Beautifully written, Bill. Thank you for your clear-eyed leadership on a burning planet. I was shocked to see that news about climate change is down. Please carry on, for the sake of all of us, and Happy Earth Day to you!
I was on the radio this morning, and I spoke about the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill and Cuyahoga River fire as events that galvanized the environmental movement and me, personally. I believe another such moment is coming. An extreme season of floods, fires, dead whales and more is about to hit us, and I think people will finally realize we must act.
Keep fighting the good fight, Bill! It's making a difference, despite the lack of strong leadership in governments around the world.
This is absolutely key! "Most Americans are concerned about climate change, but they don’t think most others share that concern. That quiet misunderstanding is one of the biggest barriers to climate action in the United States." -- We all need to be speaking up more.
All hands on deck! Put up those solar panels, install that heat pump, it works against heat domes as well as cold snaps, buy that EV.
In the last 17 years we've saved more money than we can calculate by going solar and driving an EV...only short term thinking imagines otherwise.
We don't wait for government to act, but we do refuse to vote for governments in denial......and we talk transition up.
Just today in the local hot tub, I interrupted a conversation about cars with a line I read a few years ago already: The ICE car is a dead man walking. Both old codgers had no idea what an ICE car was, perhaps confused by Trump's gestapo........but I enlightened them, and we had great fun with the discussion.
Now it might not change their mind.......but it was fun rubbing in how much money we've saved, on electricity, gas and auto repairs in the 17 years we've had our panels and the 6 years we've been driving an EV.
Most Americans, and Canadians still don't realize how few repairs an EV ever needs. Our dealership begs us to come in to change the cabin filter!!! We have no warranty, but when a minor problem emerged with our battery, we discoverered we had a 10 year warranty free of charge.......and so now have a new 2023 electric battery in our 2020 Kona.
AFFORDABILITY???? It's not fossil gas......that stuff emits toxins bad for your health. Not having to turn on the back up gas heaters for most of the winter has made our inside air cleaner and our sleep more restful. Plus: if what friends who installed heat pumps earlier tell us is true.......THERE'S ALSO MUCH LESS TO 0 MAINTENANCE ON THE HEAT PUMP AS WELL.
Look at it this way. My son hasn't paid for gas for 10 years. We haven't paid for gas for two years. California gas prices which hover around $7 gal and before this were usually about $5 gal
Some of us who are elderly can not afford a car payment regardless of if it is an EV or ICE. Thus, I simply rarely drive at all no more than 5 miles a week, and have an electric bike. I have created my own solar in the backyard since I can not afford a new roof or rooftop solar. I also do not fly or add to emissions via vacations or travel, and I have no pets since they can add as much to climate change as an ICE vehicle according to some studies. It seems some folks have no idea about what is or is not possible for some folks financially. If I could afford and EV I would get one since I really miss going places. I'm glad you can afford those things. Hopefully, we all are simply doing the best we can, however we can and that is a good thing.
Thank you for this, Bill. The silence and isolation ("it leads people to think that they’re alone in their fears") is real, so your continued reporting in public is a terrific resource.
Affordability and climate can certainly be part of the same sentence these days since alternatives are now so much cheaper than many fossil fuel options, so that is a good way to combine the two in political discussions.
We also need to make China's electrification dominance a Sputnick moment. I think a lot of people can get behind that sense of American competitiveness. We need a shared goal.
Many of us seniors on fixed incomes love the idea of generating more of our own power at home and need affordable solutions to do so, as well, and we are a growing segment of the population we are also far more reliable to show up and vote, as well.
So make it about helping with people's budgets too including us old folks. More golf cart cities. My city allows golf carts on roads under a certain MPH so we just need to reduce some MPH on some roads to make getting around most places more accessible.
I have an inexpensive solar garden, which I wrote about at one time, but I could use a couple more KWh and would love the balcony solar out front, for the afternoon sun so get it done, CA!
Then, stop using, as well.
Do not support Trump's fossil fuel enablers with your money!
Refuse!
Stay home if you have to except if you have to commute to work and have no other choice.
I think affordability and clean energy and climate change can all be one in the same conversation, for sure.
If fewer people decide not to fly, airlines will reduce scheduled flights to try to keep profitable, so stay home. Same does for driving, no unnecessary trips.
News about climate change may be down, but I suspect the climate will regularly make news going forward. People understand that wildfire and heat waves are the climate crisis now
but in Seattle when it is 73 in April the newscaster says "it's such a nice day" and NO it isn't it is not normal. We are no longer a temperate climate. The Western red cedars can't handle it. Its criminal what the fossil fuel industry and bankers have done to the world
Sometimes the best defense is a good offense. . Recently Hochul and Mamdami proposed a "pied a terre' tax on second homes in NYC-- and to remarkably little opposition! Similarly would a politically sophisticated wealthy investor dare publicly oppose a $5/gallon tax on private jet fuel?
