Don Quixote Trump

Donald Trump, while not nearly as noble as his literary counterpart and backed by an entire political party rather than just Sancho Panza, is tilting at windmills again.  Offering to pay 1 billion of our tax dollars to cancel a wind farm off New England, Our Dear Leader has repeatedly demonstrated his disdain for green energy, especially wind power.

Preferring to bring back the coal industry and dedicated to maximizing our use of fossil fuels, he has withdrawn federal funding that was in place to encourage the production of electric vehicles and to facilitate solar, wind and geothermal projects.  Of course, he can count on his Cabinet and most Republican members of Congress for their active or passive support.

But as with Don Quixote, Trump's enemies are imaginary.  He has no knowledge of or interest in climatology and he only hires those who share his non-scientific, pro-oil view.  Having threatened the global oil supply with his ill-advised war in Iran, his Dulcinea may remain out of reach.   

Alaska Drilling Declined

As the Trump Administration demonstrates its disdain for science, specifically related to conservation and climate change, oil leases have been offered in ecologic-sensitive regions of Alaska, including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.  Fortunately, to date, American oil companies have declined to bid for those opportunities.  This past week's sale, involving Cook's Inlet, did not elicit a single bid.

Citing the expense of drilling in those areas and an adequate supply of oil from other sources, these energy companies likely also sense the financial and political consequences of ignoring ecological responsibilities that will outlast the current Administration.

Indeed, as Trump and his cronies attempt to roll back decades of environmental progress, private companies understand that political disruptions are relatively brief and, thankfully, remain focused on long-term sustainability.  We must acknowledge the vital role that they play in our stewardship of the planet.  After all, they have grandchildren too. 

Heat & Energy

During the ongoing heat wave, which has affected most States east of the Rockies, there has been a great deal of political chatter.  Most Democrats, concerned about the threats imposed by climate change, point to the extreme weather as strong evidence that we must enact policies to mitigate global warming.

Most Republicans, on the other hand, place emphasis on the stress to our energy grid, arguing for more natural gas production and even suggesting that coal-fueled plants be fired up.  They prefer to ignore climate change and are inclined to belittle the value of green energy sources.  Indeed, the Trump Administration has cut Federal subsidies for electric vehicles, wind farms and solar energy production.

It is an ecologic vs. economic political confrontation.  Ample evidence indicates that the burning of fossil fuels is responsible for global warming and its many complications.  To ignore that fact and to focus solely on increasing energy production via their use is a disturbing and potentially disastrous choice. 

Consumption Season

This week, we enter the Consumption Season in America.  On Thursday, Thanksgiving meals will encourage excessive consumption of food; despite that high caloric intake, there will be plenty of leftovers and, unfortunately, a good deal of wasted food.

Then we begin the official lead up to Christmas (though it actually began weeks ago) during which we feel obliged to buy gifts for family and friends whether they need them or not.  Though it fuels the economy, this National generosity puts a strain on natural resources and greatly increases our consumption of fossil fuel (via shopping trips, holiday travel, delivery services and the continual restocking of stores).

Of course, we could still enjoy the Holidays without the excessive consumption that they encourage.  In the interest of conservation and climate stabilization, it is time to modify that tradition.

Planet of the Humans

Last evening, while perusing Amazon Prime Video, I came across a 2020 documentary titled Planet of the Humans.  Released by Huron Mountain Films, it was written and narrated by Jeff Gibbs; Michael Moore is the Executive Producer.  Focused on the impact of humans on Earth's climate and on the welfare of our planet's natural ecosystems, the documentary was educational, intriguing and deeply disturbing.

Much of the show uncovered the illusions associated with "Green Energy," including the use of fossil fuels in its production and implementation.  The documentary also reviewed the destructive mining and pollution associated with the manufacturing of solar panels and batteries and the deforestation that fuels biomass energy plants.  The hypocrisy of many leading environmentalists, energy power-brokers and conservation organizations is laced throughout the production.

