News Feeds

Human handlers still need to be on site but the robots from one US company can now talk to each other and be controlled from anywhere.

The post Remote control robots that talk to each other are building solar farms in Australia appeared first on Renew Economy.

Holy Cross Energy CEO Bryan Hannegan said the utility plans to expand its programs for smart electrification and demand flexibility, and selectively add new flexible renewable resources.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 4, 2026

Statement on ACT NOW Clean Tech Initiative

ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. — On June 4, Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato signed the Advancing Clean Technology for Neighborhood and Next-Generation Opportunity and Workforce (ACT NOW) Executive Order. In response, Ohio River Valley Institute Industrial Decarbonization Program Manager Justine Hackimer issued the following statement:

Clean technology and advanced manufacturing present a generational opportunity to strengthen Allegheny County’s economy, create high-quality jobs, and build on our region’s long history of industrial innovation. 

For generations, southwestern Pennsylvania’s workers, manufacturers, and research institutions helped power economic growth across the country. As global markets increasingly demand cleaner technologies, our region is well-positioned to compete for the industries that will shape the next generation of manufacturing. 

But realizing that opportunity requires more than individual projects. It takes coordination and smart policy like ACT NOW to ensure workers and local communities directly benefit from investments. We applaud County Executive Sara Innamorato’s leadership in shaping a clean tech future that works for all Pennsylvanians.

By investing in the industries of tomorrow while strengthening the systems that support workers and communities, the region can build a more diverse, resilient economy that creates opportunities for generations to come.

###

 

The post Statement on ACT NOW Clean Tech Initiative appeared first on Ohio River Valley Institute.

In this issue:

Intro: May Action Night / Volunteer for Election Work /Energy Justice Team / Protect Portland’s Climate Justice Fund / Portland Budget Update / Forest Defense Team / Arts Team / Data Centers: Good News / Welcome Summer Interns / Book Club / SW Team / Brooklyn Action Team / Washington County Team / Rumble on the River / Venmo, Totes, & Stickers – Oh My!

Thanks to all of you, we had an illuminating and inspiring May 21 Candidate Meet & Greet Action Night, our first event in the 2026 Vote for Climate Justice campaign! 15 candidates from Districts 3 and 4 attended. Each candidate briefly shared about their climate priorities, and at least 80 Portlanders circulated at their tables to learn more. Ten candidates have fully endorsed our Climate Justice Platform, and one has endorsed parts of it. Scroll to the bottom of this page to see if your preferred candidates have endorsed it.

Visit our news page to see Action Night photos by 350PDX volunteer Dana Schot, as well as video of each candidate’s speech.

Volunteer for Election Work

We’re recruiting volunteers to support our District 3 & 4 city council election work. Whether you can table at an event, assist with candidate forums, do outreach in your neighborhood, or lend a hand behind the scenes, there is a role for you in this pivotal moment for climate justice in Portland! Sign up at 350pdx.org/volunteer or email us at info@350pdx.org.

And, if you know of events in D3 or D4 that 350PDX should attend, please share with info@350pdx.org!

Energy Justice Team

350PDX’s newest campaign team, the Energy Justice Team, has fully launched! We’re working on everything from protecting PCEF to fighting for safety in the Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub, from stopping Zenith and data centers to advocating for transportation justice. Join us! We meet on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month from 6:00-7:30 PM, rotating between virtual and in person. Our next meeting is Tuesday, June 9 at 6:00 PM on Zoom. To get the link or sign up for an orientation, reach out to team leaders Dineen and Cherice: dineen@350pdx.org, cherice@350pdx.org

THIS WEEK: Join us at the Toxic Roots of the Silicon Forest Conference, hosted by Portland Jobs with Justice! The conference takes place at Portland State University, and begins tonight (Wednesday) evening with a film screening and continues all day tomorrow (Thursday). Come explore the legacy of the semiconductor and microchip industry (the backbone of AI…), discuss its impact in our own backyard, and plant the seeds for a more equitable and sustainable future. Get tickets here.

PCEF to Police? Protect Portland’s climate justice fund!

