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The Mind & Life Institute To Host a Conversation On The Crisis Of Climate Feedback Loops With His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama And Greta Thunberg, Along With Leading Scientists, To Discuss Steps For Combating Climate Change

The Free Livestreamed Event Will Take Place on January 9, 2021 at 10:30pm EST

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Dec. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Today, the Mind & Life Institute announced a special conversation with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, climate activist Greta Thunberg, and leading scientists from the Woodwell Climate Research Center, on the crisis of climate feedback loops and steps for addressing this urgent set of challenges. The event will livestream for FREE on January 9, 2021 at 10:30 p.m. EST (January 10, 2021, 9:00 a.m. IST) on Mind & Life’s website and Facebook as well as on the Dalai Lama’s website and Facebook.

From the destruction of forests to the thawing of permafrost, the effects of human-induced climate change have set into motion self-perpetuating feedback loops that are accelerating global warming. What can be done to slow down this threat before it’s too late?

Moderated by Diana Chapman Walsh, President emerita Wellesley College, the discussion will be grounded in a new series of educational films, «Climate Emergency: Feedback Loops,» narrated by actor Richard Gere. Contributing their expertise to the conversation will be leading scientists representing the Woodwell Climate Research Center, including Susan Natali, Arctic Program Director, and visiting scientist William Moomaw, Professor Emeritus of International Environmental Policy at Tufts University and lead author of several reports for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.

«This unique intergenerational dialogue will raise awareness of climate feedback loops, a critical yet not widely understood phenomenon, by bringing together three essential perspectives—science, contemplative wisdom, and social action,» said Mind & Life President Susan Bauer-Wu. «All three perspectives are necessary: science reveals new understanding of the problem and solutions, contemplative wisdom lifts up a moral and inspirational message in service of our common humanity, and social action is crucial to influencing public policies and personal behaviors.»

The Dalai Lama speaks to the urgent need for climate action in his new book, Our Only Home: A Climate Appeal to the World, in which he praises Greta Thunberg and other young climate activists for their determination to bring about positive change.

The livestream event will aim to highlight recent scientific findings from Woodwell Climate, the ethical imperative of taking action, and what we can do collectively to slow, halt, and even reverse the devastating impact of climate feedback loops.

For more information, and to R.S.V.P. in advance to receive additional updates and a tune-in reminder, please visit: https://www.mindandlife.org/event/the-dalai-lama-with-greta-thunberg-and-leading-scientists-a-conversation-on-the-crisis-of-climate-feedback-loops/

Following the event, the Mind & Life Institute will continue to explore the climate crisis and the human-earth relationship at its virtual 2021 Summer Research Institute, to be held online June 6-12, 2021. Applications are now open.

ABOUT THE MIND & LIFE INSTITUTE:
At the Mind & Life Institute, we bridge science and contemplative wisdom to better understand the mind and create positive change in the world. Our grantmaking, convenings, and digital education programs fall into three main focus areas: nurturing personal well-being, building compassionate communities, and strengthening the human-earth connection. Ultimately, we seek to spark a global transformation toward a society where we embrace our shared humanity. Learn more at: www.mindandlife.org

ABOUT WOODWELL CLIMATE RESEARCH CENTER:
Woodwell Climate Research Center is an organization of renowned researchers who work with a worldwide network of partners to understand and combat climate change. We bring together hands-on experience and 35 years of policy impact to find societal-scale solutions that can be put into immediate action. Learn more at www.woodwellclimate.org or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Media Contact: mindandlife@sunshinesachs.com

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SOURCE Mind & Life Institute

Indian Energy Honored as 2020 Native American Business of the Year

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Indian Energy LLC was honored by Native Business as the inaugural recipient of the <a target="_blank"…

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Indian Energy LLC was honored by Native Business as the inaugural recipient of the Native Business of the Year Award. The award was presented at the recent Native Business Virtual Summit. The awards program celebrated Native American-owned companies and entrepreneurs who demonstrate courage, innovation and commitment to economic self-sufficiency and prosperity.

«Indian Energy is demonstrating innovation in the energy sector at an unprecedented scale by creating energy storage and microgrid solutions for Tribal Nations and Department of Defense clients, and ultimately playing a vital role in advancing the U.S.’s energy sovereignty,» said Cherokee Nation’s Gary Davis, the founder, publisher and CEO of Native Business.

«I am delighted — and grateful — to see Indian Energy viewed as an influential and change-making Native business within North America’s exceptional tribal community,» said Allen G. Cadreau, the Company’s CEO. «We are honored to be recognized by Native Business, an organization whose mission includes the advancement of Native American business and economic development. Through hard work and innovation, Indian Country’s talented entrepreneurs have long been advancing, delivering and achieving across all industries, and we hope this honor for our company will further promote and inspire the ongoing development and acknowledgment of the tribal community.»

