Reprieve

   The summer was not kind to Climate Guy 73. During the past year, I saw monthly increases in site visits, culminating in the all-time high of 12,436 in April. Ever since, the numbers have dropped so fast you would think you were looking at the temperature graph of the stratosphere for the past 40 years. (Look it up. That was my best science joke ever.)  I figured that people were just probably outside more, it being late Spring and then Summer.  Now, the green of Summer is giving way to the brilliant colors of Autumn as we speak. There is so much to do and see and experience in the world, why waste it sitting  inside on a computer? That has got to be the reason my loyal readers stopped coming by. (I'm sure it would have nothing to do with my erratic blogging, week long absences, or precipitous decline in the quality of my writing. Hey, you have a baby while living in a foreign country, all the while taking german classes to learn a new language.)

     The break was cathartic in a lot of ways, in all honesty. In this business, you can have your throat handed to you in the snap-hiss of a lightsaber. I have been read the riot act by many who think I am too radical, too "Left", that say I taint my message with "environmental alarmism" which damages my credibility. After awhile, I'll be honest, it can get to a person. There is a dread deep down, when it comes to the future of the planet, that this all maybe for naught. Am I making a difference? Are people reading? Am I doing enough?

    Then I look at my son: five months of smile and drool. The kid is easy going and sweet, the center of my universe. One smile from that toothless wonder and I realize that "Fuck yes it is all worth it!" People have to understand that we are damaging our rivers and oceans, leveling our forests, and killing millions of species every year. I owe it to my son to raise that red flag so it does NOT go unnoticed before it is too late, if it isn't too late already. I owe it to everyone's kids to do that! Even if I only get one person every few weeks to stop in and say, "Wow, that guy was funny! And I'm going to look into this Climate Reality Project, or the Anne Arundel County Watershed Stewards, or the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. " That's real all that matters.

     So I amble on. Reading new articles and watching new interviews everyday. Dropping into online communities and sharing what I know and have learned, while trying to learn more. Starting the conversation and reaching out to fill in the gaps for those who want to know more. Of course, this means lots of people rolling their eyes and shaking their heads when they don't like what I have to say. I have been told on more than 734 occasions (not that I'm counting) that I am wrong about the Climate, that Climate Change isn't real. Those people that say this to me ignore the science, the facts, the evidence. I even had a few people tell me that since they KNEW they were right, they didn't HAVE to prove it. It was up to ME to prove them wrong. What?! These are the people that take part in a scientific discussion and ignore the parameters set forth by science to state one's case. Instead, they just dismiss me as a brainwashed liberal who wants to trick people into buying clean renewable energy and plant more trees. They say I am a tree-hugger, a hippie, an Alarmist.

     Look, if you don't believe that Climate Change is real, that it is happening right now and will continue to happen in the future, and that we are the cause...this is not the blog for you. Especially now, with me back from a few weeks break and ready to type! I am trying to open the eyes of people on this planet so they can see how they are affecting the world today with their actions, and how they can affect the future by altering our present course. Some out there call me an Alarmist. I don't agree. Why? Well, it's not Alarmist if it's true, right?

The Great John Muir

Climate vs Weather

     I think everyone is familiar with this photo of Senate Climate-Change-Denier James Inhofe using a snowball as evidence that climate change doesn't exist. It was snowing outside in Washington that day in the winter, so climate change can't be real, he posited. Which of course is ridiculous. Weather isn't climate. Weather patterns over long periods of time are climate. Besides, there is more to Climate Change than just global warming, which if the Senator would talk with a science teacher, he may understand.  