Bill 💵💸 ‼️❓❓... This isn't the NEW Yorker, you aren't getting paid by the word ( that's a shame, you would 🐝 bee a billionaire by now 😜😉) Fifty pages 📃📃📄‼️‼️👌👹
Welcome to Santa Barbara for Earth Day Bill! Glad to have you here. I certainly agree with the idea that climate change is about affordability and in Santa Barbara, there is a very clear leading edge for many of us and that is Home Insurance. I noticed this week, my insurance now costs more than I made in an entire year after I left graduate school! That was shocking. I know it's due to the continuing and increasing risk of fire hazard in our fair county of Santa Barbara. I just spent much the past week clearing around our home for a neighborhood drive with FireWise to decrease the fuel near our homes while we harden our houses as well. So not only are we paying more we are working harder to maintain a fire safe home environment. I wrote about fire personnel in my book as some of the most necessary folks responding to climate issues & terribly underfunded by Trump & Company! : Climate Change Means Green Jobs which is free to anyone who wants to workforyourplanet.net. It's free to all! Happy Earth Day!!
Gotta love the Scots. What wit. They hv always hated FatBoy & hv great ways of showing it. I'm just a little south of you in Orange County.
Our weather has been completely bipolar the past few days. It changes within minutes from clear & sunny to dark hovering rain clouds. Even the birds are confused. Will take some pictures and post.
Relating to polls: I just launched the Wildly Unscientific Poll for Stackers earlier today. It is part of a poll asking everyone who their all-time favorite President and First Lady are. But if it gets enough response, we cd poll on any number of topics. As you know, there is serious activism on climate worldwide & I made clear the poll.is open to everyone. The post is titled Follow Up to I Have An Idea -- will try to link it (hv about 8 SS accounts, I am old and it is late in the day). The brain buffers a lot as it ages.
Heartfelt thank you for the work you have done over the many years to preserve our heavenly planet. The moon shots from ArtimisII just remind us how gorgeous she is. She will be here always. Not sure about us.
Mia.. those moon shots have a very large carbon footprint. Just as the rest of us do...collectively. Atmospheric CO2 correlates highly with global population.
Beautifully written, Bill. Thank you for your clear-eyed leadership on a burning planet. I was shocked to see that news about climate change is down. Please carry on, for the sake of all of us, and Happy Earth Day to you!
Hey friend!
ditto! can't say it better....
I was on the radio this morning, and I spoke about the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill and Cuyahoga River fire as events that galvanized the environmental movement and me, personally. I believe another such moment is coming. An extreme season of floods, fires, dead whales and more is about to hit us, and I think people will finally realize we must act.
Happy Earth Day, Bill and all! Staying in it, to win it, together.
Keep fighting the good fight, Bill! It's making a difference, despite the lack of strong leadership in governments around the world.
This is absolutely key! "Most Americans are concerned about climate change, but they don’t think most others share that concern. That quiet misunderstanding is one of the biggest barriers to climate action in the United States." -- We all need to be speaking up more.
All hands on deck! Put up those solar panels, install that heat pump, it works against heat domes as well as cold snaps, buy that EV.
In the last 17 years we've saved more money than we can calculate by going solar and driving an EV...only short term thinking imagines otherwise.
We don't wait for government to act, but we do refuse to vote for governments in denial......and we talk transition up.
Just today in the local hot tub, I interrupted a conversation about cars with a line I read a few years ago already: The ICE car is a dead man walking. Both old codgers had no idea what an ICE car was, perhaps confused by Trump's gestapo........but I enlightened them, and we had great fun with the discussion.
Now it might not change their mind.......but it was fun rubbing in how much money we've saved, on electricity, gas and auto repairs in the 17 years we've had our panels and the 6 years we've been driving an EV.
Most Americans, and Canadians still don't realize how few repairs an EV ever needs. Our dealership begs us to come in to change the cabin filter!!! We have no warranty, but when a minor problem emerged with our battery, we discoverered we had a 10 year warranty free of charge.......and so now have a new 2023 electric battery in our 2020 Kona.
AFFORDABILITY???? It's not fossil gas......that stuff emits toxins bad for your health. Not having to turn on the back up gas heaters for most of the winter has made our inside air cleaner and our sleep more restful. Plus: if what friends who installed heat pumps earlier tell us is true.......THERE'S ALSO MUCH LESS TO 0 MAINTENANCE ON THE HEAT PUMP AS WELL.
Yes, if you can afford to buy these things there are certainly savings to be had. They are the better option if one is in the market to buy.
Look at it this way. My son hasn't paid for gas for 10 years. We haven't paid for gas for two years. California gas prices which hover around $7 gal and before this were usually about $5 gal
Some of us who are elderly can not afford a car payment regardless of if it is an EV or ICE. Thus, I simply rarely drive at all no more than 5 miles a week, and have an electric bike. I have created my own solar in the backyard since I can not afford a new roof or rooftop solar. I also do not fly or add to emissions via vacations or travel, and I have no pets since they can add as much to climate change as an ICE vehicle according to some studies. It seems some folks have no idea about what is or is not possible for some folks financially. If I could afford and EV I would get one since I really miss going places. I'm glad you can afford those things. Hopefully, we all are simply doing the best we can, however we can and that is a good thing.
