January 14, 2021 (Thursday) - Citizens’ Climate Lobby group leader in Fairfield, Marc Favreau, set me up to speak about climate legislation to the Connecticut EV Club and their president Barry Kresch. These are really good people and are forward thinking.
January 20, 2021 (Wednesday) - President-elect Joe Biden was sworn in as our new president today. Trump still has not conceded the loss. But, a good day for climate change action as President Joe Biden signed documents that will officially bring the U.S. back into the Paris Agreement and the emissions reductions goals that go along with it - to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 to 52% below 2005 levels by 2030. Trump had pulled the U.S. out of that. Official documents will be signed next month.
January 21, 2021 (Thursday) - Today I started by two-month long on-line writing class for The Clearing Folk School in Ellison Bay, WI. Since we can’t travel, we are helping the school by offering on-line classes. I’ve got a half-dozen students all signed up.
January 25, 2021 (Monday) - I gave an on-line talk to several Connecticut groups through the Groton Public Library and RiseUpMystic on “Connecticut’s Energy Future” [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClxP9zoDiKE]
January 31, 2021 (Sunday) - Its been a busy month in this new year. The pandemic is gaining strength, we are sheltering at home most of the time. Meetings have been with elected officials offices, with city councils (SECCOG, Norwich, New London, Stonington, Hartford and so on), with non-profit groups (Sunrise CT, CT League of Conservation Voters, RiseUP Mystic, Citizens’ Climate Lobby), and high schools in Stonington and Windsor. Most on Zoom meetings, and many just want to get together as in pre-COVID days.
February 18, 2021 (Thursday) - My on-line writing class continues for The Clearing Folk School in Ellison Bay, WI. It is working out pretty well, and during the intervening times I read what the participants are writing.
February 19, 2021 (Friday) - President Biden’s Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, released a statement today that the documents officially bringing the U.S. back into the Paris Agreement to deal with climate change has been signed. Blinken said, “On January 20, on his first day in office, President Biden signed the instrument to bring the United States back into the Paris Agreement. Per the terms of the Agreement, the United States officially becomes a Party again today. The Paris Agreement is an unprecedented framework for global action. We know because we helped design it and make it a reality. Its purpose is both simple and expansive: to help us all avoid catastrophic planetary warming and to build resilience around the world to the impacts from climate change we already see. Now, as momentous as our joining the Agreement was in 2016 — and as momentous as our rejoining is today — what we do in the coming weeks, months, and years is even more important. You have seen and will continue to see us weaving climate change into our most important bilateral and multilateral conversations at all levels. In these conversations, we’re asking other leaders: how can we do more together? Climate change and science diplomacy can never again be “add-ons” in our foreign policy discussions. Addressing the real threats from climate change and listening to our scientists is at the center of our domestic and foreign policy priorities. It is vital in our discussions of national security, migration, international health efforts, and in our economic diplomacy and trade talks. We are reengaging the world on all fronts, including at the President’s April 22nd Leaders’ Climate Summit. And further out, we are very much looking forward to working with the United Kingdom and other nations around the world to make COP26 a success.” [https://www.state.gov/the-united-states-officially-rejoins-the-paris-agreement/]
February 25, 2021 (Thursday) - Today was my last on-line writing class continues for The Clearing Folk School in Ellison Bay, WI. The participants all accomplished a lot, and some excellent stories came from the group.
February 28, 2021 (Sunday) - As with January, the month has raced by. Today we go to pick up our first electric vehicle, our Tesla EV. We have to drive the Volvo to New York State to pick it up, since there is a ban on vehicle sales in Connecticut that are not through dealerships and franchises. It is one of the things the Connecticut EV Club is trying to change. Yesterday high schooler Karishma presented again to the Rocky Hill, CT town council about climate action. This young woman is persistent and very, very smart. The month has been full of Zoom meetings - mostly Citizens’ Climate Lobby. And the pandemic worsens . . . over a half-million people have died from it in the U.S. in the past year.
March 17, 2021 (Wednesday) - I made a presentation to the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (SECCOG). This group represents a number of communities in Southeast Connecticut, and I am urging them to join us and other communities to pass a resolution supporting a climate emergency.
