Policy Catalyst

Developing a Plan for Water Management

2009-11-10T15:43:18Z

University of Minnesota professor Deborah Swackhamer and the Water Resources Center will help lead a coalition in developing a 25 year plan to manage Minnesota's water....Director of the Water Resources Center (our Denny Chair) and University professor Deborah Swackhamer will help lead the Headwaters Council, a group comprised of business leaders, former state-agency employees and other water experts, in developing the plan.

Click here to read the full article.

Lester Brown Asks: How Will We Eat?

2009-11-06T19:41:55Z

On November 16th the Center for Science, Technology, and Public Policy and the Institute on the Environment will welcome Lester R. Brown to the Humphrey Center's Cowles Auditorium for a 9:30am discussion on climate change and the world's food supply.

Mr. Brown, founder and President of the Earth Policy Institute, has recently published his latest book, Plan B 4.0, Mobilizing to Save Civilization. Plan B 4.0 is a continuation of Mr. Brown's work on food supply and climate change, and serves as a reminder of, and purposes solutions to, the challenges that humanity will soon face in feeding itself. As Mr. Brown points out, we are already seeing proof of these impending challenges in the rising cost of basic foods and the recent trend of developed nations buying up large tracts of land in foreign (and often developing) countries in order to grow food for its citizens. There are, however, measures that can be taken to avert these challenges, such as a transition to a clean and sustainable energy economy, as well as careful design and planning of our urban centers.

Mr. Brown's closing call to action summarizes the pressing decision that humanity must make:

"The choice is ours--yours and mine. We can stay with business as usual and preside over an economy that continues to destroy its natural support systems until it destroys itself, or we can adopt Plan B and be the generation that changes direction, moving the world onto a path of sustained progress. The choice will be made by our generation, but it will affect life on earth for all generations to come."

Plan B 4.0 is available free of charge at the Earth Policy Institute.
Details on Lester Brown's upcoming lecture can be found here.

Oil: A Love Story

2009-10-27T15:46:32Z

Our friends at Solutions Twin Cities will be hosting an event that examines our past present and future relationship with oil. We partnered with them last year to host Innovation 2008 because they take a very innovative approach to presenting information. The video of the event is available here.

Our society is in love with oil and oil is an essential ingredient to most of our modern machinery. This event traces the historical origins and political consequences of our love for oil, and the prospects of falling out of love into a post-petroleum future.

On Thursday, November 12th at Intermedia Arts they will host a fast paced, media rich program which will combine captivating short presentations, participatory games and new social technology to examine the subject of oil from many vantages. Your vantage point will be included -- the audience will be encouraged to interact in a variety of ways throughout the course of the evening.

The event will showcase four unique insights into our love/hate relationship with this inanimate object:

• Oil Science Theater - George Henderson
• Oil As a Way of Life - Matt Huber
• Oil & the "Technological Unconscious - Bruce Braun
• Peak Oil: Imagining and Planning the Post-Carbon World - Matthew Schneider-Mayerson

The event is free and open to the public. For more information follow this link.

I've Got One Word For You Minnesota, Plastics!

2009-10-26T16:31:15Z

When we discuss dwindling supplies of oil we often focus on gasoline and transportation, but overlook the role of oil in plastics. Oil is a key ingredient in the manufacture of plastic, so it would seem that the fate of plastic is tied to the fate of oil.

Plastic, the material that is as essential to modern life as electricity, faces a bleak future due to the impending shriveling of Earth's oil supply. As Karen Youso recently discovered for her article "Six days without plastic? Good luck", we really can't sustain modern life without plastic. This begs the question, what are we going to do? Fortunately, recent scientific advancements have shown that we can continue to manufacture plastic by replacing oil with biobased sources.

Research has already gone into planning for an age without oil. While a future in which we do nothing leads to gloom, it turns out that acting to prevent this future yields great benefits, especially economically. A 2008 report from the United States Department of Agriculture predicts that the global market for biobased polymers, such as plastics, could be as large as $150 billion dollars, nearly as large as the current American consumer electronics market. Obviously, an investment in this young industry could yield significant benefits.

