Reaching ‘Herd Immunity’ Is Unlikely in the U.S., Experts Now Believe – The New York Times
Now, more than half of adults in the United States have been inoculated with at least one dose of a vaccine. But daily vaccination rates are slipping, and there is widespread consensus among scientists and public health experts that the herd immunity threshold is not attainable — at least not in the foreseeable future, and perhaps not ever.
Instead, they are coming to the conclusion that rather than making a long-promised exit, the virus will most likely become a manageable threat that will continue to circulate in the United States for years to come, still causing hospitalizations and deaths but in much smaller numbers.
Strangled
This tree looks like it was strangled by the grape vines.
Taken on Sunday May 2, 2021 at Nature.Fixing A Washout
Organized crime in waste hauling | American Mafia
The New York State Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee has long been concerned with the growing threat to the environment caused by the illegal disposal of hazardous and solid wastes. It has also noted that an ironic consequence of the development of environmental laws to control pollution has been the creation of a new era of opportunity for those who do not demur at criminal behavior if it guarantees easy profits. There is a substantial body of evidence that organized crime controls much of the solid waste disposal industry in New York State and elsewhere. There is also evidence that the criminal activity is not confined entirely to organized crime, but is also engaged in by other unscrupulous entrepreneurs; and that there have also been instances of multinational corporations not hesitating to jeopardize public health and safety.
Official documents are available, including the congressional hearings on Organized Crime Links to the Waste Disposal Industry, held in 1980 and 1981, which suggest the extent to which organized crime has become imbedded in the waste disposal industry.
NPR
The Environmental Protection Agency is cracking down on a powerful class of greenhouse gases that are used in refrigerators, air conditioners and building insulation. On Monday, the agency announced a new regulation that would dramatically decrease production and use of hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs, over the next 15 years.
Refrigerants are one of my favorite topics! While this article really oversimplifies the issues -- getting rid of HFC in new units is good for climate change. HFC-23 has a global warming potential of 14,800 times that of carbon dioxide. HFC-134a used in cars is 1,430 GWP.
That said, units built with one refrigerant generally can't be switched to another without modifications. Often it's just better to refill refrigerants after leaks are patched. The EPA mandates all refrigerants are recovered when cars, refrigerators and air conditioners are scrapped, so there should be a supply for a long time for HFCs, just like you can still buy CFCs and HCFCs to refill old units. The Empire Plaza, for example still uses CFC refrigerant (CFC-22) in it's chillers, even though they haven't manufactured any new stock in nearly 25 years now.
Most of the low GWP refrigerants pose engineering and safety challenges -- propane is very flammable and explosive, water and carbon dioxide require extremely high pressures that require super-strong components, and other refrigerants are patented and expensive like hydrofluoroolefin (HFC-1234yf). Also, hydrofluoroolefin produces flourine gas when burned, which can be very toxic in car and house fires. But scientists are finding solutions to these kind of problems, and most people aren't particularly concerned what is chilling their beer and office as long as it's sufficiently cold and is energy efficent.
May 3, 2021 – Looking Ahead This Week
Cool, cloudy and at sometimes rainy to start out the month of May it would seem … days are getting noticeably longer, as we get closer to the first day of summer, which is less then 7 weeks away. No real hot weather to be seen any time soon.
| Weather Summary | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| This Afternoon. Feels like … May 9th. |
Chance of Showers | 67 degrees | 7:59 sunset | |
| Tonight. Feels like … June 1st. |
Showers and Patchy Fog | 52 degrees | 5:45 sunrise | |
| Tuesday. Feels like … May 2nd. |
Showers is likely then Chance of Showers | 65 degrees | 53 max dew point | 7:59 sunset |
| Tuesday Night. Feels like … June 11th. |
Showers is likely | 55 degrees | 5:43 sunrise | |
| Wednesday. Feels like … May 9th. |
Showers is likely | 67 degrees | 56 max dew point | 8:00 sunset |
| Wednesday Night. Feels like … May 3rd. |
Chance of Showers | 43 degrees | 5:42 sunrise | |
| Thursday. Feels like … April 17th. |
Mostly Sunny | 59 degrees | 8:01 sunset | |
| Thursday Night. Feels like … April 24th. |
Mostly Cloudy | 40 degrees | 5:41 sunrise | |
| Friday. Feels like … April 15th. |
Partly Sunny then Chance of Showers | 58 degrees | 8:02 sunset | |
| Friday Night. Feels like … April 24th. |
Chance of Showers | 40 degrees | 5:40 sunrise | |
| Saturday. Feels like … April 17th. |
Chance of Showers | 59 degrees | 8:03 sunset | |
| Saturday Night. Feels like … April 24th. |
Partly Cloudy | 40 degrees | 5:39 sunrise | |
| Sunday. Feels like … April 22nd. |
Partly Sunny then Chance of Showers | 61 degrees | 36 max dew point | 8:04 sunset |
