Invisible Water: The Hidden Virtual Water Market


Published (YouTube) on Dec 7, 2016
There is a virtual water market that is critical to the survival of our species. The problem is that most people are completely unaware of the concept, and the impact it has on “everything.”

Seth B. Darling is a scientist at Argonne National Laboratory and a Fellow at the Institute for Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago. After receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in physical chemistry, he came to Argonne as the Glenn Seaborg Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellow in the Materials Science Division. Following his postdoc, Dr. Darling joined the Center for Nanoscale Materials at Argonne as a staff scientist. His group’s research is motivated by humankind’s grand challenges and centers around molecular engineering with a particular emphasis on solar energy and water treatment. Dr. Darling has published over 100 papers and a popular book on climate change, holds several patents, and lectures widely on topics related to energy, climate, and water.

Weights & Measures for FHA & Green Scene 3-in-1 Community Recycling Event October 15, 2016

Many thanks to many residents and volunteers who participated in the 2016 Annual Fall 3-in-1 Community Recycling Event held in the parking lot of The Gathering Place between 9:00am and Noon on Saturday, October 15, 2016.

As you can see from the weights and measures table, this was another very successful fall recycling event. 

Recycling one ton of paper:
  • Saves 4,100 kWh of energy
  • Saves 9 barrels (380 gallons) of oil
  • Saves 54 million Btu's of energy
  • Saves 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space
  • Saves 60 pounds of air pollutants being released
  • Saves 7,000 gallons of water
  • Saves 17 trees

We express special appreciation to Debbie DiSabatino, who originated the "Community 3-in-1 Recycling Community Event" concept in 2011; FHA Health, Safety & Security and the Fearrington Green Scene, who partnered to organize this year's spring and fall events; the many residents who brought their recyclables to the event; and to the following volunteers who planned and/or worked the event: 

Dr. Annemarie Riether (Nominee for 2016-2018 FHA Board / Health Safety & Security); Jason Welsch (Chair of the GREEN SCENE), Ken Benjamin (2016 FHA President), Debbie DiSabatino (for coffee service), Barbara Harris, Tom Hauck (co-ordinator of the fire extinguisher component), Carol Kurtz (2016 FHA Director/The Gathering Place), Jerry Redden, and Jan Wilson. We also appreciate the support of the Chatham County Sheriff's Department in collecting the recycled expired medicines for proper disposal.
(Left) Sheriff's Deputy Jonathan Hensley & Dr. Annemarie Riether, HSS Director
at Prescription Medicine Recycling Drop-Off
(Right) Residents during fire extinguisher training class.

Fearrington-Galloway Ridge Drinking Water Quality

This guest article has been prepared and submitted by Don Francisco. We want to express our appreciation to Don for this very nice community contribution. Residents can find his contact information listed in the 2016 Fearrington Village Directory and Handbook. 

I am a retired clinical professor of environmental biology from the UNC Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering. My specialty was limnology (study of freshwater systems), wastewater treatment microbiology, and drinking water treatment. I was the first to study Jordan Lake beginning just after the dam was closed in 1982. I began my career researching taste and odor problems in drinking water reservoirs. We lived in Chapel Hill for 48 years, and we are now residents of Galloway Ridge.

Some residents have told me that they are very concerned about the quality of our drinking water.  Some are even regularly boiling their drinking water. I think this concern is overblown.

Our raw (untreated) water comes from Jordan Lake just to the north of US 64 on the east side of the highway bridge. It is transported from there to the treatment plant on the south side of US64. The Town of Cary also takes its raw water from this same intake.

The North Chatham Water Treatment Plant is a standard design treatment facility that provides suspended solids (turbidity) removal, pH control, and chlorination for disinfection.  Occasionally, they use powdered activated carbon to control tastes and odors. I have visited the plant and talked with the operators. While the plant is small, it seems to be quite competently operated. They also have a close relationship with the personnel at the much larger Cary plant that treats the same raw water. I’m confident that they do a good job treating our drinking water.

There is no reason to be concerned about the quality of our water. It is basically the same as all other drinking water produced from reservoirs in North Carolina. The greatest hazard is that runoff containing nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen) will promote excessive growth of algae in the Lake.  Many of these produce compounds which cause objectionable tastes and odors. This is an aesthetic problem not a human health problem.