Fortunately, Minnesota has the potential to be a leader in biobased polymers. Much like Texas during the oil boom, or today's Silicon Valley, tomorrow's Minnesota could be the epicenter of an exciting and profitable industry and could reap the rewards of economic prosperity. Minnesota has a head start on this industry thanks to Twin Cities based NatureWorks and the University of Minnesota's Center for Sustainable Polymers. However, considerable work remains not only in the science and technology of biobased materials, but also in its policy. The state must work to encourage this young industry; to nurse it though its formative years so that it can grow and thrive. To do otherwise is to pass on a perfect opportunity to strengthen Minnesota's economy. And who wants to do that?

Environmental Policy Change will come from the Bottom

2009-10-19T15:55:49Z

The Center recently hosted the Danish Deputy Chief of Mission, Soren Jensen who discussed climate change, energy policy and the upcoming United Nations meeting on climate change in Copenhagen.

On of the burning questions for most audience members were of course "how has Denmark been so successful in reducing carbon emission." The average Dane has half as large of a carbon footprint as their American counterparts and as Mr. Jensen joked "we still watch TV and use microwaves."

Well the answer is partly cultural. During the oil crises in the 70s the Danish government responded by putting high taxes on fossil fuels as an incentive to switch to alternatives. The result was investment in renewable energy and a decentralized power grid. Technically we could have done this too, but the key word here is taxes. The Danish people reelected the public officials that levied the higher taxes. The same would not necessarily take place in the U.S. which is more tax adverse and is currently less willing to make climate change a priority. Mr. Jensen discussed how the catalyst will need to come from the American people before politicians are willing to adopt broader climate action.

40th Birthday of the EPA

2009-10-14T21:20:40Z

The 40th anniversary of the Environmental Protection Agency is the subject of an opinion piece in Environmental Science & Technology, co-authored by Deb Swackhamer, University of Minnesota Water Resources Center co-director. The article, "EPA at 40: Bringing Environmental Protection into the 21st Century," traces the history of the EPA from a protector of public lands to the country's most powerful force for environmental protection. The article calls for even greater proactive environmental leadership on the part of the EPA through more agency integration and increased public discourse of the risks and trade-offs of decisions facing us. Swackhamer, School of Public Health professor and Humphrey Institute's Charles M. Denny Jr. Chair of Science, Technology, and Public Policy who is also chair of the EPA's Science Advisory Board, co-authored the piece with Joseph Fiksel, Ohio State University; Thomas Graedel, Yale University; Alan Hecht, Environmental Protection Agency; David Rejeski, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; Gary Sayler, University of Tennessee; Peter Senge, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and Thomas Theis, University of Illinois. The article will be published in the December 2009 print edition of Environmental Science & Technology and can be read online here.

Bumping Your Way into Power Generation

2009-09-28T19:14:42Z

It looks like a speed bump, it feels like a speed bump, well it is a speed bump but it is harnessing the kinetic energy of your car to create a power source that can supply near by buildings or traffic lights. Instead of being just a plan ol' speed bump new technology can now store energy that would have just gone to waste. When cars go over the panel the bouncing moves cogs when then turns a motor that produces energy for other uses. These panels can be raised and used as speed bumps or just built into the road where a driver would not even realize they are passing over them.

The United Kingdoms has been a leader in developing and adopting this technology. Each panel could save a transportation department or mall around $43,000 a year on an energy bill which is close to cost of initially installing the system. The technology can also be used in sidewalks or night clubs. The Netherlands have demonstrated these uses by powering concerts with energy from people dancing.

]]> It cost one million pounds for the Hughes Research unit at the Westland Helicopter Base in Somerset to develop the technology. This investment could be made up very quickly as the sale of less then 40 panels would compensate for the cost.

