One industry seemingly unharmed by the coronavirus-related shutdown is legal cannabis. But the explosion in this infant business could be bad news for the environment, if left largely unregulated. A closer look at the issues. Plus, the story of Smokey’s 420, mom-and-pop pot shop that’s taken a more environmental perspective.
"The salty breeze and ocean waves have beckoned stir-crazy residents of the coast back to their beloved beaches, social distancing norms be damned."
"The Trump administration is looking at offering two lines of credit to help the beleaguered oil and gas industry as it reels from historically low prices sparked by the global coronavirus pandemic."
"The EPA has been too busy responding to the deadly coronavirus to work on its long-awaited proposal to manage huge volumes of pathogen-infested sewage and stormwater during heavy rains, the agency’s top wastewater official said Wednesday."
"Covid-related slaughterhouse shutdowns in the US are leading to fears of meat shortages and price rises, while farmers are being forced to consider “depopulating” their animals."
"Eight fossil fuel executives tapped for a White House task force advising President Donald Trump on how to reopen the U.S. economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic have donated millions to Trump and other Republican campaigns and political committees in recent years."
"A coalition of more than 150 groups wrote to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to oppose a controversial memo in which the agency said it temporarily might not seek penalties against companies that don’t monitor their pollution."
"Texas regulators released the details of a plan yesterday to cut oil production as other states looked for ways to reduce the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the energy industry."
"Global greenhouse gas emissions are on track to plunge nearly 8 percent this year, the largest drop ever recorded, as worldwide lockdowns to fight the coronavirus have triggered an “unprecedented” decline in the use of fossil fuels, the International Energy Agency said in a new report on Thursday. But experts cautioned that the drop should not be seen as good news for efforts to tackle climate change."
"Last Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on China to shut down wet markets where illegal wildlife are sold. Pompeo’s call was echoed by the Australian government, which on the same day urged G20 countries to take action on wildlife markets in order to reduce the risk of new diseases like COVID-19 spilling over into humans in the future. Lost in both statements was a recognition of the complexity of China’s wildlife trade or the scale of the challenge it now faces."
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