For the Planet by Tish Levee — March 2020
Locally— is the driest February in over 150 years. It may end with zero rainfall. Earlier February temperatures were nearly 20° above average, after the hottest January on record. Warmer temperatures and less precipitation mean the Sierra snowpack level is at least 58% below normal. So, we’re heading back into drought. Time to remember all the water saving techniques we learned in the last drought, which lasted over seven years in parts of California. Click on Regional Resources at http://www.savingwaterpartnership.org to refresh your memory. And, seriously, take out that lawn! Find rebate information at https://tinyurl.com/wpdrv3b.
Globally— Rising temperatures around the world are worrisome, but the record-breaking temperatures in Antarctica this month are even more so. On February 9th, researchers measured a temperature of 69.35° F. Earth’s poles are warming quicker than much of the rest of the planet. Global heating in Antarctica leads to increased snowmelt and ice loss. During this recent heat wave, Antarctica lost about 20% of its snow. See NASA’s awesome images at https://tinyurl.com/s34grn9. A 2018 study estimated total ice loss averaged 43 gigaton/year from 1992-2002, increasing to 220 gigaton/year from 2012-2017.
A recent study found that Antarctic melting could raise sea levels up to 11 feet by 2100—triple the 100 years’ rise. The study’s team said rapid cuts to greenhouse emissions in line with the Paris Agreement on climate change could help limit the ice-sheet loss. With emissions rising yearly, though, we’ll see significant disruption to coastal communities — "What we know for certain is that not stopping the burning of coal, oil and gas will drive up the risks for coastal metropolises from New York to Mumbai, Hamburg or Shanghai,” said the lead author. (And San Francisco won’t be left out!)
So why aren’t we taking this more seriously?
Well, for one thing we aren’t getting many facts, and what we do get isn’t always accurate. In fact, it can be downright wrong! According to a recent study by Brown University, a quarter of all tweets about climate on an average day are produced by bots, distorting online information to include far more climate science denialism than it would otherwise. Analysis of millions of tweets from when the administration announced the US proposed withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on climate change found that bots tended to applaud this action, while spreading misinformation about the climate science.
Natural gas bans in Santa Rosa, Windsor, and Healdsburg approved by state.
The bans, which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in most new residential construction (excluding rebuilds from recent fires) were passed by the cities last year. The California Energy Commission voted 5-0 to approve them, despite a lawsuit by developer Bill Gallaher, asking the Commission to deny the applications of Windsor and Santa Rosa. Incidentally, Gallaher’s daughter, Mary Gallaher Flater, donated over $500K to defeat Measure I — the SMART funding extension.
Lots of climate crisis activism happening in April.
On Sunday, March 15th, the Sonoma County Climate Activist Network is sponsoring the SONOMA COUNTY CLIMATE ACTIVIST COMMUNITY SUMMIT: IT’S UP TO US! from 1:30-6:00 PM at the Odd Fellows Hall, 545 Pacific Ave., Santa Rosa 95404. Local presenters include Supervisor Lynda Hopkins, Sunrise Movement leaders, and Woody Hastings, recent winner of the Environmentalist of the Year Award, featured in a Gazette article in December. Free; donations welcome.https://tinyurl.com/slactse. See our exclusive on this https://www.sonomacountygazette.com/sonoma-county-news/sonoma-county-climate-activists-community-summit-march-15
Save the Date, April 17th at 4 PM for SRJC’s 2nd Climate Action Night.
See https://tinyurl.com/svkrr9x for details on time and location for this great presentation by students. Last year’s event was awesome!
Earth Day’s 50th Anniversary is April 22nd. Some activities to check out—
Earth Day Network is sponsoring The Great Global Clean Up Day™️.
For locations check https://cleanup.earthday.org/pages/find-a-cleanup .
Follow Greta Thunberg and millions of students in April!
FridaysforFuture’s huge 3-day global climate strike is April 22nd-24th, celebrating Earth Day’s Anniversary . See https://www.fridaysforfuture.org. for a strike near you.
