Silicon Ranch’s holistic approach to solar development

January 9, 2023 Off

Update from the What’s Working Department: As reported by Canary Media’s Julian Spector, Tennessee-based solar energy pioneer Silicon Ranch raised another $600 million in equity investment to further its holistic brand of solar development. The company, which was launched in 2011, remains independent despite the industry trend toward consolidation.  Silicon Ranch takes a capital-intensive approach to development, purchasing,…

By Eric Jensen

Communication and the scientific method

August 23, 2021 Off

This weekend, NYT science reporter Apoorva Mandavilli wrote an astute analysis of the state of public health communication at this point in the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to a lack of fundamental public education, the American public does not understand the scientific method and has confused imperfect scientific and public health communication with political agendas and…

By Eric Jensen

Volts newsletter: “There is no ‘moderate’ position on climate change”

June 30, 2021 Off

From David Roberts’ Volts newsletter: “Perhaps the most politically difficult aspect of climate change is that, after decades of denial and delay, there is no longer any coherent “moderate” position to be had.  To allow temperatures to rise past 1.5° or 2°C this century is to accept unthinkable disruption to agriculture, trade, immigration, public health, and basic…

By Eric Jensen

Climate Change Resources and Reporting

May 13, 2021 Off

A brief list of reliable resources to be updated regularly: The New Yorker: Bill McKibben’s “Annals of a Warming Planet” weekly column; a broad view exploring the latest news and the societal impacts of the climate crisis. Heated: “…a daily newsletter dedicated to original accountability reporting and analysis on the climate crisis…” from investigative journalist…

By Eric Jensen

The Great Australian Inferno

January 24, 2020 Off

This is a compelling interview with Kevin Rudd, former Australian PM. He discusses the fires in Australia, the science that predicted these events over a decade ago and the political and media forces that are standing in the way action. The Great Australian Inferno – Outrage and Optimism You can listen to Outrage and Optimism…

By Eric Jensen

The Recycling Illusion

December 18, 2019 Off

For decades the plastics industry has promoted the myth of recycling. We have been lulled into believing that the plastics we toss into the blue bins are magically recycled into new materials. In fact, only plastics with industry numbers 1 and 2 have any chance of being recycled and most of those products end up…

By Eric Jensen