Sustainability Weekly
Fridays are for…
NYC Climate Week, Indoor Solar Panels, Greenhouse Gas Reports, and more!
by Alli DiGiacomo
Happy Friday! There are so many exciting events coming up this next week! Sunday, September 21st is Sun Day, a day of action to celebrate the power of clean energy such as solar, wind, and batteries. Check out more information on the Sun Day website, including great resources and events happening near you. It is important to celebrate the progress still being made on clean energy! Don’t forget that the U.S. added more new solar capacity last year than any other source of energy in the last 20 years.
Also happening next week is NYC Climate Week! There are SO MANY cool events happening throughout the week, both in-person locally and online, from tours, workshops, speakers, films, and more (See the calendar here). I hope to see you there at some of the events!
A few other reminders:
Don't forget to sign up for the tour of the Green Roof at Citywide Services Complex on Randall's Island!
The SAFE (Solvents, Automotive, Flammable, Electronics) Disposal Event is happening in Brooklyn this weekend at Floyd Bennett Field, 10am-4pm on 09/21, and the following weekend Staten Island: Midland Beach, 10am-4pm on 09/27 (See a complete list of items here.)
Keep reading for sustainability news…
T H I S W E E K ’ S T O P S T O R I E S
THE NATION’S LEADING SCIENTIFIC BODY RELEASED A REPORT WITH GROWING EVIDENCE THAT GREENHOUSE GASES ARE, IN FACT, A DANGER
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) has released a report reaffirming that greenhouse gases are a clear and undeniable threat to human health and the environment. The findings directly challenge the Trump administration’s recent attempt to roll back the EPA’s 2009 “endangerment finding,” the legal basis for regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. The administration has argued that the science behind the endangerment finding is flawed, citing a Department of Energy report from a small group of climate skeptics hand picked by Chris Wright, a climate-denier heavily involved in the oil and gas sector. As previously reported, if the finding is revoked, future administrations could lose their authority to regulate emissions from cars, power plants, and other major sources. It is worth noting, that analysis was sharply criticized in a rebuttal by more than 85 scientists, who said it misused data to fit political goals. Lawsuits have also been filed challenging how the DOE group was formed, and the working group has since been disbanded.
The 136-page assessment by NASEM concludes that the original finding “has stood the test of time” and that evidence of harm has only grown stronger, including new uncovered risks. The report highlights how fossil fuel use and deforestation are driving climate change, which in turn worsens health threats such as extreme heat, wildfire smoke, reduced crop yields, and declining water supplies. It states that climate impacts are already straining public health and welfare, adding urgency to federal action. The report strengthens the case for keeping the endangerment finding in place and complicates the Trump administration’s effort to strip away one of the strongest legal tools for tackling climate change.
RESEARCHERS DEVELOPED NEW SOLAR PANELS THAT GENERATE POWER FROM INDOOR LIGHT
Researchers at University College London have developed new indoor solar panels that can generate power from everyday light sources like lamps and LEDs. These could replace the need for batteries in small household devices such as remotes, smoke detectors, and wireless keyboards, and potentially laptops and appliances in the future.
The panels use perovskite, a material that can be printed in thin layers and absorb a wide range of light. It is cheaper and easier to produce than traditional silicon solar panels. The team of researchers and developers designed the material to capture indoor light efficiently and achieved a record-breaking 38% power conversion efficiency under bright office conditions, significantly higher than the 22% average of outdoor solar panels. The panels also kept 90% of their performance when tested over 100 days.
Indoor solar technology has the potential to eliminate billions of disposable batteries, and eventually expand to power laptops and appliances. This would not only be a clean alternative and save energy, but also significantly reduce electronic waste. E-waste is an ongoing environmental threat and the fastest growing solid waste stream on the planet. Currently only ~17% of e-waste is recycled and when it's disposed of in landfills or improperly, it leaks toxic chemicals into the environment. The next step is to work with industry partners to scale up production and integrate the indoor solar technology into real products, with the long-term goal of making indoor solar cells as common as batteries are today.
COLORADO BECOMES THE FIRST STATE TO REQUIRE HEALTH WARNING LABELS ON GAS STOVES
Colorado has become the first state in the U.S. to require health warning labels on gas stoves starting in August 2025, citing growing evidence that the appliances are a risk to human health. The yellow label will state, “Understand the air quality implications of having an indoor gas stove,” along with a QR code or link to the state website with peer-reviewed research.
Research shows that gas stoves emit pollutants like nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and even benzene, sometimes even when turned off. These chemicals are tied to higher risks of cancer, asthma (especially in children), and other health harms. Public health organizations, including the American Lung Association and the American Medical Association support the decision, saying the evidence is well established.
Obviously the estimated $3.8 billion/year gas appliance industry strongly opposes the law. The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers has filed a federal lawsuit, arguing that Colorado is forcing companies to spread misleading, non-consensus science, violating their First Amendment rights. Enforcement of the law is paused while the case moves through court, with hearings expected in November. Meanwhile, other states like Massachusetts and New York are considering similar requirements, and multiple cities have already passed laws limiting or banning new gas hookups in buildings (such as NYC). Colorado lawmakers say the rule is a simple consumer protection measure, and it could become a nationwide precedent.
MORE IN SUSTAINABILITY NEWS
Scientists have discovered over 40 new sea creatures in Argentina, including a Grist announced their 2025 Grist 50 List, an annual list of leaders who are solving the world’s most complex climate crisis issues in innovative ways. There are lots of inspiring people on the list, including Brooklyn local Nicole Kelner, who is using watercolors to make complex climate issues accessible, and coming out with a new book next year called Quietest Places in New York City.
A new coalition that includes Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy, McKinsey, and Stanford University’s Doerr School of Sustainability launched the Climate Tech Atlas. Check out the cool website here if you want to see ways to decarbonize different sectors of the economy.
A new report from nonprofit Rewiring America found that if (although unlikely) all households in the U.S. built rooftop solar panels and batteries, combined with energy efficient electrical upgrades, the country could offset all the growing demand from data centers.
California just passed a suite of bills to tackle rising energy costs.
The governors of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Illinois called on the PJM Interconnection to streamline connections to the grid, citing ERCOT, the independent power system in Texas, as an example of a successful model.
California’s first solar-covered canal, Project Nexus, is now fully online.
A former Denny's was transformed into a vibrant childcare center for LA's homeless families.
The U.S. Department of Energy unveils $134 million in funding for nuclear fusion, with the goal of closing the gap between the private nuclear industry and research labs/universities.
The EPA proposed ending the 15-year program requiring thousands of the nation's largest polluters, coal-fired plants, oil refineries, steel mills, and other industrial sites, to report the amount of greenhouse gas emissions they release into the atmosphere every year.
August turned out to be the best month for EV sales in U.S. history, with just over 146,000 units sold, comprising almost 10% of total car sales that month.
Brooklyn-based Sage & Coombe Architects recently completed a historically sensitive and sustainable library revitalization in northern New Jersey.
Republican lawmakers want to use the Congressional Review Act, an arcane oversight rule, to permanently dismantle federal land use protections in Alaska (and beyond).
Weekend read: The end of lead.
Bezos Earth Fund invests $37.5m to accelerate Pacific-led ocean protection across 12 countries/territories.
New Map Shows $29 Billion in Climate and Environment Grants Canceled or Frozen by Trump.
Researchers from University of Oxford discovered a new ecosystem in the Indian Ocean called “The Trapping Zone”. The Maldives Government has hailed the finding as highly significant.
111 out of 166 World Trade Organization members ratified the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, making it officially formal. The agreement stops governments from handing out harmful subsidies that contribute to overfishing and illegal fishing.