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☀️Join Curious.Earth this summer and take a well earned break❤️Take some time to focus on your mental well-being🌳Focus o...
30/07/2023

☀️Join Curious.Earth this summer and take a well earned break

❤️Take some time to focus on your mental well-being

🌳Focus on yourself and spend some time with nature

🏖️Our volunteers will also be taking a well-deserved break but we will be back at the start of September

👀September will have an even bigger and better Curious.Earth - watch this space!

.earth -wellbeing -focus

🎉 A HUGE thank you to everyone who donated to our Crowdfunder - we did it! Thanks to the support of our friends and foll...
27/07/2023

🎉 A HUGE thank you to everyone who donated to our Crowdfunder - we did it! Thanks to the support of our friends and followers we hit our target and will be able to make curious.earth even bigger and better!

🌍 Watch this space - we plan on using the funds we’ve raised to become an official charity, become more financially sustainable by accessing longer-term funding opportunities and grants, and improve our website and social media to grow our audience.

💚 We cannot say thank you enough for all the love and support over the past 5 years. From all of us at curious.earth - Stay Curious!

⛏️🌊Deep sea mining could get green light without rules to protect underwater life What’s going on here? 🇺🇳After missing ...
21/07/2023

⛏️🌊Deep sea mining could get green light without rules to protect underwater life

What’s going on here?
🇺🇳After missing an important deadline, the UN International Seabed Authority is racing to finalise regulations which would complete “The Mining Code” so countries can sponsor companies who can apply for exploitation permits.

What does it mean?
❌⏰The missed deadline means companies could rush to the ocean floor to dig up minerals and metals for the green energy transition with fewer environmental safeguards.

Why should we care?
👨🏻‍🔬Though deep sea minerals would support the energy transition, scientists have warned that mining these areas of the sea could have catastrophic consequences considering the lack of knowledge in deep sea ecosystems.

Be Curious!
💻 Read the full article on our website by Jonny Wilkinson (link in bio)
📖Get the details about exploitation regulations in this article by
📚Delve into our archives and read our article on environmental monitoring touched on the deep sea
✅Add your name to this open letter on

🔋♻️Critical minerals and circularity challenges ⚠️⬆️Critical minerals are important for renewable technologies, but dema...
12/07/2023

🔋♻️Critical minerals and circularity challenges

⚠️⬆️Critical minerals are important for renewable technologies, but demand is a new challenge for the energy transition

What are Critical Minerals?
🪨Lithium, Nickel, Cobalt, Manganese and Graphite (used in batteries), Dysoprosium and Neodymium (used in wind turbines), Silicon and Copper (used in solar panels), and Aluminium

📋💡 (IEA) reports that renewable technologies will require more critical minerals to build than traditional fossil-fuel technologies

⛏️📈 The IEA report highlights that if there is a concerted effort to meet Paris Agreement obligations for energy, demand for these minerals will quadruple

🌳🪧Mining has negative societal and environmental impacts, like harming natural habitats, polluting soils and groundwater, and human right abuses

What is the Urban Mine?
📲🗑️ Recycling existing products (such as smartphones) to extract and reuse the critical minerals and decrease our reliance on traditional mining

What are its challenges?
🚮💡There is a need to improve waste separation and infrastructure, as well as develop a better understanding of how to recycle specific critical minerals

Could it work?
🪫📉 We are likely to always need traditional mining, but the IEA estimate that recycling spent batteries alone could reduce demand for raw materials by up to 10%

Be Curious!
📖Read the full article by on our website (link in bio)
📑Read the full IEA report and the Urban Mining report to learn more
👀 Watch the YouTube video 'What Is The Circular Economy?'
🎙️Listen to the podcast ‘The Scramble for Rare Earths’ by Misha Glenny

03/07/2023

🙏 This we’re calling on our supporters to help us out by donating to our Crowdfunder: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/curiousearth

💚 A massive thank you to everyone who has donated so far - we’re nearly halfway to our target of £1260! If we hit our target we’ll not only be able to cover our running costs for the next year but we’ll also be able to invest to make curious.earth even bigger and better in future.

📲 If you like what we do, please help us to keep doing it and to reach even more people. Any donation, big or small, will help so please head to the link in bio and donate. You can also help by liking, and sharing this post and encouraging your friends, family, and followers to donate and spread the word.

🙌 Thank you so much!