I highly recommend the film for anyone who is concerned about climate change and  the destruction of natural habitat.  As the documentary concludes, our efforts to rescue Earth must include population control, decreased personal consumption, diminished emphasis on economic growth and a commitment to increasing biologic diversity by re-wilding the planet.

Reducing Energy Consumption

Despite our dysfunctional Federal Government, private corporations, cities and utility companies are making efforts to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.  Nevertheless, we must all do our part to combat global warming and, for most Americans, solar panels and electric vehicles are not yet affordable. But there are some simple measures we can all take; individually, they may seem futile (if not silly) but, collectively, they will lead to a significant reduction in energy use:

1. Turn off lights that are not being used (a habit I learned from my Conservative, religious, father). Switch to low-energy bulbs as well.

2. Walk, bike or take mass transit whenever possible.

3. Reduce the size of your lawn to decrease mower use and get rid of all electric/gas trimmers, leaf blowers etc.  The exercise will be an added benefit.

4. Reduce your use of hot water for showers, dishwashing and laundry.

5. Combine errands (including child transport) to decrease your vehicle fuel consumption.

There are other measures, of course, but these five are a good start and certainly enough to prompt ridicule from climate change deniers.

Disclaimer: no major research was done to verify the effectiveness of these recommendations; results may vary and common sense may be difficult to accept. 

The Cost of Oil

Primarily for political reasons, President Biden decided to tap the Strategic Oil Reserve today, thereby hoping to check the recent rising price of gasoline and to combat inflation; the latter, of course, is expected as we recover from the economic impacts of the pandemic.

Most experts seem to believe that Biden's decision will have a minimal impact on the cost of gas, especially due to the increasing demand associated with travel during the Holidays.  Some of us wonder why we are worrying about the price of oil at a time when we are attempting to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

Oil has an economic price but it also has an environmental one.  If higher oil prices reduce its use, all the better.  Furthermore, clean energy becomes more attractive as the price of oil rises.  In the end, it is best for all of us if we reduce our use of fossil fuels; higher oil prices should incentivize that behavior.

Against the Wind

Another drive across the Great Plains, another battle with punishing winds.  As we drove west toward Colorado today, strong, southwest winds raked the Plains, demanding a steady grip on the steering wheel and slowing our progress.  The culprits were low pressure over Southern Colorado and high pressure over the Southern Plains, which funneled these winds across Kansas.

I often admire and sometimes pity those who live in that windswept landscape.  While the remote homes are frequently sheltered with junipers and pines, the whistles and rattles must be nearly constant.  And then, of course, the strong winds make any form of weather more severe, from the desiccating heat of summer to the life-threatening wind chill and ground blizzards of winter.

Then again, these winds are partly responsible for the development of the vast prairie ecosystem that once covered the Great Plains.  By drying the soil, dislodging seedlings and fanning wildfires, the relentless winds kept the forest at bay; combined with the trampling and grazing of massive bison herds, the prairie winds favored the evolution of a rich biome of grasses and wildflowers, home to a wide diversity of animals.  Finally, while crop fields and ranches have replaced most of the prairie, the winds now drive modern turbines, providing a clean and endless source of energy.

Disaster & Independence

The ongoing disaster in Texas is due to both an extreme weather event and the State's choice to be independent regarding its energy supply, production and delivery.  Long proud of its freedom from national regulations and confident in its ability to meet the needs of its citizens, Texas did not connect to the energy grid of its neighboring States and declined to adhere to recommendations that its oil, gas and wind infrastructure be adequately insulated from very low temperatures.

As a consequence, we are observing widespread "rolling blackouts," resulting in disruption of service, destruction of property and untold human suffering.  In effect, pride and denial set the stage for this State-wide disaster; no doubt, Texas will now welcome the assistance of out-of-State repair services and relief organizations.

