QUICK NEWS, April 30: Your Brain On Climate Change; New Energy Moves Ahead Of Coal

Your Brain On Climate Change Why your brain doesn’t register the words ‘climate change’

Kate Yoder, April 29, 2019 (Grist)

…According to recent neuroscience research, people will respond more if the terms “global warming” and “climate change” with the term “climate crisis,” which] got a 60 percent greater emotional response from listeners…[The widely-regarded SPARK Neuro found, from a bipartisan focus group, that “global warming” and “climate change” performed the worst of six] terms of emotional engagement and audience attention…[More response came to] climate crisis, environmental destruction, weather destabilization, and environmental collapse…It’s the latest sign that climate change communicators have a whole lot to learn from cognitive science…

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[It is thought “global warming” and “climate change” performed poorly because they have been overexposed and are] neutral phrases…[People who care about the climate crisis] are starting to realize the power of words…The two phrases that caused the strongest emotional reaction overall were “climate crisis” and “environmental destruction…” [But a strong emotional response like that evoked by “environmental destruction” can] have a “backfiring effect…” [“Climate crisis”] was the Goldilocks of the study — not too weak, not too strong. Among Democrats, Republicans, and independents, it caused a strong emotional reaction…[It allows] people to pay more attention and encourages a sense of urgency…” click here for more

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New Energy Moves Ahead Of Coal America's renewable energy set to surpass coal for the first month ever

Matt Egan, April 29, 2019 (CNN)

“…The renewable energy sector is projected to [for the first time] generate more electricity than coal during the month of April, according to a recent report…[Coal was already replaced as the power sector leader by] natural gas, a much cleaner burning fossil fuel…[A decade ago, U.S. New Energy] had little presence other than hydro power. But a wave of investment — first into wind, and then solar — has made these new technologies far cheaper…At the same time, increased awareness about climate change has led many American businesses, households and state legislatures to demand cleaner energy…

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[U.S. Energy Information Administration statistics project New Energy (hydro, biomass, wind, solar and geothermal) to] sporadically exceed coal in 2019 and 2020…[The shift will initially be when hydro and wind increase in the spring and] coal plants shut down for maintenance…[New Energy is projected to be the fastest-growing source for power generation for at least the next two years and will pass] coal on an annual basis…Coal's share of total power generation tumbled from 45% in 2010 to 28% in 2018…[and is] expected to dip to just 24% in 2020…The problem for coal is economics…[Energy Innovation found wind and solar costs] have plunged so drastically that 74% of the US coal fleet could be replaced by renewable energy and still save customers money…” click here for more

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