Portland police and wealthy special interests are gathering signatures for a ballot measure to raid the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF), diverting 25% of it to the police. Portlanders can:

• Decline to sign measures you don’t support.

• Share concerns with friends and family.

• Sign the Protect PCEF pledge.

• Learn more

Ethics violations have been filed against those who filed this ballot measure, alleging they are training signature gatherers to mislead the public about the purpose of the measure. See this story in the Portland Mercury for more info. Here is the text of the petition.

Portland Budget Update

14 Tree Protection Jobs Saved!

Major thanks to everyone who contacted their council members and submitted testimony in support of our city tree budget for long-term cooling. Councilor Koyama Lane’s amendment to restore 14 (mostly PCEF-funded) urban forestry and tree permitting jobs passed 8-4. See vote results here; search for “urban forestry.” Consider dropping your councilor a note.

Through our advocacy together, a budget amendment to fund the fire engine that serves Linnton and the CEI hub also passed, and the budget includes two new positions in the Office of Sustainability. Unfortunately, some PCEF money was diverted; stay tuned to see if more advocacy will help before the budget is finalized.

Forest Defense Team

Stop by 350PDX’s Shade Equity table at Columbia Slough Watershed Council’s Annual Slough Celebration, Saturday June 13, 2:00-6:00 PM, 1880 Northeast Elrod Drive.

Would you like to co-host a tree walk in your neighborhood? Reach out to Noelle@350pdx.org.

Arts Team Because of a conflict with the No Kings event on June 14, our June Artbuild will be postponed. Watch for an email with more information and new June Artbuild date! We’ll be planning for the NW Climate Week in July, and an Oregon Wild event in August. Stay tuned! Donna, Lauren, Dannika, and Ali Data Centers—Good News about the POWER Act!

Data centers have swooped into the state and are charged less than half of what residential customers pay, while drawing immense amounts of power. That is about to change! Due to the POWER Act, which 350PDX helped advocate for in the 2025 legislative session, Oregon’s Public Utility Commission is requiring PGE to charge data centers more, reducing the burden on regular ratepayers. Learn more.

Welcome Summer Interns

We’re excited to welcome two summer interns. Natalie Severson is a third year Reed College student majoring in political science and sociology. Her main focus will be PCEF, and helping organize our District 4 tabling opportunities and candidate forum. Owen Wegner just graduated from Reed (congratulations, Owen!) with a degree in environmental studies and a concentration in political science. He’ll be helping develop our Climate Justice Scorecard and organizing our District 3 tabling and candidate forum.

Book Club

The 350PDX Book Club meets every month on the first Wednesday of the month at 6:30 PM. Every other month is in-person and the others are virtual. Reach out to books@350PDX.org with any questions or to join our list, and please RSVP so we can inform you of any meeting changes.

Join us on Wednesday, June 3 at 6:30 PM for our next non-fiction in-person meeting. We’ll discuss Eight Bears: Mythic Past and Imperiled Future by Gloria Dickie, a global exploration of the eight remaining species of bears―and the dangers they face. RSVP at books@350PDX.org.

Save the date for our other upcoming discussions:

• Wednesday, July 1 at 6:30 PM (Google Meet) – Book to be selected in June

• Wednesday, August 5 at 6:30 PM (In Person) – Book to be selected soon

• Voting starts soon for our next batch of books! Email us your suggestions.

Do you like to talk about books and climate justice? We are seeking volunteers to help facilitate! Contact books@350PDX.org to learn more.

Southwest Neighborhood Team

The Southwest Neighborhood Team includes neighborhoods on the south and west sides of Portland. We work together to raise awareness of the climate emergency.

A big thank you to our volunteers for supporting our kiosk at SW Sunday Parkways on Sunday, May 17. Your efforts resulted in big gains for our SW Neighborhood Team. We signed up 40 people who were interested in the District 4 candidate forum. We gave out 18 Climate Action Yard Signs to community members willing to raise awareness about the climate crisis, and we are quickly gaining ground on efforts to reign in data center expansion in Oregon. Photo: Matt Austin

Our street corner demonstrations continue weekly in June and July, every Friday from 3:00-4:00 PM at SW Garden Home & SW Oleson Rd. Street parking is available or reach us via bus or bike. We may make adjustments to our gathering time to accommodate our volunteers. We are suspending our monthly Zoom team meetings for June and July. We will resume meetings on the third Monday in August (Monday, August 17th, 2026, at 6:30 PM).

