06 Jan 2021 – Time to be an activist

1^st story – tied for 2020 hottest – what did that result in?

• SW – driest and hottest
• Hurricanes – record number of named storms – warmer oceans means stronger and wetter

2^nd story – factchecking

We engaged on-line with a person who worried that our TCOE analysis did not cover an important feature – the total CARBON footprint of energy. According to factcheck.org

But – what are the ranges on those estimates?

Even better – what numbers are behind THOSE numbers?

This path is not one we need to walk – but as we stand on a knoll looking at a single number provided by our news source, we should be aware that they may not know how we got there.

Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life-cycle_greenhouse_gas_emissions_of_energy_sources

3^rd story – good news! Blackrock’s list of climate commitments just got larger.

4^th story – horrific pictures of fields in Wyoming full of turbine blades.

Faked news (click-baited for effect), but true on the face of it. (see the picture here).

Generally – what have we seen and what can we expect and hope for?

2020 revealed serious chasms – neither party is a monolith

• [B] Republicans …
  • RepublicEn – Rep Bob Inglis formed, works with CCL/CC well to educate
  • EJ and AGW – they don’t mix well. From a conservative activist working for a bipartisan solution. Talking about the “GND”

The problem is that most of the environmental movement is very, very far left, so when they craft climate solutions, they reach a quick consensus that it much [must] cater every left-wing agenda imaginable, then they’re so surprised when Republicans object to these proposals that tell them that solving climate change requires their complete and utter capitulation on every imaginable issue.

It’s like if the right put together a climate solution that consisted of HR 763, plus banning abortion, plus prayer in schools, plus banning affirmative action,  then did a poll that claimed that 65% of Democrats at least “somewhat supported” the package, then as opposition emerged, claimed that the idea was an “an attempt to grapple with the issue honestly” that was “blitzed by MSNBC”.

So – get shot from CFACT for working to solve climate change and get shot from across the aisle for not being environmental justice enough

Democrats …

• Carbon pricing “not enough”
• GND
  • A conservative friend noted that the GND takes a potentially bipartisan issue and loads it down with extra issues that pretty much guarantees it won’t get bipartisan support.

The Rise of the Bipartisans

• [A] Problem Solvers Caucus & NoLabels
• [B] Braver Angels 2016 surprise, foundations, 2020 With Malice Toward None – ongoing work
• Climate change specific
  • [A] Climate Solutions Caucus. The Climate Solutions Caucus is a bipartisan caucus of U.S. legislators supported by the Citizens’ Climate Lobby whose members work to achieve action addressing the risks from climate change. The House of Representatives and Senate each have a caucus. Wikipedia

Co-Chairs:Ted Deutch (D), Francis Rooney (R)

Mission statement

• CCL (since 2007) – now at 190K – grassroots and grasstops
  Mission statement:

• What can a good bipartisan do THIS YEAR to help?
  • Follow the next version of HR763 (EICDA) in the 117^th Congress (2020-2021).
    • Find family and, friends who live in Congressional Districts represented by Republicans and energize them to be proponents
    • Same idea for the Senate – find a good Republican Senator somewhere and help family and friends in their state engage with them. (Using good Braver Angels to help with conversations.]
    • Help your local government entities
      • be on record supporting climate change actions
      • be directive to their Economic Development Authorities, Planning Commissions etc. to plan for climate change mitigation AND reduction.
    • Consider joining a good activist organization
      • Citizens Climate Lobby (free!) at https://citizensclimatelobby.org/
      • Calling campaigns for CD1, CD2, MN State Senators, a nationwide network
      • RepublicEn at https://republicen.org/
      • Environmental Sustainability Rotarian Action Group (ESRAG) – even if not a Rotarian!
      • Help other wildlife organizations be more vocal
        • Pheasants Forever,
        • Ducks Unlimited,
        • MDHA,
        • Trout Unlimited