Reposted by Zach WendlingOlúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò @olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social · 08/09/2026if it took you 5 seconds of contemplation to think of an alternative you should take at least another 5-10 to at least consider the possibility that it at least crossed the minds of 1 or 2 of the people who dedicate their lives and research careers to dealing with the problems we post about on here 282379299
Zach Wendling @zachwendling.bsky.social · 20/06/2026They have a chance to replace it with more interesting, sustainable, and beautiful ground cover. But they won't. More likely, another $15M, no-bid contract to a crony, and we'll end up with crab grass. 010
Reposted by Zach WendlingProf. Ian Walker @ianwalker.bsky.social · 20/06/2026We argue that this fits squarely into an emerging body of research that all points the same way: car culture and motonormativity are so entrenched, it's too late for information and incentives to make the difference. 'Hard' measures are needed if we want to get serious about reducing car harms 7/10 727053
Reposted by Zach WendlingAkshat Rathi @akshatrathi.bsky.social · 03/06/2026I see a lot of charts everyday. Few make me go: THIS IS CRAZY. www.carbonbrief.org/ai-boom-mean... 321336444
Reposted by Zach WendlingPeter Gleick @petergleick.bsky.social · 24/05/2026Around 40% of ocean shipping is fossil fuels. So many things will get better when the fossil-fuel era ends. www.theguardian.com/business/202...theguardian.comOnly 0.5% of 90,000 oil slicks reported over five-year period, analysis findsPollution incidents reported between 2014 and 2019 were compared against scientific study that used satellite imagery to count slicks 10344167
Reposted by Zach WendlingJan Rosenow @janrosenow.bsky.social · 25/04/2026Denmark's coal-to-wind transition is one of the most dramatic energy transformations of the past three decades. In 1990, coal provided 90% of Danish electricity. Today it is under 3%. Wind now covers roughly 60% of electricity generation. The last coal plant is scheduled to close by 2028. 276125953948
Reposted by Zach WendlingAda Palmer @adapalmer.bsky.social · 10/04/2026A century of hair samples shows how sharply lead exposure fell after modern environmental rules took hold in the US. A PNAS study found that current lead concentrations in hair from Utah’s Wasatch Front are almost 100 times lower than before the EPA was established. buff.ly/odLXa0j #ShareGoodNewsToobuff.lyLead in archived hair documents a decline in lead exposure to humans since the establishment of the US Environmental Protection Agency | PNASLead (Pb) is well known to be toxic to humans. We use archived hair from individuals living along the Wasatch Front in Utah to evaluate changes in ... 7374167
Reposted by Zach Wendlingtrevin @trevinflickinger.com · 09/04/2026Happy Appomattox Day to all that celebrate 3662701850
Zach Wendling @zachwendling.bsky.social · 25/02/2026The state of our union is … 2026: Strong 2024: Strong and getting stronger 2023: Strong 2022: Strong 2020: Stronger than ever before 2019: Strong 2018: Strong 2016: Strong 2015: Strong 2014: Strong 2013: Stronger 2012: Getting stronger and will always be strong 2011: Strong 2010: Strong 100
Reposted by Zach WendlingBarack Obama @barackobama.bsky.social · 12/02/2026Today, the Trump administration repealed the endangerment finding: the ruling that served as the basis for limits on tailpipe emissions and power plant rules. Without it, we’ll be less safe, less healthy and less able to fight climate change—all so the fossil fuel industry can make even more money.pbs.orgWATCH: Trump, EPA's Zeldin announce end of scientific basis for U.S. action on climate changeThe Trump administration on Thursday revoked a scientific finding that long has been the central basis for U.S. action to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change, the most aggressiv... 20992838011976
Reposted by Zach WendlingBrendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 03/02/2026Truly Stasi-like. What would you say if you saw it in another country? 12377194
Reposted by Zach WendlingJohn Schwartz @jswatz.bsky.social · 17/12/2025This idiocy is governance as Grand Guignol. It will cripple atmospheric science in this country. “What we are seeing is the administration canceling the freedom of scientific thought and inquiry.” www.nytimes.com/2025/12/17/c...nytimes.comTrump Administration Plans to Break Up Premier Weather and Climate Research Center 22719