     Climate Change doesn't mean that the Earth is ONLY getting warmer. It means that due to global warming brought upon by ever increasing CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere, which can and has been directly traced to the burning of fossil fuels by humans, weather patterns over time begin to change. Summer gets longer, Spring and Fall get shorter. Winters can get nastier, storms get stronger. Places around the world get more rain than the normally get on average and there are floods, while others get less and suffer droughts. Sure, these things happen and have happened for millions of years. But, the frequency and the magnitude is increasing. The Extremes get more extreme. The Earth is warming much faster than at any other time that scientists can determine. We can look back at the climate changes over the past million years or so and what we see happening now is unprecedented. Rapid change makes it harder for life to adapt, which leads to mass die offs of species, which is taking place all over the world. 

     This report shows that 2015 is on its way to becoming the hottest year on record, beating the previous record year, which was...2014. Ouch. Not good. Hotter temperatures change the local environment and can shift weather patterns, creating a different climate. Where I grew up in Southern Maryland, you could set your watch by the 4 year snow storm that brought us 20+ inches of snow. Every four years. I vividly remember as a kid those years because we were usually out of school for a week! '79, '83, '87, '91, '96, '00. But, now storms like that are becoming more frequent and the four year interval is less predictable. 2010 saw the four year storm, but then we had another winter with heavy snows in 2013. And again in 2014. The winter of 2015 saw a ridiculous amount of snow in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic (just ask my cousins) and they prediction for this coming winter is again looking like heavy snow along the Eastern Seaboard due to a VERY strong El Niño. As you can see, all of this gets complicated.

     What I have noticed is that when discussing weather patterns, people get angry and things can get contentious. Some dismiss weather changes as normal and ignore the new emerging patterns. But weather patterns aren't the only way to recognize climate change. It can also have an effect on the local flora and fauna. Trees that once thrived in your area with what the local climate used to be are now stressed and struggling to survive. Too much water, extended drought. Too much rain or not enough has thrown their health out of whack. Animals that were once plentiful in an area suddenly decline in numbers, which has a domino effect on other plants and animals. Warmer temperatures can create ideal conditions for certain bacteria and fungi to grow, which can kill plants and trees. Everything is connected. 

     Where we live now, in Southern Germany near the Alps, I have talked at great length the locals about the weather: is it the same as it was 20 years ago? Has anything changed? Is it warmer in the Summer? In the Winter? Does it snow more often or less? Are the thunderstorms more frequent and more powerful? What about insects? Everyone that I have talked to says the same thing: 20 years ago, Autumn started at the end of August but now it starts closer to the end of September. Mosquitoes are a much bigger pest than ever before, they say. Local trees (in yards and in the forests) are struggling in the Summer months due to the reduced rainfall. House fly and Wasp populations have exploded; no one remembers them being so bad, and we live deep in cow country so flies have always been around. This is a place where they don't normally have screens for their windows, but now most people are installing them because these insects have become a major issue. 

     Of course, this is all unscientific. I have to admit that. I'm just out asking questions, getting to know people and trying to improve my crappy german. But, the people I am talking to have lived here most if not all of their lives. We are talking about old farmers, bent-backed from hard work, school teachers, gray-haired and stress-wrinkled from years in the schoolroom. People who's families have lived here for generations. People who learned how to work the land from their parents. That's DECADES of experience, observing the environment and refining methods to be a successful farmer. And now, their methods are not enough due to the changing climate. 

     I find it all fascinating and worrisome. Which is why Inhofe's snowball really frosts my little red wagon. The naysayers always focus on one thing, and that's weather. But it's not about weather, not really. Weather is a factor, but its the weather patterns that we are talking about and studying. They are changing, which bring about other more measurable changes like increases in insect populations or declining plant populations. So if you notice that there are more mosquitoes or a certain weed is suddenly everywhere and you can't fight it back, it may be because where you live the climate has changed enough to create different conditions, conditions that those insects of weed just so happen to thrive in. Something to consider the next time someone throws a snowball and tells you the world is getting colder. 

Denial in the Time of Climate Change

     I found this online yesterday: a "Denial Guide". Used by dysfunctional families everywhere, this blue-print is also used by Climate Change Deniers in there campaign to make it appear as if there is a debate about Anthropogenic Climate Change. This is how they create doubt and  confuse people into thinking that Climate Change isn't happening...or that Climate Change IS happening, but is natural and is not caused by humans...or that it is natural but is good for us! What these Deniers say always depends on who they are talking to and in which situation. Their message is always catered to their audience.

