The artland Sierran - Sierra Club Home Page: Explore ... · entitled American Wasteland: How...
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The Heartland Sierran The Newsletter of the Thomas Hart Benton Group of the Sierra Club http://missouri.sierraclub.org/thb Global Warming Has Local Effects Vol. 25 No. 4 November 2012 – January 2013 Explore, Enjoy, and Protect the Planet By Richard McBroom, Sierra Club, ReEnergizeKC, Science Geek Like it or not, global warming is here, and is not going away in our lifetime. Put another way, “It’s the end of the month, and it’s time to pay the rent!” Despite what some pundits say, climatologists tell us that there is, and will continue to be, broad-based global warming, accompanied by ever-more- severe year-round wet and dry cycles. They further tell us that its source is anthropogenic (human-caused), driven primarily by our burning of fossil fuels. These conclusions are based on statistical analysis, dependent upon a large sampling, where no single event in particular can be cited as definitive proof. Nevertheless, the point has now been reached where the probability of anything other than human causation is very nearly a statistical impossibility (per Bill McKibben). Absolute certainty exists only in the realm of abstract math (in real- world applications there is always an uncertainty). But since so much is at risk, we should be “betting on the odds” based upon the science, without question. Sadly, though, even as insurance companies adjust their actuarial tables in anticipation of increased risk from flooding and drought, there are still those who collectively deny that human-caused global warming is relevant, or that anything needs to be done about it. Such collective indifference means that corrective action will only be delayed, and local governments need to prepare. Some of the consequences of further neglect are: • Flora and fauna already struggling to survive will become increasingly distressed, only to die. Dead and/ or dying foliage increases the threat of wildfires; costs of prevention and recovery escalate (this is already happening in many areas). • Weather-related crop failures and reduced food stocks mean that local economies will become increasingly depressed (the USDA announced that 2012 drought-affected corn and soybean production is at a 15-year low). A barter system may be needed to facilitate local trade. • Food pantries and food kitchens will need to expand their services to meet the growing needs of the hungry. • Energy costs for irrigation and cooling will soar. Infrastructure to provide clean energy and the work force needed for its maintenance will not exist, forcing use of older technologies that further release more greenhouse gasses. • Building foundations will weaken, roads will buckle, and aged water mains will break as the grounds around them expand and contract during ever-more-severe wet and dry cycles. New construction will need to be We don’t have to tell you about this past summer’s relentless heat and drought. We probably don’t have to tell you we’re already seeing some of the predicted effects of climate change here in our backyards. Pictured: Five-foot drought-stricken corn in KC area Photo: Richard McBroom, August 2012 Global Warming, continued on page 2 Food Waste Adds to Methane Problem Food waste has been all over the news lately, since the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) issued a position paper called Wasted: How America is Losing up to 40 Percent of its Food, from Farm to Fork to Landfill. You may have caught a recent Science Friday segment on National Public Radio about this, or you may have heard of a new book by Jonathan Bloom entitled American Wasteland: How America Throws Away Nearly Half of Its Food. NRDC also has a blog post entitled “A Look at the $175 that Might Be in Your Compost.” According to the NRDC, we Americans throw out a shocking 40 percent of our food! Food Waste, continued on page 2 The NRDC advises that expiration dates on food are suggestions for peak quality, and not hard and fast deadlines for discarding. Political endorsements removed from web issue Endorsements for Nov. 6 Election
Transcript of The artland Sierran - Sierra Club Home Page: Explore ... · entitled American Wasteland: How...
TheHeartland Sierran
The Newsletter of the Thomas Hart Benton Group of the Sierra Clubhttp://missouri.sierraclub.org/thb
Global Warming Has Local EffectsVol. 25 No. 4 November 2012 – January 2013
Explore, Enjoy, and Protect the Planet
By Richard McBroom, Sierra Club, ReEnergizeKC, Science Geek
Like it or not, global warming is here, and is not going away in our lifetime. Put another way, “It’s the end of the month, and it’s time to pay the rent!”
