Climate Lynx

Since this is my last column, it is time for a word of thanks and a note on Duty. First, thanks, Andy. I will never forget the phone call. "Greyson, I want you to know I do not want any more letters to the editor." Me, "Andy, not a big deal. You own the newspaper. You do not have to print the LTEs." Andy, "No, I want you to write a column". Me, after a long pause. The pause came because I knew a LTE is a counter-punch and relatively easy to write. A column demands research and developing ideas.   I knew it would be a lot of work.  While I was not confident in my ability to deliver, I said, "OK." Since English in school was not my strong suit, it was difficult to get my thoughts together and get them on paper. English is how we communicate. A person should be as sharp in grammar and contextuality as possible to convey information well.  In my case, if my columns were understandable, it was because I had friends who were willing to edit a...

 When I started writing this column 347 weeks ago, I aimed to share as much climate science information from reputable sources as possible. Since I can only share a little more, I will list a few science magazines from which you can get honest information.  I have regularly subscribed to the Scientific American, National Geographic, New Science, and Science. Remember, your local libraries can subscribe to these and save you money. Libraries tend to buy books and subscriptions considered "popular." Suppose you and some friends let the libraries know science is popular. In that case, they will buy books and subscriptions related to science. Since the anti-science Trump government is attempting to undermine our Constitution, our science-based government organizations like NOAA, NASA, NCAR, and NSIDC may be compromised. It will be interesting to see if they can remain science based. Our National Academies of Science was created in 1863 by Abraham Lincoln and Congress. It wa...

On a trip to Washington, DC, to march and then lobby our representative to support climate change initiatives, my partner and I decided to tour our nation's capital. The guided tour was not only fascinating and informative, but it also provided a crucial historical context that described subversive people in our government whose actions had put our democracy at risk. While the climate crisis remains, far and away, the greatest threat to our natural world and civilization, we are simultaneously in the midst of the greatest threat to our democracy since the Civil War. It's crucial that we stand together, united in our resolve to confront these issues. The Trump administration has launched Project 2025, a plan to undermine our democracy and the climate. I hope this does not take you by surprise.  It is not like former Trump appointees didn't warn us. Former Trump-appointed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, four-star Army General Mark Milley, said of Donald Trump is ...

China Must Be Thrilled Donald Trump was elected to manage borders and curb left-wing wokeism, but his right-wing wokeism—attacking electric vehicles and renewable energy because they don't fit MAGA ideology—is equally senseless and against national interests. Ironically, his own base benefits from renewables. The five states with the largest share of wind power are red states, generating at least a third of their power from wind. This is about geography, not politics. Rural America has vast solar and wind potential and is already capitalizing on it, regardless of voting patterns. More critically, Trump's "drill, baby, drill" approach at a time when artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, and autonomous technology are advancing will not make America great again. Instead, it risks making China great again. Trump once boasted about sending Americans to Mars. The real question is whether a Chinese astronaut will greet them there, asking, "What took you so...

 The United States recently joined an exclusive climate club.  Before disclosing its members, let's examine the big climate picture. In 2023, we had an El Nino year that set new warm temperature records. The El Nino is when ocean surface temperatures are warmer than usual.  This pretty much shut down winter recreation in the U.P., except for the downhill ski areas making snow. Many people said we should not worry, as it was just an El Nino year, and we could expect a cool La Nina year in 2024.  I held my tongue because the ten previous years were very warm, setting new records nearly every year.  These have been the warmest temperatures the Earth has ever seen since homo sapiens started walking upright. Rising planetary temperatures mean more extreme weather, but how does that relate to human well-being? A group of climate scientists painstakingly analyzes extreme weather events to see if they can be attributed to climate change. The organization is called t...

A Link between Slavery & Big Oil   Noam Chomsky, one of the world's most quoted authors, expresses his opinion of the Big Oil misinformation campaign: "I don't know what word in the language—I can't find one—that applies to people of that kind, who are willing to sacrifice the existence of organized human life, not in the distant future, so they can put a few more dollars in highly overstuffed pockets. The word 'evil' doesn't begin to approach it." Was there another time in US history when evil ruled?  Let's look at the United States before the Civil War. In the South, there were 4 million enslaved people. The slaves, or their parents, or grandparents, or someone in their lineage had been kidnapped, shackled, and shipped to the Americas to spend their lives with no freedom whatsoever. This criminal operation started in 1619 and accelerated until the Union forces ended it. The black humans had no rights and were conveniently labeled as les...

Lincoln gave two great speeches: the Gettysburg Address and his second Inaugural Address. His second inaugural address must have come as a surprise to most Americans. He had just won a landslide election, and the Union Armies had defeated the Confederate Insurgency. You would think he would have taken a victory lap. But the President was wrestling with God's purpose. Why had the nation, both sides, suffered so grievously? In a country of only 32 million, 650 to 750,000 soldiers had died. Lincoln believed the nation was being punished for the institution of slavery. The South for creating its wealth on the backs of the blacks, but also the North for being too slow to challenge the appalling injustice of slavery. Seven times in his short speech, Lincoln referred to the book from which he had learned to read. The book he referenced was the King James version of the Bible. Here is his speech: "Fellow countrymen: at this second appearing to take the oath of the presidenti...

Madagascar is a large island nation off the southeast coast of Africa. It is the fourth largest island in the world, with 32 million people, most of whom identify religiously as Christians. Its economy is primarily centered on agriculture, fishing, forestry, and mining. Much of the mining is done to export nickel and cobalt, two minerals essential for clean energy.  Interestingly, half the world's sapphires come from Madagascar, and 80% of the world's vanilla. Despite these riches, 29 million people, or 92% of the population, live in poverty. But there is a hint of economic optimism. The tourist business is increasing because of Madagascar's unique plants, animals, and marine life. It specializes in ecotourism. Before the pandemic, Madagascar saw 486,000 tourists in a year. They hope to earn back these eco-tourists, which greatly boosts their economy. Why ecotourism in Madagascar? If you go to Madagascar, you will see plants and animals seen nowhere else. While walk...

