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From Solar Cookers International:

SCI’s Side Event presentation at the United Nations High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) is now available for you to watch. SCI discussed solar cooking as a cross-cutting solution in the recovery from COVID-19 and a path to achieving the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Speakers include:

Joshua Murray, Director of Food & Beverage at the Conrad Washington, DC a Hilton property (click here to watch a video of Chef Murray solar cooking on the rooftop of the Conrad Washington, DC)

Caitlyn Hughes, SCI Executive Director

Alan Bigelow, Ph.D., SCI Science Director and United Nations Representative

Mindy Fox, SCI Special Projects Manager

Lynne Slightom, MPA, CFRE, SCI Development Director

Lourdie Racine, Directrice of the Community Center, Marion, Haiti

Fedno Lubin, Photographer, Haiti

Rose Bazile MSN RN, SCI Global Advisor

David Stillman, Ph.D., Executive Director, Public-Private Alliance Foundation

Topics include successful examples from all around the world, including Haiti and Kenya, with tools and resources to scale the solar cooking movement. You can also participate in HLPF by visiting SCI’s virtual exhibit booth here.”

You can watch the recorded video here https://youtu.be/m3Ot_wxDTts ; it’s about an hour and a half.

Solar Cookers International
2400 22nd St, Suite 210 | Sacramento, California 95818
+1 916.455.4499 | info@solarcookers.org

Ah yes, yet another article based on a “study” listing “Best & Worst” cities for climate change. (There are tons of these articles coming out all the time; this just happened to be the one a friend inboxed me this morning.)

First thing that struck me: The so-called “safest” places on the list are cities like San Francisco, Seattle … places where no ordinary person could afford to move.

My take, in general: The entire planet is in bad shape for climate change. Every place is at risk.

I live in a place I love, in a community I love, am here to do as much good as I can. That to me is the closest thing we have to security in this life.

Right now, in my corner of the world, relentless sun and no rain are wearing on those of us who pay attention to such things. I’m trying to use this as an opportunity to boost awareness in my community, motivate fellow citizens and local government to shift our landscaping practices to prioritize heat mitigation (shade, stormwater absorption), food-growing.

Our mainstream cultural norms are infected through-and-through by a colonizer mentality. Colonizer culture conditioning is deep-rooted; we like to think we can control everything by making lists of “most safe” and “least safe” places etc. And then simply pick up and go there.

The past few years should have taught us something about all of that.

Colonizer culture mentality: Oh no! My home city is listed as unsafe! Oh well — I’ll just pick up and move, go colonize one of the places listed as “safe.”

No concept of social capital whatsoever. Rich people are used to not having to know or care who their neighbors are.

Ditto loyalty to place — no concept of whatsoever of loyalty to land or a place. (Google Wes Jackson, declaring oneself native to a place for some good reading.) Here you go, I just grabbed the link for you: “Becoming Native To This Place,” by Wes Jackson; centerforneweconomics.org.

This aspect of our culture just really nauseates me and saddens me.

As I read the list of “most dangerous” cities for climate change, they are places like Houston, New Orleans, Tampa. Places with high concentrations of poverty. And very multicultural, multiracial cities. And, places where a substantial percentage of the population cannot afford to just pick up and leave.

Interestingly enough, the “climate-unsafe” cities tend to be places that have a high rate of poverty, but a strong fabric of multigenerational community and mutual aid. Hmm, now what might that connection be, between poverty — and strong community, strong networks of mutual aid? (Rhetorical question.)

(Note: I am not wishing poverty on anyone, or proposing poverty as a solution to hyper-individualistic culture.)

An article that would have impressed me is, “Here is a list of the top cities most likely to be deeply affected by climate change — AND here are some things we can and should be doing to help make those cities safer for the people who live there — or help the people find ways to move their families & communities to safer places.”

