Hogg Uses Science to Explain Climate Change
To the editor of the Cedar Rapids Gazette
March 13, 2014
A March 8 guest column by Gary Ellis, “Global warming debunked,” suggested that state Sen. Rob Hogg had “confirmed” to the author that those who are concerned about climate change are acting based on “good intentions” not “good science.” That is not right.
I have read Hogg’s book on climate change, “America’s Climate Century,” and he carefully reviews the science that tells us that climate change is a major concern facing our country.
The book is an excellent introduction to the issue and I highly recommend it. It is available at area libraries.
I also have heard Hogg speak about climate change.
Again, Hogg does an excellent job explaining the science if you ever have the chance to hear him.
As Hogg points out, leading scientists have warned us that the effects of climate change are expected to increase substantially in the coming decades.
We urgently need to cut greenhouse gases and get ready for future climate-related disasters.
LAKE MACBRIDE— Taking the last of the root vegetables– four kinds of potatoes, three kinds of turnips, and beets– and six jars of canned goods, two kinds of beans, barley, peas, onion, celery and carrot, I made the last batch of winter soup last night. It cooked until bed time, when we turned the heat off to sleep. In the morning, I brought the mixture to a boil, then turned the heat down to simmer until it becomes soup.
All that’s left in the fridge from last year’s local harvest is a couple of daikon radishes and some cabbage. There is plenty of garlic in the pantry, and a single spaghetti squash, but that’s it for fresh. It will be a few weeks until spring produce begins to come in at the markets. The soup and remaining canned goods will have to last.
Yesterday, I finalized plans for a presentation titled, “Living Non-traditional Lives: Focus on Finances.” It is part of the American Library Association “Money Smart Week,” which is a national initiative in its fourth year between the ALA and the Federal Reserve Bank (Chicago) to provide financial literacy programming to help members of our community better manage their personal finances.
Here’s the blurb I posted on Facebook: “Will be speaking at the Solon Public Library on April 12 about living without working a conventional 5 x 8 job as part of Money Smart Week. I plan to focus on: my personal work history, including what it means to be a writer in a time of social media; the role of jobs, the role of households and family, and personal finance in alternative lifestyles (banking, debt, income, taxes, bartering, health care, transportation, communications), deciding what’s important (community engagement, family, stress management, health, time management).”
My Climate Reality colleagues are meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa today where Al Gore is making his slide show presentation. The organizers didn’t know the exact number of attendees, as visa and finance problems deterred some who had registered. However, it looks like about 700 new members of the Climate Reality Leadership Corps, from many nations, will join us at the conclusion of the 24th training session.
CEDAR RAPIDS— Vehicular transportation is required when a person lives in rural Iowa. Horses and bicycles won’t do, so there are trucks and cars. A year ago I bought a 1997 Subaru Outback Legacy to get me around, and it has been a serviceable vehicle. It was popular in its day, and remains so.
Most repairs can be effected by a mechanic in town, but a few items require the dealership support of trained mechanics, certified parts and the latest diagnostics. It’s an example of accessing the global supply chain and technical support staff. I seldom, if ever, want to make the trip, but am there now, using ultra slow WiFi to connect to the Internet while I wait.
The days are filling up with activities, but the whole system depends, upon getting around and hauling stuff with me. At least there is coffee.
LAKE MACBRIDE— The winter of thinking and planning is over, leaving the doing and its requisite long days and short nights.
Yesterday began at 5 a.m. with finishing my newspaper article about the forestry meeting in town. Afterward, I spent a couple of hours at the farm, worked a shift at the warehouse, and attended a meeting about the global roll out of a nuclear abolition initiative with Rotary International. I returned home at 9:30 p.m. It was a long day.
Rotary International is engaged in its final work to eradicate polio around the world. What’s next for them may be working with others to bring an end to nuclear weapons. I signed up as one of three Iowa speakers for International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War, and its U.S. affiliate, Physicians for Social Responsibility, as we seek to engage Rotary Clubs worldwide. Rotary International and the International Red Cross Red Crescent Societies are the only non-governmental organizations recognized by the United Nations, and both have expressed an interest in nuclear abolition for humanitarian reasons. This is a really big deal, even if we don’t hear about it in the U.S. corporate media. I am thankful to be a small part of it.
The seeds planted indoors have sprouted. The growing season has begun.
LAKE MACBRIDE— “Temperatures averaged 12.6° or 11.4° below normal while precipitation totaled 1.54 inches or 0.49 inches above normal. This ranks as the 7th coldest and 28th wettest February among 142 years of records. A colder February was last recorded in 1979 and a colder calendar month in December 2000,” wrote State Climatologist Harry Hillaker.
February was cold, but now winter is in full retreat. Temperatures are above freezing, and snow is melting into pools on the driveway. Spring won’t be long.
The inexorable attraction of politics was present at the county Democratic convention in Coralville. More than anything, it was a time to see friends from past political campaigns and to meet new people. Many there know me, although I sensed today more didn’t than did.
Unexpectedly, I signed up as a delegate to the district and state conventions. The delegate slate was ratified early in the day, so I left as lunch was served, having zero interest in the platform discussion.
Dennis Boedeker, a candidate for state house in my district, spoke to the convention in the afternoon. He hasn’t filed his nominating papers, but I expect he will. He and David Johnson, who spoke in the morning, will vie for the Democratic nomination in the June 3 primary election. This is the year for Cedar County to lead the nominating process, so I’m staying in the background. I interviewed Johnson for the newspaper, but wasn’t around when Boedeker made his appearance.
There were three women at a table marked “Ready for Hillary.” I declined to sign up, but took a blank supporter card. Other than that, there was talk about strategies and tactics, gardening and drones, and upcoming events. A busy, friendly day with people I know and respect for the work they do in Iowa politics.
Things could be a lot worse as winter turns to spring, and the promise of tomorrow is a tangible presence in everything.
I filed the following comment today on The U.S. Department of State (DOS) Notice: Presidential Permit Applications: TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, L.P, National Interest Determination, Docket ID: DOS-2014-0003:
As a U.S. citizen I believe it would best serve our national interests, and the interests of commerce to deny the presidential permit to TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, L.P. for these reasons:
1. We are a nation in transition with regard to energy, from existing fossil fuel repositories to more renewable sources of energy. The Keystone pipeline would not contribute in any substantial way to this transition, only exploit existing fossil fuel deposits.
2. Producing oil from the Canadian Tar Sands is viable only because of the high cost of oil on global markets. Such costs do not consider the cost to the environment, particularly the costs of extracting and using Tar Sands oil which produces CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions with it. Additional greenhouse gas emissions would have a deleterious effect on the greenhouse effect that sustains life on Earth. Keystone pipeline would hasten emissions by making Tar Sands oil more readily available to global markets.
3. I do not support the use of eminent domain in the United States to secure easements to build the pipeline for this Calgary, Alberta-based company. Foreign companies should have no access to the U.S. eminent domain laws, even if limited U.S. interests are served.
4. The precautionary principle should be employed in developing the Keystone pipeline, since there is a lack of consensus about how it might serve the public. There are clear and dangerous concerns expressed about the harm completion of the pipeline could cause to the public and to the environment. Applying the precautionary principle would result in not building the remainder of Keystone pipeline.
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