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from the toward-a-cheaper,-less-polluting-future dept.
Common Dreams reports
More than 100 cities across the globe are now mostly powered by renewable energy, a number that has more than doubled over the past three years, according to a review of environmental data collected from entities worldwide.
The new analysis, a tally of information collected by the U.K.-based group CDP [Carbon Disclosure Project] and released [February 27], accounts for towns and cities that get at least 70 percent of their electricity from renewable sources such as wind and solar. In addition to publishing its complete list, the group created an interactive map that features key details about some municipalities' transitions.
While only four U.S. cities made the list--Aspen, Colorado; Burlington, Vermont; Eugene, Oregon; and Seattle, Washington--the group says 58 localities in the United States have committed to a full transition. Among the largest cities on CDP's list are Auckland, New Zealand; Nairobi, Kenya; Oslo, Norway; and Vancouver, Canada. Forty-seven of the cities listed are located in Brazil. More than 40 cities--from Burlington to Reykjavik, Iceland to Basel, Switzerland--are fully powered by renewables.
[...] The new data reflects the rapidly growing trend to commit to a renewable energy transition at a local level. CDP noted in a statement that Tuesday's analysis "comes on the same day the UK100 network of local government leaders announce that over 80 UK towns and cities have committed to 100 percent clean energy by 2050, including Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, Glasgow, and 16 London boroughs".
(Score: 3, Informative) by frojack on Thursday March 01 2018, @12:45AM (12 children)
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Thursday March 01 2018, @01:24AM (1 child)
Decades ago a hydroelectric damn was fixing to inundate some Native American villages. The Native Americans eventually gave up on fighting it when they were assured that new villages would be built for them - at taxpayer expense.
Just a few years ago it finally made the news that those poor bastards were living mostly in cardboard boxes. The Gummint promised to make good on its broken promises.
Fast forward to today, and even that last promise has been broken.
I see some progress though: the Native Americans seem to be penetrating the public mind when they use social media to point out that Native American history isn't taught in school.
The only time my own history class mentioned them was when the Native Americans won a Supreme Court case and the president - Andrew Jackson - pointed out to the Supremes that he had guns and they didn't.
Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 01 2018, @06:37AM
There's a famous quote that goes along with that story:
John Marshall has made his decision; now let him enforce it. [google.com]
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 01 2018, @01:50AM
The vast majority of the power being discussed is hydro.
And they are spinning it as solar/wind, while actively protesting hydro projects (thank you 'Green'peace)
Hydro is a great power source, done right, and if you have the geography, however it isnt greenwashed enough, it seems..
Sad, really.
(Score: 5, Funny) by aristarchus on Thursday March 01 2018, @02:08AM (1 child)
That darn frojack! Always sweating the details! So how about that Anthropogenic Global Warming? Did you know that Reservoirs slow down the rotation of the planet, by raising the center of gravity, and so contribute to Anthropogenic Global warming, by making the days longer, so more sunlight is received, and that. It is like a figure skater who extends the limbs, slowing a rotation, and draws them in to spin faster.
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Thursday March 01 2018, @03:48PM
So, what you're saying is we shouldn't have any reservoirs? I'm sure that plan will work out great! No more oceans! The real villain is water! We must destroy all dihydrogen monoxide to save humanity! http://www.dhmo.org/facts.html [dhmo.org]
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 01 2018, @02:45AM (2 children)
Jesus, you right wing nut jobs really reach for reasons to piss on everything good don't you? I think I'll just start calling you all "trolls" and letting that encompass all the internet asshats.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 01 2018, @04:16PM (1 child)
Sure, why not? The "racist" and "nazi" epithets seem to be worn down to useless nubs.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 01 2018, @10:35PM
Oh no, racist and nazi still totally work but I'm no crazy person so I use them only when they apply. How's your beta male cucked gimp working out for you? I take it your SJW tactical evasion gear is working out pretty well or you'd be stuck behind the Great Firewall as you get a proper education.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 01 2018, @04:56AM
Niagara Falls (both Ontario and New York) would probably be on this list if the local hydro power was used locally. Instead, in the USA, it's sent to a wide variety of users by the NY Power Authority. Not sure about Ontario, but that power is probably shipped out as well.
Fun fact, the Niagara Falls are nearly dry at night, when water is stored in large ponds just above the power generators. In day time the Falls are turned back on for tourists and the generators drain the ponds.
(Score: 5, Informative) by Zinho on Thursday March 01 2018, @12:55PM
I was particularly surprised to see only three Norwegian cities on this list; the entire nation of Norway ought to be included.
From the fine Wiki: [wikipedia.org]
(emphasis added)
This article is based on a tally made by the CDP [cdp.net] (a British group that compiles a collection of self-reported environmental data), and it explicitly says it includes hydro as a renewable source, so what gives? Maybe they are only listing cities that give them an report? That's one heck of a selection bias in the data set...
"Space Exploration is not endless circles in low earth orbit." -Buzz Aldrin
(Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Thursday March 01 2018, @07:11PM
So once again wind and solar get all the glory while the dammed river valleys are universally deplored [americanrivers.org] by environmentalists celebrating dam removal, (except when they are green washing big industry).
Hydro power has basically been flat since the 80's. [biomassmagazine.com]
So I challenge the assertion that a lot of hydro dams have been removed.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday March 02 2018, @05:36AM
Auckland? Really? North Island as a whole draws the majority of its power from hydro schemes, but over 10% of the power comes from one honking great coal powered plant in Huntly (unless they quietly converted that plant to a Chi|\|a made thorium nuke). Wind farms are springing up on a lot of horizons in North Island. South Island - much the same scenario with wind and the massive Clyde hydro dam powering most of the island. The only reason NZ can do this is because of the abundant strong rivers and open-to-the-oceans wind conditions.