This project demonstrates just one innovated idea that could be added to an energy system as we strive to build a structure that is mostly green. The adoption of green technology is centered on governmental policies and amount of investment that can be sparred to adopt these technologies. As seen by the energy speed bumps we can incorporate green technologies seamlessly into our general lives.

The center will also discuss the leading ideas that Danish have development as the Friis Arne Petersen, the Ambassador to United State will present on world climate and energy policies on October 1st from 1:30 - 2:30.

Follow Policy Catalyst on Twitter

Will the U.S. be Left Behind in International Climate Legislation?

2009-09-22T16:46:36Z

On October 1st from 1:30-2:30 the Humphrey Institute will host Friis Arne Petersen, Danish Ambassador to the United States. He comes to the Institute on the eve of a United Nations summit that will craft a new global climate pact among 100 of the world's leaders on global climate change. He will discuss the agreement that is expected to be proposed and discussed this December at COP15 which will replace the expiring provisions of the Kyoto Protocol.

Already in the making, China appears willing to join the European Union as a leader in the reduction of greenhouse gases. China has already said that its aims at having 15% renewable energy by 2020 and has committed to leapfrog over the US in adapting more high efficiency vehicles and domestic energy sources along with closing some of the countries dirtiest plants.

The U.S. had preciously rejected the Kyoto Protocol with one of the reasons being that it did not include China or India. This round may be different and the U.S. risks being left behind in adoption and advancement of new technology. This could have significant impact on the future of the U.S. economy and its ability to compete. Thus it is important that we all be involved in pushing this discussion.

]]> The Danish government gets the business advantage of climate friendly products. They have created the "Climate Consortium Denmark" which is leading business related activities prior to the UN Climate Change Conference. It is a private-public partnership that aims to promote Danish technological solutions in the cleantech area. The Danish government believes that it can be a major exporter of energy and other technology and they are trying to draw attention the achievements of their industries and universities. One in three of the world's windmills is produced in Denmark. They are also a leader in carbon reducing technologies, biogas technology and agricultural production that are climate friendly.

Some of the world policy suggestions also include putting climate change education into school curriculum and incorporating civic society organizations.

Come hear more about what the world can do and should do. In the mean time, since finding solutions for global climate change is so important COP15 has created a forum for people that have ideas and information to summit their solutions. Share your climate change thoughts with the world. Or just test your climate knowledge with the climate quiz.

Follow Policy Catalyst on Twitter

Everything Will Kill You: Consumer Apathy towards Hazards in Every Day Products

2009-09-16T20:53:59Z

We hear so much about how products we use every day can be hazards to our health that the information can become overwhelming and thus we often take no action to protect ourselves or the environment. The other problem is there tends not to be clear preferable options. Take water bottles. There has been a slow shift away from disposable plastic bottles because of the amount of waste and the toxins associated with production and that if left in hot places the plastic leaches potentially harmful chemicals into the water and the same with reusable Nalgene Bottles. Then when a metal alternative is produced reports surface about how these bottles may actually be more toxic because they use more resources to produce thus polluting our air instead. This conundrum leaves consumers feeling helpless or apathetic as they are given many choices but not a clear alternative.

]]> "Oh, I heard that this is toxic, whatever, everything can kill you" is a phrase that often comes up in conversation once you begin to address these problems. That is why the center has been dedicated to green chemistry (removing harmful chemicals in the design of products). However, the removing these chemicals is not always easy. In some cases alternatives can actually benefit the bottom line but in cases where the financial benefit is less clear or non-existent consumer demands would help speed such initiatives.

Take shampoo, which has more chemicals in it than a person would like to think about. Most of these chemicals are not "needed" but are add to produce a product that will be more desirable for consumers i.e. color, foam, smell, texture, effect etc. For example, Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane and Decamethylcyclopentasiloxane labeled on a shampoo bottle often as siloxanes D4 and D5 are added to make hair more silky, soft and easier to manage. But these chemicals are likely damaging aquatic life and the Canadian government is in the process of banning them. Since the majority of chemicals in cosmetic waste are not filtered by treatment plants we are adding tremendous amounts of toxins to our water shed. Plus we don't actually need to use them. Citric acid is used to make your hair lie flat. To make you use more of the product companies make shampoos thicker. To do this they use glycol distearate, cetyl alcohol, ammonium xylene sulfonate or salt. Also to make shampoo more bubbles they use cocamide MEA which at concentrated levels is toxic. This list goes on and on.

