Tag: The Climate Reality Project

Categories
Environment

Countdown to Labor Day

Trish Nelson has been enjoying her break from Blog for Iowa and reported that in addition to following coverage of the Kent Sorenson – Michelle Bachmann – Ron Paul affair, she has been checking out the technology of Iowa,

Iowa Leading Edge Technology
Iowa Leading Edge Technology

looking for and finding Elvis,

Elvis Sighting
Elvis Sighting

and watching sunsets.

Thornberry Park
Thornberry Park

We miss Trish, and hope she enjoys some rest during her break from Blog for Iowa. Expect to see her back on Sept. 2

That leaves me with sixteen posting days to fulfill my commitment to post about the challenges of temporary workers in Iowa; implications of immigration reform; Iowa’s role in mitigating and adapting to climate change; and occasional posts on energy policy, local food, and peace and justice activities in the state. I have already touched each of those points and want to focus more on the climate crisis.

Since I began posting on July 15, I have written and posted here about climate change exactly five times. Check them out here, here, here, here, and here.

I affiliate with the Climate Reality Project, and our team put together a starting point for the conversation I hope to have about the science of climate change before I fade into the background again on Sept. 1. To understand that climate change is real, and caused by us, it is important to understand the science. This four minute, 34 second video with Bill Nye the Science Guy helps set a scientific framework for the discussion. More follows, but that will be another post.

~ Written for Blog for Iowa

Categories
Environment

Climate March Staff Trained by Al Gore

Great Climate March Staff
Great Climate March Staff

CHICAGO, Ill.– The staff of The Great March for Climate Action was spotted by Blog for Iowa at the Climate Reality Leadership Corps training held in Chicago from July 30 through Aug. 1. (L to R: Shari Hrdina, Zach Heffernen and Courtney Kain). The event was the 23rd training of climate leaders conducted by former vice president Al Gore since exiting politics. As Gore said about himself, “I am a recovering politician.” The Climate Reality Project has become an important part of his life’s work.

On July 31, Gore began a twelve hour day by presenting the latest version of the slide show he developed that became the book and film An Inconvenient Truth. He then explained the slide show, one slide at a time, so attendees could present it themselves. He closed the day with group photos with training attendees. The Great March for Climate Action staff was part of a cadre of 1,200 people from all 50 states and 40 countries who participated in the training.

While the Great March for Climate Action has not been endorsed by the Climate Reality Project, organizers permitted staff to distribute brochures about the march to attendees. During the final day of the training, Mario Molina, Climate Leadership Corps Director, made an announcement about the march to the group, calling attention to the staff, encouraging attendees to seek more information.

Courtney Kain is the Great March for Climate Action operations director, and importantly, in charge of logistics. Her background includes time with Iowa Army National Guard at Camp Dodge, where she worked in supply and logistics. Kain was instrumental in developing the march route, and is developing sustainable methods to move, feed and take care of 1,000 people over the course of their 3,000 mile journey.

According to Zach Heffernen, marcher director, about 20 applications to join the march had been approved. Speaking of the marcher recruitment effort, he said, “sending out the application is very exciting for me. The diversity of individuals who requested an application is impressive. They range in age from nine to 74, originate from all along the West Coast to the Midwest to all along the East Coast, and have backgrounds ranging from college students, to self employed business professionals, to medical doctors, to retirees and everything in between.” Attendees of the Climate Reality Leadership Corps training expressed interest, and some of them had already been approved for the march.

While Courtney and Zach will be joining Ed Fallon and the rest of the marchers, Shari Hrdina will remain in Des Moines providing financial support for the endeavor.

According to the Great March for Climate Action Facebook page, “marchers can look forward to seeing the official updated version of the “Inconvenient Truth” slideshow on the march next year.”

For more information about the Great March for Climate Action, check out their web site by clicking here. To learn more about the Climate Reality Project, click here.

~ Written for Blog for Iowa

Categories
Environment

Letter to Dave Loebsack

Open Letter to Congressman Dave Loebsack of Iowa’s Second District

Put a Price on Carbon

When I helped elect you to be our congressman, I didn’t know what that would mean. What I did know was that I wouldn’t agree with every vote you took. I haven’t.

