Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 6hLeast surprising thing in the world is getting older but it feels like it's the hardest one to believe is happening. 010
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 6hLooks like a great climate equity/job training program in Chicago that we should consider emulating here in California. We work with the nonprofit JobTrain focusing more on electrification, but this is an interesting approach focusing on solar. www.canarymedia.com/articles/sol...canarymedia.comHow one Chicago program is diversifying the solar workforceFounded by a former public-housing resident, the 548 Foundation provides training, stipends, and support to build Black generational wealth through clean… 000
Reposted by Menlo SparkJean-Pierre Gattuso @jpgattuso.bsky.social · 12/10/2026Link to the livestream on Vimeo: vimeo.com/event/620997... 🌊vimeo.comThe 6th International Symposium on the Ocean in a High-CO₂ WorldTākina 13-15 October 2026 https://highco2-vi.org/programme/ 03214
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 12/10/2026Terrible decision by the Trump Administration to smash the Endangered Species Act. While California has its own ESA, the federal ESA is better. Hopefully litigation by environmental groups and states will stop Trump from exterminating many species in the US and Calfornia. phys.org/news/2026-09...phys.orgTrump administration makes major cuts to endangered species protectionsPresident Donald Trump's administration will no longer treat the unintentional killing of protected wildlife as unlawful, officials confirmed Thursday, in a shift conservationists say could gut the En... 000
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 07/10/2026A multi-decade problem happening right now: electrek.co/2026/10/06/u...electrek.coUS gas plant plans jump 44% in just 8 months – here's whyUS gas power plans have nearly tripled since 2023, with data centers driving a boom that could lock in decades of fossil fuel use. 000
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 05/10/2026The one contributed by the US is in Wyoming: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_A...en.wikipedia.orgNorth Antelope Rochelle Mine - Wikipedia 000
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 05/10/2026This is huge. I don't think gas cars will ever go back above 50%. Maybe a massive drop in gas price might do it for one year, but even that is unlikely and also might not be enough. electrek.co/2026/10/05/g...electrek.coGas cars fall below 50% of global new car sales for the first timeGas cars made up 49% of global new car sales in the first half of 2026, down from 73% in 2021. But hybrids are taking as much share as EVs. 000
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Event next week (Pacific Time): actionnetwork.org/events/faith...actionnetwork.orgFaith for Clean Air: What Bay Area Faith Leaders Need to KnowFaith for Clean Air: What Bay Area Faith Leaders Need to Know October 6 | 6:00–7:00 PM | Zoom Clean air is a matter of health, justice, and care for our neighbors. And right now, important decisions... 000
Reposted by Menlo SparkRight To Zero @righttozero.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Even pizza tastes better when it's cooked in an all-electric oven. 053
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Some good points about the positives of teens on e-bikes: electrek.co/2026/09/30/e...electrek.coE-bikes are giving teenagers something we thought they’d lostIf you’ve spent any time reading local neighborhood social media groups lately – and for your mental health, I hope... 001
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 28/09/2026More EV fast-charging news. There's an argument that fast-charging eliminates the need for expensive, at-home EV-charging retrofits. I'm dubious for the short and medium term, but it might be right in the longer term. electrek.co/2026/09/25/g...electrek.coGeely's AI fast charging 'heals' EV batteries for 20% more cycle lifeGeely's new AI fast charging uses micro-pulse currents to reverse lithium buildup from fast charging, claiming up to 20% more battery cycle life. 000
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 25/09/2026According to the article, the ejection just drops the pack, and then the secondary battery is used to roll the car a sufficient distance away. 000
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 25/09/2026Mandating this would be dumb, agree with that. However, I don't have any problem with EV makers exploring non-mandatory options and safety features that you are unable to get in ICE vehicles. Whether this is truly practical, that's another matter. 000
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 24/09/2026The million kinds of licorice are good, although I'm not sure if they're from Iceland or imported. 000
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 24/09/2026Today's reading: www.solaracks.com/balcony-sola... 000
Reposted by Menlo SparkInside Climate News @insideclimatenews.org · 24/09/2026More than 450,000 people are projected to die in the next six months from the additional heat brought by a super El Niño, according to estimates from climate scientists released Wednesday. The estimated heat death toll is on top of impacts from droughts, wildfires and floods.insideclimatenews.orgSuper El Niño to Cause 451,000 Heat Deaths - Inside Climate NewsClimate scientists are calling the hotter temperatures resulting from El Niño a “postcard from the future.” 13117
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 24/09/2026Good news on EVs in Europe: www.semafor.com/article/09/2... EV sales projected to at least quadruple to 32% of US new car sales by 2030: news.harvard.edu/gazette/stor...semafor.comEuropean EV sales jump 50% amid soaring fuel pricesEVs now make up almost a third of sales on the continent, with even mega luxury brands joining the shift. 011
