As we continue to battle the climate crisis, discussions about the harms of burning fossil fuels have grown increasingly popular. Many are considering partially or completely switching to renewable energy—energy from sources that are “inexhaustible in duration but limited in the amount of energy that is available per unit of time.”
A central concern of Ukrainian-Russian tensions has been Europe’s dependence on natural gas and oil imported from Russia. In 2019, roughly 40% of Europe’s natural gas was supplied by Russia. The timing of Russia’s invasion of Europe has been noted as significant because energy use is higher in the winter months, as people use gas to heat their homes.
A study published in Nature shows the chances of preventing a global temperature increase of over 1.5°C are slim unless fossil fuel infrastructure becomes obsolete. The question then emerges: why aren't there more government- and civilian- backed initiatives aimed at controlling the larger cause of climate change ― corporations?
In recent years, and especially during quarantine, electronic device usage has seemingly overtaken the world. LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, are responsible for illuminating many electronics that are currently in use such as computer and phone screens. Artificial lighting has seriously impacted many types of wildlife, from trees to frogs to migratory birds and beyond, and many organisms are suffering as a result.
Offshore wind energy has incredible potential to meet California’s climate change goals, invest in renewable energy jobs, and improve air quality in frontline communities. Floating turbines built off the coast can facilitate economic recovery and meet peak energy demands with solar energy.
California passed SB 100 in 2018 to set a state goal of moving to 100% clean energy by 2045. While an admirable effort by legislators to encourage and insist upon clean energy for our future, the question remains: how exactly can we reach this target?
In order to share the experiences of women in the technological field, the Women in Tech Symposium selects a tech-related topic each year and holds panels and discussions to dive deeper into the area of focus. This year marked the 5th Annual Women in Tech Symposium titled The New Era in Human-Computer Interaction.
Unless extreme measures are taken in the next twenty or thirty years to cut emissions, we will need carbon-negative solutions to stay below the 1.5-degree threshold. Direct carbon capture is promising, because if it works as intended - which is a big if - it could lock that carbon away in rocks for millennia.
There are already many projects around the world where GIS and digital mapping are being used to manage competing interests, particularly in developing nations where environmental protection of delicate ecosystems is key to public health but development is key to economic growth.
