The Fix-It Brigade What Young Climate Activists Are Teaching Apple, Caterpillar and Other Fortune 500 Companies

Solutions Vol. 45, No. 1 / Winter 2014

The Fix-it Brigade What young climate activists are teaching Apple, Caterpillar and other Fortune 500 companies

Page 8

6 George Shultz 14 Will Walmart 16 Pushing 18 What fish pursues climate tackle toxic wildlife to the are truly diplomacy chemicals? brink sustainable? looking forward Imperiled Nature speaks to the child in each of us. But the world we love is imperiled by climate change. In 2014, we have the tools we need to begin stabilizing the planet, including proposed rules to control greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. What we don’t have is time to waste. looking forward

We have the tools. Now, let’s use them.

eople often ask me how i remain hopeful in the face of growing environ- Environmental Defense Fund’s mission Pmental threats and political stalemate is to preserve the natural systems at the national and international levels. on which all life depends. Guided It’s a reasonable question. Climate change by science and economics, we find is already at our doorstep, with ocean tempera- practical and lasting solutions to the tures and sea levels rising faster than scientists most serious environmental problems. expected. We’re seeing the effects not just in Our work is made possible by the headline-making extreme weather and tragic support of our members. loss of life, but in barely noticeable changes that could signal the un- Solutions On the cover: raveling of the web of life (see story, p. 16). Vol. 45, No. 1 / Winter 2014 Adults have despaired And yet at EDF, we remain optimistic that we can still prevent the of young people since worst effects of climate change. We’re hopeful because, with our part- the time of Socrates, ners, we’ve developed a set of policies and incentives that have de- but today’s millennial The Fix-it generation is proving livered promising results. If we bring them to scale in time, they will Brigade What young climate activists are teaching Apple, Caterpillar and other Fortune 500 companies their elders wrong do the job. I’m hopeful, too, since more people are joining with us to Page 8 6 George Shultz 14 Will Walmart 16 Pushing 18 What fish once again. Since pursues climate tackle toxic wildlife to the are truly build these solutions. diplomacy chemicals? brink sustainable? 2008, 400 graduate Last summer, EDF members sent 115,000 messages in support of students have enlisted in EDF Climate President Obama’s new Climate Action Plan—including EPA’s pro- Corps to fight global warming. Embedded posed national limits on climate pollution from new power plants, at companies around the country, EDF Climate Corps fellows devise strategies to standards that we have long been fighting for. curb climate change. In California, a mandatory, declining cap on carbon that EDF helped design took effect in January 2013. A year later, the state’s car- Solutions writer Charlie Miller reports bon market is off to a great start, creating incentives for businesses to on the innovative EDF program that is reshaping the world of energy efficiency reduce emissions and convert to clean energy. and launching the careers of a new In Colorado, Governor John Hickenlooper recently proposed new generation of green leaders. See p. 8.

regulations that, if adopted, will make Colorado the first state in the Cover photo-illustration: Arthur Hochstein nation to tackle the problem of methane emissions from shale gas. And in China, the government launched the first three of seven pilot carbon-trading programs—Shenzhen, Shanghai and Beijing—and Solutions announced that a national carbon-trading program will be part of its Editor Peter Klebnikov next five-year plan. This is real progress—and I’m proud to say EDF played a pivotal Environmental Defense Fund 257 Park Ave. South role in each case, bringing together multiple stakeholders to negoti- New York, NY 10010 ate solutions that work for the environment and the economy. Main number 212-505-2100 I’m also optimistic because of the incredible young men and Membership questions 800-684-3322 women I meet every day. As our cover story illustrates, there’s an or [email protected] amazingly motivated, smart group of young professionals, called EDF Climate Corps, that finds energy waste at businesses and public WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU Send feedback to address above, call institutions across the country (see story, p. 8). Climate Corps alumni 800-927-6464 or email [email protected]. are rapidly becoming the next generation of green leaders. Looking forward to 2014, we’re pushing for federal regulations on CONNECT WITH US ONLINE methane leakage from natural gas as well as strong carbon standards edf.org for new and existing power plants. These are the nation’s two largest facebook.com/EnvDefenseFund sources of greenhouse gas pollution. Power plants still have no limits on carbon. This year, with help from our members and sup- twitter.com/envdefensefund porters, we’ll ensure that EPA moves quickly to adopt strong carbon linkedin.com/company/ standards for power plants and proposes rules to cut methane pollu- environmental-defense tion from oil and gas operations. With great need comes great opportunity. Thank you for your ©2014 Environmental Defense Fund. Published quarterly in New York, NY. steadfast support. It makes our work possible. ASSN 0163-2566 New York / Austin / Bentonville, AR / Boston / Boulder / Raleigh / Sacramento / EDF President San Francisco / Washington / Beijing, China / La Paz, Mexico C orbis Solutions / edf.org / Winter 2014 3 field notes

