Boeing Settlement, Amazon Clean Energy, and Hurricane Beryl Make History: What I’m Reading This Week

This week came in like a lion and went out like a lamb.

I’m busy working on the next print edition EHS today. I try to coordinate some household repairs. I read about making a strawberry rhubarb pie, thanks to an unexpected gift of fresh rhubarb from a neighbor. I try to see the Africa & Byzantium exhibit at the Cleveland Museum of Art one more time before it closes.

In other words, there are many things I look forward to. But since I am a very awkward introvert, these things also stress me out.

Last night I went for a 15 minute walk to empty the compost at my commercial drop off point. I couldn’t believe how much better I felt afterwards. I think micro breaks really work. I’ll try adding them to my routine over the next few days. I’ll let you know what I find out.

Until then, take care of yourself and stay healthy!

Boeing Settlement

The Justice Department announced on July 7 that Boeing would plead guilty in the fraud case.

Federal prosecutors have given the aerospace company a choice: plead guilty and pay a fine or go to trial on charges of conspiring to defraud the United States by misleading regulators that approved the Max 737 plane and pilot training requirements.

Under the settlement, which must be approved by a federal judge, Boeing will pay an additional $243.6 million fine, hire an independent monitor to oversee its safety and quality procedures for three years and invest at least $455 million in its compliance and safety programs.

The settlement covers wrongdoing related to the plane crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia that killed 346 passengers and crew aboard the new Max 737 jets. A Justice Department official said in a statement that the settlement does not give Boeing immunity for other recent safety incidents, nor does it cover any current or former Boeing officials.

You can find more information here.

Amazon’s Clean Energy

Amazon announced that virtually all of the electricity it used last year came from 100% renewable sources, a goal it has set for 2030. But the announcement is not an unequivocal victory for the environment.

The remarkable thing is that the company has invested billions of dollars in more than 500 solar and wind projects. These clean energy projects can produce enough electricity to power the equivalent of 7.6 million U.S. homes. And some of them do.

These clean energy investments don’t directly power Amazon’s operations; most of it is sent to the power grid that serves businesses and homes. That, and the fact that Amazon offsets its use of natural gas and fossil fuels by buying renewable energy certificates (RECs), are reasons why some energy experts say Amazon needs to be more transparent about its clean energy calculations and claims.

“A company needs to actually specify what sources they are including in their calculations?” said Simon Fischweicher, director of supply chain and reporting services at CDP. New York Times. CDP is a nonprofit group that operates a global disclosure system for investors, companies, cities, states and regions to manage their environmental impact. The nonprofit has given Amazon a grade of “B.”

An Amazon spokesman said: Times that the company continues to grow, learn and be more transparent about its sustainability journey. However, a group of employees criticize the company for making misleading claims to help bolster its image. Instead, they want the company to invest where theory meets practice.

This story is so intriguing because it speaks to how we talk and think about clean energy. As environmental, social and governance disclosures, standards and reporting mature, our vocabulary will naturally evolve. In the meantime, we’re getting by, but I’m really curious to see what the clean energy landscape will look like in five years.

In the meantime, you can read the full story here.

Hurricane Beryl makes history

This week, millions of people were affected by Hurricane Beryl. They will likely have to deal with its effects for weeks or months, not to mention the looming threat of more hurricanes and tropical storms.

Beryl is one of the first hurricanes of the season, which lasts from June 1 to November 30, with the season peaking in September.

Hurricane Beryl is the earliest recorded Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean. And based on what they see from Beryl, many meteorologists are concerned about the coming months.

“Beryl confirms our suspicions about (this) season that given the unusually warm (water) temperatures we’re having right now, we could see mid-season storms earlier than normal,” Phil Klotzbach, a hurricane expert and research scientist at Colorado State University, told CNN.

Klotzbach and his team currently predict that the Atlantic hurricane season will produce 25 named storms, including 12 hurricanes — six of which are expected to become at least Category 3 storms.

For now, Saharan dust is moving towards the Atlantic Ocean, causing a break in tropical activity.

You can find more information here.