Save the Earth?
Better Save the Humans...
Mother Earth will take care of herself. Always has, always will. It’s the humans we need to be worried about, because we are fragile little creatures, and our survival as a species will likely depend on our adaptability under challenging circumstances. Climate change is definitely underway, and while the disruptions to what we have always considered “normal” are sure to continue (and likely become more extreme), there is also some light on the horizon. Today’s newsletter features a few related items worth knowing about.
Yes, it’s true, the Inflation Reduction Act addresses climate change in a meaningful way. It’s a very good start…
By now you should know that President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes substantial funding for a number of major climate related initiatives, as part of a far-reaching package that is historic in its scope and importance. As reported by the AP, “Though the law is considerably smaller than their initial ambitions, Biden and Democrats are hailing the legislation as a once-in-a-generation investment in addressing the long-term effects of climate change, as well as drought in the nation’s West.”
A very comprehensive breakdown of the various elements of climate funding in the new law is provided by The Washington Post, below. It also makes clear that humans need to partner with nature in order to have any chance at turning the tide.
What about those new tax credits for buying an electric car? They’re substantial, but they also exclude a lot of electric cars…
The new law goes into effect in 2023, and it does provide new and extended tax credits for many electric cars. But not all EVs will qualify, and the devil is in the details. For instance, if you want to buy a Kia EV6, a Hyundai Ioniq 5, a Jaguar I-Pace or even a 2022 VW ID4, and you want the full $7,500 tax credit, you’d better make your purchase before the end of this year, because none of those brands will be eligible for any tax credit in 2023 (as opposed to 2022, when the full $7,500 tax credit applies).
Cars that will qualify for the full tax credit in 2023 include Tesla (a new opportunity for Tesla buyers, since Tesla had previously used up its tax credit allotment), as well as General Motors, Ford, Rivian, Nissan and VW ID4 2023 models that are made in Tennessee. The new Act also provides a $4,000 tax credit if you purchase a used EV starting in 2023. Here are the details…
An extraordinary drought in the West is drying up the Colorado River. New water cuts are coming to states in the Southwest…
As reported by CNN, the Colorado River's water was divvied up among seven states in the West a century ago. The pact gave half of the river's water to the Upper Basin states (Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico) and half to the Lower Basin (California, Arizona and Nevada). Mexico -- through which the river flows before it reaches the Gulf of California -- was also guaranteed an allotment. Now, following unprecedented drought, for extended periods, and amid the overuse of the river and the aridification of the region, the federal government is implementing new mandatory water cuts and asking states to devise a plan to save the river basin.
Yet, what isn’t yet clear is whether agribusiness will make any significant changes in its water consumption. Certain crops like almonds, alfalfa and avocados, require massive amounts of water per yield. As reported in the SanDiego Tribune, “California should consider banning or limiting the cultivation of water-intensive crops. At a time of severe water shortages, it makes sense to end the cultivation for export of crops like almonds and alfalfa, a plant mostly used to feed cows. Where does the world get 80 percent of its almonds? The Golden State. Where does Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (and Japan and China) get much of their alfalfa? You guessed it. California.” To make matters worse, these agribusiness crops don’t just use up reservoir water, they also are tapping into underground aquifers that have taken thousands of years to fill. And they are being drained at alarming rates.
Let the population collapse? Overpopulation is the biggest threat to human survival.
A couple of weeks ago, Bill Maher’s “New Rules” segment focused on why figuring out how to curb humankind’s appetite for continued growth has become an existential threat to the survival of the species. Managing population growth is the one climate change factor that we could actually control. The following short video, does a great job of presenting this little-discussed, but crucial component of climate change…