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Hi folks
Our next Climate Change meeting will be March 3rd at 10am at the Fireside Room at VCC. To find the Fireside Room, go to the cafeteria and walk through the back of the cafeteria to the stairs or elevator. Walk or ride to the top which is the 3rd floor. The Fireside Room is along the corridor. It has spectacular views, a fireplace, AV setups, tables we can arrange, all the amenities. We are inviting VCC students to join us. There will be some of the best cookies you have ever tasted! FYI Tuesday Group that day will be Kris Hallberg “The Economic Impact of Twin Metals: The Harvard Study”.
We are meeting at VCC because March 3rd is voting day “Super Tuesday” It is Minnesota’s first presidential primary. The Senior Center will be busy as it is a polling place. Meg Heiman and Bill Tefft are our hosts, thank you. Meg is teaching Comp 2, her students have chosen Climate Change as the topic for their writing this semester. We will resume our regular climate meetings at the Senior Center in April.
At this meeting we plan a general discussion of climate change. Bring your questions and ideas. What aspect of the problem worries you? We can include the big topics like energy, food, population, immigration, and climate justice issues. If the “Green New Deal” gets passed will it solve our problems?
We can also try to cover some local affects like changes in species of trees, animals and bugs. We may also be facing droughts, floods and wildfires. There will be public health impacts too. Should we try to mitigate, adapt, or both? What actions can we take either personally or as a community?
Come and meet some VCC students. Share your hopes and concerns. Eat some cookies.
There is one piece of sad news, our friend Helmut Buettner died earlier this month. We will miss his wit and wisdom. You can read an obituary here: https://www.ranfranzandvinefh.com/obituary/353822/Helmut-Buettner/
Next month (April 7th) our climate change program and that day’s Tuesday Group will be on issues around climate and health. Brenna Doheny will represent the network “Healthcare Professionals for a Healthy Climate”. Let your neighbors know.
Our flyer for the March 3rd VCC meeting is below.
Hope to see you on Tuesday March 3rd, 10am VCC Fireside Room
Thanks
Barb
Hi folks
Our next Climate Change meeting will be January 7th at 10 am at the Ely Senior Center. Our visitor Randy Kolka from Grand Rapids is also speaking at Tuesday group. Randy will tell us about the projects underway at the USFS station near Grand Rapids. One of these experiments is named SPRUCE “Spruce and Peatland Responses under Changing Environments”. Randy is the lead scientist. You can see some images of this huge experiment here:
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mcvmagazine/issues/2018/jan-feb/spruce-project.html
I took this text from that same website
Seeing the Future
Researchers experiment with climate change in a northern peatland. by Amanda Kueper
“Welcome to a warmer future,” reads the sign above the door to the strange translucent cylinder towering in the middle of a Minnesota peat bog.
Inside the 26-foot-high, open-roof chamber, dozens of high-tech instruments with names like dendrometer, phenology camera, and mini-rhizotron are collecting information on the plants, soil, water, and air within the 1,000-square-foot patch of damp bog. A warm breeze streams steadily from an air duct, and underground heaters radiate warmth into the soggy earth, keeping the chamber a toasty 16 degrees warmer than the surrounding forest peatland.
“Things have bloomed in here four to six weeks earlier. The blueberries were ripe three weeks before” berries outside the chamber, says Stephen Sebestyen, a hydrologist for the U.S. Forest Service who’s giving visitors a tour. “I mean, look at this,” he says, gesturing toward a small bog rosemary plant with swelling buds, ready to flower. “They’re not doing that within the ambients”—by which he means unheated chambers—”or outside.”
There are 10 chambers like this one nestled within the Marcell Experimental Forest, a 2,800-acre piece of the Chippewa National Forest north of Grand Rapids. They are part of a “whole ecosystem warming experiment” called SPRUCE—Spruce and Peatland Responses Under Changing Environments.
The goal of the SPRUCE project is to help understand how climate change will affect Minnesota’s vast stretches of northern forest peatlands—expansive wetlands that are home to millions of spruce and tamarack trees, dense carpets of moss, and a huge variety of birds and other wildlife.