March 22-23, 2021 (Monday-Tuesday) - Citizens’ Climate Lobby held a March Lobby Week, and we had on-line Zoom calls with our U.S. Representatives and Senators. Anne and I have pulled in a lot of high school students for these meetings. The young people get a lot out of them and develop first hand experience in dialoguing with elected officials about climate legislation. And - Senator Bernie Sanders has sponsored the “Climate Emergency Act of 2021” in the Senate [https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/938], which states, “his bill directs the President to declare a national emergency relating to climate change. Further, the President must ensure that the federal government invests in projects to mitigate the emergency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. At least 40% of such investments must be for historically disadvantaged communities. In addition, the President must ensure that the federal government reinvests in existing public sector institutions and creates new public sector institutions to strategically mobilize and channel investments at the scale and pace required by the emergency.”
March 26, 2021 (Friday) - we got our COVID vaccines today. 560,000 deaths from the pandemic are reported. Unbelievable and tremendously tragic.
March 30, 2021 (Tuesday) - The Loomis-Chaffee high school students in Windsor that Anne and I have been working with on climate issues convened an on-line Youth Conference, led by the energetic and persistent Jordan and Karishma. Anne and I have been working with over 50 high schoolers so far, and they put together a great conference. Senator Richard Blumenthal dialed in and participated, and was asked tough questions about his climate actions (not quite aggressive enough for the students).
April 7, 2021 (Wednesday) - I started my on-line “Make A Nature Film” class today. The University of Wisconsin Cedarburg Bog Field Station professors (Gretchen Meyer) asked me to teach this film-making class on Zoom to help keep the field station going during the pandemic. I’ve got 20 students - all ages from undergrads to mid-life professionals working at nature centers. The class will run for 8 weeks.
April 15, 2021 (Thursday) - my on-line talk about "Bioremediation - use of plants and bacteria to remediate sites” for Bill Young’s environmental class at the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4Won_Gt0aw]. I’ve used bioremediation to remediate a number of contaminated sites - it works, it’s sustainable, and it cost less than standard engineering solutions.
April 19, 2021 (Monday) - I participated in the Poor People’s Campaign with Rev. Barber out of Atlanta. This came from our contacts with Rev. Barber and former VP Al Gore before the pandemic regarding the Climate Reality Project, and how the Reverend’s work dovetails with Al Gore’s because climate change impacts everyone, but hits the underserved communities more than any other group - so it is a civil rights, environmental rights, community improvement aspects in this effort.
April 22, 2021 (Thursday) - My brilliant son Matthew is an aerospace engineer working for the small Masten firm in the Mohave Desert. But, he got some NASA funding to work on recovering water ice frozen in the lunar regolith, especially at the South Pole (Shackleton Crater). Matt came up with an innovative “Rocket Mining” technique, and asked me to come into the project as the geologist. This I did, and also calculated ball-park resource estimates and recoveries for the NASA competition. Then - Matt asked me to present one of the several papers he’s lead author on (I am the proud Dad co-author). This I did at the on-line ASCE Earth & Space Conference April 19-23 of this year in the “Engineering for Extreme Environments” session. Our talk, which I gave, is titled “Practical and Economic Rocket Mining of Lunar Ice”. Authors are Matthew Kuhns, Roger Kuhns, Philip Metzger, Kris Zacny and Noah Rhys. Here’s the link to the talk: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98U_QnnYLEI].
May 24, 2021 (Monday) - I made a a couple presentations to the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (SECCOG), who represent a number of communities in Southeast Connecticut, to urge them to pass a resolution supporting a climate emergency. Today they passed Resolution No. 21-3 “Relating To A Climate Emergency” [https://www.stonington-ct.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif3851/f/pages/ced_cog_2021.pdf]
June 3, 2021 (Thursday) - The month started out with climate meetings with Citizens’ Climate Lobby, and lunar exploration meetings with NASA. The innovations we get from the space program can enrich “Earth” society, and exploration of other planets so humans can reach out into the solar system is critical for our species.
