By Henry Houston for Eugene Weekly.
Broadcast version by Eric Tegethoff for Oregon News Service with support from the Solutions Journalism Network
It's one of those rare sunny spring Oregon days as I'm cruising downtown Eugene on an e-bike from Electric Avenue Sports. The sun is shining bright, and there isn't a cloud in the sky. I'm weaving through the traffic, moving from bike lane to vehicle lanes. I must have a huge smile on my face as I'm riding because someone shouts from a car, "Hey, nice bike."
Some e-bikes have a motor that kicks in to assist with pedaling and others have one as an acceleration through a throttle, similar to a motorcycle. Riding an e-bike with a throttle, that acceleration comes in handy as I go from being at a standstill at a red light to accelerating to flow with car traffic. There isn't that awkward sense that the car behind you is mad that you have to start pedaling.
E-bikes are one way to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions. There is an environmental impact from mining for the lithium for the batteries, but in an October 2020 article in the peer reviewed journal Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, the authors found that carbon emissions could be reduced by 12 percent if just 15 percent of transit miles were traveled by e-bike instead of car.
As e-bikes increase in popularity, more styles have hit the market, which Electric Avenue Sports has seen as its niche: to offer e-bikes that match someone's personality.
But the price of an e-bike is a barrier for many.
Electric Avenue Sports - and other bike shops - have credit options, but if you live in Eugene, that can still be a barrier to getting an e-bike. Lower income residents of Benton County, who get their energy through Pacific Power, have an option for financial help: the Corvallis-Benton County Economic Development Office found a way to provide $1,200 rebates.
It's a program that has become super popular with its residents because it's made e-bikes more accessible, says Kathryn Duvall, economic development specialist.
Electric Feel
Walking into Electric Avenue Sports, the store's e-bike stock doesn't offer only run-of-the-mill bikes. While it does have more utilitarian bikes, its inventory ranges from models with the contours of a classic Indian motorcycle to an e-bike with a sidecar to large bikes with off-road capabilities that could withstand a Mad Max apocalypse.
"We wanted to have a lifestyle design for our shop," Hawk Hekimoglu says. "This is something that you can see yourself on, and your personality just explodes out of you."
Hawk and his brother John Hekimoglu both grew up in Eugene, so they know about the large number of bike shops in town, many of which also sell e-bikes. But he says they opened Electric Avenue in August 2021 to sell e-bikes that you can't find in Eugene.
One side of the store, Hawk Hekimoglu says, are the more motorcycle-oriented e-bikes. "We're all just individuals running around like chickens with their heads cut off, but we just want to show off our individuality," he says. "We let your charisma and style flow out."
The other side of the store has the more practical e-bikes, he says. When a customer comes in, Hekimoglu says he and his brother guide the customer to the side of the store that fits their personality. "Whether you're 15 years old or 65 years old, you see this stuff and you just have your own personal feelings to it," he says.
There is a 20 mph cap for e-bikes in bike lanes and multi-use pathways. But the store carries the Onyx brand, which he says, goes up to 60 mph and comes with a certification of origin to be registered as a moped with the DMV, and can then be used as a vehicle on public roads.
The number of miles that you can get on a fully charged e-bike battery vary. The e-bike moped that can go 60 mph has a range of 20 miles without pedaling and takes about seven to eight hours to charge. A folding e-bike, a more practical commuter option, can travel 50 miles and needs around four to six hours to fully charge.
The store has community rides, more so when the weather is warm, Hekimoglu says. The group ride invites anyone with a bike - electric motor or not - as well as e-scooters and one-wheel hoverboards. The rides usually go along the riverfront pathways or are pub crawls, Hekimoglu says.
With prices ranging from the low $1,000s to nearly $5,000, e-bikes are more expensive than most bicycles because of the additional lithium battery powered motor and sophistication involved.
Like most bicycle shops, Electric Avenue Sports has credit options and even lets people come by the shop to make payments at the store and then ride off with the e-bike. But Hekimoglu says the cost comes with an investment that can improve someone's lifestyle. "When you invest in something that has a super positive impact, it affects you in more than one way. It affects you in other aspects of your life, as well," he says.
An Electric Option
Buying an e-bike as a transportation option is limiting for many households, so the Corvallis-Benton Economic Development Office started its program to make it more accessible for those who can't afford the sticker price.
