faulker083

Studies have shown that climate action leads to economic opportunity. In fact, 91 percent of the 110 global cities tracked by the Carbon Disclosure Project and the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group state that climate action created economic opportunities, thus making cities more attractive for businesses, largely in the sectors related to energy efficiency and the development of non-motorized transportation infrastructure. (Page 6, Rochester, NY’s Climate Action Plan ) At the national level, transportation accounts for 27% of our greenhouse gas emissions. At the local level (Rochester, NY), it’s at 24%, which is a drop of 7% since 2010, where “this decrease is correlated with a reduction in employment in the region (and attributed, in part, to improved vehicle efficiency.” (Page 21, Rochester, NY’s Climate Action Plan ) We are seeing two opportunities to advance clean transportation in Rochester: Rochester, NY is getting five electric buses. This “puts Rochester in the lead on elect...

Some say Climate Change is all a hoax; some say it’s too late; some say it’s very urgent but not hopeless. Carbon dioxide must be removed from the atmosphere to avoid extreme climate change, say scientist s One of the first scientists to warn of the dangers of climate change, Professor Jim Hansen, warns the 's*** is hitting the fan' Humans must start removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as soon as possible to avoid saddling future generations with a choice between extreme climate change or spending hundreds of trillions of dollars to avoid it, according to new research. An international team of researchers – led by Professor Jim Hansen, Nasa’s former climate science chief – said their conclusion that the world had already overshot targets to limit global warming to within acceptable levels was “sufficiently grim” to force them to urge “rapid emission reductions”. But they warned this would not be enough and efforts would need to be made to reduce the amount of carbon di...

[ Click here to read part one of “ Rochester, NY passes Climate Action Plan ”. ] Much has taken place in our country involving Climate Change since November’s election—Donald Trump, the Pruitt EPA running amuck on our environment, our country pulling out of the Paris Accord, Rochester joining the Mayors National Climate Change Agenda , and the passage of the City’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) on May, 23 rd . Not to mention that an ice sheet in Antarctica the size of Delaware slipped into the ocean and is now afloat, freeing up some weighty glaciers so they can slip into the ocean—which will raise water levels. (I know, climate scientists are still not sure whether Climate Change is responsible for unleashing this colossus, but still… it’s gotta make you wonder.)    The passage of Rochester’s CAP means it’s not a draft anymore, it’s in force. But what does that mean? How is the City going to achieve the goals of the CAP? How much is Climate Change going to enter into the up-a...

Rochester, NY enters the ranks of other responsible communities actively planning for Climate Change like Portland , Oregon;  Chicago , Illinois;  Boston , Massachusetts; and  Minneapolis , Minnesota. On May 23, 2017, Rochester City Council passed the City’s Climate Action Plan (CAP): “City’s Office of Energy and Sustainability, working with consultants it engaged for that purpose, has developed the Rochester Climate Action Plan (CAP), which proposes a community-wide target greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal of 40% from the baseline year of 2010 by the year 2030 and provides an implementation framework consisting of strategies and actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions” (page 92, Resolution No. 2017-13 Resolution endorsing the Rochester Climate Action Plan Council Legislation Passed May 23, 2017, Certified Ordinances passed.) Rochester’s climate action efforts are not just part of an explosion of US states and cities stepping in to fill the leadership void on C...

“A Diſpute once aroſe betwixt the North-Wind and the Sun, about the ſuperiority of their power; and they agreed to try their ſtrength upon a traveller, which ſhould be able to get his cloak off firſt. The North-Wind began, and blew a very cold blaſt, accompanied with a ſharp driving ſhower: But this, and whatever elſe he could do, inſtead of making the man quit his cloak, obliged him to gird it about his body as cloſe as poſſible. Next came the Sun, who, breaking out from a thick watery cloud, drove away the cold vapours from the ſky, and darted his warm ſultry beams upon the head of the poor weather beaten traveller. The man growing faint with the heat, and unable to endure it any longer, firſt throws off his heavy cloak, and then flies for protection to the ſhade of a neighbouring grove.” (Page 68, FABLE XLI. The WIND and the SUN, The Fables of Aesop and Others By Samuel Croxall, D. D.: London: Printed for A. Millar, W. Law, and R. Cater; and for Wilson, Spence, and Mawman, York, M, ...

The problem of trying to make science political is that a tortuous joining of facts and fantasy only works politically, until it’s exposed as boloney. Then it often creates terrible collateral damage. Social Darwinism and Lysenkoism are two examples where politically motivated pseudoscience crusades ended up in the trash bin of history. Rightly so because both were nonsense on stilts, quite immoral, and wreaked bloody havoc. Pruitt, the new head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has been working furiously to get the EPA “ Back To Basics ”, which is to say turning our environmental protection agency upside down so that it views environmental problems through the lens of businesses’ priorities. This stance is ridiculous because most businesses want good stable environmental regulations from which to operate, not cherry-picked, politically-derived rules that simply remove obstacles to pollute. To accomplish his fantasy objectives, Pruitt seems hell-bent on gutting the EPA b...

Thanking Trump for pulling the US out of the Paris Accord because his administration’s anti-environmental policies have galvanized the US and the world to address Climate Change would be like wheel-chairing over to the guy who ran over you with his truck and giving him a bouquet of flowers because your being crippled by what he did spurred you to write the great American novel. Although the Trump administration’s anti-environmental actions, including ditching the Paris Accord , have crystalized the extremes these people will go to push their insensitive ideology upon the world, there’s absolutely no reason to believe we can, however exercised, overcome the blow of a crippled worldwide agreement. The players in the Trump administration have proven that they will plow through anything to hold on to their power and wealth created from an energy option now proven to be lethal to our life support system. What has not been proven (nor can it) is whether we can overcome the Trump administrati...