This is why we need to think about how we approach environmental policies. If we continue to operate with the proven harm concept to ban chemical instead regulating that manufactures have to prove safety it will be a continued process of slowly shifting from certain products. Consumer choice could have a large impact on manufacturing behavior.

9 appointed to Clean Water Council

2009-08-27T16:17:19Z

Three people have been appointed and six reappointed to the Minnesota Clean Water Council by Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

The new appointees are John Howe, Gene Merriam and Todd L. Renville. Those reappointed were David J. Bennett, Pamela Blixt, Scott F. Hoese, Steven Pedersen, Victoria Reinhardt and Deborah Swackhamer.

Read the full article in the St. Paul Legal Ledger.

Education is Key

2009-08-20T14:18:36Z

The economy of the United States has become centered on higher skill jobs. Many technological and scientific based companies have begun to predict that the upcoming workforce will not be sufficient to maintain current business practices (even in light of the recession). If more students do not study science, technology, engineering and math the country will have a shortage of works as the baby boomers retire.

Typically science and technology fields have been dominated by Caucasian men. However, with changing demographics minority populations are a larger percentage of the population. Since their numbers are lower in these fields it is important to encourage more girls and underrepresented students into these fields. Our Director Steve Kelley recently wrote an opinion piece for the Star Tribune that discusses what we need to do to improve education for impoverished youth:

Make no small plans for kids in Minnesota

Follow Policy Catalyst on Twitter

Not On My Mountain! Greece's Struggle to Adopt Solar

2009-08-07T20:35:55Z

I recently returned from the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία) better known as Greece. Like any good Greek, I spent the majority of my vacation discussing politics, philosophy and phycology and the like, with my family. The mix of European Union (EU) politics coupled with the feelings of the Greek people always leaves an impression on me.

One of the greatest challenges that communities across Greece have face for over a decade is arson and the general prevalence of fire during the summer months. From July through August there is very little rain and often not even a cloud in the sky. Everything becomes very dry and it is hot. Fires start easily on the mountains where a reflection from glass or metal on a roof top can start the hill ablaze. Arsonists take advantage of this because once a hill is cleared of trees that are protected from development people then start building houses, often still illegally or through not honest means. This rapid development is not viewed favorably by the majority of the population but like many things there has been a lack of political will to stop the practices (this is common due to a mindset established by 400 years of oppression, genocide, two world wars and a civil war). However, because of the abuses of land many Greeks have become very protective of their mountains, especially since they are the main view from many houses.

The need to protect natural space and the majestic mountains that surround most villages is at the core of opposition to the adoption of solar energy. But by 2020 to be in compliance with EU standards, Greece has to produce more then a third of its energy from renewable sources. Currently Greece only has 9% renewable energy production and about 5% of that currently comes from hydroelectric plants that present other challenges. Thus Greece needs to rapidly modernize its' energy production.

Currently on the table is a project to establish a €250 million (approximately $350 million) photovoltaic panel field on the mountains of a small city in southern Greece called Megalopolis, making it the largest solar project in the world.

]]> The city is currently home to lignite coal power plants that make the city generally less desirable and can seriously damage the respiratory health of inhabitants. Despite this the residents of the city have been fairly opposed to new solar panels which would clean up the air and stop the mining of lignite.

Firstly, there has been little positive PR about the benefits of solar panels and rumors take off like the fires in the mountains. People have worried that the solar panels will increase the temperature to 60 degrees Celsius or other horrible heights. They are also worried that the solar panels will work like mirrors to create fires (solar panels don't focus light when they refract the sun). But even with misinformation the biggest opposition comes from the fact that no one wants their mountains changes. In a sense the fight is between environmental protection initiatives. However, will sea level visibly on the rise and showing signs on the Greek coastline, reducing CO2 emissions is a necessity. Sacrificing a tree may have to be worth it.

