This is creating a bottleneck as even if we create more solar capacity, the electric grid cannot incorporate it at the same rate for a variety of reasons.

As of 2023, solar makes up about 5.6% of the total US electricity generated. Yet, as more companies seek to net zero energy emissions, solar is poised to make up 58% of all new electricity generation installed.

That is going to overwhelm what our electric grid is capable of handling and will ultimately create a bottleneck.

Why Is Solar Energy Growing So Fast?

While solar energy started out more expensive than traditional fossil fuels like coal and natural gas, that has changed over the years. Today, solar energy is cheaper than natural gas, and coal has become nearly extinct.

Naturally, that has raised the demand for solar energy as companies are looking to increase their capacity.

In the past, one of the major criticisms was that the sun is not always out, which can disrupt how much energy is generated. This can cause rolling blackouts if it is the sole energy source used.

However, battery storage technology has proven to be the perfect solution to this issue. And just like solar, the technology is being produced on a massive scale. This is rapidly shrinking the costs, thus making it more competitive with natural gas.

With this said, most companies are not planning to rely entirely on solar. Natural gas and nuclear energy are still going to play a big role.

Unprecedented Energy Demand

If you have been paying attention to the technology sector, you have heard everyone talking about AI. Perhaps the only thing you don’t hear about it is the incredible energy demand that it has created as nearly every business is rushing towards artificial intelligence.

AI is going to cause data centers to see a 160% energy increase by 2030. This is because of the computing power needed to operate the AI. For reference, a ChatGPT reply takes 10 times the energy as a Google search.

While this will be one of the largest contributors to the demand shift, it is not the only one. Another pivotal change in achieving net zero emissions is replacing our car fleet with electric vehicles (EVs).

EVs need to charge the batteries inside of them to operate. Naturally, this is going to have a massive impact on the energy grid. You don’t have to wait as you can already see it happening in real-time.

Consider for a second a typical 9-to-5 job. Someone drives home after work, parks their car, and plugs it in before heading inside. You have just added an extra power demand for possibly millions of homes during peak hours.

And cars are really just one thing that have been electrified. Nearly all appliances today use electricity as more stoves, ovens, heaters, and water heaters are turning from gas.

The demand is constantly growing.

Connecting to the Grid Takes Time

It is well known that there is currently a massive backlog of solar and wind projects awaiting to be connected to the electric grid. However, between 2000 and 2018, only 19% of all requests have been connected to the grid by 2023.

Naturally, this is a bad sign for all companies that are backing major problems as even if the projects are completed, it typically takes at least 3 years before they are connected to the grid.

This bottleneck has been nicknamed gridlock, as it will be the deciding factor. So why does this happen?

There are a variety of factors. Most of these all stem from transmission, which is the process of delivering the energy from the source (solar panels, wind turbines, power plant) to the grid.

Outside of seeing a solar panel on a roof, how often do you actually see a solar or wind farm? Realistically, probably never unless you specifically travel to one. This is because they are built away from most urban settlements.

They take up a lot of space, and in the case of wind turbines, generate a lot of noise. As such, to connect these farms to the grid, you need to create transmission lines that connect to the grid. While this doesn’t sound complicated, it is.

This is because these companies need to get approvals for every county, city, or state they pass through, which can be numerous. This legislative process by itself can take years, not to mention the actual construction efforts.

For this reason, even when a project is completed, it can take several years before it is connected to the grid.

Battery Technology Will Play A Huge Role

One of the biggest talking points with the electric grid is batteries. Currently, lithium batteries do not have the capacity to store the energy required for the grid when not enough energy is generated from renewables.

For example, if the sun wasn’t out, you could face blackouts if that was your only source. While that is a bit of an exaggeration, there is some truth to it. But a battery would solve the issue as you could store the excess energy generated and use it to cover this disturbance.

Today, the batteries could store about 4 hours worth of energy for the grid, with some ranging upwards of 8 hours. The technology is advancing fast, but it will take years before the necessary capacity is achieved.

The bigger problem is the cost. While solar energy itself is cheaper than natural gas, when you add battery storage, the story changes. Battery technology is expensive, but that is quickly changing as EV production is ramped up.

The mass production of lithium batteries has driven the price down significantly, and it will only continue over the years.

The Electric Grid Will Be the Biggest Hurdle

The world is racing towards a net zero future, and for that to happen, we need to use renewable energies exclusively. This will take time, but nearly every new major project is renewable, and that won’t be changing anytime soon.

This is because it aligns with many major corporation’s ideals, which are paying for the projects.

Unfortunately, the problems facing the electric grid will not be overcome quickly. This will require actual legislation that can help streamline the process of connecting electricity generation to the electric grid quicker.

With this said, natural gas will also play a key role in bridging the gap while the transition takes place. With any luck, the energy grid will be a very different place by 2030.

The post Grid Connection Crisis: Renewable Energy’s Growth Challenge appeared first on GreenGeeks Blog.

Today, the Paris Agreement is signed by more than 190 countries with 184 of those countries submitting their climate pledges to lower greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Yet, the vast majority of those pledges are not being met.

What’s even worse is how some of those countries are going in the opposite direction with GHG emissions. In some cases, members have not even pledged to begin with. As such, the world is not on track to meet the goal of the Paris Agreement.

According to some reports, we have already begun seeing temperatures exceed 1.5°C, or will within the next 5 years.

What Is A Climate Pledge?

Simply put, it is a commitment by the government to curb emissions by a specific date. In most cases, these pledges lack specifics on how they will achieve the goals set out, and most importantly, they cannot be enforced.

As such, there is no penalty for members who submit climate pledges that are not met or actively get worse.

For example, China, the world’s largest emitter, had planned to lower emissions by 60-65% by 2030. Currently, emissions have risen by 80% from 2005 through 2018, which is likely to continue as the economy of China grows.

With this said, some members submit plans with every detail planned out in them and achieve the goals. One example of this would be the European Union. As a collective, the 28 Member States pledges to lower emissions by 40% by 2030.

Currently, the European Union is not only on track but will exceed its pledge and reduce emissions by 58%.

Unfortunately, there are still members like Russia that have not even submitted a pledge.

How Do Countries Plan to Reduce Emissions?

While there are a variety of ways for countries to reduce emissions, nearly every pledge focuses on two specific areas. These include electricity generation and the electrification of their existing car fleets.

If you look at virtually any developed country, electricity generation and transportation are the biggest emitters.

For reference, in the United States, electricity generation accounts for 25% of all emissions, while transportation accounts for 29%. That’s 54% of the entire country, thus it makes complete sense for these two areas to be the major focus.

On top of this, we already have the solution for both. Electricity can be generated cleanly by switching to renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydro. Meanwhile, we already have electric vehicles to replace traditional combustion engines that use gas.

That said, even if we identify the problem and have the solution, implementing it is a completely different story.

The truth is that switching how a nation generates electricity and replacing all vehicles with EVs is not cheap. Most nations simply do not have the funds to do so, and as economies continue to grow, they need to continuously increase the amount of power they generate.

