Tag: environment

Greed standard trumps LEED standard at the General Assembly

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May 7, 2013 at 12:33 pmCategory:Uncategorized

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Ready to cry “uncle” yet? The folks running the North Carolina General Assembly hope so.  As Chris Fitzsimon will discuss this afternoon in today’s Fitzsimon File, the reactionary legislation is coming so thick and fast these days at the General Assembly that it’s simply hard to keep up – much less speak out or have input.

It’s no wonder more and more good people are simply speaking with their feet and bodies.

Yet another classic (and likely to be under-reported) example of extreme and destructive legislation simply getting lost in the shuffle on Jones Street is this measure – which would  prevent North Carolina from seeking LEED certification for public buildings. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) the best known and most respected “green” building rating system.  

The measure, which will be heard this afternoon in the House Agriculture Committee at 1:00 pm in 643 LOB, Read More…

National magazine shines more light on NC sea-level rise embarrassment

April 18, 2013 at 10:52 amCategory:Uncategorized

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Sea-level rise 2Earth Magazine, a publication of the American Geosciences Institute, has a new featured article this week entitled: “Denying sea-level rise: How 100 centimeters divided the state of North Carolina.” It’s authored by a pair of Duke academics – Alexander Glass and Orrin Pilkey (who has contributed in the past to The Progressive Pulse).

“On the surface, it looks like America is a place where scientists and scientific achievements are held in high regard. Read More…

Conservation advocates: “We will hold lawmakers accountable”

January 28, 2013 at 10:25 amCategory:Uncategorized

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Dan Crawford of the N.C. League of Conservation Voters distributed the following statement this morning: 

RALEIGH, N.C. – In anticipation of the NC General Assembly’s return on January 30, an analysis of the 2012 Conservation Legislative Scorecard reveals a disturbing trend in regard to the new leadership and the environment. The scorecard published by NC League of Conservation Voters gives each state legislator a score of 0 to 100 based on his or her votes on key environmental bills during each legislative session.

The newly appointed leaders of House committees affecting the environment earned an average of 28% in the 2011-12 session, well below the overall House average of 42%, itself down from 67% in the 2009-10 session. Key roles in the House include the Environment Committee, the Transportation Committee, the Public Utilities Committee, the Regulatory Reform Committee, the Appropriations Subcommittee on Natural and Economic Resources, and the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation.

More disturbing than the House scores, Read More…

Coal Blooded – Report by the NAACP

November 26, 2012 at 11:00 amCategory:Uncategorized

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The NAACP recently released a report, Coal Blooded, which documents the “Environmental Justice Performance” of all coal fired power plants around the country. The report ranks the 378 plants using EPA toxic emissions data and demographic information – race, income and population density. The report shows that the six million Americans living near coal plants have an average income lower than the national average and 39% are people of color – whereas people of color make up 36% of the US population. Read More…

Bill McKibben’s “Do the Math” Road Show

November 16, 2012 at 3:00 pmCategory:Uncategorized

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Bill McKibben, well-known author, scholar and advocate for taking action to address climate change, will speak at Duke University on Monday evening. His road tour – Do the Math – explains the terrifying arithmetic of the climate crisis and focuses on building a movement to avoid the most catastrophic effects of a warming planet.  If you need any convincing to get involved, this event will motivate you.  Mike Brune, CEO of the Sierra Club, will join McKibben.

Where: Page Auditorium, Duke University, 402 Chapel Drive, Durham NC

When: Nov. 19th, Doors open at 6 pm, program begins at 7 pm.

Cost: $5 – after you register you’ll be taken to the page where you can buy your tickets.

http://act.350.org/signup/durham-do-the-math/