Indian Energy, a 100% Native American-owned utility-scale microgrid development and systems integration firm, was developed in response to an overwhelming desire for sustainable energy independence among our tribal nations. Founded in 2009 from the wish of a handful of Tribal Nations to pursue a utility-scale power plant, the company, aptly nicknamed «two guys and a dog,» grew into an advanced renewable energy development firm. Since this humble beginning, Indian Energy’s mission has been to empower Tribal communities with the technical support needed to own and operate energy infrastructure that serves their own citizens. Now certified as a Small Business Enterprise (SBE) and a Minority-owned Business Enterprise (MBE), Indian Energy is rapidly expanding to develop projects and sell renewable energy to military organizations and off-reservation communities in the Southern California region.

The Native Business Virtual Summit presented five awards to recognize businesses and individuals who rose above challenge and circumstance in an extraordinary year. Indian Energy was joined by 2020 Native Business Award honorees Mark N. Fox, chairman of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation (MHA Nation), and Cedric Cromwell, chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe who jointly won the Tribal Sovereignty Champion of the Year Award; JC Seneca, founder of Tallchief Hemp, Native Pride Travel Plaza and Six Nations Manufacturing, who was presented with the Entrepreneur of the Year Award; Chuck Garrett, CEO of Cherokee Nation Businesses, who received the Tribal Enterprise of the Year Award; and Clara Lee Pratte, CEO of Strongbow Strategies, who was honored with the Native Disruptor of the Year Award.

About Indian Energy, LLC
Indian Energy, LLC, is a privately held microgrid developer and systems integrator, specializing in developing large-scale advanced energy resiliency solutions for the Department of Defense, Community Choice Aggregators and Tribal Utility Authorities. The company was founded in 2009 and is certified as a Small Business Enterprise and a Minority-owned Business Enterprise. Indian Energy is 100% Native American Indian-owned and -operated, with offices in Anaheim Hills and San Diego, California, as well as in Baja Norte California, Mexico. The company has 4 GW of solar photovoltaic and wind and 6 GWh of energy storage under development. More information is available on the Indian Energy website, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Additionally, Indian Energy has partnered with the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians to create Chippewa Sustainable Solutions, Inc (CSS), which has been approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration for participation in the 8(a) Business Development Program. The co-owned company provides energy resiliency and energy security solutions to the United States Government and its Agencies thru the very unique and powerful direct award capabilities of the 8(a) Program.

Contact:
Kara Schmiemann-McCoy / Melinda Hepp
Studio PR
570-441-4793 / 415-717-4624
kara@studiopr.com / melinda@studiopr.com

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SOURCE Indian Energy LLC

S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Index Shows Annual Home Price Gains Remained Strong In October

NEW YORK, Dec. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — S&P Dow Jones Indices today released the latest results for the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices, the leading measure of U.S. home prices. Data released today for October 2020 show that home prices continue to increase across the U.S. More than 27 years of history are available for these data series, and can be accessed in full by going to <a target="_blank"…

Please note that transaction records for September 2020 for Wayne County, MI are now available. Due to delays at the local recording office caused by the COVID-19 lockdown, S&P Dow Jones Indices and CoreLogic were previously unable to generate a valid September 2020 update of the Detroit S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller indices.

However, there are not a sufficient number of records for the month of October for Detroit. Since Wayne is the most populous county in the Detroit metro area, S&P Dow Jones Indices and CoreLogic are unable to generate a valid Detroit index value for the December release. When the sale transactions data fully resume and sufficient data are collected, the Detroit index values for the month(s) with missing updates will be calculated.

YEAR-OVER-YEAR

The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index, covering all nine U.S. census divisions, reported an 8.4% annual gain in October, up from 7.0% in the previous month. The 10-City Composite annual increase came in at 7.5%, up from 6.2% in the previous month. The 20-City Composite posted a 7.9% year-over-year gain, up from 6.6% in the previous month.

Phoenix, Seattle and San Diego continued to report the highest year-over-year gains among the 19 cities (excluding Detroit) in October. Phoenix led the way with a 12.7% year-over-year price increase, followed by Seattle with an 11.7% increase and San Diego with an 11.6% increase. All 19 cities reported higher price increases in the year ending October 2020 versus the year ending September 2020.

MONTH-OVER-MONTH

The National Index posted a 1.4% month-over-month increase, while the 10-City and 20-City Composites both posted increases of 1.4% and 1.3% respectively, before seasonal adjustment in October. After seasonal adjustment, the National Index posted a month-over-month increase of 1.7%, while the 10-City and 20-City Composites both posted increases of 1.6%. In October, all 19 cities (excluding Detroit) reported increases before and after seasonal adjustment.

ANALYSIS

«The surprising strength we noted in last month’s report continued into October’s home price data,» says Craig J. Lazzara, Managing Director and Global Head of Index Investment Strategy at S&P Dow Jones Indices. «The National Composite Index gained 8.4% relative to its level a year ago, accelerating from September’s 7.0% increase. The 10- and 20-City Composites (up 7.5% and 7.9%, respectively) also rose more rapidly in October than they had done in September. The housing market’s strength was once again broadly-based: all 19 cities for which we have October data rose, and all 19 gained more in the 12 months ended in October than they had gained in the 12 months ended in September.

