Friday, March 31, 2017

Environment | Week Highlights


[In the News] | [Meanwhile in Massachusetts]

Week: March 25 - 31 2017


News Highlights

[Main topics of the Week] Bees in Europe and here in the US. Earth Hour. Keystone pipeline. Climate Change in the DoE. Dismantling of the Climate Change policies, and more... And locally: Community conservation, Lobbying for our rivers and energy.

A couple of good pieces of news to start this week, and it's all about the bees... here and there. Small progress but progress nonetheless!

Europe poised for total ban on bee-harming pesticidesThe world’s most widely used insecticides would be banned from all fields across Europe under draft regulations from the European commission [The Guardian]

And in the US, Bumble bee species finally lands on endangered species list after Trump admin delay. It is the first time in the history of the continental United States that a bee species is under federal protection. [NBC]


🌏  The World at large celebrated Earth Hour on March 25. It feels good to see that millions of people all over the world -contrary to the current U.S. government- want true actions to alleviate the impact of climate change. Indeed, there’s never been a more critical moment for the world to show solidarity for and a strong commitment to fighting climate change. By going dark, local government, cities, companies, landmarks, and individuals send the message that we will remain steadfast as we deliver on the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement.


Otherwise...


Trump granted approval for Keystone XL pipeline, calling it “the first of many infrastructure projects” that he would approve in order to put more Americans to work. [Washington Post]

Trump signed an executive order to dismantle Obama’s climate change policies. Trump celebrated the move as a way to promote energy independence and restore thousands of lost coal industry jobs. The executive order directs the EPA to start the legal process of withdrawing and rewriting the Clean Power Plan. [New York Times]

The Energy Department’s climate office banned the use of the phrase “climate change”. It’s also the only office with the word “climate” in its name. Staff were told not to use “emissions reduction” or the “Paris Agreement” in written memos or briefings. [Politico]

EPA chief Scott Pruitt rejected the agency’s scientific conclusion to permanently ban one of the most widely used insecticides at farms nationwide. The agency’s own chemical safety experts said that exposure to chlorpyrifos potentially causes learning and memory declines. The insecticide was banned in 2000 for use in most household settings, but is still used at about 40,000 farms on about 50 different types of crops, ranging from almonds to apples. [New York Times]

Want to know what's going on in the Congress? Check my Congress Watch page  This page highlights urgent issues / bills with actionable items (who to call for support or protest).



Meanwhile in Massachusetts


03/20/14. I joined the Walk on the Wild Side with Dave Brown, a nature event organized by our Friends of Alewife Reservation. The perfect opportunity to connect with our local nature... And it was just great. This little walk on the wild side aside from giving me the excitement of knowing that coyotes and foxes are around our neighborhood (for our benefits), surely reminded me as well that little splashes of wildlife right in the middle of our cities are here for us and not the other way around. They deserve our attention and our respect. They need our protection. I wrote an post about it in Earthwise Aware, enjoy it!


03/31/17. A Day for our Rivers! Realizing that we have some D-rated (water quality) rivers, we're definitely not that protected here because we are in Massachusetts. DYK for instance that we have many rivers that haven't been tested for 10-20 years? You know that water in which our kids swim, and from which we fish fish that we eat (among other things). And do you know that we have right here in our area for instance Arlington, Cambridge, Belmont to name a few D and F EPA rated rivers (just to be clear these are very bad ratings)... Well our group (here group #23 from 24 groups formed today around constituencies) talked, explained, advocated for our rivers to our representatives (here with Mike Connelly)... So that was a chance to tell our State representatives that ensuring that our rivers are safe and clean is not an option... And we took that chance. It's important stuff –It's about the safety and health of us all and our kids! 

