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In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):

  • Walmart’s maritime shipping caused more pollution in 2019 than a coal-fired plant emits annually.
  • A solar company sues the Department of the Interior over offshore wind farm approval.
  • UnderstandSolar is a free service that links you to top-rated solar installers in your region for personalized solar estimates. Tesla now offers price matching, so it’s important to shop for the best quotes. Click here to learn more and get your quotes. — *ad.

The big 15 shipping polluters

As the result of using fossil-fueled ships to import their goods into the US, just 15 retailers emitted as much shipping pollution as the equivalent of 1.5 million US homes, according to a study released today from environmental organizations Pacific Environment and Stand.earth.

Shady Ships: Retail Giants Pollute Communities and Climate with Fossil-Fueled Ocean Shipping is the first study to quantify the environmental and public health impacts from some of the largest US retailers’ reliance on overseas manufacturing and fossil-fueled transoceanic shipping. 

By cross-referencing a comprehensive set of cargo manifests – that is, consolidated lists of all the cargo that is on board a cargo vessel – with a dataset on individual ship emissions, researchers were able to estimate the pollution associated with each unit of cargo on discrete shipping routes and, for the first time, assign those emissions to retail companies.

More than 50,000 merchant ships currently carry around 80% of global trade each year, and ocean-going cargo volumes are projected to grow by as much as 130% by 2050. Every merchant ship currently in operation runs on fossil fuels. 

The top 15 polluters ranked, with No. 1 being the worst, are:

  1. Walmart
  2. Ashley Furniture
  3. Target
  4. Dole
  5. Home Depot
  6. Chiquita
  7. Ikea
  8. Amazon
  9. Samsung
  10. Nike
  11. LG
  12. Redbull
  13. Family Dollar
  14. Williams-Sonoma
  15. Lowes

For example, the report states, No. 3 Target’s “dirty shipping produced more CO2 than the entire CO2 output of all 20 of the world’s smallest countries most vulnerable to climate change.”

Electrek’s Take: It’s not enough to set a net zero target for just your own company, as many of the above companies have. Supply chain emissions – and especially maritime shipping emissions – also have to be acknowledged and addressed. Shipping emits over 1 billion tonnes a year of CO2, and it’s growing.

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Solar vs. wind

Well, this is an interesting twist in the clean energy sector. Solar company Allco Renewable Energy is suing the US Department of the Interior over the Vineyard Wind offshore wind farm, off Massachusetts. Allco alleges that Vineyard Wind threatens the fishing industry and the fish. The lawsuit was filed Sunday in federal court. The lawsuit states:

This case challenges the approval of the proposed Vineyard Wind Project by the Defendants. It asks the Court to set aside those approvals as violating the National Environmental Policy Act, the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, section 404 of the Clean Water Act, and section 101 of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and the Defendants’ rules and regulations, and to ensure that federal review of the proposed project complies with the law.

Allco also specifically argues that no offshore wind farm can survive a Category 3 or greater Atlantic hurricane, so the company says that could jeopardize endangered sea turtles and the Right Whale (and thus the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act).

Electrek’s Take: To state the obvious, Allco is a competitor of Vineyard Wind in the clean energy sector. Hmmmm. There is definitely no ulterior motive here. And you know what will threaten marine life and the fishing industry even more than this offshore wind farm? Global warming. In fact, offshore wind farms can benefit sea life, if planned thoughtfully. We need both offshore and onshore wind and solar. Give us a break, Allco.

Read more: Maine governor permanently bans offshore wind in state waters


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Kelly Osbourne pays tribute to ‘best friend’ Ozzy – in first comments since his death

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Kelly Osbourne pays tribute to 'best friend' Ozzy - in first comments since his death

Kelly Osbourne has commented on the death of her father Ozzy Osbourne for the first time since he died on Tuesday.

The figurehead of heavy metal died aged 76, just a few weeks after performing a huge farewell show with his Black Sabbath bandmates in Birmingham, where the band was formed in 1968.

After the show, Kelly got engaged to her longtime partner and musician Sid Wilson, of the band Slipknot, after he got down on one knee backstage.

After the frontman passed away on Tuesday, the Osbourne family released a joint statement that read: “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love.”

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The life of Ozzy Osbourne

In her first comments since losing her father, Kelly wrote on Instagram: “I feel unhappy I am so sad. I lost the best friend I ever had,” followed by a broken heart emoji.

She was quoting lyrics from the 1972 Black Sabbath song Changes.

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More on Ozzy Osbourne

The father and daughter were famously close, appearing on The Osbournes reality TV show together and covering the song Changes as a duet in 2003.

“That song stands for so much in our family and to me and Dad,” Kelly said on the TV show Ozzy & Jack’s World Detour, starring her brother, Jack.

“It was not only both of our first number one [single] in the UK, it represented a time in my life and a time in Dad’s life, it represented our relationship and how much we loved each other.”