29/06/2023

🚨 We’ve launched a Crowdfunder! We need your help to - Donate here: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/curiousearth

💚 curious.earth is entirely volunteer run, and historically, has been funded from our founders’ own pockets, but now our running costs are increasing, and we would like to invest in making curious.earth even bigger and better!

🌍 We’ve got big plans for the future including becoming an official charity, becoming more financially sustainable by accessing longer-term funding opportunities and grants, and improving our website and social media to grow our audience.

🙏 To do this, we’re calling on our supporters to help us. If you are able to make a donation, big or small, that will enable us to keep going so we can keep the climate content coming!

The money we raise through this campaign will be used for:
💰 £920 for our Annual running costs (including Wordpress web hosting, Canva subscription, Google workspace)
💰 £340 for Improvements to our website

📈 Any funds we raise above and beyond our target will either be put towards next year’s annual costs, or will be used to fund specific projects which we believe will help grow curious.earth (for example, improving our email newsletter, or paid advertising on social media).

🙌 Thank you for all your support and love for curious.earth!

🇳🇬⚠️ Nigeria’s massive oil refinery is a climate concern 🛢️⚡️ Generating 650k barrels per day and an additional 12,000 M...
28/06/2023

🇳🇬⚠️ Nigeria’s massive oil refinery is a climate concern

🛢️⚡️ Generating 650k barrels per day and an additional 12,000 MW of electricity, the plant is expected to benefit the country’s economy but raises concern about their net-zero commitment.

What Does This Mean?
📈 The refinery signifies a significant investment in the fossil fuel industry, which is responsible for 80% of Nigeria’s carbon emissions.
☀️ Nigeria’s decision to expand its reliance on fossil fuels runs contrary to the urgent need for countries to transition to cleaner and renewable energy sources.

Why Should We Care?
🪵 Nigeria is the top global emitter of gas, and also has the world’s highest deforestation rate.
☠️ This new refinery will further increase pollution, harm biodiversity, and impact public health. It will feed the climate crisis and hinder mitigation efforts.

Be Curious!
💻 Read the full article by on our website (link in bio)
🤝 Join the Just Transition Initiative
💡 Practice energy efficiency in your own home and community
📲 Dive into our archives to understand the G7 stance on fossil fuel investment

🎉 Happy birthday to us! We are celebrating the 5-year anniversary of curious.earth 🎉We have come a long way since the be...
27/06/2023

🎉 Happy birthday to us! We are celebrating the 5-year anniversary of curious.earth 🎉

We have come a long way since the beginning, achieving a total of:
💻 425 articles
📧 265 newsletters,
📱 1181 Instagram posts,
👏 All created by our team of over 50 volunteers (and counting!) who together have put around 9620 hours into curious.earth's mission!

📈 We’ve got big plans for the next 5 years of curious.earth including improving our website so it is more accessible, aiming to become an official charity, and seeking out sustainable funding so we can keep the curious climate content coming!

💰 As a first step on this journey, we are launching our first ever Crowdfunder! Watch this space for more details coming very soon…

💚 And, of course, we want to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to our volunteers, our followers, and our readers - we couldn’t have done any of this without you! Stay Curious!

⚠️ Hidden animal products - from fashion to fuel… A vegan diet is great for the planet but did you know you might be usi...
14/06/2023

⚠️ Hidden animal products - from fashion to fuel… A vegan diet is great for the planet but did you know you might be using animal products without even knowing about it?

💰 'By-products’ of the meat and dairy industry are marketed as a way to use parts of an animal that would otherwise be wasted. However, ‘co-products’ can be more profitable than meat and dairy itself.

Handbags and Glad Rags
🐄 The hide of an animal can account for up to 10% of their value. In 2022, the leather industry was worth nearly $260 billion and this is expected to continue to grow.
👞 Demand for ‘vegan’ leather is also increasing. This is often made from fossil-fuel based plastics such as PU and PVC, although there are now a number of natural leather alternatives on the market.

Pigs might fly
✈️ A recent report by found that the use of animal fats in biodiesel has grown fortyfold since 2006, consuming over 1 million tonnes a year. With increasing demand for ‘Sustainable Aviation Fuel’ this will only continue.
🪵 The demand from aviation will likely mean other industries are forced to use other sources of fat, for example palm oil which is heavily linked to deforestation.

Poo Power?!
⚡️ Around 1% of the UK’s electricity supply comes from animal sources like manure or slurry, which if stored or left to landfill would produce methane (which is around 30 times more damaging than CO2).
💡 ‘Meat and bone meal’ from dead livestock or wild animals is also classed as a renewable energy source. is currently the only vegan-certified energy company.