sh u tterstock Golden State climate warriors put a price on carbon images getty A year ago, California kicked off America’s most ambitious climate solution—a cap-and- trade program covering 350 of the state’s largest greenhouse gas polluters. After four auctions, all signs point to a robust carbon reduction market. The auctions have raised almost $400 million to invest in projects that stimulate the clean en- ous standards for cleaner ergy economy. cars, renewable energy and It all started with the state’s low-carbon fuels, sparking in- landmark 2006 climate bill, novations in the way utilities From 2006 to 2011, the number of producing natural gas wells in AB 32, which EDF cospon- generate electricity and auto- Colorado rose nearly 50%, to more than 30,000. sored and helped defend in makers design cars. court. The law requires the “As the world’s eighth larg- Mile-high milestone: Colorado state to reduce climate pollu- est economy, California is proposes strong air rules tion to 1990 levels by 2020. Al- a model for national—and ready, California has cut car- global—action on climate Locals call it the “brown ergy companies helped de- bon emissions by nearly 20% change,” says Derek Walker, cloud,” a veil of smog that of- velop the proposed rules. The in just five years. EDF’s associate VP for U.S. ten plagues the Front Range outcome shows that the gas California has set rigor- climate and energy. of the Rockies, where most industry, state officials and Coloradans live. Today, smog- an environmental group can forming emissions increas- work together, even in these FACTOID dueling data ingly come from the boom- partisan times, to deliver In vino $8 ing oil and gas industry. Leaks cleaner, safer air. In a press veritas $34 of methane, a potent green- conference, the governor billion: billion: Climate change is ex- Projected cost Annual house gas, are also a problem. credited EDF president Fred pected to cause an of sea-level budget of the In November, Gov. John Krupp with persuading him 85% decrease in rise protection Environmental production of Rhone, Hickenlooper proposed to go “farther faster.” for NYC and Protection Bordeaux and Tuscany strong air regulations for oil Colorado is just one state New Orleans Agency wines by 2050. and gas operations that ex- where EDF is fighting to get plicitly address these emis- the rules right on energy de- sions, including methane— velopment. Now we need to making his state the first in ensure the rules are adopted. Can a great American river once the nation to do so. “These can be a model for the again reach its delta? EDF and three leading en- nation,” says Krupp. The Colorado River is a life- vides a framework for water line for 33 million people in conservation and sharing. Did you know? the arid West, but not since This marks the first time the 1950s has freshwater Mexico and the United States Pollution can make your computer sick flowed regularly into its delta, have agreed to release water In China and India, sulfur where desert wetlands once to restore the delta’s ecologi- dioxide pollution is corrod- covered two million acres. cal health. This “is the most ing the copper circuitry in Thanks to a pact EDF important agreement that has helped broker between the ever been put together be- PCs and servers, making United States and Mexico, tween the United States and computer failure much part of the original delta may Mexico on water in the Colo- more likely. The problem thrive again, benefiting farm- rado River,” says Ken Salazar, was discovered by Intel. ers and wildlife, including 380 who served as Secretary of the bird species. The pact pro- Interior from 2009 to 2013.

4 Solutions / edf.org / Winter 2014 field notes

The Clean Air Act in the courts In October, the Supreme By the A resounding success  numbers since 1970 Court denied a flurry of legal petitions challenging defending EPA’s finding that greenhouse EPA’s Mercury gas emissions endanger public and Air Toxics health. The Endangerment Standards U.S. air Economy Finding, which EDF helped pollution and health defend, is the cornerstone for improve is down controlling climate pollution 35 under the Clean Air Act. The tons of mercury are emitted 72% decision upholds forthcoming by U.S. coal plants annually 219% carbon regulations for new and decrease in increase in GDP existing power plants. Although pollutants, the high court did grant review 40% including: of U.S. lakes and rivers have on a narrow procedural issue, 160,000 mercury advisories ■ Particulates we’re confident we’ll prevail ■ Ground-level ozone lives saved in there, too. 2010 alone ■ Nitrogen oxides 400,000 infants are born with high ■ Sulfur dioxide levels of mercury in their blood annually $293 For a long million Lifting the curtain of smog in China spent in 2009 and 2010 by images getty time, I despised opponents of EPA’s rules environmental‘‘ - 5 ists. But since I major cases where EDF defended the mercury rule got to know EDF, from the coal lobby in 2013 I realized we want the same thing, 11,000 premature deaths will be lots of fish out prevented annually there and healthy 90% fisheries. decrease in emissions from —Rob Seitz power plants by 2016 It takes five days for China’s pollution to reach the western U.S. California commercial’’ fisherman It’s smog season in north- some 15,000 officials from ern China, largely due to the every province of China. burning of coal and agri- In Heilongjiang province, By the year 2050 cultural refuse. In the city whose capital is Harbin, mas- two out of three of Harbin, visibility this fall sive burning of straw has was less than ten yards, all traditionally been a major polar bears but closing down a metropo- source of smog. could be lost. lis of 11 million and causing This year, however, an en- a 30% increase in hospital forcement officer who was admissions of patients with trained in an EDF program respiratory problems. In col- at Peking University, used his laboration with leading Chi- new communications skills Become an EDF sustainer today and your monthly gift nese universities, EDF has to reach out to large farm- will be matched dollar for been training environmental ers. They responded by cut- dollar for a full year. enforcement officials to im- ting incidents of straw burn- To learn more, call 800-684-3322 prove air pollution control. ing throughout the province or visit edf.org/monthlygiving. So far, we’ve helped train thereby reducing pollution.

Solutions / edf.org / Winter 2014 5 partners

From chief diplomat to climate statesman newscom . com t 92, george shultz can look back on a distinguished career in Apublic service, having served two presidents in four cabinet-level positions —only the second man in American history to have done so. And after all that, he’s still ready to fight for what he believes in—particularly when it comes to the environment. Shultz has been defending the natural world for decades. In 1987, as Secretary of State in the Reagan administration, he helped negotiate the Montreal Protocol, the historic treaty that phased out the use of ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons. Today, the GOP wise man is deeply engaged in the struggle to stem climate change. “The climate is changing—all the science is pointing in just one direction,” he says. “You’ve got to be living in another world if you don’t realize it.” “I have great-grandchildren,” says George Shultz. “What kind of a world will they inherit?” In 2010, Shultz helped lead the fight to defeat a ballot initiative to dismantle Cal- finding practical solutions,” he says. “The informed, careful approach to environ- ifornia’s landmark global warming law. world responds when the U.S. leads.” mental issues and understands the real “Secretary Shultz co-chaired the cam- In particular, Shultz urges the United world,” he says. “They call attention to paign to protect the law,” says Derek States to engage China. “As the world’s environmental issues and devise prac- Walker, EDF associate VP for U.S. climate largest emitter of carbon, China is the tical solutions. That gains respect. In and energy. “When oil companies put principal country we need to work with,” the end, that’s all that matters: did you millions of dollars behind the ballot ini- he says. “China is acutely aware of cli- achieve something?” tiative, Shultz worked closely with EDF mate change. They’re ready to do some- Today, Shultz remains a man in step and other organizations to maintain a thing. We ought to reach out to them.” with the times: he drives an electric car steady drumbeat of support for the law.” Shultz advises EDF on a range of is- and charges it with solar panels on his In Shultz’s view, the United States is sues, including global warming and nat- roof. And he’s still looking to the future. key to any effort to stop climate change. ural gas, where his decades of experi- “I have great-grandchildren,” he says. “The U.S. needs to lead on climate change ence have proved invaluable in bringing “I often think, ‘What kind of a world will by getting the science right, and then diverse groups together. “EDF takes an they inherit?’”

