Prepare for Change

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/nov/24/world-unable-cope-10-years-talks-un-global-treaty-to-end-plastic-waste   This year, various researchers found microplastics in every sample of placenta they tested ; in human arteries, where plastics are linked to heart attacks and strokes; in human testes and semen, adding to evidence of the ubiquity of plastics and concern over health risks. The plastics crisis is widely recognised as a threat to human health, biodiversity and the climate.  Two years after a historic agreement by 175 countries to adopt a mandate on negotiations for a global, legally binding treaty to address the whole life cycle of plastics, delegates remain widely divided on what to do – and a deadline is looming. Progress has stalled over a row about the need for cuts to the $712bn plastics industry . The last talks , in April, failed to get an agreement to put production targets – seen as key to curbing plastic waste – at the treaty’s centre. *...

  https://www.yahoo.com/news/york-judge-rejects-state-efforts-202606195.html   A coalition of environmental groups, meanwhile, allege Greenidge is pumping millions of pounds of carbon dioxide into the air, while contaminating the nearby Seneca Lake with daily discharges of heated water required to run the plant. “The Finger Lakes community has been sounding the alarm on the disastrous impacts of this facility on their water, air, and climate,” said Mandy DeRoche, a deputy managing attorney in the Clean Energy Program at Earthjustice. “We will continue our fight until Greenidge shuts down for good,” * * * * * I remember to shut off the lights when I leave a room I won't be going back to for a while.  Meanwhile, Bitcoin roars through enough electricity to run several small countries.  The timing couldn't have been worse.  And you can't forget AI starting to suck up electricity so we can make funny videos.  Or the Cloud storage instead of just keeping c...