We’re certainly not out of the chance of blizzard yet, but it sure feels like spring. The Cranes are calling. Prescribed fire season has begun. Spring Peepers should soon follow.
Enjoy reading over my shoulder on pieces I’ve been looking at the last two months.
‘There’s a red flag here’: how an ethanol plant is dangerously polluting a US village (The Guardian) Situation in Mead, Nebraska, where AltEn has been processing seed coated with fungicides and insecticides, is a warning sign, experts say
How the Loss of Soil Is Sacrificing America’s Natural Heritage (Yale e360) A new study points to a stunning loss of topsoil in the Corn Belt — the result of farming practices that have depleted this once-fertile ground. Beyond diminished agricultural productivity and more carbon in the atmosphere, it is a catastrophic loss of an irreplaceable resource.
How the Fossil Fuel Industry Convinced Americans to Love Gas Stoves (Mother Jones) And why they’re scared we might break up with their favorite appliance.
St. Joseph County Recognized for Being “Solar-Friendly”, Promoting Pollinator Habitat Conservation in Clean Energy Projects (Press release, MACOG)
Indiana Energy Grid Operator Finds “Transformational Change” Required to Integrate More Renewable Energy (IER) Report released by Carmel-based Midcontinent Independent System Operator finds amount of renewable energy in system could double by 2026, but coordinated action by utility members is necessary to achieve more than 50% renewable energy.
I came across this very brief and readable summary of what a typical ecological restoration project looks like, from the Lake County Forest Preserves, and thought it worth sharing.
Climate-Proofing Your Home: How to Electrify (Bloomberg) Replacing your gas furnace, water heater, stove, and clothes dryer promises to lock in long-term environmental and economic benefits—but beware of surprise costs.
The Lepidopteran Life Aquatic (Entomology Today) A new-found wasp that hunts for caterpillars underwater, reported in November 2020 by scientists with an obvious eye for newsy names like Microgaster godzilla, amazed people worldwide, but news reports omitted an obvious question: What’s a caterpillar doing underwater in the first place?
Meeting People Where They Are (The Prairie Ecologist) getting public support is absolutely critical to our success. There’s no way conservation can succeed if the majority of the world doesn’t see it as relevant and important.
After Alarmism (NYMag) The war on climate denial has been won. And that’s not the only good news
The Climate Crisis Is Worse Than You Can Imagine. Here’s What Happens If You Try. (ProPublica) A climate scientist spent years trying to get people to pay attention to the disaster ahead. His wife is exhausted. His older son thinks there’s no future. And nobody but him will use the outdoor toilet he built to shrink his carbon footprint.
This Week May Turn the Tide on Two Centuries of Emissions (Bloomberg) China will present climate and energy plans that could determine the fate of the planet. If they live up to their promise, we can reset expectations for decarbonization.
Changing the Global Food Narrative (Dr. Foley) The dominant story about the future of the world food supply is logical, well known and wrong.
Outdoor Elements – Smart Streets (WNIT PBS) Krista hops on her bicycle for a ride around the new smart streets of South Bend and talks with Chris Dressel about some of the new features, what the signs mean, and how to navigate a round-a-bout. Then she rides with South Bend Tribune reporter Joseph Dits to get feedback on what people are saying about the new smart streets.
Top 5 Restoration Ecology 2020 Articles (Society for Ecological Restoration)
Americans Are Moving To Escape Climate Impacts. Towns Expect More To Come (NPR) The impacts of climate change could prompt millions of Americans to relocate in coming decades, moving inland away from rising seas, or north to escape rising temperatures….
Thanks!
As I look at some of these headlines, Adam, I wonder how we can begin to write a version of a Vision Statement in such a quickly changing world. Under all the words about environmental injustice and serving the “marginalized” lies the suffering Earth.
Thanks for the hours of education! With my tech knowledge it would have taken me a VERY long time to find all this. You’re the best.