Letters 281-290

Sat 18 Jan 2014

Letter #281 (2nd letter today)

Dear President Obama,

I wrote today about BECCS – Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/17/science/earth/climate-aids-in-study-face-big-obstacles.html Some people think we can solve our carbon problem by planting vast areas of plants, burning them for energy and storing the CO2 underground. On a small scale, if you have waste biomass it might be reasonable, but on a large scale, it is ludicrous. I put it up there with President Reagan’s Star Wars missile defense system. Clearly, the simpler solution is non-carbon energy! Solar, wind, geothermal. So let’s get serious today about leaving fossil fuels in the ground! Please say NO to the Keystone XL Pipeline. Do it TODAY! Time is short and we need to switch to clean energy sooner.

Thank you.

Susan J. Ringler, BECCS is a Bad Idea

Sun 19 Jan 2014

Letter #282

Dear President Obama,

Today I write to praise the Energy Dept. for grants for small scale nuclear reactors.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/13/business/energy-environment/energy-dept-to-give-226-million-to-new-nuclear-reactor-design.html

They gave $200 million to Babcock + Wilcox in 2012, and now $200 million to NuScale of Corvallis Oregon. This is money well spent. Far better than $100 million for BECC-biomass carbon capture! We need to include nuclear energy in our mix if we are to avert climate disaster, and these ideas for small transportable nuclear plants look promising. We need to spend much more on new clean energy ideas and much less subsidizing fossil fuels. Please say NO to the Keystone XL Pipeline. Please show you are serious about moving quickly AWAY from fossil fuels and towards a clean energy future.

Thank you.

Susan J. Ringler, Fan of NuScale Power

Monday 20 Jan 2014

Letter #283

Dear President Obama,

We need more leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. He combined so many qualities and I am struck today by his eloquence as I hear again parts of his famous speeches. His actions, his moral courage, his words, would have less impact, would reverberate less through history if he mumbled, or hurried his words. Still today, we respond emotionally to Dr. King’s speeches – and emotion puts us right in the moment and goads action. We need great leaders to tap into that emotion to build a movement. I ask you again today to please STOP the Keystone XL Pipeline because it will inspire the climate movement and give it strength. Your small pen stroke can put emotion and leadership behind climate activists. The planet needs you, we need you, the poor all over the world need you. Please lead us towards quickly reducing carbon levels.

Thank you.

Susan J. Ringler, Admire MLKing’s Eloquence

Tuesday 21 Jan 2014

Letter #284

Dear President Obama,

Andrew Sorkin wrote today about the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland and who chooses not to attend.

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/01/20/notable-in-their-absence-from-davos/

The sub-title of the conference says it all: “Committed to improving the state of the world” – For many in business such improvement just doesn’t matter. So the conference is heavy with heads of states of lesser countries and bankers and public sector people from wealthy ones. It’s an interesting club and some useful work gets done there, but the inspiring speeches are preaching to the choir, rather than changing minds. Maybe actions speak louder than words. So please STOP the Keystone XL Pipeline and by this action show how serious you are about the climate change crisis. Your action could change minds, could elevate the issue of climate change in the national and international dialogue. Please do it now. Show your commitment to improving the state of the world by your ACTIONS.

Thank you.

Susan J. Ringler, Actions Speak Louder than Words

Thurs 23 Jan 2014

Letter #285

Dear President Obama,

There’s a severe drought in California – the snow pack in the Sierras is 20% of normal. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/18/us/as-californias-drought-deepens-a-sense-of-dread-grows.html That means the reservoirs will be empty next summer. The trade winds are messed up. The winds that usually bring winter rain and snow to the West Coast have changed their patterns. This is climate disruption in action. 70% of the water in California is used for agriculture, so with more drought we’ll have to grow less and select which crops make most sense. Maybe cotton and alfalfa have to go – that can cause clothing and beef prices to increase. The only way to avoid even larger changes and disruptions is to cut carbon emissions. Please stop the Keystone XL Pipeline NOW! Put your actions towards reducing climate disruption. We have to change our ways. The sooner the better.

Thank you.