For individuals not deeply rooted anywhere, my best advice is find a place where you can stand the climate (without having to rely on climate-controlling your house most of the year) AND where you are able and willing to be an active helping member of the community. Do not move ANYWHERE with just the attitude of “escaping where you are now.” Move somewhere with the intent to love the place, become bioregionally literate, and contribute actively to the community. And well before you move to a place, check out the community (via activist channels, online information resources, etc.), to be sure you will be helping that place rather than colonizing or gentrifying. You could even start forming ties, participating and helping, before you move there.

A question often asked on social-media threads by people who want to shoot down walking, cycling, or other forms of transport that are not the private automobile.

If this question were sincere, it’s very easy to answer. (As are the related questions about hot weather, cold weather, or whatever.) But, the question is asked with a derisive vibe, meant as a shamer or “stopper.” We’re supposed to feel ashamed of ourselves for daring to suggest that anything not-a-car is not only a viable mode of transport but also wonderful and in many cases even superior to the private automobile.

If the question is sincere, then the comments I post in response would offer information that the questioner could actually use. Here’s what I posted yesterday in response to the “What if it rains” question by people trying to shame the mayor of Oviedo, FL for suggesting that her choice to do some errands by bicycle is part of the solution:

Not everyone is able or willing to bicycle. But everywhere, regardless of climate (yes, harshly cold places like Montana and Finland too, as well as hot places like Texas and Florida), people who DO get around by bicycle have lots of ways to deal with the prevailing types of weather in the places where they live. Dealing with weather comes with the territory.

In hot places, a big part of dealing w weather is having cool breathable clothing, and maybe a little freshen-up kit (also, many workplaces have showers, or are located near gyms that have showers). etc etc etc.

Rain: Unless it’s a hypothermia situation, I find rain gear more of a hindrance than a help when cycling. What do I do when it rains? Get rained on. No biggie. Rainwater is great for the skin. 😉

A thought that occurred to me later: It’s funny how the car-worshippers are quick to whine that people able to walk, cycle, or take public transport are “privileged.” Those same car-cult devotees seem not to notice their OWN privilege — thinking it’s perfectly OK to keep perpetuating conditions that basically force people to own cars, with no thought of the huge financial burden that places on households of modest means, not to mention the constant worry that a car will break down.

Oh, and another privileged stance of mainstream car-dominated culture is that we shouldn’t have to plan for weather in our daily travels, because we should be sheltered inside buildings and cars the whole time.

And I give Ms. Sladek, mayor of Oviedo, points for setting a good example to the citizens!

(Feel free to use any of this in your own efforts; adapt as needed.)

Public Service Announcement for my beachside neighbors!

Many people have expressed concern about extreme heat, and we are right to be concerned, as the lack of rain especially here on beachside has made this an abnormally hot summer. Besides rain, the best mechanism for mitigating extreme heat is vegetation!!

You can do your bit to ease urban heat extremes by … slacking off and being lazy! By which I mean easing-up on mowing, trimming, and other cutting-back of vegetation. Let things be soft and a bit shaggy!

As a bonus, this helps reduce noise and fumes on our beautiful beachside. Good for tourists and residents alike!

(What better thing to do at the beach than be a bit lazy, right? I actually think that’s why a lot of people move here: to have a slow gentle lifestyle and enjoy the water!)

(Go here to read this post in my neighborhood Facebook group. It’s accompanied by an illustration of how much cooler the temperature is on thick grass and meadows than on close-mowed grass.)

This post is for those of you who know how to do shadow work and are willing to do it. Especially, shadow work in the transpersonal or collective consciousness. We need to be doing a lot of it right now. See some politician or corporation do something that absolutely horrifies you; shocks you; stops you in your tracks? (Yeah, me too — lots of it.)

There’s your next shadow work assignment. Oh, and of course we need to keep doing “regular old” external activism too. But the inner work is a really key piece that often gets neglected.

Anytime we find ourselves “othering” something or someone (including, say, our “bad” ancestors), that’s an opportunity to do shadow work. Own that shadow and integrate it!