The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.

Plant your tree today.

Include EDF in your estate plan, and we get a matching donation up to $10,000.

Call toll-free 877-677-7397 or email [email protected] partners science istockphoto . com

The Gulf Coast’s culture, economy and environment depend on oysters.

Consider the oyster—and save the coast

ast august, in southern loui- to ten feet tall. The oysters grew one on reef project. With the Louisiana Depart- siana, there was no escaping the top of another and laid down a three- ment of Wildlife and Fisheries and aca- Lsun. Temperatures were in the high dimensional ecosystem that protected demic partners, we mapped unknown 90s as men worked in the shallow, muddy the shoreline from storm surges, pro- oyster habitats using side-scan sonar, waters at the edge of Marsh Island. A pa- vided nooks and crannies for fish and echo sounders and other geo-imaging rade of tugs and barges arrived to scatter filtered impurities from the water. The tools to collect data about the sediment ton after ton of recycled oyster shells col- abundance of oysters created a booming and seafloor. And then, an old-fashioned lected from local processing plants. industry and jobs. long pole to test the findings. Their goal: To build an artificial oyster Now most of those reefs are gone, vic- Identifying the best places to relocate reef where floating oyster larvae can set- tims of overfishing, dredging for building oyster beds is critical to restoring both tle and grow. materials, pollution and the ecological the industry and the Gulf Coast to health. Big changes are under way in the Mis- tragedy caused by engineering the Mis- “We have no choice,” says Cochran. “If we sissippi River Delta. Large-scale restora- sissippi River Delta for flood control and don’t fix the coast, we'll lose everything.” tion work will soon begin to revive the navigation projects. vanishing coastline, reconnecting the riv- “The oyster population is the lowest er to its wetlands by breaching the levee I’ve seen in 42 years,” said Steve Voisin of in targeted places. We’re helping guide Motivatit Seafoods, whose ancestors be- Can oysters the work, in which enormous quanti- gan harvesting oysters when the area still protect the ties of sediments carried by the river will belonged to King Charles IV of Spain. create landmass to bring the coast back Louisiana remains the world’s top oys- Big Apple? to life. This project is vital to the survival ter producer, boosting the economy by of New Orleans and the area’s shipping, $317 million yearly. But the industry and fishing and petrochemical industries. the thousands of jobs that depend on it Oystermen worry that increasing the are in trouble after being hit by multi- flow of freshwater will upset the delicate ple storms and the BP oil disaster. South balance their oyster beds need to thrive. of Houma, 90% of manmade beds have The state of Louisiana and the oyster in- vanished since Hurricane Katrina. dustry are using cutting-edge science to Now, coastal rebuilding efforts pose an

develop new ways to grow oysters. additional challenge. “Some oysters will . com “Oysters are a critical part of the eco- have to be moved,” says Steve Cochran, system,” says EDF scientist Dr. Angelina who heads EDF’s Gulf restoration work. Freeman, who designed the artificial reef Oystermen have been moving beds istockphoto and habitat mapping project. “They cre- for over a century. But never this exten- Following Superstorm Sandy, historic ate a living coastline.” sively. “This is a transition period—and it oyster centers are re-creating once-ex- Include EDF in your estate plan, When Canadian Catholics who be- won’t be easy for some oystermen,” says tensive beds to protect against storm and we get a matching donation came known as Cajuns arrived in the del- Cochran. “But by working with them, we surge. In New York Harbor, four reef up to $10,000. ta in the 1700s, vast oyster reefs stretched can help the industry survive.” restoration projects are under way. for miles in the shallow waters, growing That’s why we launched the artificial Call toll-free 877-677-7397 or email [email protected] Solutions / edf.org / Winter 2014 7 cover story

Esprit de Corps By Charlie Miller

How a small cadre t was while working as a trekking graduate students with companies and guide in Patagonia that Nick Gordon institutions around the country looking of grad students is first witnessed climate change in ac- to use energy more efficiently. Embed- helping the Fortune Ition. “I watched glaciers retreating so ded at their assigned companies for the fast I could see the changes on a week- summer, the fellows recommend ways 500 save energy—and ly basis,” says the Santiago, Chile, native. to cut greenhouse gas emissions while deliver huge reductions “Being in such a remote place you real- lowering utility bills. ize—this really is a global issue.” Gordon worked at the reinsurance in greenhouse gas So after spending time as a profes- firm AIG in New York City, where he rec- emissions. EDF Climate sional triathlete, Gordon enrolled as a ommended numerous actions, includ- graduate student at Columbia Univer- ing adding solar window film to reduce Corps is the planet’s sity and took up the challenge of fight- the air-conditioning load. The changes fix-it brigade. ing climate change as an EDF Climate Gordon suggested could prevent 1,700 Corps fellow. EDF Climate Corps pairs tons of carbon dioxide from entering the

8 Solutions / edf.org / Winter 2014 EDF Climate Corps: Counting the Results

Nearly1.3 billion $ reduction in energy costs

More than 3.6 million CO metric tons of emissions avoided

Note: Amounts calculated2 over projects’ lifetimes, once projects are implemented.

