Wind power is growing faster than any other utility, including fossil fuels, John Doerr notes in his new book, Speed & Scale, An Action Plan for Solving Our Climate Crisis Now. He explains that wind has a higher market share than solar and that these two clean energy sources naturally compliment each other rather than compete.
Solar operates during the day, and wind turbines are more active at night when the wind is strongest.
John Doerr
The size of the wind turbines determine how much electricity it can generate. The taller the frame, the faster the wind speeds that can be channeled to generate more electricity. The only downside is that the size of the turbines limits the location where they can be placed. The largest wind farms are now being built offshore because of their size.
Join the conversation and receive regular climate action tips, and soil health and biodiversity advice by staying engaged at Act Now for the Earth Cafe. You’ll feel hopeful when you ask questions and interact with like-minded others about finding solutions that will help the earth recover from the damage of climate change. You’ll feel confident that we can succeed at staying below tipping points. It’s all about community. We’d greatly value you being part of our ecosystem. CLICK here today and join the conversation at Earth Cafe!
Heart of the matter. With wind energy taking off, but the turbine size limiting the location where turbines can be installed, innovators have jumped in and invented several original designs that will enable wind energy to be produced in more congested areas like cities and busy suburbs.
Aeroleaf by New World Wind
Inspired by nature, French inventor Jerôme Michaud-Larivière of New World Wind has created the aesthetically pleasing mini wind turbine Wind Tree, Wind Bush and Wind Petal. The first prototypes were tested between 2013-2016 in France, Belgium and Germany. New World Wind Wind Trees were recently installed at Place de la Concorde in Paris. Photos show additional Wind Trees in a park, along a street, on the boardwalk at a picturesque water front destination, and another on what appears to be a corporate campus. According to New World Wind’s Facebook page, a single oversized Aeroleaf Wind Petal was installed in Seoul, South Korea to power a charging station.
quiet
optimized for low wind speed
32 feet tall
36 Aeroleafs
each Aeroleaf is 3 feet tall
5,400 watts
made of steel
can also recharge a car
Wind Turbine Wall by Joe Doucet
The kinetic wind wall was developed by NYC-based Joe Doucet. The rotary blade wall currently stands 8 feet tall and 25 feet wide, but can be adjusted. The framework is expected to be made of aluminum.
Doucet’s wind wall hasn’t been tested yet, but seems ideal for American neighborhoods that have traditional wooden fences dividing yards. Additionally, the military would likely make good use of these 8 foot wind walls. Military bases usually have endless walls distributed throughout their bases.
Wind wall overproduction will also be able to be stored in wall-mounted batteries just like solar, or monetized and fed back to the national grid.
Power technology ranked the top ten US states for wind production.
Texas – 24,899 MW powering more than six million homes
Iowa – 8,422 MW
Oklahoma – 8,072 MW
California – 5,885 MW
Kansas – 5,653 MW
Illinois – 4,861 MW
Minnesota – 3,779 MW
Colorado – 3,706 MW
Oregon – 3,213 MW
North Dakota – 3,155 MW
The United States is ranked number two in wind power, right behind China. As the wind market continues to grow at a rapid pace, more innovative improvements will be developed. China’s already cornered the market on manufacturing solar panels. It would be ideal if the United States could dominate the market on some segment of renewable energy manufacturing.
Check back each week for new climate optimism articles featuring innovative solutions that will help solve the climate crisis.
No rose without thorns. —French Proverb. Groundbreaking YA book series for all ages. Gripping modern day nail-biter with Machiavellian villains, but also a tale that opens our eyes to the brutal war going on beneath our feet that controls our destiny, despite our obliviousness to this potentially civilization-destroying threat.
Subscribe to Force of Nature to stay connected to the insights we provide in our effort to accelerate the transition to a sustainable, eco-friendly, carbon neutral global community. Click here to subscribe.
All true things said in jest, right? That was certainly my impression when I checked out Don’t Look Up on December 10, 2021. This timely film is an ink blot test, which becomes abundantly clear when scrolling through the majority of mainstream media reviews. You’ll quickly discover that most are nothing more than defensive ambushes against Adam McKay, (writer, producer and director of Don’t Look Up), and his star-studded cast, with the trademark fossil fuel maniacal thumbprint.
The truth hurts.
As a climate activist, my impression of McKay’s intrepid work was that it was masterfully written. A satirical mask covering the faces and behaviors of very real people. Picking up on the legitimacy behind each raw jab, I felt grateful to hear the facts spoken this way. It disarms and makes us much more open-minded to the next painful truth. It’s as though the script was written in code, and whoever can decipher will know how to proceed with climate action.
Heart of the matter. Don’t Look Up is a multi-dimensional, emotional roller-coaster filled with nuances. In addition to his unchained smack down of politicians and their short-term priorities, self-serving tech giants, and the soulless media, Adam McCay skillfully weaves in valuable advice throughout the film that we’d otherwise have to pay a lot of money when we visited a crisis manager or therapist.
Timothée Chalamet’s character, Yule, portrayed this aspect of the parody so admirably. The best line in Don’t Look UP wasn’t a slick diss, but rather Chalamet’s, “Dr. Mindy, can I be vulnerable in your car?”
In my humble opinion, allowing ourselves to admit to our vulnerability is the key takeaway. “Can I be vulnerable” is a pivotal question in this transformational film, and becomes Don’t Look Up’s valuable contribution to our global society. It’s the question that will lead to the majority of effective solutions required to successfully solve the climate crisis. Until we’re willing to expose ourselves to risks and rejections, making mistakes through trial and error, and taking big leaps, we won’t be able to stay below 1.5ºC.
Chalamet also models the benefit of having a personal spiritual substratum to help us deal with all the harsh unknowns.
Thankfully, Chalamet nails both of these critical concepts. We now have a mental image to work off of that reinforces how cool it is to be vulnerable and deep.
