MVCAC January 2016

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Eating Crickets is Good for You—and the Planet | The Allegheny Front
by Duane 22 Jan '16

22 Jan '16

........... Shall we go for less greenhouse gases ....... ? http://www.alleghenyfront.org/story/eating-crickets-good-you%E2%80%94and-pl… Eating Crickets is Good for You—and the Planet From the Allegheny Front, Pittsburgh, January 22, 2016 At an artsy hipster bar in downtown Youngstown, Ohio—and yes, there is an artsy hipster bar in Youngstown—they serve gourmet hot dogs with 50 different kinds of toppings. The golden pickled beets and root beer BBQ sauce are definitely among the most unique. But if you really want to get adventurous, you’ll go for the deep-fried crickets. “We go through quite a bit of them. More than you’d think actually,” says the cook at Suzie’s Dogs and Drafts, tossing a batch into the deep frier. They get the crickets from a farm just a mile down the road. It’s owned by Kevin Bachhuber and his partner, who left their jobs in software and finance in California to start the farm. Why Youngstown? It had cheap space to rent and plenty of water. But Bachhuber’s farm doesn’t look like any farm you’ve probably ever seen. Big Cricket Farms is basically a warehouse. “The whole thing with indoor agriculture is that you’re moving away from the traditional sprawling farms into something that’s much more condensed,” Bachhuber says. You want crickets with that? At Suzie’s Dogs and Drafts in Youngstown, Ohio you can get hot dogs with more than 50 different toppings—including deep-fried crickets. Photo: Julie Grant In the section of the warehouse where they raise and breed the crickets, there are eight bins—each about the size of a large bathtub. Half of them are low to the ground with the others lofted above like bunk beds. In each bin, there are stacks and stacks of cardboard—like egg cartons, but bigger—layered with peat moss. And the crickets are everywhere—hopping around on the cardboard and trays piled with cricket food. “They eat anything, they’re consummate omnivores,” Bachhuber says. The organic mash that he’s serving them is made of the same grains found in pig or chicken feed. And the peat moss—that’s vital for breeding. “If you look, right here, this is a lady cricket,” Bachhuber says, pointing out a cricket with a long stinger-like structure extending from its back. “That’s an ovipositor. She’ll use that to deposit her eggs into a moist, dirtlike substrate. So that’s the peat moss stuff.” The farm only breeds a small percentage of their crickets because each female cricket can lay more than a thousand eggs per season. Crickets are fast growers too and can be ready for harvest in just six to eight weeks. Bachhuber says they try to use every part of the cricket. A worker at the farm sifts out the legs, which are sold to a local fish farmer. And they also separate the insect waste, which is full of nitrogen and phosphorous, and sell it to be mixed with compost. “The farmers and the composters—they freakin’ love it.” It’s not super fancy, but crickets don’t need much high-tech gadgetry to do their thing. Some bathtub-sized bins, cardboard, peat moss and food is about all Kevin Bachhuber needs to keep his cricket population happy. Photo: Julie Grant The cleaned crickets go out to customers like Suzie’s Dogs and Drafts. Some of the bugs even make it into cricket flour, which is used in things like protein bars. There’s even such a thing as “ gourmet” crickets. Bachhuber’s partner, Jaci Ampulski, says they tinker with the taste by feeding the crickets basil from another nearby farm. “They got to eat it for about seven days, and when we harvested them, they tasted like basil,” Ampulski says. “We did it with mint too, and those turned out fantastic. It’s like ‘hint-of-mint’ cricket.” Bachhuber got the idea to raise crickets in 2006. He was drinking beer and watching bad TV in a Thailand bar when someone put out a basket of fried crickets. He loved them. Then in 2013, he saw the United Nations report pushing crickets and other insects as an environmentally friendly protein. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization found that edible insects contain high-quality protein, vitamins and amino acids. Insects also need six times less feed than cattle—and half the feed required by pigs and broiler chickens—to produce the same amount of protein. Insects also emit fewer greenhouse gases. The report got Bachhuber to look more seriously at the cricket industry, which ultimately led him to his life as a cricket farmer. But that’s not the reason he got into it. “The sustainability thing is great. But I got into this because of taste. I like having a wide palate. I like the taste of bugs. I like eating them.” And the taste? The crickets are salty and crunchy, with a unique meaty texture. It might take a little getting used to. But Bachhuber says with orders on the rise, he expects we’ll get more chances to try them. ### In Pittsburgh, you can find Bachhuber’s crickets at Strip District Meats.