Thus, the finish line is constantly getting farther away for all developing nations.

Companies Also Make Climate Pledges

While the Paris Agreement focuses on governments, many corporations fully support the measures of the agreement. As such, nearly every major corporation has made its climate pledge to reduce emissions.

However, similarly to governments, many companies have made pledges that they are not keeping. And similarly to the governments, there is no real enforcement of repercussions if they fail. Thus, many companies make a net zero pledge without meaning it.

In some cases like Amazon, Microsoft, Walmart, and more, the scope of the company keeps increasing, which results in their emission targets being missed every time, or even increasing.

While these companies are making efforts, others are just making pledges without meaning them. This is known as business greenwashing. Essentially, the business lies about going green to attract customers who place a value on such.

Why Are Climate Pledges Not Kept?

The simple reason is that countries are realistically under no obligation to keep the pledge they made. If a country fails to keep a pledge, it is not penalized for failing. As such, countries are free to make any pledge without any fear of repercussion.

And the truth is that in many cases, it is better for the countries to fail these pledges.

That may not make sense, so let me explain. Underdeveloped nations will often receive funds to help them achieve climate goals. If they achieved those goals, they would no longer receive the funds.

Naturally, some nations make a genuine effort but purposely propose goals that are not achievable to receive funding for as long as possible. However, this is just for the underdeveloped countries that barely contribute to climate change.

The real issue is with developed nations. If you look at a nation like the United States, the amount of power it needs to generate to support a growing industry and population is enormous. In 2022, the energy demand grew by 3.2% from the previous year.

This is for several reasons. Developed nations rely more heavily on technology that is constantly evolving. Let’s take AI, for example. AI has been the biggest talking point for most businesses recently, but the dark reality of it is that the technology will skyrocket energy consumption.

To put this into perspective, the average ChatGPT search uses the same amount of energy as performing 10 Google searches.

Naturally, this will continue to increase the electricity demand in the United States for years to come. And that’s just a single source. We also talked about the electrification of the car fleet being a solution, but it only contributes to this growing demand.

Make Your Own Climate Pledges

While governments and companies continue to fail the planet, we can still ensure that we do our part by making our climate pledges. Here are ten simple ways you can reduce your carbon footprint.

1. Recycle

Recycling is one of the simplest ways you can lower your carbon footprint. Search for your local recycling plant and identify what materials can and can’t be recycled. In some cases, you need to separate materials from one another.

For example, if you order pre-made meals, sometimes you need to separate the insulator material from the cardboard for the recycling center to accept it. If you don’t, they will just discard the item, even if most of the material is recyclable.

Another example is if you order out a lot. You will receive plastic containers for your food. These are recyclable, but you should take the time to rinse them. Depending on the contents, they can be seen as contaminated and turned away.

2. Unplug Your Appliances When Not In Use

The typical household contains a variety of appliances that make our lives easier and more comfortable. However, every single one of them uses electricity to operate, thus they are contributing to your carbon footprint.

We have been conditioned to leave appliances on. For example, imagine a microwave. You might use it once or twice a day, but it is plugged in 24/7 in most instances. Even if it is not in use, it is still consuming power.

The simple solution is to unplug your appliances when they are not being used. While this can sometimes mean needing to set them up again, not only will this reduce your carbon footprint, but it will save you money on the electricity bill.

3. Reduce Your Screen Time

The average citizen of the United States gets just over 7 hours of screen time a day. This can be from sitting in front of a computer at work to watching Netflix after work. The devices we use to consume content are a big source of emissions.

For example, whenever you visit a site online, your device is connecting to the servers that house that website. Unless the website is using a green web hosting company, that visit is contributing to your carbon footprint.

Reduce your screen time by spending more time outside where your impact is minimal. Or, take up other hobbies like reading books, completing jigsaw puzzles, and so on. Not only is it better for the environment, it’s better for your mental health.

4. Dry Your Clothes Outside

While each household has a variety of appliances, they do not all use the same amount of energy. Clothes dryers are the biggest energy hogs in most households because it takes a lot of energy to produce heat, but there is a solution.

If you have the ability, drying clothes outside is a great way to reduce your energy usage and save a lot of money. Since 80% of American households have a clothes dryer, that could save the equivalent of seven nuclear power plants worth of energy.

And let’s be honest, clothes just smell better when they have been dried outside. This is, once again, another solution that can help save you a lot of money from your energy bill. Even if you can’t do it all of the time due to the weather, it is a great option.

5. Purchase Sustainable Products

When shopping, you should be on the lookout for sustainable products. These products can be identified by looking for specific labels. For example, in the case of appliances, you should be looking for Energy Star to ensure it uses the least amount of energy possible.

If you are shopping for fruits and vegetables, look for the USDA Organic label. Each country has its own labels, so be sure to refer to your government for a full list. You should also be on the lookout for greenwashing packaging.

Many companies understand consumers are willing to pay extra for sustainable products. As such, they use packaging and vague language that makes the product look and sound like it is sustainable. Only trust verified labels.

6. Shop Locally

It is worth pointing out that in many cases, even if a product is grown using the most sustainable practices, during the transportation process, it can accumulate a huge carbon footprint. As such, you should also try to shop locally.

Visiting farmer markets that allow you to buy directly from a farm is going to be a better purchase than buying organic veggies from another country. And this applies to virtually all goods like clothing, furniture, and so on.

If it is made locally, not only are you supporting your community, but you are also lowering your carbon footprint. And in some cases, you can save a lot of money by avoiding shipping and handling fees for online products.

7. Have Plants In and Outside Your Home

Plants are a natural carbon sink. They absorb carbon dioxide from the air, thus lowering your emissions. There are a variety of indoor plants you can keep that require very little maintenance and can brighten up a room.

If you do have a yard, consider planting trees or taking up gardening as a hobby. Not only can you grow your own veggies, but everything acts as a natural carbon sink that can lower your emissions.

You can even expand this to start composting leftovers to use as fertilizer for your plants. This easily reduces the amount of waste your household produces. If you are looking for something simple, try one of these plants.

8. Use Reusable Bags and Water Bottles

Single-use plastics are a major problem for the environment. Not only do they produce greenhouse gases and other harmful toxins, they end up in our oceans, where they take thousands of years to break down.

Two of the most common forms of single-use plastics are plastic shopping bags and water bottles. If you live in an area that still uses plastic bags, bring your own reusable ones. Not only are these more fashionable, but freezer bags can keep your frozen goods cold.

Water bottles have the same logic. Reusable bottles look better, can hold more water, and can save you money. Many businesses will fill up your water bottle for free if you ask. Find the one that fits your personality.

9. Eat Less Meat

Aside from electricity generation and the transportation sector, agriculture comes in at number three as far as emissions are concerned. While this may come as a surprise, the truth is that cows and other farm animals produce a lot of carbon.

A single cow can produce 220 pounds of methane each year. Methane is a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon, and when you consider that there are well over one billion cows kept as livestock around the world, it is a problem.

As such, reducing the amount of meat you eat can help reduce the demand, thus shrinking the population of cows in the world. At the very least, eat other meats like chicken that are less impactful on the environment if you have the option.