«We’ve noted before that a trend of accelerating increases in the National Composite Index began in August 2019 but was interrupted in May and June, as COVID-related restrictions produced modestly-decelerating price gains. Since June, our monthly readings have shown accelerating growth in home prices, and October’s results emphatically emphasize that trend. The last time that the National Composite matched this month’s 8.4% growth rate was more than six and a half years ago, in March 2014. Although the full history of the pandemic’s impact on housing prices is yet to be written, the data from the last several months are consistent with the view that COVID has encouraged potential buyers to move from urban apartments to suburban homes. We’ll continue to monitor what the data can tell us about this question.

«Phoenix’s 12.7% increase led all cities for the 17^th consecutive month. Seattle (11.7%) and San Diego (11.6%) repeated in second and third place. Prices were strongest in the West and Southwest regions, but even the comparatively weak Midwest and Northeast (up 7.7% and 7.9% respectively) performed creditably well.»

SUPPORTING DATA

Table 1 below shows the housing boom/bust peaks and troughs for the three composites along with the current levels and percentage changes from the peaks and troughs.

	2006 Peak		2012 Trough			Current
Index	Level	Date	Level	Date	From Peak (%)	Level	From Trough (%)	From Peak (%)
National	184.61	Jul-06	134.00	Feb-12	-27.4%	229.93	71.6%	24.5%
20-City	206.52	Jul-06	134.07	Mar-12	-35.1%	235.77	75.9%	14.2%
10-City	226.29	Jun-06	146.45	Mar-12	-35.3%	248.58	69.7%	9.9%

Table 2 below summarizes the results for October 2020. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices are revised for the prior 24 months, based on the receipt of additional source data.

	October 2020	October/September	September/August	1-Year
Metropolitan Area	Level	Change (%)	Change (%)	Change (%)
Atlanta	165.24	1.2%	1.0%	6.8%
Boston	244.76	1.5%	1.6%	9.4%
Charlotte	180.93	1.3%	1.2%	8.6%
Chicago	153.88	1.0%	1.3%	6.3%
Cleveland	139.83	1.2%	1.2%	9.5%
Dallas	205.50	1.4%	0.9%	6.5%
Denver	238.85	0.9%	0.6%	7.0%
Detroit	—	—	0.9%	—
Las Vegas	206.78	0.8%	0.8%	6.4%
Los Angeles	312.49	1.1%	1.3%	8.4%
Miami	263.20	1.4%	1.1%	6.8%
Minneapolis	194.81	1.1%	1.0%	7.8%
New York	215.09	1.9%	1.5%	6.0%
Phoenix	222.80	1.7%	1.9%	12.7%
Portland	261.33	0.7%	1.4%	8.9%
San Diego	292.85	1.7%	1.8%	11.6%
San Francisco	286.45	0.9%	1.3%	7.7%
Seattle	283.41	1.1%	1.2%	11.7%
Tampa	242.67	1.6%	1.3%	8.6%
Washington	253.47	1.3%	1.0%	8.2%
Composite-10	248.58	1.4%	1.3%	7.5%
Composite-20	235.77	1.3%	1.3%	7.9%
U.S. National	229.93	1.4%	1.2%	8.4%
Sources: S&P Dow Jones Indices and CoreLogic
Data through October 2020

Table 3 below shows a summary of the monthly changes using the seasonally adjusted (SA) and non-seasonally adjusted (NSA) data. Since its launch in early 2006, the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices have published, and the markets have followed and reported on, the non-seasonally adjusted data set used in the headline indices. For analytical purposes, S&P Dow Jones Indices publishes a seasonally adjusted data set covered in the headline indices, as well as for the 17 of 20 markets with tiered price indices and the five condo markets that are tracked.

	October/September Change (%)		September/August Change (%)
Metropolitan Area	NSA	SA	NSA	SA
Atlanta	1.2%	1.4%	1.0%	1.3%
Boston	1.5%	1.9%	1.6%	1.8%
Charlotte	1.3%	1.5%	1.2%	1.3%
Chicago	1.0%	1.6%	1.3%	1.7%
Cleveland	1.2%	1.9%	1.2%	1.1%
Dallas	1.4%	1.5%	0.9%	1.1%
Denver	0.9%	1.4%	0.6%	1.0%
Detroit	—	—	0.9%	1.2%
Las Vegas	0.8%	1.1%	0.8%	0.9%
Los Angeles	1.1%	1.3%	1.3%	1.5%
Miami	1.4%	1.6%	1.1%	1.1%
Minneapolis	1.1%	1.5%	1.0%	1.3%
New York	1.9%	1.8%	1.5%	1.4%
Phoenix	1.7%	1.7%	1.9%	2.0%
Portland	0.7%	1.4%	1.4%	1.6%
San Diego	1.7%	2.2%	1.8%	2.0%
San Francisco	0.9%	1.3%	1.3%	1.6%
Seattle	1.1%	2.1%	1.2%	2.2%
Tampa	1.6%	1.6%	1.3%	1.2%
Washington	1.3%	1.5%	1.0%	1.5%
Composite-10	1.4%	1.6%	1.3%	1.4%
Composite-20	1.3%	1.6%	1.3%	1.4%
U.S. National	1.4%	1.7%	1.2%	1.4%
Sources: S&P Dow Jones Indices and CoreLogic
Data through October 2020

For more information about S&P Dow Jones Indices, please visit https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/.