To get involved, please contact Pat Kaczmarek at patk5@msn.com.

Brooklyn Climate Action Team (BCAT) 

BCAT is heading into a busy summer. Our popular Go-Bag Series returns June 9, June 23, and July 7 at 7:30 PM at Brooklyn School Park (near Winterhaven Elementary School) — a community favorite for building emergency preparedness alongside neighbors. Whether you’re refreshing an existing kit or starting from scratch, come join us!

We’ve also been busy this spring: last month, neighbors gathered for BCAT’s first Climate Action Writing Night, putting pen to paper on letters to representatives urging protection of our National Forests.

See our full calendar here.

Washington County Team

We are super excited to see last year’s successful community event moving forward in partnership with The City of Hillsboro, the Westside Planet Alliance, and Hillsboro Saturday Farmers market, with sponsorship from PGE.

Please join us for year *TWO* of our event:

Westside Sustainable Living Fair
July 18 | 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM  2nd Avenue between Main and Lincoln Streets, Downtown Hillsboro

Explore interactive exhibits, hands-on games and activities, giveaways, prize drawings, and local resources focused on clean energy, electric vehicles, water conservation, urban forestry, waste reduction, watershed health, wildlife-friendly gardening, and more. The Fair is adjacent to the downtown Hillsboro Farmers Market, which features fresh local produce and goods, prepared food, and sustainable products. Visit PGE’s Ride & Drive experience on 3rd Avenue between Main and Washington Streets in the Heritage Bank parking lot where you can learn about and test drive a number of electric vehicle options.

Our group will NOT meet online in June.  Our next gathering will be in person for a summer picnic in conjunction with the July 18 event. We always welcome newcomers to our events and to our monthly online meetings (6:30 PM on the second Tuesday of the month). For the link, join us here or contact us at 350washco@gmail.com.

Rumble on the River: Building Community For The Long Haul 

In response to the disheartening onslaught against democracy, humanity, and life on our planet, we come together for inspirations, ideas and actions that will energize us to create a humane and supportive community. Come learn what other neighborhoods and networks are doing and how you can get engaged.

Tuesday, June 16

St Andrew Catholic Church (806 NE Alberta St)

Doors and Info Tables at 5:30 PM, Panel at 6:30 PM

350PDX is on Venmo! @Climate-350pdx

The first 35 people to donate any amount to us on Venmo will receive a screen-printed tote bag & a new Vote for Climate Justice sticker—designed by 350PDX volunteer Joaquin Moore! All donations will support grassroots climate justice advocacy. Donate here! 

Thank you for reading our monthly newsletter. We hope to see you soon!

With gratitude,

Cherice, Dineen, Irene, Jessica, and Noelle

The post 2026 June Newsletter! appeared first on 350PDX: Climate Justice.

There’s something uniquely thrilling about a cross-country road trip—especially when someone else is paying for the gas. But to spend time on the road with a friend, sharing new experiences and...

Lydia Larce has what she calls “storm PTSD.”

There’s no way to sugarcoat it: Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is under attack. 

The elected officials behind 2025’s failed public lands sell-off attempts – Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rep. Celeste Maloy (R-UT-02) – introduced a joint resolution to undo the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Management Plan using the Congressional Review Act (CRA). 

If both chambers of Congress pass the measure by simple majority votes, the plan – which sets expectations for how these remarkable public lands will be managed for recreation, camping and outdoor access, collaboration with Tribal Nations, dark night skies, grazing, and other uses – will be undone and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will be barred from issuing another plan that is “substantially the same” in the future. This would be a devastating blow to the monument and could turn it into a wildly different place. We cannot let this happen. 

View our StoryMap and learn more

Here are ways you can join us and fight back: 

• Visit our action page and email your members of Congress, telling them to vote NO on the joint resolution. 

