QUICK NEWS, May 14: Climate Change By Any Other Name; The Benefits Of Solar; California Ocean Wind In Talks With The Navy

Climate Change By Any Other Name Inspiring Terms Are Simple. ‘Climate Change’ Isn’t. The doubters and believers aren’t even talking about the same thing.

Faye Flam, May 11, 2018 (Bloomberg News)

“As scientific terms go, “climate change” is failing. Good terms are specific, descriptive and help people to understand complex concepts. Climate change is ambiguous, referring perhaps to the most pressing human-generated environmental problem of the century, or to other kinds of changes that happen through natural forces and have been going on since long before humans arose…The ambiguity of “climate change” plays into the problems [identified by the Wall Street Journal op-ed Climate Activists Are Lousy Salesmen.] This is science, not advertising, and the terms that scientists come up with aren’t decided by public-relations experts using focus groups…

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…[T]he same people who were fascinated by dramatic natural climate changes were the ones to discover that burning up lots of fossil fuel was likely to cause a short-term spike in the global temperature…One could distinguish the current, more rapid climate change by calling it ‘anthropogenic climate change,’ but that term makes people trip over their own tongues…The complexity of climate science may always be at odds with the simplicity that's key to inspiring action…It's too late to prevent anthropogenic climate change, or unnatural climate change, or global warming -- call it what you will. But it isn't too late to slow the warming, and perhaps even reverse it. If only someone could sell the idea.” click here for more

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The Benefits Of Solar Solar energy has real benefits

Dori Wolfe, May 12, 2018 (Houston Chronicle)

“…New York City, which receives less sun than Houston, is ranked 7th with 117 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaics (PV) installed. Houston is ranked 33rd with only 8 MW installed, [according to Shining Cities 2017. Mayors from across the country recently agreed that accelerating the growth of solar will reduce pollution and revitalize communities by creating jobs and keeping energy dollars in] local economies…Distributed generation makes economic and environmental sense…[It also makes communities more resilient] in the face of extreme weather…Deciding to invest in solar for your home or business may seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be…[The nonprofit Solarize campaign helps home and business owners] invest in solar while saving money through competitive selection of the installer and through collective purchasing of solar equipment. The more people deciding to solarize, the lower the cost for all…” click here for more

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California Ocean Wind In Talks With The Navy Offshore wind farms coming to California — but the Navy says no to large sections of the coast

Rob Nikolewski, May 6, 2018 (San Diego Union-Tribune)

“…[There is a renewable energy bonanza blowing off the coast of California] but the U.S. Navy puts large swaths of the state off limits to future offshore wind farms — including all of San Diego and Los Angeles, extending up to the Central Coast…[Federal and state officials, and wind energy companies] are working with the U.S. Department of Defense to develop a more flexible plan…[T]he back-and-forth adds an extra layer of complexity to the nascent industry on the West Coast, where geographic features make it harder to construct wind farms in the Pacific than those on the East Coast…It's estimated that nearly a terrawatt of electricity will be generated off the coast of California…But in the past year, some of the lofty expectations have been tempered…[because of the Navy’s concerns that installations will interfere with Navy and Marine Corps missions conducted in the air, on the surface, and below the surface…The wind blows harder as you move up the California coast…” click here for more

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