03/31/17. We met with our State representative Denise Provost to discuss the Clean Energy Purchasing Requirement bill (H.2700) [Title: An Act to Increase the renewable portfolio standard and ensure compliance with the Global Warming Solutions Act]. This is a state bill that would increase the rate of increase in the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), from the current 1% to at least 2% a year, and require municipal electric utilities – currently exempt - to begin complying with the RPS. Our state wants to reach a target of a decrease of green house emission by 80% by 2050 (w/ 25% by 2020). We are not on target, and increasing our RPS would contribute greatly to meet this goal. Our goal with this meeting is multiple: (1) Making sure she supports the bill and she does; (2) Asking how we can help explicitly (we need to digest the info first before communicating this back); and (3) Recording our notes and passing it to our communities so as to create a tangible civic action (we will so stay tuned).

Local Legislature & Campaigns

✧ 350 Mass Legislative Agenda
✧ Massachusetts Sierra Club's Legislative Priorities — 2017-2018 (190th session) 
✧ Environmental League of Massachusetts Legislative  — 2017-2018 agenda
✧ Conservation Law Foundation Campaigns 


Tuesday, March 28, 2017

An Urban Walk on the Wild Side

I have been spending some time recently 'traveling at home', and finding ways of sharing the importance of doing conservation right in our backyards.

Here is my latest walk of the kind this past Saturday just 15 minutes away from home. You don't need to look far to find beauty, and to realize how badly we need to preserve it...

Friday, March 24, 2017

Environment | Week Highlights


[In the News] | [Meanwhile in Massachusetts]

Week: March 18 - 24 2017


News Highlights

[Main topics of the Week] 2 important international & celebration days: the International Day of Forests & the World Water Day. Some great news: the UN recognizes the impact of the biodiversity crisis on human rights (yes that's great news). The defeat of the week: The Alaskan bill of shame (H.Res.69).

🌳  March 21 was the International Day of Forests. An important day for celebrating all the ways in which forests and trees protect and sustain us. Too often we forget that forests generate oxygen, store water and regulate climate — yet we cut down an area of forest the size of Portugal every year. How good is your forest knowledge? Get your forests facts up-to-date, go hug a tree and spread the words about why we need to protect our forests. Enjoy this great 360 video under the canopy... [Xplore: Conservation International (Forests), Rainforest Action Network, Mongabay (Rainforests)]

πŸ’¦   March 22 was World Water Day. Another important day as the health and productivity of a nation depends on access to safe water and sanitation. Get your water facts up-to-date and help spread the words. [Xplore: World Health Organization | UNESCO (Water Security), UN-Water]

March 21 is also a day of shame: The U.S. Senate overturned a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rule that stopped a set of appalling and unsporting hunting methods on national wildlife refuges in Alaska. These cruel and unsporting practices include shooting or trapping whole families of wolves while at their dens with pups, using airplanes to scout for brown and black bears to shoot, trapping bears with steel-jawed leghold traps and wire snares and luring grizzly bears with food to get a point blank kill.... The bills? There were a bunch of them covering this, the most infamous one being maybe H.Res.69. We called our senators, we pushed our representatives to oppose those bills, and we sincerely hope many did too. [Xplore: Humane Society (Press release) | NPR (Press report)]

The positive highlight of this week for us is the United Nations going on records for the first time ever acknowledging that biodiversity and healthy ecosystems is essential to human rights. Seems obvious? Not really otherwise it would not be the first ever UN report on this matter. So this is a real big deal, because this finally raises attention to a biodiversity crisis unknown to most, ignored or even dismissed, but that many scientists and conservationists (I included) have pegged as the beginning of Earth’s sixth mass extinction event, and an issue as important as Climate Change. “Biodiversity is really necessary for the full enjoyment of rights to food, water, health — the right to live a full and happy life”, Knox told The Huffington Post on Thursday. “Without the services that healthy ecosystems provide across the board, we really can’t enjoy a whole range of human rights. And healthy ecosystems really depend on biodiversity.” [Xplore: IUCN (communication)]

Want to know what's going on in the Congress? Check my Congress Watch page  This page highlights urgent issues / bills with actionable items (who to call for support or protest).



Meanwhile in Massachusetts


Summary

Coalition calls on Vermont to protect water quality. Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), along with a broad coalition of municipal, business, environmental, and farming organizations, submitted a letter today to the Vermont General Assembly urging legislators to act this year on water quality funding.

