Video – “Why is Colorado having so many avalanches?”  

Dr Ethan Greene from Colorado Avalanche Information Center explains what’s been happening.

“In the first nine days of March we documented about 472 avalanches.”

We’ve had the most avalanches in decades, in some cases more than a century, says Greene.

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-47559181/why-is-colorado-having-so-many-avalanches

Thanks to Phil Salmon for this link

The post Even the BBC reports more – and heavier – avalanches in Colorado than in a century appeared first on Ice Age Now.

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March 16, 2019 at 10:29AM

The wet winter has washed away dryness for the first time since December 2011 LOS ANGELES (AP) — California is free of drought for the first time in more than seven years and only a small amount of its territory remains abnormally dry as a very wet winter winds down, experts said Thursday. … California…

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March 16, 2019 at 10:06AM

Sinn Féin and Solidarity-People Before Profit have been accused of opposing progressive measures to tackle climate change by refusing to endorse a “carbon fee and dividend” proposal which would benefit the less well off.

The measure is proposed in a climate action report being finalised by an all-party committee, which is due to be published on March 28th.

The measure is a mechanism to shift people away from using fossil fuels, the single biggest source of carbon emissions, and to encourage greater use of renewable energy sources.

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said on Wednesday, economic evidence had indicated how a fee-and-dividend model of carbon pricing, which returns all the revenue directly to citizens, was cash positive for those on lower incomes and achieved significant environmental benefits.

“What are parties on the left doing opposing progressive climate measures which would benefit the less well off?” he asked.

The ESRI had also presented new modelling analysis to the Climate Action Committee in recent weeks, “which shows that increasing the price of carbon each year up to 2030 along the lines that the Green Party has proposed would not have a negative effect on the economy but would contribute a 17 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030”, Mr Ryan said.

Solidarity-PBP TD Bríd Smith has opposed the measure as she claimed it had not worked in other jurisdictions, while Sinn Féin said it would not support it until other alternatives were in place for those who were dependent on fossil fuels.

Climate strikers

Mr Ryan said their position was irreconcilable with their support for young climate strikers who an embarking on a national protest.

“How can they be saying they support the climate strikers this Friday when they are ruling out one of their key demands which is for us to adopt the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly. That included support for a price on carbon. It is one of the climate actions we want and need to deliver.”
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Speaking at an Irish Wind Energy Association conference, committee chairwoman Hildegarde Naughton said the Oireachtas body report had identified a lot of actions to decarbonise Ireland quickly which had all-party backing, but she feared the carbon tax issue would become the focus of their plan.

Key sectors such as the farming community and hauliers wanted to make the transition but were fearful about how carbon pricing might affect them. This had to be taken on board, she said.

Full post

The post Climate Wars: Ireland’s Left-Wing Parties Oppose Higher Carbon Taxes appeared first on The Global Warming Policy Forum (GWPF).

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March 16, 2019 at 09:59AM

By Paul Homewood

 

 

Not only are we all paying for the roll out of smart meters, we’ve even got to pay for TV stars to advertise them!

 

A smart meter campaign that uses TV stars, actors and models to promote the gadget is adding about £50million a year to energy bills.

Celebrities such as Ainsley Harriott, Maxine Peake and Twiggy have appeared in TV, radio and magazine adverts boasting of the benefits of new digital smart meters.

Under an upgrade scheme energy firms must offer a smart meter to every home and small business by 2020 or face fines – although households are not obliged to have one.

The new digital meters can automatically send readings to suppliers as often as every half an hour, putting an end to estimated bills.

Celebrities such as Twiggy in 2017 have posed with smart meters in adverts

Ainsley Harriott has featured in the adverts which have added an estimated £50million to energy bills

Customers can also see how much power they are using on a screen.

Smart Energy GB was set up by the Government in 2013 to encourage households to get a smart meter.

It claims it is an independent body but is funded by energy companies, which pass costs on to customers.

The Government initially estimated that a national awareness campaign would cost about £87million.

Now, industry insiders have told Money Mail that by the end of 2021 Smart Energy GB will have spent upwards of £220million. Its budget for this year is £48.4million.

The National Audit Office has warned that the group may need extra funding to take it beyond 2021 as the rollout is unlikely to be complete on time.

Last year Smart Energy GB spent £683,000 paying celebrities to be its spokesmen and feature in adverts.

But an industry source claimed the campaign group was not doing enough to boost the number of households actually installing meters.

He added that eyebrows had been raised over stunts such as arranging for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to perform ‘A Requiem for Meters’ on instruments made from old gas and electricity meters.

One advert featured TV cook Harriott preparing food for bodybuilders.

Twiggy, who was made a dame this week, has even taken part in a photoshoot posing among giant smart meters. Speaking in a YouTube video in 2017, she said: ‘When I was discovered in the 1960s it was an amazing time for the country economically and culturally… I’m here today to tell you about smart meters – another big change that affects every single household in Great Britain.’

Location, Location, Location presenting duo Kirstie Allsopp and Phil Spencer also promoted the devices, as well as former Great British Bake Off contestant Ian Cumming.

Tory MP Grant Shapps said: ‘I cannot see how this unchecked spending could be considered a sensible or effective use of money.’ Consumer expert Martyn James said: ‘Expensive ad campaigns can go horribly off track if they don’t tackle the underlying problems. With smart meters, the problem is the public doesn’t believe they work.’

Smart meters have been beset by problems since their introduction. Customers may find their meter goes ‘dumb’ when they try to switch supplier.

Critics have also warned they give firms access to a ‘honeypot’ of private customer data.

This month, the advertising watchdog banned a Smart Energy GB ad featuring actress Miss Peake for misleading listeners about savings.

The Advertising Standards Authority said the advert had failed to make it clear that listeners had to change their energy use in order to save. Smart Energy GB said it was appealing the ruling.

Sacha Deshmukh, head of Smart Energy GB, said: ‘We are guided by the best practice in marketing and communications in designing and delivering our campaign. It is this that helps us create an effective, value for money and thoroughly evaluated campaign.’

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6815185/Twiggy-Maxine-Peake-star-smart-meter-adverts-raising-energy-bills-50million-year.html

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March 16, 2019 at 08:09AM