Good Energy: Recent Episodes
John Heil
To deal with the climate crisis, we need to deal with ourselves. We are called upon to marshal the full force of our humanity, if we expect to succeed. This show brings you news and information on energy and the climate - framed by stories, poems, and discussions about our values and choices. Because, when we care about who we are, we care about what we do. And, when we understand who we are, we understand what to do.
An American classic, the first volume of “The Foxfire Book”. Also some discussion of plastic and atmospheric geo-engineering (both bad), the right to repair and growing up green (both good).
Nature Supplies the Energy – You Give it the Good
An American classic, the first volume of “The Foxfire Book”. Also some discussion of plastic and atmospheric geo-engineering (both bad), the right to repair and growing up green (both good).
Though the virus is still very much in the air, we can celebrate the end of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, and the beginning of a national climate plan in the US House. Also, a couple tips on how to keep your air healthy at home these days. Then, we turn to “The Honorable Art of … Continue reading Love Is In The Air →
Though the virus is still very much in the air, we can celebrate the end of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, and the beginning of a national climate plan in the US House. Also, a couple tips on how to keep your air healthy at home these days. Then, we turn to “The Honorable Art of Loving” by Andreas Capellanus, composed in the 12th Century for Eleanor of Aquitaine’s court at Poitiers Palace. Finally, it’s never a bad time to ask about mental vs. physical pleasures and how we might weigh them up.
Nature Supplies the Energy – You Give it the Good
New voter polls on the environment, an Arctic update, The Nature Conservancy’s Family Forest initiative, and soil scientist Rattan Lal’s World Food Prize. Friedrich Nietzsche’s “Birth of Tragedy”, the Apollonian-Dionysian duality, and a new poem, “My Closest Neighbors”.
New voter polls on the environment, an Arctic update, The Nature Conservancy’s Family Forest initiative, and soil scientist Rattan Lal’s World Food Prize. Friedrich Nietzsche’s “Birth of Tragedy”, the Apollonian-Dionysian duality, and a new poem, “My Closest Neighbors”.
Life is Energy – and a good life runs on Good Energy
Reason and freedom in the opening lines of Epictetus’s “Discourses”. / Sizzling summer energy tips. / Poem “How Do You Sound?” / Art and moral education (e.g. “The Wreck of the Old 97”). / In the news: the EIA releases numbers to support the milestone announced last year – renewables surpass coal in electricity generation – and the Southeast region is the fastest growing utility solar market. New York is the first state to reject a gas pipeline for climate reasons, and the Empire State Bldg sets an example in Manhattan by slashing its emissions 40%. The US ranks 24th on the environment, near the bottom of the developed world. The UK proposes to subsidize the move to electric transportation.
Life is energy – and a good life runs on good energy
Reason and freedom in the opening lines of Epictetus’s “Discourses”. / Sizzling summer energy tips. / Poem “How Do You Sound?” / Art and moral education (e.g. “The Wreck of the Old 97”). / In the news: the EIA releases numbers to support the milestone announced last year – renewables surpass coal in electricity generation … Continue reading Summer With Epictetus →
Good to be back after a two-month quarantine from the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to some news, we look at dying in America, the “Man of Empty Words”, and the difficulty in understanding human motivation. Also, a reading of the opening lines of Pope Francis’ 2015 Laudato Si’, “On Care For Our Common Home.” Finally, here’s one thing we did while sheltering at home.
Nature Supplies the Energy – You Give it the Good
Good to be back after a two-month quarantine from the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to some news, we look at dying in America, the “Man of Empty Words”, and the difficulty in understanding human motivation. Also, a reading of the opening lines of Pope Francis’ 2015 Laudato Si’, “On Care For Our Common Home.” Finally, … Continue reading Virulence →
Special edition on the nature of courage. So, take heart and let’s start thinking. We also say goodbye to “winter” and hello to “shoulder season”. Also, test your word game skill on our featured word “brave”.
Nature Supplies the Energy – You Give it the Good
Special edition on the nature of courage. So, take heart and let’s start thinking. We also say goodbye to “winter” and hello to “shoulder season”. Also, test your word game skill on our featured word “brave”.