Adam McKay was first in line to expose his own vulnerability in taking the big leap of faith to create Don’t Look Up. As if on cue, the mainstream media’s shallow and acidic reaction to Don’t Look Up is WHY so many innovators with new ideas remain silent and refuse to act. By putting his own neck on the line, McKay has not only exposed, but he’s ruptured the barriers that restrain many innovators. What a brilliant and daring legacy McKay has bestowed on humanity at this critical juncture in our timeline, creating a path in the tangled wilderness for others to follow. Hopefully many of us will take the necessary risks after watching Don’t Look Up when it’s released on Netflix, December 24, 2021.
The remarkable cast of stars, promoting a powerful message to the public, urging us to open our eyes, “JUST LOOK UP,” and do the right thing to end global warming for humanity’s sake, is the equivalent of the music industry banding together and creating “We Are the World” to provide relief during the 1985 African famine.
Jennifer Lawrence’s flawless depiction of PhD candidate Kate Dibiasky embodies the classic hit-job women often experience when they have discoveries and make valuable contributions that organizational psychologist and Wharton professor Adam Grant posts about regularly on social media. “When men get mad, they’re commended as strong leaders. When women get angry, they’re condemned as aggressive bitches.” Or how about, “When men raise ideas, they’re respected as leaders. When women voice ideas, they’re often ignored.”
As thrilled as we are to have a female president, Janie Orlean, played by Meryl Streep, represents how a crisis would unfold under the leadership of a female Donald Trump (Marjorie Taylor Greene?!). LOL. All joking aside, the unfortunate reality is that power tends to warp good judgement, no matter what the gender. Nobel laureate Daniel Khaneman explains this ruinous flaw in his book Noise, A Flaw in Human Judgement.
On the other end of the spectrum is Dr. Teddy Oglethorpe, Rob Morgan, NASA’s head of the Planetary Defense Coordination Office. Teddy models excellent leadership behavior in the film, providing viewers with a baseline of what real leadership looks like, which helps to underscore the deficiencies of President Orlean, ridiculous Peter Isherwell played by Mark Rylance, (I kept wondering if he was a heartless hologram), and General Themes, Paul Guilfoyle, who was apparently trying to make up for all the grifter defense contractors who deceptively invoice the military with padded bills like the $435 hammer. (Kate couldn’t get over that the General had charged them for what were supposed to be free snacks and water.)
As always, Jonah Hill was amazing. I wouldn’t have wanted him to play the President’s son, a male Ivanka, I mean Jason Orlean, any other way. I can’t help but wonder if Peter Brand in Moneyball, played by Johah Hill, and Peter’s genius idea, is the type of solution we need to uncover to solve the climate crisis. (Make sure to keep watching beyond the credits to see Jason’s P.S. to the world. Haha.)
I found that I was the one who laughed the most in the theater. I’m sure I was the one who cried the most, too. The majority in my millennial and Gen-Z audience seemed to be processing the significance of what the film was conveying and appeared too stunned to know what to do. We all seemed to be connecting with what Greta had warned us about. “I don’t want you to be hopeful. I want you to panic.” And there Dr. Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio) was, panicking. And suddenly, so were we. (I had to look this up, because I was so curious about how a star’s acting could actually make me feel an extreme emotion like panic. It’s called the chameleon effect. But seriously, see if you don’t physically feel “pit in your stomach” panicked when you watch Randall panic. Trust me, you will.)
I have to admit that I too was glad they cut Randall’s beard when they were preparing him for his whirlwind media blitz.
Sadly, the double ending (plus Jason’s P.S.) made sense. Most of us speculated as much on social media when Jeff Bezos lifted-off for his test flight to outer space this past summer while in the middle of unprecedented heatwaves and out of control wildfires.
As I exited the theater, and in the days that have followed, I couldn’t help but imagine a different kind of outcome for our real climate crisis. The kind of ending that becomes a new beginning with millions, and billions of us following the lead of Leonardo DiCaprio in the Revenant, clawing our way back to our original paradisiacal earth, this after being left for dead along the edge of a cliff by the extreme capitalists and billionaires who are busy trying to profit off our planet’s death spiral just the way Mark Rylance did in Don’t Look Up.
Leonardo DiCaprio has been a global leader and environmentalist supporting biodiversity and rewilding the world since 1998, particularly for marginalized groups, such as the Waorani People of the Amazon and the ICCN in Virunga National Park. DiCaprio’s philanthropy aligns with Sir David Attenborough, Johan Rockström, Jane Goodall and multiple others who are urgently promoting rewilding.
So yes, imagining the better conclusion that Sir David Attenborough spoke of at COP26 in November 2021 when he said, “If working apart we are a force powerful enough to destabilize our planet, surely working together we are powerful enough to save it.” Attenborough went on to assure his audience in Glasgow, “In my lifetime, I’ve witnessed a terrible decline. In yours, you could and should witness a wonderful recovery.”
That’s the brilliance of Don’t Look Up. The craftsmanship of subliminally showing us what we don’t want to have happen within the next decade, which opens our eyes to the natural path leading in the opposite direction.
Whether it’s Dr. Randall Mindy, Hugh Glass from the Revenant, or the real Leonardo DiCaprio of Appian Way Productions and the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, Don’t Look Up adeptly inspires viewers to reach for a better path forward. (Note to self, it’s rather extraordinary that one actor can play the two dissimilar roles of Dr. Randall Mindy and Hugh Glass to such excellence. Looking forward to seeing what DiCaprio does with Jim Jones.)
And although we may have panicked when Randall panicked, we don’t have to calmly accept annihilation the way Randall, Kate, Teddy, Yule and Randall’s wife and two sons did. Rather, let’s Hugh Glass ourselves and reach and stretch and claw our way back to civilization by rewilding our local communities so that we can have the happily ever after outcome the majority of us want so desperately.
“We really did have everything, didn’t we? I mean when you think about it…”
Yes, Dr. Mindy, we really did. Let’s get it back while we still have time.
Don’t Look Up is the entertainment world’s Code Red for Humanity. An urgent warning for those who may have missed the 2021 IPCC Report Report, or forgot to read the Paris Agreement. We only have a few short years to stay below 1.5ºC. We must return to the Garden of Eden. Let’s reach this blissful destination within the next ten years, rather than 22,740 years.❃
No rose without thorns. —French Proverb. Groundbreaking YA book series for all ages. Gripping modern day nail-biter with Machiavellian villains, but also a tale that opens our eyes to the brutal war going on beneath our feet that controls our destiny, despite our obliviousness to this potentially civilization-destroying threat.
