Sun 17 Nov 2013
Letter #231
Dear President Obama,
I came to a dead stop on a neighborhood walk this morning when I saw a 3 ft tall yellow bearded iris blooming in a neighbor’s yard. I’ve never seen iris blooming in November – not even in California. Did it get confused? Did the 20 to 30 degree temperature swings back and forth make it think it’s spring? We are certainly living in the times of climate disruption that may reduce crop yields all over the globe. We really can’t know what to expect. We have brought this on ourselves with carbon emissions and need to quickly cut those emissions! Please stop the Keystone XL Pipeline. Stop it today!
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Iris Shouldn’t Bloom in November
Monday 18 Nov 2013
Letter #232
Dear President Obama,
I feel a bit like this Landskenect, this vassal, today. I’m just leaning into the task – writing you another letter to ask you to Please stop the Keystone XL Pipeline! Right now! Some jobs you just have to keep plugging away at. If enough of us raise the issue, we can stop that pipeline.
Let’s honor everyone who works to lessen climate change. All the climate activists and climate stewards. Stop the Keystone XL – show you are a climate steward too!
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Environment-Knecht
Tuesday 19 Nov 2013
Letter #233
Dear President Obama,
Joe Nocera’s column today praising the new Colorado fracking regulations that will lessen the amount of methane leaking combines good sense with complete denial of the magnitude of the climate change problem.
 http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/19/opinion/nocera-frackings-achilles-heel.html?_r=0
Yes, better regulation of methane emissions today is a good thing. But a future where we get our energy from renewables and not fossil fuels is not NIRVANA, it is the only way life as we know it will survive on the planet. America WILL turn its back on natural gas – the question is WHEN, and after how much irreversible climate damage! Nocera’s grandchildren, if he has any, won’t thank him for this column. Please stop the Keystone XL Pipeline. Stop it NOW. We urgently need to reduce GHG emissions.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, More Renewable Energy Today!
Wed 20 Nov 2013
Letter #234
Dear President Obama,
Yesterday Sardinia got 17 inches of rain in 24 hours. That is half a year’s worth. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/20/world/europe/storm-brings-flooding-and-destruction-to-sardinia.html
Oh well, just another exceptional weather event. These weather swings may not affect annual averages very much but they cause much agricultural damage. Crops expect steady weather and fairly constant temperatures – things we’ll see less of in the coming decades. These startling events are the canaries in the coal mine for dangerous climate disruption. Are we listening? If we pay attention and “observe keenly” we see weather instability increasing everywhere. Please please please stop the Keystone XL Pipeline. It’s so important. We must very quickly reduce the GHG emissions. Before it’s too late. Our weather patterns will get more unstable. Let’s stop the carbon emissions NOW. Stable weather has allowed humans to prosper. Weather chaos will cause them great harm. The longer we delay, the greater the harm.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Learn from Weather Swings
Thurs 21 Nov 2013
Letter #235
Dear President Obama,
Yes Eduardo Porter is right, we do need to develop nuclear energy along with solar and wind. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/20/business/economy/unavoidable-answer-to-problem-of-climate-change.html?pagewanted=all
We need to do everything we can to get off fossil fuels SOOOON! I’m not sure about the data from the EIA about comparable costs of various energy. To say that natural gas can generate electricity for $66 MWh is to completely disregard that the planet has a finite carbon limit/budget. To ignore this fact is lunacy. The EIA is using insufficient data to calculate the cost. Hooray to the British government for providing incentives for non-carbon fuels. We should be doing the same. But as a first step you should Stop the Keystone XL Pipeline! NOW! Tar sands cause too much damage to the environment and the climate.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Nuclear Power is Necessary
Thurs 21 Nov 2013
Letter #236 (2nd letter today)
Dear President Obama,
I was moved by the BIll Keller piece early this month about the use and exploitation of foreign freelance journalists. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/04/opinion/keller-its-the-golden-age-of-news.html?pagewanted=allÂ
It is really sad that the “business” of news has found foreign full-time staff too costly. Hooray to Emma Beals, a British journalist who tries to advocate for freelance journalists in Syria – she tracks 17 current kidnapped journalists there, most freelancers. She comes from a country whose government has long supported in-depth independent journalism – epitomized by the BBC and others. We should do as much. As global and regional conflicts escalate, as they will do with advancing climate disruption, there will be much bad news to report. Please STOP The Keystone XL Pipeline NOW – so we can get on the road to reduce carbon emissions and rein in the climate chaos. Maybe then there will be good news to report as well.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Admire Freelance Journalists
Friday 22 Nov 2013
Letter #237
Dear President Obama,
I’m delighted that the Senate changed the filibuster rules. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/22/us/politics/reid-sets-in-motion-steps-to-limit-use-of-filibuster.html.Â
I’m saddened that they had to. We live in acrimonious times. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/23/us/politics/in-filibuster-shift-focus-on-a-courts-workload-and-political-balance.html?
I’m sorry that so much of your energy as a President has been taken up with political wranglings. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/22/opinion/democracy-returns-to-the-senate.html? But I urge you to pull yourself up from the daily clutter and to look out to the future with clear eyes and a courageous tilt to your head. Climate change is the most important problem we face. If we mess it up too much, nothing else matters. Please stop the Keystone XL Pipeline and start the US on a decisive path to carbon reduction. You have spoken about the climate challenge. Now is the time to act on these convictions – to imagine vividly a better world and to act boldly to achieve it.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Clear Eyes on the Future
Friday 22 Nov 2013
Letter #238 (2nd letter today)
Dear President Obama,
There has been much reflection on John F. Kennedy this week in memory of his murder 50 years ago – some remember his strengths, others his flaws. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/23/us/john-f-kennedy-remembrance-dallas.html?
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/23/us/marines-at-kennedys-funeral-stand-together-again.html
I was inspired by his words – as many of my generation – and I was thinking of the power of inspiration as I wrote my earlier letter to you today. I am no John F. Kennedy, but I do think each of us can try to inspire others to be the best they can be. So I share my letters to you with others, to try and inspire them. And I continue to ask you to Please stop the Keystone XL Pipeline. It’s something that you can do for your country.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Ask not what your country can do for you…
Saturday 23 Nov 2013
Letter #239
Dear President Obama,
I am pleased to read that Kazakhstan is expanding its railway infrastructure.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/21/business/international/kazakhstans-bet-on-rail.html?pagewanted=all
It’s not good that the money to do so is coming from oil, but at least they are using their new wealth for capital expenses which will be useful in a post-fossil fuel world! Building a pipeline is a waste of money because it can only carry oil or gas. But building railroads shows long term wisdom! Railroads can carry anything. So please say NO to the Keystone XL Pipeline – say NO to Fossil Fuels – say yes to clean energy.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Kazakhstan Builds for the Future
Saturday 23 Nov 2013
Letter #240 (2nd letter today)
Dear President Obama,
A small letter last week in the NY Times by Michael Brune, the Sierra Club Executive Director deserves wider attention. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/15/opinion/how-a-trade-pact-could-harm-the-environment.html
He criticizes the pending Trans-Pacific Partnership (trade agreement) because it contains a little known provision that raises corporations to nation status and allows them to sue governments for environmental practices that lessen corporate profits! This is completely unacceptable. NO government should allow it. Corporations are trying to call ads “free speech” as if each were a person! And now corporations are trying to have legal status elevating them to avoid regulation! And the offending parties are, of course, big oil and gas!
Please stop the Keystone XL Pipeline. It is insanity to let short-term profit for a few ruin the world for us all.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Support Michael Brune
