Daily Archives: September 4, 2021

Atlanta, GA Today Governor Brian P. Kemp announced 20 appointments to the Georgia Tourism Foundation. Governor Kemp highlighted the important role of the Georgia Tourism Foundation Board of Directors during his remarks Wednesday at the 2021 Georgia Governors Tourism Conference presented by Explore Georgia, the tourism division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD).

Im excited to announce these leaders from various segments of Georgias tourism industry who will be focused on directing the development of innovative and entrepreneurial strategies designed to improve Georgias position as a destination for travel,said Governor Kemp. Under the leadership of Deputy Commissioner for Tourism Mark Jaronski, this Board of Directors will work as a team with the Georgia Department of Economic Development and our Explore Georgia state tourism office to increase Georgias competitiveness and grow the tourism industry back stronger than ever.

Joseph Akersserves as RaceTrac's Chief Legal Officer and Secretary, overseeing the company's Legal, Risk Management, Environmental, Internal Audit, and Compliance functions. Akers joined RaceTrac in 2005, and before becoming General Counsel in 2012, spent seven years working to protect the company when litigated. He earned a bachelor's degree in political economy from Tulane University in New Orleans in 1994 and a J.D. from the University of Georgia in 1997. Before joining RaceTrac, he was an associate at the Miami-based firm of Greenberg Traurig. In addition to his work at RaceTrac, Akers is active in several civic and legal organizations. He has been married to his wife Nancy since 2002, and they have two children.

Jake Carteris the Owner and Operator of Southern Belle Farms. Carter graduated from the University of Georgia in 2003 with a degree in business management. After graduation, he returned to the family farm in McDonough and began transforming the dairy operation into the 330-acre agritourism destination that it is today. Carter also serves on the Board of Directors at Snapping Shoals EMC. In 2019, Governor Brian Kemp appointed Carter to serve as the Tenth Congressional District representative on the Board of Economic Development. He and his wife, Jennifer, are Henry County natives and have three children. They are members of Bethany Baptist Church and reside in McDonough.

Paul Crameris president & CEO of The Classic Center, a 350,000 square-foot meeting and convention facility, with a 2,000+-seat performing arts theatre, 2,000-seat arena, and 22,000 square foot outdoor covered pavilion, with a removable ice rink located in Athens, Georgia. He has served in this role for over 26 years. Cramer began his career in Rochester, New York, working his way from banquet and concessions manager in 1986 to the assistant executive director by 1992. Cramer runs a successful workforce development program, which aids those seeking a career in hospitality, including the non-profit organization Bread for Life. He also serves on the Athens Technical College Foundation Board, the Athens Community Career Academy Board, and the Clarke County School District CTAE Board. During his tenure at The Classic Center, Cramer has developed and oversees The Classic Center Cultural Foundation, which provides scholarships for the performing, visual, and culinary arts, as well as for entertainment, hospitality, sports, and event management education programs, while supporting these initiatives in the Athens community. In 2018, he initiated the partnership between Piedmont College, The Classic Center, and The Classic Center Cultural Foundation to create and launch the Hospitality & Tourism Management degree program within the Harry W. Walker School of Business at Piedmont College. In 2015, Facilities and Destinations Magazine recognized Cramer as an Elite Convention Center Executive. Under his leadership, The Center has remained an award-winning facility. The most recent awards include 10x ConventionSouth Readers' Choice Award, the 2020 Stella Award, and the 2021 GBAC STAR Facility Certification. He and his wife Stacey reside in Athens and have two adult children.

Liz Crisafiis the Global Vice President of Campaign Marketing at IHG Hotels and Resorts, one of the world's leading hotel companies. She is responsible for marketing their 17 global brands and delivering commercial, loyalty, and partnership campaigns to ensure IHG supports the ever-changing needs of their guests and owners and provides a world-class experience across their 5,900+ hotels worldwide. Crisafi has more than 20 years of in-depth global marketing experience and previously held several senior marketing positions at Kimberly-Clark, Ogilvy & Mather, Discovery Communications, and Eastman Kodak. Crisafi is on the Advisory Board of Brand Innovators and was most recently recognized in 2017, 2018 & 2019 in the "Top 100 Women to Watch in Brand Marketing". She was also recently featured by Dress for Success Atlanta for their "2021 Women of Power." Liz holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications and Broadcasting from Georgia Southern University.

Brian Davisis Georgia Aquarium's president and CEO. Davis has more than 25 years of experience in senior leadership roles within zoological and educational institutions. Davis first joined the Georgia Aquarium team before its founding in 2003 as the Director of Education, later served as the Aquarium's Vice President of Education and then most recently as Executive Vice President of Operations. Prior to his tenure at Georgia Aquarium, he served as president and CEO of the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, where he oversaw the enhancement of the Aquarium's footprint. Davis has also served in teaching and administrative roles in Cobb County's school system and developed education programs at New York Aquarium and Zoo Atlanta. He has served as an Adjunct Professor for Schools of Education at Georgia State University and Mercer University. He has served on the Boards of Directors for Centennial Place Elementary School, Norwalk Chamber of Commerce, Open Door Shelter, and NorwalkACTS. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Davis graduated from Rutgers University in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science, later earning both a master's in education and his Ph.D. in Secondary Science Education at Georgia State University.

Cynde Dickeyis the chief financial officer for Dickey Farms, Inc, a 3,000+ acre peach and timberland farm family-owned since 1897. Since 2016, she has served as a board member on the Georgia Agribusiness Council. Dickey is the Grants Committee chairman for the Community Foundation of Central Georgia, the treasurer for Keep Roberta/Crawford Beautiful, and the treasurer of the Roberta/Crawford County Chamber of Commerce. In addition to her civic engagement, Dickey is a member of the 1990 Class of Leadership Georgia and a member of the Crawford County Farm Bureau. She graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor's in accounting in 1977. She and her husband Robert Dickey, a State Representative, have two adult children and are active members of Musella Baptist Church.

David Friederichis the president of North Georgia's award-winning Barnsley Resort. Friederich oversees all operations of the 3,000-acre estate, including meetings, weddings, outdoor activities, events, restaurants and catering, 150 guest rooms and suites at the cottages and new Inn, and overall guest satisfaction. A seasoned leader and innovator in the hospitality field, Friederich previously serves as Managing Director of The Whitley in Buckhead, formerly The Ritz-Carlton. Before that, Friederich served as the Corporate Vice President of Operations and Regional Manager of The Kessler Collection and General Manager of Grand Bohemian Hotel Orlando - named among Cond Nast Traveler's 'Top Hotels in Florida.' Friederich has over 30 years of management experience in the hospitality industry, including six years as general manager of The Cloister Hotel at Sea Island and various senior leadership roles with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.

Steve Hallowellis the chief marketing officer at Herschend Family Entertainment, including properties such as Callaway Gardens and Resort, Stone Mountain Park, and Wild Adventures. Prior to joining Herschend, Hallowell was a marketing and sales executive for Eastman Kodak Co. for more than 25 years. He graduated from Rutgers University, where he received a bachelor's degree in agricultural economics and marketing. In 2016, Governor Nathan Deal first appointed Hallowell to serve as a member of the Georgia Tourism Foundation.