Reposted by Zach WendlingBrent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 22/11/2025WATCH: If you really STILL don’t understand how car-dependent suburbia is HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED by downtown & all the urban parts of your city, please watch this EXCELLENT video by #NotJustBikes helped by #UrbanThree & @StrongTowns.org. And then please SHARE it as much as possible. youtu.be/7Nw6qyyrTeI 5432155
Reposted by Zach WendlingBrad Heath @bradheath.bsky.social · 27/11/2025Reuters reached out to everyone that Trump or his subordinates singled out publicly for retribution, and reviewed hundreds of official orders, directives and public records. The result: the most comprehensive accounting yet of his campaign of payback. www.reuters.com/investigates... 3123511089
Reposted by Zach WendlingCarl Zimmer @carlzimmer.com · 09/10/2025Today my @nytimes.com colleagues and I are launching a new series called Lost Science. We interview US scientists who can no longer discover something new about our world, thanks to this year‘s cuts. Here is my first interview with a scientist who studied bees and fires. Gift link: nyti.ms/3IWXbiEnyti.ms 14147031811
Reposted by Zach WendlingBrent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 10/09/2025“Fine-particulate air pollution can drive devastating forms of dementia by triggering the formation of toxic clumps of protein that destroy nerve cells as they spread through the brain, research suggests.” “Unlike age or genetics, this is something we can change.”theguardian.comAir pollution can drive devastating forms of dementia, research suggestsAirborne particles cause toxic clumps of proteins in brain that are hallmarks of Lewy body dementia, study indicates 319985
Zach Wendling @zachwendling.bsky.social · 02/09/2025www.npr.org/2025/09/02/n...npr.orgDozens of scientists find errors in a new Energy Department climate reportMore than 85 scientists say that a recent U.S. Department of Energy report is full of errors and misrepresents climate science. 020
Reposted by Zach WendlingDan Nexon @dhnexon.net · 30/08/2025🧵 Authoritarianism, Democratization, and Coalition Politics. The consensus around here is, more or less, that the United States is currently a consolidating authoritarian regime controlled by a mix of reactionary populists and fascists. 631696718
Reposted by Zach WendlingJigar Shah @jigarshahdc.bsky.social · 27/08/2025After 60 years of trying to electrify populations with fossil fuels, people finally figured out there was a much better way. One with less corruption. Electricity poverty is real and clean energy is now at scale to solve it. This will unleash human flourishing. 221653
Reposted by Zach WendlingTimmons Roberts @timmonsroberts.bsky.social · 25/08/2025My lab's been attacked by an anti-wind group and their lawyers. They threatened the science funding of my whole university, to shut me and my undergraduate research assistants up. NYT just covered it. 1/n www.nytimes.com/2025/08/25/c...nytimes.comLaw Firm Pressures Brown University to Erase Research on Anti-Wind Groups 2044192139
Reposted by Zach WendlingDavid Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 21/08/2025The Trump administration is making us less well-informed now and in the future.edition.cnn.comTrump admin strips ocean and air pollution monitoring from next-gen weather satellites | CNNThe Trump administration will remove ocean and air pollution monitoring instruments from the upcoming fleet of weather satellites, and cut the number of satellites, as well. 310745
Reposted by Zach WendlingAndrea Pitzer @andreapitzer.bsky.social · 17/07/2025Here is a perfect example of the cruelty inherent in this kind of camp, even when it's not a death factory. No one is machine-gunning or gassing detainees. But if we keep human beings in a dangerous setting, with facilities optimized to put them at risk, the camp itself will harm them. [16/17] 4741143
Reposted by Zach WendlingOmar Wasow @owasow.bsky.social · 12/07/2025“The fact that organized protest can break the spiral of silence, and correct our impressions of what other Americans think, is one of the most immediate and important values of protesting in the first place. Scientists have [shown] protests update our impressions of what other citizens believe.”aol.comWhat a ‘Spiral of Silence’ Can Do to a DemocracyProtests show people they are not alone in caring about an issue. 141929571
