Category Archives: Sustainability

Covid puts workers at risk of modern slavery

Modern slavery is not like the kind we know from the colonial era. Instead, people have no permanent jobs or benefits, and there are no rules controlling their employment relations; or perhaps there are not even jobs to be found. Society for most becomes anarchy, nations of refugees with nowhere to be, nothing to do.

According to this report, quite a few countries, mostly in the far east, are moving into a high risk category because of layoffs and dislocations due to the virus. In a sense, though it is happening everywhere, even in the US. People can’t find jobs, and it’s likely to continue long after the virus passes out of daily consciousness, as companies figure out how to do more with less. We will be converted to nations of gig workers with fewer and fewer gigs.

By Alex Lennane 04/09/2020

Link to article: https://theloadstar.com/warning-to-firms-as-covid-puts-more-and-more-workers-at-risk-of-modern-slavery/

Commentary: What makes Alaska’s oil industry unique?

This article showcases the difficulties of arctic oil production andlogistics. It is a very nice summary of the most important long term issues.

Of course there are many others, on the sustainability side, like devastation of the tundra habitat, and melting of the permafrost, which might have an effect on global climate. But the more direct impacts noted here show that it’s a tenuous business that only persists because people still need so much oil.

Article Link: https://www.freightwaves.com/news/commentary-what-makes-alaskas-oil-industry-unique

 Darren Prokop Monday, August 31, 2020

LA and Long Beach ports could learn from Mister Rogers

Cooperation seems to go out the window in tough times. But California’s ports have a long history of cooperation on clean air. I hope they will resolve differences soon and putthis behind us.

A reduction in the clean air fee per TEU for zero emission trucks is a good idea. Let’s hope it is enacted soon, and that electric trucks start being used at the ports.

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/la-and-long-beach-ports-could-learn-from-mister-rogers

Kim Link-Wills, Senior EditorWednesday, August 26, 2020