Many will complain that if we are going to avoid the worst consequences of climate change we need to do much more right away. I totally agree. That said, I am extremely heartened by what is happening as the world heads to Paris in December to craft a new climate treaty. Every major country, except Saudi Arabia, is on record…
Increasingly, people and businesses that are the most exposed to the effects of a warming planet are already experiencing the economic costs in a substantial way. Take the insurance industry for example: “The volume of weather-related losses has more than tripled since the 1980s, from an average of $10 billion then to about $50 billion annually in the past decade”.…
The following article points out that no matter how successful the negotiations are in Paris in December, they will be totally insufficient to limit the impacts a warming climate will have on civilization to a tolerable level. But progress is progress. It is very significant that there is beginning to be a worldwide consensus that we must make commitments to…
Sierra Club Board Meeting Notes September 10 – 12, 2015 San Francisco It has been a very busy several months for both the Sierra Club and me personally. This spring and fall I spent a large amount of time with my family mostly traveling and enjoying the summer outdoors. The Georgia coast, Martha’s Vineyard, fishing in the Ontario wilderness, backpacking…
“An age-old myth that should be shut down is that all regulation is bad for the economy and only environmentalists care about climate change,” said Mindy Lubber, president of Ceres, the sustainable investing advocacy group that coordinated the letters… “We really see economic opportunity in addressing climate change, and it’s important to change the narrative that’s been out there for…
Most of us, especially those of us in our comfortable homes in Chicago’s Quiet North Shore Suburbs, feel quite safe and secure. We can’t imagine an enormous explosion that could destroy our homes, lives and communities like what happened in the small Quebec town of Lac-Mégantic as described below in Mike Brune’s Blog. Think again. Many receiving this may remember…
This past week, something amazing has happened. Several sources have reported that major financing institutions are embracing renewable energy and seeing it as the way of the future. When the big money moves watch how fast things change. I’ve been predicting this for some time now. It finally appears to be happening. We may actually be reaching the tipping point. …
Coming Clean: The blog of Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune April 3, 2015 AddUp: Technology + Activism “Technology is nothing.” So said the man behind some of the most successful and influential technologies of the past three decades. But then Apple founder Steve Jobs elaborated: “What’s important is that you have a faith in people, that they’re basically good…
One of the principal reasons that I publish this blog is to encourage you to have faith that an alternative future is possible. We do not have to accept the status quo. With faith you can join me and others in advocating and voting for a future free of fossil fuels. Rather than accepting the propaganda that intrenched industries…
I hate say I told ya so (not really) but….. Battery costs for electric vehicles are falling faster than industry estimates — study Umair Irfan, E&E reporter Costs of battery packs in electric vehicles are declining faster than expected, according to a new report. While industry analysts predicted battery pack costs would decline from $1,000 per kilowatt-hour to…