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Clean Power Plan stay motion denied! Full steam ahead on implementation!
by Duane 22 Jan '16

22 Jan '16

> Clean Power Plan stay motion denied! Full steam ahead on implementation! > > NEWS: Federal Court Rejects Fossil Fuel Industry Effort to Delay #CleanPowerPlan Implementation http://bit.ly/1SAb3wB #ActOnClimate > View as webpage > > Federal Court Rejects Fossil Fuel Industry Effort to Delay Clean Power Plan Implementation > Court rejects motions to block nation’s first-ever limits on carbon pollution > > Washington D.C.-- Today, in a decision applauded by clean energy companies, public health and environmental groups, and many states, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the fossil fuel industry’s legal attempt to block the implementation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan (CPP), which sets the first-ever protections against dangerous carbon pollution from U.S. power plants. > > Under the Clean Power Plan, states will have 15 years to fully implement the new standards, which incorporate a broad array of flexible, cost-effective compliance options to reduce dangerous pollution. The CPP builds on existing trends in the power sector that have allowed many states around the country to reduce pollution at a rapid rate over the last decade. > > In response Joanne Spalding, Sierra Club’s Chief Climate Counsel, released the following statement: > > “We applaud the Court’s denial of polluter-backed efforts to block the Clean Power Plan. This decision clears the way for states to continue implementing this common-sense standard. The only people who won’t be cheering this decision are those who profit from pollution and their political allies. > > “This is just the latest attack from the fossil fuel industry on the Clean Power Plan to be rejected by a federal court, and it won’t be the last. The fact is, the Clean Power Plan is based on legislation passed by Congress, upheld by the Supreme Court, and implemented by the President. It's a vital, lifesaving policy that draws on the strength and ingenuity of American innovation to curb dangerous carbon pollution being dumped into our air, while driving investment and creating jobs in energy efficiency and clean energy. In limiting the pollution that is causing climate disruption, the Clean Power Plan will also reduce pollution that causes serious respiratory diseases, heart conditions, and premature death -- effects that disproportionately burden communities of color and the most vulnerable members of our society. > > “Today’s decision allows states, power providers, and clean energy companies to continue building on the momentum from the Paris climate summit, moving us closer to powering the nation with 100% clean energy.” > > Rudhdi Karnik > Associate Press Secretary, Federal Affairs > Sierra Club, Beyond Coal Campaign > (o) 202.495.3055 > > >

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Fwd: Good News on Methane Pollution in Pennsylvania!
by Duane 21 Jan '16

21 Jan '16

> From: Group Against Smog and Pollution <jamin(a)gasp-pgh.org> > Date: January 21, 2016 > > Subject: Good News on Methane Pollution in Pennsylvania! > > > > > > Group Against Smog and Pollution improves air quality to ensure human, environmental, and economic health for our region. > GASP Needs YOU! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Good News on Methane Pollution! > > Yesterday, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf released details on actions his administration will soon take to reduce methane pollution from the unconventional natural gas industry. These proposals will reduce emissions of the potent greenhouse gas in a very cost-effective manner, since they help the industry keep more of the gas they're trying to gather and sell. By enacting these proposals, Pennsylvania stands to be a national leader on this issue. > > We now need the DEP to follow through on this proposal and put strong regulations into place soon. We also need action on the federal level, since Pennsylvania is only one of many states that produce natural gas. Stay tuned to these alerts and our blog for more information as this work continues. > > Take a look at the DEP's proposals for yourself. > > You can also find some media coverage here, here, and here. > Make My Trip Count: > Survey Results Are In! > > The Green Building Alliance (GBA) and their partners (including GASP) labored hard to create a survey that investigated how people heading to Downtown or Oakland get to work or school and back. GBA and its partners will use this new dataset to better understand what planning needs to be put in place to improve our commutes while reducing our environmental impact. > > See the results! > > > In the Air: Visualizing > What We Breathe > > The environmental, social, and economic effects of air quality can hardly be overestimated. But they are often hard to visualize. In the Air: Visualizing What We Breathe is a photography exhibit at Pittsburgh Filmmakers that shows how the lives of Western Pennsylvanians are affected by the quality of the air that they breathe. Four photographers spent a year documenting people and places in our region affected by poor air quality, and their images (such as the one at the top of the email) are sure to make you think about this important issue in new ways. > > The exhibit runs until February 26 and is free to attend. Learn more about the exhibit or peek at some of the images. > Upcoming Events > > 4th Urban Transition Cities Movement Workshop > > Join the Kingsley Association for free training on reducing your energy and water use, minimizing exposure to air pollution, saving money, and more. Partners include GASP, the Pittsburgh Mayor's Office, and many others. > > Friday and Saturday, 1/22 (6-8:30 p.m.) and 1/23 (12-5 p.m.) > More info/RSVP > > Monitoring Groundwater Variability from Space > > Hear from Dr. Matthew Rodell of NASA's Hydrological Sciences Laboratory. He'll present on the importance of and difficulties in using satellites to monitor groundwater levels worldwide. Groundwater isn't just a vital local resource--it's a key marker for understanding climate change. > > Wednesday 1/27, 4 p.m. > More info/RSVP > Together, we can make a difference in our region's environment. We won't trade or sell your email address with other organizations or inundate you with messages. Visit our website at gasp-pgh.org or call us at (412) 924-0604 for more information or to become a member today. We can't do this without you! > > > Our mailing address is: > Group Against Smog and Pollution > 1133 South Braddock Avenue > Suite 1A > Edgewood, PA 15218 > > Add us to your address book > >