Many of them have been hired by their McKinsey & Co. has estimated that 40% host firms and some 70% are working in of the emissions reductions we need to sustainability at leading companies, start- stabilize the climate can be found in en- ups, private equity firms and other orga- ergy efficiency alone. nizations. Saving energy means saving mon- Energy savings are typically found in ey, but many companies still don’t get it. lighting, heating and cooling, but waste That’s changing as companies realize that comes in many forms. At one company, they can’t afford to leave money on the the sleep timers on conveyer belts at a table if they hope to compete globally. distribution center hadn’t been set prop- erly, so the belts, powered by more than Focused elsewhere, busy 1,000 motors, were running for hours managers overlook efficiency when no one was using them. Ani Krish- But why do powerful multinationals need nan, a 2012 fellow working with the City the advice of a graduate student? Often, of Dallas, ferreted out thousands of com- managers are focused on a company’s puters operating without power man- core business, so opportunities to make agement. He found free software that profits in other ways go unnoticed. puts the computers to sleep at night Other reasons lie mostly in behavioral when they are not needed. economics: the tendency of busy man- Last May, as tourists strolled along agers to procrastinate, and the so-called San Francisco’s Embarcadero, in a near- endowment effect, an apparently deep- by hotel 116 brand new Climate Corps seated human need to stick with the sta-

elyse desto u t fellows were receiving a week of inten- tus quo. EDF Climate Corps brings into sive training. They learned from outside the corporate environment a trained ex- experts and EDF staff how to locate ener- pert whose only job is to find and elimi- gy waste and calculate potential savings. nate energy waste. EDF's network of new green leaders has Then they fanned out across the coun- EDF Climate Corps fellows come been embedded in Fortune 500 companies. try to companies like AT&T and Verizon, from many backgrounds and nation- JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America, alities, but all have sustainability in atmosphere. That’s equal to the carbon Facebook and Apple. their blood. As millennials, they were emissions of burning almost 4,000 bar- schooled from an early age in threats to rels of oil. Gordon is now eyeing a career Getting smart about energy the environment. They nagged their par- in the sustainability field. The need for energy efficiency is urgent. ents about recycling and prepared ecol- “For me,” he says, “sustainability is According to experts at Lawrence Liver- ogy science fair projects. more than a field—it’s how you approach more National Laboratory, almost 60% Now they’re in a hurry to fix things. everything.” of the energy produced in the Unit- Research has shown that they’re much Since its launch in 2008, EDF Climate ed States is wasted, from waste heat at more concerned about global warming Corps has trained 400 fellows, who togeth- power plants to inefficient lightbulbs than boomers. An overwhelming 87% er have identified nearly $1.3 billion in and appliances. No expert who has consider a company’s commitment to energy savings, enough to power 180,000 studied global climate change believes social and environmental causes when homes annually over the lives of the proj- we can solve the problem without dedi- deciding where to work. ects. EDF Climate Corps fellows are the cating ourselves wholesale to energy EDF Climate Corps reflects this gener- next generation of green business leaders. efficiency. The global consulting firm ational commitment. Jason Klein

Solutions / edf.org / Winter 2014 9 cover story

developed a highly rated iPhone app that Repeat customers helps drivers stay within speed limits. Many organizations participate in EDF If you are unsure how That entrepreneurial background made Climate Corps for multiple years, having to jump-start your com- him a perfect fit for EDF’s Climate Corps seen the many economic and environ- ‘‘ program. Today he’s working for a firm in mental benefits the programs offers. pany’s energy efficiency Sacramento that advises companies on AT&T has been hosting fellows since journey, EDF Climate energy use in their data centers. 2010, when a business school student Corps provides the best “I came to business school wanting to trained by EDF found ways to reduce get involved in clean energy,” Klein says. lighting energy use in AT&T’s call cen- path forward that I have “Climate Corps was exactly what I was ters by 80%. “I’m sure we are going to be found. looking for.” doing this for many years to come,” says Michelle de Arruda spent the sum- John Schinter, AT&T’s executive director —Scott Tew, Director, Center for Energy mer of 2012 as a fellow at UNICEF in New of energy. Efficiency’’ & Sustainability, Ingersoll Rand York. Her interest in the environment And it isn’t just private industry tak- was triggered by something she saw in a ing advantage of the program. Many fel- uate and former Marine Corps fighter grocery store in Ukraine. Hanging from lows have worked for major cities such pilot once deployed to Iraq, worked last the wall was a Geiger counter, used to as Atlanta, Cleveland and Los Angeles summer as an EDF Climate Corps fel- measure radiation on the store’s produce and for public institutions such as the low at the Massachusetts Port Author- from the Chernobyl nuclear accident— New York City Housing Authority. Since ity. There he helped tenants of Boston a vivid reminder of what happens when 2009, we have also brought fellows to Logan International Airport, such as humans are careless with the environ- many historically black colleges and restaurants and airlines, take on energy ment. Today, she is working in Mozam- universities, from Howard University to efficiency. Oliver’s recommendations bique for a development program called Florida A&M. could eliminate more than 5,000 tons MBAs Without Borders. Derek Oliver, a Naval Academy grad- of carbon every year, equal to the emis-

Spotlight on Climate Corps fellows

Saving energy at data centers New light in the nation’s capital Z ehra W j ohn harrington arsi

Changing a lightbulb at the Smithsonian can take two hours, says A former asthma sufferer, Varma (center) is now an avid bicyclist. Downs, so it made sense to switch to longer-lasting bulbs.

Dhruv Varma’s interest in environment issues dates to a childhood As a Peace Corps volunteer in Gambia, Annie Downs oversaw a in heavily polluted Mumbai, India, where he grew up suffering from reforestation project that planted hardwood seedlings along the asthma. Today, his asthma is under control, but his commitment to Gambia River. As an EDF Climate Corps fellow more recently, she sustainability remains. planted ideas for saving energy at the Smithsonian Institution.