This regional event must serve as a warning for the rest of our country and for countries across the globe.  We cannot face threats to our planet and to our civilization alone; such an approach is futile.  No threat is greater than climate change and international cooperation will be vital in our efforts to limit its effects and halt its progression.  Nationalism, on the other hand, will seal our doom.  

Trump races to destroy our Planet

On the day that the Democratic National Convention begins, the Trump Administration has finalized plans to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas exploration.  Ignoring both climate change and a world oil glut, our Dear Leader is intent on rolling back every form of environmental protection before he is voted out of office.

Perhaps he is playing for the Alaskan vote and the financial support of the oil and gas industry but one would think they are already in his corner.  More likely, Trump intends to use his authority to destroy a signature landmark achievement of past Democratic Administrations while he can.  To be perfectly honest, I doubt he could find the Refuge (or the State of Alaska) on a map.

Unfortunately, as was pointed out in the New York Times, leases granted prior to the election may not be reversible by a Biden Administration.  Legal challenges are thus underway by a host of Conservation Organizations and your financial support is encouraged.  Most of all, vote for your grandkids in November; help to save our planet by electing Biden and dumping Trump! 

City Lights from Above

As we flew back from Denver to Columbia, Missouri, this evening, the skies were clear and the lights of cities and towns glowed from the darkness below.  A magnificent sight, one could not help but admire the human ingenuity that made such a spectacle possible.

Yet, in this era of global warming, I could not help but wonder how much of that lighting was necessary.  While we attempt to combat climate change with cleaner forms of energy, mass transit and other measures, we will not be successful unless we significantly reduce our energy consumption; more efficient engines, better insulation and low-energy lighting will help but lowering thermostats (in winter) and turning off non-essential lights will also be part of the solution.

The city lights were indeed beautiful from 30,000 feet but darker landscapes will be more inspiring in the long run.  Natural ecosystems do not depend on artificial illumination and it is best that we aspire to limit our dependence as well.  Don't forget, Daylight Savings Time begins tonight!

Our Climate Change Capitol

Since our current Capitol is dominated by climate-change deniers and fossil fuel lobbyists, I think it's time to designate a Climate Change Capitol of the United States.  Cities that are already impacted by global warming seem to be reasonable choices and I would support any of the following.

Charleston, South Carolina, and Miami, Florida are already dealing with the complications of a rising sea level, enduring floods from nothing more than high tide episodes; these cities are also regular targets of increasingly severe hurricanes.  Then there is New Orleans, perhaps the most obvious choice, partly below sea level, walled off from tropical storms and Mississippi River floods by levees and relying on pumps to keep the city dry.  Finally, an ironic choice would be Houston, Texas, the home of Big Oil but the victim of recurrent catastrophic floods over the past decade, all fueled by bathtub temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico.

There are surely many other candidates, including some of our larger "Green Cities" and most towns along the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, but, unlike the Democratic Presidential Field, it may be best to start with a limited number of well-qualified localities.  I may nominate other candidates down the line but the sooner we yank climate-change policy from Washington, D.C., the better! 

Trump Slams Environmentalism

Meeting with auto executives this morning, President Trump declared that "environmentalism is out of control."  Claiming to be an environmentalist himself (of course he is), our supreme leader wants to bring industrial plants back to the U.S. and promises less regulation for those who comply with his policy.

One wonders what environmental regulations he plans to shave.  How much air and water pollution is he willing to accept?  How many species can we safely annihilate?  Just the small ones?  And what about carbon emissions?  Is he right that global warming is a hoax, floated by the Chinese?  Should we switch back to coal-powered plants and steam locomotives to restore mining jobs?  Can heavy crude from Canada's decimated tar sands provide the salvation we need?

In his simple-minded world, cutting regulations and lowering taxes will "Make America Great Again." Unfortunately, as our planet and its complex ecosystems deteriorate, human health will decline as well and, given his zeal to slash medical programs, the ravages of pollution and climate change will rapidly take their toll.