Reposted by Menlo SparkChristina Scaringe @natureishome.bsky.social · 23/09/2026'51% of Americans overall now say they are likely to purchase or lease an EV within the next five years' www.zeta.org/news/ahead-o...zeta.orgAhead of Climate Week, New Poll Finds EV Divide Is More Generational Than Political - ZETA75% of Americans under 35 say they are likely to purchase or lease an EV within five years; 52-point age gap dwarfs 12-point partisan divide 011
Reposted by Menlo SparkRight To Zero @righttozero.bsky.social · 23/09/2026Read @missionvespa.bsky.social's op-ed about a no-brainer bill awaiting @governor.ca.gov's signature! The Home Energy Choice Act is a practical way to avoid costly and unnecessary gas infrastructure investments. Plus, it will save customers money. calmatters.org/commentary/2...calmatters.orgOpinion | California could save millions by paying homeowners to switch to electric appliancesGov. Gavin Newsom considers paying homes to switch from gas to heat pumps and induction stoves — instead of funding gas line repairs. 011
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 23/09/2026Sammy, got an opinion on the gas utility death spiral? I know some are worried about the disruption it could cause. Personally I think it's likely over a decade-plus in the future, further away than I'd like but also likely to be much easier to electrify then and manage the transition. 000
Reposted by Menlo SparkSammy Roth @sammyroth.bsky.social · 23/09/2026Natural gas demand on the California grid peaked in 2014 and has been falling ever since. Gas-fired electricity fell 15% last year, then another 26% in the first half of this year as solar and batteries continued to boom. insideclimatenews.org/news/1009202... via @dangearino.bsky.socialinsideclimatenews.orgHow California Is Kicking Its Natural Gas Habit - Inside Climate NewsSolar and batteries matter, but they’re not the only reasons for the steep decline in gas-fired electricity. 212345
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Maybe I'm overoptimistic about industry responding to incentives, but if they can save money from electrification, I assume it's big money that's worth the administrative effort to carry out. So shouldn't that transition happen quickly then? 000
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 21/09/2026Very much not helpful. We have to emphasize this is an old plant with old standards no longer in use, but still not helpful. www.canarymedia.com/articles/bat...canarymedia.comVistra’s Moss Landing grid battery is on fire yet againThe California facility, with its outdated building and battery design, had a catastrophic fire in 2025. Now, a new fire ignited during the… 000
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 17/09/2026Climate change a likely cause of the massive deaths in Nepal, with Nepal's total and per-person emissions playing a trivial role. www.bbc.com/news/article...bbc.comNepal to use new flood study to claim millions from UN climate disaster fundA new study says climate change was a likely factor in the massive flood on the Nepal-Tibet border last month. 000
Reposted by Menlo SparkRight To Zero @righttozero.bsky.social · 15/09/2026AB 2313 is waiting on @governor.ca.gov's signature! 🖊 The bill will give Californians the freedom and funds for non-polluting appliances with money that would otherwise be spent replacing gas service lines. www.sacbee.com/news/politic...sacbee.comWhat are some of the California environmental bills the Legislature sent to Gavin Newsom?The governor has until Sept. 30 to act on these and other measures. 031
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 14/09/2026Bad news: Southern oceans could become a carbon source one atmospheric concentrations stabilize or decline. Somewhat good news: the switch to source is around 2150, giving us some time to deal with this. phys.org/news/2026-09...phys.orgSouthern Ocean may flip from carbon sink to carbon source under mitigation scenariosPlans to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5°C above preindustrial levels depend on reaching net-zero emissions and, in many cases, actively removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air. While this... 000
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 10/09/2026Another variant on climate doomerism. I don't think this one has legs, fortunately. 000
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 10/09/2026The story notes the importance of residential solar and batteries while acknowledging they're hard to quantify. Hopefully we'll get more progress with balcony solar added. And Virtual Power Plants are just a footnote now, but they have enormous potential (and will help quantify residential power). 010
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 09/09/2026Utility-scale solar has no significant impact on nearby home values: electrek.co/2026/09/08/d...electrek.coDo wind and solar farms tank home values? A 20-year study has an answerBall State researchers analyzed two decades of Indiana home sales to see whether nearby wind and solar farms hurt property values. 011
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 08/09/2026Learn better recycling! www.eventbrite.com/e/free-progr...eventbrite.comFree Program Takes the Guesswork Out of RecyclingTwo Recology experts will explain proper sorting and answer all your questions about recycling. 000