A business student at Babson College, Varma spent the summer of Downs’ ideas took root immediately. Working at the National Portrait 2013 as an EDF Climate Corps fellow at Yahoo! in Sunnyvale, CA. Gallery, the National Air & Space Museum and other museums, Yahoo! data centers require substantial cooling—a big energy drain. Downs found multiple examples of inefficient lighting that, once But while the rest of the data center world was focused on cooling upgraded, could save the Smithsonian $175,000 a year and cut as them efficiently, Varma decided to see if Yahoo! servers were actually much pollution as burning 80,000 gallons of gasoline. Today, Downs being used to capacity, or if some could be safely shut down. His continues sleuthing for ways to cut climate pollution as a research findings could result in major savings for Yahoo! analyst at the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy.

10 Solutions / edf.org / Winter 2014 co u rtesy of nick gordon sions of more than 1,000 cars. costs—has been validated “I have consumed more than my fair repeatedly in hundreds of share of energy as a pilot and am eager to organizations. compensate,” says Oliver. So what’s next? “Our vi- sion of EDF Climate Corps Climate Corps 2.0 is a network—not just a As corporate America’s commitment to fellowship program,” says sustainability grows, EDF Climate Corps Victoria Mills, managing is moving beyond the low-hanging fruit director of corporate part- of energy efficiency—lighting, heating nerships. “That way we’ll and air-conditioning—to promote sys- be able to drive change temic change in organizations. farther and faster than we Elizabeth Turnbull Henry, an EDF ever could on our own.” Climate Corps alumna, is now adidas That’s what hap- Group’s senior manager for environ- pened last summer at mental affairs. She has created an in- Texas Southern Univer- vestment fund for the company called sity (TSU) in Houston, the Green Energy Venture Capital Fund. when fellow Jenise Young The fund makes strategic investments helped develop a climate in energy efficiency across the com- education consortium pany’s real estate portfolio and has de- for historically black col- livered an impresive 37% return on in- leges and universities vestment to date. across the Southeast. In addition to identifying energy efficiency up- Almost 60% of the grades on TSU’s campus, Young helped dozens of energy produced in After two years watching the glaciers recede in Patagonia, universities in the region Nick Gordon felt compelled to enroll in EDF Climate Corps. the U.S. is wasted. understand that they too must invest in energy ef- EDF Climate Corps is already bringing EDF Climate Corps is also break- ficiency. together a broad network of people and ing new ground in Chicago. We recently She helped build a compelling case organizations with the power to trans- launched the Building Energy Initia- by pointing out that climate change is al- form the way the country uses energy: tive, designed to help the city’s Retrofit ready hurting minority communities, like large energy consumers, young profes- Chicago program reduce energy use in those surrounding TSU. One clear vul- sionals, policy makers, utilities, and our commercial buildings by 20% within five nerability is hurricanes, which scientists colleagues in the environmental commu- years. More than 30 buildings are now predict will become more intense and nity. Through this network, we can create participating in Retrofit Chicago, in- more destructive in a warmer world. The change on a scale commensurate with cluding landmarks like the Merchandise six states with the highest African Ameri- the challenge at hand: reining in global Mart and the Wrigley Building. can populations are all within Atlantic climate change. We’re recruiting more buildingkto join hurricane zones. “Despite the challenges It’s a tall order. But once you’ve found the program, and have two experts on ahead, I’m hopeful my generation will $1.3 billion in energy savings in just six the ground providing year-round tech- continue to change the way we use ener- years with only a small team of graduate nical support. Six fellows descended on gy,” says Young. students, nothing seems impossible. the city in 2013, embedded at AT&T, the Chicago Public Schools and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, EDF Climate Corps: It’s Showtime! among others. Next summer, that number will jump to 25 fellows. EDF Climate Corps is featured in “Retrofit Chicago is making Chicago a executive producer James Cam- more livable, competitive and sustainable eron’s Showtime TV series on global city,” says Karen Weigert, chief sustain- warming, Years of Living Dangerous- ability officer for the City of Chicago. “EDF ly. In the series, actress Jessica Alba Climate Corps is providing the boots on follows three EDF Climate Corps the ground to help reach that goal.” fellows as they attempt to change the culture at organizations across What’s next? the United States. By now, the idea behind EDF Climate Corps—that a smart young leader armed The Showtime series, six one-  WATCH the trailer  with specialized training can find huge hour episodes, premieres in April. yearsoflivingdangerously.com opportunities to cut emissions and

Solutions / edf.org / Winter 2014 11 edf online Featured writing on the environment by our experts at edf.org

j acob s . spendelow The link between air pollution and , tringa cancer . com

Keith Gaby, based in Washington, DC, is EDF’s climate communications director.

A male lesser prairie chicken struts his stuff. There is no argument about bladder cancer. There are no strident cable TV debates, warring websites or ideologi- cal struggles about whether lung cancer Saving the lesser prairie chicken is real. The same can’t be said about climate change. An estimated one million Attwater prairie David Wolfe, based But strangely, those two issues are closely linked. A new in Austin, TX, is EDF’s chickens roamed Texas and Louisiana in study shows that air pollution causes hundreds of thousands director of conservation 1900, before habitat loss drove them to the of cancer deaths every year. Particulate matter produced by strategy and habitat factories, cars and other sources is one culprit. Scientists brink of extinction. The few left on the Attwa- now classify polluted air as a “Group 1” cancer source, along markets. ter prairie chicken refuge, in southeast Texas, with plutonium, silica dust, ultraviolet radiation and tobacco smoke. And the result is more than 220,000 human lives cut were raised in zoos. short.