ABOUT S&P DOW JONES INDICES

S&P Dow Jones Indices is the largest global resource for essential index-based concepts, data and research, and home to iconic financial market indicators, such as the S&P 500^® and the Dow Jones Industrial Average^®. More assets are invested in products based on our indices than products based on indices from any other provider in the world. Since Charles Dow invented the first index in 1884, S&P DJI has been innovating and developing indices across the spectrum of asset classes helping to define the way investors measure and trade the markets.

S&P Dow Jones Indices is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI), which provides essential intelligence for individuals, companies, and governments to make decisions with confidence. For more information, visit https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

April Kabahar
Global Head of Communications
New York, USA
(+1) 212 438 7530
april.kabahar@spglobal.com

Raymond McConville
Communications Manager
New York, USA
(+1) 212 438 1678
raymond.mcconville@spglobal.com

S&P Dow Jones Indices’ interactive blog, IndexologyBlog.com, delivers real-time commentary and analysis from industry experts across S&P Global on a wide-range of topics impacting residential home prices, homebuilding and mortgage financing in the United States. Readers and viewers can visit the blog at www.indexologyblog.com, where feedback and commentary are welcomed and encouraged.

The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices are published on the last Tuesday of each month at 9:00 am ET. They are constructed to accurately track the price path of typical single-family homes located in each metropolitan area provided. Each index combines matched price pairs for thousands of individual houses from the available universe of arms-length sales data. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index tracks the value of single-family housing within the United States. The index is a composite of single-family home price indices for the nine U.S. Census divisions and is calculated quarterly. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller 10-City Composite Home Price Index is a value-weighted average of the 10 original metro area indices. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller 20-City Composite Home Price Index is a value-weighted average of the 20 metro area indices. The indices have a base value of 100 in January 2000; thus, for example, a current index value of 150 translates to a 50% appreciation rate since January 2000 for a typical home located within the subject market.

These indices are generated and published under agreements between S&P Dow Jones Indices and CoreLogic, Inc.

The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices are produced by CoreLogic, Inc. In addition to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices, CoreLogic also offers home price index sets covering thousands of zip codes, counties, metro areas, and state markets. The indices, published by S&P Dow Jones Indices, represent just a small subset of the broader data available through CoreLogic.

Case-Shiller^® and CoreLogic^® are trademarks of CoreLogic Case-Shiller, LLC or its affiliates or subsidiaries («CoreLogic») and have been licensed for use by S&P Dow Jones Indices. None of the financial products based on indices produced by CoreLogic or its predecessors in interest are sponsored, sold, or promoted by CoreLogic, and neither CoreLogic nor any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, or predecessors in interest makes any representation regarding the advisability of investing in such products.

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SOURCE S&P Dow Jones Indices

EDF, one of the world’s largest electricity companies, expresses confidence in Augwind’s AirBattery storage technology

YAKUM, Israel, Dec. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Augwind (TASE: AUGN) today announces that it has signed an MOU with EDF Renewables Israel Ltd., a subsidiary of the global EDF conglomerate. Under the terms of the agreement, Augwind and EDF will work together to build and operate a 5 MW photovoltaic power plant integrated with a 20 MWh Augwind’s storage system – AirBattery. The project will be built as a pioneering facility with a…

Or Yogev, CEO and Founder of Augwind, said:

«Augwind aims for global expansion and a significant presence in the storage market through its groundbreaking technology. The agreement we are signing today is an expression of confidence by one of the world’s largest market leaders in energy and is yet another keystone in Augwind’s strategic plan for global expansion and for becoming a leading supplier in the energy storage market worldwide.

«Within a matter of weeks, Augwind has expanded its circle of partners for installation of the AirBattery energy storage system and is poised to continue the momentum of development into 2021.

«The MOU we have signed is significant milestone both at the global and the local levels – EDF Renewables Israel is a major leader in development and operation of renewable energy assets in the local market since its early days a decade ago. The company own hundreds megawatts of operating solar plants and develops dozens of additional projects the be built in the coming years.»

EDF Renewables Israel is a subsidiary of the global EDF conglomerate, the third largest electricity company in the world, with extensive global activity in energy in general, and renewable energy in particular.

Augwind and EDF have agreed to hold the project in equal shares, with EDF being responsible for first securing the land of the project and later for the construction and operation of the photovoltaic facility. Augwind will act as the storage supplier and lead all aspects of engineering, construction, operation and maintenance of the system.

Augwind estimates that the pioneering facility will be completed within 12-24 months from the date the conditions precedent are met.

About EDF

EDF Group is a French multinational government-held company, headquartered in Paris. EDF is the third largest electricity producer in the world. The company specializes in initiating a variety of energy projects from conventional and renewable sources, including energy generation, distribution, planning, construction and trading.

In 2019, the company reported revenues of €71.3 billion. The French conglomerate operates a diverse portfolio of more than 137 gigawatts of power generation plants and active on five continents.