Local Events

Keep an eye for...

03/20/14. If you're in the Boston area, join us on a Walk on the Wild Side with Dave Brown, a nature event organized by our Friends of Alewife Reservation. The perfect opportunity to connect with our local nature...

03/31/17. A day for our rivers! Realizing that we have some D-rated (water quality) rivers, we're definitely not that protected here because we are in Massachusetts. So here is a chance for those who can to join to tell our State representatives that ensuring that our rivers are safe and clean is not an option...

03/31/17. We will be meeting with our State representative Denise Provost to discuss the Clean Energy Purchasing Requirement bill (H.2700) [Title: An Act to Increase the renewable portfolio standard and ensure compliance with the Global Warming Solutions Act]. This is a state bill that would increase the rate of increase in the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), from the current 1% to at least 2% a year, and require municipal electric utilities – currently exempt - to begin complying with the RPS. Our state wants to reach a target of a decrease of green house emission by 80% by 2050 (w/ 25% by 2020). We are not on target, and increasing our RPS would contribute greatly to meet this goal. Our goal with this meeting is multiple: (1) Making sure she supports the bill; (2) Asking how we can help explicitly; and (3) Recording our notes and passing it to our communities so as to create a tangible civic action. 

Local Legislature & Campaigns

✧ 350 Mass Legislative Agenda
✧ Massachusetts Sierra Club's Legislative Priorities — 2017-2018 (190th session) 
✧ Environmental League of Massachusetts Legislative  — 2017-2018 agenda
✧ Conservation Law Foundation Campaigns 

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Stop Talking - Start Planting!

🌳  Message from a great kid to us all adults:
“We children know adults know the challenges and they know the solutions.” “We don’t know why there is so little action.” – Felix Finkbeiner
Again when he was 13 years old during a speech he said: “If you let a monkey choose if he wants one banana now or six bananas later, the monkey will always chose the one banana now,” he said. “From this, we children understood we cannot trust that adults alone will save our future. To do that, we have to take our future in our hands.” How about that? These little ones, who are the ones who will take after us, have more sense than we do -the supposedly wise ones. 

Read his story, get inspired and move into action. If a kid can, the least we can do is spread his words... And especially the motto of his organization" "Stop talking, start planting". 

#forests #reforestation #climateChange #activism #environment #sustainability #environmentLeaders

Xplore: Plant for the Planet

Friday, March 17, 2017

Environment | Week Highlights



News Highlights

Main topics of the week: EPA (again); Auto-Industry fuel efficiency deregulation; Continued attack on wildlife refuges critical to protect our human life support systems.

Former Vice President Al Gore slammed new EPA chief Scott Pruitt on Monday for his claim last week that carbon emissions aren’t the primary cause of global warming. He added: "Putting someone in the EPA who denies even the most basic scientific truth about this, you know, it’s — the old cliches are, you can say the Earth is flat, but it doesn’t mean you’re going to fall off the edge." And this allows me to also make a comment about the wrong idea (put forward by some of our democratic representatives) that it is more important to act towards solutions and less important to address these false or denial claims. Not quite true: there is still a good 50% of the US population that denies climate change. And a main reason for correcting fake claim denials, is that -in the hands of the politicians- these false claims and perpetuating the myth are a weapon for justifying not doing anything, rolling back regulations, moving backwards, pushing their destructive fossil fuels agenda. See the point? [Read more…]

The kind of graph that will disappear in the
Trump-age's environmental reviews
Government to drop Climate Change from environmental reviews. Donald Trump is set to sign a sweeping directive to dramatically shrink the role climate change plays in decisions across the government, ranging from appliance standards to pipeline approvals, according to a person familiar with the administration’s plan. The order, which could be signed this week, goes far beyond a targeted assault on Obama-era measures blocking coal leasing and throttling greenhouse gas emissions from power plants that has been discussed for weeks. Some of the changes could happen immediately; others could take years to implement. [Read more…]