In 2020, the economic development office applied for a grant from utility company Pacific Power that funded electric transit options, Duvall says. The development office pitched an e-bike instant rebate program for low-income households with the goal of having 40 to 60 new e-bikes on Corvallis's streets.
The rebate checked a few boxes, Duvall says. The office works with the Corvallis Climate Action Advisory board, so it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions. An e-bike is an alternative to the high costs of car ownership. And it makes e-bike purchases more affordable for low-income people.
The office settled on the $1,200 rebate after sending an assessment to the community. Households were more willing to buy an e-bike if it took out a sizable chunk of the price tag, she says, but the office wanted them to at least pay $200 for the bike to attract serious applicants. The rebate also covers safety equipment, such as helmets and visibility vests.
To qualify for the Corvallis e-bike program, your household income must be less than 80 percent of area median income as set by the U.S. Housing and Urban Development. For an individual in Corvallis, that's an annual income of $47,600 - for a household of four, $68,000.
In July 2021, when the office opened the first round of applications, it did so without advertising but still gave out all 15 rebates. Because of the overwhelming number of applications, the office has used a lottery system.
"We kept the application really simple," Duvall says. "For so many programs, they're constantly asked to prove how poor they are. And it's humiliating." Applicants self-reported their income but they had to prove they were a Pacific Power customer.
Being an economic development office, Duvall says the idea of having the e-bike program was also meant to stimulate the local bike shop economy. The rebate could only be used at four bicycle shops in the Corvallis area. Duvall says Corvallis Electric Bike Shop received most of the rebates, but the other stores in Corvallis have seen an increase in e-bike sales.
The office hasn't finished collecting data on how the recipients are using the e-bikes, but Duvall says that based on anecdotal evidence, some were already biking in some capacity, and it allowed those who have become unable to bike return to the saddle.
The program plans to distribute 50 rebates - the office donated staff time to manage the program - and has so far handed out 31 rebates. The office wants to continue the program but needs to find funding to do so, Duvall says.
Duvall says e-bikes aren't decreasing the number of trips people make on pedal-powered bicycles but instead are being used for errands, and getting people out of cars. And the rebate has helped low income households make that change.
"What's so popular about this program is that for the amount of money that we're talking about, it really makes a huge difference. You're really impacting a lot of people's lives," she says. "Anyone else trying to set up a program like that is something we should think about: How many people you can impact."
Henry Houston wrote this article for Eugene Weekly.
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A New York bill aims to regulate the fashion industry's effects on climate change.
The Fashion Act would hold clothing and footwear companies accountable for their effects on the environment.
Fashion accounts for up to around 9% of global greenhouse-gas emissions, more than the aviation industry. The bill also creates a remediation fund for environmental, community or labor-related projects.
Rich Schrader, northeast government affairs director for the Natural Resources Defense Council, described how enforcement of the bill would work.
"The bill will create an enforcement mechanism that the attorney general in New York State will be responsible for," Schrader explained. "It's given a monitoring investigative and enforcement set of authorities. That's to ensure the companies are in compliance."
He pointed out the attorney general could fine companies not in compliance with the guidelines.
Fast fashion companies like Shein have only made things worse, studies have shown. The companies make clothes designed to be worn less than a handful of times before they're tossed away, ending up in a landfill. Fast fashion is responsible for around 10% of global carbon dioxide emissions. The bill has been referred to the Assembly's Consumer Affairs and Protection Committee.
A United Nations report found more than one-quarter of signatories to the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action are working with lawmakers on climate-related issues and regulations.
Maxine Bédat, executive director of the New Standard Institute, said issues persist in greening the process of making clothes.
"The textile mills, which are the ones that would be responsible for decarbonizing, are not getting any price premiums from the brands that they work with to decarbonize," Bédat noted. "There is zero incentive for them to decarbonize even though the technologies are there."
She argued more collaboration is needed between brands and manufacturers to develop an incentive structure. Bédat sees the New York bill as the foundation to build on, which a federal bill could do. The FABRIC Act would establish safer working conditions for garment workers and improve industrywide sustainability.
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By Jack McGovan for Sentient Climate.
Broadcast version by Edwin J. Viera for New York News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News Service Collaboration
When Guherbar Gorgulu arrived to study at Erasmus University Rotterdam, she was surprised by the many plant-based options.
"In Turkey, you don't really have a lot of vegan options," she says, not to mention many people interested in talking about the impact of what they eat. "I really didn't have a community of people who also cared about animal rights and the environment."