EDF Renewables Israel is a subsidiary of EDF Renouvelables, which has been active in Israel since 2010 and own about 320 MW of renewable energy assets.

Contact:
Tamir Vieman
tamir@aug-wind.com

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SOURCE Augwind

Stratus Building Solutions CEO Joins with IFA to Promote Diversity in Franchising

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Afshin Cangarlu, CEO of Stratus Building Solutions, the nation’s leading green commercial cleaning franchise, is actively working with the International Franchise Association to promote diversity in franchising and is…

Cangarlu is a member of the IFA’s Diversity Institute Board of Directors which is made up of influential players in the franchise community. The Diversity Institute’s mission, on behalf of the IFA, is to make franchising the most diverse sector of the US Economy by 2030.

«I really love the franchising community and I think we can be leaders in advancing diversity over the next decade,» said Cangarlu.

In 1980, at age 13 as an immigrant, Cangarlu came to the United States with his family. He eventually went on to build an executive career in the technology and software development at DreamWorks and Quovadx, which afforded him the ability to start his own business.

He joined Stratus Building Solutions as a Master Franchisee in 2008, and eventually rose to become the company’s CEO in 2015.

«I am someone who has truly benefited from the American dream and that’s why I am so passionate about diversity,» said Cangarlu. «We need to do what we can to make these kinds of opportunities available to everyone, not just a select few.»

«At the IFA Foundation our volunteer leaders are the heart of our initiatives,» said Earsa Jackson, Diversity Institute Chairwoman. «From his first day in service to the Diversity Institute Board, Afshin has been a meaningful contributor to our work supporting diversity and inclusion in franchising and raising awareness of the positive impacts of the franchise business model. We cannot thank Afshin enough for his continued service to minority communities within franchising.»

The IFA Foundation’s Diversity Institute works to provide outreach and education about the benefits of franchising to those in minority communities. There is already a good foundation in franchising as 30 percent of all franchised businesses are owned by minorities compared with 18 percent of non-franchised businesses.

About Stratus Building Solutions
Stratus Building Solutions is an international franchise company in the commercial cleaning industry, founded in 2006 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California. Stratus was developed to provide environmentally-friendly commercial cleaning services driven by dedicated, entrepreneurial, small-business owners and regional support offices. Stratus has over 2,000 unit-franchisees in 57 major cities across the United States and Canada. Stratus is setting new standards in the building services and maintenance franchise industry by being the first to offer green janitorial products with their proprietary, Green Seal Certified line of cleaning chemicals. To learn more about franchising opportunities, visit https://www.stratusclean.com/.

Media Contact

Graham Chapman, Stratus Building Solutions, 919-459-8157, gchapman@stratusclean.com

Rachel Frazier, Stratus Building Solutions, 888-981-1555, rfrazier@stratusclean.com

SOURCE Stratus Building Solutions

Gediminas Ziemelis, Founder and Chairman of Avia Solutions Group: 2020 wrap up – $118.5 billion in aviation industry losses and the eager wait for salvation

LIMASSOL, Cyprus, Dec. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — 2020 was supposed to be great for the aviation industry – adoption of new technologies, AI integration, and focus on sustainability seemed to make 2020 the year of development, improvement and growth. The year’s strong start raised our hopes up that it would be truly memorable.

<a…

In the early spring, Covid-19 panic led countries to close borders and ground thousands of airplanes in an attempt to stop the virus from spreading globally. Unfortunately, even closed borders had little to no effect on stopping the spread of this resilient disease. Yet, thanks to that, economies plummeted; thousands of people’s lives were left at stake.

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), only one in every 27 million air passengers gets COVID-19. The risk of disease transmission on board is reduced to a minimum by a number of factors: modern aircraft airflow systems, High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters, and high rates of air exchange efficiency. While governments blamed air travel on the spread, health care experts claimed that the infection risk was lower on a plane than in places such as stores and restaurants – HEPA filters capture 99.97% of airborne particles, substantially reducing the risk of viral spread, and the air in plane cabins is completely changed over 10 to 12 times per hour, raising the air quality above that of a normal building.

Despite this, passenger air travel is still largely restricted, continuing to damage countries’ economies. According to IATA, the aviation industry alone is expected to suffer a net loss of $118.5 billion for 2020. Deep industry losses are thought to continue into 2021 with a net loss of $38.7 billion, even though performance is expected to improve over the period of the forecast. So now, while we count our losses, we patiently wait for the only possible salvation there is – vaccines.

Currently 61 vaccines are in human clinical trials. The Pfizer vaccine became the first to be approved for urgent use in a number of countries and brought a new challenge to the table – transportation. The vaccine requires shipments to be transported at a temperature of near minus 70 degrees Celsius (-94°F), making only a small number of companies globally able to take on the operation. Other players in the vaccine race are slightly more forgiving with their transportation requirements – Moderna requires shipments to be held at -20°C (-4°F), while the University of Oxford vaccines would be the easiest to transport and could be stored at regular fridge temperatures of 2 to 8°C (35.6 to 46.4°F). Unfortunately, the temperature isn’t the only problem at hand.