What have we learned from this experience? Prairie chickens need millions of acres of habitat to survive—far more than can be preserved through purchase and the establish- The results are sobering, but not surpris- ment of federal or state refuges and preserves. ing. Common sense suggests that putting chemicals in the air is bad for those who Today, the lesser prairie chicken, which lives in the southern Great Plains, is following breathe it. Similarly, dumping billions of the same path as the Attwater. Just 17,000 remain in the wild. tons of pollution into the air is bad for the planet. And the connection doesn’t stop What to do? EDF is developing a strategy to recover the lesser prairie chicken, while en- there, because the solution is the same in abling the responsible continuation of farming, ranching and energy development. We both cases. Shifting rapidly toward clean call this strategy the Lesser Prairie Chicken Habitat Exchange. energy will mean less particulate matter and carbon pollution, leading to fewer Farmers and ranchers earn money by taking conservation actions that benefit the spe- cases of cancer and other diseases and cies, such as planting native grasses, removing fences and cutting down invasive trees. lessening the impacts of climate change. First they receive “chicken credits” for these actions, then they sell them through the Habitat Exchange to energy companies that need to offset the impacts of development.  READ THE WHOLE STORY  edf.org/cancer&pollution The goal? Putting the lesser prairie chicken on a path to long-term sustainability. More broadly, Habitat Exchanges could create habitat for other at-risk species, like Sandhill cranes and San Joaquin kit foxes, which also range predominantly over working lands.

 READ THE WHOLE STORY  edf.org/prairiechicken

Five ways climate change is Restoring precious marine affecting our oceans resources in Cuba EDF Voices blog The world’s oceans Cuban fishermen are are changing rapidly working to integrate Find out what other topics our experts in response to climate sustainable fishing are talking about. Visit EDF Voices at change. Find out into their traditional edf.org/blog. what's happening: way of life. edf.org/5ways edf.org/cubafishing

12 Solutions / edf.org / Winter 2014 living cities A big win for healthy air in New York City

New York City’s air is the cleanest it’s been in 50 years, thanks to EDF’s partnership with the city By the to phase out dirty heating oil. numbers We launched the partnership in 2008 af- NYC air ter our groundbreaking report, The Bottom of Since 2008 the Barrel, revealed that 1% of New York City’s buildings were producing as much soot as all 2,700 the city’s cars and trucks combined. Those Buildings converted to 9,000 buildings, some of them in the city’s most cleaner heating fuels exclusive neighborhoods, burned the dirtiest kinds of heating oil, essentially sludge. 69% Our campaign gained additional momen- Reduction in toxic tum when EDF attorney Isabelle Silverman sulfur dioxide pollution* handed then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg a vial filled with the dirtiest heating oil. The mayor 35% asked, “If I drink this, will I die?” Silverman re- Reduction in toxic plied, “Yes.” nickel pollution* Some of New York's most That got the mayor’s attention. Five years prestigious buildings were burning the dirtiest fuel. on, air quality in New York has improved dra- 23% matically. Reduction in fine particulate matter (soot)* The Environmental Defense Fund has played a big part 800 in the success of our intitiative. Lives saved each year *Average concentration in air ‘‘ —Michael’’ Bloomberg, New York City Mayor, 2002–2013 Cleaning up soot, street by street

New York City Air Survey New York City Air Survey Winter 2008–2009 Winter 2012–2013

> 9.8 Average concentrations of sulfur dioxide in air < 2.5 (parts per billion) Source: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

Solutions / edf.org / Winter 2014 13 health j ohn rae

Most people think products on retail shelves are safe—but that’s not necessarily the case. Can we get toxic chemicals out of our cupboards?

or 127 million americans, Two years later, Walmart began using Ever worry about a trip to Walmart is a weekly a software screening tool, developed with Fhousehold ritual. In September, help from EDF, to assess the chemical in- what’s in that cleaner the retailer unveiled a new policy to gredients of household cleaners, personal phase out some potentially harmful in- care products and other chemical-based you just sprayed all gredients found in everyday products items on its shelves. The software, called over the kitchen? What like shampoo, baby lotion, cosmetics GreenWERCS, eventually revealed dis- about your baby’s and air fresheners, and replace them turbing news: Almost 40% of formulat- with safer ingredients. It was the first ed products on Walmart shelves contain shampoo? Thanks major retailer to do so. chemicals that may pose health risks. to a new chemicals “Consumers are demanding safer Faced with these findings, Walmart products,” says Dr. Sarah Vogel, EDF’s took action. “EDF was instrumental in as- policy announced by Health program director. “Scientific re- sisting us with a rigorous yet achievable Walmart, with help search points to serious risks of chemical policy to further our goal and help ensure exposures to our health, including can- the products on our shelves are affordable from EDF, consumers cer, diabetes and infertility.” and sustainable,” says Andrea Thomas, are a step closer to In 2007, EDF opened an office in Walmart’s senior VP for sustainability. Bentonville, AR, near Walmart’s corpo- having safer products rate headquarters, to help the retailer Disclosure is key in their homes. lessen its environmental footprint. “The Walmart’s new policy targets about ten very first conversation we had was about chemicals commonly found in consumer chemicals,” says Michelle Harvey, our products for replacement with safer in- project manager. gredients. By 2015, for more than 3,000

14 Solutions / edf.org / Winter 2014 product categories, it will require sup- ardous chemicals until the promise for pliers to disclose all product ingredients healthier products becomes a reality. “Ul- One mom who online. The company also plans to take timately,” Sturcken adds, “Walmart’s poli- its private label products through a more cy will be evaluated on results.” got involved stringent screening process. Some suppliers are already taking ac- “We’ve learned through experience tion. For example, Procter & Gamble, the that you really can create environmen- world’s largest manufacturer of consum- EDF helped found Moms Clean tal progress by leveraging corporate pur- er products, including Cover Girl, Crest Air Force, a band of mothers— chasing power,” says Elizabeth Sturcken, and Ivory, recently announced plans to now more than 150,000 strong— managing director for EDF’s corporate phase out two ingredients—phthalates that is committed to taking direct partnerships. “And who has more pur- and triclosan—from beauty and personal action to protect the health and chasing power than Walmart? Walmart’s care products by 2014. Meanwhile, John- action is sure to have a ripple effect son & Johnson has begun removing some well-being of their families. across the entire supply chain.” potentially cancer-causing chemicals “When companies like this make a from baby products. shift, it’s huge,” says Judi Shils, execu- Voluntary efforts to rein in chemi- tive director of Teens Turning Green, a cals of concern are important, but they nonprofit that promotes environmen- cannot take the place of strong regula- tally conscious choices for young adults. tory standards. We’re urging Congress to “You’re influencing Middle America.” strenghten and pass the Chemical Safety “The changes won’t happen over- Improvement Act, which represents the night, but they represent a major step first real chance in nearly 40 years to re- forward,” says Sturcken. EDF will closely place the current, woefully inadequate monitor and verify the reduction of haz- chemical safety law. What kinds of products does Walmart’s safer chemicals policy cover?