The most accepted means for limiting the growth of algae is to limit the amount of nutrients entering the Lake. The greatest current source of these is in runoff from agricultural and urban land uses. This is what the recently canceled “Jordan Lake Rules” were intended to accomplish. The best way to show concern for the quality of our drinking water is to advocate rational means for limiting the input of nutrients into the Lake.

Of course, treated wastewater is introduced upstream from the Lake. Most of the reservoirs in the US have treated wastewater discharged upstream. In our case, the wastewater treatment plants are some of the most advanced in the world. They remove contaminants to very low concentrations. When discharges enter the reservoir, they are diluted by a huge volume of water. This further decreases the concentration of the contaminants.

All of this being said, many water quality experts use point-of-use filters (at or under individual faucets) to remove potentially present and probably unmeasurable compounds and protozoan cysts. I use these because they make my drinking water aesthetically more uniform, and they very likely remove many of the compounds that we cannot measure. These filters are essentially insurance against exposure to unknown contaminants.

The Gentle Mason Bee: A Great Pollinating Friend for Home Backyard Gardners

Episode 503 - Solitary Bees - Growing A Greener World TV
Growing A Greener World is a national gardening series on Public Television that features organic gardening, green living and farm to table cooking. Each episode focuses on compelling and inspirational people making a difference through gardening. This gardening series covers everything from edible gardening and sustainable agriculture to seasonal cooking and preserving the harvest.

This episode features the Mason Bee and its wonderful benefits to pollination for backyard gardeners and farmers alike. This is a gentle bee that simply pollinates and doesn't sting. This is worth watching!

Also see Forrest Greenslade's Why Bee Cause blog for information on Mason Bee nesting tips.

Increased Flooding & More Frequent Droughts on Tap for the Southeast

Carolinas water managers brace for a drier - or sometimes wetter - climate future

Carbon Smart Farming: Cutting Conventional Fertilizers by 50 Per Cent

Interview of Missouri farmer JR Bollinger on his 2015 experiences growing corn, soybeans and milo by principles and practices of Carbon-Smart Farming. In his first year of commitment to Biological Agriculture, JR cut conventional fertilizers 50%! Use the "Pop-Out" option to expand the article to full zize.
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Maryland to Ban Bee Killing Pesticides

Maryland To Become First State In U.S. To Ban Bee-Killing Pesticides

Building With Wood Reduces and Even Mitigates CO2 Emissions: A Good Response to Effects of Climate Change


The choices we make about the materials used as we develop the built environment have long-term effects on our society and the environment. Choose wood. It's beautiful, strong, versatile and renewable. With innovations in wood technologies, wood is now the wisest choice for more and more building applications, including mid-rise and even high-rise structures.
Video Created by the Oregon Forest Resources Institute.

Chatham Conservation Partnership July 21st Meeting

The next Chatham Conservation Partnership (CCP) meeting will be on Thursday, July 21, 2016, 9 am-12 noon, at the Agricultural Building Auditorium (65 East Chatham St., Pittsboro NC). The focus of the meeting will be on open space planning efforts within Chatham to make on-the-ground improvements in the conservation of the County’s natural resources and biodiversity. Our hope is that this will be another opportunity to learn what your community is doing and to get involved in the discussion.

Topics will be Chatham Park: Additional Element-Open Space, Pittsboro UDO: Natural Resource Conservation Overlay District, and Open Space in Chatham County Comprehensive Planning Process. A full agenda for the meeting is available at the CCP wiki: https://chathamconservation.wikispaces.com/Upcoming+Meetings

The Chatham Conservation Partnership has created an innovative tool, the Comprehensive Conservation Plan, to help with land protection and development decisions in Chatham County. This plan is the first of its kind created for a county in North Carolina. The final Plan, including appendices and maps, can be accessed by visiting the Comprehensive Conservation Plan page.

Its the End of Water as we Know It | Seth Darling | TEDxSavannah

We are witnessing the end of the golden age of water. Freshwater was once abundant, cheap and safe for humans, but that is changing rapidly. Couple that with the fact that over the next 35 years, the world’s demand for water will rise by 55 percent, and it’s no wonder that water technology and management figure to shape the 21st century much like oil conflicts influenced the 20th century.