Subscribe to Force of Nature to stay connected to the insights we provide in our effort to accelerate the transition to a sustainable, eco-friendly, carbon neutral global community. Click here to subscribe.
The severe chain of tornadoes that ravaged eight states on December 10, 2021, touching down in 30 separate locations, opened our eyes to the new normal that we’ve thrust ourselves into after breaking through the boundaries that human civilization has existed in for more than 10,000 years.
We’ve left the Holocene Epoch, the era of stable climate and predictable seasons with a global temperature of +/- 1ºC, and entered the unstable Anthropocene Epoch, the age of humans. Nothing is predictable anymore. We’re currently at a global temperature of 1.2ºC above the pre-industrial age baseline. Climate scientists have warned that we’ll experience many more extreme weather events and thus have to find more ways to adapt as quickly as possible, while simultaneously reducing carbon emissions, just as urgently, in the hopes that we can make our way back to the safe Holocene conditions.
Join the conversation and receive regular climate action tips, and soil health and biodiversity advice by staying engaged at Act Now for the Earth Cafe. You’ll feel hopeful when you ask questions and interact with like-minded others about finding solutions that will help the earth recover from the damage of climate change. You’ll feel confident that we can succeed at staying below tipping points. It’s all about community. We’d greatly value you being part of our ecosystem. CLICK here today and join the conversation at Earth Cafe!
However hopeful we may be about the future and our ability to turn this around, the current conditions are baked in for the next 20 years. Understanding the new extremes and creating strategies for adapting, (ie deep underground tornado shelter bunkers), will keep people much more safe, although our personal property will still be at great risk from here on out, as we saw with the total destruction of Mayfield, Kentucky.
The heart of the matter.
According to the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL), under Severe Storms 101, powerful tornadoes have the ability to shred the ground itself, spew dirt, and in some cases dig trenches as deep as 3 feet. There have even been reports of tornadoes pulling up asphalt.
A powerful tornado’s ability to dig into the ground, should set off alarm bells. Graveyards are a concern of course, although right now, most caskets are 6 feet deep so they’re still relatively secure. But for how long? How deep will a tornado be able to dig if we reach 1.5ºC, or worse 2ºC?
And how about Superfund sites? The remedial procedure for decontaminating soil tainted by toxic waste is to cap it off, usually with clean soil, the depth of which is determined by the EPA and varies.
For example, General Tire & Rubber Co (Mayfield Landfill ) is located two miles north of Mayfield, Kentucky and was deemed a superfund site in 1990 at which time it was placed on the National Priorities List (NPL). The EPA removed General Tire & Rubber Co (Mayfield Landfill ) from the NPL when it determined that no cleaned would be necessary after all following the PRP (potentially responsible party) covering the trenches (that contained 152 tons of hazardous waste) with two feet of clean soil, and seeding the top.
Not cleaning up the contaminated area and instead just covering it up, may have benefitted the PRP and the EPA in the short term, but it has become a significant threat in the long term. The hazardous waste at General Tire & Rubber Co (Mayfield Landfill ) is still there, two feet below the surface based on EPA records. The tornadoes will become more powerful due to climate change, more stronger than the 163-190 mph winds that tore up Mayfield on December 10, 2021. Stronger tornadoes have the potential to dig into the trenches where the hazardous waste still remains and propel it into the air where it can swirl around and potentially spread hundreds of miles.
In 2021, there were 1,317 Superfund sites in the US. Kentucky has its fair share, a dynamic list that the EPA is trying to whittle down to zero. It appears that at one point there were 21 Superfund sites in Kentucky. Eight are still showing as active on the current list, although at least one of these was removed from the NPL in September 2021.
The tornado that raged through Kentucky on December 10, 2021, passed over 3 Superfund sites in two counties.
Logan County (EF2, 111-135 mph winds)
Marshall County (EF4, 166-200 mph winds)
According to WLKY “assessments show the tornado was on the ground over the entirety of Marshall county.” Marshall County is home to two Kentucky Superfund sites.
The Airco Superfund site had been an industrial landfill and is located in close proximity to the BF Goodrich Superfund site. The EPA determined that Airco toxic waste would not harm local residents because it is fenced, secured and capped. Based on this low safety standard, the public needs to demand that the EPA investigate how well the Airco Superfund site withstood the force of an E4 tornado raging across every inch of ground in Marshall County on December 10, 2021.
The EPA asserted that the BF Goodrich Superfund site posed a significant public health risk to before the tornado. In light of the fact that the December 10 tornado was “on the ground over the entirety of Marshall County,” an investigation should be conducted as quickly as possible to determine how the public is affected:
“Contaminated soil and groundwater underlying the Site pose a potential for the occurrence of contaminated vapors in the vadose zone and intrusion of vapors to indoor air spaces. An investigation of indoor air in buildings occupied by administrative workers not regulated under Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) indicated elevated levels of VOCs. The maximum indoor air risk estimated was 5 × 10-4 for cancer risks and a hazard index (HI) of 20 for non-cancer risk. However, a comparison of the outdoor air and sub-slab data indicates an outdoor air source for the VOCs. The elevated levels of VOCs encountered in the outdoor air may be attributable to point and non-point emissions from plant operations.” —DOJ (Remedial Action Work Plan for the B.F. Goodrich Superfund Site, Calvert City, Marshall County, Kentucky)
Again, it’s imperative that local officials who are working with FEMA connect with the EPA about investigating all the Superfund sites the tornadoes passed over in all eight states. There were three in Kentucky alone. Several more are relatively close to Edwardsville, IL where the Amazon warehouse caved in. With more than 1300 Superfund sites in the US, climate change extreme weather events striking the same location as a Superfund site and spreading the toxins far and wide, is highly likely and poses a significant danger to the public. Some of these are nuclear contaminants. Communities must be made aware of the best health protocols to implement and follow when extreme storms collide with highly toxic waste.