Jay Markwalterserves as Executive Director of the Georgia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus (GACVB), the unified voice, education, and leadership development resource for our state's destination marketing organizations. Prior to becoming the statewide organization's director in 2018, Markwalter served as Director of Marketing Communications and Director of Sales with the Augusta CVB. From 2004 to 2014, he led the tourism-based economic development efforts in Atlanta-metro and the north Georgia mountains as the tourism director for Lawrenceville and Dahlonega-Lumpkin County. Markwalter has served on the 13-state Southeast Tourism Society Board of Directors and represents Georgia as a member of Destinations International and the U.S. Travel Association. He is a graduate of the Leadership Georgia Class of 2013 and was appointed to the Georgia Tourism Foundation by Governor Nathan Deal. A native of Savannah, Markwalter received his BBA in Marketing from the University of Georgia and has his Travel Marketing Professional (TMP) designation from the Southeast Tourism Society. Markwalter lives in Augusta with his wife, Sumner, and their two sons, Joe and Hart.

Mark O'Brienis president and CEO of LakePoint Sports, the nation's premier youth travel sports destination. The sprawling 1,300-acre campus features eight Major League-sized baseball fields, three multi-use fields for soccer, lacrosse, and football, a 170,000-square-foot Indoor Pavilion with 12 basketball courts that convert to 24 volleyball courts. He has more than two decades of executive leadership for some of the most globally recognizable brands, including Mizuno USA and Mizuno Canada, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, The Original Honey Baked Ham Company, Johnsonville Sausage, and Miller Brewing Company (now MillerCoors).After graduating from St. Norbert College, where he played on the baseball team, he went on to earn his master's in sports management from Georgia Southern University. O'Brien boasts a diverse array of experience in the sports industry, including several years in minor league baseball that culminated in a role as general manager. He also worked in sports marketing and branding for the NBA's Houston Rockets, assisting with the franchise's brand partnerships. During his time with GMR Marketing, his work focused on customer engagement and experiential marketing for one of the top global sports entertainment and experiential marketing agencies.

Atul Patelis the asset manager at Asha Management and has served in this role since 1999. Patel has also served as General Contractor for the Real Estate Development Group, building his first new construction project in Locust Grove, Ga., in 2001. During his tenure with Asha Management, Patel has overseen numerous multi-million dollar new construction and renovation projects, including the NexGen Red Roof Inn and LaQuinta Inn & Suites in Locust Grove. He served on the Franchise Advisory Council for Red Roof from 2005 thru 2010 and was elected to serve on the AAHOA Board of Directors as the North Georgia Regional Director in 2010. Patel holds a Certified Hotel Operator (CHO) designation from AAHOA and is a Lifetime Member. In 2013 he was appointed by Governor Nathan Deal to serve as a member of the Georgia Tourism Foundation, and in April 2014, he was appointed to serve a three-year term on the La Quinta Brand Council.

Kal Patelis president and CEO of Image Hotels, Inc., which owns and operates multiple hotels throughout the Southeast and is a Starwood, Hilton, IHG, and Marriott brands licensee. Patel began his career at Merril Lynch, learning finance and investments, which he was later able to apply this knowledge to the lodging business. Patel's family immigrated to the United States in 1979. He graduated from Savannah State University in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in business administration.Patel is heavily involved in AH&LA, AAHOA, Savannah Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Hospitality and Travel Association, and participation in national events and conferences. He was the Young Professional Hotelier serving as a Board of Directors for AAHOA. Patel has previously served as Board of Director for the Savannah CVB and the Tourism and Leadership Council. He has received several awards and recognitions for lodging accomplishments from industry leaders, franchisors, and municipalities.

William Pateserves as president of Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB), where he oversees maintaining tourism as one of the city's top economic drivers. Before joining ACVB, Pate served as Career Sports & Entertainment president, a national sports marketing and representation firm. He is the former chief marketing officer of BellSouth, one of the world's largest communications companies. Prior to joining BellSouth, Pate supervised domestic and international advertising and communications at MCI during the telecom ad wars of the 1990s. In 2020, American Marketing Association's (AMA) Atlanta chapter awarded him its lifetime achievement award. Atlanta Business League named him its 2019 Herman J. Russell CEO of the Year; Atlanta Magazine recognized him as one of the most influential leaders in Atlanta. Georgia Trend magazine included him on its list of 2019 Notable Georgians. Atlanta Business Chronicle honored Pate multiple times as one of Atlanta's 50 most admired CEOs and named him to its 100 most influential Atlantans list every year since 2009. AMA's Atlanta chapter also selected him as the corporate marketer of the year in 2010. A prominent leader in the nation's hospitality industry, Pate serves on the U.S. Travel Association and Destinations International board of directors. Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International honored him as one of the top 25 most extraordinary minds in sales and marketing. He received the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association award of appreciation for his commitment to diversity and inclusion within the travel industry. Pate's involvement in Atlanta's sports industry includes serving on the boards of the Atlanta Sports Council, Celebration Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, and Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame. He served as vice president of the Atlanta Football Host Committee, was a board member for the Atlanta Super Bowl Host Committee for Super Bowl LIII in 2019, and vice-chairman of the Atlanta Basketball Host Committee. Atlanta Business Chronicle named him one of Georgia's 30 most influential sports business figures of 2020. Pate is very active in the Atlanta community, serving on the board of directors for Central Atlanta Progress, Children's Museum of Atlanta, First Tee Atlanta, Jack and Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation, Metro Atlanta Chamber, and Woodruff Arts Center. He is also on the Board of Councilors of The Carter Center and the industry advisory board for Georgia State University's Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality Administration.

Marisa Simpsonis the Director of Legislative and Governmental Affairs at Atlanta Gas Light (Southern Company Gas). Simpson was previously the Director of Community Relations and Economic Development for AGL Resources Southern Operations. Simpson is a former staffer for U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss. He serves as a board member for Camp Sunshine and is an active volunteer with the American Diabetes Association. Simpson has previously served as a trustee for the Leadership Georgia Foundation, a board member for the Atlanta Touchdown Club, and Georgia Allies. In 2016, Governor Nathan Deal appointed him to the Board of Economic Development and, in 2017, to the Georgia Tourism Foundation, where he serves as chairman. Simpson earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Georgia, where he played football.

Dave Snyderowns and operates Halyards Catering, Hook & Knife Charters, and Halyards Restaurant Group, comprised of Tramici, Halyards Restaurant, and La Plancha. His restaurants perennially ranked the island and region's most popular, Halyards and Tramici were named 2014 Businesses of the Year by the Brunswick and Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce. In 2014, Dave was selected to serve on the Board of Directors for the Georgia Restaurant Association. Synder offers monthly cooking classes where he is able to draw on his relationships with local fishermen and farmers; he demonstrates to eager guests that the best ingredients make a tremendous difference in food quality, the sustainability of the environment, and the financial strength of the local economy. He serves on the Advisory Panel for Snapper/Grouper Species for the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. He has worked with the South Atlantic Fishermen's Association to improve the sustainability and health of the South Atlantic, the availability of local fish, and the financial future and heritage of the fishing industry. Deeply devoted to community service, Snyder serves on the Board of Directors for the Chamber of Commerce, Coastal Symphony of Georgia, The Boys and Girls Club of Southeast Georgia, and Hospice of the Golden Isles. Snyder is a founding board member of the St. Simons Food & Spirits Festival, benefiting Hospice of the Golden Isles. He also serves on the Culinary Board for the College of Coastal Georgia.

