Daily Archives: August 6, 2021

New Law Would Make Every New Car Verify That You’re Sober – Futurism

Posted: August 6, 2021 at 10:24 pm

Down the road, your car might be able to determine when you've had enough.Engine Lock

In the near future, you may need to prove to your car that youre sober before youre allowed to take the wheel.

Buried on page 1,066 of the newest version of the infrastructure bill currently being debated by Congress is a provision, spotted by Motherboard, that says every new car built from 2027 onward would need to include some sort of monitoring system to catch anyone trying to drive with alcohol in their system. Its an interesting idea for how the automotive industry could take a more active role in preventing drunk driving, but as Motherboard notes, theres some reason to be skeptical of alcohol-detecting tech currently under development.

Right now, the breathalyzers that can be attached to drunk driving offenders cars have a low but non-zero error rate, Motherboard notes. If everyone in the country had to blow into one to start their vehicle, the publications back-of-the-envelope math suggests that there would be millions of false positives keeping people from where they need to go per day.

But that doesnt seem to be what the infrastructure bill is calling for. The draft legislation doesnt refer to any program or tech by name, but Motherboard notes that it does seem to imply future adoption of technology thats currently under development by the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety Program (DADSS), an amalgam of various government and industry agencies collaborating on the problem.

DADSS is working on two passive systems meant to catch drunk drivers in the act. One monitors the air inside a car for whiffs of alcohol, and the other measures blood alcohol levels through the drivers skin when they press the cars engine button.

Right now, DADSS breath sensor seems to operate on an all-or-nothing basis it detects the presence or absence of alcohol rather than being able to accurately determine whether the drivers blood alcohol concentration is above the specific legal limit. But the organization says its working on upgrades that will make the tech both more accurate and less intrusive, so hopefully it will be ready by the potential 2027 rollout date.

READ MORE: Every Car Made After 2027 May Have Drunk Driving Monitoring System [Motherboard]

More on drunk driving: Too Drunk to Drive? You Might Also Be Too Drunk to Ride in an Uber

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Electric Cars Have One Problem: They Keep Lighting People’s Houses on Fire – Futurism

Posted: at 10:24 pm

"If we had lived upstairs in this house, wed be dead."Burning Batteries

Numerous carmakers have recalled their electric vehicles over the risk of them spontaneously catching fire while charging inside owners garages, The Washington Post reports.

Its a troubling development for a technology thats meant to banish gas-guzzling internal combustion engines from public roadways once and for all though, to be clear, electric cars are still largely safe and much better for the environment.

Charging electric cars parked in personal and public parking garages occasionally catch fire, even once fully charged. Chevrolet had to recall more than 60,000 of its Bolt EVs last month the second recall of its kind advising its customers that the cars could spontaneously combust.

When EVs do catch fire, the flames can be extremely challenging to put out, as several high-profile crashes involving Teslas have vividly demonstrated.

But how widespread the problem is remains to be seen. Theres still no evidence that EVs catch fire at higher rates than gas-powered vehicles, the Post points out though it didnt track down comprehensive data on the phenomenon.

But the potential for disaster is there. After all, a car battery is one massive store of potential energy ready to be unleashed.

In one particularly violent instance, a charging Tesla Model S parked inside a garage burned so brightthat it caused a neighboring vehicle to catch fire as well.

If we had lived upstairs in this house, wed be dead, owner Yogi Vindum, a retired mechanical engineer, told the Post. The fire burned so hot, firemen couldnt walk up the driveway.

Its a concerning trend that underlines the importance of regulation, even in green industries.

READ MORE: While they were asleep, their Teslas burned in the garage. Its a risk many automakers are taking seriously. [The Washington Post]

More on Tesla fires: Fire Chief: Reports of Fiery Tesla Crash Grossly Exaggerated

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Build Your IT and Ethical Hacking Career With These Training Packages – Futurism

Posted: at 10:24 pm

IT careers are taking off, and even careers outside IT are demanding new computer skills, so what better way to jumpstart or boost your career than by earning an IT certification? For a limited time, you can save 60% off these ten courses designed to boost your IT career. Be sure to enter ANNUAL60 at checkout for your Semi-Annual Sale discount!

