The spectacle many had feared for a month finally began unfolding as gooey, rust-colored oil washed into the marshes at the mouth of the Mississippi for the first time, stoking public anger and frustration with both BP and the government.
The sense of gloom deepened as BP conceded what some scientists have been saying for weeks: that the oil leak at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico is bigger than the company previously estimated.
Up to now, only tar balls and a sheen of oil had come ashore. But on Wednesday, chocolate brown and vivid orange globs, sheets and ribbons of foul-smelling oil the consistency of latex paint began coating the reeds and grasses of Louisiana's wetlands, home to rare birds, mammals and a rich variety of marine life.
There were no immediate reports of any mass die-offs of wildlife or large numbers of creatures wriggling in oil, as seen after the Exxon Valdez disaster, but that was the fear.
Billy Nungesser, president of Louisiana's Plaquemines Parish, toured the oil-fouled marshes Wednesday and said: "Had you fallen off that boat yesterday and come up breathing that stuff, you probably wouldn't be here."
A live video feed of the underwater gusher, posted online Thursday after lawmakers exerted pressure on BP, is sure to fuel the anger.
It shows what appears to be a large plume of oil and gas still spewing into the water next to the stopper-and-tube combination that BP inserted to carry some of the crude to the surface. The House committee website where the video was posted promptly crashed because so many people were trying to view it.
"These videos stand as a scalding, blistering indictment of BP's inattention to the scope and size of the greatest environmental catastrophe in the history of the United States," said Rep. Edward J. Markey, D-Mass.
At least 6 million gallons have gushed into the Gulf — more than half the amount the Exxon Valdez tanker spilled in Alaska in 1989 — since the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform exploded 50 miles off the coast April 20. Eleven workers were killed.
The slow-motion disaster could become far wider. Government scientists said a small portion of the slick had entered the so-called loop current, a stream of fast-moving water that could carry the mess into the Florida Keys and up the state's Atlantic Coast, damaging coral reefs and fouling beaches.
"It's anger that the people who are supposed to be driving the ship don't have any idea what's going on," E.J. Boles, a musician from Big Pine Key, Fla., said of both BP and the government. "Why wouldn't they have any contingency plan? I'm not a genius, and even I would have thought of that."
BP spokesman Mark Proegler told The Associated Press that the mile-long tube inserted into the leaking well pipe over the weekend is capturing 210,000 gallons of oil a day — the total amount the company and the Coast Guard had estimated was gushing into the sea — but that some is still escaping. He would not say how much.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said an interagency team using ships and planes is working on a new estimate of how much oil is gushing from the well. Agency officials would not speculate on how big the leak might be.
Washington, meanwhile, turned up the pressure on BP.
The Obama administration asked the company to be more open with the public by sharing such information as measurements of the leak and the trajectory of the spill. BP has been accused of covering up the magnitude of the disaster.
Also, the Environmental Protection Agency directed BP to employ a less toxic form of the chemical dispersants it has been using to break up the oil and keep it from reaching the surface.
BP is marshaling equipment for an attempt as early as Sunday at a "top kill," which involves pumping heavy mud into the top of the blown-out well to try to plug the gusher. A top kill has been used before above ground, but like other methods BP is exploring, it has never been attempted 5,000 feet underwater.
If it doesn't work, the backup plans include a "junk shot" — shooting golf balls, shredded tires, knotted rope and other material into the well to clog it up.
But Chris Roberts, a member of Louisiana's Jefferson Parish Council, complained bitterly: "We don't have time for BP to use the Gulf of Mexico as an experiment."
BP officials have said repeatedly that no one could have predicted or prepared for such a disaster. But some lawmakers and others aren't buying it.
Commercial fisherman Pete Gerica of New Orleans, a member of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, said the oil industry "needed to have a better tool box." As for the government, he said, "The watchdog people failed us miserably."
In Washington, environmental groups urged the government to take greater control of the situation from BP.
