Monthly Archives: June 2021

Health & Safety: Did You Know That a Tan is Your Skin’s Way of Protection?

By Donna Mintz, Donna J Skincare

Being someone who, for most of her life, was in search of the perfect tan, and being old enough to remember the days before SPF even existed, learning what a tan really is kind of blew my mind. I can’t even wrap my brain around the damage that I’ve done to my skin that may show up in the next few years.

Using sunscreen can dramatically reduce your chances of skin cancer and protects your skin against the aging effects of the sun, especially when for your workers who are outdoors all day.

There are two different types of sunscreens, physical sunscreen and chemical sunscreen.

Physical sunscreen, a.k.a. mineral sunscreen, sits on top of the skin and reflects the sun’s rays. The minerals titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are the main active ingredients in these physical blocks. Physical sunscreen protects against UVA (aging rays) and UVB (burning rays) – see broad spectrum and SPF below – and starts its protection as soon as it is applied. Physical sunscreen is less irritating and better for sensitive skin, it’s more moisturizing to skin and may leave a whitish or tinted film on the skin depending on the brand.

Chemical sunscreen absorbs into the skin, absorbs the UV rays, converts them into heat, and releases it from the body. The active ingredients in chemical sunscreens include octinoxate and oxybenzone which have been shown to enter our bodies, pulling unhealthy chemicals with them and disrupting hormones. These 2 chemicals have also been tied to damaging coral reefs. Chemical sunscreen protects against UVA and UVB rays, needs time to absorb, and can be more water- and sweat-resistant than physical sunscreen, although it may be harsh for sensitive skin.

The sunscreen you choose should be broad spectrum. This means it will protect against both UVA and UVB, which is important as both can do damage. The proper sunscreen should be fragrance-free because the term “fragrance” or “parfum” is an umbrella term for chemicals, some of which can be toxic to the body.

Sun Protection Factor, a.k.a. SPF, is a measure of how well a sunscreen protects skin from UVB rays, a.k.a. burning rays, the ones that damage skin and contribute to skin cancer. SPF does not take into consideration UVA rays.

There is a basic equation that is used to figure out how much time you can spend in the sun with a certain SPF before you start to burn. This is especially important if you send employees for significant periods outdoors.

1. Take the time you would normally burn in the sun without protection, this is usually 15-20 minutes, less if you have fair skin.

2. Multiply this number by the SPF of your product to get a rough estimate of the minutes one can stay in the sun without burning.

For example, if you’re using an SPF of 15 multiply by the above number, 15 x 15 = 225 minutes or 3 3/4 hours that you can stay in the sun without burning.

Please note that this equation is not perfect because the amount of UV light that reaches us depends on a number of factors, including cloud cover, time of day, reflection of UV rays off the ground, water, sand, etc. (even snow and ice during the winter reflect UV rays), and if you have applied your sunscreen properly.

Yes, one often sees “if applied properly”. Believe it or not, most of us do not apply sunscreen properly, or often enough. Here are some tips to help you get this right and to pass on to staff.

1. Apply at least a shot glass full of sunscreen to ALL exposed areas. If using chemical sunscreen this should be done at least 15 minutes before going out in the sun.

2. Reapply every 2 hours for general use. If you are at the beach or working in the sun, reappling sunscreen is essential. Reapply even in the presence of water, snow, and sand. They reflect UV rays, increasing your chances of burning.

3. Use a lip balm with an SPF of 30.

4. Reapply sunscreen after swimming or sweating, water resistant doesn’t mean waterproof. No sunscreen is completely water resistant.

5. Don’t use expired sunscreen or sunscreen left in a hot car, it loses effectiveness.

6. If wearing sunscreen clothing, keep in mind you still need to apply at least a shot glass full of sunscreen as previously mentioned.

Now go out there and work or enjoy yourself in the sun, but reduce your risk and protect your beautiful skin!

Donna Mintz is the creator and owner of Donna J Skincare, an all-natural, anti-aging skincare company that believes your skincare should care for the health of your skin.

You can find Donna J Skincare at: www.DonnaJSkincare.com

US Govt Approves On-site Wave Energy Research

Renewable energy, of course, is growing in acceptance. Solar panels on people homes have become ubiquitous. Solar “farms” are growing in popularity as people and governments see this is a clean way to generate electricity from land that may not otherwise have commercial value. And now wind turbines are growing in popularity, as the source of power is a little bit more constant. An offshore wind project off the Massachusetts coast that would create 800 MW of electricity (enough to power 400,000 homes) was approved by the federal government. The Vineyard Wind project would be the first utility-scale wind power development in federal waters.

Other sources of clean energy exist and one form, which has worked experimentally, got a boost recently to see if it can create clean power “in the field”. Or rather, the water. It is ocean waves. Wave action, as anybody who has spent time on an ocean beach or sailing in the ocean, is relentless. Those constantly rocking waves, which brings nausea and other problems for some people, can also result in electricity generation. Given the large quantity of ocean and if harnessed properly, wave action may yield a significant yield of electricity. While solar and wind have issues (the sun is not always shining and wind speeds vary and often subside), wave action off most ocean coasts never stops.