Be Curious! 
💻 Read the full article by .rewear.relove on our website (link in bio).
📲 Find out more about going vegan from .
📚 Read more about the environmental impacts of the leather industry and the pros and cons of ‘vegan’ leather alternatives.
🚫 Pledge to reduce flying with .
📝 Write to your energy supplier to ask them about their energy mix.

🌎 Climate Tech Companies Driving Sustainability💚 We highlight 5 companies using groundbreaking technologies and collabor...
31/05/2023

🌎 Climate Tech Companies Driving Sustainability

💚 We highlight 5 companies using groundbreaking technologies and collaborative partnerships to pave the way for a sustainable future.

🧪 .co2 - Replacing fossil fuel-based chemicals with CO2-based alternatives, to produce essential components for a wide range of products, eliminating an estimated 2 to 3 billion tons of emissions annually

🌱 - Transforming the future of fresh food supplies with a micro-sensor system that revolutionises produce storage and supply chain management, reducing food loss by up to 33%

👕 - Championing circular economy in apparel, using recycled materials and offering repair services and trade-in options to extend the lifespan of its products and minimise waste

💻 - Shaping smart cities with innovative software solutions, specialising in smart grid solutions, smart metering, mobile applications, and more

🏡 Arcadis - Enhancing climate adaptation and resilience in urban environments through natural and built asset design, offering technical assistance, training, and innovative engineering solutions

Be Curious!
📲 Read the full article by on our website (link in bio)
💼 Read more about these companies on their websites
💰 Read our archive article about Patagonia boss Yvon Chouinard
🌾 Learn more about sustainable agriculture

🌍 Global leaders at the G7 summit in Hiroshima have sparked controversy by endorsing increased use and investment in met...
27/05/2023

🌍 Global leaders at the G7 summit in Hiroshima have sparked controversy by endorsing increased use and investment in methane gas, despite warnings from scientists and the UN. What's really happening here? Let's dive in!

What Does This Mean?
💰Despite warnings about fossil fuel investment, G7 leaders stated they still support investment in methane gas

What Does This Mean?
👥Climate campaigners have criticised the decision, saying instead G7 nations should be supporting the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty

Why Should We Care?
🏭Methane is a potent fossil fuel which has been marketed as "natural gas", misleading the public and hindering the transition to renewables. It's often claimed that gas facilitates emissions reductions, but research shows that investment in methane gas slows down the transition to renewables

Be Curious!
💻Take action! Join a campaign against fossil fuels like or

📰Read about activists in the Global South in our 'Stories from the Frontline' series

📜Sign the fossils fuel non-proliferation treaty!

🗞️🎙️Contact your media outlet and tell them to switch from using the term“natural gas” to “methane”














💚 Here at Curious.Earth we are looking for new people to join our amazing volunteers on the Socials Team. 🌎 Our mission ...
23/03/2023

💚 Here at Curious.Earth we are looking for new people to join our amazing volunteers on the Socials Team.

🌎 Our mission is to help people understand environmental issues and their impact, by sharing climate news and actions through our newsletter, website, and social media channels. All of this is done by a dedicated team of around 20 incredible volunteers from around the world.

🤝 So if you’re interested in the environment, and have some time to spare, why not join the Curious.Earth family!

📲 Social Content Creators & Social Marketing Assistants
Social team volunteers are responsible for creating graphics and videos (using Canva), captions, and posts as well as monitoring and responding to comments and messages. Content created is usually based on articles our own volunteer Writers have produced and published on the Curious.Earth website. Posts are shared across Instagram, Linkedin, and Twitter and each person spends one to three hours a week creating and posting on these platforms.

👀 We are currently looking for people to help with all three platforms and are also thinking of dipping our toes into the murky waters of TikTok. If you’ve got experience with that then please shout! We are also looking for someone who is keen to help us develop and improve our marketing and communications strategy across all platforms, in order to increase our reach and engagement and help spread the Curious word far and wide.

❓Why join Curious.Earth?
You’ll find there are tonnes of benefits to volunteering at Curious.Earth… First the obvious ones – you’ll be joining a team of AWESOME people, and helping to do your bit to raise awareness of the climate crisis and what we can all do to stop it. On top of that you’ll be gaining some great experience which will look good on your CV.

💻 Curious to Apply?
If you’d like to join the team, drop us an email to [email protected] telling us which role you are interested in, why you want to join, and any experience you might have (not vital, all we are looking for is enthusiasm!).