Ron Stephensrepresents Georgias 164th District in the Georgia House of Representatives. Stephens is the Chairman of the House Economic Development and Tourism Committee.

Mathews Swiftreceived his bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Georgia in 1969 and his J.D. from Walter F. George School of Law in 1972. He practiced real estate law before becoming president & COO of the W.C. Bradley Co. Real Estate Division in 1986. During his 32 years as president of the Real Estate Division, Swift developed multiple projects ranging from a 600-acre upscale golf course community; a 500-acre suburban mixed-use development, a 200-acre suburban office park; a 100-acre industrial park, and numerous residential subdivisions, etc. Over the past 20 years, he has primarily focused on the redevelopment of downtown Columbus. Swift's marquee project was the Eagle & Phenix Mill a mixed-use development of converting a 1,000,000 square foot 1800's textile mill into riverfront high rise condominiums, apartments, retail, restaurants, office, and specialty uses. As part of this riverfront development, Swift was an integral part of the Columbus Whitewater initiative a 30-million-dollar project involving the removal of two hydroelectric dams and the restoration of 2.5 miles of Chattahoochee River into what has been labeled as the world's longest urban whitewater experience. In 2019, Governor Brian Kemp appointed Swift to serve on the Board of Economic Development.

Bruce Thompsonrepresents Georgias 14th District in the Georgia State Senate. Thompson is the Chairman of the Senate Economic Development and Tourism Committee.

Scott Tigchelaaris the President of Senoia Enterprises, Inc, the company responsible for the redevelopment of historic Senoia, and President of Nic & Norman's Inc, a restaurant located in Senoia. Tigchelaar is the former President of Riverwood Studios Inc, operating as Raleigh Studios- Atlanta, which has now been acquired by AMC Studios, where AMC's hit series "The Walking Dead" was filmed. He serves on the Board of Directors for Explore Newnan-Coweta and is passionate about expanding the tourism industry in Coweta County. He is currently working with Explore Newnan-Coweta, Inc to develop a trolley system that would connect Newnan, Senoia, Trilith Studios in Fayetteville, and the Bouckaert Farm on the Chattahoochee River in South Fulton. Tigchelaar has created significant economic opportunities for Georgia at the intersection of film and tourism. In 2014, Governor Nathan Deal appointed Tigchelaar to serve as a member of the Georgia Tourism Foundation.

Allan Vellais president and CEO of the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, a position he has held since June 2006. A graduate of the University of Iowa, he holds a bachelor's in liberal arts and arts management. Vella has worked professionally in the Facility Management field since 1986, managing theatres, arenas, amphitheaters, and exhibition facilities. His experience spans a wide range of events, including NCAA Tournaments, MLB, NHL, Ballet, Corporate Events, Concerts, Broadway, and Presidential visits, to name just a few. Under Vella's direction, the Fox Theatre has been consistently ranked in the top three non-residency theatres in North America for gross ticket sales by industry trade magazines, Pollstar, Billboard, and Venues Today. In addition, the Fox Theatre was declared a Top Stop of the Decade by Venues Today and the #1 non-residency venue worldwide for the decade by Billboard Magazine. The historic Fox Theatre has managed to remain cutting edge as well. It holds numerous titles for Social Media presence for 2000-5000 seat venues in North America as calculated in Venues Today's Social Media Power 100. Before joining the Fox Theatre, Vella worked for SMG, the world's largest facility management company. Vella is a member of the International Association of Venue Managers and Rotary International, a graduate of IAVM's Venue Management School, and a board member of the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau as well as Variety of Georgia, a children's charity. He and his wife Nicole have three children and reside in Decatur, Georgia.

Read the rest here:

Governor Appoints 20 to the Georgia Tourism Foundation | Governor Brian P. Kemp Office of the Governor - Gov.Georgia.gov.

The BMW Group is increasing the pace of its efforts to combat climate change. Looking ahead to the introduction of the Neue Klasse, the company is further strengthening its self-defined objectives, announced in summer last year, to significantlyreduce CO2 emissions, whilst also committing itself to a clear course that supports the1.5 degree targetfor the limitation of global warming. The Neue Klasse will also see the BMW Group hugely increase its use ofsecondary materialswith a firm focus on the principles of thecircular economy, whilst also promoting better framework conditions for establishing a market for secondary materials.

To achieve a furtherreduction in CO2 emissions, the focus is on theutilisation phaseof vehicles, which account for 70% of the BMW Groups CO2 footprint.By 2030, the CO2 emissions per vehicle and kilometre driven will beat least halvedfrom 2019 levels. The commitment of all manufacturers when it comes to combatting climate change can best be compared when looking at theentire life cycleof a vehicle, including production and upstream supply chain. Here, the BMW Group is planning areduction of CO2 emission per vehicle of at least 40%.

How companies are dealing with CO2 emissions has become a major factor when it comes to judging corporate action. The decisive factor in the fight against global warming is how strongly we can improve the carbon footprint of vehicles over their entire life span. This is why we are setting ourselves transparent and ambitious goals for the substantial reduction of CO2 emissions; these are validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative and will deliver an effective and measurable contribution, saidOliverZipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, in Munich on Thursday. With the Neue Klasse we are significantly sharpening our commitment and also committing ourselves to a clear course for achieving the 1.5 degree target.

The BMW Group is the first German carmaker to join theBusiness Ambition for 1.5Cof theScience Based Targets Initiativeand is committed to the goal of full climate neutrality over the entire value-added chain by 2050 at the latest. This means that the company is also part of theinternational Race to Zero Initiative. The company is convinced that this can be achieved using innovation, rather than any overall ban on individual technologies.

The most powerful driver on this path to climate neutrality is electric mobility, with the BMWGroups Neue Klasse set to provide significant further momentum to the market. During the next ten years or so, the company will be putting aroundten million all-electric vehicles on the road. As early as2030, at least halfof global BMWGroup sales will beall-electric vehicles, with theMINIbrand offeringexclusively all-electric vehiclesfrom 2030.

The BMW Group continues to comply with thestringent criteriaof the Science Based Targets Initiative, when it comes to measuring the reduction of worldwide CO2 emissions of the companys vehicles whilst they are being driven on the roads. For example, emissions from the production of fuel or electricity are included in the calculation and consumption is based on the WLTP cycle plus ten percent. With its current product and electrification strategy, the company is on track to meet the EU fleet target for 2030.

