Daily Links Jul 24

Scientists detect a human fingerprint in the atmosphere’s seasonal cycles
In the troposphere, scientists detected a human-caused signal in the seasonal cycle
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2018/jul/23/scientists-detect-a-human-fingerprint-in-the-atmospheres-seasonal-cycles

Record high of 41.1 degrees in Japan
Japan has posted a record temperature of 41.1 degrees in a city northwest of Tokyo as a deadly heatwave rolls on.
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/record-high-of-411-degrees-in-japan/news-story/cc76e44be7f5b95b2a0ce8f75b20d125

Federal Judge Dismisses NYC climate change law suit
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by New York City against 5 major oil companies, ruling that Congress has given the EPA the exclusive right to file such legal actions.
https://cleantechnica.com/2018/07/23/federal-judge-dismisses-nyc-climate-change-law-suit/

‘Time bomb’: Tropics expansion nudges cyclone formation into new areas
Cyclones are forming further from the equator as the planet warms, bringing new regions into the zone of intense storms including parts of eastern Australia.
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/environment/climate-change/time-bomb-tropics-expansion-nudges-cyclone-formation-into-new-areas-20180723-p4zt26.html

The teen-agers fighting for climate justice
“Climate change is the greatest threat of the twenty-first century,” an organizer of the youth climate march, on Saturday, said. “The way we live our lives is affecting people everywhere.”
https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-teen-agers-fighting-for-climate-justice

See the best signs from the Youth Climate March
“Mother Nature is too young to be having hot flashes,” one sign read.
https://youthradio.org/journalism/science/see-the-best-signs-from-the-youth-climate-march/

Carbon tax debate: the top 5 things everyone needs to know
A carbon tax can lower emissions, but it needs to be pretty damn high.
https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2018/7/20/17584376/carbon-tax-congress-republicans-cost-economy

Move over, polar bears: Climate change has a new symbol
Americans are finally connecting the dots between extreme weather and climate change.
https://grist.org/article/move-over-polar-bears-climate-change-has-a-new-symbol/

Powering away from petrol with home-built electric cars
A growing group of electric vehicle enthusiasts bypass manufacturers and convert their petrol-fuelled cars to run on electricity, but an engineer warns it should be attempted only by those with appropriate expertise.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-24/make-your-own-electric-car/9918964

War on Waste returns: Craig Reucassel dishes dirt on recycling crisis
Host of ABC sleeper hit of 2017 reflects achievements of season one, and what still needs to change
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jul/23/war-on-waste-returns-craig-reucassel-dishes-dirt-on-recycling-crisis

Power saving claim cops $25k fine: ACCC
Group discount website One Big Switch has paid penalties for misleading customers.
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/business/breaking-news/power-saving-claim-cops-25k-fine-accc/news-story/6654ee774841f9ca3bb47e6dd1df1be3

The last straw: plastic is out and green is in
Demand for plastic straws is drying up as customers look to environmentally friendly alternatives.
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/business/small-business/the-last-straw-plastic-is-out-and-green-is-in-20180718-p4zs8d.html

‘Learn from asbestos’, states and territories urged over silicosis risk
Stonemasons who have been diagnosed with a life-threatening lung disease are coming forward to call for regulation around dangerous workplace practices.
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/learn-from-asbestos-states-and-territories-urged-over-silicosis-risk-20180723-p4zt34.html

Blueprint to fix our choked cities [$]
The infrastructure tsar has warned that population growth could cripple capital cities and consign them to a future of congestion.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/infrastructure-blueprint-to-fix-our-choked-cities/news-story/39598904efc08b60661e7d915245668a

A numbers game: killing rabbits to conserve native mammals
Euan Ritchie, Damien Fordham and Miguel Lurgi
Managing rabbit populations isn’t as simple as declaring ‘open season’.
https://theconversation.com/a-numbers-game-killing-rabbits-to-conserve-native-mammals-97078

How the ‘yeah-but’ mentality stalls progress on bag bans and other green issues
Anne Lane
Is forgetting your bags really such an inconvenience? \
https://theconversation.com/how-the-yeah-but-mentality-stalls-progress-on-bag-bans-and-other-green-issues-100330

Beware the plastic witch hunt [$]
Nick Cater
The moral panic about plastic says more about us than the state of the oceans.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/columnists/nick-cater/nick-cater-beware-the-plastic-witch-hunt/news-story/84dd439c826f6b60c83001e17e67a7df

Less power to the rent-seekers [$]
Judith Sloan
Rent-seekers in renewable energy leave others for dead when it comes to misinforming, threatening and bullying.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/columnists/judith-sloan/judith-sloan-less-power-to-the-rentseekers/news-story/1d2bfa0dab4691057e00ce3e1278aaca

