Go Big Or Go Homer

Pique Action turned one this week! 🥳 Check out our newsletter, Pique Behind the Curtain, to see which climate solutions have inspired us the most on this incredible journey.

Greece Just Went 100% Renewable

😊 The Good News - For the first time ever, Greece ran entirely on renewable energy. Although it was only for a few hours, it shows that 100% renewable energy is within reach for the country, and to make things even better, Greece did this after cutting ties with Russian gas.

🥾 Follow This Path - One of the biggest pieces of misinformation around renewable energy is that we cannot meet demand without fossil fuels, but countries like Greece – and Scotland – are proving the naysayers wrong. I hope more countries take after Greece and scale up renewables instead of fossil fuels to manage the energy crisis.

A Breakthrough In Breaking Down Plastic

😊 The Good News - An amateur beekeeper discovered that an infestation of wax worms in their beehives ate through a plastic bag, and researchers at the Biological Research Centre in Madrid just confirmed his findings. An enzyme in the saliva of wax worms can break down polyethylene in a matter of hours without creating microplastics or harming the worms. 

🥾 Follow This Path - This breakthrough shows that we do not have to rely on a broken recycling system to deal with plastic waste. The enzyme shouldn’t serve as a scapegoat to continue encouraging plastic production, but rather be used to deal with the billions of tons we already have lying around.

Tribal Power Has A Whole New Meaning

😊 The Good News - Renewable energy is being used by indigenous groups across the country to push for energy sovereignty. Many indigenous communities in North America face energy poverty, and by installing and maintaining renewable energy projects, these communities are able to create jobs, reduce energy costs, and become self-sufficient.

🥾 Follow This Path - Indigenous communities have been left behind throughout history, and these renewable energy projects are allowing them to finally start to have some say over their land and livelihoods. I hope that these communities get the support they need in their fight for energy sovereignty.

You Won't Bull-ieve What New Zealand Has Proposed

😊 The Good News - New Zealand has become the first country to propose a tax on emissions from livestock – namely cattle – in order to reduce emissions from the agricultural sector. The tax pricing has yet to be set, but the program is expected to start in 2025.

🥾 Follow This Path - Reducing emissions from the agricultural sector is much needed because agriculture is a major producer of methane, ammonia, and carbon dioxide. I do worry, though, that this tax scheme could hurt small farmers, so I hope New Zealand comes up with a plan to help farmers make more climate-friendly decisions without breaking the bank.

If Efficiency Isn't Sexy, Then Explain This

😊 The Good News - Solar panels have hovered around 22% efficiency for years, but not anymore. Researchers have just invented a solar panel with more than 30% efficiency that is perovskite and silicon-based instead of just silicon-based. Although this technology is still in the research and development phase, experts believe it could easily and quickly be scaled up.

🥾 Follow This Path - When things like solar panels are efficient, we need less of them to meet demand, which, in turn, means fewer emissions, materials, and waste to produce them. I hope these new perovskites and silicon-based panels get scaled up quickly to help meet the growing demand for renewable energy.

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