On March 1, 2021, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission granted Oregon State University the first license in the US for an ocean wave energy testing facility. A cable will be installed to connect an offshore location with a testing facility and the local power grid. As many as 20 technologies will be installed and tested to determine their capability to and efficiency of producing electricity, as well as each one’s reliability over time, ability to scale up, reactions to changing conditions in the ocean and atmosphere, and any impacts each may have on the ocean, the fishing industry, and aquatic life.

The goal is to be able to narrow down the potential wave technologies and assess the most successful ones by 2023.

Of course, even if successful, wave technology has its limitations. Geographically, if operable, it can only serve the US coasts, as the costs of and losses through transmission of electricity to inland sections of the country are high. But if wave action can be a useful source of clean, cheap, reliable, and consistent electricity for large states like California, Oregon, Washington, New York, Massachusetts, Florida, New Jersey, and others, then it will be a benefit for all.

A related source of renewable power is tidal, the power of underwater tides to push turbines and make electricity. Here is an article about research being done in Scotland: https://slate.com/technology/2021/06/orbital-marine-power-scotland-ocean-energy.html

CCES has the experts to help your firm determine which source of renewable power can be best for your operations and to help make your operations more energy efficient to reduce your energy costs and to scale down a future needed system. Contact us today at karell@CCESworld.com or at 914-584-6720.

A Silent Source of Emissions We Pay For

Many of us are concerned about Climate Change and do whatever is reasonable to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. We buy more energy efficient lights and equipment. Perhaps we drive a little less (and walk more). We consider candidates who care about Climate Change.

However, there are many ways that we contribute to greenhouse gas emissions that we do not realize. Like all Americans, we buy things. Whether it is grocery shopping, some paint to spruce up the house, some toys for our granddaughter’s visit, and a few plants for the yard, each of these items probably got from the places they were made or grown to warehouses and to the stores by being transported by a heavy-duty truck. This is even more true today, as we buy from companies that deliver goods directly to your home.

According to Businessinsider.com, 70% of freight is carried by trucks in the US. Trucks dominate because they are fast, safe, and take goods right to where they need to go. But trucks are not fuel-efficient and thus, are heavy GHG emitters. According to the Energy Information Agency (EIA.gov), the average fuel efficiency of a heavy-duty truck is 6.6 miles per gallon of fuel, which is 27% worse than trucks achieved in 1950 (9.0 mpg)! Trucks, of course, burn a lot of diesel fuel; a truck may use as much fuel as about 50 new passenger cars.

According to The Truckers Report, fuel is the greatest cost for the truck owner, nearly 4 times higher, per mile travelled, than driver’s salary.

Thus, the Obama administration passed guidelines to raise minimum fuel standards for trucks to as high as 30 mpg for light trucks by the late 2020’s. The Trump administration rolled back those standards, with business support, as too expensive to consumers. But one can state that the lack of mileage standards are themselves very expensive for the American consumer. One estimate states that the average US household pays $1,100 per year to fuel heavy trucks and this does not include the indirect environmental costs (both Climate Change and direct toxic emissions from diesel fuel combustion).

The Biden administration is considering re-establishing mileage standards for passenger cars and an array of trucks.

Therefore, consumers and businesses would benefit from new truck efficiency standards, with freight costs dropping markedly. The Obama standards would have caused a reduction of 270 million tons of GHG emissions annually in the US, cut emissions of air toxics from fuel production and combustion, and reduced oil consumption by 1.4 million barrels a day, more than we currently export from Saudi Arabia.

Americans should examine silent operations that we pay for that contribute significantly to Climate Change and try to implement ways to reduce them (buy fewer products, only those most important) and lobby for fair rules to reduce their numbers and impact.

CCES has the technical experts to identify and estimate the emissions of greenhouse gas and toxic emissions from different applications, analyze the implications on cost and your business, and develop smart ways to reduce it. Contact us today at 914-584-6720 or at karell@CCESworld.com.

President Issues Executive Order On Climate-Related Financial Risk

On May 20, 2021, President Biden signed an Executive Order with a goal of increasing disclosure of climate-related financial risk in both the public and private sectors. As a result, disclosure and reporting obligations regarding climate-related risks will likely increase. The Order called for a comprehensive consideration of climate change-related financial risks, and how they should be communicated to the public and investors.

The Order directs federal policymakers to develop a strategy for identifying and disclosing climate-related financial risk to government programs, assets, and liabilities, including identifying public/private financing needed to reach economy-wide, net-zero emissions by 2050 to limit further temperature rise per the Paris Climate Agreement.

The Order also requires the Financial Stability Oversight Council to assess climate-related financial risk to the federal government and overall U.S. financial system. The Council is tasked with assessing the necessity of greater climate-related disclosure by certain entities to mitigate risk to the stability of the financial system and new regulations for identifying and mitigating such risks.

The Order directs the Dept of Labor to identify regulatory actions to assess the threats that climate risk may have to savings and pension plans. This includes reconsidering rules that prohibit investment firms from considering environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in investment decisions related to workers’ pensions.

