Climate Lynx

Marty Fittante's recent article in the Pick & Ax on Highland and Copperwood Mining was encouraging and hopeful. I appreciate his nod to U.P. copper mining being essential to improve our local economy and the United States' 21st-century energy infrastructure (aka green power revolution). H e states well the UP’s role in the United State's future if the mine opens:   "The benefits of Copperwood reach far beyond the UP. Copperwood will also help fulfill a national need for copper---a critical material imperative to advanced manufacturing technologies for electrification, 21st-century energy infrastructure, and national defense." Unfortunately, any mine, especially one just getting started, is vulnerable to the whims of the market. Markets are driven by demand, and the demand for copper has grown since 2020, reflected in its price. In 2020, it was as low as $2.19/pound. Since 2020, the price soared to almost $5/pound and is now just below $4.00.   What has...

 With five major religions followed by millions around the world and multiple lesser religions, there will be some differences in how we view the climate crisis. Those who profess to follow the teaching of Jesus make up the most significant religious bloc, “Christians.” Within this Christian bloc, there are 40,000 denominations. And within each denomination, there are substantial differences. With innumerable opinions, I will point out a few I have examined. My commitment to solving the climate crisis began with my inner commitment to Christ. My extensive studies of climate science have been to make sure I was not running down a false trail and preaching nonsense. When I first recognized the climate threat, my motivation came primarily from the New Testament Mark 12:31 and Mathew 22:39, the Old Testament Leviticus 19:18, and Paul’s message in 1 Corinthians 13: 4-13. These passages persuade us to love our neighbor. Ten years ago, scientists warned us greenhouse gasses woul...

In the Paris Climate Agreement of 2015, 196 countries pledged to bring greenhouse gas (GHG)emissions down far enough to stabilize warming at a 1.5C (2.7F) rise in global temperatures above preindustrial times. In the race to meet the emission reduction goalposts to slow warming, nations are looking for ways to meet their pledges. Many governments, including the USA, consider methane reduction as one way to meet our pledge. The reason for hope is we emit a lot of methane, and there are ways to curtail these leaks. Additionally, methane is 30 times more potent than the primary greenhouse gas (GHG), carbon dioxide. To put it another way, one ton of methane emissions is equivalent to 82.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide. When I say potent, this means the methane molecule, CH4, has a much greater ability to absorb and reemit radiant energy in its structure. This process slows the loss of heat from the Earth to outer space. This is why the earth is heating rapidly. At COP 28, nations focused on...

 It’s late December. We’re hiking on bare trails, bicycling with a light windbreaker, and the skis, snowmobile and ice-fishing gear are still in storage. Santa had no snow for his sleigh. Is this Christmas in the Carolina’s? No. I’m describing northern Wisconsin as last year came to an end. The numbers are now in, and they are grim. Last year was the hottest year the planet endured since records began in 1850. Day by day, global temperatures didn’t just break records, they surpassed the previous hottest year of 2016 by a wide margin.   When scientists examine geologic evidence, 2023 may also be among the warmest in at least 100,000 years. Let that sink in – 100,000 years. And it appears to be accelerating. The 10 warmest years on record have all been since 2010.   The economic and personal consequences were devastating. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says that in 2023 there were 28 weather and climate disaster events in the U...

It is unequivocal we are altering the earth’s atmosphere rapidly, with dreadful results, but should this fact immobilize us? That would be succumbing to cynical defeatism. We have heard deniers tell us it isn’t happening. Now defeatists are the new cynics telling us we can’t win. After reading this column, do some research by checking out the references I used for this column. Is our rapid technological progress going to propel us to sustainability? When you have finished your information quest, I hope you know we can win the race to save the planet. I have been in this battle for ten years. I consider myself somewhat reasonable. If my systematic research of reputable science organizations told me the climate fight could not be won, why would I have devoted ten years of my life to getting us to act? Would I have started on this mission or continued to press on with the message to decarbonize if I did not think we could win? No, I have innumerable other interests which are more fun....