I appreciate our County Chairman Jeff Brower’s soeaking out against the addition of an unnecessary interchange on I-95.

Sounds like time for both Taylor Rd and Dunlawton Ave to get some more frequent bus service, as well as bicycle paths and sidewalks if they do not already have them. This will help take the pressure off the roads, for all those who need or want to drive motor vehicles. Maybe a cute little trolley, or retro-trolley-looking bus, would be well received, since the neighborhoods in that area are sort of posh.

Our transportation system here is overly car-dependent, mired in a 1950s mindset. We need to bring our region into the 21st century by alleviating our car-dependent planning which causes grotesque destruction of land, animals, plants, and our own quality of life.

Thank you Ted Noftall for Volusia County Council, District 3!!! And all other candidates and officials who oppose this interchange.

From Ted Noftall posting on Facebook:

“The land surrounding the proposed Pioneer Trail interchange has been mired in political intrigue since development rights were granted to the Stanaki Partnership in 1996.

“The introduction of Mori Hosseini into the mix in 2004 increased the intrigue greatly to where we are today with required federal environmental studies sidestepped in an effort to keep the proposed interchange on track.

“This interchange if constructed will spur development in one of the most environmentally sensitive areas of Volusia county.

“It will not provide any lasting traffic relief as the development it spurs will exceed its capacity in short order as has happened with every interchange from Ormond Beach to Edgewater.

“This interchange, its $100 million taxpayer price tag, and the over development it will spur is odious to the people in the immediate area and throughout Volusia county and it must be stopped.

“I do not know if it can be stopped but i do know the only candidates committed to doing so are the Volusia Values candidates; of myself for County Council District 3, Ken Smith for District 4. David Sosa for District 5, and Doug Pettit for At-Large.”

This 2-minute video shows a vision for a dense, eco-oriented city called the Line, that would be built in Saudi Arabia.

This is akin to the Ecocity Builders concept, which I like a lot, and which has long been espoused by Richard Register et al. Ecocities are envisioned as densely populated settlements with the tallest buildings (4-5 storeys) forming a tight nucleus surrounded by nature and many transport options with an emphasis on human-powered modes.

The Line is different in some ways that I see as not green:

1) Why is it shaped like a monolithic wall — a human-invented structure designed to serve as a barrier — rather than the more natural, organically emergent, plural cluster shape envisioned by Ecocity Builders and more close to the shapes and forms found in a forest or savannah?

2) Besides being shaped like a barrier, the linear shape is also designed to favor mechanized transportation rather than human-powered transport. The video refers to how quick it is to get from one end of the city to the other. Quickness is efficient in a capitalistic industrial sense, but the slower and “less efficient” modes such as walking, bicycling, scootering, wheelchairing, skateboarding, etc., are what build vibrant social connections, social capital, community. (Edit: I assumed they were talking about some sort of train or monorail, but maybe they have walking in mind when they say it’s quick to get from one end to the other.)

3) An economy characterized by heavy dependence on automation rather than healthy reliance on human beings, cottage industries, micro businesses. A healthy community is intricately linked by an interdependent web of services provided by humans living in right relationship with each other and with the rest of nature.

4) The envisioned linear skyscraper-city is seventy-five miles long. Plans call for five million residents. Meanwhile, magnificent Tokyo (one of my favorite cities) accommodates I believe about eight million residents in its roughly circular central area which is about six miles across.

5) As always with techno-green visions like this, the “energy sci-fi” objection comes up. I don’t have the scientific and technical background to know if the “energy math” would work or not, but based on various things I’ve read or watched from knowledgeable people whose assessments I trust, I strongly suspect it would not.

All of that said, any creative efforts that challenge the prevailing notions of what urban settlements can look like, and at least trying to leave nature a lot more space, are worth considering. And hey, it’s a design concept. If some element doesn’t turn out to be practical or feasible, the design can be tweaked.