.

• Climate Change is now known to be responsible for these longer and more extreme weather patterns, including the polar vortex that ravaged Texas’ power grid earlier this year.

St. Croix Oil Refinery which Literally Rained Oil on Local Community Shut Down Indefinitely after EPA Ordered its Emergency Shutdown (AP, Reuters, CNN, VirginIslandsDailyNews, The Hill)

• Just months after reopening, the Limetree Bay oil refinery will close indefinitely after receiving an emergency shutdown order from the EPA in February.

• Limetree Bay Energy stated that they do not have enough capital to restart operations and will need to lay off 271 workers.

• St. Croix citizens reported negative health impacts, citing dangerous airborne chemicals. There still remains work to do in cleaning up the impacted area.

To read more headlines from this week, click below.

Scorching Temperatures Continue in Western US / Image Courtesy of Wix

Education Piece - Community Solar

Happy Friday everyone!
 

Coming off of our last issue about the basics of PV solar (check it out here if you missed it), we wanted to follow up by covering community solar this week. The U.S Department of Energy defines community solar as “any solar project or purchasing program, within a geographic area, in which the benefits of a solar project flow to multiple customers…” (“Community Solar Basics”) Basically what this means is that multiple customers -whether they are individuals or businesses- can buy shares of solar energy, even if the panels are not directly connected to the building being powered. It is a great option for folks who want to use a renewable energy source, but perhaps dont have the room or the funds to own a solar PV system themselves.

Here's how community solar works: A solar company will invest in the design, engineering and construction of a utility scale solar generation facility. Once completed, they will sell customers allotments of the solar power that is generated from it. The solar company benefits because they receive all of the solar credits and tax breaks while also getting paid by the customers. The customers benefit because they are no longer paying an electric bill, but rather paying the solar company for the power that the solar array produces. This monthly payment is typically cheaper than what they were paying their utility company before. Through this system, the solar company remains profitable, while the customers pay less and invest in clean energy; a win-win!

Unfortunately, access to community solar is dependent on geographical location in the United States. About 39 states (plus D.C) currently have community solar projects, but 74% of the market is concentrated within four states; Minnesota, Florida, Massachusetts and New York (Community Solar). You can check out community solar projects in your area here! Another, less discussed, benefit of community solar is how it opens up the solar market to lower socioeconomic communities who traditionally have been excluded. With community solar, you no longer need to own a home or be able to afford the upfront installation costs of solar. (Making Solar Energy Accessible to Low-Income Communities). 

Next week we will be wrapping up our Solar content with a discussion about solar energy storage. 

Full article and bibliography available on our blog!

Solar Panels / Image Courtesy of Nick Moore

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