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Audubon Florida Climate and Energy News Roundup Today we share news about solar panel recycling, how energy-efficient homes often sell for more money, the fastest warming states, and more!

Sunflowers. Photo: Paola Rangognini from Pixabay.

Solar Panel Recycling Is About to Become BIG Business! From CleanTechnica “A solar panel has a useful life of about 20 years. That means a lot of panels installed in the early part of this century are ready to be replaced. But what to do with them? Until now, most of them have simply been discarded in dumps and landfills because no commercially viable recycling process existed to recapture the precious elements inside them. But just as companies like Redwood Materials are finding they can recycle EV batteries and make money at it, some companies are seeing the financial opportunities that old solar panels represent and are pursuing ways to do the same.” Read the entire article.

Electric Cars Sales in the US ‘Could Prevent One-tenth of Global Cropland Expansion’ From Carbon Brief “Instead of growing maize (corn) to make biofuel for US cars, modelling in the Ecological Economics paper suggests large swathes of land could be left to absorb carbon dioxide (CO2). This land sparing would bring ‘substantial’ emissions savings, in addition to the direct benefits of electrifying US road transport, the researchers say. The findings come as campaigners and some governments have been pushing to end the use of crops for biofuels in the face of soaring food prices and fears of global hunger… Shifting to 100% electric vehicle sales is a long way from reality in the US. However, the study suggests that, by choosing cleaner transport, Americans could significantly slash global demand for maize, cutting both emissions from agriculture and food prices.” Read the entire article.

Biden Vows 'Strong' Climate Action Despite Dual Setbacks From Voice of America News “President Joe Biden is promising ‘strong executive action’ to combat climate change, despite dual setbacks in recent weeks that have restricted his ability to regulate carbon emissions and boost clean energy, such as wind and solar power… Declaring a climate emergency would allow Biden to redirect spending to accelerate renewable energy such as wind and solar and speed the nation's transition away from fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and natural gas.” Read the entire article.

Energy-efficient Homes Often Sell Faster and for More Money From Yale Climate Connections “In a recent analysis, Zillow economists found that homes with energy-saving or eco-friendly features often sell faster or for more money… Homes with drought-resistant landscaping or electric vehicle chargers can sell more than nine days faster than similar homes. The data also shows that features like hurricane shutters and stilts can add value to a home.” Read the entire article.

Grim Warnings Are Issued as Oppressive Heat Wave in US Shows No Signs of Slowing From CNN News “As an oppressive heat wave spreads across the United States – and shows no sign of slowing until at least through the weekend – local leaders across the country are urging extreme caution. The scorching heat that has already settled across much of the south-central US and prompted heat warnings and advisories across the region is now beginning to extend into the Northeast Wednesday, bringing ‘steamy temperatures into the 90s’ and heat index values – in other words, how hot it will actually feel, based on both the air temperature and humidity – that are even higher, according to the Weather Prediction Center.” Read the entire article.

Fastest-warming States Since 1970 From Miami Herald “Just a degree or two degrees hotter doesn’t seem like a lot. You would barely notice the change on a sunny afternoon or in the warmth of a cup of coffee. But over time, it’s enough to change our environment from top to bottom. Every state is growing warmer, with higher temperatures fueled by everything from powerful ocean currents and giant coal-fired power plants to commuters, cows, and leaky old buildings. To determine the fastest-warming states in America, Stacker consulted the climate at a glance tool from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.” Read the entire article.

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