BMW Group is clear that simply increasing the number of electric vehicles on the road does not automatically lead to climate-friendly mobility. The company understands that it is also crucial to reduce the use of primary material and the related environmentally harmfulexploitation of resourcesand their often CO2-intensive processing especially when it comes to car manufacturing, one of the most resource-intensive industries.

2017 was the first time the worlds population consumed more than 100 billion tons of resources within a single year a trend which we in the automotive industry must also counteract,Zipsedemanded. This is a strategic issue, concerning not only ecological but also economic sustainability; the current development of commodity prices demonstrates the impact an industry that is dependent on limited resources must expect.

With the number of battery-powered vehicles growing, there isincreasing demand for many commodities such as cobalt, nickel and aluminium, which are required for the vehicles high-voltage batteries. However there is great potential for the reuse of materials in the sense of a circular economy and together with specialist partners, the BMW Group has already demonstrated that its technological feasible to achieve a recycling efficiency of over 90 percent.

The amount ofsecondary nickelused for the high-voltage battery in theBMW iXis already as high as 50 percent, with the battery housing containing up to 30 percentsecondary aluminium.The BMW Group aims to improve these figures even further for future product generations.

In addition to the increasingly scare availability of primary materials and resulting commodity price increases, there are manysustainability reasonsto use more secondary materials and move towards a circular economy.

Thesupplyof secondary materials is considerablylessCO2-intensivethan is the case with primary materials and can significantly improve the CO2 footprint, especially within the supply chain. In the case of secondary aluminium, the CO2 saving compared with primary material constitutes a factor of approximately 4 to 6, whilst steel and thermoplastics lie between around 2 and 5.

The extraction of resources for primary materials particularly through mining has a significant impact on the basicregenerative capacity of ecosystems. This impact can be greatly reduced by increasing the use of secondary materials.

The mining and trading ofconflict materialscarries the possible risk of associated infringements of environmental and social standards. The BMW Group has established numerous measures to counteract this risk, including membership of the Responsible Minerals Initiative. However, the most efficient strategy for avoiding risks is tominimise the mining of such primary materials.

As part of its holistic approach to sustainability, the BMW Group aims to increase significantly the percentage of secondary materials in its vehicles. On average, current vehicles are manufactured using almost30 percentrecycled and reusable materials. With theSecondary Firstapproach, BMW Group plans to successivelyraise this figure to 50 percent.

Of course its crucial that the quality, safety and reliability of the materials comply with the same high standards as those existing for primary materials and so its essential that the market availability of such high-quality materials increases considerably. In order to achieve this, cross-industry approaches and political initiatives are necessary.

Based on the four principlesRe:think, Re:duce, Re:use, Re:cycle,the BMWGroup is boosting its activities in the field of circular economy, an area where its carrying out pioneering work. For instance, vehicle production now involves the increased separation and recycling of crucial material groups, so these can be reused by the industry within the framework of closed loops.

Within the supply chain and depending on market availability, secondary materials are increasingly being used in BMW Group vehicles. Moreover, together with its partners, the company is providing important impetus when it comes to developing secondary materials. One example is the companys pilot project withBASFand theALBA Groupfor the increased recycling of plastics used in cars.

The aim of the project is to reduce the use of primary plastics by means of a comprehensiverecycling system. To this end, the ALBA Group analyses end-of-life BMW Group vehicles to establish whether a car-to-car reuse of the plastic is possible. In a second step, BASF assesses whetherchemical recyclingof the pre-sorted waste can be used in order to obtain pyrolysis oil. This can be then used as a basis for new products made of plastic. In the future, a new door trim or other components could be manufactured from a used instrument panel, for example.

In order to achievehigher recycling ratesand whilst also guaranteeing thehigh quality of secondary materials, the materials must be extracted in their purest form as early as possibly during therecycling process. For example, the onboard wiring systems must be easy to remove, in order to avoid mixing steel with copper from the cable harnesses in the vehicles. If this mixing does take place, the secondary steel loses its essential material properties and therefore no longer meets thehigh safety requirementsof the automotive industry. To support this early and easy extraction of materials, the interior of a car must increasingly be made ofmonomaterials, so that at the end of the cars lifecycle, as much as possible can be transferred back into the usable material cycle. Basically, reducing the number of materials can help to improve the quality of recycled materials. Currently, vehicles consist of about 8,000 to 10,000 different materials.

To achieve this, the BMW Group is now focusing on aCircular Designconcept, which is designed to guarantee theeconomical dismantling capacityof vehicles. It is essential that disassembly of the vehicle and its individual components is fast and cost-efficient to ensure that prices ofsecondary materialsare competitive. It all starts with theconstruction of the vehicle, which must be done in such a way that allows materials to be removed at the end of the vehicles service life without different types of material being mixed with each other.

The BMW Group is putting circular economy at the centre of its presence at the IAAMobility 2021 in Munich, where the company will offer a visionary outlook on the potentials of a circular economy and sustainable mobility. TheBMW i Vision Circularembodies the companys ambitious claim to be the most sustainable manufacturer for individual premium mobility.

This visionary vehicle, designed according to the four principles of the circular economy Re:think, Re:duce, Re:use, Re:cycle, shows how individual, sustainable and luxurious urban mobility could look in 2040. The BMW i Vision Circular is manufactured from 100 percent secondary materials or renewable raw materials, and is 100 percent recyclable.

This car demonstrates that climate protection and individual mobility do not necessarily contradict each other. On the contrary, it shows that using new technologies and innovation, the BMW Group can fulfill the planets requirements for greater sustainability without customers having to forgo individual mobility.

SOURCE: BMW Group

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BMW Group accelerates CO2 reduction and focuses consistently on a circular economy with the Neue Klasse - Automotive World

Though roads exist to many ore deposit areas, Afghanistan lacks good-quality roadways, railways and electricity

Seattle: The official ending of the US-led war in Afghanistan leaves a number of long-term questions, including how the country can build a functioning economy. Now that US assistance has evaporated and international aid is largely shut off, what options does Afghanistan have?

One possibility resides in natural resources. Afghanistan possesses a wealth of nonfuel minerals whose value has been estimated at more than $1 trillion.

For millennia the country was renowned for its gemstones rubies, emeralds, tourmalines and lapis lazuli. These minerals continue to be locally extracted, both legally and illegally, in mostly small, artisanal mines. Far more value, however, lies with the country's endowments of iron, copper, lithium, rare earth elements, cobalt, bauxite, mercury, uranium and chromium.

While the total abundance of minerals is certainly vast, scientific understanding of these resources is still at an exploratory stage. Even with a better understanding of how rewarding their extraction might be, the presence of these resources will not provide a jump-start to a new economy. As a geologist who has studied the extent of their resources, I estimate a minimum of seven to 10 years will be needed for large-scale mining to become a major new source of revenue.

USGS follows the Soviets

British and German geologists conducted the earliest modern surveys of Afghanistan's minerals in the 19th and early 20th centuries. But it was the Soviets in the 1960s and 1970s who performed the most systematic exploratory work throughout the country, producing a large body of detailed information that stood as the backbone to more recent studies.