Virginia is about to pass moderate, but historic and long-overdue, climate and energy legislation. “Maude the Moderate” is someone the Democratic party knows well. Insect populations are dropping as groups struggle to respond to E.O. Wilson’s call for us to save half the earth for … life. Bristol, England (different from Bristol, Virginia in almost every respect) has declared an Ecological Emergency. And, a new fable titled The Miser.
Life is Energy and a Good Life runs on Good Energy
Virginia is about to pass moderate, but historic and long-overdue, climate and energy legislation. “Maude the Moderate” is someone the Democratic party knows well. Insect populations are dropping as groups struggle to respond to E.O. Wilson’s call for us to save half the earth for … life. Bristol, England (different from Bristol, Virginia in almost … Continue reading Maude the Moderate →
The now infamous Jim Molan kicks off the show by kicking his fellow Australians when they’re down. On the upside, jobs in the energy storage industry are expected to boom, the “worst case scenario” has probably (slightly) improved, renewables are about to surpass coal and nuclear on US grids, and some hybrids get a big green thumbs up, beating out EV’s on the EDX score. Finally, a fable about Three Peacocks, along with some thoughts about statues.
Nature supplies the energy – You give it the good
The now infamous Jim Molan kicks off the show by kicking his fellow Australians when they’re down. On the upside, jobs in the energy storage industry are expected to boom, the “worst case scenario” has probably (slightly) improved, renewables are about to surpass coal and nuclear on US grids, and some hybrids get a big … Continue reading “I’m not relying on evidence!” →
An incredible opportunity to help remote Equadorian villagers protect their corner of the Amazon from oil drilling … by teaching their kids English. The WEF’s recent global risk report is all about the environment. Financial giant, Blackrock, fires a warning shot to businesses and investors. 2020 brings an uptick in renewables, along with a jump … Continue reading Dreams, Resolutions, Opportunities and Risks →
An incredible opportunity to help remote Equadorian villagers protect their corner of the Amazon from oil drilling … by teaching their kids English. The WEF’s recent global risk report is all about the environment. Financial giant, Blackrock, fires a warning shot to businesses and investors. 2020 brings an uptick in renewables, along with a jump in the number of voters alarmed about the climate. Also, can a new year’s resolution really help us make a change in our personal lives? Finally, a strange climate dream, and some thoughts about dreams in general.
Rural America’s political guru talks about the economics of the Green New Deal initiative, and how tackling issues of wealth inequality also solves environmental problems. Anthony and his organization S.C.A.L.E. (Sequestering Carbon, Accelerating Local Economies) are currently working with other state leaders on a blueprint for Virginia’s version of the G.N.D. – with the expectation … Continue reading Anthony Flaccavento on the Green New Deal →
Rural America’s political guru talks about the economics of the Green New Deal initiative, and how tackling issues of wealth inequality also solves environmental problems. Anthony and his organization S.C.A.L.E. (Sequestering Carbon, Accelerating Local Economies) are currently working with other state leaders on a blueprint for Virginia’s version of the G.N.D. – with the expectation that successes at the state and local level will inspire more confidence at the national level.
Nature Supplies the Energy – You Give it the Good
This was the year of Greta, so let’s enjoy a smorgasbord of topics – thankfulness, wind power in Wyoming, the new MarinaTex plastic-substitute material invented by Lucy Hughes, the importance of music and the muses, the electrical nature of the human nervous system, and how we can save energy over the holidays.
Nature Supplies the Energy – You Give it the Good
This was the year of Greta, so let’s enjoy a smorgasbord of topics – thankfulness, wind power in Wyoming, the new MarinaTex plastic-substitute material invented by Lucy Hughes, the importance of music and the muses, the electrical nature of the human nervous system, and how we can save energy over the holidays.
Edgar Allan Poe’s “Shadow – A Parable”, published in 1833 and set in the ancient past, is nonetheless frightfully relevant to the specter of our modern climate crisis. Some of us may feel shielded. But, the more we try to look away and distract ourselves, the more surely we’ll be visited by the shadow of … Continue reading Poe’s “Shadow – A Parable” →
Edgar Allan Poe’s “Shadow – A Parable”, published in 1833 and set in the ancient past, is nonetheless frightfully relevant to the specter of our modern climate crisis. Some of us may feel shielded. But, the more we try to look away and distract ourselves, the more surely we’ll be visited by the shadow of death – those unhappy souls who, just a short while ago, were our fellow travelers upon the earth. After the story, we think about the multi-faceted emotion of fear, and have some fun with witches.