EPA Pulls Back Sound Policy Judgment at Behest of Auto Industry. Today, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt rescinded the determination that the EPA standards for 2022-2025 are appropriate. This decision was made at the request of automakers seeking to supplant more than four years of robust, technical analysis with a political request from industry–a spokesperson for the administration even noted on a press call regarding the announcement that automaker complaints had been taken at face value with no additional analysis or verification, despite the tremendous body of evidence EPA has already put forth supporting the determination.  This decision could have major implications not just for our climate, but for consumers, thanks to an administration willing to bend over backwards for industry. [Read more…]

Let's not forget the ongoing attack on Wildlife refuges (H.Res.69 and similar) and that is moving across the Congress floor. Yes it is an inhuman resolution to say the least (i.e., allowing killing bears in hibernation and wolf pups in their dens, etc.)—Most Americans oppose these extreme practices that could reduce or eliminate large carnivores across entire landscapes. Alaska’s program, intended to artificially inflate game populations, is unscientific, unsporting and defies traditional wildlife management principles. But as importantly and what people often miss is that the state’s predator control policy is also counter to congressional mandates to conserve the ecological integrity of the National Wildlife Refuge System, and specifically to manage species and habitats on Alaska refuges for their natural diversity. Once set, it will establish a precedent that can (and will under this administration) spread nationally to other refuges — which we forget are our Life support systems [Read more...] | TODOCall your Senators + Committee // in this case the Natural Resource committee (202-225-2761). Note that the Safari Club International is all "up in arms" (or shall we say in weapons), asking their members to call en-mass their senators to support this inhuman bill. Counter this, and call to oppose it.

Want to know what's going on in the Congress? Check my Congress Watch page  This page highlights urgent issues / bills with actionable items (who to call for support or protest).


Meanwhile in Massachusetts


Summary


Massachusetts Proposal to Ratchet Down Climate Pollution Not Good Enough. It’s been almost a year since Massachusetts’ highest court found in CLF’s favor in our landmark lawsuit to force the Commonwealth to create new regulations to cut greenhouse gas emissions through the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA). The ultimate deadline for the emissions reductions is 2050, by which time the state must slash emissions 80% below 1990 levels. The law sets several benchmarks along the way, however, with the first – to cut emissions 25% by 2020 – now just a few years away. [CLF | Read more…]

Local Events


Keep an eye for...

03/20/14. If you're in the Boston area, join us on a Walk on the Wild Side with Dave Brown, a nature event organized by our Friends of Alewife Reservation. The perfect opportunity to connect with our local nature...

03/31/17. We will be meeting with our State representative Denise Provost to discuss the Clean Energy Purchasing Requirement bill (H.2700) [Title: An Act to Increase the renewable portfolio standard and ensure compliance with the Global Warming Solutions Act]. This is a state bill that would increase the rate of increase in the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), from the current 1% to at least 2% a year, and require municipal electric utilities –currently exempt– to begin complying with the RPS. Our state wants to reach a target of a decrease of green house emission by 80% by 2050 (w/ 25% by 2020). We are not on target, and increasing our RPS would contribute greatly to meet this goal. Our goal with this meeting is multiple: (1) Making sure she supports the bill; (2) Asking how we can help explicitly; and (3) Recording our notes and passing it to our communities so as to create a tangible civic action. 

Local Legislature & Campaigns

✧ 350 Mass Legislative Agenda
✧ Massachusetts Sierra Club's Legislative Priorities — 2017-2018 (190th session) 
✧ Environmental League of Massachusetts Legislative  — 2017-2018 agenda
✧ Conservation Law Foundation Campaigns 

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Town Open Meeting with my Congressman –Glimpes

For those interested in my few mins recapitulative interpretation of yesterday’s Somerville open meeting with our congressman, here it is.

Joe Curtatone (our mayor) was here but he did not talk. That was not his meeting. So far I've liked or respected what I've heard Joe say in the past. Now as for Mike my Congressman (Mike Capuano). I heard him briefly once before and I like his personality. He seems a very nice and personable man, no doubt. Yet...