Black Sabbath are widely credited with having invented heavy metal, but the piano ballad Changes widely deviated from their usual guitar and drum-heavy style.

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Coldplay dedicates Nashville concert to Ozzy Osbourne

The band Coldplay also used the song to pay tribute to Ozzy this week, playing a stripped back, short version of Changes in a show in Nashville, Tennessee.

After the song, frontman Chris Martin said: “Ozzy, we love you, wherever you’re going.”

Read more from Sky News:
Oasis photographers remember the early days: ‘The journalist had to take a week off afterwards!’
Another resignation as fallout from viral Coldplay concert video deepens

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Riverdance star Michael Flatley to make bid for Irish presidency, court hears

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Riverdance star Michael Flatley to make bid for Irish presidency, court hears

Riverdance star Michael Flatley is hoping to become Ireland’s next president, a court has heard.

The revelation came out in a legal case over work done on his mansion in County Cork, the Castlehyde.

Barrister Ronnie Hudson said there had been a “material change in circumstances” for Flatley and he’s set to move back to Ireland in the next two weeks in the hope of running in autumn’s election.

A legal statement signed by the star’s solicitor, Maxwell Mooney, was also submitted to the High Court stating Flatley would “seek nominations to run for president of Ireland”.

Flatley rose to fame when Riverdance, which features traditional Irish music and dance, became a phenomenon in the 1990s and went on to tour the world. It continues to be performed today.

The choreographer and dancer also created and starred in Lord Of The Dance.

The 67-year-old – who currently lives in Monaco – strongly hinted at a presidential bid last week, but said he hadn’t made a final decision.

More on Ireland

He told a radio interview he didn’t think the Irish people had a “true proper deep voice that speaks their language”.

Flatley said the “average person on the street” is unhappy with the status quo and “somebody has to speak for the Irish people”.

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The role of president in Ireland is largely ceremonial and is currently held by Michael D Higgins, whose term ends on 11 November.

The election is expected to take place at the end of October.

A candidate needs nominations from at least 20 members of the Irish parliament or at least four local authorities.

Those who’ve already met the criteria are former farming journalist and EU commissioner Mairead McGuinness, and former Galway mayor Catherine Connolly.

Former MMA fighter Conor McGregor is among others who have also hinted they might run – although the prospect was universally rejected by other politicians in Ireland.

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Jeff Stewart: Actor who played Reg Hollis in The Bill helps police arrest shoplifter

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Jeff Stewart: Actor who played Reg Hollis in The Bill helps police arrest shoplifter

The actor who played PC Reg Hollis in hit TV series The Bill has been praised by officers after helping them arrest a shoplifter.

Jeff Stewart stepped in when a thief attempted to escape on a bicycle in Southampton on Wednesday.

In a statement, a Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said: “The thief, 29-year-old Mohamed Diallo, fell off the bike during his attempts to flee, before officers pounced to make their arrest.

“To their surprise, local TV legend Jeff Stewart, who played PC Hollis for 24 years in The Bill, came to their aid by sitting on the suspect’s legs while officers put him in cuffs.

The Bill actors, from left to right; Jeff Stewart, Roberta Taylor, Mark Wingett, Trudie Goodwin and Cyril Nri
Image:
(L-R) Jeff Stewart, Roberta Taylor, Mark Wingett, Trudie Goodwin and Cyril Nri celebrating The Bill’s 21st anniversary in 2004. Pic: PA

“In policing you should always expect the unexpected, but this really wasn’t on The Bill for this week.”

The Bill was broadcast on ITV between 1984 and 2010 and featured the fictional lives of police officers from the Sun Hill police station in east London.

Mr Stewart, who was among the original cast, appeared in more than 1,000 episodes as PC Hollis.

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Still of police footage of actor Jeff Stewart who played PC Reg Hollis in The Bill helping arrest a shoplifter in Southampton
Image:
Police released footage showing their pursuit of a shoplifter in Southampton. Pic: Hampshire Constabulary

Still of police footage of actor Jeff Stewart who played PC Reg Hollis in The Bill helping arrest a shoplifter in Southampton
Image:
As the suspect falls to the floor, PC Hollis (aka Jeff Stewart) sits on his legs. Pic: Hampshire Constabulary

In praising Mr Stewart’s actions, the force said: “Long since retired from Sun Hill station – but he’s still got it.”

Police from the Bargate Neighbourhoods Policing Team were alerted by staff at a Co-op store in Ocean Way to a suspected shoplifter on Wednesday.

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Mohamed Diallo, 29, of Anglesea Road, Southampton, was subsequently charged with five offences of theft relating to coffee, alcohol and food from the Co-op and two other Sainsbury’s stores on three dates in April and July.

He pleaded guilty at Southampton Magistrates’ Court on Thursday and was bailed to be sentenced on August 29.

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