"The Gulf of Mexico is a crime scene," said Larry Schweiger, president of the National Wildlife Federation, "and the perpetrator cannot be left in charge of assessing the damage."
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
The Great No Fishing Area
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has extended the boundaries of the closed fishing area in the Gulf of Mexico into the northern portion of the loop current as a precautionary measure to ensure that seafood from the Gulf will remain safe for consumers. Though the latest analysis shows that the bulk of the oil remains dozens of miles from the loop current, the new boundaries address the possibility that a tendril of light oil has entered or will enter the loop current. Part of the Gulf Stream, the Loop Current is a warm ocean current in the Gulf of Mexico that flows northward between Cuba and the Yucatan peninsula, moves north into the Gulf of Mexico, loops west and south before exiting to the east through the Florida Straits.
The closed area now represents 45,728 square miles, which is slightly less than 19 percent of the Gulf of Mexico federal waters. This leaves more than 81 percent of Gulf federal waters (nearly 195,000 square miles) still available for fishing.
The newly closed area is more than 150 miles from the nearest port and primarily in deep water used by long line fisheries that target highly migratory species, such as tuna and swordfish. Coastal fisheries, such as grouper, snapper and shrimp, will not be affected by the latest expansion of the closed area.
"As we expand the fishing closed area, we are doing what science demands of us and are acting with caution to ensure the safety of the seafood Americans will put on their dinner plates."said Dr. Jane Lubchenco, under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator.
Federal and state governments have systems in place to test and monitor seafood safety, prohibit harvesting from affected areas, and keep contaminated products out of the marketplace. NOAA is working closely with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the states to ensure seafood safety, by closing fishing areas where tainted seafood could potentially be caught, and assessing whether seafood is tainted or contaminated to levels that pose a risk to human health. NOAA and FDA are working to implement a broad scaled seafood sampling plan.
What will this mean in terms of fishing long term? It is hard to predict but the Gulf Of Mexico does supply significant fish resources for all of the US.
In 2008, commercial fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico harvested 1.27 billion pounds of fin fish and shellfish that earned $659 million in total landings revenue.
Major shrimp species in the Gulf of Mexico include white shrimp, pink shrimp and brown shrimp. These species are mainly located in coastal areas. During the spring, the young, or post larvae, migrate from coastal areas.
Shrimp species will be impacted due to mortality of adults, as well as post larvae. In particular, brown shrimp post larvae will be migrating out of inshore waters from February to April, while white shrimp will begin migration in May and continue through November. The spill could have impacts not only on shrimp catches this year, but also next year if post larvae mortality is high.
The economic impact of the oil spill on shrimp could be extensive. The Gulf region landings of shrimp are the nation’s largest with 188.3 million pounds or 73 percent of the national total. Louisiana led all Gulf states in fishing production with 89 million pounds (@20% of the Gulf region total) with a dockside value of $130.6 million in 2008.
There are three species of crabs in the Gulf of Mexico area: blue crab, gulf stone crab, and stone crab. Blue crab occurs almost exclusively in state waters with peak spawning occurring in August-September. Eggs and larvae develop and settle in the estuaries until crabs reach harvestable size in April-May. The gulf stone crab is relatively abundant in the Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama near shore areas in the spring period. The stone crab distribution is relatively limited.
Blue crabs are the most economically valuable crab species for the region. Louisiana harvests approximately 26 percent of the total blue crabs for the nation or 41.6 million pounds in 2008, with a dockside value of $32 million.
The Gulf region leads the nation in the production of oysters, some 67 percent of the nation’s total. Again Louisiana harvests the most (@65%)
There is a wide variety of other fish species in the Gulf of Mexico. In federal waters, the surface oriented species will be most impacted by the early stages of the oil spill. As the crude oil sinks, the bottom-oriented fish community may be impacted.