Seth B. Darling is a scientist at Argonne National Laboratory and a fellow at the Institute for Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago. After receiving his PhD from the University of Chicago and serving as the Glenn Seaborg Fellow at Argonne, Dr. Darling joined the Center for Nanoscale Materials at Argonne as a staff scientist. His group’s research is motivated by humankind’s grand challenges with a particular emphasis on solar energy and water treatment. Dr. Darling has published over 100 papers and a popular book on climate change, holds several patents, and lectures widely on topics related to energy, climate, and water.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx

NC Lawmakers Approve Easing Coal Ash Law Benefitting Duke Energy

Lawmakers approve easing coal ash law :: WRAL.com

Historic 2012 Turnaround by Outspoken Former Global Warming Skeptical Scientist

In 2012, after years of denying global warming and following a careful new study of the data, physicist Richard Muller announced that "global warming is real and humans are almost entirely the cause." The admission by Muller, a professor of physics at the University of California, Berkeley and founder of the Berkeley Earth Surface Temperature project, gained additional attention because some of his research has been funded by Charles Koch of the Koch Brothers, the right-wing billionaire known for funding climate skeptic groups like the Heartland Institute. "We can make the scientific case more solidly than had been made in the past," Muller claims. "I think this does say we do need to take action, we do need to do something about it."

Scotland Reaches Emissions Reduction Goal 6 Years Early

Scotland reaches gutsy emissions reduction goal six years early

Green Growth Toolbox Training Workshop: Protecting Water Resources

Date: Thursday, June 23rd
Time: 4:00 - :00 PM
Place: Earl B. Fitts Community Center, 111 S. 3rd Ave, Siler City, NC 27344

Contacts:
Jack Meadows, Planning Director, (919) 742-2323jmeadows@silercity.org
Brooke Massa, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, (919) 630-3086brooke.massa@ncwildlife.org

Siler City is using the Green Growth Toolbox to guide the development of a conservation plan to protect water resources in the community. 


The Green Growth Toolbox (www.ncwildlife.org/greengrowth) was developed by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and is a non-regulatory tool that communicates recommendations about conserving priority wildlife habitats that are declining in our region through land use planning methods. This type of proactive planning secures the future of our wildlife and economy, helps to protect working farms, forests, clean air, water, and many other benefits that our communities need to thrive.  

Come to learn about what Siler City is doing to protect natural resources and to provide your input!

A Billion Birds Have Vanished From North America

A note from Deepa Sanyal in Fearrington Village

Do you hear this sound outside your window? It is a Wood Thrush singing. But you may not hear its song for much longer. Wood Thrush numbers have decreased by 70% in the last 40 years as have total numbers of birds since 1970, resulting primarily from human activity that has produced or increased global warming, excessive noise, loss of habitat, and landscape pollution.

What can you do to continue to hear birds sing? Become part of the web of birds, bees, and flowers. Plant native, pollinator plants that attract bees and monarch butterflies and the caterpillars that birds feed on. Examples of native pollinators - Phlox, Yarrow, Butterfly Weed, Green and Gold and many others. Check NCSU's planting native website.

Many insects are beneficial to your plants and will not do much damage to your home garden. Learn to differentiate the beneficials from the true pests.

If you must spray, use natural (plant based, soap and oil, minerals) pesticides (fungicides, herbicides and insecticides).  A healthy environment and wildlife begins at home… and in your garden. Check out this excellent organic approved pesticides factsheet from The Xerces Society.

A billion birds have vanished from North America

Native Fish of the Rocky River

When: June11th, 1 – 3 pm 
Where: The Rocky River, Chatham County, NC

Cost: Free for RRHF members, $2.00 for nonmembers
Join the Rocky River Heritage Foundation (RRHF) and native fish expert Gerald Pottern from the North American Native Fish Association for a look into the native fish of the Rocky River. 

They will be looking especially for spawning Bluehead Chubs (Nocomis leptocephalus) as well as other fish associated with their impressive spawning nests. 

Please dress to get wet because we are planning on being in the river to see the fish in action. We will also need help in netting some of the fish too! 

For more details, or to register for the program, email the Rocky River Heritage Foundation.  Please register by Thursday, June 9th to be included in this program.

