Brendan McEwen
@brendanmcewen.bsky.social
Working on decarbonizing buildings & transportation. Huge fan o’ nature, cities, art. Tend to use this platform to read & learn, but will try to tweet on occasion.
The scientific name for bison is actually Bison bison bison (genus: Bison, species: bison, subspecies: bison).
November 11, 2025 at 3:07 PM
The scientific name for bison is actually Bison bison bison (genus: Bison, species: bison, subspecies: bison).
Outrageous. A travesty in our province.
Claims of felling 250 year-old trees + shipping them thousands of miles to burn in a power station, releasing fine particulate pollution linked to breathing + heart conditions.
Perhaps, instead of subsidising this, our tax money could go to treating people with those conditions?
🧵 1/2
Perhaps, instead of subsidising this, our tax money could go to treating people with those conditions?
🧵 1/2
Official data from government of British Columbia, along with satellite monitoring, backs claims that a Canadian subsidiary owned by Drax sourced 250-year-old trees to manufacture biomass pellets as recently as this year
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
November 9, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Outrageous. A travesty in our province.
Reposted by Brendan McEwen
One person's "stealth tax" is another's bare minimum to start making sure flyers stop using the atmosphere as a free toilet
Passengers on long-haul flights could pay an extra £21 as the government agrees to align with Brussels on carbon emissions ⬇️
Holidaymakers face stealth tax on flights under EU carbon deal
www.thetimes.com
November 9, 2025 at 7:07 PM
One person's "stealth tax" is another's bare minimum to start making sure flyers stop using the atmosphere as a free toilet
Reposted by Brendan McEwen
@bmj.com, a renowned health journal, slams car bloat:
"Cars are becoming steadily larger, [and] with this comes potential harms to health...Action is needed locally, nationally, and internationally to curb sales of new SUVs and to reduce their presence in urban areas."
www.bmj.com/content/391/...
"Cars are becoming steadily larger, [and] with this comes potential harms to health...Action is needed locally, nationally, and internationally to curb sales of new SUVs and to reduce their presence in urban areas."
www.bmj.com/content/391/...
November 8, 2025 at 1:09 PM
@bmj.com, a renowned health journal, slams car bloat:
"Cars are becoming steadily larger, [and] with this comes potential harms to health...Action is needed locally, nationally, and internationally to curb sales of new SUVs and to reduce their presence in urban areas."
www.bmj.com/content/391/...
"Cars are becoming steadily larger, [and] with this comes potential harms to health...Action is needed locally, nationally, and internationally to curb sales of new SUVs and to reduce their presence in urban areas."
www.bmj.com/content/391/...
Reposted by Brendan McEwen
When it rains a lot I go to the St. George Rainway to watch water going in and out of things.
So, here’s a thread for those of you similarly enthralled…
@greenestcity.bsky.social @cityofvancouver.bsky.social
So, here’s a thread for those of you similarly enthralled…
@greenestcity.bsky.social @cityofvancouver.bsky.social
November 1, 2025 at 10:20 PM
When it rains a lot I go to the St. George Rainway to watch water going in and out of things.
So, here’s a thread for those of you similarly enthralled…
@greenestcity.bsky.social @cityofvancouver.bsky.social
So, here’s a thread for those of you similarly enthralled…
@greenestcity.bsky.social @cityofvancouver.bsky.social
I’ll just take this opportunity to note that Jimmy Carter had solar panels on the White House roof. Elect Dems & take climate/air quality action, and USA will be more prosperous.
The US is the world's largest oil and gas producer. Yet, "China is now making more money from exporting green technology than America makes from exporting fossil fuels."
China’s clean-energy revolution will reshape markets and politics
The world’s biggest manufacturer now has an interest in the world decarbonising
www.economist.com
November 7, 2025 at 4:07 PM
I’ll just take this opportunity to note that Jimmy Carter had solar panels on the White House roof. Elect Dems & take climate/air quality action, and USA will be more prosperous.
This is like more than one megawatt chargers in every urban area of >1M people on earth. If they do anything close to this in a single year, it would be mind boggling
BYD intends to build 6000 (!) #MEGAWATT charging stations FOR CARS
next year, outside of China.
⚡️⚡️⚡️
#speechless
#alwaysbecharging
#battchat
photo & info: @todoselectricos.bsky.social nitter.net/TodosElectri...
next year, outside of China.
⚡️⚡️⚡️
#speechless
#alwaysbecharging
#battchat
photo & info: @todoselectricos.bsky.social nitter.net/TodosElectri...