Mortality on larvae caused by the oil spill will result in declines in future fishing fro some time. This will negatively impact the rebuilding plans for all affected species, as well as short and potentially long term economic impacts on commercial and recreational fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico.
Depending on current loop current dynamics, Atlantic blue fin tuna may also be impacted by the oil spill. Atlantic blue fin tuna larvae may also be present in the region of the oil slick. Their presence however is quite dependent on and related to the loop current eddies and fronts.
The closed area now represents 45,728 square miles, which is slightly less than 19 percent of the Gulf of Mexico federal waters. This leaves more than 81 percent of Gulf federal waters (nearly 195,000 square miles) still available for fishing.
The newly closed area is more than 150 miles from the nearest port and primarily in deep water used by long line fisheries that target highly migratory species, such as tuna and swordfish. Coastal fisheries, such as grouper, snapper and shrimp, will not be affected by the latest expansion of the closed area.
"As we expand the fishing closed area, we are doing what science demands of us and are acting with caution to ensure the safety of the seafood Americans will put on their dinner plates."said Dr. Jane Lubchenco, under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator.
Federal and state governments have systems in place to test and monitor seafood safety, prohibit harvesting from affected areas, and keep contaminated products out of the marketplace. NOAA is working closely with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the states to ensure seafood safety, by closing fishing areas where tainted seafood could potentially be caught, and assessing whether seafood is tainted or contaminated to levels that pose a risk to human health. NOAA and FDA are working to implement a broad scaled seafood sampling plan.
What will this mean in terms of fishing long term? It is hard to predict but the Gulf Of Mexico does supply significant fish resources for all of the US.
In 2008, commercial fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico harvested 1.27 billion pounds of fin fish and shellfish that earned $659 million in total landings revenue.
Major shrimp species in the Gulf of Mexico include white shrimp, pink shrimp and brown shrimp. These species are mainly located in coastal areas. During the spring, the young, or post larvae, migrate from coastal areas.
Shrimp species will be impacted due to mortality of adults, as well as post larvae. In particular, brown shrimp post larvae will be migrating out of inshore waters from February to April, while white shrimp will begin migration in May and continue through November. The spill could have impacts not only on shrimp catches this year, but also next year if post larvae mortality is high.
The economic impact of the oil spill on shrimp could be extensive. The Gulf region landings of shrimp are the nation’s largest with 188.3 million pounds or 73 percent of the national total. Louisiana led all Gulf states in fishing production with 89 million pounds (@20% of the Gulf region total) with a dockside value of $130.6 million in 2008.
There are three species of crabs in the Gulf of Mexico area: blue crab, gulf stone crab, and stone crab. Blue crab occurs almost exclusively in state waters with peak spawning occurring in August-September. Eggs and larvae develop and settle in the estuaries until crabs reach harvestable size in April-May. The gulf stone crab is relatively abundant in the Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama near shore areas in the spring period. The stone crab distribution is relatively limited.
Blue crabs are the most economically valuable crab species for the region. Louisiana harvests approximately 26 percent of the total blue crabs for the nation or 41.6 million pounds in 2008, with a dockside value of $32 million.
The Gulf region leads the nation in the production of oysters, some 67 percent of the nation’s total. Again Louisiana harvests the most (@65%)
There is a wide variety of other fish species in the Gulf of Mexico. In federal waters, the surface oriented species will be most impacted by the early stages of the oil spill. As the crude oil sinks, the bottom-oriented fish community may be impacted.
Mortality on larvae caused by the oil spill will result in declines in future fishing fro some time. This will negatively impact the rebuilding plans for all affected species, as well as short and potentially long term economic impacts on commercial and recreational fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico.
Depending on current loop current dynamics, Atlantic blue fin tuna may also be impacted by the oil spill. Atlantic blue fin tuna larvae may also be present in the region of the oil slick. Their presence however is quite dependent on and related to the loop current eddies and fronts.