NC Farmers Dealing With More Severe Weather

Suzanne Nelson: Owner of Haw River Ranch

Weights & Measures for FHA & Green Scene 4-in-1 Community Recycling Event May 21, 2016

Many thanks to many residents and volunteers who participated in the 2016 Annual Spring 4-in-1 Community Recycling Event held in the parking lot of The Gathering Place between 9:00am and Noon on Saturday, May 21, 2016.

As you can see from the weights and measures table on the left, this was another very successful annual spring recycling event.

3.6 tons of recycled weight in just 3 hours is a LOT, which included 2.16 tons of shredded paper that had the additional estimated associated (embedded) effects of saving:
  • 9,072 killowatt hours of electricity
  • 15,120 gallons of water
  • 1,296 pounds of air pollutants, and
  • 36.72 trees
We express special appreciation to Debbie DiSabatino, who originated the "Community 4-in-1 Recycling Community Event" concept in 2011; FHA Health, Safety & Security and the Fearrington Green Scene, who partnered to organize this year's event; the many residents who brought their recyclables to the event; and to the following volunteers who planned and/or worked the event: Ken Benjamin, Jon Darling, Debbie DiSabatino, Barbara Harris, Tom Hauck, Carol Kurtz, Matthew Leavitt, Jerry Redden, Martin Simon Thomas, Jason Welsch, and Jan Wislon. We also appreciate the support of the Chatham County Sheriff's Department in collecting the recycled expired medicines for proper disposal.

Chatham County NC: Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Sector (2010)

Betsy McCorkle, April 2010
Baseline Greenhouse Gas Inventory
Study completed with assistance and funding from Duke University's
Nicholas School of the Environment

Law Suit Seeking to Force EPA to Regulate Fracking Waste

Lawsuit Seeks To Force EPA To Regulate Fracking Waste

Free Coal Ash Informational Sessions in Chatham and Lee Counties

Come learn more about coal ash at the upcoming series of meetings in Lee and Chatham Counties this month. There is no registration required for these free community events. 
Everyone is welcome to attend these informative presentations. 
Please share this announcement with any that may be interested in coming. 

Three Community Meetings on Coal Ash

  • Saturday, May 7. Cumnock Baptist Church, 477 Cumnock Rd., Sanford.
1:00-3:00 PMLouis Zeller, Director of Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, will share tips on leadership and strategy.
3:30-4:30 PM. Rebecca C. Fry, PhD, UNC-Chapel Hill, “Heavy Metals in Coal Ash: What are the Health Risks?”
Dr. Fry's specialty is heavy metal toxicity and her research has focused on its effect on pregnant women, developing fetuses, and young children.
  • Saturday, May 14. Liberty Chapel Church, Samuels Annex Bldg., 1855 Old U.S. 1, Moncure.
1:00-3:00 PMAvner Vengosh, PhD, Duke University, “Risks of Coal Ash to the Environment and Human Health.”
Dr. Vengosh will be speaking about radioactivity and heavy metals in coal ash. His presentation will be followed by an extensive question and answer period to allow concerned citizens to get clarification about these issues.
3:30-4:30 PMGeorge Lucier, PhD, Former Assoc. Director National Toxicology Program, "Health Risks from Coal Ash Constituents."
  • Saturday, May 21.  Liberty Chapel Church, Samuels Annex Bldg., 1855 Old U.S. 1, Moncure.
1:00-3:00 PMTherese Vick, N.C. Healthy Sustainable Communities Campaign Coordinator, BREDL, “Using N.C. Public Records Law.”
3:30 - 4:30 PMJane Gallagher, PhD, MPH, U.S. EPA (retired), "Monitoring Coal Ash Drinking Water Contaminants.

The Children’s Climate Crusade

Moyers & Company Broadcast on Jan 2, 2015

The very agencies created to protect our environment have been hijacked by the polluting industries they were meant to regulate. It may just turn out that the judicial system, our children and their children will save us from ourselves, Mary Christina Wood, a legal scholar, tells Bill Moyers in this interview.

Frogs and their Habitats in Chatham County

The Chatham Conservation Partnership (CCP) will be meeting this Thursday, April 21, 2016, 9:00am am-12 noon, in Pittsboro to celebrate and learn more about frogs and their important habitats in Chatham County.

They will meet in the Chatham County: Cooperative Extension Service Building (located at 45 South St, Pittsboro) for a presentation by Jeff Beane, Herpetologist with the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. Jeff will provide information about the diversity of frogs in Chatham County, including information on their biology, natural history, life cycle, and the importance of frog habitats and way to help protect their habitats.

