New research shows air pollution might make you bad at your job
"What they found was that every 10-microgram per cubic meter increase in PM2.5 levels decreased worker productivity by 0.6%, as measured by the number pear boxes packed by each worker. Since workers were paid piecemeal, this translated to a decrease of roughly 41 cents per hour, per 10 micrograms of PM2.5."
The urban pollution caused largely by automobile emissions, but also by industrial activity and building heating, leads to consequences that affect our nations poor and people of color at rates higher than that of other population groups.
Dyin' to live: Biggie Smalls and the silent killers in urban America
"Cancer and heart disease are still the top causes for premature deaths in Brooklyn today. Environmental factors have long been suspected as possible causes for both. The National Cancer Institute conducted a study in the 1990s in Long Island (just north of Brooklyn) to examine the role of environmental factors in the high breast cancer rates in that area. The researchers found a “modest increase” in cancer risk due to exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), cancer-causing agents formed mostly from burning fossil fuels. A 2008 study found a link between PAH exposure and heart disease, and concluded that “chronic environmental stress is an important determinant” in cardiovascular disease risk."
Over the last several years, I have called for a planned, stable transition from utilities of infrastructure to utilities of service. In order for utilities to survive, they have to make that transition, and it looks like in the nations on the forefront of renewable energy, that transition has started...to a point.
The future of large German utilities: It's already here
"If I would have written this paper two years ago and included the following, I would have called it utopia. Nobody would have believed it. But this unbelievable story actually happened. These four large German utilities decided to become 'green.' This can be seen from their recent advertisements, which show that all of the four major German utilities are 'solarized.'"
Making change that has lasting economic impact requires correctly identifying the value of the improvement and working that into the business plan of those developing, improving, or refurbishing. Many homeowners and developers avoid improvements with long-term benefits because they cannot monetize those in the present. A system that correctly values the improvements - and holds developers especially accountable for their performance - provides the proper incentive to make choices that improve quality of life.
How to help appraisers fairly value home energy efficiency improvements
"Nothing works in the appraisal process unless high performance homes are consistently documented. Right now, the majority of home appraisers use Fannie Mae’s Uniform Residential Appraisal Report to provide opinions on the market value of a given property. But, this form lacks an adequate section in which to document energy efficiency features."
Economics can produce poor decisions. The economics of developing, maintaining, and decommissioning nuclear energy do not really work, and the risk of catastrophe only exacerbates the point. That said, in a nation whose economy depends on a fixed level of energy cost, it is tempting to go back to it...even when it has already damaged your country and its people.
Nuclear power in Japan: Start 'em up
"The sense of urgency is driven, first, by the mounting costs of doing without the nuclear plants. One by one, nearly all reactors were shut down in 2011-12. Utilities fired up conventional power stations to make up for lost electricity generation. But the cost of importing extra oil, coal and gas has been all the steeper with a weak yen. The trade deficit has climbed, along with electricity charges, particularly for businesses. Should nuclear plants be left idle, the programme of Shinzo Abe, the prime minister, to revive the economy could be in doubt."
Happy Friday!
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