Methane - The Badly Overlooked Greenhouse Gas (GHG)

April - While we've been reducing, insulating, changing windows and light bulbs to reduce our CO2 footprints, we have ignored the 18% contribution that methane makes to global warming. Recent research shows that natural seepage of methane into the air, as from melting permafrost, contributes only about 1/2 %, while methane emissions from oil and gas drilling, and from meat production, each contribute about 8%.

If we ate half as much meat and switched to poultry, we could save 6%. If we tightened the rules on methane venting, flaring, and leaking, we could save another 6%. Compared to the disappointing 1% the US has reduced since the 1992 Kyoto Protocol, these numbers are HUGE! 

While the Trump administration is seeking to weaken even the too-weak existing regulations, House Bill HR 2711 addresses these drilling issues. It would forbid intentionally venting methane into the air, drastically reduce flaring, and require measuring and reporting the amounts vented, flared, and leaked. 

TAKE ACTION: Encourage your Representative to co-sponsor HR 2711, and urge your Senators to file a companion bill. COVID-19 has shown us that we cannot successfully bully Mother Nature, neither in this virus, nor in global warming!!!

CONTACT: Your Representative & Senators in Congress

• Web: Find their names and links to their websites at senate.gov, www.house.gov; send an email or leave a message via ‘Contact’ on his/her website
• Tel: 202 224-3121 (Capitol switchboard-ask for his/her office & leave a message)
• Mail: Senator or Representative (first & last name) U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510
  or U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 20515

P.S. The anti-nuclear weapons march and conference in NYC on April 24-26 is canceled due to the virus.

P.P.S.  Some Great News: Proposals for 95% of new electrical capacity construction in New England are from wind (68%), solar (15%), and grid-scale storage (11%), with only 5% from natural gas. Because renewables electricity is intrinsically cheaper than fossil or nuclear!!!

Multiply this Message: Write a letter to the editor about this important & timely issue. This is a powerful way to educate and mobilize others.