• Reach out to your friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues who you know also love the redrock, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and southern Utah. Send them a link to our action alert and encourage them to join our email list too!

• Share this action on social media – be sure to tag our accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok. 

• Call your Representative and both of your Senators (find office numbers here), saying something along the lines of: “Hi my name is _____, and I’m a constituent from ______. I am calling to urge you to vote NO on the Congressional Review Act Resolution targeting the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument management plan.  The monument — a crown jewel of America’s public lands and a place like nowhere else in the world — should be protected for its rich biodiversity, unique geology, and remarkable cultural values. The resolution to disapprove the plan puts everything that is special about Grand Staircase-Escalante at risk. Please vote NO. Thank you.”

• If you live outside of Utah, reach out to a member of SUWA’s Grassroots Organizing Team to get more involved and find out if your member of Congress is one who could cast a deciding vote.  

• View and share our Grand Staircase-Escalante StoryMap.

• Watch our recent Virtual Rally for Grand Staircase-Escalante and learn about ways to take effective action from wherever you live.

• If you’re able, consider financially supporting SUWA. Our members and supporters make our work possible. 

• If you’re looking for another way to participate, we encourage you to get creative! We’re seeking artistic works for use in an interactive map for Grand Staircase-Escalante. Create something new or share a piece you’ve already made. This can range from short stories about your experiences in the monument, to quick sketches, to your favorite photographs! Email files to loveforgse@suwa.org. 

For over 40 years, SUWA and the nationwide Protect Wild Utah movement have worked tirelessly to protect wilderness-quality lands, including the monument. That work continues, undeterred.  Thank you for standing with us at this critical moment.  

 

View Our “Love for Grand Staircase-Escalante” StoryMap of Art Submissions

The post Actions You Can Take to Defend Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument appeared first on Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.

Spurlino Foundation Discovery CenterSomething exciting has been brewing at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in Naples: The new visitor experience, which opened on February 4, 2026, immerses all ages in...

In 2000, Congress passed the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan — a blueprint to return health and resilience to the River of Grass. With such a vast territory of overlapping restoration...

At the southern end of Everglades National Park, a series of sloughs conveys fresh water to the Florida Bay estuary. Audubon researchers track these freshwater deliveries (or lack thereof) and their...

Good news! Based on the WET’s demonstrated utility in identifying priority locations in the Central Florida Water Initiative and Lake Okeechobee watershed, Audubon is excited to announce the...

The Biscayne Bay and Southeastern Everglades Ecosystem Restoration (BBSEER) project continues to move forward as a major planning effort under the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP)...

In 2026, efforts by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to streamline projects nationwide through its “Building Infrastructure Not Paperwork” initiative have brought new urgency and new risk to...

The Caloosahatchee Estuary is a vibrant, brackish system, the primary westward outlet for Lake Okeechobee water. It is also an example of one of the most pernicious challenges of Everglades...

In January, Audubon weighed in at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Draft Integrated Delivery Schedule (IDS) workshop — pushing to accelerate construction that will deliver more water where and when...

Organized by the Everglades Coalition during Florida’s legislative session, Everglades Action Day brought nearly 40 advocates from across the state face-to-face with lawmakers from 47 offices to...

A diverse coalition converged in Naples from January 28-30 to celebrate and learn from each other as we continue to restore and protect the Everglades. The conference is the largest annual forum...

As Audubon’s new senior manager of Everglades policy, I am honored to join this work at a time of real momentum and possibility for the River of Grass. Across South Florida, we are seeing the...

State FundingFlorida lawmakers approved a $114.5 billion state budget for 2026–27 — slightly smaller than last year’s budget. State leaders framed the lower spending plan as a way to keep taxes...

By: Green Knowledge Foundation

Nigeria’s growing waste crisis is no longer just an environmental concern; it is also a major socio-economic and public health challenge. From the bustling Alaba International Market in Lagos and Igbudu Market in Warri to places such as Ojota, Ajah, Epe, Akpakpava, and Gwagwalada, heaps of unmanaged waste continue to accumulate in open spaces, drainage channels, markets, and dumpsites. 