June 12-16, 2021 (Saturday-Wednesday) - This has been an on-line week of a Citizens’ Climate Lobby national conference, and on-line meetings with our U.S. Senators and Representatives - busy and interesting in light of the continuing pandemic priorities and just trying to keep the U.S. economy and democracy going. We once again talk to the offices (and sometimes elected officials) of Senators Blumenthal and Murphy, and Representatives John Larson (D, CT-01), Joe Courtney (D, CT-02), Rosa DeLauro (D, CT-03), Jim Himes (D, CT-04), and Jahana Hayes (D, CT-05). Himes and Hayes have co-sponsored the “Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act”, but it has yet to get out of committee. High schoolers Isabelle, Jordan, Matti, Jessica, Brian, Samantha and others join us in meetings. On top of that I’ve had more calls about the Door County quarry project - the locals trying to stop development there. Politics local to national, all affecting our world!
June 18, 2021 (Friday) - My son Matt and I have been completing the NASA Break The Ice Challenge - our proposal that is based on his rocket mining method to recover lunar regolith water ice from the South Lunar Pole in Shackleton Crater. The whole proposal is due tonight, and I’ve spent the last month collecting data, analyzing what we know about the moon from the Apollo missions up to the latest lunar probes - all to get my arms around how much water ice there could be in the lunar regolith. Answer: quite a lot! Matt and I have been on the phone constantly, and we got the proposal off to NASA. Matt’s idea came is brilliant, and here’s the link to that short video of the methodology: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4A-Px96OeWs]
July 1-28, 2021 - All month on the road! Anne and I drove the Tesla across America to visit family on the west coast. We spend a week in Muir Woods National Monument in Marin County, CA - the impressive stand of old-growth coastal redwoods. Matt brings our granddaughter, Anna, who is awed by the towering trees - the average age is around 800 years old, but one of the older ones is beyond 1,500 years old, and over 250 feet tall. Matt & Melissa (who is at a week-long bell quire project) live in the Mojave Desert where his aerospace work is centered. We then drive north to Portland to see my brother Dave & wife Marijke. The place of volcanoes - all spectacular. We also spend a few days at Cannon Beach to watch the puffins. Great month of family time. We drove out from Connecticut to California via the southern route, and after Portland we drove home on the northern route. The Tesla performed perfectly, and we never once had a challenge in finding chargers or getting too low on battery charge. It is an amazing vehicle.
On July 9 Death Valley, California reached 54.4 °C on July 9, 2021, which was the highest recorded temperature in the world since at least the 1930s. The trip was wrapped around our constant on-guard because of the pandemic. There have been over 600,000 deaths from COVID, and people are masking and getting the vaccines. Some areas we drove through totally ignore all safety protocols - no wonder deaths and illnesses continue to rise. But how do we balance society, work and community in this catastrophic event.
August 16, 2021 (Monday) - All month catching up on climate legislation activities in Connecticut. Lots of zoom meetings with our Citizens’ Climate Lobby chapter meetings.
August 21, 2021 (Saturday) - Back in Door County, WI - teaching at The Clearing Folk School in Ellison Bay. This week is my geology class, and it’s the first time we are back in person for The Clearing - safety protocols are COVID tests, wearing masks, no communal meals - all delivered to our rooms, and social distancing. The Clearing - led by executive director Mike Schneider - is really dealing with this situation pretty well.
October 18, 2021 (Monday) - We continue to push hard on climate legislation - both on state and federal levels. Attended the New London, CT City Council meeting today to discuss climate actions. Our Connecticut coastal towns are impacted by sea level rise, and the long-term impacts will cost billions.
October 31, 2021 (Sunday) - Once again, back in Door County, WI. This week coming is my geologic history and Escarpment class. We are still practicing cautions because of the pandemic. We have lots of discussions about climate change, climate refugees, and more pandemics to come!
