Wednesday 22 May 2013
Letter # 81
Dear President Obama,
This is one of my very favorite postcards – and I’ve had it for years. What possessed the artist to draw four men shoveling chairs? And why is it this shape? as if meant to go over a doorway perhaps? I love the diversity of art that we humans create. I love the temperate climate over most of our planet that allows us the leisure to create such art, to develop our ideas, philosophies, literatures. Extreme climate change can put much of that in jeopardy. Please stop the Keystone XL pipeline. Please take a stance on climate change. Don’t shovel the warning signs under a rug.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Chair Lover
Thursday 23 May 2013
Letter # 82
Dear President Obama,
I saw in the Financial Times that Germany is not eager to allow fracking because of the potential damage to ground water – and water is crucial to German BEER and beer is crucial to the national identity. http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/18ab8ece-c3be-11e2-aa5b-00144feab7de.html#axzz2uHlTAif9
Now some people may scoff at a national culture built on beer, but at least the Germans understand that we are all connected to the environment, the planet and keeping pollutants to a minimum. The US would do well to pay more attention to these interconnections. So please go very slow on fracking and please say NO to the Keystone XL Pipeline. We need to reduce our carbon emissions NOW.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, German Beer Drinker
Friday 24 May 2013
Letter # 83
Dear President Obama,
I’m having a party tomorrow – supposed to be a garden party – but with rain expected we may end up inside. I’m cooking a pot of lentils – that I learned to love in France. They are wonderful with duck confit, but also with sausages and grilled meats – so yummy and can be served at room temperature – which is ideal for a party. So today I cook and think about my friends and tomorrow we’ll talk and eat and drink and laugh together. Humans are inherently social, and will always share meals with family and friends. We need to strengthen these bonds of cooperation and community and lessen the competition and power-seeking if we are all to flourish on this planet. Please say NO to the Keystone XL Pipeline. We do not need to enrich the oil companies at the cost of environmental damage. We need to be using less oil, not more.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Party Hostess
Sat 25 May 2013
Dear President Obama,
Today I met some friends of my family – descendents of very good friends of my parents. The talk turned to Central Asia and I told them my favorite children’s book – now long out of print – is Big Tiger and Christian by Fritz Muhlenweg. They knew the book well! What a joy – they feel like family – they read the same books to their children as I do/did. Books about values and courage and not judging people too quickly – great fun to read too – adventures and the landscape of the Gobi Desert.
So many things tie all of us humans together, that we really need to pull together to protect the climate. Please say NO to the Keystone XL Pipeline.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Big Tiger and Christian Fan
Sun 26 May 2013
Letter # 85
Dear President Obama,
I want you to know that I write other letters to other government officials. Here is a letter I am sending to six Massachusetts law makers urging them to adequately fund public transportation.
Great public transit is another piece of climate action. Please say NO to the Keystone XL Pipeline and encourage more states to beef up public transit.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Massachusetts Resident
included:
26 May 2013
To Senators Brewer, McGee, Hedlund
Representatives Dempsey, Straus, Howitt
Re: Massachusetts Transportation Funding Bills, S.1770 and H.3415
Dear Conference Committee Member:
I write to urge you to set funding for public transit at the level of $800 million passed by the Senate. The $500M approved by the House is far too little to maintain and improve our state’s vital transportation network. I am very concerned about getting prepared for future climate disruptions and maintaining and growing public transit is critical to this end. By being forward-looking on transportation infrastructure, MA stands to be an economic leader as well.
Higher funding for public transit means:
- creating many new maintenance, repair and construction jobs
- boost to economy: businesses and consumers benefit by less time spent in traffic
- significant environmental improvement getting people out of their cars (so less greenhouse gas emissions.
I also support a 3 cent gas tax increase, and yes I drive a car.
Thank you for your hard work in crafting a bill that provides for critical repairs and maintenance of our state’s transportation system, and for most of the needed transit expansions.