10. Drive Less

Since the EV adoption rate is so low, odds are that if you own a car, it uses an internal combustion engine (ICE). As such, anytime you can choose to not drive somewhere and instead walk or bicycle there, it is a good way to reduce your carbon footprint.

Not to mention it is just a healthier way to get around. Even if you do have an EV, charging it still impacts the environment since we rely on natural gas for most energy production. With this said, it is not always possible.

In cases where it is not, try to see if there are any carpooling options. Many jobs may have small carpooling groups you might be able to join. It helps reduce the number of cars on the road and free up parking at a business.

Make Your Climate Pledges Today

Now is a great time to come up with climate pledges you can follow. Just be sure to keep it reasonable. For example, it would be easy for me to say buy an Electric car, but that is not realistic for most people.

Take a look at your everyday life and try to identify areas where you can reduce your carbon footprint. Start with small things and work towards larger goals. If more citizens take a proactive approach, governments would be sure to follow.

And maybe more importantly, companies will take notice and create products that align with those goals.

The post Climate Pledges Fall Short: Urgent Action Needed Now appeared first on GreenGeeks Blog.

For some cities, recycling has become less efficient and even more expensive, causing doubts about its long-term future. This has caused them to reduce or stop their recycling programs.

Despite these setbacks, recycling remains crucial for managing waste, preventing landfills from overflowing, and reducing the environmental damage caused by human activity.

The problems stem from a mix of system failures and market shifts. Many recyclable items are contaminated, there aren’t enough local facilities to process the waste, and changes in global trade policies have worsened the situation.

In this blog, we’ll look at the main reasons behind these problems and offer practical solutions to make recycling more effective.

Understanding the Recycling Industry Crisis

Have you ever wondered where your garbage goes? 

Once you throw away items like food scraps, clothes, furniture, and appliances, they are now called municipal solid waste. Typically, this waste can either be recycled, sent to a waste-to-energy facility (like an incinerator), or dumped in a landfill.

Recycling centers help reduce waste by turning used materials into new products. This prevents items like paper, plastic, and metal from ending up in landfills, which are the third-largest source of methane emissions in the U.S. It also keeps them out of incinerators, which release harmful pollutants into the air.

Recycling municipal solid waste involves several steps to recover useful materials. After waste is collected and sorted at recycling centers, recyclable items go through processes like shredding, crushing, or melting to turn them into usable raw materials. These materials are then sent to manufacturers to create new products.

However, recycling practices differ by region, and not everything is easily recyclable. Even if you carefully sort your recyclables, a lot of it may still end up in a landfill.

Key Challenges Behind the Recycling Industry Crisis

Let’s explore some of the challenges the U.S. recycling system is facing.

Contamination Issues

In the recycling industry, contamination occurs when non-recyclable items or improperly prepared materials are mixed with recyclables. These issues often come from a lack of consumer understanding about what can and can’t be recycled. 

Contamination significantly disrupts the recycling process, making it more difficult and costly to sort and process materials effectively.

Improper recycling habits can cause contamination in the recycling industry in several ways:

1. Putting Non-Recyclable Items in Recycling Bins: Items like plastic bags, greasy pizza boxes, and certain types of plastics that aren’t accepted locally can contaminate the recycling process. For example, plastic bags can get stuck in sorting machines, causing delays and even damage.

2. Not Cleaning Recyclables: Food leftovers on containers can ruin entire batches of recyclables. A half-full soda bottle, for instance, can leak onto paper items.

3. Wishcycling: Wishcycling happens when people put items in the recycling bin, hoping they’re recyclable, even when they’re not.

China’s National Sword Policy

Introduced in 2017, China’s National Sword Policy is a set of strict regulations aimed at reducing the import of contaminated recyclable materials. Before this policy, China was the world’s largest importer of waste, processing materials like plastics and paper from countries including the U.S. 

But, because of environmental concerns and the high contamination levels in imported recyclables, China implemented this policy to ban certain types of waste and enforce stricter contamination standards. 

Since China stopped accepting many recyclables, U.S. recycling plants ended up with too much material. This caused storage problems and higher costs for managing the excess waste. And with no way to process or sell the extra recyclables, many items that used to be recycled were sent to landfills instead.

The policy revealed how much the U.S. depends on other countries to export waste. It showed the urgent need to invest more in local recycling plants so materials can be processed within the country.

Complexities in Modern Waste

The U.S. recycling industry is struggling to keep up with today’s changing waste. Many modern products are made with complex materials, like certain plastics and multi-layered packaging, that can’t be recycled with the current technology.

One of the biggest problems with recycling is the lack of communication between manufacturers and recyclers. Companies often create new materials without asking recyclers if they can be processed.

This disconnect makes recycling less efficient and more expensive.

Risk To Worker’s Health and Wellness

In recent years, the waste and recycling industry has faced a growing lack of workers with the technical skills needed to operate and manage machinery effectively.

Workers play a crucial role in handling and processing recyclable materials, but their jobs come with several risks. Repetitive movements like bending, lifting, and pulling can strain their muscles and joints, leading to injuries such as sprains, strains, or chronic back pain. 

Additionally, recycling materials like plastic and metal produces dust and tiny particles that, when inhaled, can cause respiratory problems, including shortness of breath and more serious lung issues. 

Workers also face exposure to hazardous items such as batteries, oils, and chemicals. If not handled properly, these products can result in burns, poisoning, or long-term health problems.

Consequences of a Failing Recycling System

The struggling recycling industry is causing serious problems. More waste is ending up in landfills, and this increases greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.

Additionally, plastics and other materials that aren’t properly recycled often end up polluting oceans, rivers, and natural habitats, harming wildlife and the environment.

The economic impact of these problems with recycling is also significant. Local governments face rising waste management costs. Recycling is often more expensive than traditional waste disposal because it requires specialized trucks and additional staff to collect, transport, and sort recyclable materials. 

For example, in New York City, the cost of recycling is $200 more per ton compared to simply sending the waste to a landfill. These high costs make it economically difficult for cities to keep their recycling programs running.

Public trust in recycling programs is also fading. Many people feel discouraged when they see their recycling efforts go to waste, especially with the confusion and misinformation about what can actually be recycled. Studies show that only 21% of residential recyclables are being recycled. As confidence in the system declines, fewer people participate, which only worsens the problem.

Solutions to Revitalize Recycling Industry in the US

1. Improving Recycling Infrastructure

A key strategy for improving domestic recycling facilities is creating stable markets for recycled materials by requiring institutions to purchase products with recycled content, such as 100% recycled paper. This demand motivates recycling facilities to invest in better equipment and expand programs.

Modernizing technology, such as advanced sorting systems, reduces contamination and improves material recovery, as San Francisco’s 80% waste diversion rate demonstrates.

Regulatory measures also drive stability, with policies that mandate recycling and limit landfill use. Cities like Austin require large construction projects to recycle or reuse debris, fostering demand for recycled materials. Financial incentives, such as tax breaks in Los Angeles, and fees for non-recyclable items, like San Francisco’s 25-cent bag charge, further encourage participation.

