Absent from billionaire Michael Bloomberg’s $500 million "Beyond Carbon" campaign to get off coal and natural gas is any mention of nuclear energy, America’s largest source of carbon-free electricity.
What they’re saying: An aide to Bloomberg told Axios the former New York mayor and climate advocate isn’t taking a "hard stance" on nuclear. "We’ll pursue all of the options available, including nuclear," the aide said. "If nuclear is determined to be the best alternative to coal, oil and gas, our work will support it. In other cases, there may be a different alternative worth pursuing."
Starbucks this month begins a first-of-its kind trial of reusable cups at London’s Gatwick airport, offering them for free while charging a small fee for disposable cups, Bloomberg writes.
Why it matters: "[R]eusable cups potentially have a lower carbon footprint than paper cups." Starbucks estimates that "if just 250 customers a day opt for a reusable cup, more than 7,000 cups could be saved in the monthlong trial."
Natural gas is to climate change what our mediocre exercise and diet regimes are to our health: far from perfect but better than nothing.
Why it matters: Natural gas, which is becoming the world’s dominant energy, emits half as much carbon dioxide as coal. That's why it's emerging as a good-enough-for-now solution to climate change. But since it’s a fossil fuel, it still produces heat-trapping emissions.