It was an open meeting, so: We asked questions, Mike answered. There were the rules. But for me it has been overall disappointing. It's not even the fact that Mike's answers were 'dark', as a matter of facts the reality is pretty darn grim. I can take that. It’s not a surprise and I did not expect him (or the party) to be our savior, or give keys in hands to reopen the doors of reasons either. He said he answered honestly, and I believe that he indeed gave ‘his’ honest answers (and I used 'his' on purpose). Now what did not work for me is what he conveyed to the public and how he said it.

Unknown author (to me) - but it's a cool gap, and hopefully one that we'll be able to bridge... 

I have to pause for second, digest what I heard yesterday. But here are few of my glimpses of this open meeting (in no specific order). This means that these are my recollection and thoughts (more than a constructed analysis) and only engage me. Although pay attention to the facts within the thoughts.

First there was kind of an indirect validation of what we’re seeing right now. The Justice system in our country does not hold on its own when it comes to the government. It is made by the clique in power. That clique is basically above investigation at this point, when by the way I think it should be investigated and monitored at all times –for this administration and all others– for the good of the people (whose life is basically in their hand). What was not encouraging is conveying to us that good or bad it is what it is. It was not even defeatism, Mike seems a fighter of some sort. I believe he just accepts or even believes in this system. No questions (really) asked.

Another one: What can we do to protect the EPA now? Not much but it’s ok…. Not much will happen anyway: they won’t remove protections (regulations), they will just not enforce them… Huh? 2 things: (1) again this is against the law, an EPA regulation should be enforceable by law and (2) this is not true anyway, or he is not paying attention to the bills on the floor right now (follow the bill monitoring I do on my blog to see the congress ‘reality’). Oh don’t worry Claire these bills won’t pass. Not true again, the Republicans hold an uncontested majority and vote in block. So far nothing has prevented a nomination, right? And the same is going for dangerous bills that are now passing slowly through the system being voted in (the House first, the Senate next, then the Prez signs…)

Another one again. Protecting Independent Science? Mike ‘believes’ in Science so that’s not the issue for him and we (scientists) are on our own. What is more important is to work on the solutions. Well... a lot of the solutions (for instance to alleviate climate change issues) are going to come from the scientific community, so if you can't 'do science' it's going to be tough to come up with viable solutions. By the way Science is not something you ‘believe’ in. Science is not a religion but an inquiry methodology that produces repeatable outcomes. And as such it is a methodology that is critical in policy making. This is why science is something to protect as much as freedom of expression is (and should make it in the Constitution if it's not). I have lived here long enough to have witnessed that the basic education of our people is fairly poor when it comes to the knowledge about what science is and its value to the society. Mike's remark was just an an example of how science is not-understood. Now there is one thing Mike mentioned that I agree with and which has also been raised many times by others: Scientists have to be more politically involved. Us humans are political beings, and it is one of our duties to make sure that we are fully part of the political scenery. Why? Because this is THE way to make sure that each of us operates as a balance to the system and ensures the well-being of our people collectively. The scientists have an incredible body of knowledge that they can communicate in a way that is understandable to most, and inform on problems and solutions. They understand very well checks and balance as their work follow such a system (peer-reviews) – which reduces errors and abuses. So hell yes, what they have has to come into play in politics. Oh another thing: Mike made me think that he separates science and social issues. But let’s not forget that some of the science fields are all about social issues. What do we think for instance the field of medicine, ecology, primatology, veterinary research, environmental sciences, conservation, biodiversity studies and many of the natural sciences are about? And I am not leaving math, physics, chemistry or other fields out: how do we think we would operate in this world without the machinery that is hidden in every corner of our world? It’s social work all right: these science leads to the very society we live in. As I say: the concept of science is blatantly communicated in our education for our own no-good at all…