The Order also requests recommendations for incorporating climate-related financial risk into federal management and reporting, including potential new accounting standards for reporting of such risks. The Order also requests changes to rules that would require that major federal suppliers publicly disclose GHG emissions and climate-related financial risk and set reduction targets. Similarly, lending and grant agencies like Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development, and Veterans Affairs are to consider integrating such risk assessment into their lending policies and programs.

The Order also requests the federal government develop regulatory standards for misleading advertising and claims about climate change and sustainability (“greenwashing”) that may result in enforcement actions.

After signing the Executive Order, President Biden included in his FY 2022 budget to Congress $44.0 million in new funding to the Dept of Justice “to advance environmental justice, tackle climate change, and enhance environmental stability.”

Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve has established two committees to evaluate climate-related financial risk, examining how climate change affects individual banks.

Please note that this is not a legal analysis of the Executive Order. Consult with qualified legal professionals before pursuing actions or policies concerning this Executive Order. CCES has the technical experts to help you determine your status concerning GHG emissions and sustainability. Contact us today at 914-584-6720 or at karell@CCESworld.com.

Climate Change Laws and Strategies in New York City

New Laws Are Taking Effect

Two laws pertaining to energy efficiency and climate change that were promulgated in 2019 are now sinking in and causing many buildings to change their ways. This could be a portend of things to come in other cities and nationally affecting many businesses.

Local Laws 133 and 95 assign energy grades to large buildings in NYC. These grades are based on Portfolio Manager ratings for which buildings are already required to upload total energy data annually. Buildings are required to post these grades in their front lobbies prominently. Like a restaurant with a grade based on cleanliness, these grades are based on energy usage per sq. ft. And NYC is a tough grader. Even buildings that would qualify for an Energy Star award from the USEPA could get only a B in the NYC system. Even being slightly above the median would give one a D. I have already gotten projects of buildings ashamed of their grades, looking for a better one.

Local Law 97 was promulgated in 2019. While it does not go into effect until 2024, it is beginning to shake up the NYC real estate world now. Initial studies show that buildings that are even in decent shape when it comes to energy efficiency are potentially liable for high annual fines (6 figures) and they only have 2½ years to implement upgrades to comply. Some upgrades may be major construction projects. Therefore, NYC buildings need to assess their energy usage, plan, and begin to implement very soon. Remember that a building’s total energy usage is assessed, even of your tenants who you may have no control over. Therefore, an understanding of their energy usage is critical.

Here are a couple of examples. I reviewed the historic energy usage and equipment of a subject, but relatively small, office building in a poor section of NYC. The temperature the day I visited was about 70⁰F, a pleasant day. Yet, the building’s boiler was on and radiators were hot to the touch. It was so hot in the tenant spaces that several were operating their air conditioners! Think of that: simultaneous heating and cooling when neither should be on (a beautiful day). And the building was full of T12 fluorescent tubes, the most inefficient tubes available. I plugged in their recent historic energy usage and calculated that if they used the same energy in 2024, they would pay a fine of $62,000 that year. This is a building with a lot of small, family-owned businesses; ownership cannot have a high revenue. A $62,000 annual fine would impact them greatly.

On the other end of the spectrum, I reviewed the historic energy usage and equipment of a subject, large office building in the financial district of NYC. Although they went through a major renovation of their heating system, they faced a $132,000 per year fine if their current energy usage continued in 2024. We developed several potential strategies, ranging from modest to robust in impacts. The property manager was wise enough to realize that just meeting their limit was not sufficient. They had to go well below it. What if there is a very severe winter or summer in 2024 and they have to give more heat or cooling that year than in the base year? They realized they had to give themselves a buffer to take into account an unpredictably severe season and are working to install smart strategies to get well under the limit.

NYC PACE Financing

The NYC PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) Financing Program has finally released its program guidelines and is beginning to take shape. The program was officially approved in New York City on June 16. This is critical as building owners need to work toward complying with Local Law 97 soon, requiring large capital expenditures for which affordable financing is critical. The NYC PACE Program will provide building owners with low-interest (usually around 6%), long-term (usually 20-30 year) financing for energy efficiency retrofits and renewable energy projects resulting from professional energy audit study recommendations. PACE financing will also result in significant mortgage tax savings.

In summary, new NYC laws are mandating many buildings upgrade their energy usage and equipment to be more efficient, burn cleaner fuels, and consider renewable energy sources with the threat of major fines and embarrassing grades which could affect rentability and asset value for not meeting standards. Yet the tools are coming into place to pinpoint the problems of energy waste, determine smart solutions, and financing to allow implementation sooner, rather than later to avoid Local Law 97 fines.

CCES has the technical expertise to determine your Local Law 97 compliance status and potential fine for non-compliance in 2024. If you provide CCES with complete, concise full-year energy usage, CCES can tell you your LL 97 status FREE of charge. CCES also performs energy audits and project management to provide you the information about numerous smart strategies to comply with LL 97 and improve your energy grade and to implement the strategies most effectively. Contact us today at 914-584-6720 or at karell@CCESworld.com.