November 6, 2021 (Saturday) - A big huge day - Congress passed the “Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal Act” today. The White House released this statement, “Today, Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act), a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure and competitiveness. For far too long, Washington policymakers have celebrated “infrastructure week” without ever agreeing to build infrastructure. The President promised to work across the aisle to deliver results and rebuild our crumbling infrastructure. After the President put forward his plan to do exactly that and then negotiated a deal with Members of Congress from both parties, this historic legislation is moving to his desk for signature. This Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal will rebuild America’s roads, bridges and rails, expand access to clean drinking water, ensure every American has access to high-speed internet, tackle the climate crisis, advance environmental justice, and invest in communities that have too often been left behind. The legislation will help ease inflationary pressures and strengthen supply chains by making long overdue improvements for our nation’s ports, airports, rail, and roads. It will drive the creation of good-paying union jobs and grow the economy sustainably and equitably so that everyone gets ahead for decades to come. Combined with the President’s Build Back Framework, it will add on average 1.5 million jobs per year for the next 10 years.” [https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/11/06/fact-sheet-the-bipartisan-infrastructure-deal/]. President Biden is really getting some important legislation passed and signed. We need more on the climate and environmental justice, but he’s moving forward on these issues.
November 13-18 , 2021(Saturday-Thursday) - Our fall Citizens’ Climate Lobby national conference, once again on-line. We again talk to the offices (and sometimes elected officials) of Senators Blumenthal and Murphy, and Representatives John Larson (D, CT-01), Joe Courtney (D, CT-02), Rosa DeLauro (D, CT-03), Jim Himes (D, CT-04), and Jahana Hayes (D, CT-05). We are meeting with Congress, we are writing OpEds, we are working with high schools and colleges/universities on education and actions, we have over 200,000 volunteers in Citizens’ Climate Lobby across the country. Still, it doesn’t seem enough - some are getting burned out after over 10 years of doing this. But the globe is on the line. I’m having weekly meetings with global climate economist Dr. Gary Yohe, who was on the IPCC - International Panel on Climate Change team that won a Nobel Prize. His outlook on climate impacts is grim.
November 18, 2021 (Thursday) - The 117th Congress is considering the “Build Back Better Act” - another important President Biden action. The U.S. House of Representatives is made up of 222 Democrats (including 4 Delegates) and 215 Republicans (1 Delegate), and 4 vacant seats. The Senate is made up of 50 Republicans, 47 Democrats, and 3 Independents (who tend to caucus with the Democrats). So - Vice President Kamala Harris is the deciding vote in a tied Senate - crucial to get President Biden’s policies through.
December13, 2021 (Monday) - More chats with Dr. Gary Yohe, global climate economist. He agrees we must have a carbon tax, and supports the Energy Innovation Carbon Dividend Act we have in the U.S. House of Representatives, and the Connecticut Climate Emergency Act.
December 29, 2021 (Wednesday) - Anne and I are working with Jason Hine, the co-founder of RiseUpMystic and owner of the sustainable products store The Ditty Bag (in Mystic). We’ve met with CT State Representatives and community leaders, we’ve brought in young people to the conversations, we’ve laid out the needed legislation and science behind it. CT General Assembly Environment Committee chair, State Senator Christine Cohen will not move our “Connecticut Climate Emergency Act” forward for the 2022 General Assembly session - a huge disappointment for us. This year - 2021 - has seen record-breaking heat waves, droughts and hurricanes - wild fires are just about everywhere. Sea level rise set a new record. The World Economic Forum reports: “Sea levels also reached a new record high in 2021. Globally, the sea level rose 4.5mm a year on average between 2013 and 2021. In several regions, the sea level is rising “substantially faster” than the global average, the WMO says.” And “Rainfall was recorded for the first time ever at the highest point on Greenland’s ice sheet.” And “When Hurricane Ida hit Louisiana in the United States on 29 August last year, its 240km-per-hour winds matched the strongest landfall on record for the state, the WMO says. Ida was the heaviest hurricane of the North Atlantic season, causing major wind damage and flooding from storm surges. The hurricane caused an estimated $75 billion of economic losses in the US and is blamed for 115 deaths in the US and Venezuela. There were 21 named storms in 2021, well above the average of 14 a year between 1981 and 2010, the WMO notes.” Ice melt in glaciers and polar ice caps continues. And the Pandemic persist - over 820,000 COVID deaths in the U.S.