Created by ECUBA, one of the top skill-based education teams, this bundle explores everything you need to know about Oracle in the workplace. It explores data recovery, flashback, cloning, and more across 17 courses. And it comes complete with a certificate of completion.

Get the Complete Oracle Master Class Bundle for $12 (reg. $399) with code ANNUAL60.

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Get the Google Cloud Certifications Practice Tests + Courses Bundle for $12 (reg. $639) with code ANNUAL60.

Presented by Integrity Training and Total Seminars, these 22 courses contain everything you need to know to get a broad range of IT certifications. Whether youre just starting out, or exploring a new platform, each course details what you most need to know to pass the exam and get certified. And even better, youll learn how these different networking and cloud disciplines connect.

Get the 2021 All-In-One AWS, Cisco & CompTIA Super Certification Bundle for $39.60 (reg. $4,378) with code ANNUAL60.

Scott Duffy and Anand Nednur start with the basics of Microsofts cloud, at AZ-104, and take you right up to advanced certifications. Each course digs deep into important aspects of Azure you may not learn about studying for the exam, as well. By the time you finish, youll have a broad grounding in how this cloud platform functions in a business environment.

Get the 2021 Complete Microsoft Azure Certification Prep Bundle for $14 (reg. $1,194) with code ANNUAL60.

Learn white-hat hacking from the ethical hackers themselves. This bundle goes through standard network testing tools, penetration testing, social engineering, and much more. Along the way, youll learn how networks are breached and how to head off black hats at the pass.

Get the All-In-One 2021 Super-Sized Ethical Hacking Bundle for $17.20 (reg. $3,284) with code ANNUAL60.

Taught by the iCollege team, this bundle starts with the very basics of CompTIA certifications and then blossoms out to fifteen more certifications touching a wide range of IT career paths. Whether you want to go into cybersecurity, networking, or get a CIO job, this has the tools you need to get certified. Each course goes in-depth, so you can build your career as you progress through the bundle

Get the 2021 Complete CompTIA Certification Prep Super Bundle for $27.60 (reg. $4,400) with code ANNUAL60.

The iCollege team shows you the latest in cybersecurity, in 24 comprehensive courses. Each course gets into the nitty-gritty of an important topic, from protecting Linux systems to securing CompTIA certifications. Youll also learn how to stay in compliance with changing cybersecurity laws.

Get the Complete 2021 CyberSecurity Super Bundle for $28 (reg. $7,080) with code ANNUAL60.

Amazon offers much more than eCommerce. This DevOps bundle is taught by expert Amazon Web Services developers who get you hands-on with the code to learn how to build pipelines, automate tasks, and much more in the AWS cloud. The bundle closes with a complete overview of the certification exams you need to launch an AWS DevOps career.

Get the 2021 Complete AWS DevOps Engineer Certification Bundle for $16 (reg. $2,200) with code ANNUAL60.

ITU Online breaks down Ciscos two key networking certifications in these two courses. The first course spends 46 hours looking at every detail of the CCNA exam and what it takes to become certified. The second builds on the first to secure the CCNP credential.

Get the 2021 Cisco CCNA & CCNP Certification Training Bundle for $20 (reg. $198) with code ANNUAL60.

Working in cybersecurity means youre constantly learning. Infosec4TC makes it easy to stay current with lifetime access to detailed courses on the latest topics. Furthermore, it has some of the highest pass rates of any certification authority, so staying current on your resume is easy as well.

Get an Infosec4TC Platinum Membership: Cyber Security Training Lifetime Access for $27.60 (reg. $999) with code ANNUAL60.

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Vevo and Doja Cat Release Exclusive Performance Of Need To Know – Broadway World

Posted: at 10:24 pm

Vevo announces the release of Doja Cat's Official Live Performance of "Need To Know" from her new album Planet Her, out now via Kemosabe/RCA Records. Vevo's Official Live Performances are the result of close creative collaboration with artists and their teams, resulting in a series of very special exclusive performances. "Need To Know" follows Doja's previous Official Live Performance of "Ain't s."