Nature supplies the energy – You give it the good
Adam Wells, Regional Director of Community & Economic Development for Appalachian Voices, is working to bring new energy to the local economies of Southwest Virginia, a region once sustained by the coal industry. There are now promising opportunities for solar power to be a catalyst for growth, attracting 21st Century business looking for low-cost, locally-generated … Continue reading Old Mountains, New Economies – Adam Wells of Appalachian Voices →
Adam Wells, Regional Director of Community & Economic Development for Appalachian Voices, is working to bring new energy to the local economies of Southwest Virginia, a region once sustained by the coal industry. There are now promising opportunities for solar power to be a catalyst for growth, attracting 21st Century business looking for low-cost, locally-generated energy.
Life is Energy – and a Good Life Runs on Good Energy
In “What If We Stopped Pretending” Jonathan Franzen tells us that we need to get real: we’re doomed. It’s worth thinking through the reasons he’s wrong. We also look at the new temperature trends, illustrated by the heatwave last week. Finally, some things we can do for the birds, whose populations are plummeting. Word of … Continue reading Against Franzen – For the Birds – In the heat →
In “What If We Stopped Pretending” Jonathan Franzen tells us that we need to get real: we’re doomed. It’s worth thinking through the reasons he’s wrong. We also look at the new temperature trends, illustrated by the heatwave last week. Finally, some things we can do for the birds, whose populations are plummeting. Word of the week – “autumn” – can you find two humans and two animals hidden in it?
Life is energy – and a good life runs on good energy
When it comes to clean energy, Virginia is a hard regulatory and financial environment. But, Karla Loeb has been chipping away at it, and getting results.
When it comes to clean energy, Virginia is a hard regulatory and financial environment. But, Karla Loeb has been chipping away at it, and getting results.
Nature Supplies the Energy – You Give it the Good
On Friday, September 20, some 4 million people in 163 countries joined the global climate strike led by Greta Thunberg. Students at Emory & Henry College in rural Southwest Virginia held a coordinated rally to add their voices to the growing chorus of protest against the inaction of our leaders.
Life is Energy and a Good Life Runs on Good Energy
On Friday, September 20, some 4 million people in 163 countries joined the global climate strike led by Greta Thunberg. Students at Emory & Henry College in rural Southwest Virginia held a coordinated rally to add their voices to the growing chorus of protest against the inaction of our leaders.
In a recent New Yorker essay, “What If We Stopped Pretending?” (September 8, 2019), Jonathan Franzen tells us to get real about the global climate emergency. “Hoping that catastrophe is preventable,” he says, just leaves us “enraged at the world’s inaction”. Far better to “accept that disaster is coming, and begin to rethink what it … Continue reading Jonathan Franzen Has A Bout Of Despair – And Publishes It →
In a recent New Yorker essay, “What If We Stopped Pretending?” (September 8, 2019), Jonathan Franzen tells us to get real about the global climate emergency. “Hoping that catastrophe is preventable,” he says, just leaves us “enraged at the world’s inaction”. Far better to “accept that disaster is coming, and begin to rethink what it means to have hope.” With these words, Franzen plunges a red-hot poker into an open wound in the climate action community. But, instead of dwelling on the scorch many people have felt, I draw wisdom from the medical arts. Wounds can be cauterized by fire.
First, the wound. Those who deny that there’s even such a thing as a threat to our climate have steered our national debate to a crippling deadlock. The U.S. continues to pump out the largest per capita share of the world’s greenhouse gases, and continues to have enough global power to influence many other countries. We are in a position – in the position – to make a decisive, world-changing, planetary difference. Yet, we still have no national policy to deal with the most profound existential threat imaginable: the end of the habitable earth. That is our wound.
Franzen’s response is to accept our impending doom. His essay reads like the monologue of a fictional character whose role in the story is to offer a sharp, but incomplete, outlook on the situation. Like such characters, emotions embody a limited perspective, not an all-things-considered judgment. This can serve a useful purpose, however. If we are in denial about something, an emotional outburst from our friend can jar us into realization. If there are any Pollyanna’s out there, they should listen.