Yes. Affordability is a big one. EV’s are really expensive in Canada.
We want affordable EV’s made in China !!
I want my taxes subsidizing low emissions !!
Thank you for this, Bill. The silence and isolation ("it leads people to think that they’re alone in their fears") is real, so your continued reporting in public is a terrific resource.
Affordability and climate can certainly be part of the same sentence these days since alternatives are now so much cheaper than many fossil fuel options, so that is a good way to combine the two in political discussions.
We also need to make China's electrification dominance a Sputnick moment. I think a lot of people can get behind that sense of American competitiveness. We need a shared goal.
Many of us seniors on fixed incomes love the idea of generating more of our own power at home and need affordable solutions to do so, as well, and we are a growing segment of the population we are also far more reliable to show up and vote, as well.
So make it about helping with people's budgets too including us old folks. More golf cart cities. My city allows golf carts on roads under a certain MPH so we just need to reduce some MPH on some roads to make getting around most places more accessible.
I have an inexpensive solar garden, which I wrote about at one time, but I could use a couple more KWh and would love the balcony solar out front, for the afternoon sun so get it done, CA!
Then, stop using, as well.
Do not support Trump's fossil fuel enablers with your money!
Refuse!
Stay home if you have to except if you have to commute to work and have no other choice.
I think affordability and clean energy and climate change can all be one in the same conversation, for sure.
If fewer people decide not to fly, airlines will reduce scheduled flights to try to keep profitable, so stay home. Same does for driving, no unnecessary trips.
Completion with China? Enough with this completion game.
It’s what fosters more division. Get out and do the work - for the life of the planet !!
That’s enough motivation !! For the people who are worried - talk about it.
To everyone !! Get one
fact that you align with and express it. One is all you need.
..and upgraded to Founding: thank you for all you do -- the known and unknown.
Hey Bill. Thanks so much for the feature in your newsletter! Means a lot as a young climate journalist. Cheers!
News about climate change may be down, but I suspect the climate will regularly make news going forward. People understand that wildfire and heat waves are the climate crisis now
but in Seattle when it is 73 in April the newscaster says "it's such a nice day" and NO it isn't it is not normal. We are no longer a temperate climate. The Western red cedars can't handle it. Its criminal what the fossil fuel industry and bankers have done to the world
Happy Earth Day to all!
Sometimes the best defense is a good offense. . Recently Hochul and Mamdami proposed a "pied a terre' tax on second homes in NYC-- and to remarkably little opposition! Similarly would a politically sophisticated wealthy investor dare publicly oppose a $5/gallon tax on private jet fuel?
Bill 💵💸 ‼️❓❓... This isn't the NEW Yorker, you aren't getting paid by the word ( that's a shame, you would 🐝 bee a billionaire by now 😜😉) Fifty pages 📃📃📄‼️‼️👌👹
Welcome to Santa Barbara for Earth Day Bill! Glad to have you here. I certainly agree with the idea that climate change is about affordability and in Santa Barbara, there is a very clear leading edge for many of us and that is Home Insurance. I noticed this week, my insurance now costs more than I made in an entire year after I left graduate school! That was shocking. I know it's due to the continuing and increasing risk of fire hazard in our fair county of Santa Barbara. I just spent much the past week clearing around our home for a neighborhood drive with FireWise to decrease the fuel near our homes while we harden our houses as well. So not only are we paying more we are working harder to maintain a fire safe home environment. I wrote about fire personnel in my book as some of the most necessary folks responding to climate issues & terribly underfunded by Trump & Company! : Climate Change Means Green Jobs which is free to anyone who wants to workforyourplanet.net. It's free to all! Happy Earth Day!!
Great read!
Our new motto: How about: Did you love losing a stupid war of choice? You'll really love the climate crisis! Perhaps someone can polish this up.
Gotta love the Scots. What wit. They hv always hated FatBoy & hv great ways of showing it. I'm just a little south of you in Orange County.
Our weather has been completely bipolar the past few days. It changes within minutes from clear & sunny to dark hovering rain clouds. Even the birds are confused. Will take some pictures and post.
Relating to polls: I just launched the Wildly Unscientific Poll for Stackers earlier today. It is part of a poll asking everyone who their all-time favorite President and First Lady are. But if it gets enough response, we cd poll on any number of topics. As you know, there is serious activism on climate worldwide & I made clear the poll.is open to everyone. The post is titled Follow Up to I Have An Idea -- will try to link it (hv about 8 SS accounts, I am old and it is late in the day). The brain buffers a lot as it ages.
Heartfelt thank you for the work you have done over the many years to preserve our heavenly planet. The moon shots from ArtimisII just remind us how gorgeous she is. She will be here always. Not sure about us.
Regards, Mia Hammer
Mia.. those moon shots have a very large carbon footprint. Just as the rest of us do...collectively. Atmospheric CO2 correlates highly with global population.