A key member of our team is Molly Rauch, a mom blogger who lives and works in Wash- ington, DC. She joined our effort because of an array of health risks her children face. Among other things, tests showed that 10,000+ the couch her kids played on products contained a toxic flame retardant linked to cancer.

Rauch’s writing on environmental health has appeared in The 3,000+ Huffington Post and elsewhere. product After joining MCAF, she has categories galvanized other parents to take action. “We need a committed army of moms determined to make our children’s health a na- Products in these tional priority,” says Rauch. “Are categories must have we mom enough to do that?” ingredients disclosed  Online online by 2015 Join the growing ranks of parents and grandparents fighting for clean air. Simulated products are solely to illustrate product categories. Some products may already disclose their ingredients. momscleanairforce.org

Solutions / edf.org / Winter 2014 15 up close Can wildlife survive a warmer world?

Climate change is disrupting the biological world, pushing many species to the brink of extinction and turning others into runaway pests. In a recent study of 1,700 species, more than 50% show signs of having been affected by climate change. For example, habitats have shrunk, shifted north or moved to higher elevations; ani- mal species are breeding earlier in the year; and many varieties of plants are blooming sooner than ever before. For migratory birds, this can mean a mis- match between their food source and breeding schedule. Where will shorebirds that nest in the Arctic go when their habitat is compromised? What troubles scientists most is that if we are only in the early stages of warming, the imperiled animals might be just the first of many to be harmed. “We need policies that help species survive and make ecosystems resilient—in part by capping pollution but also by removing other stressors,” says EDF scientist Dr. Rebecca Shaw. To help wildlife, EDF is developing programs that pay landowners to maintain habitat vital to many threatened animals. We’re also creating incentives to end overfishing, protect wetlands and encourage water conservation. Since humans are largely responsible for climate change, we owe it to our wild brethren to help them adapt.

Climate invaders! Not all species are suffering under climate change. Some are thriving, unfortunately.

■ Ticks Warmer temperatures are expanding the range of deer ticks that spread Lyme disease.

■ Jellyfish Jellyfish thrive in warmer waters and need less oxygen than other sea life. Some species eat large quantities of plankton, a key food source for many fish and whales.

■ Bark beetles Without severe winter cold that kills bee- tle larvae, pine bark beetles have exploded across the West, laying waste to forests.

■ Salt cedar Drought-resistant salt cedar is lowering water tables and crowding out cottonwoods and other plants important to wildlife. getty images Canada lynx Declining snowpack has meant the Canada lynx can’t effective-  ONLINE  ly hunt snowshoe hares, its principal prey. Deep snow typically excludes the lynx’s See more wildlife that is imperiled by climate change main competitors—coyotes and bobcats—and its predator, the mountain lion, from and learn how you can help at edf.org/wildlifeatrisk. its winter habitat. It is believed fewer than 1,000 survive in the lower 48 states.

16 Solutions / edf.org / Winter 2014 wikipedia animals

Purple finch Roughly 60% of 305 species of North Ameri- can birds including the purple finch already are wintering farther north, some hundreds of miles from their former range. Shifting habitat can produce new threats. Edith’s checkerspot butterfly This non-migrant species inhabits patches no larger than several acres, but plants animals on which checkerspot caterpillars live are withering, starving the insects before they can become butterflies. As a result, the butterfly’s range has shifted north by 63 miles, perhaps dooming the southern subspecies, the endangered Quino. animals

Elkhorn coral Once the most abundant reef-building coral in Florida and the Caribbean, elkhorn have declined by 90% in many areas, mainly as a result of coral bleaching caused by rising sea temperatures and ocean acidification. istockphoto

Moose Moose populations in Montana, New Hampshire and Minnesota are in steep decline. The die-off has been linked to shorter winters. Warm autumns and wet springs American pika Well-known to hikers in the Rockies, pikas benefit ticks, which can cluster on moose, causing anemia are sensitive to heat—even brief exposures to temperatures and loss of appetite. This weakens the animals at the onset of above 78 degrees can be fatal. Some populations already oc- winter when they need their strength most. cupy the highest altitudes, with no place to move upward.

Solutions / edf.org / Winter 2014 17 GREEN LIVING ISTOCKPHOTO Six kinds of CREDIT fish you can order safely