Other Countries With Effective Recycling Systems

South Korea has emerged as a leader in recycling by focusing on reducing waste and improving practices. The country achieved a 60% recycling rate in 2020 through initiatives like banning colored PVC and plastic bottles and pledging to phase out disposable cups and plastic straws by 2027.

A standout success is its food waste recycling program, which grew from a mere 2% in 1995 to an impressive 95% in 2020, driven by fees for biodegradable waste bags and strong government support.

Austria, located at the heart of Europe, has implemented strict waste management measures to achieve its high recycling rate of 59%. The country banned waste products with high carbon emissions and outlawed specific plastic bags, with sales and distribution bans enforced in 2020.

Switzerland complements these examples with its highly efficient waste management system built on the “polluter pays” principle. By placing the financial burden of recycling on producers and companies, Switzerland ensures accountability while maintaining a 53% recycling rate.

2. Increase Access to Recycling Services

Everyone would proactively participate in recycling initiatives if given the chance. But right now, about 40% of households in the U.S. don’t have access to recycling. This makes it easier for people to throw away items that could be recycled, wasting valuable materials that end up in landfills.

Here are some ways to increase access to recycling:

• Expand Curbside Recycling: Provide curbside recycling services in areas that don’t have them, especially in rural and underserved communities.
• Make Recycling Convenient: Offer larger or extra bins to encourage more people to recycle.
• Add Recycling Bins in Public Spaces: Place bins in parks, schools, shopping centers, and transit stations to make it easy to recycle on the go.
• Use Clear Labels: Ensure bins have simple, clear labels so people know what can be recycled and to prevent contamination.
• Support Recycling in Multi-Family Housing: Provide shared recycling bins for apartment buildings and condos to ensure all residents can participate.
• Train Property Managers: Educate property managers on how to set up and maintain effective recycling systems in their buildings.

3. Reducing Contamination Through Education

Research shows that 70% of people in the U.S. find recycling confusing. This isn’t surprising, as the country doesn’t have a unified system regarding this matter. Instead, the recycling industry operates through different community programs, each with its own rules about what and how to recycle.

To keep recyclables out of landfills, it’s crucial to teach people how to recycle properly. Clear education is needed through community events, campaigns, and brochures to explain the importance of recycling, composting, and reusing. Residents also need to know what items can be recycled in their specific area.

Cities that combine recycling, composting, and education programs create circular economies, reducing waste and boosting overall growth.

4. Policy and Corporate Responsibility

Government policies and corporate responsibility are crucial to building a sustainable recycling system in the U.S. 

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies require manufacturers to manage their products throughout their lifecycle, encouraging eco-friendly designs, sustainable production, and responsible disposal practices. By using durable materials, reducing packaging, and taking accountability for end-of-life management, EPR makes recycling more efficient.

Additionally, governments can provide financial support through grants, subsidies, and tax breaks to help businesses adopt sustainable practices and improve recycling infrastructure.

Corporate Responsibility

Businesses can take a proactive approach to sustainability by setting waste reduction goals and integrating recycled materials into their products. These initiatives can be complemented by establishing recycling programs within their operations to ensure resources are managed responsibly.

Additionally, companies can amplify their impact by launching in-office recycling programs and educating both employees and customers on proper recycling practices. Raising awareness within their networks not only boosts participation but also fosters a culture of environmental responsibility.

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are uniquely positioned to make significant contributions to these efforts by applying the three Rs. Given their operational scale, even minor adjustments can lead to substantial environmental benefits. The process begins with the hierarchy of waste management:

• Reduce: Minimize waste production by conducting waste audits to identify inefficiencies. This can involve digitizing paper-heavy processes, phasing out single-use items like plastic cups or plates, and streamlining operations to use fewer materials.

• Reuse: Extend the life of resources by incorporating reusable alternatives wherever possible. Opting for durable products or repurposing materials can significantly cut down on waste.

• Recycle: When waste cannot be eliminated or reused, ensure that recyclable materials are properly processed to prevent them from ending up in landfills.

FAQs About the U.S. Recycling Industry

Creating a Greener Tomorrow Starts Today

Building a sustainable future requires teamwork between governments, businesses, and citizens. Each group plays a key role in improving recycling in the U.S. 

Governments can create smart policies, provide funding, and set clear recycling rules nationwide. Businesses can adopt eco-friendly practices, design products that are easier to recycle, and take responsibility for their products from start to finish.

Lastly, citizens can do their part by reducing waste, recycling correctly, and supporting sustainability programs.

The goal is clear: we need to recycle to save resources, protect the environment, and create a system that benefits future generations. By working together and embracing new ideas, we can build a recycling system that is efficient, sustainable, and available to everyone. 

The time to act is now, and the choices we make today will shape the future of recycling in the U.S.

The post Recycling in Crisis: Why It’s Failing & How to Fix It appeared first on GreenGeeks Blog.

While on paper, this makes a lot of sense, however, this ban has not only not worked but has actually introduced more plastic into the environment as a result. In 2021, California dumped 231,072 tons of plastic from grocery stores, more than when the ban started.

And this problem is not limited to California. Twelve other states also introduced a similar plastic bag ban and ran into the same problem. This raises the question of how a plastic bag ban could end up causing more plastic usage.

Today, we are going to cover why the plastic bag ban failed and how reusable bags contributed to it.

Why Ban Plastic Bags?

For many shoppers, the banning of plastic bags was a very confusing decision as it made the experience more complicated, and in many cases, more expensive for consumers. Yet, it made a lot of sense from an environmental standpoint.

The plastic bags that were used at grocery stores in 2014 were meant for a single use. Although, plenty of people would reuse them as garbage bags for smaller trashcans. After the use, you were supposed to recycle them.

While this might sound like a good practice, the truth is that less than 10% of plastic bags are recycled.

The rest are thrown away and end up in landfills or find their way into the environment, most notably the ocean, because they were improperly discarded. Once in the environment, these bags would negatively affect the wildlife.

For example, many fish would eat the plastic bags. Their stomachs are incapable of breaking down the bags, which would result in the fish thinking it was full. The reality is that the fish would starve to death because its stomach is full of plastic.

As such, a decision was made to ban such bags as a way to prevent this from occurring.

What Are Single-Use Plastics?

Plastic bags are synonymous with single-use plastics. By definition, a single-use plastic is an object that is used one time before it is discarded. While there are many cases of single-use items being reused, it is not the norm.

Plastic bags are such an example as it is very common to use those bags as trash bags for smaller bins at home.

However, there are many instances where that is not the case. Similarly to a plastic bag ban, California has made efforts to limit plastic straw usage. This is through a law that prohibits restaurants from providing a plastic straw unless asked for by the customer.

This has resulted in the infamous rise of paper straws that just don’t work for most consumers. And similarly to the plastic bag ban, many companies ended up moving to even worse alternatives.

For example, Starbucks switched to strawless lids you drink from. They simply replaced a single-use plastic with another one that requires more plastic to create, thus making the problem worse.