Another one: 2018, 2018, 2018… It’s all about the 2018 elections. Push for having democrats in at the next elections – and by the way give money to the democrats in swing states. That’s the only good course of actions. That was more or less the message I heard. Nothing will change in effect really until then. I understand, it's important however… The message is bad. Why? because it conveys that the people’s voice has basically no weight at this very moment. It is simply being ignored. We’re treated like kids having a tantrum. We can scream all we want, the only voices that have a weight are the voices of the various elected representatives. Now are these representatives really our representatives? Think twice: They react to the money (and special interest groups with money) more than the voices of the average Joes and Janes (you and I). Yep. So the voice of the people does not really count much at the end. Am I really going to wait 2018 to see the same mediocre system outcome again and while rights are being slashed left and right every day? Is it the country that the Founding Fathers wanted? I don’t think so. I think it’s time for the people to have their voice count for real. Protest louder, resist with strength and determination, be organized and efficient, unify, pair with the media that we want independent, factual and fair… We need to be a real check and balance, because there’s none really at the moment…

It's going to get worse before it gets better (I agree). Yes true. But watch out: Better compared to what? Better to the reference that we will have at the time when the lead hand changes. A lot of damages will be done in next few weeks, months and years. That reference level will be low (too low) and unfortunately will be a new normal in our mind, because we are prone to forget. There is actually a term for this in the conservation field: the Shifting Baseline Syndrome. Won't happen? Click on the link. Another thing to remember is that what we lose took centuries to gain or build and will take decades or even centuries (depending on what you destroy) to rebuild or regain. Me? What I want is something better than what we had, which was acceptable yet far from perfect, but a base to work from.

It’s not politics as usual (I agree). But I am adding that we should never normalize what is going on right now. Some very close to me remind me that they are in power thanks to our democratic system. Yes as were most of our last century dictators in Europe. So may I ask the point is? This just reminds me that we better remember that we will have to reform this faulty system at some point after we address the immediate issues. We will have to re-‘direct’ the democratic process. What I mean with 're-direct' is that right now America is a democratic republic, where the people ‘govern’ indirectly through a body of elected officials. But the levels of indirections are so thick and the gap between the people and the government is so gigantic that that we might as well speak 2 different languages. We have to cut the crap in between. The government should be working for us the people. And now they don’t. They work for themselves, their heirs and the lobbies that elected them and who fuel their bank accounts. The government and the lobbies are in bed together (and have been for decades). That has to get under the people’s control.

More later. Mike said more, so of course I have also more to comment on...

Sunday, March 12, 2017

The Beauty & Strength of Snowflakes ❄

Oh! I just learnt what 'snowflake' means in the mouth of a T. disciple! Such a thoughtful compliment. Thank you so much!  

An iceberg (Credits: Niyazz/Shutterstock)

Of course because I post publicly, I am the target of trolls and such. Lately there has been a flurry of snowflakes making it as comments to posts of mine. I was puzzled until finally there were enough of them that I decided to look what those snowflakes were about. I now know! 

Well... I am not taking this name calling lightly! Thank you! It’s such a beautiful name and it means so much to me! Snowflakes are mathematical beauties - the type of beauty that I am very sensitive to. Yes there is a science of snowflakes, wouldn’t you believe that? How kind of them (the people who call me a snowflake), to associate me with such a fascinating science topic. It is amazing to see how elaborate snowflakes can be structurally, and how different they can be from one another. A epitome for diversity.

Then as a friend commented: Gather enough of them and you have an avalanche! 

Another thing and not the least: Have you seen what comes out of snowflakes holding tight together? Yep, that’s right: an iceberg. We’re monumentally strong! And one usually only sees the surface of us. You have no idea about what lies beneath. Now true, with climate change and all, we’re endangered, and that’s what we’re fighting for :D Thanks again for the compliment!