Reposted by Zach WendlingAndrew Heiss @andrew.heiss.phd · 19/02/2025I really liked this idea of using a histogram as a legend in a choropleth map (since land isn't unemployed; people are), so I made a little guide to doing it with #rstats, {ggplot2}, and {patchwork} www.andrewheiss.com/blog/2025/02...andrewheiss.comHow to use a histogram as a legend in {ggplot2} | Andrew HeissLand isn’t unemployed—people are. Here’s how to use R, {ggplot2}, {sf}, and {patchwork} to create a histogram legend in a choropleth map to better see the distribution of values. 28882197
Reposted by Zach WendlingCosta Samaras @costasamaras.com · 24/06/2025[setting out dishwasher to run overnight instead of during the peak hours] I’m a virtual power plant operator 2220912
Zach Wendling @zachwendling.bsky.social · 08/05/2025One of many reasons Vatican City isn't in the Environmental Performance Index 010
Reposted by Zach WendlingDavid Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 23/03/2025New paper compares non-exhaust pollution (brake and tire particulates) from ICE and EV cars. Conclusion: EV's create more tire pollution b/c they're heavier, but less brake pollution due to regenerative braking. EVs come out ahead overall if >15% of driving is in a city. doi.org/10.1016/j.tr... 30443137
Reposted by Zach WendlingDavid Zipper @davidzipper.bsky.social · 03/03/2025Even without a spike from tariffs, the cost of car ownership (gas, insurance, maintenance, and the car itself) jumped 44% from 2007 to 2023. (Source: www.bts.gov/content/aver...) Americans pay a massive surcharge for living in a car-dependent nation. 618072
Reposted by Zach WendlingJason Kuznicki @jkuznicki.bsky.social · 01/03/2025This is really important: When stuff works well it tends to become invisible. Radicalism in politics should be thought of as the confidence that you and your movement can replicate all of the invisible stuff that you break. 112225
Reposted by Zach Wendlingjae holzman @jael.bsky.social · 04/02/2025something lost in the USAID situation: that agency is crucial to the developing energy grids in many countries right now. pulling them out threatens not only climate progress but seriously threatens energy access in many regions of the world. via @jeva.bsky.social heatmap.news/politics/usa...heatmap.newsElon Musk Pulled the Plug on America’s Energy Soft PowerFor now at least, USAID’s future looks — literally — dark. 410529
Reposted by Zach WendlingRichard Waite @waiterich.bsky.social · 04/02/2025An acre of land can power a car to go 13,000 miles per year using biofuel (corn ethanol), or 900,000 miles per year using solar. 39974393
Reposted by Zach WendlingDerek Thompson @dkthomp.bsky.social · 21/12/2024People sometimes make fun of science that sounds stupid and random. Meanwhile, a study of lizard saliva turned into a peptide medication, which was turned into a diabetes medication, which was turned into a GLP1 weight loss drug, that just became the first therapy every approved for … sleep apnea 372171765071
Reposted by Zach WendlingNat Bullard @nathanielbullard.com · 24/11/2024Every year I do a big presentation on decarbonization. Here's a preview: India now consumes more coal, on an energy basis, than Europe and North America combined. 12401105
Reposted by Zach WendlingJigar Shah @jigarshahdc.bsky.social · 17/11/2024We need to deploy 2-5 GW and $25B by 2030 to achieve #liftoff in enhanced #geothermal. This will bring the price down far enough to unlock 90 GW by 2040. liftoff.energy.gov/next-generat...liftoff.energy.govNext-Generation Geothermal Power - Pathways to Commercial LiftoffLearn more about the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pathways to Commercial Liftoff Report on Next-Generation Geothermal Power 510018
Reposted by Zach WendlingMax Roser @maxroser.bsky.social · 21/11/2024We've just made it much easier to reuse the data on Our World in Data. Here is an overview of our new features: enhanced data downloads and the Chart Data API. ourworldindata.org/easier-to-re...ourworldindata.orgWe've made it much easier to reuse our dataAn overview of our new features: enhanced data downloads and the Chart Data API. 9380106
Reposted by Zach WendlingJeffrey Lin @jeffrlin.bsky.social · 19/11/2024Our paper quantifying the negative effects of urban freeways on local neighborhood quality of life appears in the September issue of REStat. doi.org/10.1162/rest...doi.orgFreeway Revolts! The Quality of Life Effects of HighwaysAbstract. Why do freeways affect spatial structure? We identify and quantify the local disamenity effects of freeways. Freeways cause slower growth in central neighborhoods (where local disamenities e... 515731