November 7, 2025 at 3:53 PM
This is like more than one megawatt chargers in every urban area of >1M people on earth. If they do anything close to this in a single year, it would be mind boggling
Reposted by Brendan McEwen
YOU SEE THIS CLEARING WE’RE SITTING IN? SOMEONE CLEARED THIS LAND FOR AGRICULTURE A WHILE AGO. ITS ONGOING USE FOR FOOD PRODUCTION EACH YEAR HAS A CARBON COST, BECAUSE IF IT WASN’T PRODUCING FOOD, IT WOULD LOOK LIKE THOSE TREES OVER THERE, WHICH STORE MORE CARBON. THE FOREGONE SEQUESTRATION CAN BE
November 7, 2025 at 12:43 AM
YOU SEE THIS CLEARING WE’RE SITTING IN? SOMEONE CLEARED THIS LAND FOR AGRICULTURE A WHILE AGO. ITS ONGOING USE FOR FOOD PRODUCTION EACH YEAR HAS A CARBON COST, BECAUSE IF IT WASN’T PRODUCING FOOD, IT WOULD LOOK LIKE THOSE TREES OVER THERE, WHICH STORE MORE CARBON. THE FOREGONE SEQUESTRATION CAN BE
You heard it from Bjorn Lomborg… let’s just focus on electrifying everything to cost effectively eliminate air pollution. Don’t worry about this whole divisive climate thing…
This is really dumb and lazy, even for Bjorn.
Hey, B, what's the biggest cause of both air pollution and climate change? (burning stuff, mainly fossil fuels)
And what's causing forest fires to increase, dramatically raising air pollution? (climate change)
Hey, B, what's the biggest cause of both air pollution and climate change? (burning stuff, mainly fossil fuels)
And what's causing forest fires to increase, dramatically raising air pollution? (climate change)
November 6, 2025 at 11:54 PM
You heard it from Bjorn Lomborg… let’s just focus on electrifying everything to cost effectively eliminate air pollution. Don’t worry about this whole divisive climate thing…
Every Canadian should listen to this excellent summary of the Federal budget.
podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/b...
podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/b...
The 2025 budget, unpacked
Podcast Episode · Break In Case of Emergency · 2025-11-05 · 45m
podcasts.apple.com
November 6, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Every Canadian should listen to this excellent summary of the Federal budget.
podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/b...
podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/b...
Reposted by Brendan McEwen
Despite vile Islamophobic campaigning, Muslims won historic victories in NY and VA, the targets of the 9/11 attacks
Perhaps Trump hasn’t permanently halted America’s slow march towards a true multi-ethnic democracy
Perhaps Trump hasn’t permanently halted America’s slow march towards a true multi-ethnic democracy
November 5, 2025 at 3:32 AM
Despite vile Islamophobic campaigning, Muslims won historic victories in NY and VA, the targets of the 9/11 attacks
Perhaps Trump hasn’t permanently halted America’s slow march towards a true multi-ethnic democracy
Perhaps Trump hasn’t permanently halted America’s slow march towards a true multi-ethnic democracy
Reposted by Brendan McEwen
who keeps calling it twitter instead of crashoutApp
November 5, 2025 at 3:54 AM
who keeps calling it twitter instead of crashoutApp
Reposted by Brendan McEwen
Critics of renewables often point to land use as a reason not to do wind & solar. Land use IS a real issue for all energy assets incl renewables unless onsite.
But what critics conveniently forget is huge land impact of fossil fuels. Aerial view of fracking sites in Texas. 👇
But what critics conveniently forget is huge land impact of fossil fuels. Aerial view of fracking sites in Texas. 👇
November 5, 2025 at 6:57 AM
Critics of renewables often point to land use as a reason not to do wind & solar. Land use IS a real issue for all energy assets incl renewables unless onsite.
But what critics conveniently forget is huge land impact of fossil fuels. Aerial view of fracking sites in Texas. 👇
But what critics conveniently forget is huge land impact of fossil fuels. Aerial view of fracking sites in Texas. 👇
Reposted by Brendan McEwen
It’s probably fair to guess most of the the developing world’s new vehicle stock is going track closer to China’s profile than the US’.
Half of Jordan’s vehicle imports are now electric, and a whole industry of self-taught mechanics is finding ways to recondition Tesla batteries. www.climatechangenews.com/2025/11/03/s...
November 4, 2025 at 5:55 PM
It’s probably fair to guess most of the the developing world’s new vehicle stock is going track closer to China’s profile than the US’.
Reposted by Brendan McEwen
Reposted by Brendan McEwen
Absolutely amazing: they've got so much solar in Australia that they need more people to use more of it, so the gov't has instructed energy retailers to offer *at least three hours of free power* during the middle of the day.
Meanwhile fossil-addled US struggles with an energy-price crisis ...
Meanwhile fossil-addled US struggles with an energy-price crisis ...
Energy retailers to be directed to offer free power three hours a day
Saying there is enough solar power for everyone in the daytime, Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen will direct retailers to provide three hours of free power every day to consumers.
www.abc.net.au
November 3, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Absolutely amazing: they've got so much solar in Australia that they need more people to use more of it, so the gov't has instructed energy retailers to offer *at least three hours of free power* during the middle of the day.