Gallant Gold Media will following this and will keep the public updated.
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The unprecedented thunderstorm supercell that struck the US on December 10, 2021, churned a long path of destruction across eight states (Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio), leveling towns, sending debris 30,000 feet in the air and resulting in more than 100 deaths. In an interview with Democracy Now, Michael E. Mann, Lead Climate Scientist, confirmed that wind speeds in Mayfield, Kentucky reached a staggering 300 mph.
“This isn’t a natural disaster. This is a disaster that was exacerbated by human caused climate change.”
Join the conversation and receive regular climate action tips, and soil health and biodiversity advice by staying engaged at Act Now for the Earth Cafe. You’ll feel hopeful when you ask questions and interact with like-minded others about finding solutions that will help the earth recover from the damage of climate change. You’ll feel confident that we can succeed at staying below tipping points. It’s all about community. We’d greatly value you being part of our ecosystem. CLICK here today and join the conversation at Earth Cafe!
Thousands of buildings were destroyed in those dark, turbulent hours Friday night.
Dr. Mann went on to explain in his Democracy Now interview how this powerful supercell was formed. A combination of two main “ingredients” that were added to La Nina:
Very warm gulf waters brought on by human caused climate change, that resulted in a large amount of moisture that evaporated and spread into the United States.
Jet stream spin.
Dr. Mann’s unique perspective and extensive experience provides valuable insights for all of us as we try and grapple with our new reality. He ended his interview with Democracy Now on a positive note, emphasizing how important it is to stay below 1.5ºC. “Carbon emissions have peaked. They’re not going up. And that’s a good sign. We’ve got to bring them down, though. And we’ve got to do that quickly.”
“In the midst of chaos, there is opportunity.”
—Sun Tzu
FEMA announced over the weekend that President Biden approved an Emergency Declaration for Kentucky and that direct federal assistance would be provided at 75% federal funding.
As Mayfield and other towns throughout the eight states begin to pick up the pieces and plan their rebirth, it’s vitally important that they rebuild using a Green Plan. Legislation should be passed to this effect, or at the very least President Biden should establish an Emergency Ordinance requiring that states that are using federal emergency funds include the installation of clean energy when rebuilding.
For example, California was the first state to pass a solar mandate, requiring that all new single family homes and multi-family dwellings up to three stories be powered by solar. The California solar mandate building code went into effect January 1, 2020.
Mayfield, more than any other town in these seven red states, knows first-hand how powerful and devastating climate change storms are. And Dr. Mann emphasized how vitally important it is to cut emissions quickly, very quickly, to stay below 1.5ºC. Installing clean energy in thousands of new buildings destroyed during this traumatic climate change disaster will aid us in this effort.
Following the Hurricane Katrina disaster in 2005 and the Greensburg, Kansas tornado of 2007, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE) put together 20-page guide to support communities following a disaster. Rebuilding After Disaster, Going Green from the Ground Up.
More robust economic development. When you make the commitment to greener choices in all sectors of your community, economic opportunities can follow. Green recovery can set a new focal point for economic development, place emphasis on new green-collar jobs, and improve your community’s image, which in turn, can attract businesses and residents.
No rose without thorns. —French Proverb. Groundbreaking YA book series for all ages. Gripping modern day nail-biter with Machiavellian villains, but also a tale that opens our eyes to the brutal war going on beneath our feet that controls our destiny, despite our obliviousness to this potentially civilization-destroying threat.
Subscribe to Force of Nature to stay connected to the insights we provide in our effort to accelerate the transition to a sustainable, eco-friendly, carbon neutral global community. Click here to subscribe.
Not only is climate inaction more expensive than climate action, it’s also a lot more painful.
Fact: there is absolutely no way for us to stay below 1.5ºC without experiencing pain. We have to muscle up and get ready for a whole lot of unpleasantness. Once we recognize this, it becomes much easier to make the right choices: financial (ie higher gas prices), or endless extreme weather events that result in death and destruction. There’s also high heat intensity for prolonged periods that ravage our crops and wipe out our food supply while undermining our health.
Join the conversation and get regular climate action, soil health and biodiversity tips by staying engaged at Act Now for the Earth Cafe. You’ll feel hopeful when you ask questions and interact with finding solutions that will help the earth recover from the staggering damage of climate change. Feeling confident that we’ll succeed at staying below tipping points is all about community. We’d greatly value you being part of our ecosystem. CLICK here today and join the conversation at Earth Cafe!
Clearly the easiest choice from a pain perspective is paying higher gas prices right now which will help curb emissions from the transportation sector immediately. It’s unfortunate that oil executives are driving up the gas price, but let them hasten their own demise. We don’t need to counteract their greed by lowering the price, we should counteract their greed by adding carbon pricing to the top to make the price go up even higher.
The August IPCC Report warned Code Red for Humanity, Act Immediately! With the current high gas prices just before the holidays, some of us adjusted our holiday plans rather than pay more at the pump. That’s the strategy behind keeping prices high. Curbing emissions, which is exactly how they do it in the EU. Higher prices equal lower carbon emissions.
Heart of the matter. “Our addiction to fossil fuels is pushing humanity to the brink. We face a stark choice. Either we stop it or it stops us. And it’s time to say enough. Enough of brutalizing biodiversity. Enough of killing ourselves with carbon. Enough of treating nature like a toilet. Enough of burning and drilling and mining our way deeper. We are digging our own graves,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres on opening day of COP26 in Glasgow.
President Biden’s decision this week to sell 50 million barrels from US crude oil reserves in response to public complaints about the higher gas price and lower poll numbers — rather than use it as a teachable moment that would force us to start adapting immediately to lower our carbon emissions in order to achieve a 50 percent cut by 2030 — is short-sighted.
At his press conference, President Biden declared: “Our combined actions will not solve the problem of high gas prices overnight. It will make a difference. It will take time, but before long, you should see the gas price drop where you fill up your tank and in the longer term we will reduce our reliance on oil as we shift to clean energy.”