The Recyclable Plastic Bag Myth

If you ask plastic bag manufacturers what they think of the ban, naturally, they are against it. Most state something along the lines that a single-use plastic bag is fully recyclable and is the best option for groceries.

And technically, they are correct that plastic bags are recyclable, however, it isn’t as good as it sounds.

The truth is that recycling a plastic bag is actually more expensive than making a new one from scratch. As such, there is no incentive to actually recycle them unless legislation requires it.

On top of this, a recycled plastic bag cannot be reused to create a new plastic bag. Instead, they are transformed into low-grade materials for other products, thus, there really is no way to recycle plastic bags like other goods.

Why Did the Plastic Bag Ban Backfire?

Unfortunately, when the law was written it included a loophole that allowed grocery stores to offer customers thicker plastic bags for a small fee (10 cents). This was included as thicker plastic bags are reusable.

The idea was simple. Shoppers would pay a fee to get these reusable bags, bring them home, and store them for their next visit. The reality was that the average consumer ended up relying on these thicker bags and using them once before discarding them.

This essentially created a more expensive and more environmentally impactful single-use plastic bag.

Naturally, these thicker reusable plastic bags were much more harmful than the traditional bags when they were discarded after a single use. The law would eventually face an even bigger problem in the form of the Covid-19 pandemic.

As the lockdown commenced, shoppers were not allowed to bring their own reusable bags as it could risk contamination in the store. This led to a hold on the ban as single-use plastic bags were the safest way to transport groceries during the pandemic.

This was eventually lifted, and the plastic bag ban began to be enforced again throughout the state as lockdown measures ended.

As a result, the law will be rewritten and go into effect on January 1st, 2026, to fix this problem.

What Does the New Plastic Bag Ban Do?

The new law that California has passed in 2024 will close the existing loophole. Meaning that grocery stores will no longer have the option to sell customers thicker plastic bags. Instead, customers will have three options to choose from when they go shopping.

1. Pay 10 cents to purchase a paper bag
2. Bring their own reusable bag (stores can sell these separately)
3. Carry out their groceries by hand

It is important to point out that the reusable bags sold will be the more traditional totes and not thicker plastic bags. These are your freezer bags or bags that are composed of thick fabrics instead of plastic.

The law also has a condition that by 2028, the paper bags that stores offer must be composed of at least 50% recycled material. With these changes in place, the state hopes that the bill will now have the desired effect of lowering plastic pollution.

The bill has been praised by over 70 environmental organizations and is expected to be an example for other states to follow that also introduced a plastic bag ban.

Will Paper Bags Create A Similar Problem?

There is a concern that paper bag waste will simply replace plastic bag waste. While there is some merit to that claim, the impact of paper bags is vastly different than plastic for one simple reason.

A plastic bag takes somewhere between 10-20 years to decompose naturally, during which it will break down into microplastics that end up in every living organism, humans included. Whereas a paper bag takes 2-6 weeks to decompose.

Even more importantly, unlike plastic bags that cannot be recycled into new plastic bags, paper bags can.

This is a big reason why the new law has a mandate to require paper bags to contain at least 50% recycled material. This will create a greater incentive for recycling because producers will be forced to use recycled material during production.

It’s also worth pointing out that many advocates of the bill ultimately want stores to stop offering single-use options of any kind. At the end of the day, single-use products create a tremendous amount of waste.

While plastic is far more damaging to the environment, even paper could become problematic with a large enough amount.

However, the truth is that most consumers simply do not care and want the most convenient option. This is why the original bill’s loophole was so widely used within the state of California.

Why Do Shoppers Not Use Reusable Bags?

One simple question is why are shoppers in California not using reusable bags?

The truth is they are not as convenient as having the store provide them. Think about it for a second, you are in a rush, leave the house and go to the store. You get to the store and realize you don’t have your bags with you.

Your only options are either to drive back home or use what the store has available. As you might have guessed, most choose the latter because it is more convenient. While we can all say that this is bad planning and preparation for the shopper, it does highlight an issue.

Shoppers will always pick the cheapest and easiest path. Our lives have become extremely busy with most households consisting of two incomes. People simply do not have the time or do not want to deal with bringing their own bags.

While this is sad, it is a real problem that needs to be addressed. The simple answer is to just keep reusable bags in your car to avoid the situation from ever happening. But let’s just be honest, people are always going to forget their bags at some point.

Why Plastic Pollution Is a Major Threat to Humanity

Plastic pollution is one of the biggest threats that face the world. While it may not seem like a big deal for plastic waste to be everywhere, it really is. Here are some of the major reasons plastic pollution threatens the world.

Health Risks for Humans

There are countless studies being conducted to understand the impacts of microplastics on humans. Microplastics are created as plastic naturally degrades and can get dangerously small enough to enter humans without our knowledge.

While the science behind it is not fully understood, a look at workers in the plastic industry shows big problems. Workers in this industry are at an increased risk of leukemia, lymphoma, brain cancer, breast cancer, mesothelioma, and have decreased fertility.

This is due to the toxic chemicals used to create plastic, and as microplastics break down within humans, those chemicals are released inside of us, and the same effects can be seen. However, the data is still not conclusive.

On average, it is estimated that humans will accumulate over 50,000 particles of plastic throughout their lifetime.

It’s also worth pointing out that while I am focusing on humans, the same is true for animals. And it is far worse for those that live in the ocean where plastic concentration is much higher.

Contaminates Soil, Water, and Air

You may be wondering how exactly humans can accumulate over 50,000 particles of plastic. It’s in the air you breathe, the food you eat, and the water you drink. Microplastics are so small, that they are naked to the human eye and have no taste.

Naturally, the microplastics enter our soil and water supply, which in turn exposes everyone who drinks from the water or eats crops grown in that soil to the carcinogenic chemicals that are released as the plastics continue to degrade.

This is what causes most humans and wildlife to suffer the health consequences we previously discussed.

They also get blown through the wind and end up in our respiratory systems without our knowledge. A terrible example of this would be “Cancer Alley” in Louisiana. The air is thick in gases that are discharged from plastic plants.

Impacts Biodiversity

Plastics have impacted wildlife in very horrifying ways. As I mentioned earlier, fish, sea mammals, and birds often eat plastic objects which fill their stomachs. As a result, they do not eat actual food and starve to death.

This is just one example of the impact plastic has on biodiversity.

We’ve spent a lot of time talking about microplastics, but the truth is that sometimes plastic pieces are quite large. And as they are dumped and transported around the world, some species will take up residence inside of them.

A good example of this is how large pieces of plastic float across the ocean. The Asian Shore Crab would ride these objects to new lands. These crabs compete for food with local crabs causing problems and can be found in America today.

How Can You Help?

The simple answer is to avoid buying and using plastic objects whenever possible.

For example, instead of purchasing bottled water, purchase a reusable water bottle that you can fill up. Not only will this save you money, but it will also help reduce the amount of plastic waste you are exposed to.

For those unaware, a recent study examined a one-liter bottle of water to see how many microplastics were inside of it. The report found an astounding 240,000 microplastics. This is because the examination looks at plastic particles that were measured in nanometers.

