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Why California needs a public utility option — but not prisoner futility
Michelle R. Matisons Waste Management & EnvironmentalWhen universal values of dignified workplaces cautiously attending to dwindling resources are contemplated in the U.S., minds often wander to the Golden State. But not so fast. Northern California's International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) 1245 union opposes new legislation, Senate Bill 917, to turn bankrupt PG&E into a public utility — harkening back to yesteryear’s spotted owl vs. logger debates regarding old growth forests. The term "labor power" takes on new meaning to survive these divisive times; labor clashes with the environment again.
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Workplace fatalities are at their highest levels since 2008. What’s…
Terri Williams Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementIn December 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics released workplace injury data from 2018. There were 5,250 fatal workplace injuries, which represents a 2% increase over 2017. This is also the highest amount since 2008, and it should be noted that from 2009-15, workplace fatalities were in the 4,500 to 4,600 range. Two particular causes of workplace fatalities increased significantly. Deaths from unintentional overdoses as a result of nonmedical consumption of drugs or alcohol while at work increased 12%. Work-related suicides increased by 11%.
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Report: Most American drinking water is contaminated with ‘forever…
Scott E. Rupp Waste Management & EnvironmentalU.S. drinking water is contaminated with man-made "forever chemicals" that are far greater than previously estimated. The forever chemicals are resistant to environmental breakdown and are known as perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), some of which are linked to cancers, liver damage, low birth weight, and other health problems. The chemicals have been discovered in drinking water at 34 previously unknown locations, according to a report released on Jan. 22 by the Environmental Working Group (EWG).
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Dump your stuff now, before you die
Lisa Cole Mental HealthcareWho amongst us wouldn't like to feel lighter, freer, less encumbered? I would! Maybe due to my time dealing with death as a healthcare professional, being an older U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Africa, or because of the "gypsy year" I'm in right now, I am convinced we don’t need most of what we think we do. How many of us default to storage units when our home becomes too crowded? What's the inside of our car look like? When will we rid ourselves of all this extra? Or will we? Dump your stuff now, before you die.
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Hydrogen hopes burn brightly in the UK
Andrew Gaved Facilities & GroundsThe U.K. is currently exploring the prospect of one of the most radical transformations to its heating infrastructure for half a century. As the country grapples with a target to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, a variety of trials are underway to investigate whether it is possible to replace the national natural gas "grid" with one that runs on hydrogen. The goal is ultimately to run 100% hydrogen in place of the current methane network, but to start with a 20% blend with natural gas. The 2018 provisional U.K. greenhouse gas statistics show gas combustion in all forms (heating and power) accounted for 50% of the country's carbon emissions.
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Volunteer dentists needed for aid in Puerto Rico
Tammy Hinojos Oral & Dental HealthcareA nonprofit medical organization called International Medical Relief is sponsoring outreach trips to Puerto Rico in response to the recent earthquakes that have devastated the region. The U.S.-based nonprofit provides mobile medical clinics and sustainable health education to underserved communities in 70 countries around the world. Puerto Rico and other islands sprinkled throughout the Caribbean were struck by a magnitude 6.4 earthquake and several aftershocks early in the morning on Jan. 7.
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Study: Americans are concerned about plastic pollution, but not as much…
Scott E. Rupp Waste Management & EnvironmentalThe U.S. is one of the biggest creators of plastic waste, and consumers are taking more notice than ever. Concerns over plastic pollution and how to combat it with eco-friendly alternatives are also peaking. Piplsay surveyed 31,149 Americans to understand their perception of plastics, waste and plastic recycling — an apt audience since the U.S. produces about 35 million tons of plastic waste each year. Of all that trash, less than 10% is recycled. America also is seen as lagging behind in intent and action regarding recycling.
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How hospitality will become more sustainable in 2020
Bambi Majumdar Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementIt seems that hotel sustainability is going to top all hospitality trends in 2020. The industry is adopting a dual approach to become more sustainable, featuring a blend of behavioral change and implementation of relevant technologies. According to research, hotels must reduce their carbon emissions by 66% by 2030 to ensure that growth in the sector is sustainable. Many are using the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative (HCMI) to measure and report on their carbon footprint in a consistent way.
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In defense of tree planting and other feedback loop interventions for the…
Michelle R. Matisons Waste Management & EnvironmentalStatistics from NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, affiliated with Columbia University, make speculation about rising global temperatures quite real. The past five years are the hottest on instrumental record, compared all the way back with the late 19th and early 20th centuries. But there’s a push-and-pull dynamic as a 1.2 degrees Celsius temperature rise can fall as water cools from melting ice. The climate science community can scarcely afford optimism's luxuries, but sometimes it shines through anyway. New research that links melting ice to human actions from 1955 to 2005 is supposedly not all bad news.
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Asbestos can be everywhere, so create a remediation plan
Scott E. Rupp Facilities & GroundsAging institutional and commercial facilities continue to present trouble for occupants, visitors, administrators, and facilities professionals. They produce a host of liabilities to everyone that enters to work, live, learn, or consume services at a given facility. One of the most prominent recent examples of these risks was a School District of Philadelphia building that was closed after asbestos damage was discovered inside. Asbestos is more than a local or regional problem, of course, and remains a thorn in the side of countless facility managers the world over.
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