Most of us already realize there is reason to despair. But, we reject Franzen’s call to abandon hope. Why? Despair is not just a feeling of hopelessness. It arises from a judgment that something we care deeply about has been ruined. When we’re devoted to something, we necessarily feel despair when it suffers defeat. That’s an essential part of what it means to care. But, that’s also why despair pushes us to act, to start over, to make things better.
So, when we care, we might also despair. But, it’s equally true that we will hope. We all hope that good things happen to the people and things we love, honor, and admire. To say we should abandon hope, implies we should stop caring. Given the values Franzen promotes elsewhere in his essay, he can’t mean that. He must be attacking only a superficial type of hope, the type associated with a lack of real concern or a casual disregard of the facts. This kind of hope is a pretense, which would explain the title of his essay.
Franzen suggests that accepting our doom need not prevent us from doing the right thing for the environment now. This is no ethics for weaklings! Perhaps what he means to say is that neither hope nor despair really matter in the end. What matters is what matters. In The Plague, Albert Camus tells the story of a town beset by a deadly pestilence. In some ways, it’s a good fable for the climate crisis. The characters are faced with the same range of choices in how they react to the unstoppable march of death through their community: despair, hope, apathy, faith, heroism. The main character, Dr. Rieux, rejects all of these. The only response he considers absolutely clear and honest is “to do your job as it should be done.”
Some of Franzen’s expressions align him with Dr. Rieux and other existentialist heroes, who create meaning and value by their choices and commitments, in spite of objective reality’s stubborn refusal to validate them. If we can resist the soothing allure of hope, Franzen says, “other kinds of action take on a greater meaning.” But, he himself cannot resist the same temptation in the other direction. Franzen wants to be a prophet of doom. The result is a confusing disconnect between his eschatology and his ethics – his fiery prediction of the future and his pro-environmental commitments now. If we treat his prophecy as merely an expression of despair, there’s no contradiction. If we accept it as truth, however, then anything goes. We know what big oil would do with the conclusion that climate disaster is unavoidable. Maybe, if we’re lucky, they would help fund sea walls and air conditioners.
Franzen seems to think that reason and intelligence support his doomsday prediction. It’s hard to apply statistical reasoning to issues that require social and political change. An extended period of failure can certainly make us feel that there’s a low probability for success. But, feelings are not probabilities. The incomplete dataset Franzen uses to model the possible outcomes does not support his conclusion. Some factors that will determine the outcome are still taking shape: the effects of the changing weather, the power of social protest, the tectonic shift in the world of investment and finance, and, above all – what has impressed me the most as a reporter on energy and the environment – the millions of professionals in nearly every field who are working on low carbon alternatives for every corner of our lives, and innovating at a staggering pace.
So, while Franzen is right to emphasize the obstacles we face, such as the rise of nationalism and the increasing global demand for energy, he’s wrong to conclude that there’s a strong probability we will fail to prevent the destruction of the holocene ecosystems that sustain life as we know it. No one – no government, no community, no scientist or economist, no psychologist or social theorist – has ever been in this situation before. Statistics cannot help us see the future in this case.
There is one other way in which intelligence is not on Franzen’s side. Intelligence is not the same thing as the value-neutral skill of reasoning or calculation. Intelligence wants to get things right, both in the theoretical realm and in practical life. Intelligent people are not just clever. They have the ability to figure out what’s actually good and how to achieve it. If the human race fails to prevent climate disaster, we will have proven that we lack intelligence. If part of the reason we fail is because we accepted its inevitability, we will have proven ourselves utterly stupid.
Tom discusses the Virginia Energy Reform Coalition, and why people from across the ideological spectrum support the effort to replace the old utility monopoly system with an energy market. Competition and consumer choice encourage efficiencies on the production side that translate into substantial economic and environmental benefits for the whole community. Later in the show, we hear the legend of King Philodemus and think about the nature of political wisdom.
