Saturday 10 Aug 2013
Letter # 151
Dear President Obama,
I liked the recent article about Picarro Scientific instruments and their new drive-around methane-leak detector. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/07/business/energy-environment/new-tools-pinpoint-natural-gas-leaks-maximizing-a-fuels-green-qualities.html
Methane is a very potent greenhouse gas and this will help us all track and fix leaks quickly. Bravo to PG + E (California) for quickly adopting this technology. Please stop the Keystone XL pipeline. Do it quickly. It would help a lot to get America onto a greener path.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Detect those Methane Leaks
Sunday 11 Aug 2013
Letter # 152
Dear President Obama,
Italian Fountain, Huntington Library and Garden
San Marino, CA
Dolphins are dying suddenly along the Eastern Seaboard this summer – no one yet knows why. But there is probably some human-caused environmental cause – and probably a link to global warming. It would be sad if the only dolphins left for your grand-children to see were ones like on this beautiful fountain. When it was made, a few hundred years ago, the amount of carbon in the atmosphere had never risen past 300 parts per million. Now the average annual amount is 379 or so. We need to stop the build up of carbon now! Please stop the Keystone XL Pipeline. It’s a really important small step.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Dolphin Lover
Monday 12 Aug 2013
Letter # 153
Dear President Obama,
A few days ago I spoke at a Cambridge City Planning Board meeting and urged them to require that a new biolab – 225,000 sq feet proposed for construction – be “net-zero carbon” – that is, cause no net carbon emissions increase from the building operation. The Planning Board will respond later, but what was most heartening was that a number of citizens who were there to speak on other matters, heard us and said they also supported our request. This is grass roots in action.
It is difficult to get people to go to a city council meeting, or speak out on an issue, but often when one does, one feels a certain solidarity with other activists. So please show your solidarity with climate activists and say NO to the Keystone XL Pipeline. It’s important that you pick up that pen and say NO NOW. Climate change is an urgent problem.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Speaker at Community Meetings
Tuesday 13 Aug 2013
Letter # 154
Dear President Obama,
John Hancock Building, Chicago
When the Hancock building was built, we didn’t know that climate change was going to become a huge problem. Now we do know and so you must ACT NOW! Please stop the Keystone XL Pipeline. We don’t want tar sands oil – we must keep it in the ground.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Remember when the Hancock building was TALL!
Wed 14 Aug 2013
Letter # 155
Dear President Obama,
A leak at the Royal Canadian Air Force base in Cold Lake, Alberta continues to spill tar sands oil – as it has since June. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/09/business/global/leak-at-oil-sands-project-in-alberta-heightens-conservationists-concerns.html
The company Canadian Natural Resources does not know the cause of the 4 leaks, says they are manageable, and that the oil is leaking from poorly sealed old wells. The newly formed Alberta Energy Regulator is not so sure and suggests that high-pressure steam may be a contributing factor. A previous gov’t study on a 2009 leak did not determine the cause. There is clearly much we don’t know about these leaks and we won’t be able to prevent future leaks before we understand the science better. It is folly to continue tar sands exploration without sufficient scientific knowledge. Please say NO to the Keystone XL Pipeline. Discourage Canada from making an even larger environmental disaster than they already have.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Find those leaks NOW and STOP them
Thurs 15 Aug 2013
Letter # 156
Dear President Obama,
There was an article today about the difficulty of connecting wind farms to the grid.
They sometimes have to cut back the energy from the wind farms because it could overload the grid. “It’s literally the size of the line.” So all we need is to beef up our grid with fatter wires and smarter computer switches. The grid operators need to be incentivized to embrace renewables – not to discourage and curtail their use. Climate change is a huge and urgent problem. There need to be many changes by many people. The one you can do NOW is deny the permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline. We don’t want that dirty oil and we shouldn’t help Canada export it to Asia. Stop the Keystone XL Pipeline today.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Advocate for a Stronger Power Grid
Fri 16 Aug 2013
Letter # 157
Dear President Obama,
Bistro André, La Rochelle, France
This town on the Atlantic coast of France has a good aquarium where we took the kids. Afterwards we ate a first rate meal at Bistro André. I wonder what sea level rise and climate change are going to do to our aquariums? Will there be as vibrant a sea life outside their doors? Will this restaurant have to move to higher ground? I worry that big changes are coming very rapidly that we won’t just be able to swim away from. We need to get very busy right now. Please stop the Keystone XL Pipeline. Stop it today. It’s a good first step to lessen climate change. Let’s hope aquariums don’t become museums!
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Aquarium Lover
Fri 23 Aug 2013
Letter # 158
Dear President Obama,
Bonjour from Lacanau, France. Please stop the Keystone XL Pipeline.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Postcard from Lacanau
Tuesday 27 Aug 2013
Letter # 159
Dear President Obama,
Mark Bittman wrote a NYTimes column recently saying the chief economist of the International Energy Agency recommends leaving at least 2/3 of all fossil fuel in the ground.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/01/lets-not-braise-the-planet/
So clean energy is an issue of ethics. The economics will kick in much later – when it is too late to turn climate change around. How ethical are you? How ethical is each of us? I certainly have a carbon footprint but would be happy to be taxed for it.
So please say NO to the Keystone XL Pipeline and say yes to reducing the speed of global warming. Ethics is our understanding that there is a larger good. For all of us and our descendents, let’s do the right thing. No more delays.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Motivated by Ethics
Wednesday 28 Aug 2013
Letter # 160
Dear President Obama,
I drove through the Medoc wine country yesterday, had dinner at the Lion D’or in Arcins – highly recommended. Tonight we are having a local friend for dinner and I am cooking magret de canard (duck breast) and French green beans. Please say NO to the Keystone XL Pipeline. Please please. Tar sands oil is messy and not good for the planet. I hope the climate doesn’t change too much because the little melons de Charentes are delicious here.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Melon Lover