Follow Policy Catalyst on Twitter

Is Minnesota water safe to drink?

2009-08-04T20:49:27Z

Deborah Swackhamer answers questions about water in all its forms, and what the land of 10,000 lakes needs to know about the cleanliness of its water. Listen on MPR Midday.

Follow Policy Catalyst on Twitter

Space: Not the Frontier to Forget

2009-07-17T21:48:19Z

Last week the ExploraDome came to visit the Humphrey. Reaching the second floor of the atrium this portable planetarium has been offering student and adults the opportunity to view the cosmos. Its primary mission is to act as a temporary planetarium as the Minneapolis Public Library works to build a new one but it also acts a great tool to extend STEM (science, technology engineering and math education) to rural regions of the state.

The half and hour presentation is enjoyable even to the most session cosmonaut. The computer can show the orbits of different kinds of satellites and the International Space Station in real time. It is also an excellent way to bring perspective to how vast the solar system is. One really walks away from the program with a renewed awe about space and much more.

Those satellites that the planetarium can track and project upon the wall have increased our standard of living. They have given us more precise weather tracking, vast amounts of information about the planet's climate, cell phones, satellite TV, spy surveillance, etc. etc. In terms of technology and potential, satellites are the tip of the iceberg. We have explored less then a nano-particle of our solar system, let alone the galaxy or beyond. But with the current trajectory of the US space program, that may be as far as we get for a long, long time.

NASA is decommissioning the shuttle in 2010 and American cosmonauts will have to get rides from other countries to visit the International Space Station (ISS). But NASA is considering de-orbiting the space station in 2016 i.e. in a controlled manner sending the space station burning back to earth. After spending $100 billion dollars the ISS would have only been operational for seven years! That does not have to be the case. With NASA receives proper funding the ISS could circle the earth for at least another decade if not more.

The research that can be done at ISS would have a profound impact on the economy and our standard of living. It would be not be prudent to give up on space now. Its time to get policy inline - Space is innovation.

Follow Policy Catalyst on Twitter

Avoiding Catastrophic Climate Change

2009-07-14T16:59:36Z

While global warming has started to gain ground on the political agenda we have been slow to change policy and many Americans rank climate change last on their list of concerns. However, to avoid catastrophic climate change the CCS Reg Project (CSS: carbon capture and deep geological sequestration; Reg: environmental regulation), which Professor Elizabeth Wilson and Fellow Melisa Polack, Humphrey Institute (and a host of partners in four institutions), are researching, has found that the world needs to reduce its CO2 emission by about 80% in the coming decades. Since CO2 can stay in the atmosphere for a hundred years or more it is more detrimental then other air pollutants that linger for just hours.

]]> Since it is unlikely that we will see such a significant reduction within at least 50 years, even with technological advances, it has been suggested that carbon capture and sequestration may be a viable solution and this group is working actively to speed implementation. The idea is to take carbon from power stations and other large industrial plants and safety dispose of the emissions underground where there are appropriate geological locations (Minnesota is at a disadvantage in that front since we do not have the proper geological features). We would need to transport emission to a proper injection site, which may be done through a pipeline.

The outcome of injection commercial scale levels of carbon into the ground is still partially unknown and there is still legal and administrative framework that must be worked out. But in June the group released a report that highlighted some recommendations which included suggestion that Congress to lay the groundwork for comprehensive regulation and place geological sequestration projects under the guidance of the Environmental Protection Agency. Among many items federal legislation would need to consider would be inventory of green house gasses, and interactions with rules for water.

The research behind this project is extensive and a blog post only touches the surface. If you are interested in this topic visit the CCS Reg website for reports, strategies and more.

Follow Policy Catalyst on Twitter