QUICK NEWS, October 21: Don’t Insure A Climate Crisis; New Energy And The Circular Economy

Don’t Insure A Climate Crisis How the Insurance Industry Bears Responsibility for the Climate Crisis; In this op-ed, an Insure our Future activist argues that the insurance industry could help address the climate crisis by refusing to back environmentally-destructive projects.

Schuyler Holder, October 21, 2019 (Teen Vogue)

“…[C]hanging how the insurance industry operates could be critical to addressing the climate crisis…[C]oal plants can't operate without insurance. The Trans Mountain Pipeline can't be built without insurance. Offshore oil rigs can't drill without insurance…[Insurance companies are] expected to have 400,000 job openings by next year and it’s counting on an influx of young talent…[N]ew graduates want to work with companies that care about and contribute to sustainability…[We want] something so much bigger than a desk job after graduation. We want climate change policies that will bring an end to the use of coal and other fossil fuels; we want investments in sustainable sources of energy…

click to enlarge

…[S]tudents considering careers in insurance can tell the industry to phase out underwriting of and investing in fossil fuels…[A new petition is not intended] to steer students away from the industry, but to bring young and matured talent together in an effort to reform current business practices that are driving climate change. Business and risk management students can join [use it to push] the insurance industry to take real action against the climate crisis…[by asking] prospective employers if they are pursuing sustainable practices and investments, and [by choosing to work for companies that are fighting for our future…” click here for more

Tweet

New Energy And The Circular Economy Breathing new life into renewable energy; Green technology has come a long way. The next challenge for the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory is to develop ways to recycle the recycling infrastructure.

October 9, 2019 (Scientific American)

“…Scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are working on ways to minimize waste from New Energy like replaced wind turbine blades and batteries and move] towards a circular economy, a world where waste is eliminated and materials are used again and again…[They are working on cutting-edge materials that can be] recaptured for use in the next (usually better) iteration…One promising idea is to fashion [wind turbine] blades from thermoplastics, which can be molded when heated but harden when cooled. Thermoplastic blades could be created on-site and could be melted down and repurposed at the end of their usable lives…

click to enlarge

…[Chemists are] working on processes to make recycled plastic as strong, or stronger, than the original…Moving to a circular economy can take a long time. Pairing government scientists with large corporations offers a way to speed up the process…[The scientists say the next five to ten years will be crucial to the emergence of new business models that can use the] huge potential to do more…” click here for more

click to enlarge

Tweet