Biden’s statement seems to contradict his own impassioned COP26 speech: “Will we act? Will we do what is necessary? Will we seize the enormous opportunity before us? Or will we condemn future generations to suffer.”
The rising gas price is a tool that provides us with our golden opportunity to reduce driving, take public transportation, or switch to an EV. We can begin our sprint down this new way of thinking and living. We should not be demanding a lower gas price, nor giving our president lower survey scores because of the higher gas price. Sadly, President Biden is bending to public opinion, despite the fact that the public wasn’t asked the right question. Which pain would we prefer? High gas price pain or losing all our personal property along with a few family members. And rather than choosing to do whatever is necessary (ie keep gas price high and we’ll drive less over the holidays) we have chosen to condemn future generations to suffer.
President Biden’s Climate Team is impressive. But it doesn’t appear that anyone has woven cutting carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2030 into all the decision making yet. Perhaps John Doerr’s Speed & Scale, An Action Plan For Solving Our Climate Crisis Now needs to be required reading.
No rose without thorns. —French Proverb. Groundbreaking YA book series for all ages. Gripping modern day nail-biter with Machiavellian villains, but also a tale that opens our eyes to the brutal war going on beneath our feet that controls our destiny, despite our obliviousness to this potentially civilization-destroying threat.
Subscribe to Force of Nature to stay connected to the insights we provide in our effort to accelerate the transition to a sustainable, eco-friendly, carbon neutral global community. Click here to subscribe.
Washington (GGM) Analysis | November 17, 2021 by author and climate journalist Noreen Wise
Have you ever had to look into the future, and face the hard cold truth about the likelihood of succeeding at a life-threatening quest, then create an action plan that you hoped would guide you toward a “life” versus “death” outcome?
Or are there any particular big decisions that you’ve ever had to make in your personal life that may seem similar to this type of crossroads moment? For example, should you take this job or that one? Move or stay where you are? Say “goodbye” to toxic family members, or maintain family loyalty at all costs?
“Two roads diverged in a wood and I took the one less traveled by.” —Robert Frost
How many of us have actually taken the road less traveled?
If we’ve executed the big leap before, then making another significant and immediate big leap decision likely won’t be a problem for us. But if not, if this feels like a first-time experience, then the best thing to do, is put our boots on today, and just take a small step forward. No leap required. The pace will be slower, which is okay, as long as we are indeed moving forward.
Every community and every individual in the US will have to make unexpected decisions post COP26, as we begin to implement plans that will take us through the next decade in our quest to cut carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2030.
“Will we do what is necessary? Will we seize the enormous opportunity before us? Or will we condemn future generations to suffer? This is the decade that will determine the answer. THIS decade.” —President Joe Biden, COP26
Swedish professor and joint director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research Johan Rockström provided a framework at COP26 for climate negotiators who would be strategizing about actionable plans and mapping out the scope and deliverables along a timeline that would lead to a smooth landing at 1.5ºC in the nick of time. Rockström emphasized that there were “10 New Insights” that had to be incorporated into their plans. These ten also apply to our local communities and cities.
Join the conversation and get regular climate action, soil health and biodiversity tips by staying engaged at Act Now for the Earth Cafe. You’ll feel hopeful when you ask questions and interact with finding solutions that will help the earth recover from the staggering damage of climate change. Feeling confident that we’ll succeed at staying below tipping points is all about community. We’d greatly value you being part of our ecosystem. CLICK here today and join the conversation at Earth Cafe!
Stabalizing at 1.5ºC warming is still possible, but immediate and drastic global action is required.
Rapid growth in methane and nitrous oxide emissions put us on track for 2.7ºC.
We’ve entered the age of the “mega fires.”
Climate tipping elements incur high-impact risks.
Climate action must be just.
Household behavior changes is a crucial but overlooked opportunity for climate action.
Political challenges impede the effectiveness of carbon pricing.
Nature-based solutions are critical for the pathway to Paris — but look at the fine print.
Building Resilience of marine ecosystems is achievable by climate-adapted conservation.
Costs of climate change mitigation justified by the benefits to the health of humans and nature.”
Will THIS decade be the NEW Roaring Twenties only this time for green living? I sure hope so. “Roaring” definitely seems like the correct verb, (“great in intensity or degree,” Merriam-Webster), and this is indeed the twenties.
The majority will move slowly, which based on the figure above, is fine. It’s only the top 10 percent who have to roar, which according to the same figure, shows they’ve been extremely successful in the past at roaring to the top.
No rose without thorns. —French Proverb. Groundbreaking YA book series for all ages. Gripping modern day nail-biter with Machiavellian villains, but also a tale that opens our eyes to the brutal war going on beneath our feet that controls our destiny, despite our obliviousness to this potentially civilization-destroying threat.
Subscribe to Force of Nature to stay connected to the insights we provide in our effort to accelerate the transition to a sustainable, eco-friendly, carbon neutral global community. Click here to subscribe.
Washington (GGM) Analysis | October 28, 2021 by author and climate journalist Noreen Wise
Overhauling our food system is a primary focus for nations across the globe as the world quickly moves forward with mapping out urgent and effective mitigation strategies to lower global warming in an effort to stay below 1.5ºC. Additionally, the goal for all G-20 nations heading to COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, is to implement clean energy, zero waste, carbon neutral solutions so we can transition to a sustainable culture aligned with biodiversity in nature.
Conventional farming, (those farms where farmers plow the soil, releasing all the stored carbon, and who use strong microbe-destroying pesticides that contain glyphosate), along with the notorious animal feed lots, have been identified as the chief villains in our global food system which generates extraordinarily high levels of methane and CO2 emissions. Many climate activists around the world are insisting that we all become 100 percent vegan so we can win this particular battle in our fight to cut carbon emissions.
We only have until 2030 to cut carbon emissions by 50%. Half the battle is knowing what to do first. Reach out so we can help you figure out the best path forward.