From 2004 to 2011, the US Geological Survey conducted a detailed review of available data, adding new information from its own aerial survey, limited field checking and from the Afghanistan Geological Survey. This work better identified mineral sites, richness and abundance.

No one who examines this work, as I have, can ignore the large-scale exploratory effort by Soviet scientists. Detailed field mapping and massive sampling, including tens of thousands of meters of borehole drilling, and lab analyses were performed. Given the time and money invested, it would appear high-level plans were in play to develop Afghanistan's minerals once the country was under Soviet influence.

Based largely on this information, the USGS delineated 24 areas in the country and estimated their mineral abundance. Data packages were prepared on all 24 areas for companies to use as a basis for making bids to exploit any resources.

Chinese and Indian companies expressed strong interest, and actual concessions were granted. Arguments over contract terms and concerns about security, however, have stalled activity since the late 2010s.

Mineral abundance

How much mineral abundance does Afghanistan actually have? I'll try to answer this with a brief summary of USGS estimates for metals of special interest: copper, iron, lithium and rare earth metals. Geoscientists who were part of the USGS effort have noted that their figures are conservative but also preliminary.

Regardless, it's safe to say the resources in total are huge. Total copper resources for all known deposits sum to about 57.7 million metric tons. At current prices, the resource value is $516 billion. These are undiscovered resources identified but not fully explored and assessed. If further study were to judge them recoverable at a profit, they would rank Afghanistan among the top five nations for copper reserves in the world.

The largest copper deposit, which also contains significant amounts of cobalt, is the Aynak ore body, located about 18 miles (30 kilometers) southeast of Kabul. After the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979, the Soviets began development of the mine but it was suspended in 1989 following Soviet withdrawal from the country. The high-grade portion of the total Aynak deposit is estimated at 11.3 million metric tons of copper, worth $102 billion at current market prices.

Afghanistan also has world-class iron ore resources, concentrated in the Haji Gak deposit of Bamiyan Province. Haji Gak has an estimated 2,100 million metric tons of high-grade ore that is 61%-69% iron by weight. At current price levels, this represents a value of $336.8 billion, placing Afghanistan among the top 10 nations worldwide in extractable iron.

Lithium resources in Nuristan Province, which occur as veins, impressed Soviet geoscientists with the amount of hard rock ore (lithium is also mined from brine).

Based on USGS estimates, it is a significant but modest resource in today's terms, as exploration for such deposits has increased around the world in the past decade.

Finally, rare earth elements exist in southern Helmand Province. These deposits mainly contain cerium, with smaller amounts of more valuable lanthanum, praseodymium and neodymium, totaling perhaps 1.4 million metric tons. Two of these, praseodymium and neodymium, are at high price levels more than $45,000 per metric ton and make exceptional magnets used in motors for hybrid and electric cars, but the abundance of these elements is not large relative to how much other countries have.

Above-ground factors and geopolitics

Mining wisdom holds that what's in the ground is less important than what's above ground. Market realities, security, contract terms, infrastructure and environmental concerns matter more than sheer abundance to whether resources can be developed.

Among these factors, perhaps the most relevant at present is strong global demand for the metals, particularly copper, lithium and rare earth elements, which are essential to the growing markets in renewable energy and electric vehicles.

Whether or not Afghanistan can begin mining these elements will depend on what the new Taliban government does. Under the former Ministry of Mines, a $2.9 billion contract for a portion of the Aynak copper deposit was granted to two state-owned Chinese companies.

The 30-year contract signed in 2007 had a high royalty rate by global standards and required that ore smelting and processing be done locally. Other conditions included building a 400-megawatt coal power plant and a railway to the Pakistan border. Also stipulated was that 85%-100% of employees, from skilled labor to managerial personnel, be Afghan nationals within eight years of the date work begins. Though originally agreed to, these terms were later declared onerous by the companies, halting development.

Though roads exist to many ore deposit areas, Afghanistan lacks good-quality roadways, railways and electricity. Mining companies are no stranger to such challenges, yet the situation is heightened in this case by rugged terrain and the landlocked nature of the country. Railways, in particular, would be essential for transporting ore, raw or refined, to foreign markets.

There are also environmental and cultural concerns. Mining can result in major impacts to land and air quality, as well as watersheds a particular concern in water-poor Afghanistan if not regulated to best practices. No less, enforcement of such standards is required and has been a problem in many lower-income countries.

Close to the Aynak copper deposit is a large site of Buddhist relics, statues, temples and stupas. There are also Bronze Age mining sites that constitute important archaeological resources. Here, too, no clarity yet exists about how Taliban leaders, who ordered the destruction of the great Buddhist statues at Bamiyan in 2001, might view these sites.

For Afghanistan, its resources could mean a source of long-term foreign investment, skill-building and infrastructure expansion, all essential for a sustainable economy. But a major question is which companies would be involved. Afghanistan is also at the center of geopolitical struggles, involving both India and Pakistan, as well as China, Iran and the U.S. That the Taliban are now in control does not make the country's minerals any less invested with large significance.

Read this article:

Afghanistan posessess $1 trillion mineral wealth, but war-ravaged economy has challenges to overcome - Firstpost

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HALIFAX, NS / ACCESSWIRE / September 2, 2021 / Silver Tiger Metals Inc. (TSXV:SLVR and OTCQX:SLVTF) ("Silver Tiger" or the "Corporation") today announces its ambition to become a global leader in the transition to a clean economy in the junior mining sector. Committed to creating long-term value for all its stakeholders, Silver Tiger grows its plans to embed Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles and standards into its business strategy, operations, and management systems from the outset, aiming to move beyond compliance toward sustainable operational excellence.

Opportunities in the Clean Economy

Investing in sustainability during the early stages of a mining project can significantly improve socio-economic and environmental outcomes and can reduce the lifecycle impacts and costs of a project. As Silver Tiger's activities are currently pre-operational, there will not be a need to modify, retrofit or replace existing mining infrastructure in order to improve environmental and social outcomes.

Silver Tiger's CEO, Glenn Jessome, stated, "As silver becomes increasingly critical in the transition to a clean economy, Silver Tiger is well-positioned to be at the forefront of this growth opportunity." Glenn Jessome continued, "Silver offers tremendous investment opportunities in terms of its intrinsic and stable value. It is also an important strategic and industrial metal that serves a vital role in the development and growth of many lower-carbon technologies, including those supporting solar energy and the electric automotive industry."

Developing a Comprehensive ESG Strategy

Silver Tiger has established a board-level Safety, Environmental and Social Sustainability (SESS) committee that will oversee the development of a comprehensive ESG strategy over the next 12 months. The SESS Committee is responsible for ensuring that the company's business is conducted in ways that are principled, transparent and accountable to all stakeholders, including shareholders, employees, local communities, governments and the environment.

To progress its ambition to become a leader in ESG in the junior mining sector Silver Tiger plans to:

Aligning with Global Mining Standards

In addition to compliance with Mexico's environmental laws and regulations, Silver Tiger aims to implement best practices in international mining standards that are most relevant to its operations as a junior miner. The World Gold Council Responsible Gold Mining Principles, the protocols and indicators Toward Sustainable Mining (TSM) and the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) will be considered to refine and strengthen Silver Tiger's approach to sustainable operational excellence and future ESG disclosures.

