In this week’s feature report, we continue with Part III of an episode of Deep Dive: WFHB and Limestone Post Investigate. In this four-part series, WFHB looks into trees in Monroe County – what trees we have, what benefits they provide, and which trees to root for and which to root out.
The New York Times reports where and how Americans are taking advantage of Clean Energy Tax Credits. Americans claimed more than $8 billion in climate-friendly tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act last year, according to new data released by the Treasury Department, a “significant” number that is higher than initially expected, officials said.
The bulk of the money, more than $6 billion, helped households install rooftop solar panels, small wind turbines and other renewable energy systems. These credits were most popular in sunny states, including much of the Southwest and Florida, the data shows. Indiana did not take advantage of this program. A related program helped Americans improve the energy efficiency of their homes .
They installed electric heat pumps or boilers, added insulation, replacing windowed and other upgrades. These were most popular in the Northeast and Midwest. Indiana did use a very small part of this program.More than 3.4 million households claimed at least one of the subsidies last year, adding up to more than $8 billion in total savings, according to the Treasury analysis. The nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation initially suggested the credits would cost $2.4 billion in their first year and around $4 billion in subsequent years.
The credit for solar panels was especially popular, the Treasury data shows, with more than 750,000 American households claiming it last year. A credit for heat pumps, meanwhile, was claimed on more than 260,000 tax returns. Some households may have claimed both.There was no effort by Indiana’s government to promote these programs. Since the term “climate change” is not allowed by our Legislature in any discussion or report, it comes as no surprise.
Atmospheric methane is the second leading contributor to global warming. It is responsible for about 30 percent of global warming. The concentration of atmospheric methane is increasing due to methane emissions. Methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gases. Methane’s radioative forcing of climate is direct, and it is the second largest contributor to human-caused climate forcing. The global warming potential for methane is about 84 times the impact of carbon dioxide.
Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution (around 1750) the methane concentration in the atmosphere has increased by about 160%, and this increase is almost entirely caused by human activities. By 2019, global methane concentrations had risen from 722 parts per billion in pre-industrial times to 1866 ppb. This is the highest value in at least 800,000 years.
Any process that results in the production of methane and its release into the atmosphere can be considered a “source”. The known sources of methane are predominantly located near the Earth’s surface.
Two main processes that are responsible for methane production include microorganisms anaerobically converting organic compounds into methane, which are widespread in aquatic ecosystems, and ruminant animals. Other natural sources include melting permafrost, wetlands, plants, and methane clathrates (methane trapped in ice at the bottom of the ocean).
Most of the low-cost opportunities for cutting methane emissions are found in the extractive industries, for example fixing leaks in gas pipes, curbing flares from oil wells and coal mines, or installing technologies to capture methane for sale or later use. Other sources of methane have no possibility of control: the melting of permafrost is an example. Since 60 percent of Russia is on permafrost, when this melts it will release methane for centuries.
The New York Times reports how a crisis for vultures led to a human disaster: half a million deaths. The birds were accidentally poisoned in India. New research on what happened next shows how wildlife collapse can be deadly for people.
To say that vultures are underappreciated would be putting it mildly. With their diet of carrion and their featherless heads, the birds are often viewed with disgust. But they have long provided a critical cleaning service by devouring the dead. Now, economists have put an excruciating figure on just how vital they can be: The sudden near-disappearance of vultures in India about two decades ago led to more than half a million excess human deaths over five years, according to a forthcoming study in the American Economic Review.
Rotting livestock carcasses, no longer picked to the bones by vultures, polluted waterways and fed an increase in feral dogs, which can carry rabies. It was “a really huge negative sanitation shock,” said Anant Sudarshan, one of the study’s authors and an economics professor at the University of Warwick in England.
The findings reveal the unintended consequences that can occur from the collapse of wildlife, especially animals known as keystone species for the outsize roles they play in their ecosystems. This is a recent area of study by economists. Another connection was found in Wisconsin, where researchers found that the presence of wolves reduced vehicle collisions with deer by about a 25 percent, creating an economic benefit that was 63 times greater than the cost of wolves killing livestock.
The Olympic Games held in Paris had temperatures much higher than historic levels. Over the last 100 years, the average temperatures are 5.5 degrees F higher. It was a concern for several contests held outdoors. Many viewers were celebrating the beauty of the venues for many activities. To have contests in view of the Eiffel Tower and many other historic locations was a special treat. There are many who would vote to have Paris do the summer games all the time.
The 2028 Games will be in Los Angeles during July. What happens if temperatures are like they were this year, many days over 100 degrees F? Perhaps they will shift the dates to cooler portions of the year. The other potential problem is smoke from fires in the surrounding mountains. There may come a time when both summer and winter games will be held in Norway or Sweden. The Alps are likely to be snow-free by 2050.
In this week’s feature report, we continue with Part III of an episode of Deep Dive: WFHB and Limestone Post Investigate. In this four-part series, WFHB looks into trees in Monroe County – what trees we have, what benefits they provide, and which trees to root for and which to root out.
Credits:
On Air…………………………………..Julianna Dailey
On Air………………………………………Robert Shull
Headlines……………………………………Norm Holy
Feature Report………….Noelle Herhusky-Schneider
Feature Report……………………………..Kade Young
Script……………………………………Julianna Dailey
Events Calendar……………………….Julianna Dailey
Engineer……………………………..Branden Blewett
Are you looking for a way to make a difference on environmental issues? Eco Report is looking for reporters, engineers, and segment producer to report facts on how we’re all affected by global climate disruption and the ongoing assaults on our air, land and water. We also celebrate ecologists, tree huggers, soil builders and other champions who actively protect and restore our natural world, particularly those who are active in south central Indiana. All levels of experience and all ages are welcome, and we provide the training you’ll need. WFHB also offers internships. To volunteer for Eco Report, call at (812) 323-1200, or e-mail earth@wfhb.org.