Meanwhile fossil-addled US struggles with an energy-price crisis ...
Meanwhile fossil-addled US struggles with an energy-price crisis ...
Amazing
November 1, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Amazing
Reposted by Brendan McEwen
This right here, this exact sentence, is THE problem in American political journalism.
The IRA *was* cheap energy and good jobs! That was the whole bill! Democrats did precisely what political pundits are telling them to do and the pundits just ignore it.
The IRA *was* cheap energy and good jobs! That was the whole bill! Democrats did precisely what political pundits are telling them to do and the pundits just ignore it.
November 1, 2025 at 12:13 PM
This right here, this exact sentence, is THE problem in American political journalism.
The IRA *was* cheap energy and good jobs! That was the whole bill! Democrats did precisely what political pundits are telling them to do and the pundits just ignore it.
The IRA *was* cheap energy and good jobs! That was the whole bill! Democrats did precisely what political pundits are telling them to do and the pundits just ignore it.
Reposted by Brendan McEwen
'instead of destroying poverty, it was considered cheaper and more efficient to destroy the poor'
is a line that has stuck with me for years.
from ayass's 'vagrants and beggars in hitler's reich'
kobra.uni-kassel.de/server/api/c...
is a line that has stuck with me for years.
from ayass's 'vagrants and beggars in hitler's reich'
kobra.uni-kassel.de/server/api/c...
October 29, 2025 at 3:39 PM
'instead of destroying poverty, it was considered cheaper and more efficient to destroy the poor'
is a line that has stuck with me for years.
from ayass's 'vagrants and beggars in hitler's reich'
kobra.uni-kassel.de/server/api/c...
is a line that has stuck with me for years.
from ayass's 'vagrants and beggars in hitler's reich'
kobra.uni-kassel.de/server/api/c...
Reposted by Brendan McEwen
To intervene more seriously here: A recent study suggested that this morass of state and local paperwork is more than *doubling* the cost of rooftop solar and that streamlining it could save Americans $1.2 trillion. heatmap.news/energy/solar... bsky.app/profile/ryan...
October 29, 2025 at 2:39 PM
To intervene more seriously here: A recent study suggested that this morass of state and local paperwork is more than *doubling* the cost of rooftop solar and that streamlining it could save Americans $1.2 trillion. heatmap.news/energy/solar... bsky.app/profile/ryan...
Reposted by Brendan McEwen
The biggest thing you need to protect yourself from on Halloween is automobiles and it’s not particularly close
one of my real beefs is that every year around halloween, thousands of articles are written about "how to protect yourself during halloween" that cite local police departments, talking about completely unfounded claims of dangerous halloween candy
October 29, 2025 at 2:55 PM
The biggest thing you need to protect yourself from on Halloween is automobiles and it’s not particularly close
Reposted by Brendan McEwen
South Korea is the closest thing the fully democratic allies have to transfuse the deep understanding & technology of what it means to use flexible industrial policy to transform into an #electrostate. Even Japan has become calcified in its thinking.
"As Chinese brands become increasingly popular elsewhere, the US market is not only Hyundai’s biggest, but one of its best growth opportunities, regardless of who sits in the White House. Between very high tariffs and other restrictions, Chinese cars" are shut out.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/20/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/20/b...
After an ICE Raid in Rural Georgia, Hyundai Keeps Betting on America
www.nytimes.com
October 25, 2025 at 3:45 PM
South Korea is the closest thing the fully democratic allies have to transfuse the deep understanding & technology of what it means to use flexible industrial policy to transform into an #electrostate. Even Japan has become calcified in its thinking.
Reposted by Brendan McEwen
Industrial policy is back — and it's changing fast. What started as "green" strategy is now a global race for clean tech competitiveness and economic security. But do we actually know what works? That's what we're asking at the New Energy Industrial Strategy (NEIS) Center. /1
October 24, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Industrial policy is back — and it's changing fast. What started as "green" strategy is now a global race for clean tech competitiveness and economic security. But do we actually know what works? That's what we're asking at the New Energy Industrial Strategy (NEIS) Center. /1
Burning it in cars too…
We Are Eating the Earth is a fantastic book, BTW… loved it…
We Are Eating the Earth is a fantastic book, BTW… loved it…
New report finds agriculture caused 86% of deforestation over the last decade. In other words, WE ARE EATING THE EARTH.
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
www.reuters.com
October 22, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Burning it in cars too…
We Are Eating the Earth is a fantastic book, BTW… loved it…
We Are Eating the Earth is a fantastic book, BTW… loved it…
And I’m signing off!
Social media makes you dumber, less curious, and less happy.
Social Media Use Trajectories and Cognitive Performance in Adolescents
This study uses prospectively collected data from the ABCD study to assess the relationship between longitudinal patterns of social media use (hours per day) and cognitive performance after 2 years in...
jamanetwork.com
October 21, 2025 at 9:05 PM
And I’m signing off!