Silver Tiger aims to align with the TSM, specifically the TSM protocols and indicators for Water Stewardship, Energy and GHG Emissions Management, Tailings Management and Indigenous and Community Relationships. Considering the historic mining practices at El Tigre, Silver Tiger aims to achieve transparency and accountability around waste management informed by the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management by the International Council on Mining and Metals.

Next Steps

In September 2021, Silver Tiger will release a comprehensive ESG Strategy Roadmap. This roadmap will outline the steps Silver Tiger will take to develop its ESG strategy over the next 12 months. In 2022 Silver Tiger will release a robust ESG strategy in line with its ambition to be a leader in the clean economy transition in the junior mining sector globally. This will include Silver Tiger's approach to sustainability reporting and ESG disclosures which will allow stakeholders to track Silver Tiger's progress towards achieving this ambition. Silver Tiger will explore leading global reporting frameworks, including the Sustainable Accounting Standards Board (SASB), the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) to develop its approach for disclosures based on its environmental, social and economic impact and best practice.

Exploration Update

Silver Tiger has continued to drill throughout the rainy season at El Tigre. There are currently 4 drill rigs operating with a 5th drill rig in process of being added. Drilling is being conducted on the Sooy Vein, the Benjamin Vein and the Seitz Kelly Vein. Extensive mapping and sampling is also being conducted on the northern and southern ends of the property.

About the El Tigre Historic Mine District

Silver Tiger Metals Inc. is a Canadian company whose management has more than 25 years' experience discovering, financing and building large hydrothermal silver projects in Mexico. Silver Tiger's 100% owned 28,414 hectare Historic El Tigre Mining District is located in Sonora, Mexico. Principled environmental, social and governance practices are core priorities at Silver Tiger.

The El Tigre historic mine district is located in Sonora, Mexico and lies at the northern end of the Sierra Madre silver and gold belt which hosts many epithermal silver and gold deposits, including Dolores, Santa Elena and Las Chispas at the northern end. In 1896, gold was first discovered on the property in the Gold Hill area and mining started with the Brown Shaft in 1903. The focus soon changed to mining high-grade silver veins in the area with production coming from 3 parallel veins the El Tigre Vein, the Seitz Kelley Vein and the Sooy Vein. Underground mining on the middle El Tigre vein extended 1,450 meters along strike and was mined on 14 levels to a depth of approximately 450 meters. The Seitz Kelley Vein was mined along strike for 1 kilometer to a depth of approximately 200 meters. The Sooy Vein was only mined along strike for 250 meters to a depth of approximately 150 meters. Mining abruptly stopped on all 3 of these veins when the price of silver collapsed to less than 20 per ounce with the onset of the Great Depression. By the time the mine closed in 1930, it is reported to have produced a total of 353,000 ounces of gold and 67.4 million ounces of silver from 1.87 million tons (Craig, 2012). The average grade mined during this period was over 2 kilograms silver equivalent per ton.

The El Tigre silver and gold deposit is related to a series of high-grade epithermal veins controlled by a north-south trending structure cutting across the andesitic and rhyolitic tuffs of the Sierra Madre Volcanic Complex within a broad silver and gold mineralized prophylitic alteration zone developed in the El Tigre Formation that can be up to 150 meters wide. The veins dip steeply to the west and are typically 0.5 meter wide but locally can be up to 5 meters in width. The veins, structures and mineralized zones outcrop on surface and have been traced for 5.3 kilometers along strike in our brownfield exploration area. Historical mining and exploration activities focused on a 1.6 kilometer portion of the southern end of the deposits, principally on the El Tigre, Seitz Kelly and Sooy veins. The under explored Caleigh, Benjamin, Protectora and the Fundadora exposed veins continue north for more than 3 kilometers. Silver Tiger has delivered its maiden 43-101 compliant resource estimate and is currently drilling to update its resource estimate and publish a PEA.

VRIFY Slide Deck and 3D Presentation - Silver Tiger's El Tigre Project

VRIFY is a platform being used by companies to communicate with investors using 360 virtual tours of remote mining assets, 3D models and interactive presentations. VRIFY can be accessed by website and with the VRIFY iOS and Android apps.

Access the Silver Tiger Metals Inc. Company Profile on VRIFY at: https://vrify.com

The VRIFY Slide Deck and 3D Presentation for Silver Tiger Metals Inc. can be viewed at: https://vrify.com/explore/decks/492 and on the Corporation's website at: http://www.silvertigermetals.com.

For further information, please contact:

Glenn JessomePresident and CEO902 492 0298jessome@silvertigermetals.com

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT:

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This News Release includes certain "forward-looking statements". All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization, resources and reserves, the ability to convert inferred resources to indicated resources, the ability to complete future drilling programs and infill sampling, the ability to extend resource blocks, the similarity of mineralization at El Tigre to Delores, Santa Elena and Chispas, exploration results, and future plans and objectives of Silver Tiger, are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "may", "is expected to", "anticipates", "estimates", "intends", "plans", "projection", "could", "vision", "goals", "objective" and "outlook" and other similar words. Although Silver Tiger believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Silver Tiger's expectations include risks and uncertainties related to exploration, development, operations, commodity prices and global financial volatility, risk and uncertainties of operating in a foreign jurisdiction as well as additional risks described from time to time in the filings made by Silver Tiger with securities regulators.

SOURCE: Silver Tiger Metals Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/662538/Silver-Tiger-Sets-Ambition-to-be-a-Leader-in-the-Junior-Mining-Sector-in-the-Transition-to-a-Clean-Economy

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Silver Tiger Sets Ambition to be a Leader in the Junior Mining Sector in the Transition to a Clean Economy - StreetInsider.com

Thursday, 16 September 2021, Malaysia Day

8.30pm to 10.30pm

Facebook live: Facebook.com/AliranKesedaranNegara

Panel members:

Our five speakers, all of them Aliran executive committee or ordinary members, explore what might be the political, social and economic situation in Malaysia in the medium-term, say in five years time.

Will the new Umno-led government, headed by the ninth Prime Minister, Ismail Sabri, be able to usher in a more democratic, inclusive and prosperous Malaysia for all?

Our distinguished speakers will situate current problems in the context of several bigger questions.

Assuming the next general election will be held as scheduled in two years time, will a new multi-ethnic coalition have consolidated itself to restore stability to Malaysian politics? Or should we anticipate the consolidation of a Malay-Muslim dominant coalition like now? Might the latter not lead towards more polarised inter-ethnic relations and continued instability?

Will the coalition that offers Sabah and Sarawak greater autonomy a bigger share of the development budget have the edge?

Or will multi-ethnic multi-religious cooperation spearheaded by a reformist coalition government emerge? But where might this fresh energy come from?