"It was such a privilege to be able to capture this new creative with Doja Cat after working with her on her Vevo LIFT campaign last year," says JP Evangelista, Vevo's SVP of Content, Programming & Marketing. "We really enjoyed being able to build off her new Planet Her aesthetic, creating a world perfectly suited for the album and her new era and sound. As always, collaboration is the key to success with these performances and that is truly evident with these videos. Doja's input was absolutely invaluable, and we're so proud of the finished product. We look forward to continuing to support Doja and being part of her artist story with this and upcoming releases."

Doja Cat previously worked with Vevo when she was named a Vevo LIFT artist in 2020, releasing exclusive performances of "Say So" and "Streets," as well as a short film, "The Tale of Becoming Doja Cat." For Doja Cat's Official Live Performances, Vevo and Doja worked closely together to build upon the themes on Planet Her: futurism, femininity and surrealism, all while showcasing her power and strength as a performer. Shot in California, " Need To Know" sees Doja Cat clad in all black, emerging from the side of a cliff while covered in shadow. Slinking out into the dusk as she sings, she commands shining golden orbs with her every move, in complete control of all things surrounding Planet Her.

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These Totally Wireless Earbuds Are On Sale For Way Less Than Apple AirPods – Futurism

Posted: at 10:24 pm

Whether youre a podcast fan or need new earbuds for your workout, weve got all the audio you need. With this Semi-Annual Sale, you can save an extra 15% off these already discounted earbuds using code ANNUAL15. But act fast: These deals are only available for a limited time.

Pictured above, the xS2 from xFyro is designed to go literally anywhere, even the pool. The IP67 waterproofing and Bluetooth 4.2 ensures youll have your audio no matter what.

Get the xFyro xS2 Waterproof Wireless Earphones for $67.99 (reg. $249) with code ANNUAL15.

For the moments where you need something discreet and stylish, these 1More buds match with anything. And they sound great too, with Qualcomm aptX Audio Technology and an AAC hi-res transmission pushing audio to 7mm dynamic drivers.

Get the 1More Stylish True Wireless In-Ear Headphones for $84.99 (reg. $119) with code ANNUAL15.

Rated 4.2 out of 5 stars on Amazon, the HyperSonic Lite features LinearFlux DL02 Immersive Sound Engine, which is carefully tuned to get the best results from your streaming music. Theyre IPX6 water-resistant and designed to limit ear fatigue, so you can listen all day.

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Get the Veho STIX True Wireless Earphones for $89.95 (reg. $249) with code VEHO160.

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The xFyro Active Noise Cancelling headphones dont just use a chip to block out unwanted sound. They use onboard AI and a four-microphone array to dynamically adjust sound cancellation for your environment.

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With 90 hours of listening time, thanks to the case, the Palladium earbuds are ideal for your next trip. And with Bluetooth 5.0, youll never have a dropped call or skipped beat.

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These rugged buds have IPX67 waterproofing and comfortable ear hooks to stay in no matter how rocky the trail or bumpy the ride. And the touch controls make it easy to stay focused or take a call as you hustle.

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Unwind anywhere with 1MOREs QuietMax technology. It combines hybrid ANC technology, precise audio tuning, dual-band ANC and wind noise reduction to create a perfect audio space to just listen to what you want away from the world.

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Videos of Turkish Wildfires Are Like a Vision of Hell – Futurism

Posted: at 10:24 pm

This is seriously terrifying.Fire Beach

New videos show how the devastating wildfires in southern Turkey are turning sandy beach resorts into a scene straight out of an apocalyptic movie.

One video shows residents evacuating a beach while a massive wall of fire shoots gargantuan clouds of dark smoke high into the sky.

Worldwide, wildfires have been devastating this year and these videos could be a grim foreshadowing of whats in store for us, as climate change leads toward drier and hotter conditions, year after year.

Regions across the entire globe are currently on fire, from the Bootleg Fire in Oregon to remote regions of Siberia that are spreading smoke all the way to the North Pole.

Some of the fires are large enough to create their own weather patterns, triggering freak lightning storms and allowing fire clouds to form.

Turkish authorities are now trying to gain control over a series of forest fires along the countrys Mediterranean coast and southern Aegean regions. Dozens of people were sent to hospitals, according to the Associated Press, and at least three people have been killed.

Its a scary new normal and should come as a stern warning.