That all changed when Gorgulu started attending weekly vegan cooking workshops hosted by the Erasmus Sustainability Hub - a student-led organization encouraging students to lead more sustainable lifestyles. Inspired to join the Hub as Food and Agriculture Manager, Gorgulu, along with her colleagues, have been active in fighting for climate action on campus. Initiatives include workshops, discussions and petitions to demand fully plant-based cafeterias.
The work seems to be paying off. In February, the university announced that they are aiming to make plant-based foods the norm on campus by 2030. The goal is part of the university's climate commitments; animal agriculture is responsible for around 20 percent of global emissions, and is also a leading cause of habitat loss.
Change is happening beyond Rotterdam. A dozen universities across the U.S. joined an incubator program this year to provide more plant-based foods on their campuses, and across the UK, student unions in Cambridge, Stirling, Birmingham and London voted in support of vegan menus this academic year. In 2021, universities across the entire city of Berlin went predominantly meat-free.
Rising Demand for Plant-Based Foods at Universities
It's no surprise to see rising plant-based initiatives on campus, says Emma Garnett, PhD, a researcher focusing on strategies for promoting more sustainable diets at the University of Oxford. "Students often form the backbone of many climate campaigns," she says. The Fridays for Future school strikes began in 2018, and many of those students are now at university.
In 2021, Nathan McGovern helped launch the Plant-Based Universities Campaign, which aims to push universities to serve 100 percent plant-based foods on campus.
McGovern is now a spokesperson for Animal Rising, previously Animal Rebellion UK, a group working on mobilizing student action on campuses.
"Our strategy is to pass motions through student unions," says McGovern, which become a mandate from the unions to the university itself. "This gives us a platform for negotiation." The four successful student union votes in the U.K. were part of this campaign - with the group eyeing 36 more universities for future efforts.
Garnett also highlights research which suggests that a big life change - such as moving to university - can an increased willingness to adopt green behaviors. Representatives from the student organization in Berlin, Studierendenwerk, attribute their decision to rising demand for vegan meals on campus. There, 16.5 percent of students identify as vegan, in comparison to an average of 1.6 percent across the rest of Germany.
Universities Hoping to Meet Climate Commitments
A growing number of universities are now committing to reduce their emissions by serving more plant-based foods on campus, says Edwina Hughes, Head of the Cool Food Pledge at the World Resources Institute (WRI).
Universities make up roughly a fifth of the 67 organizations who have taken the Cool Food Pledge run by WRI. The rest include hospitals, hotels and cities like New York, whose mayor has promised to reduce 30 percent of food-related emissions by the end of the decade.
Cities and schools that sign on must aim to reduce their food-related emissions by at least 25 percent by 2030 - a rate calculated by WRI to fall in line with Paris climate targets. The first 30 organizations who took the pledge have already successfully reduced their per-plate emissions by 21 percent, according to the organization's data.
The Cool Food Pledge team begins their work by looking at each organization's procurement data, and then calculating their carbon footprint. They measure this with the direct emissions of the food purchased, as well as the carbon opportunity cost - an amount based on how much carbon the land could store if it had been left alone as forest or other wild landscape.
What becomes clear, says Hughes, is that in order to drive down the climate impact of food, "it's really important to move away from climate impactful foods like ruminant meat and all animal based products towards plants."
Using Behavioral Science to Promote Plant-Based
Each organization also receives behavioral science recommendations to help them encourage diners to select plant-based options. Such small interventions - known as nudges - can be effective in university settings.
One meta-analysis spanning 21 years and 24 universities across different continents found that over two-thirds of nudges were successful in reducing meat consumption. The analysis also found that multiple complementary nudges were more effective than singular interventions. Nudges can take many forms - like adding more meal options, promotional messaging, pricing incentives, manipulating the layout of dining areas and changing the arrangement of food choices on menus.
Even in the classroom there are opportunities to promote plant-based eating. Economics students at a U.S. college reduced their meat consumption by roughly 10 percent over a three year period hearing a 50 minute informational campaign that talked about the environmental impacts of animal agriculture, combined with information on the health benefits of reducing meat consumption.
The intervention wasn't coercive, says Andrew Jalil, an associate professor in economics at Occidental College, Los Angeles, and lead author of the study. "It was just saying, here's what the scientific literature says, you do what you want to do."
