July Greencap: New Federal Rule May Shield Millions of Workers from Extreme Heat

Looking to recap everything green and good that happened this past month? Don’t worry, we’ve got you! From a new federal rule to fining news channels, we’re giving you the scoop on 10 of the weird and wonderful things that happened around the world in July or so.

A new federal rule could offer protection from extreme heat to millions of workers

The U.S. Department of Labor has proposed a rule requiring employers to create injury and illness prevention plans to protect workers from heat-related injuries and deaths.

“Workers are collapsing, suffering heat strokes, and dying from heat exposure on the job. We must act to safeguard them,” said Doug Parker, OSHA assistant secretary.

Heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the U.S., with over 200 fatalities last year. The new regulations aim to protect about 36 million workers, especially people of colour who are more exposed to extreme heat. This proposal comes amid record-breaking heat waves and extreme weather, with over 75 million people under heat alerts earlier this month.

Clean Energy Boom Soars Past 300,000 Jobs

Since the passage of President Joe Biden’s climate and clean energy investments in August 2022, over 312,900 new clean energy jobs have been announced, according to a new Climate Power brief. The report also notes 585 new clean energy projects, totaling over $361 billion in investments, across 47 states and Puerto Rico.

Photo: ISA HARSIN / SIPA PRESS

Paris Olympic Games podiums will be made from recycled plastics

At this summer’s Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, athletes will stand on podiums crafted entirely from recycled plastic food containers. These innovative podiums are produced by Le Pavé, a French startup specialising in recyclable materials, operating out of a repurposed steel foundry. In addition to the podiums, Le Pavé has also created 11,000 bleacher seats for local sports arenas, made from recycled items such as shampoo bottles and bottle caps.

eBay has dropped fees for the sale of second-hand clothing

eBay has eliminated fees for selling second-hand clothing, effective today, in an effort to reduce garment waste and keep items out of landfills.

This means that sellers can now list pre-owned clothing on the platform without incurring any charges, regardless of whether the items are brand new with tags. Analysts suggest that eBay’s decision is aimed at competing with popular second-hand clothing apps like Vinted and Depop, which attract a younger audience that eBay is keen to engage.

There’s a startup that makes butter out of CO2

Savor, backed by Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates, has been developing dairy-free alternatives to ice cream, cheese, and milk using a thermochemical process that creates fat molecules by assembling chains of carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and oxygen. The company has now introduced a new animal-free butter alternative.

Reducing meat and dairy consumption is crucial for lowering humanity’s environmental impact since livestock production is a major source of greenhouse gases. Savor claims its products will have a significantly smaller carbon footprint compared to animal-based counterparts. Their “butter” could potentially emit less than 0.8g of CO2 equivalent per calorie, while the standard climate footprint of real unsalted butter with 80% fat is around 2.4g of CO2 equivalent per calorie.

Photo: Keya Rivera/Courthouse News Service

Youths in Hawaii won landmark climate case

In a historic 2022 settlement, Hawaii’s Department of Transportation agreed to eliminate carbon emissions from its sector by 2045, surpassing the state’s previous goal of carbon neutrality by that year. This commitment arose from a lawsuit by 13 young activists, who cited the public trust doctrine and Hawaii’s constitutional duty to protect natural resources. They noted that transportation is projected to account for 60% of the state’s emissions by 2030.

Edinburgh set to ban adverts for high-carbon products including fossil fuels

The City of Edinburgh Council’s Policy and Sustainability Committee finalised updates to its Advertising and Sponsorship Policy to align with the council’s net-zero target by 2030. The new policy bans ads for high-carbon products like airlines, airports, and cruise holidays, as well as vehicles with tailpipe emissions and zero-emission SUVs promoting petrol or diesel prices.

There’s an electric car battery that charges in under five minutes in track test

UK start-up Nyobolt has demonstrated an electric car battery that can charge from 10% to 80% in just four minutes and 37 seconds. This achievement was showcased with a specially-built concept sports car on a test track in Bedford, as part of broader industry efforts to accelerate electric vehicle (EV) charging times. For comparison, an existing Tesla supercharger can charge a car battery to 80% in 15-20 minutes.

Experts highlight that eliminating “range anxiety” is crucial for increasing EV adoption, while also emphasising the need to improve charging infrastructure. The Nyobolt battery-equipped sports car, tested over two days recently, achieved a range of 120 miles after four minutes of charging. In contrast, a Tesla charged to 80% typically offers a range of up to 200 miles.

No need for countries to issue new oil, gas or coal licences, study finds

A major study directed at political leaders reveals that the world has enough planned fossil fuel projects to meet global energy demands through 2050. Governments are urged to halt the issuance of new oil, gas, and coal licences.

Researchers from University College London and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argue that if governments implement the changes needed to meet climate targets, no additional fossil fuel projects will be necessary. They present data providing a “rigorous scientific basis” for a global ban on new fossil fuel projects and advocate for a managed decline of the fossil fuel industry, alongside increased investment in clean energy alternatives.

France’s CNews fined for broadcasting climate change denial

A well-known French rolling news channel has been fined for airing climate scepticism without offering a counterargument.

CNews, owned by billionaire Vincent Bolloré, delivers 24-hour news coverage both nationally and globally. It is the second most-watched news network in France, following BFMTV. The channel was criticised for permitting a guest to promote a contentious view on the human origins of climate change without presenting any opposing perspectives.