Nature supplies the energy – You give it the good
Tom discusses the Virginia Energy Reform Coalition, and why people from across the ideological spectrum support the effort to replace the old utility monopoly system with an energy market. Competition and consumer choice encourage efficiencies on the production side that translate into substantial economic and environmental benefits for the whole community. Later in the show, … Continue reading Vox Populi – Tom Cormons of Appalachian Voices →
Katherine Hamilton, a leading voice on energy and climate solutions, talks about the change of climate in Congress, a national green bank, grid readiness, eco-depression, and more. — Also, a thought-experiment about why the willful destruction of great art would be morally wrong, even if it violated no laws and infringed on no rights. Is there an analogy to the deliberate destruction of our holocene climate?
Life is energy – and a good life runs on good energy
Katherine Hamilton, a leading voice on energy and climate solutions, talks about the change of climate in Congress, a national green bank, grid readiness, eco-depression, and more. — Also, a thought-experiment about why the willful destruction of great art would be morally wrong, even if it violated no laws and infringed on no rights. Is … Continue reading Katherine Hamilton on the Political and the Personal →
As part of our series on Leaders in Energy and Climate Solutions, we talk to architect and building scientist Monica Rokicki-Guajardo, founder and CEO of Better Building Works. Later in the show, we think about beauty and goodness, and how they’re related. Perhaps some evil things are also attractive, but are they beautiful?
Nature supplies the energy – You give it the good
As part of our series on Leaders in Energy and Climate Solutions, we talk to architect and building scientist Monica Rokicki-Guajardo, founder and CEO of Better Building Works. Later in the show, we think about beauty and goodness, and how they’re related. Perhaps some evil things are also attractive, but are they beautiful?
The USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program announces the recipients of this year’s awards – seeds well sown in this case. Chesterfield County, Virginia wants to build a 30 MW solar farm. But, the dead zone of toxic algae along the Gulf Coast keeps growing – while back East refineries explode and coal trains wreck. … Continue reading REAP-ing What We Sow →
The USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program announces the recipients of this year’s awards – seeds well sown in this case. Chesterfield County, Virginia wants to build a 30 MW solar farm. But, the dead zone of toxic algae along the Gulf Coast keeps growing – while back East refineries explode and coal trains wreck. We also listen to a bird story about immigration – Cocky Cockatoo wants to stop the Central American flycatchers at the border, proclaiming that “Nets Work.” Finally, can places like Europe and N. America, whose populations have formed from eons of immigration, say who the “true people” of their lands are?
Nature supplies the energy – You give it the good
A single individual is a multiplicity of types and relations. I am one thing and many things. How I understand my sameness and difference in regard to other beings in the biosphere has profound moral implications – just as a society’s understanding of its unity and diversity has deep political implications. News: the American medical … Continue reading Who We Really Are – Sameness and Difference →
A single individual is a multiplicity of types and relations. I am one thing and many things. How I understand my sameness and difference in regard to other beings in the biosphere has profound moral implications – just as a society’s understanding of its unity and diversity has deep political implications. News: the American medical profession makes another plea for action, saying that our climate crisis is a health emergency. The expansion of tick populations is one serious case in point. Also: how natural lighting makes us healthier and happier, and how energy efficiency helps the political fight for climate action.
Life is Energy – and a Good Life runs on Good Energy
Life puts a constant demand on us to make decisions about control. It’s sometimes good to control things and sometimes bad. When it comes to other people, our respect for their autonomy requires “persuasion” rather than coercion, threat, or force. But, persuasion might still be a form of control, if it’s pushing buttons inside people … Continue reading The In’s and Out’s of “Control” →
Life puts a constant demand on us to make decisions about control. It’s sometimes good to control things and sometimes bad. When it comes to other people, our respect for their autonomy requires “persuasion” rather than coercion, threat, or force. But, persuasion might still be a form of control, if it’s pushing buttons inside people that they themselves don’t even have control over. We also cover hot news from Europe, a coal-surpassing milestone for American renewables, the surprising impact of buildings, and a great climate action website for kids. In our story, Fern & Meredith “partly” learn a lesson about trying to control teenagers.
Nature supplies the energy – You give it the good
Moral mistakes can happen when we let an emotion slide from one object to another. How close is our enjoyment of cruelty in fiction to our acceptance of it in reality? Pride too can slip from a love of good things to a desire for superiority. Rick Steves hopes to make his high-impact travel business carbon-neutral. Danville is outshining other Virginia cities, realizing that “green” means a strong economy. Fern & Meredith compete in a storytelling contest. You choose the winner!
