Call began 12:00 EDT
Members on the call:
Mike Nelson, Maureen McCann, Paul Gross, Sonya Heath, Michael Page, Alana Nehring, Katy Morgan
Brief discussion on what committee members did - if anything - for coverage of Earth Day marches/other events. Mike Nelson gave the keynote address for the March for Science in Denver, text of his speech is attached.
Mike discussed finalization of our time slot for speakers and presentations at the conference coming up in June. Conference agenda attached.
2017 Station Scientist Session
List of speakers/topics:
-Hon. Bill Ritter, 41st Governor of Colorado
POWERING FORWARD: Why Changing Political Winds Can't Stop the Energy Revolution
Prospects for launching into a powerful clean energy policy regime have considerably dimmed since the November elections. Nevertheless, the 'Smart Money' is still on renewables, argues former Colorado governor Bill Ritter, because their economic case is simply very strong. Gov. Ritter will also talk about his recent book and share insights based on his extensive work with legislators, planners, policymakers, and the power industry.
Bill Ritter, Colorado's Governor from 2007-2011, is founding director of CSU's Center for the New Energy Economy which works to facilitate America's transition to a clean-energy economy.
A recognized thought leader on energy policy he wrote "Powering Forward
- What Everyone Should Know About America's Energy Revolution."
-Dr. Alexander E. MacDonald
The Global Energy-Carbon Dilemma Can be Solved
A recent study on the cost of electricity shows that the three cheapest sources of electric energy generation are (1) wind, (2) solar and (3) natural gas, in that order. However, the intermittency problem of wind and solar energy make them incompatible as dominant generation sources of electricity within the electric system in its current configuration, which is dominated by small geographic areas. Wind and solar energy are "weather", and as such, their energy spectrum is dominated by large geographic scales, like those seen on daily weather maps. A recent study showed that if the whole US 48 states are connected by High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission, the least expensive system would be dominated by wind and solar energy. The system would reduce carbon emissions by about 80% compared to the existing fossil fuel energy generation suite, without an increase in electric costs. It is feasible to use underground cables for the HVDC network, which would help protect the US from EMP and other electric system threats, while making the rapid implementation less controversial and more feasible. Similar studies show that HVDC networks would work in Europe, China and other parts of the world, allowing a rapid decrease of carbon emissions globally.
-Scott Denning, Ph.D.
Professor of Atmospheric Science
Colorado State University
Simple, Serious, and Solvable: Climate Change Communication for Public Audiences
Explaining climate change to public audiences works best when emphasizing three ideas which each start with the letter S: Simple, Serious, and Solvable.
Climate Change is Simple. Heat in minus heat out equals change of heat. When Earth absorbs more heat than it emits, the climate warms. When it emits more than it absorbs, the climate cools.
Climate Change is Serious. Warmer average temperatures are associated with dramatic increases in the frequency of extremely hot weather. Warmer air evaporates more water from soils and vegetation, so even if precipitation doesn't change the demand for water will increase with warmer temperatures. Adding water vapor to the air also means there is more water available for heavy rains when the right conditions occur: this means that in addition to more drought, a warmer climate will include heavier rainfall during extreme events. Warmer ice sheets release more water the oceans, which also expand as they get warmer. These two influences raise sea levels, threatening coastlines everywhere. Higher seas imply much more frequent coastal flooding, requiring abandonment long before mean sea level reaches coastal infrastructure. Without strong policy, these impacts will become more and more severe almost without bound, growing to become the most serious problems in the world and lasting for many centuries after fossil fuels are abandoned. The consequences of unchecked climate change to the global economy are unacceptable.
Climate Change is Solvable. Preventing catastrophic climate change will require abundant and affordable energy to be made available to people everywhere without emitting any CO2 to the atmosphere. This will require both the development of energy efficient infrastructure and very rapid deployment of non-fossil fuel energy systems, especially in the developing world.
-Mr. Paul Douglas
A Conservative Approach to Communicating Climate Change.
Climate change is a confusing and polarizing issue. It may also prove to be the most daunting challenge of this century because children, the elderly, and the poor will be the first to feel its effects. The issue is all over the news, but what is seldom heard is a conservative, evangelical perspective.
Connecting the dots between science and faith, this book explores the climate debate and how Christians can take the lead in caring for God's creation. The authors answer to questions such as "What's really happening?" and "Who can we trust?" and discuss stewarding the earth in light of evangelical values. "Acting on climate change is not about political agendas," they say. "It's about our kids. It's about being a disciple of Jesus Christ." Capping off this empowering book are practical, simple ideas for improving our environment and helping our families and those around us.
Mike shared his experience with interviewing climate expert on Facebook live. It received excellent public response and he encouraged members on the call to check out the video and try to implement something similar at their own shop.
Call for other suggestions on topics to cover and best practices. Paul Gross offered to prepare a presentation regarding best practices on how to best fill the Station Scientist role at individual shops.
Call wrapped up around 12:30 EDT