More on wildfires: A Forest Fire in Oregon Is So Huge That Its Generating Freak Lightning Storms

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Communities Across Detroit Will Show Pride During the 15th Annual Arise Detroit Neighborhoods Day – WDET

Posted: at 10:24 pm

Arise Detroit

Arise Detroit will celebrate its 15th annual Neighborhoods Day Aug.7. Across the city, more than 150 community groups, block clubs and improvement projects will host a wide range of events for residents. Festivities will adhere to federal safety protocols regarding COVID-19 for the second year in a row. All events will take placeoutdoors.

Luther Keith, the executive director and founder of Arise Detroit,says it will be a special day for residents throughout the city. The organizations that participate are are engaged in many facets of community life aimed at making a difference in thecity.

One thing Id like to emphasize that Neighborhoods Day, though its one day, it really reflects what people in the neighborhoods do throughout the year, hesays.

We have some neighborhoods of Detroit that are really challenged in a lot of ways, economically with blight. We need a resurgence of this city economically, jobs for people, education generally, looking at the quality of life, a safer city. Luther Keith, AriseDetroit

These organizations and projects have always been there but havent been showcased,Keith says.In founding Arise Detroit, Keith, a journalist, says he was intentional about the organization being a vehicle to lift up and showcase the work of these communitygroups.

What I found out back when I was a columnist is that a lot of people dont know what [these groups are] doing, or they dont get the publicity. And we needed a vehicle to lift up andshowcase.

People also werent aware of all of the organizations and activitiesin the city, and by highlighting the work these groups are doing, it might inspire others to do the same in theircommunities.

Weve been able to simply tap into that. If more people learn about it, more people say, well, why cant we do this in our neighborhood? Why dont we have a Black Friday? Why dont we have a neighborhood cleanup? Why dont we have a school supply giveaway? And so by seeing that, it inspires other people and thats how [Neighborhoods Day] hasgrown.

Looking ahead at where Neighborhoods Day will be in 5-10 years, Keith says its not just about Neighborhoods Day but the city as a whole. We have some neighborhoods of Detroit that are really challenged in a lot of ways, economically with blight, he says. We need a resurgence of this city economically, jobs for people, education generally, looking at the quality of life, a safercity.

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Rising Voices Amplify Centers the Stories of Metro Detroit’s Asian American Communities – WDET

Posted: at 10:24 pm

With the approach of the Aug. 3 primary election, nonprofitRising Voices seeks to empower metro Detroits Asian American community through voter outreach and education. To amplify their mission,the organization teamed up with artist andphotographer Jarod Lew to create a historical record of the regions Asian American communities. The current collaboration is a continuation of their Rising Voices Amplify project, which profiled leaders and residents across the state dedicated to organizing and uplifting the voices of Asian American women andcommunities.

Through imagery,audio stories and videos, the multimedia venture is intentional on documenting Asian American leaders in community and politics throughoutMichigan.

Jarod Lew, courtesy of Rising Voices

Marcia Lee with her family one of Jarod Lews subjects for the Rising VoicesAmplifyproject.

Its interesting, here in Michigan. We have a very unique Asian American history and community versus others, says Jasmine Rivera, digital communications organizer of Rising Voices. So going to the various organizational leaders who are part of the community centers and who have been involved in activism and uplifting their own communities, thats something we wanted to amplify andcelebrate.

Lews photography examines theAsian American experience in metro Detroitthrough the lens ofcommunity, identity and displacement. While his subject matter gained attention from the art community,collaborating with Rising Voices welcomed a mental shift to also center his intentions on giving back to Detroit in a powerful way that lifts upvoices.

It has to be done, he says. As Im photographing and collecting these images and stories, I think its a necessity since were so dispersed. As more generations of Asian Americans are living in Michigan, there has to be a resource of information to showcase where were at. I think the common conversation here in Michigan is, Where arewe?

With Rising Voices, the goal is to show just that the thriving and presence of Asian Americans throughoutMichigan.

Learn more about the projecthere.

WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.

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Panelists urge inclusion focus in American Rescue Plan – Finance and Commerce

Posted: at 10:24 pm

The Minneapolis-St. Paul region is set to receive $1.14 billion from the American Rescue Plan, which local leaders say should be used to close the racial wealth gap that has existed for far too long.