Jalil highlights similar research in which students in a philosophy class were exposed to material arguing for vegetarianism. Based on student cafeteria purchases, this too translated to a reduction in meat consumption. With roughly half of all young people going to university, at least in the U.K., universities are an ideal institution for disseminating information to a range of people from different backgrounds.
Jalil points out there might be other factors influencing students to be more open to dietary shifts. They attend university to learn, they might be more concerned about the climate crisis due to their age and access to dining facilities removes any cooking barriers that might exist to trying out vegan foods.
Universities Still Face Challenges to Climate Action
Shifting what an entire university eats isn't easy. Many schools, Hughes says, are decentralized in the way they provide food, with different colleges offering their own menus. The logistics of reduction can be complicated.
What's more, Hughes adds, it would be naive not to think that "there are universities and faculties who are quite opposed to doing this kind of work because it comes into conflict with their ethos or with their research." Many universities, for example, have research centers focusing on livestock production.
Plus, as the Cool Food Pledge is voluntary, there's no guarantee that anyone will stick to it, and the same is true of any claims made in a press release separate from the pledge.
"It's their responsibility if they want to make progress," says Hughes, adding that she sees students, faculty and investors as the "informal police," who should act to put pressure on their universities if they fumble their targets. The WRI doesn't publish any data on individual organizations, which Hughes says universities could do in order to hold themselves accountable.
"Ultimately what you want is data - you want to be able to track progress," she says. "It's not very interesting to a lot of people but it is the material way to see whether anything is changing."
Even if these schools were accountable and making strides to reduce their food emissions, they might be hogging the limelight in a way that obscures trends elsewhere in society. In the case of the Cool Food Pledge, only a fraction of the organizations who've taken it are universities.
"We should bear in mind that universities often receive a lot of press interest, so we could be missing similar initiatives at other organizations due to less publicity," says Garnett.
In April, the mayor of New York, Eric Adams, made a commitment to reduce food emissions in the city by 33 percent by 2030, in part by serving less meat at schools and hospitals. Other councils, such as Cambridge City and Oxfordshire County, have made similar commitments to only serve plant-based foods at events and meetings, and push for more vegan options in schools. Last year, Ingka Group, responsible for a majority of IKEA stores, began selling plant-based foods at the same price or cheaper than meat options in their restaurants.
But for some activists, the publicity that universities attract is exactly why they should be targets for climate action.
"A lot of universities, by continuing to serve animal products on their menus, are giving legitimacy to an industry that has none," says McGovern. "These are the places we're referencing when we talk about the need to move to a plant-based food system, and they really need to be aligning their actions and their menus with that."
Jack McGovan wrote this article for Sentient Climate.
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As Coloradans begin to weigh their options in this year's presidential election, a new Carbon Brief analysis projects that a second Biden term would help reduce climate pollution - but the administration will still fall short of meeting its 2030 goals.
Report co-author Simon Evans - senior policy editor at Carbon Brief - said by contrast, a second Trump term that successfully rolls back Biden initiatives, including the Inflation Reduction Act as promised, would add four billion extra tons of fossil fuel pollution.
"That's equivalent to the combined annual emissions of the European Union and Japan," said Evans. "That amount of extra emissions, four billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, would cause global climate damage worth something like $900 billion."
Trump has repeatedly claimed that climate change is a hoax, and advanced policies that increased crude oil drilling in order to maintain American energy dominance.
Researchers project a second Trump term would wipe out all emission-reduction gains made over the past five years by installing wind turbines, solar panels, and other clean energy technologies across the globe twice over.
In the 20th century, Evans said nations controlling large fossil fuel reserves did hold significant economic and other advantages.
But in the 21st century and beyond, he said he believes countries with large portfolios of clean energy will have the advantage.
"Actually, clean energy technologies are a great way of bringing energy security," said Evans. "Because you're not relying on import, you're just relying on the wind and the sun that you have in your own country. And the U.S. is certainly very well endowed with wind and solar resources."
Four billion tons is also equivalent to the combined annual emissions of the world's 140 countries with the smallest carbon footprints.
Evans noted that people who can't afford air conditioning to survive extreme heat, or move away from areas prone to flooding and wildfire, will continue to face the biggest threats.
"The people around the world that are least responsible for climate change," said Evans, "whether that's in the poorest countries in the world, or the poorest people in the richest countries - those tend to be the people that are most exposed to the negative impacts of climate change."
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