Randy has offered to host a tour of the site for those of us who are interested. I assume this would be in the spring or summer. Come talk with him and find out the details!
Hope to see you on Tuesday
Thanks
Barb
Hi Folks
Our next meeting will be Tuesday December 3rd 2019 at 10 am at the Ely Senior Center. The topic will be “recycling”. For your information Tuesday Group for that day is Tyler Fish “Crossing Greenland”.
We now have a Climate Blog for our group. You can find it here: https://elyminnesota.com/elyclimate/ You should find other items of interest at elyminnesota.com Many thanks to Richard Watson who runs the site for setting this up and teaching me to use it. I will continue to send out monthly emails about a week before each meeting, but I’ll also put that info on the web site. Eventually maybe we can just be web based? Send me your thoughts on what would be useful to post. So far we have a book list, a climate change talk, and some history of our past meetings.
What happens to the stuff we put in the recycle bins? What can we do about single use plastics? What is the big picture? Are there bright spots in other parts of the globe? China used to import recycled materials from us, but does so no more. Here is a summary:
https://slate.com/technology/2018/06/why-china-import-half-world-used-plastic.html
This reference is for the nerds who need graphs and numbers on the China story:
https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/4/6/eaat0131
This link compares recycling in the US to other countries
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jul/02/us-plastic-waste-recycling
But some good news, Minneapolis has a “bring your own bag” ordinance starting Jan 1st. After this date bring your own bag or pay 5c for a store bag (paper or plastic). Duluth is to follow in April 2020. How about Ely? Research shows that even a 5c charge has an effect https://ocean.si.edu/conservation/pollution/plastic-bag-bans-work
Plastics are hard to reuse, but paper, glass and aluminum can be processed into new products many times. Here is what happens to paper: https://earth911.com/business-policy/business/paper-recycling-details-basics/
On another topic, the UN’s World Meteorological Office (WMO) has just released a report summarizing greenhouse gas data for 2018. This has made the regular news channels, it is not good news. Next year, 2020, is particularly important to assess the effectiveness of commitments made in Paris and to update them. There is a lot of work to do.
https://public.wmo.int/en/media/press-release/greenhouse-gas-concentrations-atmosphere-reach-yet-another-high
Thank you, Happy Thanksgiving
Barb Jones
b2jonesmn@gmail.com
Ely Senior Center is at 27 S 1st Ave next to Ace Hardware
Some books you may find interesting. Send me your favorites and I’ll add them in. The reviews are picked from those presented on Amazon to give a hint of content and style.
| Falter |
McKibben 2019 |
“McKibben, a veteran environmental writer, is never hectoring or hyperbolic; here, he turns the possibility of human extinction (from climate change, artificial intelligence, etc.) into an absorbing analysis with a glimmer of hope.” ―The New York Times Book Review |
| The Sixth Extinction |
Kolbert 2015 |
“Natural scientists posit that there have been five extinction events in the Earth’s history (think of the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs), and Kolbert makes a compelling case that human activity is leading to the sixth.” ―Bill Gates |
| Countdown |
Weisman 2014 |
“Countdown converts globetrotting research into flowing journalism, highlighting a simple truth: there are, quite plainly, too many of us. A world that understands Weisman’s words will understand the pressing need for change.” — Bill Streever, author of Cold and Heat |
| The Uninhabitable Earth |
Wallace-Wells 2019 |
“The Uninhabitable Earth, which has become a best seller, taps into the underlying emotion of the day: fear. . . . I encourage people to read this book.”—Alan Weisman, The New York Review of Books |
| Losing Earth |
Rich 2019 |
“An eloquent science history, and an urgent eleventh-hour call to save what can be saved.” ―Barbara Kiser, Nature |
| The Vanishing Face of Gaia |
Lovelock 2010 |
An “unwilling Cassandra,” he is nevertheless an “an optimistic pessimist” and thinks we will survive the coming Hot Epoch, but predicts climate change will reduce our population from 9 billion to around one billion or less.” |
| Earth in Human Hands |