After the meeting, Jeff Beane and Jeff Hall, a biologist with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, will lead a field trip to the Triangle Land Conservancy’s White Pines Preserve located west of downtown Pittsboro. Please dress for the weather and wear sturdy shoes that you don’t mind getting mucky. Right now it looks as if it will be a warm day, so you may want to bring along a water bottle and snack. Logistics for the field trip will be discussed at the meeting, but be prepared to carpool if possible. The meeting agenda is available here.

Duke Energy, Fracking Gas, and Climate Crisis Press Conference (March 29, 2016)

(13 mins, 50 seconds) Prominent experts and activists speak out on the climate and economic impacts of a massive expansion of natural gas by the nation’s largest electric utility, Duke Energy.

Climate Reality Talk at Pittsboro Roadhouse on March 31st

Betsey Downing and Amanda Roberston, who have both been trained as Climate Reality leaders through Al Gore's Climate Reality Project will be giving a talk on Thursday, March 31st at 6:30 PM at the Pittsboro Roadhouse They would like to share the latest science on climate change, and specifics about how it will impact our community here in Pittsboro and in North Carolina. Arguably, our climate crisis is the most significant issue of our time. They'll share information that will begin to answer the following questions:
  • What does the future look like for us? For our children? 
  • How will climate change impact agriculture in our country and across the globe? 
  • What does an increase in global temperatures have to do with these massive storms we've seen? 
  • Why are we still having major snowstorms like we saw in the northeast last winter if the climate is actually warming? 
  • What can we each do to get involved and help reduce CO2 and slow down and ultimately stop global warming? 
The talk should be just a bit over an hour with time for questions afterwards. Feel free to grab a bite during the talk and Q&A session.

Please use the Email button below to forward this email to your friends in the community. This is truly a non-partisan issue that is important to all of humanity! Lets pull together and make a difference for this glorious planet, Earth!

Climate Reality: Why Be Optimistic?

In his latest TED talk on February 23, 2016, Al Gore, founder and chairman of The Climate Reality Project, poses three questions that will determine the future of our planet – and why there’s good reason to be optimistic.

NYT: Seas Are Rising at Fastest Rate in Last 28 Centuries

To Read More, Click The Logo Above

The article begins by saying, 
“The worsening of tidal flooding in American coastal communities is largely a consequence of greenhouse gases from human activity, and the problem will grow far worse in coming decades, scientists reported Monday.”  It states that the “ocean [is rising] at the fastest rate since at least the founding of ancient Rome” and “in the absence of human emissions, the ocean surface would be rising less rapidly and might even be falling.” 
Miami Beach, Charleston, S.C. and Norfolk, Va. are listed as places where “routine tidal flooding is making life miserable.”    
One of the two studies cited confirmed earlier findings that with emissions proceeding at the current rate, “the ocean could rise as much as three or four feet by 2100.”  And the prediction is that this could get much worse and the 22nd century “likely requiring the abandonment of many coastal cities.”
Conclusion: The Industrial Revolution, which produced huge increases in human-caused fossil fuel emissions, has caused sea levels to rise about eight inches since 1880 and global temperatures to increase about 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit. This latest forecast of sea level rise of about 3 - 4 feet by 2100 is slightly higher than the forecast of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which was 1.7 to 3.2 feet.  

Chatham County Commissioners Actions on Coal Ash (2015)

Source: "21 A-to-Z highlights of what the Chatham County Board of Commissioners accomplished in 2015"

"Chatham had no authority to stop 12 million tons of coal ash from being dumped in Moncure at the former Brickhaven clay pit.  We did send a resolution, dated Dec 15, 2014 opposing the disposal of coal ash in Chatham County and I detailed the problems with the permit at the State’s public hearing at our courthouse that month.  However, the “structural fill” permit was approved by the NC Division of Mining and Land Resources in 2015 and the work on expanding the clay pit (from 29 acres to, eventually, 350 acres) and making giant coal ash burritos is underway.  Trucks began hauling in late October, and several truck accidents occurred because of increased traffic.