Friday, March 10, 2017

A Phone Call to Scott Pruitt –Head of the EPA

I said I would call Scott Pruitt and I did. But his phone does not answer and does not take messages. So I sent him an email and that’ll do for now until his phone line frees up. In that email I basically said what I would have told him over the phone. That is (and for the sake of sharing it):
This message is for Mr Scott Pruitt. 
Hi, I am one of your (millions of) employers. I am writing to you, Mr Pruitt, to inform you about the mission of your agency. Let’s start by its name: it is called the "Environmental PROTECTION Agency". I suppose that kind of says it all but let me develop this idea a little. Its job is not about creating jobs, rather it is to listen to science and public health experts who inform us about pollutants and harmful chemicals. You, Mr. Pruitt, don’t get to define what those are, unless it is the result of independent, peer-reviewed scientific publications. However it is your job to implement PROTECTIONS so that we, your bosses - the People of America - can breathe, drink, eat safely, can have children without losing them before birth, have them with no deformities or congenital problems, and have us safe of developing ailments of all sorts prematurely... 
What you call regulations or constraints are in truth PROTECTIONS. You don’t remove those without having us, the large majority of your bosses, fighting to get you out of a course that is against the life of the people. Your job again -because it is to protect the environment- is to understand the uncontested body of evidence behind climate change and work with experts towards finding and implementing solutions. And, yes, I use the word ‘uncontested’ on purpose. The science has been agreed upon by more than 97% of the scientific community. The 3 other % do not constitute the base of a debate Mr Pruitt, they are the exception - that’s different. Exceptions are, for example, when you get into your car, there is a very tiny possibility that it may explode and kill you. I know  It's not the greatest example, but that'll do for now. Anyway, don’t worry. It’s ok: you can get in that car and nothing should happen (the overwhelming majority of the times). You’ll be fine. This risk does not invalidate the solidity and overall safety of your car's brand (or cars generally). 
So, get back on track. Let the true experts do their job at protecting the environment and our people. 
Regards.
Source: Google Image (Labelled for noncommercial reuse)
03/11/10 Update: I actually sent 2 emails. One to the EPA Climate Change contact yesterday. And one today directly addressed to him since a friend of mine gave me his email address.

Environment | Week Highlights



Environmental News Highlights


03/03/17. People might not realize that World Wildlife Day is the 3rd of March this year. And what is that day might you ask? On 20 December 2013, at its 68th session, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) proclaimed 3 March, the day of signature of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), as UN World Wildlife Day to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild animals and plants. This year World Wildlife Day is celebrated in 2017 under the theme “Listen to the Young Voices.” Given that almost one quarter of the world’s population is aged between 10 and 24, vigorous efforts need to be made to encourage young people, as the future leaders and decision makers of the world, to act at both local and global levels to protect endangered wildlife. Read more...

03/03/17. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke Brings Back Lead Ammo In Parks And Refuges, although lead poisoning from ammunition and tackle kills up to 20 million birds and animals a year -besides also contaminating our food... What does it mean for conservation then? And what can we do instead?

03/04/17. Bill McKibben Talks Climate Change (RollingStone). On a particularly bad day for Earth's wellbeing – the EPA revealed massive budgetary cuts while the Trump administration waffled on the Paris Agreement on climate change – environmentalist and 350.org founder Bill McKibben appeared on Real Time With Bill Maher to discuss the dire situation and how the American people can fight back.

03/05/17. It's not the first time in recent political history that the environment is under the knife, but this time is a bit different. So... a little explanation about why Trump's assault on the EPA will be worse than Reagan's or Bush's seems important to share.
03/06/17. Maybe we should enroll Scott Pruitt in a crash course explaining why environmental protections are critical...  More than 1 in 4 deaths of children under 5 years of age are attributable to unhealthy environments. Every year, environmental risks – such as indoor and outdoor air pollution, second-hand smoke, unsafe water, lack of sanitation, and inadequate hygiene – take the lives of 1.7 million children under 5 years, say two new WHO reports.

03/07/17. Dakota Access pipeline could open next week after activists face final court loss. Standing Rock and Cheyenne River Sioux lose argument to prevent pipe from being laid under a stretch of the Missouri river, the last piece of construction. A federal judge declined Tuesday to temporarily stop construction of the final section of the disputed Dakota Access pipeline, clearing the way for oil to flow as soon as next week…

03/08/17. It's International Women's Day, and a good day to remember that there is no distance between environmental and woman justice campaigning: the two are so closely intertwined. Case in point: check the Climate Justice & Women's Rights Women guide and report from the Global Greengrants Fund.