     Many of you may be surprised to learn that this script isn't new. The blueprint has worked effectively for the past 160+ years: for opponents (past and present) of Darwin's Theory of Evolution, for Watson and Crick's DNA model, for the Tobacco Companies in the 1960's and 70's who claimed that smoking was not bad for you. That's why the Fossil Fuel industry uses it today...its effective! Imagine if Albert Einstein had let the naysayers affect his theory on General or Special Relativity?

     Geneticist Sean B. Carroll wrote "The Making of the Fittest: DNA and the Ultimate Record of Evolution", in which he identified the "six core features of denialism". The comparisons between what happened with the Tobacco Industry

All That Ice

     I saw this video surfing the net this morning. Now, I know it may sound alarmist, but its something to think about. While most of the leading scientists think that all of the ice melting is improbable, some of the cities in the video would be greatly affected with just a few meter rise in global sea levels. That means hundreds of millions of people in the South Pacific, Northern Europe, The East Coast of North America and Southeast Asia would be homeless.

     That's why people like me worry and want to spread the word on how we are changing our climate.

Myths and the Ease of Change

     Popular Mechanics released a great article about the myths of Climate Change. Some of the things being said are grossly inaccurate, so I was tickled that they shared. Yes, I said I was tickled. So what?
You can read the article here.

     To think, just by not throwing away that leftover meatloaf so the kids can eat pizza, you can reduce waste, reduce methane emissions and safe yourself some money too! I think that is one of the huge misconceptions about being "Green". Being more environmentally conscious isn't more expensive, it can save you money from the get go! Sure, solar panels, beefed up home insulation and LED lightbulbs cost more upfront, but that stuff pays you back pretty fast and then you're in the black! Green is the new Black!

      If you want to be more green, check out these websites and learn how easy it is to reduce your footprint on this lovely planet. Sometimes its as easy as having certain houseplants to clean the air or planting a tree in a strategic place outside. For real. You don't have to be a tree hugger to like trees.

Green Living Ideas
Sustainable Baby Steps
Earth Easy
Real Simple

     If you want to speak out and speak up to encourage our elected officials to take action and stop ignoring the cold hard facts, visit Citizens' Climate Lobby. You can make a difference. You just have to say something.

New House Update

     The new house is coming along. What you see here is the rainwater cistern. We will be using rain and snowmelt to flush the toilets. Drainage from the lot will be directed into the cistern, where there is a pump that will direct the water, through a filter and then to the service lines for the toilets. You can't see it, but the cistern is about 3 meters deep, which means quite a bit of water capacity.

     Not a big money saver, but it's a water saver. Reducing how much water we buy from the city was important to us. Utilizing rainwater helps reduce our impact on the environment and make our house a more sustainable domicile. 

     We will also use rain barrels at strategic downspouts around the house so we will be able to water the garden and plant beds.  The cistern and rain barrels will only save us pennies in terms of what we save from buying water from the city (which we still do for showers, sinks, etc.) but it helps save water resources going forward. We are just redirecting rainwater for our use. We will use less of the city's supply, which makes more available for others. The rain barrels will allow us to water where its needed without it flowing onto the street or other impervious surfaces where it can't soak in. 

     There are other sustainable things we have planned, so stay tuned and I will show them to you as we progress! Have a great weekend. 

Ted Cruz: Modern Day Galileo

     Ted Cruz compared himself to Galileo the other day.
     Hahahahahahahahaha...hahahahhahahahaha!(Sorry about that.)

     Like the famous physicist, engineer, astronomer, philosopher, and mathematician *yes, Galileo Gallili was all of those things) back in Florence during the Renaissance, Cruz is the modern day equivalent.

     Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! (Again, sorry. Let me wipe these tears away.)

     Cruz compared today's modern scientists with the people who believed the Earth was flat in Galileo's time, with Climate Change being what today's best scientific minds have got wrong.

     But Senator Cruz has it all figured out because he is a lawyer. Which means he knows more about scientific theory than modern day scientists. You just have to ask him, he'll tell you. Actually, you don't even have to ask him. He will tell you anyway. He's so much smarter than everyone else that he likens himself to being the modern day Galileo. There are some similarities, I have to admit. Galileo was place under house arrest by the Catholic Church for promoting his theory that the Earth revolved around Sun, a theory since proved correct. Cruz sent thousands of federal workers home with no pay for a 16 days a few years ago in an attempt to defund Obamacare. So you see, Galileo and Ted Cruz are practically the same.

     Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha...(breath)...hahahahahahahahahaha!

Milk Bones for People?

     My dog Mona is more than a handful. If she were a bra, she would be size EEE. Seriously. We found poor Mona at the Anne Arundel ASPCA in December of 2013 on Christmas Eve. A pure bred, chocolate lab with the shiniest coat I have ever seen, of course we jumped at the chance to own her. The angels above sent us a dog with very little discipline and no training, so to say she has been a pain in the ass is an understatement. But, like most rescues, she has been well worth it.

     While Mona is difficult, she is also very trainable. It did not take us long to get her on a schedule, nor did it take long to teach her to sit, lay, shake, speak and stay (sometimes). What has been the real mother is breaking her of her old habits. She has incredible focus. But when she attempts to charge down the street and tackle some kid on a bike while out for a walk because she thinks thats how you are supposed to play with kids, that focus is a monster. Getting her to train that focus on me or my wife has been a struggle, but it has been paying dividends. Small, incremental dividends. At a snail's pace. An excruciatingly painful and slow snail's pace. Like if the snail was frozen and crawling across the surface of Pluto...in the winter...at night...billions of years from now after the Sun has burned all of its fuel and disappeared from the sky. And the Universe has grown cold and quiet.

     With progress there are growing pains. Mona knows

Funny Because It's True

Funny

Stephen Hawking is Pretty Smart

First Day of Spring!

     Looking over the past few things I posted, I realized that I had gotten away from my goal of being trying to put some "funny" into the discussion about Climate Change. You will have to excuse me, but I had the flu earlier this week and that just wasn't very funny. Any humor that I may have had inside did not remain there. I will spare you the details, but let's just say that I lost weight and look great now! And today's the first day of Spring! So I got that going for me.

     Speaking of losing weight, did you hear about the Totten Glacier in East Antarctic Ice Sheet? Recent studies discovered that there are some pretty lengthy and deep outflow channels buried under the ice glacier. Those channels allow warmer clean water to flow under the glacier, which could speed up melting (Totten is indeed melting faster than any other East Antarctic glacier) and expose more surrounding ice to warmer waters. Much bigger and with a tremendous amount more water than the West Sheet (bigger than Greenland in fact), the melting of Totten could trigger a massive melt off that could raise sea level by over 11 feet. "Hallelujah! Holy Shit! Where's the Tylenol?"*

      Just what you wanted to hear on a beautiful Pre-Spring Morning in March, right? But, hopefully some of you have started, or will start, to bypass the episode review for "The Americans" while you drink your coffee and start reading about these types of things that will have a long term impact on your future. (After you check the hockey scores and tightening playoff race, because there's nothing more important than that, am I right?)

     Also, if you missed my post What Would Reagan Do? about the Op-Ed piece that former Secretary of State George Schultz wrote about how he thought Ronald Reagan would have handled the threat of Climate Change, you can do that here. Go on...click the link! Everybody's doing it.

     Last but not least, a quote from Woody. Because its true and we need to be reminded of this sometimes. We are not alone.