Over the longer term of the last six and a half years, your votes with which I agreed outnumbered those with which I didn’t, and you have done the right thing when it has been important.

The next right thing is supporting President Obama’s second term initiative on climate change.

I ask you to seek ways to support the president’s agenda, importantly, by assigning a price to carbon. I encourage you to follow the lead of your former house colleague Senator Ed Markey on this.

I understand you may be reluctant to speak out on this important issue because of the negative political feedback you might receive. At the same time, you should land on the right side of history.

During your many trips to the district, I heard you speak repeatedly about how the Republican house leadership controls the agenda, so you don’t need to drag out that old sawhorse. Just know that CO2 emissions are directly related to the crazy weather Iowa has been experiencing, and we can do something to reverse the causes of CO2 emissions which contribute to global warming and climate change. Placing a price on carbon is an essential step.

As your constituent, I expect you to do your part.

Thanks for your work, and I’ll see you in the district this summer.

Regards, Paul

(UPDATE: Congressman Loebsack replied on Aug. 15, 2013)

Dear Mr. Deaton,

Thank you for contacting me about environmental issues. I’m honored to represent you. Your opinion is very important to me and my priority is to provide Iowa’s Second District with the best representation possible.

I am pleased to see the President speaking out on climate change issues recently. As the conversation on climate change continues in our national dialogue, I believe that people need to accept the science on this issue. We continue to face an increase of severe weather events across the country and globe that are threatening the safety of many and deeply costing our families, businesses, and communities.

I also agree that we need to reduce the amount of pollutants produced and concentrated in our atmosphere. It is critical that we work to address environmental issues occurring right now so that we pass on to our children and grandchildren a livable environment in the future. The current drought gripping Iowa demonstrates the difficulties that Iowa farmers, businesses, and families may face if negative climate uncertainties continue.

You may be interested to know I previously supported legislation to limit the amount of pollutants emitted, like carbon dioxide, and transform our outdated energy policy into one that reinvigorates American industrial and manufacturing sectors and allows Iowa’s thriving renewable energy sector to grow and become a global leader in clean energy production.

As a member of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Caucus, I will continue to look at ways to reduce pollution and promote the use of homegrown renewable energy alternatives. Thank you again for contacting me about this important issue.

My office is here to assist you with any and all concerns you have, so please do not hesitate to contact me whenever you feel that I can be of assistance. I encourage you to visit my website at http://www.loebsack.house.gov and sign up for my e-newsletters to stay informed of the work I’m doing for you. I am proud to serve the Second District, and I am committed to working hard for Iowans.
Sincerely,

Dave Loebsack
Iowa’s Second District

Categories
Environment

Reflections on Chicago

Chicago Skyline
Chicago Skyline

LAKE MACBRIDE— After cleaning out my email inbox, catching up on LinkedIn, twitter and Facebook, and skimming the scum from a batch of dill pickles, I walked outside evaluate the garden. Weeds are taking over again. It is disheartening how quickly nature attempts to return gardens to the wild. I pulled a few weeds, realizing tomorrow will be more of the same to preserve the yield. No worries, it’s part of being a gardener.

There were half a dozen zucchini; a yellow squash; peppers ready to pick— two green bell peppers, Anaheim and jalapeno; and stems of broccoli, enough for a meal. Hard to believe I was gone only three days. The cucumber seedlings planted Monday had an 80 percent survival rate, and the remainders will fill in empty spaces. Already a work queue is forming. Before continuing August’s work, for a few brief moments in the garden and orchard, I considered my experience in Chicago with the Climate Reality Project.

Gate 26
Gate 26

I know cults and utopian movements, and the recent gathering was neither. After spending an evening with disciples of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon in Munich, with charismatic renewal congregations of the Catholic Church in Ann Arbor, Mich. and in Belgium, and with the Rev. Tommy Barnett and his Westside Assembly of God in my home town, there aren’t many religious similarities. People gathered around a key speaker, and that’s about it.

These were not Rappites, Icarians, Shakers, members of the Amana Society, or of the Blythedale Farm community. Nor was it like what one finds in science fiction— the technology laden tales of Doc Smith, Walter Miller Jr. or Robert Heinlein. Comparisons drawn from these genres of society fall flat.

