Extreme hurricanes highlight concerns about climate change
2024 Summer Camp Guide
2024 Summer Camp Guidep

Community News

Extreme hurricanes highlight concerns about climate change
9/28/2017 Volume XLVII, No. 39

With two months to go, the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season has made history as one of the most active and destructive on record.  Four major hurricanes - Harvey, Irma, Jose and Maria - caused catastrophic impacts to the U.S. mainland and Caribbean islands, and there could be more. The warm ocean waters that spawn tropical cyclones won’t cool down for some time.

This cluster of hurricanes does not come as a surprise to climate scientists, who have predicted that man-made changes to the Earth’s climate are accelerating the conditions that produce powerful storms. While the storms in themselves are not definitive evidence of climate change and scientists look at long-term trends to validate their theories, the increased frequency and intensity of these recent storms is exactly what is predicted and expected of a warming climate.

This past week was national Clean Energy Week, a great time to consider the connection between energy consumption and the resulting pollution that creates heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere, leading to warmer oceans. The goal of Clean Energy Week is to raise awareness of the issues and the potential for renewable energy like wind and solar to replace fossil fuels that produce greenhouse gases.

At a Rutgers University-sponsored conference on climate change on Sept. 27, scientists and decision makers discussed New Jersey’s progress in preparing for climate change and the critical role states can play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

In conjunction with Clean Energy Week, NJ Conservation Foundation and ReThink Energy NJ released a new report,  “A Clean Energy Pathway for New Jersey,” detailing how this state we’re in can achieve a 50 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions coming from New Jersey electric generating plants by 2030. That goal is key in meeting targets set by the state’s Global Warming Response Act, which calls for an 80 percent cut in greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors, including electricity and transportation, by 2050.

The Clean Energy Pathway report relies on three strategies to achieve affordable emission reductions: greater energy efficiency, a continuation of New Jersey’s historic growth in solar energy, and a new focus on offshore wind power.

As of 2015, solar and wind accounted for only 4 percent of New Jersey’s energy mix, currently dominated by natural gas and nuclear energy. By following the Clean Energy Pathway, the state could have a third of its power generation needs met by in-state renewable energy by 2030.

According to the report, increased energy efficiency would reduce New Jersey’s total need for electricity generation 15 percent by 2030.

The proposed Clean Energy Pathway mix in 2030 – which includes 17 percent offshore wind, 14 percent solar, 31 percent natural gas and 36 percent nuclear – would cost about the same as the status quo. But the new energy mix would lead to a 50 percent reduction in harmful emissions, allowing New Jersey to avoid significant public health and environmental costs.

“The proposed expansion of renewable energy sources is projected to moderately increase electricity generation costs, but these costs would be offset by significant efficiency savings such that ratepayers would pay slightly less,” the report stated. “When factoring in the public health and environmental costs of carbon, the savings from the Clean Energy Pathway are even higher. By adopting sensible policies, New Jersey can affordably achieve sustainable emissions reductions.”

ReThink Energy NJ isn’t the only group reaching this conclusion.

According to a new report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance, clean energy is quickly approaching the “tipping point” at which it becomes cheaper than fossil fuels. At a recent presentation in London, the group said technology is cutting the costs of wind and solar installations, making it inevitable that clean energy will replace fossil fuels in many places around the world.  

According to Bloomberg, the first tipping point will come when the cost to build new wind and solar power generating facilities becomes lower than building new power plants that use natural gas and coal. The second tipping point will come when it’s more costly to operate existing coal and gas plants than to get power from wind and solar.

Clearly, the economic momentum is on the side of clean energy. New Jersey now has an achievable and affordable pathway to get there, and it is time to move ahead quickly.

The public health and environmental costs of cleaning up and restoring communities devastated by extreme storms are not affordable or sustainable. It’s time for New Jersey’s elected leaders to put this state we’re in firmly on the path to clean energy. As Harvey, Irma, Jose and Maria have shown, we have no time to lose!

For more information about the proposed Clean Energy Pathway, go to http://rethinkenergynj.org/cleanenergypathway/.

And to learn about preserving New Jersey’s land and natural resources, visit the New Jersey Conservation Foundation website at www.njconservation.org or contact me at info@njconservation.org.

POSTS

Still the Garden State!

Protect New Jersey's wildlife homes

Preserved lands protect clean air and water

To tree or not to tree?

Hard cider in the Garden State

Turkey Time

American shad return to New Jersey river after 173 years

Act now to avoid worst climate impacts

NJ Natural Lands Trust celebrates 50 years

Must love bats!

Move and improve your health!

Renewable energy: Save money and our land, water, air and health

Speak up for endangered species!

Save the bugs!

Check out New Jersey's fall bird migration

A little bit of respect...for native plants!

Explore New Jersey's wildflower meadows

All aboard floating classrooms

Catch the Perseids meteor shower!

Check out the 'fun' in fungi

Too hot to think? Studies shows heat affects your brain

Love NJ's outdoors? Take action now!

New Jersey's official reptile, the bog turtle

Sea level rise and New Jersey: Not perfect together

These New Jersey plants have an appetite for insects

Explore the Pine Barrens through paddles, hikes and tours

Like to jog? 'Plog' instead and keep NJ clean

Love Jersey fruit? Thank our native pollinators!

Good news for globally rare swamp pink lilies

Say cheese! Remote cameras aid wildlife research

Begone, single-use plastic bags!

3,000 birds and counting for 'bluebird grandfather'

The Pine Barrens gets some help from its friends

A clean energy future for New Jersey

Cowtown and rare grassland birds, perfect together

Fight light pollution during International Dark Sky Week

New film tells story of how Petty's Island was saved

Ten years of nipping invasive species in the bud

Welcome spring in a county park

Go for a walk and feel better!

Grab a friend and go outside

Recycle your way to zero waste!

Last call for winter wildlife watching on Jersey coast

Without its 'understory' layer, the forest will collapse

From whale songs to poetry, a remarkable journey

A cleaner, greener New Jersey

Let's keep New Jersey the Garden State, not the Pipeline State

New Jersey's winter hikes

'Trees don't vote' but Byrne saved Pine Barrens anyway

Governor-elect Murphy should set new course on the environment

ARCHIVE

December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011

CLICK FOR RECENT POSTS



     coupon           photos     
WITH THIS COUPON
$50 off for the first month of lessons
School of Rock - Doylestown
88 South Main Street
Doylestown, PA 18901
215-230-3406
https://locations.schoolofrock.com/doylestown/music-camps/?utm_source=communities-alive&utm_medium=dynamic-ad&utm_campaign=general
Coupons may not be combined.
Not valid with other offers or prior purchases.
Printed online at HatboroAlive.com.

-Print Coupon

© BucksCountyAlive.com - Mikula Web Solutions. All rights reserved.
Redistribution of coupons in printed or electronic form is prohibited.

     coupon     
WITH THIS COUPON
Snipes Farm Camp Programs for children ages 5-12 and the Camp Leadership Program for youth ages 13-15 connect kids to nature, a working farm and friends. The Early Bird discount of 8% runs until February 20th, 4% until April 1st with other discounts available.
Snipes Farm and Education Center
890 West Bridge Street
Morrisville, PA 19067
215-295-1138
https://www.snipesfarm.org/?utm_source=communities-alive&utm_medium=camp-ad&utm_campaign=communities-alive-general
Coupons may not be combined.
Not valid with other offers or prior purchases.
Expires: 04/01/24
Printed online at HatboroAlive.com.

-Print Coupon

© BucksCountyAlive.com - Mikula Web Solutions. All rights reserved.
Redistribution of coupons in printed or electronic form is prohibited.

     photos