Accenture’s Seabury Consulting estimates the global rollout of a vaccine will generate 65,000 tons of airfreight, which is five times the air vaccine trade in 2019. Additionally, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), providing a single dose to 7.8 billion people would fill 8,000 747-cargo aircraft, something the aviation industry cannot provide so easily.

The industry is already getting ready for the inevitable task of urgent vaccine transportation and chances are that the New Year will start on a positive note. Mass vaccination will help us all to get back to the life we were used to – to spending time with families and friends, visiting breathtaking places and experiencing new things. So, pack your bags for Q2 2021, because the aviation industry will be getting back to business.

For media inquiries:
Vilma Vaitiekunaite
+370 686 16336
vilma.vaitiekunaite@aviasg.com

About Gediminas Ziemelis:

Gediminas Ziemelis is a founder and chairman of «Avia Solutions Group» – one of the largest aerospace servicing companies presented in more than 67 countries. In 2016, G. Ziemelis received a prestigious European Business Award in recognition for his visionary business management and development skills. The same year, under his leadership, Avia Solutions Group was named a national public champion in the category of Entrepreneurship, earning a spot in the top 110 of European businesses. Twice, in 2012 and in 2014, Ziemelis was acknowledged as one of the top 40 most talented young leaders in the global aerospace industry by the leading USA aerospace magazine «Aviation Week.» 2014 – 2017 Gediminas Ziemelis personally supported and consulted Chinese Banks (including ICBCL, CMBL, and Skycop) with regard to financing aircraft sale-leaseback transactions in the CIS region. His total value of transactions – more than $ 2 B. 2006 – 2013 Gediminas executed successful IPOs of 4 companies at OMX and WSE and raised public capital worth more than $ 100 M.

More info: www.gediminasziemelis.com

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SOURCE Avia Solutions Group

Chemical Activity Barometer Climbs In December

WASHINGTON, Dec. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — The Chemical Activity Barometer (CAB), a leading economic indicator created by the American Chemistry Council (ACC), rose 1.1% in December on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis, unchanged from November and October. On a year-over-year…

The unadjusted data show a 0.7% gain in December following a 1.8% increase in November and a 0.7% gain in October. The diffusion index was stable at 71% in December. The diffusion index marks the number of positive contributors relative to the total number of indicators monitored. The CAB reading for November was revised upward by 0.24 points and that for October was revised upward by 0.89 points. These were highly volatile months for the data. As always, the December data are provisional and subject to revision.

«With eight consecutive months of gains, the December CAB reading is consistent with recovery in the U.S. economy,» said Kevin Swift, chief economist at ACC.

The CAB has four main components, each consisting of a variety of indicators: 1) production; 2) equity prices; 3) product prices; and 4) inventories and other indicators.

In December, production-related indicators were positive. Despite strength in housing activity, trends in construction-related resins, pigments and related performance chemistry were mixed. Reflecting strength in manufacturing, resins and chemistry used in other durable goods were strong. Gains in plastic resins used in packaging and for consumer and institutional applications were positive and suggest further growth in retail sales. Performance chemistry for industry continued to expand. U.S. exports were positive, while equity prices increased, but at a slower pace. Product and input prices were modestly positive. Inventory and other supply chain indicators were positive.

The CAB is a leading economic indicator derived from a composite index of chemical industry activity. Due to its early position in the supply chain, chemical industry activity has been found to consistently lead the U.S. economy’s business cycle, and the barometer can be used to determine turning points and likely trends in the broader economy. Month-to-month movements can be volatile, so a three-month moving average of the CAB reading is provided. This provides a more consistent and illustrative picture of national economic trends.

Applying the CAB back to 1912, it has been shown to provide a lead of two to 14 months, with an average lead of eight months at cycle peaks as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. The median lead was also eight months. At business cycle troughs, the CAB leads by one to seven months, with an average lead of four months. The median lead was three months. The CAB is rebased to the average lead (in months) of an average 100 in the base year (the year 2012 was used) of a reference time series. The latter is the Federal Reserve’s Industrial Production Index.

Chemical Activity Barometer for the Latest Six Months and Year-Ago Month*

	Dec-19	Jul-20	Aug-20	Sep-20	Oct-20	Nov-20	Dec-20

CAB (3MMA)	122.38	112.44	115.40	117.15	118.45	119.73	120.99
% M/M	0.0	3.2	2.6	1.5	1.1	1.1	1.1
% Y/Y	0.4	-8.2	-5.8	-4.5	-3.1	-2.1	-1.1

CAB	122.74	115.37	117.61	118.46	119.28	121.45	122.24
% M/M	0.3	1.9	1.9	0.7	0.7	1.8	0.7
% Y/Y	1.1	-6.1	-3.9	-3.3	-2.2	-0.8	-0.4


*Percentage changes may not reflect index values due to rounding.

The CAB comprises indicators relating to the production of chlorine and other alkalies, pigments, plastic resins and other selected basic industrial chemicals; chemical company stock data; hours worked in chemicals; publicly sourced, chemical price information; end-use (or customer) industry sales-to-inventories; and several broader leading economic measures (building permits and new orders). Each month, ACC provides a barometer number reflecting activity data for the current month, as well as a three-month moving average. The CAB was developed by the Economics Department at ACC.