10 Percent Ethanol
10 Percent Ethanol

A few so-called moles participated in the training, representatives of the oil and gas industry, deniers, and skeptics about global warming. Their reports about the conference have already begun to emerge. What these folks don’t seem to realize is they validate the fact that the Climate Reality Project poses a serious threat to the status quo of the hydrocarbon business. Their presence and criticisms make our group stronger, even if the hydrocarbon industry outspends the Climate Reality Project in its advocacy.

To resist arguments to act on climate change, the hydrocarbon industry has to understand them. Part of our participation includes an understanding that advocating for action about climate change does not occur in a vacuum. As is written in the Art of War, “it is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles.” What better way to know our opponents than to have them with us at the conference?

59th Street Station
59th Street Station

That said, the Climate Reality Project is for the most part about Al Gore and his unique role in 21st century society. A number of attendees with whom I spoke pointed to Gore’s loss of the 2000 election as a reason for becoming involved with his movement. The slide show Gore produced, and is perpetually revising, is not a new story, but it is his story. His closing speech on day two of the conference was a compelling call to help prevent the Earth we know from slipping away from us. It was compelling because of who he is and who we might be.

Organizing for Action
Organizing for Action

Attendees agreed to perform ten acts of leadership related to the project during the coming year. Like many who were there, I’ll perform my share and more.

In the end, this movement is not about Al Gore. It is about living in a post-enlightenment society. It is a time when rational arguments have flown the coop, leaving the din of pundits and poobahs,  and a dirty environment as a result of not understanding the global consequences of CO2 pollution. We can do something about that, and should. An answer lies in placing a value on carbon, which was my takeaway from the conference. Now the work begins anew.

Categories
Home Life

A Gift Basket for My Hosts

LAKE MACBRIDE— Hundreds of us are converging upon Chicago for the Climate Reality Leadership Corps training. To avoid the expense of the conference hotel, I will be staying with friends of a friend for the duration. I’m making up a gift basket of produce for them. It’s a showcase of the local, organic produce that is passing through our house this summer.

Included will be a pointed cabbage, green and yellow zucchini, blue lake green beans, market more cucumber, yellow squash, a box of cherry tomatoes,  kohlrabi, daikon radish, broccoli and a jar of home made apple butter. If there’s sunlight in the morning, I’ll add herbs: rosemary, basil, flat leaf parsley, sage and thyme.

To keep the veggies, I’m dumping the freezer’s ice in a cooler, topping it with a water barrier and the veggies. Hopefully it will survive the trip.

It is somewhat ironic that while I am with Al Gore, one of the leaders in the use of technology, and a board member of Apple, I’ll be leaving my laptop at home. I’ll be off the Internet, except to communicate through my mobile device. Regular posting will resume over the weekend, so stay tuned.

Categories
Environment Kitchen Garden

Iowa’s Culture of Climate Change

Harvesting Soybeans
Harvesting Soybeans

LAKE MACBRIDE— David Biello of Slate wrote an opinion piece in Newsday titled, “Why Don’t Farmers Believe in Climate Change,” on July 16. Link to the article here or here, but here’s a spoiler alert: it’s the Farm Bureau. I commented on the article, but my comment was removed because it violated Newsday’s conditions of use. It’s their world. What’s a blogger to do? If you’re reading this, you know the answer.

In the article, Biello wrote, “take, as an example of skepticism, Iowa corn farmer Dave Miller, whose day job is as an economist for the Iowa Farm Bureau. As Miller is happy to explain, it’s not that farmers in Iowa don’t think climate change is happening; it’s that they think it’s always been happening and therefore is unlikely to have much to do with whatever us humans get up to down at ground level. Or, as the National Farm Bureau’s spokesman Mace Thornton puts it: ‘we’re not convinced that the climate change we’re seeing is anthropogenic in origin. We don’t think the science is there to show that in a convincing way.'”

If there is a record drought like last year, large farmers will capitalize the loss over a period of years, plow the crop under and start over next season. For them, it’s just another aspect of dealing with farming as a business. This attitude is consistent with what I experienced when listening to row crop farmers in Iowa.

The idea,  “they think it’s always been happening and therefore is unlikely to have much to do with whatever us humans get up to down at ground level,” is ridiculous. Climate change doesn’t just happen— it happens for a reason. And today, the main reason is carbon pollution from dirty energy like coal, oil and natural gas.