G20 must boost green spending
The Group of Twenty, or G20, should follow China and South Korea and start investing heavily in green initiatives, says Edward Barbier.
Last year, the G20 — the world's 20 wealthiest and emerging economies — embraced the Global Green New Deal proposed by the UN Environment Programme.
The deal planned to stimulate economic recovery while simultaneously enhancing the livelihoods of the world's poor and limiting environmental degradation.
It recommended that countries spend one per cent of GDP (gross domestic product) on green initiatives. But the G20 has largely missed this target, says Barbier.
The United States spent just 0.7 per cent of GDP on green initiatives and the European Union even less at 0.2 per cent.
China and South Korea, on the other hand, have spent three per cent of their GDP on green measures. And Barbier says that their investment is paying off. Both countries are now better placed in the race for technological superiority, he says.
China is the world's leading producer of solar cells, wind turbines, energy-saving light bulbs and solar water heaters and its renewable-energy sector already employs nearly one million people and is worth nearly US$17 billion.
South Korea similarly aims to create up to 1.8 million jobs with a five-year green-growth investment plan on top of the Global Green New Deal.
Other G20 countries should also "turn their green stimulus investments into serious long-term commitment", says Barbier. This must include establishing environmental pricing policies, cancelling fossil fuel subsidies, and agreeing reasonable commitments to reduce carbon emissions.
Last year, the G20 — the world's 20 wealthiest and emerging economies — embraced the Global Green New Deal proposed by the UN Environment Programme.
The deal planned to stimulate economic recovery while simultaneously enhancing the livelihoods of the world's poor and limiting environmental degradation.
It recommended that countries spend one per cent of GDP (gross domestic product) on green initiatives. But the G20 has largely missed this target, says Barbier.
The United States spent just 0.7 per cent of GDP on green initiatives and the European Union even less at 0.2 per cent.
China and South Korea, on the other hand, have spent three per cent of their GDP on green measures. And Barbier says that their investment is paying off. Both countries are now better placed in the race for technological superiority, he says.
China is the world's leading producer of solar cells, wind turbines, energy-saving light bulbs and solar water heaters and its renewable-energy sector already employs nearly one million people and is worth nearly US$17 billion.
South Korea similarly aims to create up to 1.8 million jobs with a five-year green-growth investment plan on top of the Global Green New Deal.
Other G20 countries should also "turn their green stimulus investments into serious long-term commitment", says Barbier. This must include establishing environmental pricing policies, cancelling fossil fuel subsidies, and agreeing reasonable commitments to reduce carbon emissions.
Rising CO2 levels could reduce protein in crops
Increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere could reduce crops' protein content by 20 per cent, according to scientists, who say that new fertilisers may be needed to counteract the effects.
Researchers found that plants lose the ability to take up so much nitrate — the most common form of nitrogen in agricultural soils — and convert it into organic compounds, such as proteins, when growing in CO2-enriched environments.
The problem is that "most crop plants ... use nitrate as their main form of nitrogen," said Arnold Bloom, lead author of the study — published in Science last week (14 May) — and a researcher at the US-based University of California, Davis. Increasing the levels of CO2 leads to "nitrogen starved" crops that contain less protein for human consumption, he said.
Bloom estimated that the increased CO2 levels predicted for the next 20–50 years could reduce the amount of protein in crops by up to a fifth because of this phenomenon.
"Wheat grain that has been exposed to the conditions that we expect in the next few decades declines about 20 per cent," he said.
Bloom's team tested the two major forms of soil nitrogen available to plants (nitrate and ammonium) and how they affect two major groups of plants — monocotyledons and dicotyledons living in a high-CO2 atmosphere. Results revealed that those plants exposed to nitrate have difficulty in producing nitrogen-containing compounds, such as proteins, while those exposed to ammonium do not.
"This study is alerting us about the need to develop new fertilisation techniques and to improve crops' nitrogen use efficiencies," said Marta Lopes, a wheat physiologist at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, Mexico.