Despite what some pundits say, climatologists tell us that there is, and will continue to be, broad-based global warming, accompanied by ever-more-severe year-round wet and dry cycles. They further tell us that its source is anthropogenic (human-caused), driven primarily by our burning of fossil fuels.
These conclusions are based on statistical analysis, dependent upon a large sampling, where no single event in particular can be cited as definitive proof. Nevertheless, the point has now been reached where the probability of anything other than human causation is very nearly a statistical impossibility (per Bill McKibben).
Absolute certainty exists only in the realm of abstract math (in real-world applications there is always an uncertainty). But since so much is at risk, we should be “betting on the odds” based
upon the science, without question. Sadly, though, even as insurance companies
adjust their actuarial tables in anticipation of increased risk from flooding and drought, there are still those who collectively deny that human-caused global warming is relevant, or that anything needs to be done about it.
Such collective indifference means that corrective action will only be delayed, and local governments need to prepare. Some of the consequences of further neglect are:
• Flora and fauna already struggling to survive will become increasingly distressed, only to die. Dead and/or dying foliage increases the threat of wildfires; costs of prevention
and recovery escalate (this is already happening in many areas).
• Weather-related crop failures and reduced food stocks mean that local economies will become increasingly depressed (the USDA announced that 2012 drought-affected corn and soybean production is at a 15-year low). A barter system may be needed to facilitate local trade.
• Food pantries and food kitchens will need to expand their services to meet the growing needs of the hungry.
• Energy costs for irrigation and cooling will soar. Infrastructure to provide clean energy and the work force needed for its maintenance will not exist, forcing use of older technologies that further release more greenhouse gasses.
• Building foundations will weaken, roads will buckle, and aged water mains will break as the grounds around them expand and contract during ever-more-severe wet and dry cycles. New construction will need to be
We don’t have to tell you about this past summer’s relentless heat and drought. We probably don’t have to tell you we’re already seeing some of the predicted effects of climate change here in our backyards. Pictured: Five-foot drought-stricken corn in KC area Photo: Richard McBroom, August 2012
Global Warming, continued on page 2
Food Waste Adds to Methane Problem
Food waste has been all over the news lately, since the National Resources Defense Council
(NRDC) issued a position paper called Wasted: How America is Losing up to 40 Percent of its Food, from Farm to Fork to Landfill. You may have caught a recent Science Friday segment on National Public Radio about this, or you may have heard of a new book by Jonathan Bloom entitled American Wasteland: How America Throws Away Nearly Half of Its Food. NRDC also has a blog post entitled “A Look at the $175 that Might Be in Your Compost.” According to the NRDC, we Americans throw out a shocking 40 percent of our food!Food Waste, continued on page 2
The NRDC advises that expiration dates on food are suggestions for peak quality, and not hard and fast deadlines for discarding.
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Endorsements for Nov. 6 Election
The Heartland SierranP.O. Box 32727
Kansas City, Missouri 64171The Heartland Sierran, the newsletter of the Thomas Hart Benton Group of the Sierra Club, is published quarterly for members in western Missouri.
Executive CommitteeClaus Wawrzinek, Chair, (816) 517-5244, [email protected] Mitchell, Vice Chair, (816) 931-7372, [email protected] Anderson, 816-678-4359, [email protected] Brown, Conservation Chair [email protected], (816) 737-2804Richard McBroom, [email protected] Brenneman, [email protected], (816) 274-8062Crystal K. Wiebe, [email protected], Richard McBroomSecretary, Ellen Brenneman
CommitteesConservation, David AndersonEducation, Hospitality, Population/Consuption, Patty Brown Membership, Ellen BrennemanNewsletter, Ellen BrennemanNewsletter Mailing, Dennis Gredell, (816) 926-1067, [email protected], Michael Reed, [email protected], Claus WawrzinekPrograms, Claus WawrzinekUrban Issues, Claus WawrzinekElectric Vehicles, Tom Kutscher
Outings, continued from page 4
“ruggedized” to withstand increasingly severe weather-related stresses.
• The district’s Army engineers, who now replace descriptors like “a one-thousand year event” with “a one in one-thousand event,” will need better funding for river management. Transportation on the Missouri River could be all but halted by inadequate water levels.
