Methane Clips: October 30, 2023

 

Food Waste In US Landfills Produces Emissions Equal To 12 Million Cars. According to New Scientist, “Wasted food rotting in landfills is a large and growing source of planet-warming methane emissions in the US, according to a report that quantifies these emissions for the first time. Cutting food waste is the best way to reduce these emissions. Landfills make up about 15 per cent of US methane emissions, the third largest source after fossil fuel production and livestock burps. This landfill methane is produced by decaying organic matter, such as paper and food.” [New Scientist, 10/27/23 (=)]

 

Enough Meaningless Phrases On Fossil Fuels. According to the Washington Post, “Abatement was a popular term originally used in pollution regulation, mandating companies to stay within certain limits, Katrine Petersen, a senior policy adviser at think tank E3G, explained to me. Now it’s crept into how we discuss emissions, yet the specificity required for effective regulation remains ephemeral. The closest we get to a definition is in an IPCC footnote, which says: ‘Unabated fossil fuels’ refers to fossil fuels produced and used without interventions that substantially reduce the amount of [greenhouse gas] emitted throughout the life-cycle; for example, capturing 90% or more from power plants, or 50-80% of fugitive methane emissions from energy supply.’” [Washington Post, 10/30/23 (=)]