To what extent can the current Malaysian economic model, so dependent on foreign direct investments and cheap foreign labour (currently an estimated four to five million), continue to steer Malaysia towards economic growth and employment creation and allow it to compete with its Asean neighbours?

Have we made progress in human resource development so we can seize opportunities in the knowledge-based and IT-driven global and regional economies?

Where are our lead national companies, whether among the government-linked companies or in the private sector? Or will our government-linked companies continue their core business of rent-seeking?

There is no doubt that Malaysian civil society has awakened since Reformasi. We have witnessed the re-emergence of mass-based politics in the streets, epitomised by Bersih, Himpunan Hijau, Hindraf and most recently, the #Lawan youth.

No doubt, ethnic-based and crony-driven Old Politics is still around, not least in the ruling coalition itself! But many new groups in civil society have emerged. These are non-ethnic-based, and, like Aliran, go out of their way to build bridges and cross boundaries.

We also note the emergence of a host of new and young netizens, men and women, from all corners, including from Sabah and Sarawak, who have used social media to reach out to the rakyat.

So, what will be the cumulative contribution of NGOs and civil society organisations towards democratisation and inter-ethnic cooperation? How does this energetic, creative and exciting sector of politics link up to electoral politics and contribute to a better Malaysia?

Come and join us for an exciting and important webinar!

Our voluntary writers work hard to keep these articles free for all to read. But we do need funds to support our struggle for Justice, Freedom and Solidarity. To maintain our editorial independence, we do not carry any advertisements; nor do we accept funding from dubious sources. If everyone reading this was to make a donation, our fundraising target for the year would be achieved within a week. So please consider making a donation to Persatuan Aliran Kesedaran Negara, CIMB Bank account number 8004240948.

Link:

Aliran webinar: State, society and economy in transition Whither Malaysia? - Aliran

Jordan Cain was a teenager when he began drinking.

It started innocuous enough for the Longmont native, as is the case with many young people experimenting with alcohol in their high school years. But things didnt stay that way.

He developed an alcohol use disorder, and soon he was drinking just to stop himself from going into withdrawal. At some point, he began using cocaine to stay awake. For 12 years, people in his life tried to talk to him about his addiction, but he would brush off their remarks.

I was drinking very heavily. And I think for my generation, or at least the people I was hanging out with, it was just a normal amount, Cain said. I did drop out of college. I was in a lot of trouble off and on the entire time with the law. I found myself in some pretty messed up relationships, where not only were alcohol and drugs being abused, but I myself was being abused.

Cain said he didnt think much of his first DUI. It never occurred to him that alcohol was really an issue, much less a debilitating disorder. Sure, there were problems, but he was still holding down a steady job.

It wasnt until his second DUI about six months later when he took it as a sign from the universe, or the courts, that maybe it was time to take a deeper look at himself.

I think that was kind of the point where I knew I was going to be facing jail time, he said. And I knew this might be the best chance I have at drying up being away from toxic people, toxic environments and really using jail to my benefit as a first step in starting to be sober.

Cain moved to Summit County after his release from jail. Today, he is more than 2 1/2 years sober.

Cains addiction isnt unique. Hes just one of millions of Americans with a substance use disorder. What is special about his story, and others like him, is he found a way out.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention generally defines alcohol misuse as more than one drink per day on average for a woman and more than two per day for a man. The center further defines binge drinking as four or more drinks for a woman on a single occasion and five for a man.

But in some circumstances, that misuse can be difficult to spot.

Steve Howes is a Michigan native whos lived in Summit County for the past 15 years, and hes currently eight months sober. He said growing up in a family with heavy drinkers played a major role in his addiction. Later in life, it was societal and professional norms.

I just grew up around drinking, Howes said. Most of my aunts and uncles are all alcoholics. Thats something I took up with them. They were allowing me to drink as a young teenager, and I drank heavily with them on the weekends and stuff. I guess at the time I thought it was normal.

And since I work in the trades, every day after work you get home, you go out with the boys and you start to drink with them. Thats what youre supposed to do.

Tucker Limbruner grew up in Breckenridge and was exposed to heavy drinkers at a young age at his fathers restaurant. He started drinking in high school, picked up marijuana in college and later added cocaine to the mix, but hes been sober for more than two years.

When I was a kid, I thought it was kind of the norm for most people, Limbruner said. Living in Breckenridge, you are exposed to a vacation lifestyle at all times. I kind of realized as I got older that its not really a vacation all the time.

Unhealthy perceptions of alcohol and other substances, among numerous other factors, contribute to the more than 20 million Americans with a substance use disorder, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. More than 70% of that total have an alcohol use disorder.

Some mountain towns have a higher percentage of heavy drinkers, according to a June 2020 Katz Amsterdam Foundation and FSG survey of eight communities, including Summit and Eagle counties. About 45% of adult respondents reported binge or heavy drinking in the 30 days prior to taking the survey, compared with a national benchmark of 18%.

That likely has something to do with a culture of heavy drinking and drug use that has pervaded the community. Its no surprise that visitors coming to Summit County or other resort areas would include substances in their routine. Theyre on vacation, so why not check out a local brewery or stop into a dispensary to see what all the fuss is about?

But experts say that blas attitude often carries over to locals.

I think any place that is a resort area where the economy is based on visitors and on tourists, were going to have that kind of culture, said Jeanette Kintz, clinical director of Summit Womens Recovery, a womens outpatient addiction treatment center based in Dillon. People come here on vacation, and they come here to have a good time. Alcohol is often a good part of that, and with the legalization of marijuana, its made Colorado more of a hot spot.

Then what happens is and I hear this story all the time people who move here for a season to work at the resort, and then theyve been here 20 years and their substance use continued along the process. Some folks slow down, but its that work-hard, play-hard mentality.

What work residents are doing may also play a part. Those working in accommodations and food services (16.9%) as well as the arts, entertainment and recreation (12.9%) industries are among the most likely to have a substance use disorder, according to a 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Tourism and outdoor recreation is far and away Summit Countys biggest industry, making up as much as 65% of the economy, according to a September 2020 community profile prepared by the Northwest Colorado Council of Governments Economic Development District.

Casey Donohoe, a mental health navigator with the Family & Intercultural Resource Center and part-time bartender at a locals watering hole in Breckenridge, said she frequently sees individuals with substance use disorders. She said people often come into the bar in search of human interaction, which she attributes to difficulties making friends in a transient community.

There are countless activities and events one can go to in Summit County to meet people, but youll find booze at most of them.

According to the Katz Amsterdam Foundation and FSG survey, 83% of Summit County residents agreed that alcohol is important to social life.

In the beginning, its tough, Howes said about trying to get sober. Youre constantly around it. You walk down Main Street, and at every restaurant people are sitting outside drinking. Anytime you go rafting, youre in a raft with a cooler full of beer. You go skiing and everybody goes drinking afterward. Every festival here everyone is drunk. Its in your face. You cant get away from it.

A National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism surveillance report published earlier this year revealed that alcohol sales increased nationally between March and December 2020 compared with the prior three-year average. Likewise, marijuana sales in Colorado increased by more than $443 million in 2020 and crossed the $2 billion plateau for the first time.