• Schools, hospitals, and other institutions will need to ramp up their operations. Special consideration will need to be given to the needs of the handicapped and elderly.
• Increased fire and police protection will be needed to maintain the public order. Courts and the judicial system will be further burdened.
• As people desperately attempt to find more favorable circumstances through migration, their need for goods and services will move with them. Gated communities could become the rule rather than the exception.
• Military intervention may be needed to maintain civil order and to launch aerial assaults in “climate engineering.” Eventually, a tipping point could be reached where all human interventions fail.2012 should resound as a clear
warning. Thankfully, there are still choices that can be made. But time is short, and long-term rehabilitation ultimately depends upon a unified, global response.
Of course, the world looks to the US for leadership, but the current gridlock in Congress obstructs any concerted effort. So, the coming elections are critical, because they amount to a referendum on global warming. Now more than ever, a motivated, environmentally conscious electorate needs to empower those willing to make difficult decisions to come forward and to take action.
Scientists tell us that Earth could conceivably support life for well over another billion years (the life-expectancy of the sun). Rather than leaving a despoiled planet, we owe it to our posterity to at least pass on this good home, relatively unscathed, to its future inhabitants—if only we could find the political will? �
This summer the Kansas City Star did an excellent multi-part series called “Chasing the Drought.” You can read the series at kansascity.com/special-projects/chasing-drought
Dec 8 (Sat) Holiday Hike on the Trolley Track Trail. Meet at “The Well” at 5 p.m., go for a one-hour walk and return to “The Well” at 6 p.m. for a snack or dinner. You can also just join us for the dinner if you like. Please call Claus at (816) 517-5244 to RSVP.
Dec 15 (Sat) Wildlife Walk - Burr Oak Woods Nature Center, Blue Springs MO. A casual walk through a variety of habitats. 2.5-3 miles. $5 donation requested. Michael Reed. [email protected].
Dec 29-30 (Sat-Sun) Backpack the Pigeon Roost Trail, Beaver Lake, AR. We’ll head to Hobbs State Park Conservation Area for a total of 8.5 miles of pretty, wooded trails adjacent to Beaver Lake. We’ll drive down from KC on Saturday morning and spend one night on the trail at a primitive campsite. On Sunday we’ll hike out and have lunch at nearby War Eagle Mill. This is an easy, fun trip for beginning backpackers. Dogs welcome! $10 donation requested. Renée Andriani, [email protected], (913) 488-4445.
Jan 1 (Tue) New Year’s Day Hike - Lake Jacomo, Blue Springs, MO. Hike some ravines & woodland trails. Bring lunch and we’ll provide the hot cocoa. $5 donation requested. Paul Gross, [email protected], (816) 228-6563.
Jan 12 (Sat) Snow Shoe Hike and Trail Maintenance. Lake Jacomo, Blue Springs, MO. We’ll snowshoe if conditions are favorable. Regardless, we’ll reclaim more sections of wooded trail on the eastern side of Lake Jacomo. Bring lunch and we’ll provide the hot cocoa. Paul Gross, [email protected], (816) 228-6563.
Jan 19 (Sat) Visit Thomas Hart Benton Historic Site. Tour Benton’s home and studio followed by a visit to the Nelson Art Gallery to see some of his paintings. $5 donation requested. Eileen McManus, [email protected], (816) 523-7823.
Jan 27 (Sun) Wildlife Walk - Parkville Nature Sanctuary, Parkville MO. A casual walk through a variety of habitats. About 2.5 miles. $5 donation requested. Michael Reed, [email protected].
Global Warming, continued from page 1
The problem with that head of lettuce or those cucumbers we all forget in the crisper drawer is not only that wasted food could have gone to feed the less fortunate or in many cases animals. When we throw it out, it creates unnecessary methane, a greenhouse gas. Another problem is the wasted resources that went into growing the food in the first place.
