Energy

The Other Climate Crisis

The Other Climate Crisis

11/9/20 by NPR

Web player: https://podcastaddict.com/episode/114983042
Episode: https://play.podtrac.com/npr-510325/edge1.pod.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/pmoney/2020/11/20201109_pmoney_ozone_hole_ready_to_publish.mp3?awCollectionId=510325&awEpisodeId=933213365&orgId=1&topicId=1006&d=600&p=510325&story=933213365&t=podcast&e=933213365&size=9581409&ft=pod&f=510325

In the 1980s, a massive hole was discovered in the ozone layer. Since then, economic incentives, innovation, and a historic United Nations conference in Montreal set it on a path to close completely.

U.S. Energy Information Administration – EIA – Independent Statistics and Analysis

U.S. Energy Information Administration – EIA – Independent Statistics and Analysis

Due to continued competition from natural gas and renewable resources, 23% of the 200,568 megawatts (MW) of coal-fired capacity currently operating in the United States has reported plans to retire by the end of 2029, according to our Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory.

Between 2012 and 2021, an average of 9,450 MW of U.S. coal-fired capacity was retired each year. In 2022, U.S. coal retirements will total 11,778 MW if the remaining retirements reported to us proceed as scheduled.

NYS Electric Utility Service Territories Map

This interactive map shows the Utility Service Territories in New York State, including that of National Grid, Rochester Gas and Electric, NYS Electric and Gas, Central Hudson Gas and Electric, Orange and Rockland Utilities, Long Island Power Authority, Consolidated Edison and municipal utilities.

Data Source: NYS Department of Public Service. https://data.ny.gov/Energy-Environment/NYS-Electric-Utility-Service-Territories/q5m9-rahr

NPR

How gas utilities used tobacco tactics to sell more gas stoves : NPR

In the late 1960s, natural gas utilities launched "Operation Attack," a bold marketing campaign to bring lots more gas stoves into people's kitchens.

The gas utilities called Operation Attack their "most ambitious advertising and merchandising program ever." But as it got underway, concerns were becoming public about indoor pollution from gas stoves, including household levels of nitrogen dioxide.

Around the same time, Dr. Carl Shy, a federal public health researcher, was looking into the health effects of nitrogen dioxide. In 1970, Shy published a study showing that families exposed to greater levels of the air pollutant nitrogen dioxide outdoors had higher rates of respiratory illness than families in less-polluted areas. The research caught the attention of the gas utility industry, and they asked Shy for a meeting.