Current-month, unadjusted readings of the CAB are based on high-frequency weekly and daily data. For example, we use equity data as of the Thursday before the release date. Using mid-month data can lead to large revisions if conditions appreciably change in the second half of the month. We have moved the release dates for the CAB to the last Tuesday of each month. We hope this will minimize the revisions.

For the full data set, please visit https://www.americanchemistry.com/CAB-vs-Industrial-Production/. The next CAB is planned for January 26, 2021 at 9:10 a.m. ET.

The CAB is designed and prepared in compliance with ACC’s Antitrust Guidelines and FTC Safe Harbor Guidelines; does not use company-specific price information as input data; and data is aggregated such that company-specific and product-specific data cannot be determined. Note: ACC has strived to prepare this publication to provide the best available information. However, neither the American Chemistry Council, nor any of its employees, agents or other assigns makes any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any liability or responsibility for any use, or the results of such use, of any information or data disclosed in this material.

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SOURCE American Chemistry Council

Health And Wellness Pioneer Mother’s Market & Kitchen Announces Plans For New Corona Del Mar Location, Opening Summer 2021

COSTA MESA, Calif., Dec. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Mother’s Market & Kitchen, a 40-year pioneer in the health food movement in Southern California, today announced that the market will open the doors to its newest location this summer in Corona del Mar. The 3021 E. Coast Highway, Corona del Mar location will mark the grocer’s eleventh Southern California location…

Like all Mother’s Market locations, the new Corona del Mar location – which will share building occupancy with incoming CVS – will offer a full traditional grocery shop with the highest quality natural and organic food choices; fresh organic produce; organic juice bar and homemade ready-to-eat prepared meals, as well as a wellness section. The grocer also plans to offer a curated selection of specialty and local foods.

«We’re excited to be a part of the Corona del Mar community and its walking village and will bring the community the highest quality organic produce and the best tasting ready-to-eat healthy meals,» said Dorothy Carlow, CEO, Mother’s Market & Kitchen and CdM resident. «This smaller-format Mother’s store will offer the most popular selection of all Mother’s favorites to our CdM shoppers, and if by chance we do not have a customer’s particular favorite in-stock, we will get it from our Costa Mesa store within 24 hours.»

For updates on Mother’s Market and Kitchen’s new CdM location, text CdM to 66858.

About Mother’s Market & Kitchen
Founded in 1978, Mother’s Market & Kitchen is a leading natural and organic food retailer serving Southern California. Mother’s specializes in offering the freshest organic produce at unbeatable prices, healthy and delicious prepared foods, and a diverse and value-driven selection of supplements, vegetarian and specialty foods. For additional information, visit www.MothersMarket.com.

CONTACT: Karen Kalil for Mother’s Market and Kitchen
PHONE: (714) 371-6783
EMAIL: karenbkalil@gmail.com

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SOURCE Mother’s Market & Kitchen

Capital Dynamics Acquires Remaining Interest in Arlington Valley Solar Energy II from Apollo Funds

NEW YORK, Dec. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Capital Dynamics, an independent global private asset management firm, announced that its Clean Energy Infrastructure («CEI») business has completed the acquisition of the remaining 69.98% interest in Arlington Valley Solar Energy II («AVSE II»), a 175 megawatt («MWdc») solar photovoltaic («PV») project, from funds (the «Apollo Funds») managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, Inc. (together with its consolidated subsidiaries, «Apollo»).

CEI…

CEI acquired a 30.02% interest in AVSE II as part of the acquisition of three solar PV projects from LS Power in November 2020. Following the acquisition from the Apollo Funds, Capital Dynamics has assumed 100% interest in the AVSE II solar PV project. The 438 MWdc operating solar PV portfolio includes:

Centinela Solar Energy, 252 MWdc located in Imperial County, California
Arlington Valley Solar Energy II, 175 MWdc located in Maricopa County, Arizona
Dover Sun Park, 11 MWdc located in Dover, Delaware

«This transaction was a natural fit for us as it builds on our recent acquisition of a 30% interest in AVSE II,» said Tim Short, Managing Director, Clean Energy Infrastructure at Capital Dynamics in New York. «This allows for a cleaner and simplified ownership position which we were well prepared to act on quickly in cooperation with the team at Apollo, for a mutually beneficial transaction. We welcome the full ownership of AVSE II into our 3.1 GWdc portfolio of operating US solar projects.»

«Having made significant operational and financial performance improvements, Arlington Valley Solar is well positioned for growth and success in its next phase backed by Capital Dynamics,» said Geoffrey Strong, Senior Partner and Co-head of Infrastructure and Natural Resources at Apollo. «At Apollo, we continue to find attractive opportunities in renewable energy assets, demonstrated by recent transactions across our infrastructure business, as a result of the growing, long-term demand for clean energy.»

King & Spalding, LLP and Amis, Patel & Brewer, LLP served as legal counsel for Capital Dynamics.

Citigroup Global Markets Inc. acted as financial advisor to Apollo, and Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Allen & Overy LLP served as legal counsel to Apollo.