When plastic products are unavoidable, be sure to recycle them properly. If you are unsure if something is recyclable, take the time to search for information from the producer and check with your local recycling center to see if they can break down that item.

Another great piece of advice if you cannot avoid plastics is to look for products that use recycled material. This helps create more incentive for recycled material if producers see a rise in sales and need more materials to keep up with demand.

Another approach to take is a much more direct one. Volunteer with local groups to help clean up where you live. Removing loose plastic objects from the land and sea helps create a clean place to live and reduces exposure to chemicals from plastics as they degrade.

By taking these steps, you can help mitigate the damage plastic does to the environment.

The post Plastic Bag Bans: The Hidden Environmental Cost of Reusable Bags appeared first on GreenGeeks Blog.

Yet, there is no denying that there are some drawbacks. As such, while the world is transitioning and the total amount of renewable energy grows yearly, there is opposition to this transition for many reasons.

Today, we are going to take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of renewable energy.

What Is Renewable Energy?

Renewable energy is energy that comes naturally from the environment and will replenish itself. It is often referred to as green energy or clean energy, but not all things considered green or clean are renewable.

Examples of renewable energy include solar, wind, hydropower, and more. Most modern nations today rely on these types of energy sources to meet demand.

Renewable energy is known for not producing emissions such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases that get trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere. As a result, they do not heat the planet like more traditional energy sources like oil.

Effects of Renewable Energy Across the Globe

Renewable energy has been increasingly adopted worldwide due to its numerous advantages, though it also comes with certain disadvantages.

In the United States, a study published in Cell Reports Sustainability highlighted that the country has gained significant financial benefits from the increased use of renewable energy sources.

Between 2019 and 2022, the production of wind and solar energy rose by 55%, meeting around 14% of the nation’s electricity demands by 2022. This shift led to a substantial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to removing 71 million cars from the roads annually, and provided $249 billion in climate and health benefits by reducing pollutants like sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx).

In Alberta, Canada, the government introduced new renewable energy policies following a seven-month moratorium on large-scale projects. These policies prioritize agricultural land use, establish buffer zones to protect scenic views and require reclamation security for renewable energy projects.

These measures aim to balance the development of renewable energy with the protection of agricultural and natural landscapes.

Globally, renewable energy capacity has been expanding rapidly.

According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), renewable energy sources accounted for 26% of the world’s electricity in 2019, with this share expected to reach 30% by 2024.

Solar energy, in particular, is projected to grow significantly, with global solar capacity expected to increase by 600 gigawatts (GW) by 2024. This growth is driven by falling technology costs and rising environmental concerns.

Renewable energy also offers significant job creation potential. It is estimated that renewable energy creates five times more jobs than fossil fuels.

For instance, clean energy jobs outnumber fossil fuel jobs by more than 2.5 to 1 in the United States. This job creation is crucial for local economies, as renewable energy projects often require local labor for installation and maintenance.

However, renewable energy is not without its challenges.

One major disadvantage is its dependence on weather conditions. Solar panels, for example, are less effective on cloudy or rainy days, and wind turbines require sufficient wind speeds to generate electricity.

Additionally, the efficiency of renewable technologies is generally lower compared to traditional fossil fuel-based power plants. Solar panels, for instance, have an efficiency rate of 15-20%, whereas coal and natural gas plants can reach efficiencies of up to 40-60%.

Another challenge is the high initial cost of renewable energy technologies. The manufacturing and installation of devices like photovoltaic (PV) panels can be expensive, and while operational costs are lower, the upfront investment can be a barrier for widespread adoption.

Governments often provide grants and subsidies to offset these costs and encourage the development of renewable energy projects.

Despite these challenges, the benefits of renewable energy are substantial. It enhances energy security by diversifying energy sources and reducing dependence on imported fuels.

Renewable energy sources like wind and solar are abundant and widely available, making them a reliable and sustainable option for power generation.

Additionally, renewable energy projects can help mitigate the impacts of climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality.

In terms of real-life examples, Japan has been expanding its wind energy capacity, particularly offshore wind turbines, to replace nuclear reactors. This shift is part of the country’s efforts to enhance energy security and reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.

Similarly, California has mandated that new homes and buildings up to three stories must have solar panels installed, further promoting the use of renewable energy.

The future of renewable energy looks promising, with continued advancements in technology and increasing investments.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts that renewable energy will account for a significant portion of global electricity generation by 2050, with solar power potentially becoming the world’s top power source.

This transition will require substantial investment and policy support to overcome existing barriers and fully realize the potential of renewable energy.

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of renewable energy.

The Advantages of Renewable Energy

Renewable energy is often hailed as the solution to climate change. This is due to the unique benefits it provides the world when compared with more traditional energy sources like oil and natural gas.

1. It Won’t Run Out

One day, the world will run out of fossil fuels like oil, natural gas, and coal. When that is, we cannot say for sure, but it is inevitable. This will render all technology that relies on them to become obsolete.

Renewable energy does not have this problem. And this will dramatically impact their prices. Instead, the ability of these energy sources to naturally replenish themselves is without a doubt their strongest advantage.

Thus, unlike a coal plant that needs a constant influx of coal to produce energy, a solar farm simply needs sunlight. This also makes them price resilient. The prices of fossil fuels will fluctuate based on availability, which doesn’t happen with renewables.

For instance, our sun will continue to provide energy for the next 4.6 billion years. When it’s gone, life as we know it will cease to exist anyway.

2. No Emissions

The biggest reason the world is desperately racing towards renewable energy sources is because they do not produce emissions. Non-renewables like coal, oil, and natural gas all produce greenhouse gas emissions that get trapped in the earth’s atmosphere.

These gases trap heat sent from the sun, which ultimately raises the temperature of the planet. This has the potential to disrupt agriculture, displace over one billion people, and cause a mass extinction event.

Renewable sources do not produce any emissions during their lifespan because they use naturally occurring resources. Thus, by switching to renewables, we can slow down the main culprit of climate change to preserve our planet for future generations to enjoy.

3. No Pollution

Fossil fuel sources produce far more than just energy and greenhouse gas emissions. Pollutants that come from these plants lower both the air and water quality in those regions. Renewable energy sources do not do this.

In fact, it is the exact opposite. Hydroelectric plants are famous for ensuring clean drinking water is available for nearby residents. It also prevents the build-up of stagnant water, which lowers the risk of disease.

If you were to look at the air quality index of places like China or India, you would see firsthand how detrimental relying on coal plants is for society. This has caused dangerous levels of smog to become a regular event in those regions.

4. It Is Cheaper And Price Resilient

Perhaps one of the biggest misconceptions about renewable energy is the price. While renewable energy has higher initial costs, which makes it harder for projects to get greenlit, once they are built, the energy produced is cheaper than coal, oil, or natural gas.

The reason behind it is quite simple; to produce power in a coal, oil, or natural gas plant, you need the necessary fuel. The coal, oil, or natural gas prices fluctuate, which can result in huge price changes. That doesn’t happen with renewables.