Grinspoon 2016 |
“Earth in Human Hands is a remarkable synthesis of natural history, planetary science, extinction histories, Earth’s climate and the human effect on the world…If we do it right, the 21st century won’t be the peak of human achievement, but rather our initial foray into a brilliant, uncertain but full-of-potential future.”―Forbes |
| Story of Earth |
Hazen 2013 |
“With infectious enthusiasm for his subject, Hazen introduces readers to Earth’s defining moments . . . [and] argues that understanding the interplay between Earth’s geological and biological pasts can help us predict and prepare for the future of life on our planet.” —Saron Yitbarek, Discover |
| Eating the Sun |
Morton 2009 |
“A rare delight….Oliver Morton writes so engagingly that [Eating the Sun] reads as a well-crafted biography of the earth on behalf of the plant kingdom.” (Prospect Magazine) |
| Symbiotic Planet |
Margulis 1999 |
In Symbiotic Planet, renowned scientist Lynn Margulis shows that symbiosis, which simply means members of different species living in physical contact with each other, is crucial to the origins of evolutionary novelty. |
| Rising |
Rush 2019 |
“Deeply felt . . . Rush captures nature with precise words that almost amount to poetry; the book is further enriched with illuminating detail from the lives of those people inhabiting today’s coasts.”―New York Times |
| Field Notes from a Catastrophe |
Kolbert 2015 |
“A perfect primer on global warming. It might be the most important book you read this year.” ―Cleveland Plain Dealer |
| A Farewell to Ice |
Wadhams 2017 |
“Peter Wadhams brings huge expertise to his subject – and he is an excellent writer. He explains why the fate of Arctic ice is crucial for the world’s climate and clarifies the controversies and complexities that confront scientists and policymakers. A fascinating book.” – Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal, President of the Royal Society 2005-10 |
| Brave New Arctic |
Serreze 2018 |
“Serreze provides an arresting account of the history of climate science, written by someone who saw it all unfold before his own eyes. If you thought you had heard it all, think again, and read this book.” (The Inquisitive Biologist) |
| The Two Mile Time Machine |
Alley 2014 |
“A superlative account of a complex topic . . .It is refreshingly straightforward to read, often humorous, yet still deadly serious, complete with anecdotes and understandable explanations of complex processes.” (Choice) |
| The Long Thaw |
Archer 2016 |
“This is the best book about carbon dioxide and climate change that I have read. David Archer knows what he is talking about.”―James Hansen, director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies |
| Power to Save the World |
Cravens 2007 |
Faced by the world’s oil shortages and curious about alternative energy sources, Gwyneth Cravens skeptically sets out to find the truth about nuclear energy. Her conclusion: it is a totally viable and practical solution to global warming. |
| Smart Power |
Fox-Penner 2014 |
“If you’re serious about policies that place energy efficiency on a level playing field with new energy supplies, and energy policy generally, this book is essential reading.” (Art Rosenfeld, California Energy Commission) |
| The Grid |
Bakke 2016 |
“Bakke describes the grid as far more than towers and wires . . . She leads readers through a history of the grid and a maze of financial, legal, regulatory, and environmental considerations with sprightly good humor . . . Finally, Bakke sketches a possible design of the ‘intelligent grid’ of the future . . . A lively analysis.” – Kirkus Reviews |
| The Nuclear Environmentalist |
Gomez-Cardenas 2012 |
I like the author’s open and honest approach, his competence and his rigorous summaries of a global problem that concern us all. I would recommend reading it before voting for any topic related to the energy problem on our planet.” (Antonella Del Rosso, CERN Courier, March, 2013) |
| Unintended Consequences |
Erickson 2019 free download |
http://unintended-consequences.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Unintentended-Consequences-Web-Version.pdf |
| Super Fuel |
Martin 2013 |
Makes the case that thorium, an abundant, safe element that cannot easily be turned into a weapon, should be fuelling our reactors instead of uranium.” ―New Scientist |
| Seeing the Light |
Montgomery 2017 |