*quote from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, 1989

Thursday Movie

     Check out this great little video about the effects we are having on Climate Change and the Planet. Its only a few minutes long. Leaner what you can do to make a difference and Save the World.

What Would Reagan Do?

     George Schultz is a pretty smart and respected guy. He was Ronald Reagan's Secretary of State and when Schultz talks, much like EF Hutton, people listen. Recently Schultz penned an Op-Ed in the Washington Post (a liberal newspaper) to outline what he believed President Reagan would have done to address the issues of global warming and Climate Change. Since so many conservatives love to quote and reference President Reagan with love and respect, I was unsure of what to expect from Mr. Schultz. To say the least, Schultz hit a home run.

     You can read Schultz's piece here. Before you dismiss Schultz as a senile old man, keep in ind he has all of his faculties and writes an insightful, intelligent and pragmatic article. Without stripping away conservative ideals, he offers up a theory on what Reagan would have done, based on his past actions concerning things like the environment and global stability. In a nutshell, Schultz proposes that Reagan would have taken out an insurance policy of sorts, by putting a price on carbon emissions while letting the market dictate the costs. Sound familiar?

     Worst case scenario? If climate change turned out to be not as bad as people believed or not happening, the innovation and growth from said innovation would have driven the economy and led to growth. Of course, once they had seen climate change was indeed happening, the steps Schultz proposes would have most likely slowed the greenhouse effect, prevented massive melt off of sea ice, glaciers and mountain snows and we wouldn't be where we are today.

     Isn't time to let the free market system so many conservatives in this country worship take center stage in the battle against climate change? If our political leaders on the hill and governing the states really want to save money and spur economic growth, isn't it time they stopped with al this nonsense and put a price on carbon? That's what Reagan would do. Just saying.

Reduce, Reuse...Recycle Less

   One of the most well known phrases in the environmental movement is Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. But, after having conversations, giving presentations and interacting with others in my travels, it has become apparent to me that many people skip the first two R's and go straight to the last one: Recycle. While recycling is important, without the first two steps, recycling only slows the inevitable.

    Resources are still needed to make new products, even when using recycled material. Products made from recycled material still need about 67% of their materials from somewhere else; there are not any plastic bottles or toys that are made from 100% recycled material. Hence, the Reduce and Reuse steps in the process. The idea is to reduce what you use that needs to be thrown away or recycled. Then, reuse the things that you buy that are not single use items. (Single use items can give off toxic materials that are harmful to your health. Not to mention it's just incredibly wasteful to use a plastic bag one time and then throw it into the yard for the wind to carry away.)

     Check out this link from David Suzuki to learn more about how to full implement the 3 R's in your home and business. Spread the word! Make it a contest with your neighbors and friends: who can recycle less, reuse more and reduce your environmental footprint. Everyone wants to win at something, right? How's your chance to put your neighbors in their place, and save some money too.

TV Series Review: BBC's South Pacific

     My wife and I recently hunkered down and watched "South Pacific", from the BBC. No, not Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. (Although watching that with your wife is bound to be one enchanted evening.) The mini-series explores the islands, people, creatures and the amazing diversity in the most amazing areas in the Southern Pacific ocean. I would run out, get Netflix and watch it if you don't already have the streaming service. You can also watch it online.

Mataiva Atoll

     Of course, watching the different episodes, I was struck with how unique and special life on this planet is. Despite the South Pacific being desolate and far from most of the densely populated areas of the world, it is still threatened by our activities. Many of the small islands and atolls are under serious threat from sea level rise. Whole cultures are on the brink of disappearing. Anyone who can watch this and not care just a little bit about preserving these natural wonders and the people who live near them... Well, let's hope that's not the case.

     The final episode, "Fragile Paradise", is especially poignant. As the other oceans of the world see sharp declines in their fish populations, nations are hightailing it to the South Pacific to meet their quotas, further impacting a delicate balance. The word of the 21st Century should be sustainability. And we should do what it takes to ensure that the South Pacific and the rest of the world's oceans are there for future generations.

