QUICK NEWS, May 20: Designers On The Climate Crisis; The Secret To More New Energy

Designers On The Climate Crisis How the world's leading designers are thinking about the climate crisis

Aileen Kwun, May 15, 2019 (CNN via the Philadelphia Tribune)

“Transgenic silk garments that emit a neon glow, sartorial burial suits embedded with flesh-eating microbes, and a bouquet of perfume notes derived from the DNA of extinct flora are just a few of the mind-bending works of design presented in ‘Nature,’ this year’s Cooper Hewitt Design Triennial program…[It] looks at how designers are responding to human-induced climate change and the impending environmental crisis…Last year was the world’s fourth hottest since records started in 1880, according to NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)…[More than 60 projects from scientists, to engineers, farmers, programmers, artists, philosophers, and others from 22 countries] are placed into one of seven categories based on strategy, rather than medium — Understand, Simulate, Remediate, Salvage, Facilitate, Augment, and Nurture…

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Clothing has been cited as among the top contributors of pollution and waste globally. In 2018, Quantis found that the footwear and apparel industries account for more than 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, while, according to a 2016 McKinsey study, nearly 60% of all clothing ends up in landfills or incinerators within a year of its production…The selected works — all contemporary, and in several instances, prototypes of ideas yet to be realized — display an ingenuity of material innovation, suggesting products that drastically reduce environmental harm, or novel ways of responsibly tapping into overlooked resources…” click here for more

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The Secret To More New Energy This one weird trick can help any state or city pass clean energy policy; A political strategy that actually works.

David Roberts, May 15, 2019 (VOX)

“…[T] he past few years have seen a remarkable flourishing of climate and clean energy policy at the subnational level, in states and cities across the country…[They all] used the same simple trick to achieve policy success…[New Energy policy was passed in Washington state by] Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee, working for the first time with solid Democratic majorities in both houses of the state legislature…[in Nevada] by newly elected Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak, working with Democratic majorities in both houses…[in Colorado by] newly elected Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, working with Democratic majorities in both houses…[in New Mexico by newly elected Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, working with Democratic majorities in both houses…[in California by] Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown, working with Democratic majorities in both houses…

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[It was also passed in New Jersey by] newly elected Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, working with Democratic majorities in both houses…[in Los Angeles by] Democratic Mayor Eric Garcetti, working with a Democratic city council…[in New York City by]Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio, working with a Democratic city council…[in Chicago by] Democratic Mayor Rahm Emanuel, working with a Democratic city council…[in Boise, Idaho, by] Democratic Mayor David Bieter, working with a purportedly nonpartisan but in reality Democratic city council…in Missoula, Montana, by Democratic Mayor John Engen, working with a Democratic city council…[in Cincinnati, Ohio, by] Democratic Mayor John Cranley, working with a Democratic city council…[in Washington, DC, by Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser, working with a Democratic city council…The trick is: elect Democrats…[That it is this partisan an issue is] not ideal. But it is what it is.” click here for more

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