"Coal ash transport changed from truck to primarily rail in January 2016 when the railroad spur was completed.  Over time, the county will receive $18 million ($1.50/ton) for taking this stuff.   The initial vote on the deal with Duke Energy was 3 to 2 (Karen Howard and Diana Hales, against).  In November 2015 the BOC agreed to spend the initial $6 million Duke Energy money on Moncure needs; almost $2 million will be spent on upgrading the Moncure fire department equipment and paying off their debt, as well as additional funds to finish the Sprout Youth Center in Moncure, citizen water testing, connections to county water as needed, air monitoring, and other contingencies as they occur.   Bottled water is now being provided (until connections are established to County water lines) to four residences in the area with high levels of hexavalent chromium, which was discovered in the county’s baseline water sampling.'

Coal Ash Disposal Public Discussion on February 20, 2016

Nick Torrey of the Southern Environmental Law Center to Speak


The Environmental Issues Team of the League of Women Voters of Orange, Durham and Chatham Counties is sponsoring a public discussion on disposal of coal ash on Saturday February 20, 2016, at 9:30 AM.

The discussion will be held in the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) Greenbridge Building located at 601 W. Rosemary Street, room 220, in Chapel Hill.

Nick Torrey of SELC will address issues concerning the disposal and storage of coal ash in our general area, as well as in Chapel Hill. This comes at the outset of the state’s public comment period during which we, as concerned and informed citizens, may wish to be involved.  Please come to learn more about this potentially harmful material and ways we may influence the disposal and storage decisions being made.

The discussion is free and open to the public.

The Value of Natural Areas and Ecosystem Services

NC State’s William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor of Biology Dr. Nick Haddad’s presentation regarding the value of natural areas and how to quantify the ecosystem services provided to us by those natural areas.
Click to view

What You Get When You Mix Chickens, China and Climate Change (New York Times)

Click to Read Full Article
By Sonia Shah
February 5, 2016

Nobody knows just how this virus [the virulent Asian-origin virusmigrated over the oceans protecting the New World. But it’s possible that another consequence of human appetites — climate change — played a role. READ More....

The End of Water As We Know It

Seth B. Darling, Ph.D. Argonne National Labs (ANL)
Science & Technology / Climate & Weather
Presentation Delivered on Thu, Jan 28 2016 8:00 PM EST — Thu, Jan 28 2016 9:30 PM EST

Climate Disruption: What We Can Do

Have you ever heard someone say that climate change is simply the result of natural cycles? Or that there can’t be global warming because it still gets so cold out? While the claims climate-change deniers make can seem, on their surface, quite plausible, they simply don’t hold up against the evidence: Beyond a shadow of a doubt, science proves that climate change is real and primarily human-driven. But the next time a skeptic puts you on the spot, will you know what to say to end the argument?

Seth Darling dismantles all the most pernicious misunderstandings using the strongest explanations science has to offer. Armed with airtight arguments, you’ll never be at a loss for words again―no matter how convincing or unexpected the misconception you’re faced with. And with our planet’s future in our hands, the time to change minds is now: The sooner we can agree, once and for all, that climate change is a significant threat to our well-being, the sooner we can start to do something about it.
(1:18:30)
This past May 22 -31, 2015, Seth spoke at The Real Truth About Health 10 day Conference. It was a conference of 28 leading health and environmental authors. He spoke individually and on panels and also did an off stage interview. All 80 lectures, panels and interviews are available to you for free. No signing up, no passwords. Just click the link and start watching. 
Profile: Seth B. Darling is a Scientist at Argonne National Laboratory and a Fellow at the Institute for Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago. After receiving his PhD from the University of Chicago in Physical Chemistry, he joined Argonne National Laboratory as the Glenn Seaborg Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellow in the Materials Science Division where he studied directed self-assembly of polymers and polymer/nanoparticle hybrid systems. Following his postdoc, Darling joined the Center for Nanoscale Materials at Argonne as a staff scientist. His group’s research centers around polymer molecular engineering with a particular emphasis on organic solar cells. He also serves as the solar energy strategy leader for Argonne, through which he interfaces with a spectrum of internal scientists, engineers, and managers as well as external domestic and international stakeholders in industry, government, museums and foundations, national laboratories, market analysis firms, academia, and the media.