This is the first accessible book to discuss all aspects of nuclear power in the context of the new nuclear era to help combat climate change and lethal air pollution, for students, the general public, and anyone interested in the future of energy production and the future of humanity on Earth. |
| Buying Time |
Makabe 2017 |
“Nuclear energy, with its relatively small footprint, has demonstrated its prowess as a source of power far cleaner and safer than all other forms of energy. I highly recommend Makabe’s clear, strong presentation of the choices that lie ahead in regard to energy resources for the growing world population.” (Gwyneth Cravens, author of Power to Save the World) |
| Death and Life of the Great Lakes |
Egan 2018 |
“A marvelous work of nonfiction, which tells the story of humanity’s interference with the natural workings of the world’s largest unfrozen freshwater system.” – Anne Moore, Crain’s Chicago Business |
| Carbon Capture |
Herzog 2018 |
This is a well written and accessible book about an important technology for the energy and industrial economies. Dr. Herzog gives practical examples and points out the important role carbon capture will play in our future. |
| How Bad are Bananas – The Carbon Footprint of Everything |
Berners-Lee 2011 |
The book puts our decisions into perspective with entries for the big things (the World Cup, volcanic eruptions, the Iraq war) as well as the small (email, ironing, a glass of beer). And it covers the range from birth (the carbon footprint of having a child) to death (the carbon impact of cremation). |
| Drawdown |
Hawken ed 2017 |
The 100 most substantive solutions to reverse global warming, based on meticulous research by leading scientists and policymakers around the world |
| Merchants of Doubt |
Oreskes 2011 |
“Anyone concerned about the state of democracy in America should read this book” ―Al Gore “Merchants of Doubt should finally put to rest the question of whether the science of climate change is settled. It is, and we ignore this message at our peril” ―Elizabeth Kolbert |
| Thank you Fossil Fuels and Good Night |
Meehan 2017 |
“This work is highly significant. This book stands out for its logical development and treatment of sources of energy, new technologies, a scan of individual country energy plans, and policy for an energy transition.” —David Chapman, Prof Emeritus Geophysics, University of Utah |
| Green Earth (This is a novel) |
Stanley-Robinson
2004-2015 |
“Perhaps it’s no coincidence that one of our most visionary hard sci-fi writers is also a profoundly good nature writer—all the better to tell us what it is we have to lose.”—Los Angeles Times |
2019
December Recycling
November Solutions
October Sea level and Great Lakes Issues
September Presidential Candidates’ Climate Positions
August Climate Change in the Schools
July CCL at Farmers’ Market
June CCL at Farmers’ Market
May CSA agriculture – Van from Northern Delicious
April Global population problems
March Solar Energy
February Climate politics, state and national
January 4th National Climate Assessment
2018
December Eric Enberg/Katya Gordon “Political and Financial Perspectives on CC”
November Nuclear Energy
October Recent global extreme weather events
September CCL at Farmers’ Market
August CCL at Farmers’ Market
July CCL at Farmers’ Market
June Transportation, CAFÉ standards
May Cutting your C footprint. Is burning wood really green?
April Mitigation/Adaptation
March Changes in the Arctic
February Greenwashing
January Putting a price on Carbon AND Leah Phifer
2017
December Discussion of “Drawdown” ed Hawken
November Katya and Mark Gordon – Citizens’ Climate Lobby
October Allete Clean Energy – Eric Norberg
September Misc topics, Rebecca Otto
August Climate Generation – Kristen Poppleton
July Climate Justice – Eric Kojala
June The role of the Oceans
May Wahams’ book “Farewell to Ice”
April Lee Frelich UMinn Our trees in a warming climate
March James Hansen’s pub “Young People’s Burden”
February Sherpa Dorjee talking about Nepal
January Marshall Helmberger – Living off the Grid
2016
December Home based solar – and Antarctica – Steve Piragis
November Some good items from the news.
October Consie and Roger Powell on their solar powered home
September More on Climate Change Leaders
August Climate Change Leaders
July Water use and availability
June COP 21 and climate justice
May Minnesota’s energy generation
April Germany’s Energy Transition
March Wind, solar and nuclear energy
February Geoengineering
January Paris COP 21
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