Life is Energy – and a good life runs on Good Energy
Moral mistakes can happen when we let an emotion slide from one object to another. How close is our enjoyment of cruelty in fiction to our acceptance of it in reality? Pride too can slip from a love of good things to a desire for superiority. Rick Steves hopes to make his high-impact travel business … Continue reading The Cruelty Aesthetic, Pride, and Solar in Danville →
Boaty McBoatface – the unmanned submersible research vessel – makes his first big contribution to climate science, while the Stoics teach us about the emotions. Also, some info on wave energy and the vampire power wasted by your electronics. Our cardinal friends, Fern & Meredith, deal with a mystery and solve it badly.
Boaty Mc-Stoic-Face
Boaty McBoatface – the unmanned submersible research vessel – makes his first big contribution to climate science, while the Stoics teach us about the emotions. Also, some info on wave energy and the vampire power wasted by your electronics. Our cardinal friends, Fern & Meredith, deal with a mystery and solve it badly.
Socrates once said he loved going to the market – to see all the stuff he did NOT need to buy. Reducing our consumption is one of the greenest things we can do. Of course, the main lesson he taught was that we go wrong and do harm when we presume to understand something we don’t. Also on the show: an “off-color joke” in the EIA’s new power generation tracking tool. Finally, trees and forests don’t get better with age, but some people do.
Nature supplies the energy – You give it the good
Socrates once said he loved going to the market – to see all the stuff he did NOT need to buy. Reducing our consumption is one of the greenest things we can do. Of course, the main lesson he taught was that we go wrong and do harm when we presume to understand something we … Continue reading Socrates: Reduce, Reuse, Reflect →
People tend to be more moved by magic than by knowledge. Why does non-rational prophecy ever win out over rational prediction? One reason: knowledge is hard, and individuals have only bits and pieces of it. Another reason: success in our actions is not guaranteed by knowledge. Chance and randomness play a role in life. There’s … Continue reading Prediction & Prophecy →
People tend to be more moved by magic than by knowledge. Why does non-rational prophecy ever win out over rational prediction? One reason: knowledge is hard, and individuals have only bits and pieces of it. Another reason: success in our actions is not guaranteed by knowledge. Chance and randomness play a role in life. There’s logic, but there’s also luck. We discuss some of Project Drawdown’s highest-impact solutions (examples of rational predictions) and do some math on the fuel cost of gasoline vs. electric vehicles (spoiler alert: go electric if you can). Our word of the week is “reason”.
Nature supplies the energy – You give it the good
Saying “Yes” to life gives it meaning and value. Being a naysayer to your own choices and experiences makes it all futile. In our story, Harvey the pigeon dies doing what he loves the most – eating peanuts and crackerjacks at the baseball game. He “seizes the day” up to his last moment. We also … Continue reading Carpe Diem, Carpe Anthropocene →
Saying “Yes” to life gives it meaning and value. Being a naysayer to your own choices and experiences makes it all futile. In our story, Harvey the pigeon dies doing what he loves the most – eating peanuts and crackerjacks at the baseball game. He “seizes the day” up to his last moment. We also discuss the significance of the Anthropocene age, the promise of converting non-generating dams to create more hydropower, and the myth that switching lights off and on regularly uses more energy than leaving them on.
Nature supplies the energy – You give it the good
Big data from Denmark proves that growing up in green spaces makes you mentally healthier the rest of your life. The decimation of the native North American populations in the 15th-16th century contributed to the Little Ice Age in Europe, but at least there’s a green lining to this colonial cloud: reforestation rapidly reverses warming. Clean energy and energy efficiency boost the economy. Virginia’s natural areas are much better than its solar policies. In our story, Fern and Meredith compete in The Great Bird Bake Off. Both Fern and Soren Kierkegaard confront the problem of authenticity.
Nature supplies the energy – You give it the good
Big data from Denmark proves that growing up in green spaces makes you mentally healthier the rest of your life. The decimation of the native North American populations in the 15th-16th century contributed to the Little Ice Age in Europe, but at least there’s a green lining to this colonial cloud: reforestation rapidly reverses warming. … Continue reading Authenticity and the Great Outdoors →
The intergovernmental biodiversity & ecosystems report says what Aldo Leopold said 70 years ago – but phrased in the form of a loud alarm bell: our economics and our idea of the good life are killing us. In our story, Meredith loses her inhibitions at a summer concert, after eating some fermented berries. We discuss how living on “autopilot” disables not only our practical freedom to improve, but also our metaphysical freedom to take joy in existence.