🤓 Build your sustainability knowledge and skills by taking a free online course offered by the United NationsThese free ...
20/03/2023

🤓 Build your sustainability knowledge and skills by taking a free online course offered by the United Nations

These free courses can build your knowledge of:
🎯 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), https://www.unsdglearn.org/courses/environmental-sdg-indicators/
🔁 Circular Economy,https://www.unssc.org/courses/circular-economy-and-2030-agenda-0
♻️ Sustainable Lifestyles, https://www.unssc.org/courses/sustainable-lifestyles
and more…

👩‍🏫 Taking a course can be an enjoyable way to learn more about critical challenges and exciting opportunities.
🌍 It can also increase your chances of getting a new job and improve existing skills to help you achieve goals.

Learn more by following UN Environment Programme

20/03/2023

🤓 Build your sustainability knowledge and skills by taking a free online course offered by the United Nations

These free courses can build your knowledge of:
🎯 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),https://www.unsdglearn.org/courses/environmental-sdg-indicators/
🔁 Circular Economy, https://www.unssc.org/courses/circular-economy-and-2030-agenda-0
♻️ Sustainable Lifestyles, https://www.unssc.org/courses/sustainable-lifestyles
and more…

👩‍🏫 Taking a course can enjoyable way to learn more about critical challenges and exciting opportunities.
🌍 It can also increase your chances of getting a new job and improve existing skills to help you achieve goals.

Learn more by following UN Environment Programme

🇺🇸 Seven American states are facing cuts in water usage due to ongoing drought in the Colorado RiverWhat’s going on here...
18/03/2023

🇺🇸 Seven American states are facing cuts in water usage due to ongoing drought in the Colorado River

What’s going on here?
🌵💧A twenty-year drought has shrunk water supply leading to states having to negotiate water allotments for use within their population

What does this mean?
👨‍⚖️📒This has been described as a disaster which is a long-term impact of the climate crisis and outdated legal decisions in water allotments

Why should we care?
🏛️The outcome of negotiations occurring currently have the clout to shape the future of many states water laws in the U.S.

Be curious!
🎧Listen to cover the Colorado River crisis.
📄Read up about different water rights around the world and how the water crisis is impacting Indigenous Tribes
🌻Support the Nature Conservancy’s efforts to protect the Colorado River Basin
💻Read the full article on our website by Elizabeth Jackson (link in bio)

👀For this week’s action post we invite you to watch the film The Oil Machine🛢️The film explores the UKs addiction to oil...
13/03/2023

👀For this week’s action post we invite you to watch the film The Oil Machine

🛢️The film explores the UKs addiction to oil, and speaks to key players in industry and to climate activists about the complexities of transitioning away from oil and gas as a society.

🎥The film is directed by Emma Davie and produced by Sonja Henrici and there are free screenings taking place all over the UK - find your local screening here: https://www.theoilmachine.org/events

🍿 If you want to host your own screening, the filmmakers are also offering screening licences at no cost if your event is free to the public - host your own screening here: https://www.theoilmachine.org/host

💭 Have you been to a screening or hosted your own? Let us know in the comments!

New satellite data has detected over 1000 methane emissions hotspots appearing to come from gas and oil facilities, main...
10/03/2023

New satellite data has detected over 1000 methane emissions hotspots appearing to come from gas and oil facilities, mainly within the US, Russia and Turkmenistan.

What does this mean?
Emissions hotspots at sites like oil and gas refineries are caused by leaks from faulty equipment or deliberately venting the unwanted gas as it’s released from underground drilling. The biggest leak released methane equivalent to the hourly national emissions of France.

Why should we care?
Methane is a very potent greenhouse gas, and it currently causes about 25% of global heating but it also disappears much faster than carbon dioxide.
This offers an opportunity to make a rapid impact on the climate crisis by curbing methane emissions. A 45% cut by 2030 could save 0.3 degrees however if we fail to get on top of it we could push the world past vital climate tipping points.

Be Curious!
Read the full article on our website by Annie Mellor (link in bio)
Check out the map of methane leaks across the world The Guardian
Read the UN report on how cutting methane could help us hit the Paris target of 1.5 degrees UN Environment Programme
Watch the BBC Earth video about climate tipping points and why they’re dangerous YouTube

#1.5C

📲 This   we’re suggesting checking out images created by WWF and imgur account JJSmooth44 who have created artwork to il...
06/03/2023

📲 This we’re suggesting checking out images created by WWF and imgur account JJSmooth44 who have created artwork to illustrate biodiversity loss.