Banning Scientific Terms

     It was widely reported this week that Florida Governor Rick Scott instructed the Florida Department of Environmental to no longer use the terms "climate change", "global warming" and "sea-level rise" in official reports from the agency. There have been the usual denials from the Governor's office while more than a few employees and former employees of the state of Florida have come forward to confirm this little nugget. You asked why I get so political on here? Banning scientific terms about the environment and, more specifically Climate Change, will get me up on that soap box one more time.

     I can't say I'm surprised by this information. Rick Scott is no friend of the Environment, which is a shame, since his state will be the first to be wiped off the map by bigger and more powerful storms and the increasingly rising oceans. But as long as he can control the information that gets out to the public, then he is happy. In reading the dozens of articles about this unofficial policy, put in place in 2011 when Scott took office, the word that stuck with me was "Orwellian".

     My biggest question is...What are the Free Speech ramifications of this? Since no law was passed and the policy is unofficial I guess it doesn't fall under Freedom of Speech. I'm no constitutional lawyer, so maybe I'm wrong. But the censorship is what angers me. People scoff that there is a war on Science, yet I can provide this phantom policy by the Governor's office of Florida as proof that that war is quite real. And like any war, innocent people stand to lose the most.

Time for a Rant

     It has been pointed out to me that my blog can get a little political. Honestly, I would rather not write political commentary...but man, there's just so much material out there to tap! Thanks to the US Congress and the American political system. I try not to blather on about American politics, but let's face it, the political system has been polarized by the environmental movement, more specifically, Climate Change.

     Seriously, how can I--a climate and environmental activist with a Bachelors of Science--NOT weigh in on the asinine anti-science rhetoric that our elected officials spout from Capitol Hill? From Mitch McConnell telling states to ignore the President's directives on carbon emissions, to the Senate taking up valuable time to vote on whether or not they believe Climate Change is real or not. What what...WHAT?! Aren't our roads and bridges falling apart? (You can check out the bridge in Pittsburgh built under a crumbling overpass in order to catch pieces of concrete that are falling off). Don't we have a budget to balance and government overspending to rein in? Or a campaign funding mess that takes the people out of the election equation and allows corporations to buy elections?

     The War on Science continues to rage on, and its epicenter can be found in Washington. The House of Representatives is getting

Maryland's Stormwater Bill

     Over the last few years, I was one of many people to push for the new Stormwater Bill in Maryland to be passed. It addressed the antiquated Stormwater systems that dumped polluted water from our streets into the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. It also will raise money to fix and replace leaky septic systems that were adding to the declining health of our state's most valuable resource. Many stormwater systems were designed and installed over 50 years ago. They are outdated and need to be modernized. To see the new Governor push to repeal the bill is heartbreaking. The health of the Bay affects the health of millions of people, will cost thousands of jobs if left to get worse and lead to the loss of thousands of species of plant and animal life. 

     The what upsets me the most is that the opponents of the bill have labeled it a "rain tax", with people who do not fully understand the language and purpose of the bill believing they have to pay a tax every time it rains. That's absurd! People have just made the jump from the term "Rain Tax" to thinking they are paying more in taxes each time a storm rolls through. I guess snow isn't included in that, huh? Can people be so lazy that they don't even read the language of passed legislation before they start to argue against it? 

     Many against the bill acknowledge the declining health of the Chesapeake and refuse to swim or let their children swim in its waters. Yet they don't even think twice about eating crabs. Oysters and rockfish that are caught in the ever increasing pollution. 

     Like so many in the world, they want to reap the rewards at the cost of the future. Clean water means healthy things to eat, more jobs and water safe to swim in. You are going to prevent that if the Stormwater Legislation is overturned. Think about it. Can you afford an extra $6.25 a month to clean up the waters in the Chesapeake? What if it meant it would be safer to go crabbing or fishing or waterskiing?

Learn the real facts and intent of the Maryland Stormwater Remediation Legislation.