Life is energy – and a good life runs on good energy
The intergovernmental biodiversity & ecosystems report says what Aldo Leopold said 70 years ago – but phrased in the form of a loud alarm bell: our economics and our idea of the good life are killing us. In our story, Meredith loses her inhibitions at a summer concert, after eating some fermented berries. We discuss … Continue reading The “Unexamined Life” of Extinction →
Tough Beak was a bird like no other – or maybe like one other. Plus a discussion of how good societies go bad, the new parent-child climate dilemma, Anya Kamenetz on k-12 climate education, and solar in Appalachia.
Tough Beak was a bird like no other – or maybe like one other. Plus a discussion of how good societies go bad, the new parent-child climate dilemma, Anya Kamenetz on k-12 climate education, and solar in Appalachia.
Life is energy – and a good life runs on good energy
Climate Central reports on fastest-warming U.S. cities and states, Bloomberg Finance projects EV’s to be cost-competitive by 2022, and researchers in Finland show exactly how the world gets to zero emissions by 2050. In our story, Fern and Meredith’s friendship is strained by the publication of a scientific study. And, a discussion of jealousy, envy … Continue reading Hot in America, Good study from Finland, Jealousy & Envy →
Climate Central reports on fastest-warming U.S. cities and states, Bloomberg Finance projects EV’s to be cost-competitive by 2022, and researchers in Finland show exactly how the world gets to zero emissions by 2050. In our story, Fern and Meredith’s friendship is strained by the publication of a scientific study. And, a discussion of jealousy, envy and the color green.
Life is energy – and a good life runs on good energy
Maria Saxton (VA Tech) studies the impact of tiny houses, the Dept of Defense reports on climate threats to military facilities, Arkansas steps up to solar development, and the old Nanticoke coal plant is transformed to solar. A story about racism and a discussion of citizenship as the goal of education. Some lightbulb facts, and finally some nest facts, comparing cardinals and goldfinches.
Citizenship & Education, Tiny Houses, Nanticoke Solar
Maria Saxton (VA Tech) studies the impact of tiny houses, the Dept of Defense reports on climate threats to military facilities, Arkansas steps up to solar development, and the old Nanticoke coal plant is transformed to solar. A story about racism and a discussion of citizenship as the goal of education. Some lightbulb facts, and … Continue reading Citizenship & Education, Tiny Houses, Nanticoke Solar →
How Antarctica looked in the pliocene age, the sinking of our Capital’s National Mall, and Dutchman Wiebe Wakker completes his 3-year adventure in his converted VW Golf electric vehicle, the Blue Bandit. A story and discussion of the Copper Rule, which governs our decisions all too often.
How Antarctica looked in the pliocene age, the sinking of our Capital’s National Mall, and Dutchman Wiebe Wakker completes his 3-year adventure in his converted VW Golf electric vehicle, the Blue Bandit. A story and discussion of the Copper Rule, which governs our decisions all too often.
Earth Day is a good time to form new habits. Orkney, Scotland is producing hydrogen with their surplus clean energy, and seeking to develop a hydrogen-powered sea vessel. Our City Bird – Country Bird story is about “An Angry Bird”, and we discuss when anger is rational and when irrational.
Earth Day is a good time to form new habits. Orkney, Scotland is producing hydrogen with their surplus clean energy, and seeking to develop a hydrogen-powered sea vessel. Our City Bird – Country Bird story is about “An Angry Bird”, and we discuss when anger is rational and when irrational.
Renewables in Puerto Rico, biofuels vs. biomass, and Rebecca Stolnit on white hate vs. climate action. Our City Bird-Country Bird story is on the Cost of Freedom. We take thought on acting against our best judgment, and explore the word “April”.
Renewables in Puerto Rico, biofuels vs. biomass, and Rebecca Stolnit on white hate vs. climate action. Our City Bird-Country Bird story is on the Cost of Freedom. We take thought on acting against our best judgment, and explore the word “April”.