The majority of this waste is biodegradable and decomposes, releasing methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide. Beyond its environmental consequences, poor management of organic waste contributes to many challenges like disease outbreaks from poor sanitation, flooding, reduced productivity, e.g. Waste workers falling sick, leachate that affects ground water and also farm products etc and lost economic opportunities that arise from zero waste approaches to waste management. Yet, hidden within these waste streams is a valuable resource capable of creating jobs, improving soil health, supporting local agriculture, and driving a more circular and sustainable economy.

Organic waste, which includes food waste, agricultural residues, slaughterhouse waste, and other biodegradable materials, makes up a significant percentage of Nigeria’s municipal solid waste stream. When improperly managed, this waste decomposes anaerobically, emitting methane into the atmosphere and contributing significantly to climate change. 

Yet, beyond the climate implications of organic waste, there is a deeper human story, stories of poverty, health challenges, negative stigma, inequality, weak infrastructure, and other socio-vulnerabilities.

Many Nigerian communities are heavily dependent on informal waste workers. Waste pickers play a crucial role in recovering recyclable materials and diverting waste from dumpsites, often under dangerous and unregulated conditions. Their contribution to reducing landfill pressure and methane emissions is significant, yet they remain largely invisible in policy discussions. 

A visit to the Olusosun Landfill in Lagos or the Gosa Dumpsite will reveal the critical work these informal waste pickers do. At the Gosa dumpsite, once the disposal trucks finish dumping waste, waste pickers begin sorting and collecting, and, in no time, the waste is reduced to items with little or no value. For many, this might be seen as undignified work, without the social protections needed, but for the waste pickers working here, it means feeding their families.

According to the World Bank, poorly managed waste disproportionately affects vulnerable and low-income communities, contributing to flooding, disease transmission, respiratory problems from waste burning, and adverse economic impacts.

Sadly, many Nigerian communities have a bad habit of burning waste, and where organic waste is openly burned or dumped, methane emissions are often accompanied by toxic smoke and foul odours that threaten both environmental and human health.

The social stigma, and the economic burden carried by informal waste workers, is particularly alarming. Many have suffered injuries from landfill fires, exposure to hazardous waste, and long-term health complications due to unsafe working conditions. Informal waste workers face forced evictions from informal settlements near dumpsites (e.g. Karu axis in Abuja), without access to social protection or alternative livelihoods. Despite contributing to recycling and climate mitigation efforts, they are often excluded from government planning and investment opportunities.

Environmental activist Wangari Maathai once stated, “The environment and the economy are really two sides of the same coin.” This reality is evident in Nigeria, where environmental degradation from poor waste management directly impacts livelihoods, healthcare costs, food systems, and community wellbeing.

Methane reduction presents not only an environmental opportunity but also an economic one. Investments in composting, source segregation, Black Soldier Fly (BSF) Farming and other specialised organic waste management systems can create jobs, strengthen local economies, and improve public health outcomes. Speaking on climate action, Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP, emphasised that “Cutting methane is the strongest lever we have to slow climate change over the next 25 years.” For Nigeria, this means that addressing organic waste management must become a national priority within both climate and development policies.

Civil society organisations like GAIA, GKF and a host of other GAIA members across Nigeria are increasingly advocating for zero-waste systems, an all-inclusive system for waste management. 

Solving Nigeria’s methane challenge requires more than technical solutions. It demands a socio-economic approach that recognises the dignity of waste workers, invests in green infrastructure such as MRFs, and empowers communities of farmers, waste pickers, and other critical stakeholders.

This is why the MAMRN project is unique, it recognises that organic waste should no longer be treated with kid’s gloves.

This article is the third in a series on the Methane Reduction in Nigeria (MAMRN) Project, implemented in collaboration with CfEW Jos, SraDev Lagos, Pave Lagos, CODAF Epe Lagos, and SEDI Benin City.

The post Social-Economic Perspectives on Organic Waste and Methane Emissions in Nigeria first appeared on GAIA.