Lopes said fertilising with ammonium could be an alternative, but highlighted that care should be taken to avoid its toxic effects on the environment.
Researchers have known that increases in CO2 — a key molecule that plants use in photosynthesis to grow — improve crop productivity at early stages, and many models have taken this into account for their production scenarios.
But this effect is diminished because plants eventually acclimatise to CO2. Now, Bloom's study suggests that the inhibition of nitrate assimilation may be the reason why plants do not thrive in CO2-rich environments as expected.
"We don't know how this will affect productivity," Lopes said.
Gerald Nelson, an agricultural economist at the International Food Policy Research Institute, United States told SciDev.Net that the new study "reinforces the point that we cannot count on CO2 fertilisation to offset the negative productivity effects of climate change on agriculture".
Researchers found that plants lose the ability to take up so much nitrate — the most common form of nitrogen in agricultural soils — and convert it into organic compounds, such as proteins, when growing in CO2-enriched environments.
The problem is that "most crop plants ... use nitrate as their main form of nitrogen," said Arnold Bloom, lead author of the study — published in Science last week (14 May) — and a researcher at the US-based University of California, Davis. Increasing the levels of CO2 leads to "nitrogen starved" crops that contain less protein for human consumption, he said.
Bloom estimated that the increased CO2 levels predicted for the next 20–50 years could reduce the amount of protein in crops by up to a fifth because of this phenomenon.
"Wheat grain that has been exposed to the conditions that we expect in the next few decades declines about 20 per cent," he said.
Bloom's team tested the two major forms of soil nitrogen available to plants (nitrate and ammonium) and how they affect two major groups of plants — monocotyledons and dicotyledons living in a high-CO2 atmosphere. Results revealed that those plants exposed to nitrate have difficulty in producing nitrogen-containing compounds, such as proteins, while those exposed to ammonium do not.
"This study is alerting us about the need to develop new fertilisation techniques and to improve crops' nitrogen use efficiencies," said Marta Lopes, a wheat physiologist at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, Mexico.
Lopes said fertilising with ammonium could be an alternative, but highlighted that care should be taken to avoid its toxic effects on the environment.
Researchers have known that increases in CO2 — a key molecule that plants use in photosynthesis to grow — improve crop productivity at early stages, and many models have taken this into account for their production scenarios.
But this effect is diminished because plants eventually acclimatise to CO2. Now, Bloom's study suggests that the inhibition of nitrate assimilation may be the reason why plants do not thrive in CO2-rich environments as expected.
"We don't know how this will affect productivity," Lopes said.
Gerald Nelson, an agricultural economist at the International Food Policy Research Institute, United States told SciDev.Net that the new study "reinforces the point that we cannot count on CO2 fertilisation to offset the negative productivity effects of climate change on agriculture".
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Arctic team reports unusual conditions near Po
A group of British explorers just back from a 60-day trip to the North Pole said Monday they had encountered unusual conditions, including ice sheets that drifted far faster than they had expected.
The three-member team walked across the frozen Arctic Ocean to study the impact of increased carbon dioxide absorption by the sea, which could make the water more acidic and put crucial food chains under pressure.
Expedition leader Ann Daniels said the ice drifted so much that they eventually covered 500 nautical miles (576 miles) rather than the 268 nautical miles initially
One possible reason for the rapid drift was a lack of ice, she suggested. Satellite imagery reveals rapidly melting ice sheets in the Arctic, a region which is heating up three times more quickly than the rest of the Earth.
The first day the team was dropped off the ice moved so quickly to the south that it took the trio 10 days to make it back to their starting point.
"None of us had ever experienced that amount of southerly drift on our previous expeditions, and it continued for such a long period of time. We kept expecting it to stop, we began to pray it would stop," Daniels said.
"At the end of the expedition we were losing three nautical miles a night ... it was quite a major factor," she told a news conference in Ottawa.