NRDC recommends not only that we shop smarter and plan meals more carefully, but that we be aware that expiration dates are just suggested dates for peak quality. A lot of food is probably thrown out because people don’t understand this. Industrial and restaurant food waste is also addressed in the position paper, but each of us as individuals could probably shop/plan a little smarter and buy only what we’re sure to use. �
Food Waste, continued from page 1
“Like music and art, love of nature is a common language
that can transcend political
and social boundaries.”
—Jimmy Carter
Thomas Hart Benton GroupSierra Club Ballot 2013
Your official ballot for the Thomas Hart Benton Group Executive Committee (ExCom) Election is below. The ExCom sets group policy and oversees the business of the Thomas Hart Benton Group of the Sierra Club. It is made up of seven members elected from the membership at large (you). ExCom members are elected to staggered, two-year terms.
Of the current ExCom members, David Anderson, Ellen Brenneman and Patty Brown continue in office. That leaves four members to be elected for the 2013 to 2014 term.
You may vote for up to four of the candidates named on the ballot, or you may write in the name(s) of other qualified member(s). If yours is a joint membership, two members may vote. Write your 8-digit membership number in the return address space of your envelope to validate your ballot. The number will be verified before the ballot is opened, and separated from the rest of the ballot before counting to assure that your vote is kept secret.
I have been a member of the THB Executive Committee for several years, with a primary focus on various political activities. Among these have been meetings with politicians and/or their representatives, working on community activities to raise awareness on global warming (usually in conjunction with 350.org), engaging in the endorsement of political candidates, and writing articles for the THB newsletter. The National Sierra Club climate recovery goals are to reduce U.S. CO2 emissions 80% by 2050. 2012 saw the warmest March on record, as well as record heat and drought in the U.S. Anthropogenic CO2 pollution of the atmosphere has initiated a warming of the atmosphere, and these kind of events will become more frequent, longer, and intense. A major campaign by the National Sierra Club is the Beyond Coal Campaign, as part of this effort to reduce CO2 pollution, and I look forward to the possibilities of our local group assisting Sierra Club staff in our area on this major effort. The THB group will continue to explore possibilities to raise awareness on the dangers of global warming to the local community, as well as perform all of the other usual functions of our club, including our popular outings program. It will be a privilege to continue to serve on the THB Executive Committee.
I am running for re-election to the Executive Committee (ExCom) of the Thomas Hart Benton Group of the Sierra Club. I have served on the ExCom for the last ten years. I started as political committee chair in 2002 and became group chair later that year and continued as group chair until the beginning of 2007. In addition to working on the ExCom and being active on the political committee, I have worked to protect Missouri’s Mark Twain National Forest from logging and other destructive uses. I have also done work on Hidden Valley, our adopted wildland..
Richard McBroom
Claus Wawrzinek
David Mitchell
Executive Committee Ballot Profiles
Having grown up on the Gulf Coast, and with backgrounds in accounting, physics, engineering, the military, and education, I moved to Kansas City in 1994, where I gained interest in environmental activism through peak oil on the coordinating committee with ReEnergizeKC, led by John Kurmann. After retiring as an analyst from Kansas City Southern Railway in 2007, climate concerns led me to participate in the petition drive for a Renewable Electric Standard (now approved). That local drive, led by Claus, combined with book club participation led by Patty Brown, and my own interest in “root cause” (population) drew me to membership in the Sierra Club’s Population and Consumption Committee. Having served as treasurer for the past two years, you have seen my Heartland Sierran articles, too. Given continued good health, I look forward to serving another two years on Ex-com if approved.
Michael Reed
I’ve lived in the Kansas City area most of my life and have worked as a computer software developer for almost 30 years. For many years I just gave money sporadically to various nature- and conservation-oriented organizations. A couple years ago I decided that I needed to get more involved and start acting instead of just supporting. I’m rather new to the Sierra Club and initially got involved in the outings program, first as a participant and then as a leader. More recently I took over as chair of the outings program where I intend to build on the successes of the past. The outings program is an important part of our mission to explore, enjoy, and protect the planet but I also feel the need to act more directly on the important issues facing all of us today. I don’t have any particular agenda or hot-button issue right now - it seems like everything is pretty important. All I can say is that as an ExCom member I will do what I can to help the THB group and the Club in general meet its goals and carry on with its mission.