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 08/09/2026I have similar if less pronounced concerns about enhanced geothermal. Can it really compete with solar+batteries given their cost reductions likely over the next decade? Maybe geothermal will be limited to high latitudes. 110
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 08/09/2026We have solved this problem in the US by limiting corporate liability from nuclear accidents and imposing the risks on society instead. It's the Price-Anderson Act. 130
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 08/09/2026They've been talking about wave power for decades. We'll see how it goes. www.msn.com/en-us/money/...msn.comMSN 001
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 04/09/2026I've thought that decreasing gas consumption would eliminate gas stations and make ICE vehicles increasingly inconvenient. So far that hasn't been an important factor in switching to EVs, but maybe it will be, especially to speed up change in slower moving countries like the US. 010
Reposted by Menlo SparkJan Rosenow @janrosenow.bsky.social · 03/09/2026In country after country we start to see EV sales up and ICE down. The lines cross in an X typical for transitions. Norway in 2019. Sweden and Nepal in 2023. Denmark and Singapore in 2024. Belgium and the Netherlands in 2025. Finland is crossing now. janrosenow.substack.com/p/the-car-in... 1724992
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 02/09/2026Glaciers are highly localized, while permafrost is widespread under the right conditions. The effects of losing permafrost from climate change are both dramatic and subtle. 000
Reposted by Menlo SparkJustin Gerdes @justingerdes.bsky.social · 31/08/2026The California Legislature sent @asmmarcberman.bsky.social's Home Energy Choice Act (AB 2313) to @governor.ca.gov's desk. "Rather than being forced to have their gas hookups replaced, homeowners will get the choice to receive funds to electrify their homes." earthjustice.org/press/2026/c... 🔌💡earthjustice.orgCalifornia Legislature Passes the Home Energy Choice ActAB 2313 will give Californians the freedom and funds for non-polluting appliances with money that would otherwise be spent replacing gas service lines 1138
Reposted by Menlo SparkSammy Roth @sammyroth.bsky.social · 01/09/2026Big win for community solar in the California Legislature today: www.latimes.com/environment/... via @blancabegert.bsky.sociallatimes.comSolar power for renters would get easier with two bills now on the governor's deskRenters could get access to solar panels if the governor signs two bills just passed by the Legislature. 26220
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 01/09/2026Interesting change of pace: an ebike rider describing the experience of riding gas bikes, instead of the usual reverse. electrek.co/2026/08/31/i...electrek.coI traded my electric motorcycle for a gasoline bike on vacation. It was pretty shockingFor the last few weeks, my wife and I have been hopping between islands in the Philippines, and like so... 021
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 31/08/2026An incredible refutation to the "energy poverty" arguments for fossil fuels that were so popular until recently. Not hearing those arguments as much, they've moved on to other bad claims. 000
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 29/08/2026I'm guessing that TX uses less methane gas in homes than CA, but I'm not sure. If so then it might be helpful to adjust cost estimates. I'd guess that CA would still come out ahead. (Looking forward to balcony solar!) 010
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 26/08/2026Just one study but it casts doubt on enhanced rock weathering, one of the more promising solutions in the difficult field of carbon dioxide removal. news.cornell.edu/stories/2026... Might still work in the "silver buckshot" frame of climate solutions, but with unclear buckshot size.news.cornell.eduStudy casts doubt on carbon-removal method | Cornell ChronicleA study led by Cornell researchers suggests the real-world potential of “enhanced weathering” — spreading crushed basalt on farmland as a way to removed CO2 — may be far smaller than widely cited esti... 010
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 26/08/2026New to me: an EV charger that will dial down when the load is high in the house. Looks like a way to make Level 2 charging accessible without panel upgrades. electrek.co/2026/08/25/4...electrek.coNeed a panel upgrade for an EV charger? Schneider may have a workaroundSchneider's new smart 48-amp home EV charger manages household power to help some drivers avoid a costly electrical panel upgrade. 001
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 26/08/2026Great news! Menlo Spark is very happy to have supported this. California is one of 50 states, but it's also about 10% of Americans that will soon have access to balcony solar. 031
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 25/08/2026The Platypus Curve in Australia: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jltR...youtube.comAustralia Killed the Duck Curve (With Batteries)YouTube video by Engineering with Rosie 010
Reposted by Menlo SparkRight To Zero @righttozero.bsky.social · 24/08/2026The Home Energy Choice Act #AB2313 by @asmmarcberman.bsky.social will let families choose the energy that powers their homes. 125
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 24/08/2026Yes - if they're smart-evil, they'll set a federal standard at or even below the current one and say we're done changing things forever. That would likely keep the EPCA preemption. Although any regulation they establish can be overturned by the next administration. 000
Menlo Spark @menlospark.bsky.social · 24/08/2026Thanks - the article's link to a letter from PG&E didn't work, btw. 100