early two-thirds of the world’s fisheries are overfished. At Nthe same time, EDF and our partners are making real progress working with fishing communities throughout the world. In the United States, for instance, more than 100 species are on the path to recovery. In the Gulf of Mexico, the red snapper fishery, once on the brink of col- lapse, is rebounding. That’s great, you may be thinking— but what can you do personally? You can make the best choices as a consumer. Buying sustainably caught fish supports sensible, scientifically sound practices that contribute to a healthy ocean. Healthy for you—and the environment. In the meantime, you can also improve your own health. Fish are good for Aquarium, created the Seafood Selec- erate bycatch. Their Eco-Rating is: Best; you, just like your mother said. They are tor, a simple guide that assesses fish and Omega-3s: High; Mercury Level: Low. a high-protein, low-fat food, and oily fish shellfish ou'rey likely to find in your local are high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty supermarket or restaurant. Our guide, for ■ Pacific sardines (U.S., Canada) acids. Since we can’t make enough of instance, details provides ratings for lev- Sardines reach sexual maturity quick- these essential nutrients on our own, fish els of contaminants for each fish. ly and spawn several times a year. This are an important part of our diet. Here are six eco-friendly kinds of fish makes them very resilient to fishing pres- On the other hand, fish can accumu- that are also healthy to eat. sure. Their Eco-Rating is: Best; Omega-3s: late high levels of environmental con- High; Mercury Level: Low. taminants like mercury and PCBs. Ex- ■ Albacore tuna (U.S., Canada) cess mercury can severely affect a child’s Albacore are resilient to fishing pressure ■ Sablefish (Alaska, Canada) development, so young children and because they grow quickly and reproduce Sablefish (black cod) populations are women of childbearing age should limit often. Their Eco-Rating is: Best; Omega- healthy, and the method of fishing them their intake of some fish. But for adults 3s: High; Mercury Level: Moderate. Note: (bottom longlines) produces little bycatch who eat an average amount of seafood, Mercury Level Ratings for canned white or harm to bottom habitat. Their Eco- the cardiovascular benefit usually out- and imported albacore are Elevated. Rating is: Best; Omega-3s: High; Mercury weighs the risk from PCBs and mercury. Level: Moderate. Making sense of the complex infor- ■ Atlantic mackerel (Canada) mation available is not easy. To help con- Mackerel mature quickly. The type of gear ■ Salmon (canned) sumers make informed choices, EDF, typically used to catch mackerel—purse The majority of fresh and frozen salmon in collaboration with the Monterey Bay seines and gillnets—results in low to mod- sold in the U.S. is farmed Atlantic salmon. However most canned salmon sold in U.S. supermarkets is wild caught pink or sockeye salmon from Alaska, EDF’s Seafood Selector which we strongly recommend. Their Eco-Rating is: Best; Omega-3s: High; To create our guide, EDF scientists and colleagues Mercury Level: Low. from the Monterey Bay Aquarium analyzed more than 200 types of fish and shellfish sold in the U.S. ■ Wild salmon (Alaska) We encourage you to buy fish caught or raised in an Wild salmon from Alaska come from environmentally responsible way. The Selector also a well-managed fishery and are low in provides the health recommendations for which fish to eat, including the latest information on omega-3s and contaminants. There are five species mercury in seafood. of wild salmon from Alaska: chinook, chum, coho, pink and sockeye. Their seafood.edf.org  ONLINE Eco-Rating is: Best; Omega-3s: High; Mercury Level: Low.

18 Solutions / edf.org / Winter 2014 FROM OUR MEMBERS

Letters sh u tterstock Can wind power be How clean are EVs? made safe for birds? Certainly battery-powered cars are much cleaner than conventional gas guzzlers. But My enthusiasm for wind turbines has been how much coal, gas or hydro does it take to tempered by the fact that they kill birds. I was provide the electricity needed for recharging? encouraged to read in Fall Solutions that wind Is it an equal tradeoff—spew carbon on the farm developers are working with local wildlife road, or spew it at the power plant? groups to minimize harm to birds and bats. —Shirley Wall, Suttons Bay, MI What, exactly, is being done? I applaud all of your hard work on behalf of the environment. Mary Barber, EDF energy expert, responds: —Sharon Marquis Though we do need to be mindful of where the electricity for electric vehicles comes Eric Holst, head of EDF’s Working Lands from, EVs already have significant environ- program, responds: mental advantages over gasoline-powered You’re right, wind power can harm birds, as do vehicles. They eliminate the vehicles’ com- many other forms of energy development. With bustion process, which is a huge contributor U.S. wind energy capacity nearly doubling from to unhealthy air and climate pollution. The 2010 to 2012, one study estimates 234,000 benefit to climate is clear when renewable birds are killed each year from collisions with Collaboration between environmentalists sources like solar and wind are used to turbines. But we don’t know the true number and the wind industry can help save birds. charge EV batteries. because companies are not required to make Many promising vehicle-to-grid technolo- wildlife fatality studies public. and the wind industry. The partnership is build- gies are being developed, including solar- Even so, that’s a painful statistic. Protected ing data-driven tools to help wind companies charging batteries that store energy for later species like golden eagles and certain bats avoid and offset harm to wildlife. For example, use or sell it to the power grid—and EDF’s can be disproportionately affected by wind a landscape mapping tool for wildlife and wind Smart Power team is analyzing their envi- turbines. We recognize the need for urgent resources helps developers make safer siting ronmental benefits. As these technologies action to lower the threat to birds and bats. decisions. AWWI is developing a database of improve and are widely used, the environ- That’s why EDF is a founding member of the confidential industry records of bird fatalities mental advantages will accrue. American Wind and Wildlife Institute (AWWI), a and exploring mitigation options to compen- collaboration between environmental groups sate for wildlife losses. Learn more at awwi.org. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

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Documentary Online videos As the glaciers melt Time to confront our addiction to material things Chasing Ice The Story of Stuff We have a problem with Stuff. These online videos were On assignment in Iceland, photographer James Balog was shocked by how fast climate created to help build a society based on better, not change was melting glaciers and decided to re- more. The Story of Stuff Project’s journey began with cord their rapid disappearance worldwide.The a 20-minute movie about all the Stuff in our lives. Forty results will astound you. You'll see the largest million views later, it’s a global community of 500,000 glacial calving event in history in which a piece people working for a healthier planet. Says one EDF of ice the size of lower Manhattan crashes member, “It’s very entertaining, funny—and informative!” into the ocean. Kelly Lyon of Boulder, CO, told  bit.ly/IPCL6M us: “My husband was finally convinced about WATCH online climate change by watching this movie.”  host a screening bit.ly/1bxzG5G Children's book From cocoa beans to candy bars  tell us  No monkeys, No chocolate What do you recommend? This luscious book explores the ecology of a cocoa tree in the Costa Rican rain forest where a lizard, a Share what midge, maggots—and capuchin monkeys!—enable inspires you as an the tree to produce pods and flourish. The story environmentalist “clearly demonstrates the interdependence of every- at editor.edf.org. thing” and is “not just for children,” says our reader.

Solutions / edf.org / Winter 2014 19 the last word

“Nature is party to all our deals and decisions, and she has more votes, a longer memory, and a sterner sense of justice than we do.” —Wendell Berry, poet and activist

getty Images