Climate Change & Environment
The Future’s so Bright I Gotta Wear Shades!
The future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades!
by David Arey
“I study nuclear science, I love my classes
I got a crazy teacher who wears dark glasses
Things are going great, and they're only getting better
I'm doing all right, getting good grades
The future's so bright I gotta wear shades.” 1
If you replace “nuclear science” with "solar energy technology," the lyrics suffer. But the reality is that the future for solar energy is blindingly bright.
And it has to be if the U.S. and the world are going to kick our addiction to carbon-based fuels. ...
Pale Blue Dot
The following quote is from the book Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space by Carl Sagan. The Pale Blue Dot is a photograph of planet Earth taken in 1990 by the Voyager 1 space probe from a record distance of about 6 billion kilometers (3.7 billion miles, 40 AU) from Earth. The Voyager 1 spacecraft, which had completed its primary mission and was leaving the Solar System, was commanded by NASA to turn its camera around and to take a photograph of Earth across a great expanse of space, at the request of Carl Sagan.
“Look again at that dot. That's ...
The Dangers Of Tar Sands Oil – In Wisconsin
Tar Sands Oil is coming to Wisconsin. Last Thursday the state DNR approved an air permit to triple the capacity of the pipeline between Superior and the Illinois state line.
Construction could start as soon as Friday on three new storage tanks near Superior.
Environmentalists are not happy with this decision. The DNR received 200 written comments and 3400 e-mails asking for a complete environmental review of the project. However, the DNR decided not to do the complete review.
This pipeline has been used since 2009 and now carries 400,000 barrels of oil a day. By ...
The Best Way to Stop Climate Change
Many of us are well aware of climate change, so we use LED light bulbs, plant trees, recycle, and lower our thermostats in the winter. As we do all this, however, we realize that fossil fuel companies are receiving billions of dollars in federal subsidies and that global warming and climate change continue to increase.
Is there anything you can do that would have a significant impact on global warming?
Yes, there is! You can contact your U.S. Senators and Representatives and urge them to pass a revenue-neutral carbon tax. Climate scientists and economist agree ...
On a Green Diet: UW-Stout Claims State Recycling Crown
Less than two years after going on a strict trash diet, University of Wisconsin-Stout has weighed in. The results are impressive: the university has cut tons of waste, is producing more compost than trash and has earned a state title.
During the 2013-14 academic year, UW-Stout so far has reduced its total amount of waste going to the landfill by 43 tons — more than 86,000 pounds — compared to the previous year. That figure played a big part in the recently completed national Recyclemania contest. UW-Stout, for the first time, led all competing colleges in Wisconsin ...
Moral Monday: Discovering the Penokees
EDITORS' NOTE: "Moral Mondays" is a movement founded by Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II to identify interconnected social and moral issues, and the people, movements, and organizations working to address these problems. "Moral Monday" is a weekly feature in Middle Wisconsin.
Moral Monday in the Penokees
By Joyce Luedke
An Open Letter to Senator Jerry Petrowski
After reading the book Discovering the Penokees by Joel Austin, Joyce sent a copy of the book and this letter to Senator Jerry Petrowski.
Dear Senator Petrowski:
Please share this book, Discovering the ...
What the U.S. Navy Can Teach Us About Fighting Climate Change
(This article was previously published in the Stevens Point Journal & Wausau Daily Herald)
The U.S. military has its problems. It’s overfunded, wasteful and unnecessarily deployed in many cases. But I’m surprised, even shocked, with its contributions for solving climate change.
You won’t find many climate change deniers in the military, especially in the U.S. Navy. They know climate change is occurring and they know what causes it — humans burning fossil fuels.
Remember, the military developed steel, radar, GPS and microchips last century and these ...
PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND WISCONSIN HUNTING & FISHING
An excellent panel discussion on how climate change impacts Wisconsin fish and wildlife was held on April 1st. The free event was attended by 114 people who came to Ben Franklin Junior High in Stevens Point to listen and participate in the discussion.
Panelists included George Meyer, former Secretary of the WDNR and Executive Director of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, Wisconsin’s largest sporting organization; Dr. Mike Notaro, Associate Director of the Center for Climatic Research at the UW-Madison; Dr. Matt Mitro, a cold-water fisheries scientist with the WDNR; ...
Wisconsin Rapids Citizens for a Clean Green & Welcoming Community
Citizens for a Clean, Green & Welcoming Community (aka the Clean-Green group) is beginning its 7th year of working on projects that focus on sustainability and reducing our impact on the environment. 2013 was a very successful year, and we will continue our efforts in 2014 with some on-going and some new projects.
Among our success stories in 2013 was earning the Bird City designation for Wisconsin Rapids with this award being presented to the city at the Grand Affair on September 8. We also adopted a stretch of highway for clean-up so our group can walk the ...
Climate Change Action: What the DOD and AAAS have in common
The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) are both taking action on climate change.
The DOD just issued their 64-page 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review, in which they clearly describe steps they’re taking to respond to global climate change. In the introduction, they say, “Climate change poses [a] significant challenge for the United States and the world at large. As greenhouse gas emissions increase, sea levels are rising, average global temperatures are increasing, and severe weather patterns are accele...