Hundreds of galahs mysteriously found dead
About 200 galahs die in the South Australian town of Burra, prompting investigations by the state’s Environment Department and the local council amid speculation they were poisoned.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-23/hundreds-of-galahs-mysteriously-found-dead/10024856

Conservationists slam “damaging” Kangaroo Island bridge plan
Conservationists have warned a proposed multi-billion-dollar bridge linking Kangaroo Island to the mainland could harm the island’s environment by increasing vehicle traffic and removing the natural barrier to pests and disease.
https://indaily.com.au/news/2018/07/23/conservationists-slam-damaging-kangaroo-island-bridge-plan/

Coal no longer the cheapest energy source, says Gupta
The UK billionaire who bought South Australia’s troubled Whyalla steelworks says Australians are yet to grasp that new coal-fired electricity is more expensive to produce than solar power.
https://indaily.com.au/news/2018/07/23/coal-no-longer-the-cheapest-energy-source-says-gupta/

Majority want no nuclear waste, says Greens poll [$]
More than half of South Australians want the Federal Government to abandon its plan to build a nuclear waste dump in outback SA, according to a poll by the Greens.
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/greens-survey-finds-majority-dont-want-nuclear-waste-dump-in-sa-outback/news-story/1d32a2844f13dc425c26152de6980bf4

Coalition’s Kimba nuclear dump exploits local area and puts nation at risk
Noel Wauchope
How is a small rural town to cope with a proposition that may transform the community by providing an economic boon or be a long-term curse?
https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/coalitions-kimba-nuclear-dump-exploits-local-area-and-puts-nation-at-risk,11717

Build a bridge and get over it [$]
Chris Kenny
A South Australian MP aligned to Mayo candidate Rebekha Sharkie is backing a crazy plan to spend billions of taxpayer dollars on a bridge to Kangaroo Island.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/columnists/chris-kenny/kangaroos-island-bridge-proposal-the-most-ridiculous-in-a-long-line-for-south-australia/news-story/ddca2ea06fbe8eed5f359f3ed6be9645

Dingo behaviour expert says cull not the answer following attack
A leading expert in dingo behaviour said culling is not the answer after a dingo attack left a FIFO worker seriously injured at a WA mine last week.
https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/dingo-behaviour-expert-says-cull-not-the-answer-following-attack-ng-b88904654z

Solar and wind power are growing. Grid managers need to get ready
The rise in renewable energy will scramble the decision making of grid managers.
https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2018/5/18/17359730/wind-solar-power-grid-electricity-managers

The green jobs revolution needs to include all of us
A few years ago, Adan Anguiano was in prison. Now he has a career installing solar panels in East Los Angeles.
https://www.thenation.com/article/green-jobs-revolution-needs-include-us/

Harnessing the enemy: as crops dry, Malawi turns to solar irrigation
Water pumping and storage systems help ensure crops survive increasingly harsh droughts.
http://news.trust.org/item/20180723110519-xmvsl/

Chemicals in food may harm children, pediatricians’ group says
A major pediatricians’ group is urging families to limit the use of plastic food containers, cut down on processed meat during pregnancy and consume more whole fruits and vegetables rather than processed food.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/23/well/chemicals-food-children-health.html

Trump administration moves to neuter nuclear safety board
Under a new order from the Energy Department, a nuclear safety board will have to fight for information about and access to nuclear laboratories.
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/trump-administration-moves-to-neuter-nuclear-safety-board/article_ecedb385-f71e-5c79-b2fc-75220867d93e.html

Investment in renewables dropped 7 percent globally in 2017
Global investment in renewable energy fell 7 percent last year to $318 billion and is expected to drop again in 2018, according to a new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), a Paris-based energy data and research group.
https://e360.yale.edu/digest/investment-in-renewables-dropped-7-percent-globally-in-2017

Report: Energy Costs Are a Higher Burden on the Rural Poor
Some low-income rural residents pay nearly a fifth of their monthly income on their energy bills.
https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2018-07-20/report-energy-costs-are-a-higher-burden-on-the-rural-poor?int=98f508

How to prevent cooling from warming up the world
Air conditioners and other cooling devices are critical for millions of people worldwide, particularly with rising temperatures. But while these appliances can save lives, they’re also big contributors to global warming.
https://www.dw.com/en/how-to-prevent-cooling-from-warming-up-the-world/a-44734986

Atlantic puffin colony soars again, but only with help from some humans
For 45 years, young interns with Audubon’s Project Puffin have summered on remote islands in Maine, making a real impact on the species’ recovery. Today, their work may be more critical than ever.
https://www.pressherald.com/2018/07/22/when-humans-help-these-birds-soar/