I was all in on becoming vegetarian 16 years ago, and more recently trying diligently to become 100 percent vegan. This mission of mine was for health reasons, though, after surviving Stage 3 invasive cancer at a relatively young age. Once the 7 surgeries, 3 months of chemo, and 2 months of radiation were completed, my plan had been to stay away from the toxins found in our food supply. I had learned more about these hazardous chemicals while sitting in a chemo chair, researching, trying to keep myself busy during treatment. I simply could not figure out how I got cancer. I ate a healthy diet, and exercised regularly. I didn’t know anyone who had cancer, no family or friends. I became convinced that if I could uncover how it happened, I’d be able to prevent a recurrence.
I wasn’t eating organic before being diagnosed with cancer. I also knew nothing about the glyphosate that was covering the fresh broccoli and other fresh fruits and vegetables that I consumed daily. After all, it was 2005. But, in 2006, following the conclusion of my my cancer treatments at the end of 2005, I was determined to rebuild my immune system and had the good fortune of meeting with a life-changing doctor associated with what was to become Duke’s new holistic wellness Integrative Medicine Center, which sent me down a bright new path in life. This wonderful wellness doctor offered several natural remedies. One was the daily regimen of pressing a garlic clove into broth and heating to boost my immune system. (I now add the pressed garlic clove to a quarter cup of water instead of broth and heat in microwave for 35 seconds, then chug.) This is super cheap and easy. As is the fresh ginger added to tea.
My cancer doctor at UNC wasn’t expecting any miracles, and had explained when my treatment was completed that I only had a 34% chance to live longer than 2 – 4 years if I didn’t take Tamoxifen. But, I didn’t want Tamoxifen side effects. There had to be another way. I was determined to prove that rebuilding my immune system by establishing strong daily wellness habits based on natural and holistic principles that incorporated medicinal plants in my diet would work. I’d done everything else my doctor had recommended, but I couldn’t take Tamoxifen. Natural remedies had kept humans alive for thousands of years. There simply had to be some truth behind the belief that it was beneficial, and I was determined to prove it. My initial cancer doctor was not happy with me, at all.
I relished the opportunity to test different plants and vitamins and combinations of plants and vitamins, as well as sleep 8 hours a day and exercise vigorously. I quickly found myself involved in endless days, weeks, and months of testing, altering various amounts of plants, vitamins, sleep and exercise, and after approximately 9 months, ended with a powerful formula that made me feel happy, healthy, and fit, much more so than I’d felt before cancer. My bloodwork even returned to normal with a boost.
All my curiosity and effort paid off. At the two year mark, my pet-scan showed 100% cancer free. I continued maintaining the same rigorous health routine, and 16 years later feel extremely grateful for the guidance I received in 2006 at Duke, that set me on a successful path and taught me so much about health, wellness, and a strong immune system.
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But to become 100 percent vegan for climate, I had to somehow find, or create, the right “complete protein” formula. I learned back in 2006, that for me, powders and supplements weren’t the same as medicinal plants. They seemed the same in theory, but they didn’t feel the same when I used them. I had learned the hard way that too much of a good thing isn’t good. IE, B6. Why so many vitamins have 1000 percent daily recommended amount of B6, is something I’ll never understand. High doses of B6 negatively alter my mood and make me very emotional. I can’t have more than the simple 100 percent B6 and thus have to take children’s chewable vitamins. Another example is garlic. I’ve found, that one clove fresh garlic everyday is different than a garlic supplement. This might just be me, though.
Morning Star products have been around for awhile and they typically have 9g protein, versus Beyond Meat’s Beyond Sausage’s 16g. None of my lentil, chickpea, black bean or kidney bean formulas were working perfectly, so I had to eat a small piece of antibiotic-free turkey everyday. But 16 months ago, a vegan friend told me about Beyond Meat and how amazing it was, and the effectiveness of the protein. When I spotted it in the grocery store, I grabbed a package of plant-based Beyond Sausage Hot Italian. It tasted great with organic black bean spaghetti and organic marinara sauce. An ideal plant-based product with the perfect protein level. Finally! I was 100% vegan which felt like a big win. But:
I never connected my sudden vision deterioration to Beyond Sausage (suddenly not being able to read a text when out in the city without my reading glasses was a problem).
Nor could I figure out why every time the water that the sausage was cooking in bubbled over the top of the pan, it started a fire on the stove (with real flames).
It also changed my mood, although I didn’t pick up on Beyond Sausage being the cause at the time. I simply wondered why my serotonin rich sunflower seeds, dark chocolate squares and running 5k every day didn’t make me happy any more. That magic “happiness” formula had worked for 15 years, then it abruptly ended after I began eating Beyond Sausage.
And I was astonished and very frustrated that changing one thing in my diet could make me gain 10 pounds.
I began to fret, still not piecing together that these issues were connected to Beyond Sausage, but rather I attributed them to staying home during covid. Covid stay home side effects.
As a soil health advocate and believer in regenerative agriculture, I’m also a big fan of Gabe Brown and Understanding Ag and watch their webinars. It was in June 2021, that I viewed Regenerating Human Health: The Soil and Human Microbiomes with Sara Keough that I learned that those of us who eat these high protein, plant-based meat alternatives should be careful, that recent studies had shown that faux meats aren’t as healthy as they appear to be.
I love to follow the advice of those I trust, and I trust Gabe Brown’s advice implicitly (as well as those connected with Gabe Brown). Thus, I stopped eating Beyond Sausage after Sara Keough’s webinar. In less than 4 weeks, my vision was back to normal, as was my happiness level. And after 2 months, the 10 pounds was gone as well.
I haven’t been able to find much information on the Beyond Meat side effects of vision, mood, and flammability that I experienced, so maybe my symptoms are a one-off. But I did discover one article that mentioned weight gain.
I’ll now begin researching more about these other concerns, but wanted to document my anecdotal experiences at this time, a few days prior to COP26, since veganism and meat alternatives will be a big discussion at COP26 and the months that follow. These types of health conditions — vision, mood and weight gain — are tough for medical professionals to properly diagnose when the cause is something as innocuous as plant-based meat. How would a doctor possibly determine that a patient’s health condition might be related to a meat alternative. Is that even a question that doctors ask patients?
I’m currently hypothesizing that the side effects might have something to do with the pea protein.
