I am an artist and documentarian working in pencil, pastel, and film to convey my love of people and the planet. Please subscribe to my irregular email.
Go nuclear? "Energy Realities" program tonight! Urban Trees Talk on November 11th!
Energy Realities
Dear Reader,
Our next program, "Energy Realities," is TONIGHT, and it promises to stimulate a lot of conversation, because it addresses the subject of nuclear energy. Most of us have heard that nuclear energy is not safe, and some of us have read about nuclear disasters that happened in our lifetime: i.e., Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, Fukushima.
Has nuclear energy evolved, and have nuclear engineers and government agencies learned from past mistakes? Let's find out! Our presenter, David Butz, is a grassroots citizen scientist and environmental advocate who has spent years researching which energy forms are the most reliable, effective, and least polluting. He has concluded that nuclear energy should be part of the energy plan here in the US, and elsewhere around the world. Whether you are a skeptic, a convert, or just plain curious, we hope you tune in and chime in!
Until then, here's some food for thought:
- A New Yorker magazine article that discusses the potential of nuclear fusion (not fission)
- A Subcommittee on Energy of the Committee on Energy and Commerce hearing on "Building a 100 Percent Clean Economy: Advanced Nuclear Technology's Role in a Decarbonized Future"
Energy Realities
Monday, November 8
Presented by David Butz
7:30-8:30 pm
(Audience Q&A from 8:00-8:30)
Register here.
Fossil fuels have been useful for almost three centuries, but we must bring this era to an end because they have serious negative effects, such as CO2 and other pollutants, which present multiple threats to life on our planet. For example, ocean acidification may be even more of an immediate threat than climate change. Seeking a solution, concerned citizens often turn to conservation and renewables (wind and solar), simultaneously rejecting nuclear energy. Humanity should carefully examine all possible solutions with an open mind. Science and arithmetic may lead us to some surprising conclusions about the best path forward.
Upcoming Climate Talks Hosted by the Tower Hill Botanic Garden
The CounterAct Climate Change Project is sponsoring a series of online “Climate Talks” with the Tower Hill Botanic Garden, which enables this webinar series to be free to the public!
These talks are for everyone from academics to laypersons, town planners, conservationists, professional horticulturists, and botanists; please share this webinar info with them! There is a limited number of spaces to attend these programs, so please do not hesitate to register to secure your spot!
The next one is:
Tree Equity, What is it? A Case Study in Boston
November 11 at 6:30pm
Register on the Tower Hill Botanic Garden site.
The unequal distribution of trees in our landscape has a long history tied to issues such as redlining, land use patterns, and geography. The patchwork of tree distribution has become referred to as "Tree Equity" and is tied to issues of race, class, and wealth. Using various sources of data, including environmental and demographic data, Speak for the Trees partnered with Boston University's Graduate Program in Urban Biogeoscience and Environmental Health (URBAN) to create an interactive map that explores the relationships between people, place, and tree canopy coverage in Boston.
In this talk David Meshoulam, PhD, Executive Director of Speak for the Trees, and Raquel Jimenez, graduate student in the URBAN program, will discuss their partnership and will share the results of their Tree Equity map and how it informs the work of the organization. They will also share tools available for similar analyses in other communities.
Do you have an idea for a topic or a speaker for an upcoming program?
Contact us via our website; we would love to hear from you!
Want to see our previous webcasts?
Follow us on social media!
P.S. If you're not seeing our emails in your inbox, and you have a Gmail address, the emails are probably getting overlooked in your "Promotions" email folder. The default settings of Gmail divide your inbox into three categories: Primary, Social, and Promotions. To avoid overlooking our future emails, drag our email into your "Primary" email folder, and then click "yes" when Gmail asks whether you want it to put our future emails into that folder.
Susan Adele Edwards
I am an artist and documentarian working in pencil, pastel, and film to convey my love of people and the planet. Please subscribe to my irregular email.
Live happily, you're worth it. The Public Value of Pepperell's Forest and Shade Trees Hello there! William “Bill” Moomaw, PhD It's been a few years since I reached out to you (since the CounterAct Climate Change webinar series ended). But given your interest in the climate change issue I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know that esteemed climate scientist William Moomaw, PhD will be presenting on “The Public Value of Pepperell's Forest and Shade Trees.” Moomaw is Professor...
Live happily, you're worth it. Collaborations Rooted in Trees and BooksOnce upon a time, I was a librarian — and a closeted handmade-paper bookmaker. My love of books runs deep, and so does my love of trees. My next two art projects bring these passions together with two artist friends. Fine woodworker Mark Whitcomb and I are creating a Coat Tree with Nuthatches — a functional sculpture that celebrates both craftsmanship and nature. And master bookbinder and conservator, Carolina Veenstra and...
Live happily, you're worth it. Spotlighting Stories That Inspire In the early stages of making his film, Bob Nesson met with me and poet/writer Charles Coe, who teaches poetry in various settings, including prisons. Part of my creative life has been devoted to spotlighting people who follow their passion for the natural world or social change. I’ve done this through documentary films, illustrations, and collaborations with people from all walks of life. Today I'd like to highlight John Walsh,...