The input of solar, wind, or water, is free. Thus, over a lifetime, renewables are much cheaper. And the upfront costs continue to fall. According to the United States Department of Energy and The National Renewable Energy Laboratory, solar has been cheaper since 2017.

5. Reduce Waste

Renewable energy has the potential to help solve part of our waste problem. Firstly, the majority of components that go into renewable energy systems are recyclable. That way they can be reused to create new equipment.

This will ensure that less raw material will be required as it can be reused. However, a more direct way it can help is through the use of biomass energy. This is a renewable energy source that burns organic material to produce energy.

Organic materials include things like vegetable oil, soybean byproducts, and food scraps in general. Normally, these excess materials will just end up in landfills, but now there is the potential for them to power our homes.

6. Less Reliance on Other Nations

Being reliant on foreign powers for your energy is a risk for every country. Yet, due to many nations having no oil reserves of their own, many have no other options. And quite recently, we have seen how it can impact those nations.

Many European nations saw the effects in real-time as they made a collective decision to stop buying Russian oil, and instead obtain their energy from other sources. This caused nations like Germany to struggle to meet energy demands.

Renewables fix this problem entirely as countries can limitlessly generate energy off of their land. This helps prevent all countries from being impacted by geopolitical issues within their regions.

7. Creates Jobs

Renewable energy is a rather labor-intensive industry. Building large-scale projects like hydroelectricity plants, offshore wind farms, geothermal facilities, and more requires a lot of manpower.

Yet, even more importantly, these devices require maintenance regularly to operate at peak efficiency. As such, renewable energy has more job potential than simply maintaining fossil fuel sources.

And any data available will back up this claim, as I mentioned above. Nearly every continent has a similar split in labor between fossil fuel and renewables. Yet, while fossil fuel jobs are declining, renewables continue to increase yearly.

8. Quick Deployment

As the global temperature continues to rise, extreme weather events like hurricanes, forest fires, and more become more common. These events often leave thousands without power in the wake of extensive destruction.

Renewable energy sources can be deployed rapidly in the areas that need them the most. Solar in particular is used to power critical infrastructure to ensure that residents have access to drinking water, and lights are on in critical facilities like hospitals.

It is also worth pointing out that renewable sources are added to the grid modularly, which means that they are added to multiple locations. Thus, if one area is impacted by extreme weather, the other site is still able to generate power.

The Disadvantages of Renewable Energy

While there are many benefits of transitioning to renewable energy, that doesn’t mean there are no disadvantages. Many of these technologies have unique problems that impact regions differently.

Let’s go through a few.

1. Reliability

Certain events or conditions, like hosting the Olympics, can dramatically increase the load on the energy grid. As a result, utilities need to produce more energy to meet the demand, yet, renewable energy lacks this ability.

In order to scale up, more panels or turbines need to be erected.

Imagine a traditional natural gas plant. If you need more energy, you simply burn more natural gas to meet the demand. If you were to imagine a wind farm, you can’t produce more wind to meet the demand.

In fact, the wind may not be strong that day, which could result in less energy than normal, creating a deficit. This could lead to rolling blackouts, yet battery storage technology could solve this problem entirely.

With all of this said, it’s worth pointing out that hydroelectricity is considered the most reliable form of energy generation.

2. Higher Initial Costs

While I mentioned that renewable energy has become cheaper than fossil fuels, that is only when comparing the two after the initial construction of the respecting plants. Renewable energy sources have much higher initial costs than fossil fuels.

Part of the problem is that they are typically built in locations without infrastructure.

For example, imagine a typical wind farm. Wind farms are built far away from most areas at higher altitudes to generate more power. This means you need to get all of the materials to these areas, which often involves building other infrastructure like roads to get the components to the desired location.

This is not true for all types of renewable energy, but it is an issue for wind and hydroelectricity.

3. Impacts Wildlife

Building large objects in uninhabited regions will impact the wildlife that lives there. This occurs in a multitude of ways, with one of the more publicized impacts being birds flying into wind turbines. Naturally, they do not survive.

Though, it is worth pointing out that buildings kill roughly one billion birds per year due to collisions. Turbines are the least of their worries, in the grand scheme of things.

A lesser-known impact would be the noise pollution that is produced. Wind turbines produce a lot of noise, which is why they are usually built at least 300 feet from the closest house. Even at this distance, it will still sound louder than the average refrigerator.

Naturally, that means they are much louder where they are built, which can throw off animal senses and even disrupt some of their behaviors. Unfortunately, there is still not enough information to mitigate the effects.

4. Geographical Limitations

Unfortunately, one of the limiting factors of renewable energy is where it can be built. Not everyone can build a wind farm in their backyard, put a solar panel on their roof, or have a body of water suitable for producing hydroelectricity.

Each of these forms of renewable energy has prerequisites before they can be built. For instance, building wind turbines at lower altitudes makes them less reliable as the winds are not as consistent when compared to higher altitudes.

Or perhaps you live in NYC where your house or business may be in the shadow of a skyscraper. Solar is not going to be a good option. As such, each region typically needs to find a renewable source that works for them.

5. Requires More Mining

Renewable energy sources like solar panels require specific materials to be built. These materials often come from mining operations around the world. As the demand for solar and other renewable energies grows, so do mining operations.

Mining operations threaten biodiversity and damage land in an unrepairable way. There are also always pollutants released as a direct result that can impact the air and water quality of the region.

Naturally, if the world needs to fuel the entire global energy sector with renewable energy, the amount of resources it will take is incredible. This will rapidly increase the demand for mining, thus increasing the demand for new mines.

The Benefits Outweigh the Drawbacks

There’s no denying that renewable energy has some drawbacks, but without a doubt, it is going to be our main source of energy in the future. How long it will take to get there depends entirely on governments around the world.

And in most cases, the drawbacks will have solutions made for them as the technology continues to evolve. We can see this firsthand as the price of renewable energy which was once much higher than fossil fuels has now become much cheaper.

Failure to transition will cause irreparable damage to the Earth’s climate, which will not be reversible. As such, the faster we transition, the better off future generations will be.

The post The Advantages and Disadvantages of Renewable Energy appeared first on GreenGeeks Blog.

Here are the 3 major environmental rollbacks that occurred on President Biden’s First day in office.

Note: There were various other rollbacks like automobile fuel standards, so be sure to check out a full breakdown of the executive orders.

1. Rejoining the Paris Accord

The most well-known and impactful change was the United States asking to rejoin the Paris Accord. This will begin a short process that will allow the nation to rejoin the agreement with nearly 200 other nations.

This will put the United States in a position to help lead other nations to go green as it begins the process itself.

2. Revoke the Keystone XL Pipeline Permit

The Keystone XL pipeline was held up in court for years, but the previous administration granted the permit. The administration was quick to overturn this and construction on the pipeline will halt.

This is a serious blow to the oil industry because transporting the oil around the country is integral to the industry.

3. Temporarily Halting Drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

One of the most controversial decisions has been allowing oil companies to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. While that has ended in failure because no oil company showed up for the auctions, the possibility remained.