I encourage you to read the article if you are interested in the interface between Iowa farmers, the Farm Bureau and the environment. There is a lot to learn before Iowa makes progress in protecting our environment. Some say the Iowa Farm Bureau runs the state of Iowa. I say it could only do so in a vacuum of action from people whose views are closer to the reality of climate change.

~ Written for Blog for Iowa

Categories
Environment

Troll Work on Climate Change

the-climate-reality-project-logoIn response to a writers group opinion piece that appeared in the Iowa City Press Citizen on July 14, 2013. Posted on July 16 via Facebook.

“The Public Policy Institute, housed at Iowa Wesleyan College, and with which Ms. Thornton is affiliated, can accurately be characterized as a home for climate change deniers. On their website it says, ‘…data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change shows an upward trend in the earth’s temperature over the twentieth century. However, satellite date (sic) compiled by climatologist John Christy shows no such trend. Nor does data provided by readings from weather balloons.’ There are other examples of denial.

The reality is Earth’s temperature is warming and burning the fossil fuels referred to in this article has played and continues to play a substantial role in global warming and climate change. Ms. Thornton’s purpose is to cast doubt on the the public discussion of climate change. In a free society, that is her choice, but the reality is her economic arguments will prove vapid if society cannot adapt to and mitigate the causes of global warming fast enough.”

Categories
Environment

Letter to the Solon Economist

the-climate-reality-project-logoLast week was arguably the best summer weather we have had in many years. Temperatures were moderate and humidity low; some rain, but not too much; and glorious partly cloudy skies coupled with a light breeze. A bit of imitation vanilla extract on the nose, and even swarms of gnats couldn’t spoil the enjoyment.

Everyone I know who has a garden is having an abundant year of produce. Foragers can find plenty of black raspberries, and while the Iowa DNR sprayed the lily pads on Lake Macbride, one more toxic substance in the water won’t kill us— we hope.

Climate change is real. Any question that greenhouse gases are warming the planet, and are caused by human activity has fallen away to leave the more appropriate one, “what will we do about climate change?” The crazy weather we have been experiencing recedes from view on days like last week, while coal and natural gas power plants continue to dump CO2 pollution into the atmosphere like it was an open sewer to air-condition our homes. There are two issues: protecting what we hold dear from the effects of climate change, and doing something to address the causes of greenhouse gas emissions.

While addressing climate change is complicated, things we can do to help are not. Reduce energy use at home by turning off lights after leaving a room and unplug your computer and mobile phone chargers when they are not in use. Change how we think about transportation by consolidating errands. We should be doing these things anyway.

The point is not to radically change how we live, but to join the vast majority of Americans in acknowledging that climate change is real, and poses a tangible threat to how we live. Then take steps to personally do something about it. You will be glad you did.

Categories
Environment

Climate Reality Leadership Corps

BadgeLAKE MACBRIDE— I was accepted to become part of the Climate Reality Leadership Corps and signed the training agreement yesterday. Signing obligates me to deliver ten related activities during the next year. Ten is not many. A person has to deal with and act on the reality of climate change and this will be one way of doing that.

Al Gore and his team will conduct three days of training in Chicago. The staff includes Maggie Fox, CEO of the Climate Reality Project; Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Foundation; John Vezner, Grammy Award winning songwriter; Mike McCracken, science adviser; and Kim Wasserman, 2013 Environmental Goldman Prize Award winner. I don’t know any of these people, so there will be an opportunity for learning.

1970 Earth Day Button
1970 Earth Day Button

About 1,000 people from around the globe will be converging at a place to be announced, and the networking alone has the potential to benefit attendees. It will be what we make of it, and I will meet as many people as possible. (Note to self: find business cards).

The energy from the group on Facebook is palpable. The project staff did a good job of instructing us how to post, so the content is relevant and engaging.

My origins in doing something about the environment were in the first Earth Day in 1970 when a group of us participated in local events. While my participation has been off and on during the last 43 years, confronting the deceit and misinformation about changing climate promulgated in the corporate media has risen as key work to be done regarding one of the most significant threats to humanity. I am looking forward to Chicago.