🦅In 2008, WWF Japan produced images in a project called “Population by Pixel” which showed how close species were to extinction based on the number of pixels in the image.

🐢In 2019, imgur profile JJSmooth44 produced similar images in a project called “Every Pixels”

💻 🐘You can find the images from JJSmooth44 on imgur.com. The original images created can be found at WWF Japan.

🛬🌍Scientists warn climate-friendly flying is a long way off. Low-emission flights will face significant challenges to ge...
04/03/2023

🛬🌍Scientists warn climate-friendly flying is a long way off. Low-emission flights will face significant challenges to get off the ground, according to the Royal Society.

What does this mean?
⛽💚To reduce a plane’s emissions it needs to run on greener fuel. The report concluded that there are currently no green fuels that could replace traditional jet fuel

Why should we care?
🚅📊Flying produces more emissions per kilometre travelled than any other form of transport and demand for flights is expected to increase
👩🏽‍🔬The government aims to hit 'jet-zero' by 2050 but further research is needed to develop fuels that lower emissions from flying without negative knock-on effects

Be curious!

💻Read the full article on our website by Annie Mellor: https://curious.earth/blog/scientists-warn-climate-friendly-flying-is-a-long-way-off/
📄Read the full report by The Royal Society: https://royalsociety.org/topics-policy/projects/low-carbon-energy-programme/net-zero-aviation-fuels/
🎦Or watch the video summary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vbt_5S-8vkk&t=1s&ab_channel=TheRoyalSociety
📊 Use this guide from BBC News to find out how flying compares to other forms of transport: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-49349566

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇲🇼 Scotland becomes one of the first countries to pay for climate change by sending money to Malawi through the n...
24/02/2023

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇲🇼 Scotland becomes one of the first countries to pay for climate change by sending money to Malawi through the new “loss and damage” fund.

What does this mean?
💰 At COP27, a “loss and damage” fund was created to ensure developed countries foot the climate crisis bill.
🧱 The Scottish government sends this money, through Scottish charities, to help communities affected by climate change in Malawi. The funds help communities build long-term resilience following disaster, such as rebuilding schools and building flood defences to protect people and their crops.

Why should we care?
⚖️ This is key to climate justice. Richer countries in the global North are responsible for the vast majority of carbon emissions which have led us to the climate crisis. Global South countries are much more vulnerable to the effects of climate change, but have less resources to adapt and mitigate damage. The loss and damage fund aims to close this gap.

Be Curious!
💻 Read the full article on our website: https://curious.earth/blog/scotland-among-first-to-pay-for-climate-change-by-sending-funds-to-malawi/
📃 From the Curious Archives: what else happened at COP27? https://curious.earth/blog/cop27-just-another-cop-out/
📲 Check out the work of the Scotland Malawi Partnership
🖥️ Read more about the Scotland - Malawi partner fund on the BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-64501975

For this   we encourage you to donate your unwanted items to give them a new lease of life, and make sure your donations...
13/02/2023

For this we encourage you to donate your unwanted items to give them a new lease of life, and make sure your donations have the greatest impact possible.

👗 If you’ve got old clothes and shoes lying about that you don’t wear, why not donate them to a charity shop? Shops are a huge source of vital funding for many charities including , , and countless others.

👞 Make sure your items are clean and in good condition before donating. If something is broken, dirty or ripped then the charity shop may not be able to sell it.

☎️ If you’re taking in donations in person, call ahead to make sure the shop can accept your items that day. Many charities also accept donations by post or at drop-off points.

💰If you’re a UK taxpayer, you can Gift Aid your donations to allow the charity to claim an extra 25% from the government when they sell your items.

⚠️ Conservation zones failing to protect insectsWhat’s going on here?🆘 76% of bug species are unprotected and at risk of...
11/02/2023

⚠️ Conservation zones failing to protect insects

What’s going on here?
🆘 76% of bug species are unprotected and at risk of habitat loss.

What does this mean?
⬇️ Insect populations are in free fall worldwide. Huge conservation efforts are needed and whilst protected areas can shelter insects from habitat destruction and use of pesticides, they must be able to roam within those areas.
🌎 Protection is generally better in the Amazonian region, Africa, Western Australia, and Eastern and Central Europe and worse in North America and South and Southeast Asia.