03/09/17. The head of the EPA, Scott Pruitt, dismisses the basic science of climate change by denying that carbon emissions are a primary cause for global warming. If you want to reach him at the EPA and explain to him some basics science, here is his number: 202.564.4700. And here is a little text to help maybe: The drastic increase in the emission of CO2 (carbon dioxide) within the last 30 years caused by burning fossil fuels has been identified as the major reason for the change of temperature in the atmosphere.

03/10/17. On the ever painful EPA topic: EPA environmental justice leader resigns, amid White House plans to dismantle program. A key environmental justice leader at the Environmental Protection Agency has resigned, saying that a recent budget proposal to defund such work would harm the people who most rely on the EPA.

Want to know what's going on in the Congress? Check my Congress Watch page This page highlights urgent issues (bills) with actionable items.


Meanwhile in Massachusetts


Summary


Baker Administration Takes Steps to Weaken Water Protections. Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) released the following statement today in response to a proposal from Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker to transfer control over the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting process from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the Commonwealth. This proposal would allow a local process that has historically favored large polluters to control who is susceptible to Clean Water Act regulations. As a follow-up note, few of us called (617.725.4005) and were received with sighs when not simply dismissed. It is not acceptable that a government official and his aides behave this way!

MIT Professors Are Lobbying Trump — Against Their Former Colleague. MIT professor Richard Lindzen's contrarian views about climate change, which have long provided the appearance of credibility to those who deny human activity is causing the planet to warm, have caused deep angst among his colleagues at the university...

Report: Colleges and Universities Can Lead America’s Shift to 100 Percent Renewable Energy. America’s colleges and universities are positioned to lead the transition to 100 percent renewable energy, according to a report released today by Environment Massachusetts  Research & Policy Center. The report stresses that a complete shift to clean, renewable energy is the best way for colleges and universities to achieve their carbon reduction goals and highlights schools across the country that are taking measures to make the transition to renewable energy. 


Local Environmental Conferences-Trainings-Events


03/05/17 (Sunday)

The Sierra Club hosted an activist training this past Sunday March 5h in Boston, providing an overview of Clean Energy and the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) –a legal mandate setting the lower limit of renewable energy that electric utilities are required to purchase.

People should consider supporting the State bill - Clean Energy Purchasing Requirement HD.2103 (still a docket at this time). Sponsor: Rep. Kay Khan. Bill that would increase the rate of increase in the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), from the current 1% to at least 2% a year, and require municipal electric utilities – currently exempt - to begin complying with the RPS. Our state wants to reach a target of a decrease of green house emission by 80% by 2050 (w/ 25% by 2020). We are not on target, and increasing our RPS would contribute greatly to meet this goal.

The second part of the training comprised of a few lectures informing on how to best reach your State legislators and prepare for meeting with them (These are my training notes that I shared with and published in Indivisible Somerville).  

03/05/17 (Sunday)

The Local Environmental Action 2017 Conference took place this Sunday at Northeastern (03/05/17). I was there! And what a day it was! The 2 keynote speakers (Kandy Mossett and Lois Gibbs) shared powerful and emotional stories of activism, which made me understand more about the level of environmental criminality ramping in the offices of our government.

More than emotions those stories are backed up by scientific evidence, reproducible data. That the government chose in those cases (and still do) to ignore, dismiss, hide facts is unacceptable, unthinkable... Besides these 2 great speeches, this was a great opportunity to understand global and local environmental issues, to meet with local activists and to learn how to organize with experts activist in the field.

03/11/17 (Saturday)

How about joining this Saturday's Charles River Conservancy Clean-up event. The plan? Pruning trees and shrubs, removing litter and leaves in Herter Park. A great way to be involved and meet alike people. I'll be there!

State Legislative Actions