Susan J. Ringler, Learn from California Drought

Friday 24 Jan 2014

Letter #286

Dear President Obama,

It is sad that the European Union is taking a few steps back from their commendable policies cutting carbon emissions.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/17/business/energy-environment/sluggish-economy-prompts-europe-to-reconsider-climate-goals.html

The economic crisis makes it nigh impossible for every country to produce 20% of energy consumed from renewables, especially with Germany’s misguided plan to close nuclear facilities. And so they will make do with general target for Europe as a whole. But I must emphasize that Europe has been a true leader in cutting carbon emissions since 2007. In 2007 they agreed to cut carbon emissions 20% below 1990 levels by 2020 and they have achieved 18%!! This is inspirational behavior! I understand that they have to go a little slower now, but we need to speed our efforts to catch up to their achievements. Please stop the Keystone XL Pipeline as a first small step of cutting fossil fuel use.

Thank you.

Susan J. Ringler, Europe Leads in Cutting Carbon Emissions

Friday 24 Jan 2014

Letter #287 (2nd letter today)

Dear President Obama,

I am delighted to read that ENI, the Italian oil giant is giving up on developing shale gas drilling in Poland. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/15/business/international/eni-is-said-to-abandon-polish-shale-aspirations.html?_r=0

This is good for Poland, Europe and the world. One contributing factor is that European governments have not been willing to pay for extraction research and development as the US government has. Without this huge subsidy, shale gas is much less lucrative. Considering the long term disastrous effects of too much carbon, the European governments have decided wisely. Please say NO to the Keystone XL pipeline, it is perhaps the wisest decision you will make.

Government subsidy of oil and gas industry is a pattern of the past. For the future, governments need to look to renewable energy, subsidies in these areas will serve future generations well.

Thank you.

Susan J. Ringler, ENI Smart to Quit Shale Drilling

Saturday 25 Jan 2014

Letter #288

Dear President Obama,

The Apple Macintosh is 30 years old. What a remarkable 30 years that has been, not only for the all the wonders of my adult life, but for the transformative innovations of technology that have made the world so much more interconnected.

But we stand on the brink of a very different 30 years, knowing as we do, that we have put too much carbon into the atmosphere to sustain the climate of the globe as we know it. So now we must take a deep breath and make some big changes. Please stop the Keystone XL pipeline today! Let’s move to a fossil free energy future with hope and determination. Imagine what we can accomplish in the next 30 years. Change starts NOW. Let’s not mess it up.

Thank you.

Susan J. Ringler, Happy 30th Birthday MAC

Saturday 25 Jan 2014

Letter #289 (2nd letter today)

Dear President Obama,

I was thrilled to read that First Energy, one of the country’s largest energy companies has agreed to start reducing its carbon emissions in response to the pressure from stock holders like the New York State prison fund and the shareholder advocacy group “As You Sow”. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/15/business/energy-environment/power-company-to-study-emissions-after-pressure.html

It is excellent news that energy companies are recognizing that climate change is an issue that a significant portion of shareholders care about. Now that we know the dangers of increased carbon emissions it is folly to keep burning so much fossil fuel. We need to change our ways quickly. Please stop the Keystone XL pipeline because you know it is a small step towards slowing climate instability. Please do it now. As we sow, so shall we reap! Let’s sow the seeds of change to renewable energy.

Thank you.

Susan J. Ringler, Admire As You Sow Group

Sunday 26 Jan 2014

Letter #290

Dear President Obama,

It is heartening that huge companies such as Coca-Cola are recognizing that climate instability is resulting in disruptions to their supply chains and increased financial risk. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/24/science/earth/threat-to-bottom-line-spurs-action-on-climate.html

Jeffrey Seabright, a Coke VP mentions “100 year floods every two years” as an important economic concern. Forward-looking companies understand that fossil fuels are not “cheap” in the long run and realize we must tax carbon and the question is only when. So please stop the Keystone XL pipeline. Stop it NOW. Don’t encourage dirty tar sands oil production. It makes the best economic sense to quickly switch to renewable energy. If Coke can be practical, so can you. More carbon emissions cost us all.