[GWSG] Menu messages; mariculture; pilotless flying; Gulf reprieve; looming leases; household CH4; 1900 ppb; doing better

[Tilley, Al]

1. In a study by the World Resources Institute, restaurants more than doubled the ordering of plant-based foods by proper messaging. Two messages which work are a statement of how much emissions can be saved by ordering, say, a bean burrito vs. a beef burrito, and a bandwagon appeal to join the 90% of Americans choosing to eat less meat. Changing dish names (“vegetarian lasagna” and “plant-based sausage”) or inviting people to be vegetarian or vegan don’t work as well. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jan/26/plant-based-food-restaurants-climate-menu-messages



2. Mariculture (marine aquaculture) generates less carbon than livestock production, and could generate even less. Cofarming bivalves with seaweed could even be carbon negative. Supply chain improvements could also reduce carbon emissions. (Plant-based alternatives to meat and seafood are not considered.)  https://phys.org/news/2022-01-seafood-climate-friendly-scientists-outline.html



3. Wisk Aero is piloting Cora, an autonomous (that is, pilotless) electric VTOL (straight up and down—no runway) air taxi. Cora will carry two people up to about 60 miles at 112 mph. Wisk is partnering with Boeing and hoping to have Coras approved for use in the US in 2028. The first trials will be conducted in New Zealand with some brave passengers.  https://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2020/02/04/wisk-boeing-kitty-hawk-autonomous-air-taxies.html



4. A federal district court has ruled that the jumbo oil and gas lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico was based on a flawed Trump administration analysis of the environmental impact and may not proceed until a new analysis is completed. Since the Trump analysis rests on the idea that oil and gas would be produced by dirtier foreign processes if we did not beat them to it, a more thoughtful analysis of the actual impacts of development is unlikely to support the leases. A similar argument ended the proposed Alaskan development.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/01/27/biden-gulf-of-mexico-lease-sale/



5. The Alaskan development decision resulted in blocking only half the proposed fossil fuel development. Additionally, the Biden administration is still planning to auction off drilling and mining rights on more than 200,000 acres of land in Western states by March. The defense of “they are making us do it” is bad for my blood pressure. We must do better.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/01/27/oil-gas-leasing-biden-climate/?utm_campaign=Carbon%20Brief%20Daily%20Briefing&utm_content=20220128&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Revue%20Daily



6. A Stanford study found that gas stoves emit methane significantly even when they are turned off. Coupled with the emissions and combustion products when they are turned on, gas stoves pose a significant health risk. For example, they are behind about 12% of childhood asthma. Electric stoves have no household emissions, whether on or off. https://reneweconomy.com.au/household-gas-use-much-worse-for-health-and-climate-than-first-thought/



7. Global atmospheric methane levels have reached 1,900 parts per billion, a “fire alarm” level. About three-fifths come from human activity. We must find other, less destructive activities. The pledge by over 100 nations at COP26 to cut methane emissions 30% by 2030 is a good start.  https://phys.org/news/2022-01-methane-atmosphere-all-time-high-climate.html



8. John Kerry and Tony Blinken hosted a meeting of representatives of the major global emitters this week. They reported on their progress and agreed that we must do better. https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/27/politics/john-kerry-major-economies-forum-climate/index.html

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