Life & Energy

Life, whether in the form of a single-celled organism or a human being, might be defined as the capacity to harness energy for the purposes of constructing and maintaining vital tissues and sustaining metabolic processes.  From the moment of conception (or budding in asexual life forms), energy must be acquired or generated to permit survival; depending on the organism, it is needed to fuel growth, cellular diversification, physiologic processes and mobility.

Bacteria and other unicellular organisms are able to "ingest" nutrients through their cell walls while photosynthetic algae and plants utilize solar energy to fuel their metabolism and growth.  Fungi recycle nutrients from decaying plants and animals and some deep sea invertebrates feast on bacterial mats that form on the flanks of sulfide-spewing hydrothermal vents.  Complex marine, freshwater and terrestrial food chains consist of producers (plants or algae), primary consumers (herbivores) and secondary consumers (carnivores); of course, a series of carnivorous activity leads to the top predator in each chain (e.g. mosquito, dragonfly, frog, snake, hawk).

Energy flows through these food chains, stored for periods of time in certain tissues (fat, glycogen, starch, bulbs) but eventually recaptured by scavengers and fungi when injuries, illness, predation or natural aging lead to the death of plants and animals.  Prior to death, living organisms transfer energy to the environment via heat production and in the organic waste that they produce; they may also lose vital nutrients to parasites.  While this cycle of energy and life is easily observed and readily accepted in nature, we humans often reject the fact that our own lives, from conception to death, reflect this universal process.  We are, in fact, transient conduits of energy.

A Seismic Shift in Oklahoma

The State of Oklahoma sits on the "stable craton" of North America, far from active tectonic regions.  Nevertheless, prior to 2011, it had a history of occasional earthquakes, likely induced by pressure shifts along old suture lines in the deep, Precambrian basement rock (see Unsettled Basement).

Over the past five years, however, the incidence of earthquakes has exploded across Oklahoma.  Following a magnitude 5.6 earthquake near Prague, in November of 2011 (the strongest recorded in the State's history), the number of quakes has been climbing dramatically from year to year.  Before 2008, Oklahoma experienced an average of 1-2 magnitude 3.0 or greater earthquakes per year; more than 900 occurred in 2015 and a magnitude 5.1 quake occurred near Fairview this past weekend.

State officials have reluctantly come to conclude that this seismic shift is directly related to the use of deep disposal wells in the fracking process.  As one might expect, the oil and gas industry has attempted to minimize this association and has fought efforts to be held financially responsible for damage caused by the earthquakes.  They might want to consult the tobacco industry, which has managed to evade public responsibility for many decades now.

Keystone on Ice

Finally, the Obama Administration has decided to nix the Keystone Pipeline, at least until their reign is over.  My only question: "What took so long?"

As I detailed in Pipeline to Oblivion, last year, the project risked environmental disaster and would have reinforced our dependence on fossil fuels.  To lead an International effort to combat global warming while proceeding with the Keystone Pipeline would have been the height of hypocrisy.

Of course, the Republican Presidential Candidates will use this decision to ridicule the current Administration, promising to renew the project once their nominee takes back the White House.  Anyone who is concerned about global warming and supports a transition to clean, renewable energy should help to assure that climate change deniers do not govern this country.

New Colorado Wind Farms

Returning to Colorado after a one month absence, I was both surprised and delighted to encounter a new wind farm north of Interstate 70, between Burlington, Colorado and the Kansas border.  Named the Carousel Wind Farm, this complex is being built and operated by NextEra Energy; it will contain 88 wind turbines and produce 150 MW of clean energy.

Were it not for a weather-induced detour (see Detoured by Storms), I would not have discovered the Golden West Wind Farm on the southern flank of the Palmer Divide, east of Colorado Springs.  Also built and operated by NextEra, this facility will use 145 turbines to yield 250 MW of energy production.