Reposted by Zach WendlingTamar de Waal @tamardewaal.bsky.social · 23/10/2024'This process includes the replacement of all first-rate talents, regardless of their political loyalties, with crackpots and fools whose lack of intelligence and creativity is the best guarantee of their loyalty.' (The Origins of Totalitarianism, renewed version, A Harvest Book New York, 1976, 339) 8035051378
Reposted by Zach WendlingJeff Stormer @jeffstormer.gobirds.online · 13/11/2024Hello all: It is with a heavy heart that I remove my Starter Pack of "Trustworthy Mesopotamian Copper Ingot Merchants Within the City-State of Ur." I have been informed about some pretty unfortunate oversights on my part and ultimately platformed some creators who should not have been platformed. 172116043225
Reposted by Zach WendlingKevin Elliott @kjephd.bsky.social · 12/11/2024There's a good chance Trump's immigration and higher ed policy kill the golden goose that's been a-laying golden eggs of technical, medical, and economic innovation not just for the US but the entire world 1016839
Reposted by Zach WendlingCatherine E. de Vries @catherinedevries.bsky.social · 12/11/2024IMHO as a corruption researcher, pundits seriously UNDERestimate crony capitalist Orbanseque turn in 🇺🇸 politics moving forward Similarly, pundits OVERestimate voter punishment of corruption Here’s why ⤵️ Based on 2017 research overview with @hectorsolaz.bsky.social: shorturl.at/HfNlU A 🧵 1/nshorturl.atThe Electoral Consequences of Corruption | Annual ReviewsDemocratic elections have been assumed to play a crucial role in curbing corruption among public officials. Voters, due to their general distaste for corruption, are expected to sanction politicians w... 16422151
Reposted by Zach WendlingFilipe Campante @filipecampante.bsky.social · 06/11/2024Folks, you can say "Democrats need to win in 2028 and do X" as much as you want, as long as you recognize that the 2028 elections most likely will not be like elections of old. They will likely take place in a context where institutions (media, business) will have had to kowtow to the government. 49617
Reposted by Zach WendlingRadley Balko @radleybalko.bsky.social · 06/11/2024Fearing most: - mass deportations, police state required to try it, resulting death/suffering - severe recession or depression from tariffs, deportations, ensuing civil unrest - violence against protesters - weaponization of DOJ, IRS, FCC - “unleashed” cops & vigilantes - Baltics, Poland, Taiwan 812101362
Zach Wendling @zachwendling.bsky.social · 30/10/2024More Calvinball jurisprudence from #SCOTUSballsandstrikes.orgThe Supreme Court’s Most Important Power Is Its Ability to BullshitA week before the election, the justices are allowing an illegal voter roll purge in Virginia to take effect. 020
Zach Wendling @zachwendling.bsky.social · 30/10/2024New blogpost with Lewis Wu and Abe Silverman on Google's proposed alternative to traditional Power Purchase Agreements to secure low-carbon electricity for data centers: the Clean Transition Tariff. #EnergySky🔌💡blogs.law.columbia.eduGuest Blog: Powering Data Centers with Clean Energy: Google’s Clean Transition Tariff - Climate Law BlogThe rising interest in artificial intelligence and data centers has sparked discussions on how to meet the immense power demand from data centers in a carbon-responsible manner. Many data center opera... 072
Reposted by Zach Wendlingtweety fish oh wow like a chimera or something spoooky @sifu.tweety.fish · 22/10/2024my favorite NIST factoid is that their remit has been so broad for so long that they have a whole archive of scientific instruments where they no longer have any idea what they do www.nist.gov/blogs/taking...nist.govUnidentified Museum Objects VIn celebration of National Inventors Month 2019 (yes, it’s a thing) we’re highlighting s 28433
Reposted by Zach WendlingClimate Solutions @climatesolutions.org · 26/09/2024This week in New York, Gov. Jay Inslee and other climate governors launched a national apprenticeship program—funded by the Inflation Reduction Act—to train young people for careers in clean energy and climate action. www.knkx.org/environ...knkx.orgInslee and governors of 23 states launch ‘climate-ready workforce' initiativeGov. Jay Inslee is in New York City for Climate Week - his last time as a sitting governor. He helped announce the launch of a “Governors’ Climate-Ready Workforce Initiative.” 0269