Sierra ClubThomas Hart Benton Group P.O. Box 32727Kansas City, MO 64171-5727
Non-Profit Org.US Postage PAIDKansas City, MOPermit No. 2514
NEWSPAPERDATED MATERIAL
facebook.com/THBSierraClub
Ballot Instructions1) Vote for up to four (4) people (you may write in additional
names)2) If you have a joint membership, two (2) members may vote3) Place ballot in envelope addressed to: Ellen Brenneman, 54 E. 55th St., Kansas City, MO 641134) To maintain secret ballot, please write your membership
number (the 8 digit number on top of the computer address label) in the return address space on the envelope.
5) Affix stamp and mail to us so it arrives by December 31, 2012
I vote for ... (see personal profiles on page 3)
( ) ( ) David Mitchell ( ) ( ) Richard McBroom ( ) ( ) Michael Reed ( ) ( ) Claus Wawrzinek ( ) ( ) ....................................... ( ) ( ) .......................................
(write in)
(write in)
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We are now on Meetup! Sierra Club Events and Socials We are now listing Sierra Club events and social activities on Meetup. Please join us if you like: Meetup.com/THB-Sierra-Club-Events-and-Socials Sierra Club Outings We now have our most recent outings on our Meetup Sierra Club Outings Group. Please visit us there for the most up-to-date information on any outings: Meetup.com/KC-Sierra-Club-Outings
Monthly presentations are held the first Tuesday of the month at the Discovery Center, 4750 Troost unless otherwise indicated. Programs are open to the public and begin at 7 p.m.
Executive Committee meetings are held the last Tuesday of every month at Central United Methodist Church. For information: call Claus, 816-517-5244.
Sierra Club OutingsNov 3 (Sat) Visit Crowder State Park, Trenton, MO. Hike a variety of natural communities: lake, bottomland forest, and mature woodland. $5 donation requested. Eileen McManus, [email protected], (816) 523-7823.
Nov 10 (Sat) Perry Lake Hiking Trail Maintenance, Perry KS. Join us as we celebrate our 21st year of keeping the Perry Lake Trail clear for hikers and backpackers! We’ll likely be working on rerouting part of the trail to adjust to how the land changes over time. Bring a lunch, water, and bow saws or loppers if you have them (we do have extra). Steve Hassler, [email protected], (913) 707-3296.
Nov 11 (Sun) Wildlife Walk - George Owens Nature Park, Independence MO. A casual walk through a variety of habitats. About 3 miles. $5 donation requested. Michael Reed, [email protected].
Nov 15-18 (Thu-Sun) Backpack Ozark Highland Trail, north central AR. We’ll spend 3 nights in a remote, rugged, and scenic part of Arkansas. $10 donation requested. Michael Reed. [email protected].
PresentationsNov 6 (Tue) Election Watch at Minsky’s Pizza. Contact Claus at 816-517-5244 to RSVP.Dec 4 (Tue) Greening Your Holidays, presented by Kristin Riott, Bridging the GapDec 8 (Tue) Holiday Hike and dinner get-together. Please see outings for detailsJanuary 1 (Tue) No program in January 2013
Nov 23 (Fri) Black Friday Day Hike at Clinton Lake. Skip the shopping madness and walk off your turkey dinner on the George Latham Trail, a pretty 4-mile loop with some nice views of the lake. We’ll finish upwith a campfire and hot chocolate at the
trail head. Dogs welcome! $5 donation requested. Renée Andriani, [email protected], (913) 488-4445.
Dec 1 (Sat) Hike Lake Jacomo, Blue Springs, MO. Hike some ravines & woodland trails. Bring lunch and we’ll provide the hot cocoa. $5 donation requested. Paul Gross, [email protected], (816) 228-6563.
Dec 1 (Sat) Visit Watkins Mill State Park. Experience Christmas on the
farm with holiday music, treats and a tour of the home. $5 donation requested. Eileen McManus, [email protected], (816) 523-7823.
Joint membership?1st member vote in left column, 2nd member vote in right column.
Outings, continued on page 2
#Cut out ballot and mail