However, a temporary halt is in effect. This will prevent any drilling in the refuge for some time.

Green Energy Is the Future Of America

One thing that these executive orders have made abundantly clear, is that there is no room for oil in America’s future. The new administration is committed to pursuing green energy sources and transitioning our electric grid to zero carbon emissions.

However, that plan will take some time.

The current plan is to prepare the nation for the change and set it up to reach that goal by 2035.

The post Here’s What Major Environmental Rollbacks Happened On Day 1 of the Biden Administration appeared first on GreenGeeks Blog.

These rollbacks will come in the form of an executive order that intends to address public health and climate change. The list of rollbacks range from lightbulb efficiency all the way to fuel standards for new cars.

Making these changes will help lower emissions and protect our environment from pollution.

List of Major Environmental Policies Rollbacks

In total, the Trump administration rolled back 104 regulations, with 20 currently still in the process of reform.

Here are just a few of the major ones that are likely to change:

Obama-era Automobile Fuel Standards

For years, automobiles have strived to use less gas. Not only does this provide an environmental benefit, but it also helps the auto owners. The specific rollback allows for cars to emit an extra billion tons by lowering enforceable fuel standards on new cars.

Oil Companies No Longer Need to Report Methane Emissions

One of the more controversial changes was no longer requiring oil companies to report methane emissions. Methane is an extremely powerful greenhouse gas, which is much more potent than CO2.

This disincentivizes companies to repair small leaks and has led to an increase in emissions.

Open Up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge For Oil Drilling

For over six decades, the drilling rights for this wildlife refuge have been in court. However, the legal battle came to an end when it was part of a major tax reform bill in 2017. Recently, the land was auctioned, and in quite an ironic turn of events, no major oil company showed up.

However, the possibility for drilling remains.

Weakened the Endangered Species Act

The act intended to protect wildlife species facing extinction was altered as well. The change made it harder for animals that were going extinct as a result of climate change to be added to the endangered species list.

This made it harder for the species to receive the protections they need to survive.

Revoked A Rule Preventing Coal Companies From Dumping in Local Streams

That’s right, it’s now not against the law for coal companies to dump mining debris into nearby local streams. Overturning this, and many other coal regulations, were in an effort to keep the coal industry alive. However, that ultimately failed.

The rise of natural gas and renewable energy has permanently made coal undesirable as an energy source.

Change is on the Way

Overturning these problematic environmental policies will help the United States improve environmental protection and meet climate goals.

Most importantly, the nation will begin rejoining the Paris Accord on day one. Currently, it is one of the very few nations not currently part of the agreement and the only major economy that is not a member. And, when combined with the environmental rollbacks, a greener future is ahead.

The post Biden Looks to Overturn 100 Environmental Policies From the Last 4 Years appeared first on GreenGeeks Blog.

While the process of withdrawing from the Paris Agreement is long, returning is quite easy. All it requires is for the nation that wishes to join to send a letter to the United Nations and after 30 days, the United States can rejoin.

This action does not require any action from the House or Senate, but this is the easy part.

Making America Green Won’t Be Easy

The United States has a huge emissions problem, and many of the regulations that have been put in place over the last 4 years have made going green much harder.

A starting point will be reversing many of these regulatory changes, which could take quite some time. For example, lightbulb efficiency regulations were cut for no good reason. These regulations ensure lightbulbs use less energy to save money on your power bill.

In the case of businesses, it can save thousands each year.

America has also invested heavily in natural gas. And in hindsight, it was a huge mistake when looking at the current price of oil. This industry has been decimated with most oil companies looking at multi-billion dollar losses.

With many of these facilities being recently built, it will be hard to replace them so quickly with renewable energy sources.

However, for the United States to meet climate goals, something must change.

Covid-19 Recovery Plan Is Key

As the United States plans to rejoin the Paris accord, it must also focus on recovering from Covid-19.

Creating an economic recovery plan will be critical and not just for America. Every country around the world is in a similar situation, and many are integrating going green with recovery plans.

As a result, this can open up a lot of opportunities for the world to be more environmentally friendly.

The post Biden to Rejoin the Paris Accord on the First Day appeared first on GreenGeeks Blog.

There were a total of 22 tracks of land to bid on, and only 11 of them received bids. The kicker was that the majority of the bids were all from the state of Alaska in the form of the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA).

These bids were to ensure that the state itself can lease the land for drilling in case any plots were not sold.

Where Were the Oil Companies?

For decades, oil companies and the state of Alaska have been fighting to allow drilling. Thus, it may have come as a shock to Alaskan officials when none were present.

However, it makes perfect sense as this might be the worst possible time for an oil auction.

Oil prices have been down all year as a result of lower demand due to the pandemic. As a result, these companies are down billions of dollars and are even beginning to divest from oil itself in favor of renewable energy.

There is also their reputation on the line. Many of these big oil companies are working on changing their image due to younger investors. Drilling in a wildlife refuge is not going to win them any favors in this department.

And finally, this rushed auction was a result of the administration change in the White House. President-elect Biden has openly said he is opposed to the drilling, which could mean regulatory barriers for drillers.

It’s a big risk and with oil prices so low, the payoff just isn’t there.

Major Banks Are Also Opposed

To date, every major American bank has stated that it will not support drilling. This cut off an important source of money for any companies interested and could ruin relationships between a company and bank.

As you can imagine, that is a very bad thing.

Thus, there was very little incentive for any major oil players to attend the ANWR auction.

The post The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) Auction is A Colossal Failure appeared first on GreenGeeks Blog.

Thus, making it the biggest drop in emissions in the post-World War II era for the country

For reference, the previous largest drop in US history occurred during the recession of 2009. At that time, the nation saw a 6.3% decrease. As a result of this huge decrease in carbon emissions, the United States is currently down 21% below 2005 emission levels.

Oddly enough, this sudden decrease means that the United States will meet its Copenhagen Accord target of a 17% reduction below 2005 emission levels.

The Decrease Isn’t Permanent

One thing the report made very clear, is that this sudden and unexpected decrease will not last. The moment that Covid-19 is behind this, emissions are expected to return close to the 2019 levels.

After all, nothing actually changed on a legislative or technological level.

Most importantly, this sudden decrease is very unlikely to allow the United States to meet its Paris Agreement (before it left) promise of a 26%-28% decrease by 2025.

Again, nothing changed that would allow the country to make such a decrease.

The Transportation Sector

The biggest driver of this decrease was the transportation sector.

As a result of the stay-at-home orders and travel restrictions, the country saw the biggest decrease in history for the sector. It saw a jaw-dropping decrease of 273 million metric tons below 2019 levels.

For reference, the previous record was an 8-million metric ton decrease.

The biggest occurred in April when the country saw a whopping 40% decrease in monthly passenger vehicle travel. This is when a full lock-down was in effect for most areas of the country.

This sudden decrease highlights just how impactful the transportation sector is in America.

The post Carbon Emissions Fell by 10% in 2020 for the United States appeared first on GreenGeeks Blog.