Summary: Humanity, via massive consumption, has pushed the Earth to its limits.  If we do not change, the planet may not recover. Scientists are giving us remedies. Over 60 researchers in the Lancet Planetary Health–Earth Commission report titled "A Just World on a Safe Planet: The Earth Commission's Report on Earth-System Boundaries, Translations, and Transformations" updated the work begun in 2009 assessing what key physical limits of Earth will challenge planetary health, environmental sustainability, and social equity. They use the term "Earth System Boundary" (ESB) to describe these limits. The goal is to help humankind maintain the environment and societies within safe operating parameters. The risk of collapse by exceeding these boundaries is rising. Suppose we breach one of these boundaries, such as climate, biodiversity, water cycles, or nutrient flow. In that case, we will impose irreversible damage to that Earth system. The goal of the report is...

When you read this, the election is over, the votes have been cast, and so, too, the course of Earth has been profoundly directed. I recently watched the Economist Richard Wolff’s video on this year's election theatrics. He called it a Punch and Judy Show with politicians, the media, and the citizenry unable to face the critical issues threatening our survival. As a student of climate change, I agree with Professor Wolff. Unfortunately, the latest report by World Weather Attribution (WWA) confirms my worries. The 31 October report by the WWA examines the profound impact of human-induced climate change by examining the ten deadliest climate disasters over the past two decades. The WWA attributes more than 570,000 deaths to climate-intensified weather phenomena, like tropical cyclones, heatwaves, floods, and droughts. The report warns that no region is immune to such impacts. The WWA report highlights that all ten of the most catastrophic weather events studied—such as Cyclone Na...

Since my column is a climate column, I have stayed in my lane. Since climate change will continue to impact everything we experience, the "lane" is a multi-lane freeway. The cure to climate change will come down to international, national, and local government policy. Policy is set by and directed by politicians.  In a democracy,  the voters have the power. In direct opposition to 10s of thousands of climate scientists and all reputable science organizations, Donald Trump tells us climate change is a hoax. As a person who respects science and has sourced the best science materials available, it is well within my climate lane to say he is scientifically incompetent to lead the United States of America. We have warmed the earth past 2 degrees Fahrenheit and feel the repercussions. We had the hottest El Nino year last year and experienced the warmest year on record. For a person who does not winter down south and loves winter, last year was a bust. It was a bust for my frien...

This a letter of apology to our kids. I am a 73-year-old climate activist who has had a charmed life by being educated by public funds, privileged to serve in the armed forces, and blessed to see much of the world by helicopter. In my living room is a library of over 600 science magazines. I have hung onto only the ones with climate articles. All of them tell us climate change is a threat to your happiness and well-being. But, they also tell us climate change is solvable if we act.   With ten years of diligent study with all the world’s best science organizations in agreement, I should have been posting on social media. I have not. I apologize since your future is a stake. Social media is not my kind of place but, as my Dad would tell me when there was something we had to do I did not like, “Son, sometimes there are things you do not like.” I’ll be back on social media but for now, just know the only major climate legislation ever passed was done by the Democrats and it is ...

  There is a bit of dark humor among climate scientists.  You cannot blame them. They have known the physics of climate change for over a hundred years and have been warning us about the risks. As we have discovered, the cost of dealing with natural disasters is expensive and will increase.   The scientists, seeing little was being done to cease burning fossil fuels and themselves becoming targets of fossil fuel-sponsored misinformation, simply said, "If you cannot understand the science, you will when you get your home insurance bill."   Today, people's insurance bills are going up. In some places, you are unable to even get insurance.  A relative of mine has a modest family vacation trailer in Naples, Florida. Over the years, they have kept a keen eye on the requirements of their insurance companies.  Your contract may not be renewed if you do not meet the insurance company's requirements. My relatives still have insurance, while many of their nei...

Voting to Protect Holy Ground In 2019 I was given a button at a church service before the children's climate march in New York. It says, "You are Standing on Holy Ground, Act Like It." Are you a person who respects our planetary home? If so, now is your best chance to show our planet some love. If you have strong feelings for Mother Earth, you are not alone. Many people are justifiably worried because global warming is our greatest threat. A recent Pew survey shows 60% of U.S. adults are concerned about climate change, with 74% of our citizenry willing to modify their lifestyles to address it. There are stark differences in the positions and personal histories of the presidential candidates. Harris dedicated her life to law and order, while Trump is a convicted criminal. Harris was a prosecuting attorney and attorney general in public service. Trump is a billionaire who brags about his business acumen and not paying taxes, who has defaulted on loans, failed to pay ...

As I write this, 200 people have died from Hurricane Helene. The giant vapor storm* made landfall in Florida's Big Bend as a rapidly intensifying Category 4 storm, capable of "catastrophic damage." While Helene brought a storm surge of 15 feet to Florida, it continued through Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Virginia, resulting in flash floods and record-breaking rainfall. Damage is estimated at 160 billion. North Carolina's infrastructure failed under the sheer volume of rainfall. In some areas, floodwaters submerged roads and washed away bridges, cutting off access to critical services. Thousands of downed trees blocked roads and snapped power lines. Emergency responders struggled to rescue stranded residents, the ones still able to contact them. In anticipation of the storm, President Biden approved emergency declarations for several states, enabling the federal government to mobilize FEMA, provide disaster relief, and deploy resources such as emergency p...