Climate Data
What Is Methane and Why Does It Matter?
The message from the most recent UN climate report is clear: unless we dramatically reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the world is headed for a temperature rise of far more than 1.5°C above preindustrial levels. Dramatically reducing emissions means cutting at least 32 gigatons of…
We Are Living in a Materials World
It’s as true today as it was when Madonna first sang it more than three decades ago: we are living in a material(s) world. Besides cluttering our lives, the objects around us are produced via a multistage process called a supply chain. The sleek stove in your kitchen—which is electric,…
How much CO2 is embedded in a product?
Imagine driving your brand-new electric vehicle along Main Street on a weekday evening. Sleek and silent, you are the envy of the entire town. You know that the carbon dioxide directly emitted from the engine is nil: that was the whole point of buying the thing, wasn’t it? Going a…
Freedom Isn’t Free…of Methane
Last week, the US Department of Energy started referring to natural gas as “molecules of freedom” or “freedom gas,” referring to the ability of natural gas from the United States to provide “a diverse and affordable source of clean energy” for the world. It’s true that natural gas is often…
Penny-Wise and Pound-Foolish: The Problem with the EPA’s Proposed Changes to Current Methane Regulations
Penny-wise and pound-foolish is a great phrase to describe the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) plan to ease rules put in place to reduce harmful methane emissions from the oil and gas industry. While potentially saving money in the short term, a rollback of these policies and regulations is shortsighted and…