The Center for Economic Inclusion held a virtual panel and discussion Thursday on strategies and opportunities that would aid in distributing funds in a way that eliminates long-existing gaps in the immediate and long-term future.

Earlier this year, the American Rescue Plan was signed into law. It directs $1.9 trillion toward rescuing the nations economy from pandemic-related fallout. Its funding a nationwide vaccine program, personal stimulus checks, increases in the child tax credit, small-business support, extended unemployment insurance and more.

As we recovered from the last economic downturn, Minnesotans, in particularly this region, failed miserably at doing so in an inclusive way, according to the Urban Institute, who ranked Minneapolis and St Paul last in a record of 274 cities in our ability to ensure that all people moved forward and are coming forward out of that economy, said Tawanna Black, CEO and founder of the Center for Economic Inclusion.

The rescue plan was design in a way that elevates solutions that address the pandemics disproportionate impact on low-income communities and communities of color, said Joseph Parilla, a fellow with the Brookings Institutions Metropolitan Policy Program.

The funds are being distributed in two rounds. An estimated two-thirds of funding from the first round, which was distributed in the spring, went to public health, stabilizing government budgets, and housing and homelessness, he said.

Several priorities could be funded in the second round of the rescue plan which is set to be distributed next spring that elevate inclusive rebuilding momentum. To achieve this, funds should be direct to stabilizing and improving the upward mobility of low-income communities, like funding programs that close the digital divide, Parilla said. Additionally, money could help secure a better rebuilding of the economy by being directed toward initiatives that fund workforce services, emergency financial assistance, and the racially equitable creation of jobs.

Being inclusive goes beyond funding and planning, said Aarica Coleman, housing and redevelopment authority administrator for the city of Bloomington.

Governments need to work with organizations, nonprofit and for-profit leaders who are already established in the communities to reach other community members, Coleman said.

The first thing is to make sure that just as the country and this region has been intentional about excluding and extracting, lets be intentional about including and growing, she said.

Government entities can also use the funding to lay a foundation for how they operate in the future, while also being more innovative and creative in their solutions for challenges identified in a citys long-term comprehensive plan. For example, in the housing sector, city staff in charge of housing or zoning decisions may have more resources to look at creative solutions to housing shortages, like tiny homes, Coleman said.

In his work with other Minnesota mayors, Edina Mayor James Hovland said he found that they recognize the need for communities to pool resources when planning for the distribution of rescue plan funds. Their communities have shared interests, like housing, workforce development and racial equity.

If we can really leverage these resources, we can really make some significant inroads, he said.

But local governments likely want to stabilize their budget problems first. Once these problems are solved, local governments could establish networks between other local entities to target issues that challenge numerous communities. This is where the second round of rescue plan funding could come into play, Hovland said.

We can create these pooled resources, particularly out of that second [round], I think where people are going to feel more comfortable committing some of that to the common good and to develop a strategy that gets all boats rising, he said.

Related:

MN leaders reflect on missed Legislative opportunities

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A clean energy transition won’t be equitable unless we make it that way | TheHill – The Hill

Posted: at 10:24 pm

Climate change is the kind of problem that requires a massive, coordinated effort from everyone. No one person, group or country can solve it on their own because our collective actions perpetuate the problem. So, we need to work together, come up with a game plan, get on the same page about what were going to do and make the necessary changes to those collective actions.

Admittedly, this is easier said than done. Even if we all could agree on what needs to happen say, moving away from fossil fuels by electrifying everything and powering our society with clean renewable energy there are still a lot of unanswered questions. (How do we ensure that this massive transition will be fair? How do we protect against creating winners and losers? How do we give everyone access to the clean air, good jobs and electricity savings benefits of the new clean energy economy?)

These are the questions that the NAACP has decided its time to answer.

As one of the most well-known, historically impactful, civil rights organizations in the country, when the NAACP calls attention to an issue, we all better pay attention.

Eco-apartheid

In 2008, CNN analyst Van Jones wrote in his book The Green Collar Economy, that it is not too early to sound the alarm against the possibility of eco-apartheid. In that scenario, on one side of town, there would be ecological haves, enjoying access to healthy, morally upstanding green products and services. On the other side of town, ecological have-nots would be languishing in the smoke, fumes, toxic chemicals, and illness of the old pollution-based economy.