About Capital Dynamics
Capital Dynamics is an independent global asset management firm focusing on private assets including private equity, private credit and clean energy infrastructure.

Capital Dynamics’ Clean Energy Infrastructure is one of the largest renewable energy investment managers in the world with USD 6.6 billion AUM^¹ and has one of the longest track records in the industry. The CEI strategy was established to capture attractive investment opportunities in the largest and fastest growing sector of global infrastructure – proven renewable energy technologies, primarily in North America and Europe, across solar, onshore wind, energy storage and related infrastructure with a focus on both utility-scale and distributed generation technologies. The CEI platform’s fully-integrated asset management affiliate provides highly-specialized services to ensure optimal performance and value from projects. The CEI strategy currently manages 7.9 GWdc of contracted gross power generation across more than 150 projects in the United States and Europe,^² and is one of the top 3 global solar PV owners.^³

Since the CEI platform’s inception in 2010, over 17 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions have been avoided as a result of the firm’s renewable investments.^⁴ This is equivalent to the power needed to supply more than 3 million homes or passenger vehicles for one year.⁵ In 2020, the CEI strategy received top rankings from GRESB (the ESG benchmark for real assets) for commitment to sustainability, and in 2019 awarded Global PE Energy Firm of the Year by Private Equity International. For more information, please visit: www.capdyn.com.

About Apollo
Apollo is a leading global alternative investment manager with offices in New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, Houston, Bethesda, London, Frankfurt, Madrid, Luxembourg, Mumbai, Delhi, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo. Apollo had assets under management of approximately $433 billion as of September 30, 2020 in credit, private equity and real assets funds invested across a core group of nine industries where Apollo has considerable knowledge and resources. For more information about Apollo, please visit www.apollo.com.

Apollo Contact Information:

For investors please contact:

Peter Mintzberg
Head of Investor Relations
Apollo Global Management, Inc.
(212) 822-0528
APOInvestorRelations@apollo.com

For media inquiries please contact:

Joanna Rose
Global Head of Corporate Communications
Apollo Global Management, Inc.
(212) 822-0491
communications@apollo.com

Capital Dynamics Contact Information:

Nicholas Rust | Prosek Partners
(646) 818-9252
NRust@prosek.com

¹ Capital Dynamics, as of September 30, 2020. Includes assets in renewable energy projects managed by Capital Dynamics, including USD 4.2 billion assets under discretionary management and USD 2.4 billion tax equity assets. Tax equity is a financing solution for renewable energy projects.
² Capital Dynamics, as of September 30, 2020. Includes operational assets, partially commissioned assets and contracted assets with PPAs secured.
³ Renewable Assets (Owners) League Tables. Bloomberg New Energy Finance as of September 30, 2020. Includes (i) assets with financing secured / under construction, (ii) partially commissioned assets, and (iii) commissioned assets projects globally, excluding China.
⁴ Environmental benefits are based on US Environmental Protection Agency Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator.
⁵ Environmental benefits are based on US Environmental Protection Agency Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator.

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SOURCE Capital Dynamics

Alaska Airlines announces revisions to its service animal policy

SEATTLE, Dec. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Following recent changes to U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) rules, Alaska Airlines will no longer accept emotional support animals on its flights. Effective Jan. 11, 2021, Alaska will only transport service dogs, which are specially trained to perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability.

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Earlier this month the DOT said it will no longer require airlines to make the same accommodations for emotional support animals as is required for trained service dogs. Changes to the DOT rules came after feedback from the airline industry and disability community regarding numerous instances of emotional support animal misbehavior which caused injuries, health hazards and damage to aircraft cabins.

«This regulatory change is welcome news, as it will help us reduce disturbances onboard, while continuing to accommodate our guests traveling with qualified service animals,» said Ray Prentice, director of customer advocacy at Alaska Airlines.

Under the revised policy, Alaska will accept a maximum of two service dogs per guest in the cabin, to include psychiatric service dogs. Guests will be required to complete a DOT form, which will be available on AlaskaAir.com beginning Jan. 11, attesting that their animal is a legitimate service dog, is trained and vaccinated and will behave appropriately during the journey. For reservations booked more than 48 hours prior to travel, guests must submit the completed form via email. For reservations booked less than 48 hours prior to travel, guests must submit the form in person to the Customer Service Agent upon arrival at the airport.

Alaska will continue to accept emotional support animals under its current policy for reservations booked prior to Jan. 11, 2021, for flights on or before Feb. 28, 2021. No emotional support animals will be accepted for travel after Feb, 28, 2021.

For more information about travel with pets, visit AlaskaAir.com.

Alaska Airlines and its regional partners serve more than 115 destinations across the United States and North America. The airline provides essential air service for our guests along with moving crucial cargo shipments, while emphasizing Next-Level Care. Alaska is known for low fares, award-winning customer service and sustainability efforts. Guests can earn and redeem miles on flights to more than 800 destinations worldwide with Alaska and its Global Partners. On March 31, 2021, Alaska will officially become a member of the oneworld global alliance. Learn more about Alaska at newsroom.alaskaair.com and blog.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK).

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SOURCE Alaska Airlines