With any new product like Beyond Meat, and now a whole line of competing brands, (that climate activists have been hoping will become one of the many silver bullets that lower atmospheric CO2 levels), it’s vitally important that we have assurance that each solution is healthy and safe. With so many forever chemicals hiding in plain sight all around us, any one new drop of an extra chemical added to a daily diet can be the final straw that pushes our health into the danger zone.
I’ve returned to eating a little bit of meat each week and it feels like the ideal balance for my overall health and wellness. I’m back to being happy, healthy and fit, while still maintaining a very low carbon footprint.
Contains 2% or less of: Rice Protein, Faba Bean Protein, Potato Starch, Salt, Fruit Juice (for color), Vegetable Juice (for color), Apple Fiber, Methylcellulose, Citrus Extract (to protect quality), Calcium Alginate Casing.
No rose without thorns. —French Proverb. Groundbreaking YA book series for all ages. Gripping modern day nail-biter with Machiavellian villains, but also a tale that opens our eyes to the brutal war going on beneath our feet that controls our destiny, despite our obliviousness to this potentially civilization-destroying threat.
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Washington (CAN) Analysis | October 25, 2021 by author and climate journalist Noreen Wise
Biodiversity is beautiful. And biodiversity is a happiness and mental health booster. Thus, how beneficial is it that one of the solutions to the climate crisis is increasing biodiversity everywhere, in yards and communities across the globe, even on the small tiny postage stamp-sized specks of land that are often found in front of townhomes.
Join the conversation and get regular climate action, soil health and biodiversity tips by staying engaged at Act Now for the Earth Cafe. You’ll feel hopeful when you ask questions and interact with finding solutions that will help the earth recover from the staggering damage of climate change. Feeling confident that we’ll succeed at staying below tipping points is all about community. We’d greatly value you being part of our ecosystem. CLICK here today and join the conversation at Earth Cafe!
Nations across the globe met virtually in Kunming, China for COP15’s Kunming UN Biodiversity Conference Part 1, October 11-15, 2021. At the conclusion, the Kunming Biodiversity Declaration was adopted and spells out the global aspirations for the next 9 years. Part 2 of the conference will take place in April of 2022, and is projected to be in person, at which time the participating countries will sign an agreement similar to the Paris Agreement, that will address biodiversity, nature, and the environmental side of the climate action coin.
The only country not participating in the biodiversity conversation at this time is the United States.
“Addressing the challenge of halting ongoing losses of species and genetic diversity and the damage to our ecosystems will determine the well-being of humanity for generations to come,” [CBD Executive Secretary, Elizabeth Maruma Mrema] says. “Protecting nature’s invaluable contributions to people requires that we harmonize our policies and actions at every level. The global biodiversity framework, based on the best available science and evidence, is fundamental to meeting these needs.”
Decision-making in the planning & development offices in each and every town in the world will either be working in alignment with the global biodiversity goals, or will be working against it. The choices are binary. In or out.
Micro pocket of biodiversity in townhome community in Fairfax,Virginia
The following are the 8 key takeaways of the Kunming Biodiversity Conference & Declaration:
30% of land and sea must be protected
Reduction in rate of invasive alien species being introduced to new habitats
Nature-based carbon drawdown goal should be 10 gigaton of carbon per year, and all planting efforts should avoid harming nature
Reduction in nutrients lost to the environment
Reduction in pesticides
Elimination of plastic waste
No incentives that are harmful to biodiversity, and reducing them by at least $500 billion per year (ie fossil fuel subsidies)
Increased financial resources for projects that address these targets from all sources to at least $200 billion per year
The global push to immediately address our biodiversity crisis must be acted upon if we want to save the human species. The US may not end up being a signatory on to the Biodiversity Agreement in spring 2022 (believed to be because of our extensive use of glyphosate), but the American people can still be all in on transitioning our toxic monoculture lawns, to biodiverse no mow lawns.
The United State has 40 million acres of pesticide-covered monoculture yards with no biodiversity. Mowing our grass for 1 hour creates as much carbon emissions as driving 650 miles. This is no longer acceptable. HOAs must adjust bylaws and covenants quickly.
No mow biodiversity yard in Carrboro, NC. The entire community was designed to maximize biodiversity with all yards being biodiverse no mow.
The following are two essential books that will help readers understand the science behind the importance of transitioning our yards to biodiverse no mow:
No rose without thorns. —French Proverb. Groundbreaking YA book series for all ages. Gripping modern day nail-biter with Machiavellian villains, but also a tale that opens our eyes to the brutal war going on beneath our feet that controls our destiny, despite our obliviousness to this potentially civilization-destroying threat.
Subscribe to Force of Nature to stay connected to the insights we provide in our effort to accelerate the transition to a sustainable, eco-friendly, carbon neutral global community. Click here to subscribe.
Washington (GGM) Analysis | September 7, 2021 by author and climate journalist Noreen Wise
High albedo is a vitally important climate solution, that will not only lower indoor temperatures and curb carbon emissions, but will also help reflect the sun’s energy, making up for the decreased sun reflection of our shrinking icecaps.
The threat of the smaller white icecaps has been highlighted in several powerful recent documentaries, one of which was A Life on Our Planet, in which Sir David Attenborough highlighted that forcers such as smaller white icecaps are now causing warming to increase at an increasing rate, which has scientists very concerned.
Get daily climate action tips by joining Act Now for the Earth Cafe and have fun learning the amazing & valuable tips that will help the earth recover from the staggering damage of climate change. Cafe communities are the new big thing. Sustainability is all about community. We’d greatly value you being part of our ecosystem by CLICKing here today and joining the conversation at Earth Cafe!
In light of this looming peril, and following the release of last month’s IPCC Report in which the IPCC warned that we only have 11 years to fix this, Chairwoman of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, Kathy Castor (FL-D) was recently interviewed and stated boldly and decisively for all to understand: “It’s a call to action. It’s a call to immediate action.”
Sports arenas, as well as many convention centers and hotels in the hottest cities around the country, were developed in high albedo colors and materials, and now serve as great role models in this new era of high heat. High albedo is their rule of thumb. Too many empty seats in steaming hot arenas forced them into action. They responded to the crisis with innovative solutions that reversed the trend.
