Abe Mazliach

Freyr Battery plans to invest billions in a factory near Atlanta.

Holistic Soil Management

• The Importance of Soil Health:
  • Soil health is crucial for our well-being and that of future generations. Holistic Management has been instrumental in promoting healthy soil with benefits such as improved water infiltration, carbon sequestration, and wildlife habitat.
  • Rattan Lal of Ohio State University emphasizes the urgent need for carbon-rich topsoil formation, which he refers to as the greatest priority and opportunity of our time.
• Impact of Holistic Management:
  • Holistic Management has proven to be an effective practice for enhancing soil health and productivity, leading to increased forage production, water infiltration, and organic matter.
  • By integrating crops and livestock for profit, several farms have experienced notable improvements in soil health and ecosystem balance.
• Conservation and Wildlife Habitat:
  • Holistic Management serves as a powerful tool for land conservation and wildlife improvement, aiding in the regeneration of land and meeting the needs of diverse species.
  • Several ranches and farms have witnessed significant enhancements in wildlife habitat and species diversity through the application of Holistic Management practices.
• Understanding the Soil Ecosystem:
  • Delving into the world of soil reveals the potential for growing more topsoil, producing nutrient-dense food, and fostering healthy families, communities, and wildlife habitat.
  • In-depth understanding of soil health and life within the soil has led to the adoption of Holistic Management as a crucial management tool for achieving sustainable land productivity.

https://holisticmanagement.org/

1) In the circular economy we limit “taking”;
2) There must be a focus on “design”;
3) Regeneration and restoration are integral parts of the circular economy; and can balance out consume/use and its negative consequences.

Number of Electric School Buses More than Doubled in the U.S. in Past Year

Author: Good News Network

URL: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/number-of-electric-school-buses-more-than-doubled-in-the-us-in-2022-23/?utm_source=pocket_saves&utm_medium=email

According to the World Resources Institute, the number of electric school buses operating or delivered in the United States more than doubled—from 598 in 2022 to 1,285 through June 2023—all driven to serve school children while providing cleaner air in 40 states.

Looking into the near future, the number of electric school buses that were already funded or on-order nearly tripled, and were spread across districts located in 49 states.

The emissions-free buses are found in 914 U.S. school districts and private fleet operators, according to the evidence-based nonprofit’s report published in September, 2023: [*State of Electric School Bus Adoption in the US*](https://datasets.wri.org/dataset/electric_school_bus_adoption).

California leads all states, with over 2,000 committed electric buses across the sprawling territory. This is more than five times as many EV buses as the next leading state, Maryland, with 391 commitments.

Zero pollution from tailpipes (https://www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus/benefits-clean-school-buses) while buses are idling or driving means the students, staff, and community will be exposed to significantly less harmful air particulates that contribute to asthma and lung disease. The environment also benefits from reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

The federal government’s Clean School Bus Program, administered by the Environmental Protection Agency, is one of the biggest funders of these vehicles, having awarded 2,339 electric school buses—with more on the way.

The Electric-Vehicle Transition Is Quietly Surging Ahead

Author: Ryan Cooper

URL: https://prospect.org/infrastructure/transportation/2024-01-02-electric-vehicle-transition-surging-ahead/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=You+Are+Entering+the+Infernal+Triangle+%7C+Weekend+Reads&utm_campaign=Weekend+Prospect+Reads+1062024

One of the biggest climate challenges for any country will be decarbonizing transportation. According to the EPA, about [29 percent](https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/inventory-us-greenhouse-gas-emissions-and-sinks) of greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation after accounting for electricity use, just behind industrial production at 30 percent.

Fortunately, the electric-vehicle transition is happening faster than many expected, despite concerns earlier in the year that automakers were [pushing back their EV rollouts](https://prospect.org/environment/2023-11-01-electric-vehicles-labor-uphill/). Clearly, that is not a response to consumer demand. A [new report](https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-12/420r23033.pdf) on the state of the American car market, again from the EPA, has the goods. The EV share of new car purchases increased from 1.8 percent in 2020, to 3.2 percent in 2021, to 5.2 percent in 2022, to an estimated *9.8 percent* in 2023. Plug-in hybrid vehicles, meanwhile, increased from 0.5 percent to 2 percent.

In other words, the EV share of new cars increased more than fivefold in three years, while the share of plug-in hybrids quadrupled. At that pace of acceleration, EVs will make up half of new car sales by 2026 or so. These two developments reduced the emissions of the vehicle fleet by roughly 6 percent in 2022, and perhaps *11 percent* in 2023.

The Inflation Reduction Act provides ten years of secure subsidies for EVs, and every auto manufacturer around the world has made huge investments—even if some have been delayed somewhat—around the assumption that EVs are where the industry is going over the medium term.