Many scientists link the higher Arctic temperatures to the greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming.
Martin Hartley, a member of the team, said the condition of the ice was unpleasantly bad.
"We spent a couple of days walking on ice that was three or four inches thick with no other thicker ice around, which was a big surprise to us," he told the news conference
The three-member team walked across the frozen Arctic Ocean to study the impact of increased carbon dioxide absorption by the sea, which could make the water more acidic and put crucial food chains under pressure.
Expedition leader Ann Daniels said the ice drifted so much that they eventually covered 500 nautical miles (576 miles) rather than the 268 nautical miles initially
One possible reason for the rapid drift was a lack of ice, she suggested. Satellite imagery reveals rapidly melting ice sheets in the Arctic, a region which is heating up three times more quickly than the rest of the Earth.
The first day the team was dropped off the ice moved so quickly to the south that it took the trio 10 days to make it back to their starting point.
"None of us had ever experienced that amount of southerly drift on our previous expeditions, and it continued for such a long period of time. We kept expecting it to stop, we began to pray it would stop," Daniels said.
"At the end of the expedition we were losing three nautical miles a night ... it was quite a major factor," she told a news conference in Ottawa.
Many scientists link the higher Arctic temperatures to the greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming.
Martin Hartley, a member of the team, said the condition of the ice was unpleasantly bad.
"We spent a couple of days walking on ice that was three or four inches thick with no other thicker ice around, which was a big surprise to us," he told the news conference
U.S. Could Lose 250,000 Manufacturing Jobs Without Comprehensive Clean Energy & Climate Legislation
The U.S. could miss out on 100,000 clean energy manufacturing jobs by 2015 and 250,000 by 2030 if current industry trends continue, according to a new report by the Apollo Alliance and Good Jobs First. The report, Winning the Race: How America Can Lead the Global Clean Energy Economy, estimates that 70 percent of the nation’s renewable energy systems and components are currently being manufactured abroad.
"We are quickly losing the chance to be a leader in what will be the biggest economic opportunity of the 21st century: the global clean energy economy," Apollo Alliance Chairman Phil said in a press release announcing the report's release. "While other countries are making massive investments in clean energy infrastructure and production-and creating tens of thousands of new jobs as a result-the United States doesn't even have the capacity to meet its own demand for renewable energy components."
The new report comes at a time when some lawmakers are growing concerned that foreign owned clean energy manufacturing companies are receiving large sums of federal stimulus money. Senators Sherrod Brown, Bob Casey, Charles Schumer, and Jon Tester have introduced legislation designed to ensure that federal investments in clean energy under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act go to American owned manufacturing companies.
"It is a no-brainer that stimulus funds should only go to projects that create jobs in the United States rather than overseas," Senator Schumer said in a press release posted on his website. "Our domestic clean-energy sector has the potential to emerge as a global leader and it is counterproductive to invest U.S. stimulus funds in Chinese companies rather than our own. We should not be giving China a head start in this race at our own country's expense."
China is currently the winning the race to become the global leader of the growing clean energy manufacturing sector, according to the report. China's rise to the top has been fueled by an investment in clean energy technology that is estimated to equal $12.6 million every hour. China isn't alone on this front. Together, Japan and South Korea have invested more than four times as much in clean energy than the U.S.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act represented a $110 billion federal investment in clean energy, providing new funding for advanced batteries, energy efficiency, high-speed rail, renewable energy, and smart grid technology. Those investments may already be paying off. The report cites Obama administration statistics estimating that 826,000 clean energy jobs have already by created by the stimulus package. The Recovery Act is also expected to create 30,000 manufacturing jobs in the clean energy sector.
Even with those new jobs, America's manufacturing sector is in serious trouble. The study notes that the U.S. economy has lost a total of 5.7 million manufacturing jobs during the past decade, 2 million of those since 2007. If clean energy is going to be the solution to the nation's manufacturing woes, more work needs to be done.