Unfortunately, his words were not heeded, and over a decade later, his fears are coming to fruition.

A 2019 study from Tufts and UC Berkeley found massive disparities of where solar energy is deployed based on race and ethnicity. Communities of color have a greatly diminished amount of solar deployed compared to their neighbors. African American communities are less likely to have solar than white communities by a factor of two-thirds, even after accounting for income disparity.

On the job front, a 2019 survey from the Solar Foundation found that the solar workforce is 73 percent white (and 74 percent male).

Tufts University professor Deborah Sunter, a lead author of the report, described the inequity like this: Unlike the fossil fuel industry, where energy injustice was attributed to exposure to negative consequences like pollution, with rooftop PV the injustice is more that certain communities are missing out on these economic benefits.

Thankfully, the NAACP has recognized that this injustice must be stopped, and theyve stepped up to fight it, as they have with every major civil rights issue for over a century.

A more equitable path

In 2018, the NAACP, led by Jaqui Patterson, senior director of the NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Program, launched the NAACP Solar Equity Initiative to dive into these questions. They brought together leaders from across the solar industry and climate justice advocacy community including SunRun, Solar Energy Industries Association, Vote Solar, Solar United Neighbors, RE-volv, Solstice Initiative, Institute for Local Self Reliance and many more.

The goal of the initiative was to increase solar installations in communities of color and to connect these communities to skills training for solar jobs, all supported by strengthened solar equity policies.

The NAACP recently released its Solar Equity Principles to try and right the ship by helping guide policymakers, industry leaders and communities toward a more equitable path forward. Over many months the group met to discuss and come to a shared understanding of what equitable solar energy policies look like, focusing particularly on the issues of transparency, ownership and accountability. They boiled it down to these eight principles to help advocates and policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels to craft policy solutions that are holistic in nature and ensure benefits flow to Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC), and other frontline communities.

Denise Abdul-Rahman, national field organizer for the NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Program, said "Low-income and communities of color have suffered disproportionate harm from the fossil fuel economy. The new clean energy economy is an opportunity to address past injustices, but only with intentional policy decisions such as those outlined in the Equitable Solar Policy Principles."

Now while the Biden administration has made addressing environmental justice a key part of its climate strategy with its Justice40 initiative, which intends to allocate 40 percent of the overall benefits of its clean energy and climate solutions strategy to disadvantaged communities, the good news is we dont have to wait for the president to solve this. We can start acting in our communities.

Seeds of change

The 2019 Tufts study I mentioned describes a way to do just that. In the report they found that PV installations often result in a feedback loop: When a few residents in a community get solar, known as seed customers, it compels others to join. Communities without those first-mover customers show delayed solar adoption. The study also found that when seeding does occur in communities of color, deployment significantly increases compared to other racial or ethnic groups.

In other words, if a concerted effort is made to start building solar projects in BIPOC communities now that will have a ripple effect of more solar demand. That means creating jobs, electricity savings, and environmental and health benefits today, regardless of what happens in Washington.

One example of this intentional effort in communities of color is Green the Church, led by Rev. Dr. Ambrose Carroll. The organization brings solar energy and other climate and energy solutions to African American churches around the country.

I felt like the black church needed to have an organization that they felt was their own, where they could talk about environmentalism through different lenses and with different language, he told CNN.

Ultimately, solving the climate crisis will not be solved under the eco-apartheid conditions Van Jones warned us about, which were now seeing unfold. We have to ensure that everyone will benefit from the just clean energy transition and that we are all empowered to be a part of and benefit from these solutions. But that wont happen just by wishing for it.

Like every civil rights battle won in this country, it will need to be hard fought. We must work together, in the ways described by these Equitable Solar Policy Principles, to ensure that the new energy economy doesnt look like the old.

Andreas Karelas is author of the book Climate Courage: How Tackling Climate Change Can Build Community, Transform the Economy, and Bridge the Political Divide in America published by Beacon Press. He is also the founder and executive director of RE-volv, a nonprofit climate justice organization that helps fellow nonprofits across the country go solar. Follow him on Twitter: @AndreasKarelas.

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