Over the years, one of the things I hear often about the reasons people drink are boredom and structure, addiction counselor Susanne Neal said. COVID took away everybodys structure going to work, the time placement of everything during the day. Routines were pretty much uprooted where people didnt have to do anything, and isolation, feeling depressed, some of those mental health issues really reared their head.

But the impact of the pandemic on substance use disorders will likely take some time to unravel.

Data provided by the Summit County Coroners Office shows there hasnt been a major increase in substance-related deaths, with 10 last year compared with an average of 9.8 over the past decade. Also last year, there was a 1% decrease in the number of clients enrolling in the Family & Intercultural Resource Centers Mental Health Navigation program who listed a substance use disorder as their primary reason.

I had a few clients who admitted because they were out of work, didnt have anything to do and were getting paid unemployment, its kind of the idle hands thing where they increased their alcohol and drug use, Donohoe said. The uptick, for me at least, wasnt as big as I thought it was going to be.

But as things begin to return to normal, some experts believe there could be a surge of community members seeking help.

We dont know yet what its going to look like going into winter, Kintz said. My guess is well start to see more people seeking treatment.

Its never easy to tell when someone will recognize they have a problem and seek help.

Thats the confusing part to people, Neal said. If theyre going to work, still holding a job, still married, havent lost their kids, havent got a DUI its very hard to wrap your head around having a problem.

Substance use disorders can manifest in myriad impacts on a users life, and often it takes some sort of inciting incident for someone to seek treatment.

For Cain, it was his second DUI, 75 days in jail and severing ties with old friends that helped him get clean. Howes was driving home drunk from a friends birthday party, ran from the police and woke up on a strangers lawn to the sound of police sirens approaching. Limbruners family staged an intervention, and he shipped off to in-patient rehab that night.

All three are on the road to recovery, and if theres one commonality, its the fact that, sooner or later, they decided to ask for help.

Its OK to not be OK, as they say, Limbruner said. I know some people are really scared to reach out. They dont want to feel weak; they dont want to feel vulnerable, especially with people they dont know. But to reach out is probably the strongest thing anybody can do. I didnt get help until I asked.

Treatment certainly wont look the same for everyone, but there are plenty of resources in the community to help out. There are numerous therapists, support options at the Summit Community Care Clinic, active Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous groups, and other resources that mental health navigators at Building Hope Summit County and the Family & Intercultural Resource Center can guide residents toward.

For those facing financial barriers to treatment, Building Hope offers mental health scholarships, which allow community members up to 12 free therapy sessions.

Any type of professional treatment can help, but those in recovery said having a network of sober friends can be incredibly helpful, as well. Cain, Howes and Limbruner all take part in Fit to Recover, a weekly class at CrossFit Low Oxygen in Frisco meant to help connect people in recovery with others who know what theyre going through.

Building Hope also offers substance-free events, which feature fun and free activities where community members can meet new people and speak openly about mental health issues.

Those in recovery say taking that first step is whats important.

If a person is thinking that alcohol is an issue for them, theyre 90% of the way there toward taking that first step, Cain said. Thats what it was for me. Id been told by so many people during that decade-plus, Stop, stop doing this. Even so much as getting in trouble all the time because of my addiction and the way I was behaving. That wasnt enough. What it took was for me to say, This is enough.

For anybody thinking that they have a problem with it, or maybe questioning it, theyre so close. Theyre almost there. And they can do it, and its possible. Its so possible.

Continued here:

Party town: How an alcohol-centered culture is impacting the community's mental health - Summit Daily News

Its not often that the current Federal Government and the green energy sector find themselves in happy agreement.

But that is the case with new legislation to open up an offshore electricity industry in Australia, tabled by Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor in Parliament yesterday.

It paves the way for the start of Australias offshore wind energy industry, which could eventually rival the North Sea offshore wind industry off the coast of the UK and northern Europe.

Taylor says the legislation, known as the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Bill 2021, will help progress at least $10 billion of investment in three major projects, the Marinus Link interconnector between Tasmania and the mainland, the Sun Cable between Darwin and Asia and the Star of the South wind project.

An offshore electricity industry in Australia will further strengthen our economy, create jobs and opportunities for Australians, and enhance the delivery of affordable and reliable power, Taylor said.

A new offshore industry, enabled by this Bill, represents an important new opportunity for Australia.

Offshore generation and transmission can deliver significant benefits to all Australians through a more secure and reliable electricity system, and create thousands of new jobs and business opportunities in regional Australia.

Located 7-25km off the Gippsland coast, Star of the South is a proposed 2.2GW megaproject that would power some 1.2 million Victorian homes by connecting via an underground cable into transmission infrastructure in the Latrobe Valley.

The company behind the development says it typically takes 6-10 years to develop and build an offshore wind farm, timing its development with the closure of ageing coal plants in the region.

Star of the South CEO Casper Forst Thorhauge welcomed the legislation.

We will look at the Bill in detail to understand what it means for developing Star of the South off the coast of Gippsland, he said.

This legislation is a key step to realising Australias offshore wind potential and unlocking the associated economic benefits, including providing opportunities for the nations strong resources and maritime sectors.

We are excited to help create Australias offshore wind industry and continue Gippslands proud history of power generation into the future supporting new local jobs and transitioning skills.

The Climate Council, which this week chastised the Morrison Government for not going hard enough on its emissions reduction target, also cheered the move.

Researchers from the Blue Economic Cooperative Research Centre in July released a report calling on Australia to advance its offshore wind industry.

Based on assessments of wind resources across the country, they say as much as 2233GW of the stuff could be feasibly installed across the country, many times the power required in the grid.

This could all be achieved within 100km of current substations and excluding environmentally restricted and low wind areas.

Offshore wind could be an important resource as the grid shifts to a higher penetration of renewables, with the different wind patterns and strength off the coast meaning it could reinforce supply in the grid when onshore wind and solar energy resources are low.

Vanadium hopeful TNG, which owns the Mt Peake vanadium development in the Northern Territory, has ramped up its commitment to the new green hydrogen sector.

TNG has built on a heads of agreement signed in June with Malaysias AGV Energy to announce a formal project development agreement to work on green hydrogen projects in Australia.

The joint venture would look for opportunities to roll out the HySustain electrolysis technology developed by AGV in northern Australia, with the companies having previously looked at incorporating vanadium redox flow batteries into AGVs proposed green hydrogen plants.

The execution of this Project Development Agreement with AGV Energy marks another exciting step towards the delivery of our green energy strategy, with a focus on evaluating specific opportunities to implement AGVs HySustain Technology within Australia, TNG managing director Paul Burton said.

We are impressed with AGVs sustainable solution for decarbonisation, which we believe can be a positive contributor to assist industries within Australia with the transition to carbon efficient operations and mitigation of climate change risks.

The momentum towards a hydrogen-based economy continues to grow in Australia, and we are looking forward to the opportunity to play a role in this exciting sector through our association with AGV Energy.

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Green Energy: Renewables sector and government find common ground on offshore energy bill - Stockhead