"We are quickly losing the chance to be a leader in what will be the biggest economic opportunity of the 21st century: the global clean energy economy," Apollo Alliance Chairman Phil said in a press release announcing the report's release. "While other countries are making massive investments in clean energy infrastructure and production-and creating tens of thousands of new jobs as a result-the United States doesn't even have the capacity to meet its own demand for renewable energy components."
The new report comes at a time when some lawmakers are growing concerned that foreign owned clean energy manufacturing companies are receiving large sums of federal stimulus money. Senators Sherrod Brown, Bob Casey, Charles Schumer, and Jon Tester have introduced legislation designed to ensure that federal investments in clean energy under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act go to American owned manufacturing companies.
"It is a no-brainer that stimulus funds should only go to projects that create jobs in the United States rather than overseas," Senator Schumer said in a press release posted on his website. "Our domestic clean-energy sector has the potential to emerge as a global leader and it is counterproductive to invest U.S. stimulus funds in Chinese companies rather than our own. We should not be giving China a head start in this race at our own country's expense."
China is currently the winning the race to become the global leader of the growing clean energy manufacturing sector, according to the report. China's rise to the top has been fueled by an investment in clean energy technology that is estimated to equal $12.6 million every hour. China isn't alone on this front. Together, Japan and South Korea have invested more than four times as much in clean energy than the U.S.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act represented a $110 billion federal investment in clean energy, providing new funding for advanced batteries, energy efficiency, high-speed rail, renewable energy, and smart grid technology. Those investments may already be paying off. The report cites Obama administration statistics estimating that 826,000 clean energy jobs have already by created by the stimulus package. The Recovery Act is also expected to create 30,000 manufacturing jobs in the clean energy sector.
Even with those new jobs, America's manufacturing sector is in serious trouble. The study notes that the U.S. economy has lost a total of 5.7 million manufacturing jobs during the past decade, 2 million of those since 2007. If clean energy is going to be the solution to the nation's manufacturing woes, more work needs to be done.
Starbucks gets Greener
With more than 16,000 retail locations around the world, Starbucks continues to innovate and evolve the customer experience with a new store design approach inspired by Starbucks™ Shared Planet™, their commitment to ethical sourcing, environmental stewardship and community involvement. With each new or renovated store, Starbucks strives to reflect the character of the surrounding neighborhood, allowing customers to feel at home when visiting "their" store and giving them opportunities for discovery at our other locations around the world.
For the last 15 years, the Starbucks coffeehouse at 72 Spring Street in New York City has been a gathering place for local patrons and international visitors alike. The renovated location draws upon the area’s commercial and retail history as well as its vibrant arts and cultural renaissance over the past several decades. The Spring Street store blends the aesthetics of a turn-of-the-century dry goods warehouse with the original iconic mercantile-inspired Starbucks location at the Pike Place Market in Seattle.
The renovation showcases locally sourced materials as well as reused and recycled elements, from the artwork to the wood flooring. In addition, this store is registered for LEED® certification as part of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Volume Certification pilot program. The store showcases the new Clover brewing system, a single — cup brewer that produces some of the freshest, flavor rich brewed coffee available anywhere.
For the last 15 years, the Starbucks coffeehouse at 72 Spring Street in New York City has been a gathering place for local patrons and international visitors alike. The renovated location draws upon the area’s commercial and retail history as well as its vibrant arts and cultural renaissance over the past several decades. The Spring Street store blends the aesthetics of a turn-of-the-century dry goods warehouse with the original iconic mercantile-inspired Starbucks location at the Pike Place Market in Seattle.
The renovation showcases locally sourced materials as well as reused and recycled elements, from the artwork to the wood flooring. In addition, this store is registered for LEED® certification as part of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Volume Certification pilot program. The store showcases the new Clover brewing system, a single — cup brewer that produces some of the freshest, flavor rich brewed coffee available anywhere.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)