Despite the continued expansion of wind and solar energy production across the country, some Conservatives oppose this transition and hope to eliminate Federal tax credits that support clean energy programs.  After all, these programs compete with the oil, gas and coal industries, long backed by conservative politicians, and derive federal and public support from their role in addressing global warming, a great conspiracy in the eyes of right-wing Republicans.  Of course, in objecting to Federal support for clean energy systems, these same Conservatives fail to acknowledge the massive amount of tax credits extended to fossil fuel industries over the past Century.

Cheap Oil & Climate Change

Now that oil prices have dropped to their lowest point in years, Conservative pundits are predicting the demise of clean, renewable sources of energy.  Investors have also punished the stocks of solar, wind and fuel cell companies, concluding that their glory days are over.  Neither group seems terribly concerned about the issues of pollution and climate change.

Of course, in this fickle world, where a terrorist attack or military conflict is just a news day away, the price of oil could rebound at any time, rescuing the profits of oil companies and the budget of several fragile oil-producing countries.  As we accept the gift of low gas and heating oil prices for the holidays, business panels debate whether Americans will return to gas-guzzling vehicles and lose interest in electric cars.

Once again, corporate policies focus on the short-term prospect for profits and the global factors that might impact that goal; the opportunity to address global warming has taken a back seat to dealing with a worldwide glut of oil.  In the end, of course, it doesn't matter if we destroy our planet by burning cheap or expensive fossil fuel.

Pipeline to Oblivion

Political, corporate and public support for the Keystone Pipeline is a direct repudiation of efforts to reduce fossil fuel consumption across the globe.  Touting the economic and societal benefits of the project, supporters voice little concern for its environmental impacts, including our continued reliance on a product that threatens the welfare of our planet.

The tar sands of northeastern Alberta, Canada, lie within Cretaceous sediments of the Athabasca River Valley.  Extraction of their heavy crude has involved both open pit mining and in situ techniques (which require large volumes of water, diverted from the river).  Both forms of extraction threaten the regional environment, either via direct destruction of boreal bogs and forest or by pollution of the river and its tributaries.  Of course, transportation of the heavy crude in a pipeline that crosses the American Heartland raises the possibility of spills in rivers, prairies, wetlands or vital agricultural areas along the way.

But the primary threat of the Keystone Pipeline is its reinforcement of our dependence on fossil fuel.  A shift toward natural gas utilization and clean, renewable energy production have gained significant traction over the past decade, fueled by the threat of global warming, recurring incidents of pollution (such as the BP disaster in the Gulf of Mexico) and the political ramifications of the international oil market.  Support for the Keystone Pipeline demonstrates an unwillingness to address the ongoing, man-induced degradation of Planet Earth and our accelerating march toward oblivion.

Sorghum Season

Driving across the Great Plains today, I noticed that sorghum covered most of the crop fields, especially in central Kansas.  Native to northeastern Africa, sorghum was first cultivated in that region some 8000 years ago and its use spread to other areas of Africa, India and Southeast Asia.  Historians report that sorghum was brought to North America in concert with the slave trade though, despite its nutritional value, it has not been a major food crop in the U.S.  Worldwide, at least 30 species of sorghum combine to yield the fifth most abundant cereal grain consumed by humans.

Today, sorghum (also known as milo) is primarily grown for livestock feed (especially pigs and chickens) in the U.S. though sorghum flour has been increasingly used to make gluten-free baked goods and pasta; in addition, the plant has gained favor in the production of biofuels, especially due to its drought tolerance.  Indeed, the latter trait has spawned an increased cultivation of sorghum on the semiarid Plains and the "Sorghum Belt" now extends from South Dakota to Texas; Kansas is the leading producer.

The distinctive, grain-bearing pannicles (generally bronze in color) poke above the green vegetation by late August and vast fields of sorghum produce a mosaic with drying cornfields and bright yellow plots of sunflowers.  As our climate warms and aquifers shrink, sorghum will likely become even more common across the Great Plains of North America.