Sincerely,
Susan Ringler
Cambridge, MA
send to :
State Senator Steven M. Brewer
State House
Room 212
Boston, MA 02133
617-722-1540
State Senator Thomas M. McGee
State House
Room 109C
Boston, MA 02133
617-722-1350
State Senator Robert L. Hedlund
State House
Room 313C
Boston, MA 02133
617-722-1646
State Rep. Brian S. Dempsey
State House
Room 243
Boston, MA 02133
617-722-2990
State Rep. William M. Straus
State House
Room 237
Boston, MA 02133
617-722-2400
State Rep. Steven S. Howitt
State House
Boston, MA 02133
617-722-2305
steven.howitt@mahouse.gov
Monday 27 May 2013
Letter # 86
Dear President Obama,
I’m cooking beets – well I baked them last night – red and yellow beets – just washed them and put them whole on a baking sheet with a little oil. I baked them over an hour, then let them cool. Today I peeled and diced them and tossed them in vinaigrette – yum. I guess I just enjoy cooking. Interesting that the french verb “to cook” is “cuisiner” – to kitchen – cuisine is kitchen and also food. So the word “cuisiner” covers all food preparation, like salad-making, whether or not it involves heat and cooking. So I like to “cuisine”, to work with my hands to prepare food. It is fundamental and fun and creative. But in order to have the rich diversity of foods and cultures on this planet, we need a temperate CLIMATE. We need to cut way back on fossil fuels and the greenhouse gases they emit.
So please stop the Keystone XL Pipeline. Stop it today.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Beet salad lover
Tuesday 28 May 2013
Letter # 87
Dear President Obama,
Citibikes started in New York City yesterday. Rent one here, leave it there. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/28/nyregion/bike-share-program-opens-in-new-york-city-after-long-delay.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
I’ve seen them in Paris and Boston, and it’s a great idea. I have to admit that riding around Manhattan and dodging taxi-cabs could seem a bit scary, and riding without a helmet is lunacy. But it is a great idea for congested urban spaces – look at Amsterdam. I hope it works in Manhattan.
It’s another piece to the transportation puzzle, and I wish it well. All of these alternatives to fossil fuels are important – because we need to do everything to avert a climate disaster.
So please do your part. Please say NO to the Keystone XL Pipeline. Say NO today ! Be a climate hero!
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Bike Rider – with helmet
Wed 29 May 2013
Letter # 88
Dear President Obama,
Here is a haiku I wrote about a lonely old woman:
Old dry rock
Next to the stream
Will the current bring
her splashes again?
One of the things I love about the haiku tradition is that haiku very often include some natural object, or reference to nature’s seasons or processes. This reminds us that we are connected to nature, that we are part of it. Climate change is a vast and complex problem that we must face, and the sooner we lessen the carbon we burn, the better for us all.
Please stop the Keystone XL Pipeline.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Nature Lover
Thursday 30 May 2013
Letter #89
Dear President Obama,
It is Harvard Commencement Day and the streets are full of happy families wearing nice clothes and smiling. A friend and Harvard classmate is visiting me to wish her son well. We had a good conversation with some students and alums involved in the Divest Harvard campaign trying to figure out how to spread the word on the urgency of reducing carbon emissions. Someone wondered out loud why Al Gore hasn’t signed the Divest Harvard petition, and then someone else asked why you hadn’t. I’m sure you both have excuses- but really! You can use the political expediency excuse to not sign the Harvard Alumni Divest petition, but you have NO EXCUSE on Keystone! Please say NO to the Keystone XL Pipeline. You CAN and it’s the right thing to do.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, Tired of Excuses
Friday 31 May 2013
Letter # 90
Dear President Obama,
It’s a heat wave today – not yet June and over 90 degrees. I transplanted my second tomato plant into a larger pot, but I’m not sure I’ve enough sun in my yard. We’ll just have to see. The Mass. Atty General is suing NOAA for severely limiting the cod catch this year, saying economic impact has not been counted enough.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/31/us/massachusetts-state-sues-over-cod-limits.html
NOAA is right, Mass. Atty General is wrong. What’s the point of fishing out cod to extinction? It will take years and years for the cod to come back, if they manage it. Pushing for one more year of jobs and income for fishermen is pennywise and pound foolish. Thank you NOAA for understanding the big picture and taking the long view. And you need to take the long view too President Obama, and demonstrate your leadership on climate change by saying NO to the Keystone XL Pipeline. We need to tell Canada we don’t want their filthy pet-coke. If they must dig up the tar sands, they can have the detritus as well. Please send the right message to the world. Please say NO to Keystone XL.
Thank you.
Susan J. Ringler, NOAA Admirer