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The Future of Coal Mining
by Duane 18 Jan '16

18 Jan '16

CHARLESTON GAZETTE OP-ED, Thursday, January 14, 2016 WV must nurture something besides extraction, By S. Thomas Bond, Lewis County, WV While West Virginia politicians fight “the war on coal,” China is not going to approve any new mines for the next three years. Obviously this coincides with a slower Chinese economy, but it is a decision a long time in coming. Some mines have been closed in the past and more will be closed in the coming year. It is also very much the result of a new awareness of the problems of using coal to produce energy. The plan is to shift to nuclear and other sources of energy that do not cause air pollution, namely, hydro, wind and solar. The next five years will see millions of kilowatts generating capacity added. China is now the largest coal producer in the world; 64 percent of its energy comes from coal.This move has been in the works for some time. Coal use declined in 2014, and appears to have peaked in 2013. The most obvious driver is the terrible air pollution in Beijing, China’s capital, but it is known that about 1.6 million Chinese die each year because of air pollution, so 17 percent of the deaths each year. Sometimes it is so severe that the government tells people to stay inside at home, rather than to go outside. Many residents have expensive air purifiers in their homes. China will not be the only beneficiary. It is a major contributor to global warming, too. So when will politicians in West Virginia catch on?The West Virginia coal industry provides about 30,000 direct jobs, out of 750,000 workers in West Virginia as of November, or about 4 percent. Our hearts go out to these people. They do a hard, dangerous job. Last year was the first time since 2009 that West Virginia did not have the most fatalities in the industry in the United States. West Virginia is a resource colony for the Northeast. The state is losing population. We are at or near the bottom of any measure of education. For example, we have the lowest percent of people with bachelor’s degrees of any state. It is an unattractive place for most up and coming industry as a result. The people are loyal, famous for being hard workers and love the outdoors, but for most there is only unattractive, low-paid, work. The current emphasis on unconventional gas extraction continues this tradition. The state government leans over backward to please extraction interests, which are capital intensive, offer only a few tough jobs, mostly for men, and people to provide services for them.We need development of something better. We are no longer isolated. We have great recreational opportunities, a system of colleges and universities that should help, and (still) abundant, clean headwaters, which no one seems to be trying to protect. Hey, legislators and officials, catch on! The world is moving on and we are not moving with it. Thomas Bond, of Jane Lew, is a retired teacher, chemist and is a member of the Guardians of the West Fork and the Monongahela Area Watersheds Compact. Source: http://www.wvgazettemail.com/gazette-opinion/20160114/s-thomas-bond-wv-must…

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<GASP> Old News You May Have Missed; Getting Ready for 2016
by Duane 02 Jan '16

02 Jan '16

Saying Goodbye to Wellington Development’s Greene Energy Resource Recovery Project GASP Hotline Newsletter, Spring 2014. By Joe Osborne, GASP Legal Director, www.gasp-pgh.org Nearly a decade after it was first conceived, we can finally say goodbye to Wellington Development’s Greene Energy Resource Recovery Project-—a proposed 525 MW waste-coal-fired power plant that would have been located in Cumberland Township, Greene County. In February 2014, PADEP terminated the air permit for the Greene Energy Resource Recovery Project at Wellington Development’s request. The permit termination appears to mark the end of a coal power project that would have posed a serious and unjustifiable threat to human health and the environment in southwestern Pennsylvania. For many years, the proposed plant clung to life in spite of: • its significant environmental impacts (the facility’s air permit would have allowed it to emit thousands of tons of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide; hundreds of tons of particulate matter, over 100 tons of ammonia, and over 100 tons of volatile organic compounds in any 12-month period); • lack of any compelling economic justification for building the plant in light of weak demand for generating capacity; • several legal challenges in state and federal court brought by a coalition of local citizens and environmen- tal organizations including GASP; and • a protracted, snail-like pace of plant construction that is difficult to reconcile with source operators’ Clean Air Act obligation to complete facility construction “within a reasonable time.” PADEP authorized construction of the Greene Energy Resource Recovery Project in June 2005. A DEP site inspection in December 2012 noted, “the only sign of any construction are four (4) poured concrete slabs.” REFERENCES: 1. For past reports on the excruciating saga of the Greene Energy Resource Recovery Project, see Hotline Fall 2005, Summer 2006, Winter 2006, Summer 2007, Winter 2007, Winter 2010. 2. 40 CFR §52.21. 3. PADEP Inspection Report – Greene Energy Resource Recovery Project (Dec. 19, 2012).

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MVCAC January 2016