We only have until 2030 to cut carbon emissions by 50%. Half the battle is knowing what to do first. Reach out so we can help you figure out the best path forward for your situation.
Let’s all do the same. In fact, this is what the IPCC and scientists around the globe are hoping for. That we all rush to reverse the trend with innovative solutions.
The following is a very subjective list of the Top 10 High Albedo Sports Arenas in US. To be honest, it appears that nearly every sports arena in the world has high albedo which is a bold statement in and of itself.
The list of international high albedo sports arenas is long, but the stunning National Stadium in Singapore, with its massive white dome, is a standout.
What colors do you see when you drive through your county? In Northern Virginia, it’s plainly clear that high albedo is the rule of thumb for hotels, hospitals and large office complexes and appears to be the standard recommendation of developers of large spaces. The Pentagon, which opened its doors in 1943, is a great example of moderately high albedo in its massive complex that employs 35,000 people.
I’m thus confused about the choices made by residential developers who defy these principles and instead choose to nail down black roofs and often use darker materials on exterior walls like red brick. It’s time to turn this around.
No rose without thorns. —French Proverb. Groundbreaking YA book series for all ages. Not only a gripping modern day nail-biter with Machiavellian villains, but also one that opens our eyes to the brutal war going on beneath our feet that controls our destiny, despite our obliviousness to this potentially civilization-destroying threat.
Subscribe to Force of Nature to stay connected to the insights we provide in our effort to accelerate the transition to a sustainable, eco-friendly, carbon neutral global community. Click here to subscribe.
Washington (GGM) Analysis | August 19, 2021 by author and climate journalist Noreen Wise
Heat can hurt, warned UCLA Assistant Professor of Public Policy Dr. R. Jisung Park in a Twitter thread last month. “In unexpected ways, even indoors,” Park emphasized along with images highlighting the data that supported his assertions. Millions of Americans suffered through a scorching heat wave that punished the Pacific Northwest from late June to mid July, 2021. The staggering temperature highs jolted mayors and governors across five states. “Hotter temperature increases workplace injuries significantly,” Park stated point blank in one tweet.
With so many enduring the negative impact of the heat, and with the IPCC Report confirming last week that we are now above 1ºC and will remain there for at least 20-30 years, (although scientists are very concerned temperatures will climb even higher, possibly at an exponential rate if we don’t act now to lower carbon emissions), the public must demand that OSHA rush to establish national Heat Index Standards to protect employees from the dangers while on the job.
The federal Occupational Safety and Hazards Administration (OSHA) was created on April 28, 1971 after 100 years of workers demanding protection from the torturous conditions endured during the boom in factory jobs that arose during Reconstruction, following the Civil War and beyond. Massachusetts was the first state to pass factory inspection laws in 1877. By 1890, the number rose to 9 states with factory inspection laws. Does this sound familiar? We’ve been experiencing this kind of grueling, slow motion response with curbing carbon emissions for decades. Millions of citizens protest and demand action, but legislative follow through is dangerously slow.
Get daily climate action tips by joining Act Now for the Earth Cafe and have fun learning the amazing & valuable tips that will help the earth recover from the staggering damage of climate change. Cafe communities are the new big thing. Sustainability is all about community. We’d greatly value you being part of our ecosystem by CLICKing here today and joining the conversation at Earth Cafe!
With temperatures rising, and multipleemployees dying at work in the unprecedented heatwaves of 2021, there’s no time for delay. We must call our local, state, and federal representatives and demand that OSHA act now.
According to OSHA, the heat index is the combination of air temperature combined with humidity to create a value that is usually significantly higher than the actual air temperature. The AccuWeather app refers to this as RealFeel.
OSHA has never had specific heat index standards that cover employees working in hot environments. They do have strong messaging about “water, rest, shade” on their web page: Using the Heat Index: a Guide of Employers, but it’s not required and there’s no legal liability if employers do not provide these three essentials.
On July 8, 2021, Oregon’s OSHA established temporary agency standards that applied to both indoor and outdoor work environments where the temperature in the work area was 80ºF or higher. These emergency standards went even further if temperatures exceeded 90ºF. The temporary heat index standards will stay in effect until permanent heat index standards are passed. California and Washington have also adopted heat standards. But there are approximately 30 million Americans who work outdoors in the heat, and we have 47 states that do no have any employer requirements when the temperature skyrockets.
Buying an Eco Green Tee helps educate the public about what we must all do to lower global warming and restore our children’s future.
Provide shade area that meets certain specifications
Provide 32 oz of dinking water every hour
Provide training for all employees, in whatever language they speak, to educate on: environmental and personal risk factors for heat illness, as well as employee rights and obligations under the heat standard, acclimatization, common signs and symptoms, factors affecting tolerance of heat stress, and how to quickly report.
In high heat, with temperatures above 90ºF, employers must create a communication channel between an employee working alone and a supervisor; a mandatory buddy system for others; one designated employee per worksite who’s authorized to call for emergency medical services; ten minutes in the shade every two hours; and implementation of acclimatization practices.
Establish an Emergency Medical Plan
Review work sites to determine how these new rules will apply to their sites
Free 30 minutes of strategy session so we can help you, your business and or family, transition into the future following the best climate action path for your situation. Click HERE to book an appointment.
We know that heat is here to stay and will only be getting worse. Our inability to move quickly will cost lives. There’s already so much at stake with climate change. Let’s learn from our past mistakes of inaction, to create a safer tomorrow as we all face, and try to manage, a very oppressive enemy—high heat.
No rose without thorns. —French Proverb. Groundbreaking YA book series for all ages. Not only a gripping modern day nail-biter with Machiavellian villains, but also one that opens our eyes to the brutal war going on beneath our feet that controls our destiny, despite our obliviousness to this potentially civilization-destroying threat.
Subscribe to Force of Nature to stay connected to the insights we provide in our effort to accelerate the transition to a sustainable, eco-friendly, carbon neutral global community. Click here to subscribe.
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