2015 Was Warmest Year of Record



Last year was the warmest ever by a sizable margin, while 15 of the last 16 years have all notched record temperatures

WRAL Documentary POWER SWITCH: The Growth of Solar



If you’ve driven just about anywhere in North Carolina you’ve surely noticed all the new solar farms popping up. Our state ranks second in the nation in new solar production and fourth in solar capacity. In 2014 more than $650 million was invested in solar installation with nearly 200 companies involved in solar power production employing about 5,600 people. 

Our state’s first large scale commercial wind farm is also under construction in the northeastern corner of the state and studies are being done to determine the viability of offshore wind power generation.A new WRAL Documentary “Power Switch” examines the explosive growth of solar power in North Carolina, some of the reasons behind it and some of the controversies that have emerged with its growth. It also takes viewers on a sneak peek of construction of our state’s first large scale commercial wind farm, provides a preview of what the massive project will look like when completed in late 2016 and explores the emerging wind power industry in our state.

“Power Switch," hosted by WRAL News anchor Bill Leslie, aired Tuesday, January 12, 2016 at 7 p.m on WRAL-TV. Producer/writer Clay Johnson. Photographer/editor Jay Jennings.

Emergency Climate Response: People Demanding Action Now!


Get the full story HERE. Take action now.

The End of Thirst

How we will find enough water
for a warming planet
THE ATLANTIC -- December 2015

Imagine turning on your tap and seeing no water come out. Or looking down into your village’s only well and finding it dust-dry. Much of the developing world could soon face such a scenario. According to the United Nations, 1.2 billion people already suffer from severe water shortages, and that number is expected to increase to 1.8 billion over the next decade, in part because of climate change.

Developed countries probably won’t be immune. California and other states in the western U.S. are already experiencing extreme drought, and climate experts warn of even worse to come—multi-decade megadroughts. Mass migrations and wars over freshwater loom as real possibilities.  READ more....

WHAT’S THIS ABOUT SOLAR ELECTRIC “CRASHING” IN SOME STATES?!

WEDNESDAY, January 13, 2016 at 7:30 pm, the Community Church of Chapel Hill, UU, 106 Purefoy Road, Chapel Hill

Balance & Accuracy in Journalism presents NANCY LAPLACA, NCWARN Energy Policy Analyst and DR. TOM HENKEL, Solar Developer, President of Henkel Solar, Inc. speaking on that topic and on "What’s Going Right on the Solar Front"

The speakers will be working briskly on two fronts as political barriers persist and cost of renewables continues to drop.

NCWARN’s policy advocacy has recently taken the form of an emergency appeal to NC Attorney General Roy Cooper to update Duke Power’s charter and end the utility's challenge of a solar electric installation at a Greensboro church. See newly released “Faith in Solar.”
http://www.ncwarn.org/emergencyclimateresponse/

The EPA Finally Admitted That the World’s Most Popular Pesticide Kills Bees—20 Years Too Late

MOTHER JONES
| Thu Jan. 7, 2016 2:08 PM EST


Bees are dying in record numbers—and now the government admits that an extremely common pesticide is at least partially to blame.
For more than a decade, the Environmental Protection Agency has been under pressure from environmentalists and beekeepers to reconsider its approval of a class of insecticides called neonicotinoids, based on a mounting body of research suggesting they harm bees and other pollinators at tiny doses. In a report released Wednesday, the EPA basically conceded the case.  READ More....

Chatham Conservation Partnership Meeting (Health of Our Rivers)

Meeting Date & Details: January 21, 2016 at 9:00am to noon at the Agriculture Building Auditorium,  65 East Chatham St. in Pittsboro. The meeting is free and open to the general public. No need to register - just show up!

Come learn about the health of our rivers! The rivers of Chatham County provide important natural resources for our community, including fish and wildlife habitat, recreation opportunities, and drinking water.

They will have two speakers for our next quarterly meeting on January 21 at the Chatham County Cooperative Extension Office auditorium in Pittsboro.  Elaine Chiosso, from the Haw River Assembly, will speak about the impacts sludge (solid waste from treated wastewater) has on the Haw, Deep, and Rocky rivers. Dr. Detlef Knappe from North Carolina State University will inform us about 1,4-Dioxane, an industrial solvent found in Pittsboro’s drinking water, and its long-term risk factors.

For more information about these topics, please see the following links:
Information provided by Catherine Deininger / Scientist, Environmental ManagementBiocenosis, LLC (919) 302-3162   cdeininger@biocenosis.org    www.biocenosis.org