Why should we care?
✅ Bugs are crucial pollinators of crops, they provide food for well over half of bird species, and they turn organic waste into soil.
‼️ One recent study estimates the plunge in pollinating insects is already causing about 500,000 early deaths a year by reducing the supply of healthy foods like fruits and vegetables.

Be Curious!
💻 Read the full article on our website: https://curious.earth/blog/conservation-zones-failing-to-protect-insects/
📑 Read the full One Earth study: https://www.cell.com/one-earth/fulltext/S2590-3322(22)00631-5
📉 Get informed about the insect decline and what can be done about it Natural History Museum, London: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2019/february/the-world-s-insect-populations-are-plummeting-everywhere-we-look.html

🛫Green Tourism Coming in Hot: The tourism industry has known benefits. However, tourists bring an environmental cost to ...
10/02/2023

🛫Green Tourism Coming in Hot: The tourism industry has known benefits. However, tourists bring an environmental cost to both destination and planet

🌊The tourism industry faces threats from extreme weather events and pollution to damage to attractions and destinations

🙋🙋‍♂️The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) found that most people want sustainable travel options so the WTTC aims to be net zero by 2050

🏩 The Hilton brand of hotels has installed cogeneration plants for some hotels and has set ambitious carbon and energy reduction targets

⚓Royal Caribbean has fitted 70% of its ships with systems which remove sulfur dioxides from exhausts and plans to debut the first hybrid cruise ship

📈 After years of travel disruption from the pandemic tourists were back in action last year with a 109% increase in international arrivals compared to 2021

🧳 The tourism industry accounts for roughly 8% of global carbon emissions so it's important for it to offer tourists more options for climate-conscious travel

Be Curious!
💻 Read the full article on our website: https://curious.earth/blog/green-tourism-coming-in-hot/
🔎 Research sustainable hotel and transport options
📋 Use the Friends of the Earth Cruise Ship Sustainability Report Card if booking a cruise: https://foe.org/cruise-report-card/
🚉 Limit your travel by airplane – take a road trip or travel by train!
🛬 Offset your trip if you do fly

👀 For this week’s action post we invite you to WATCH the environmental documentary film Planet of the Humans🍿This film w...
06/02/2023

👀 For this week’s action post we invite you to WATCH the environmental documentary film Planet of the Humans

🍿This film written by Jeff Gibbs and produced by Michael Moore is available for free on YouTube

❓The film questions whether green energy can solve the problem of society's expanding resource depletion without reducing consumption and population growth, as all existing forms of energy generation require consumption of finite resources.

🧑‍🔬 Planet of the Humans was criticized by some climate scientists, environmentalists and renewable energy proponents as misleading and outdated.

💬 Did you watch it ? Tell us your thoughts on the comments.

☀️ Wind power undercuts coal in the US ☀️What’s going on here?💨 Wind power has become cheaper than coal in the United St...
04/02/2023

☀️ Wind power undercuts coal in the US ☀️

What’s going on here?
💨 Wind power has become cheaper than coal in the United States. In 99% of cases, it now makes better economic sense for the US to build a new solar or wind farm than to keep running an existing coal plant.

What does this mean?
💰 Renewable energy has been getting steadily cheaper for a long time. The Biden administration gave it a helping hand last year in the form of the Inflation Reduction Act, a package of tax credits and other support for clean power.
⚡️ New analysis shows that electricity from an existing coal-fired power plant has a marginal cost of $36 per megawatt hour, while brand new solar in the same region costs about $24 per megawatt hour.
🪫 Swapping from coal to renewables could save the US billions. The study suggests this could fund $589 billion in new investment across the US and improved battery storage for electricity generated by wind and solar.

Why should we care?
🌎 Coal is one of the most polluting ways to power the grid. It accounts for about 60% of greenhouse gas emissions from generating electricity.

But this analysis “challenges the narrative that coal is here to stay,” according to ​​Michelle Solomon, a policy analyst at Energy Innovation, who carried it out. For the US, coal is on its way out.

Be curious!
📖 Read the full article by on our website
👩‍💻 Read the full report from Energy Innovation
📈 Find out more about the Inflation Reduction Act
☀️ Read our article about the time the UK went coal-free for two months

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Our Story

We built curious.earth to solve a problem: a lack of interesting environmental news that is easy to access & offers solutions to all the “bad news”.

We started out with an easy-to-read weekly email direct to your inbox and have recently developed a chrome extension to share news & ideas. But this is just the start - watch this space!

Our Mission