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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (April 5, 2012)
NEWS BRIEFS CONTINUED FROM P.7 The April 10 PARC meeting at the grange is open to the public. Owen says those wishing to carpool from Eugene can contact him at greenlion@pitchforkrebellion.com “We need to make them know we are not giving up on this,” King says. For more information on the PARC study go to http://wkly.ws/18i — Camilla Mortensen PRINCETON PHYSICIST ON CLIMATE CHANGE Perhaps one day the question posed by physicist Robert Socolow, “What would we do if we took climate change seriously?” will seem as absurd and archaic as “What would we do if we took the idea the planets revolved around the sun seriously?” For now Socolow, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Princeton University, has a lot of work to do. At 5 pm Monday, April 9, Socolow will speak at the UO’s Knight Library Browsing Room, laying out his plan to slow global warming under the assumption that the world will someday begin to accept climate change as a real threat. Socolow is also co-director of the Carbon Mitigation Initiative with biologist Stephen Pacala, for which the two Princeton professors created the Stabilization Wedge Game — an educational tool that demonstrates how global warming can be thwarted, or at least significantly curbed, with present-day CO2-reducing technologies. So why is everyone from fellow Princeton physicist Freeman Dyson to Michelle Bachmann to the guy sitting next to you at the bar casting a skeptical eye on climate science? “It’s so counterintuitive that we can change this great big planet with our own actions,” says Socolow. “We need to learn how to fit on the planet, respect other species and share the space.” Just as Darwin was scorned for categorizing humans as part of the animal kingdom and Galileo spent the remainder of his life under house arrest for revealing his discovery that the Earth was not at the center of the universe, Socolow points out that history has not been kind to scientific discoveries that paint man’s role in the world in an incendiary light. “When we do accept, OK, we are able to change the planet, then we have to make some pretty substantial changes.” And recycling and biking to work, although helpful, are quick fixes, he says. Socolow’s approach is three-pronged: frame the problem honestly, propagate planetary thinking and enlarge the system boundary. To greatly simplify, admitting there is a problem is the first step. The second step is acceptance that the developing world will ultimately decide the state of the planet we live on. Finally, picture the future of humanity collectively through prospicience, the art of foresight. So what can the average person do in the face of this environmental juggernaut? “Pay attention,” says Socolow. “Don’t be afraid of the subject. The number one problem at the moment is people don’t want to talk about it anymore because it’s divisive.” Climate change has become an increasingly controversial topic. In 2008, GOP presidential candidate John McCain said that climate change was real and that humankind was substantially responsible. Fast-forward to the 2012 GOP primary race and you have a smorgasbord of candidates who have called man-made global warming “a beautifully concocted scheme” (Rick Santorum), “voodoo nonsense” (Michele Bachmann) and a “hoax” (Ron Paul). “In this country we are turning our backs on reason,” Socolow says. “There is so much rejection of science as a way of knowing. I hope my talk will make people think about the place of science in understanding the human condition.” — Alexandra Notman assistance in planting urban trees. The areas for planting have been determined based on need considered by organization leaders. They take into account canopy levels as well as the lack of tree canopy in lower-income areas, says Erik Burke, Eugene director of Friends of Trees. “We try to focus on the areas that have the greatest need,” he says. Trees can provide shade that reduces the costs of cooling buildings in the summer and other benefits. At the moment, areas with a strong volunteer base are able to get greater attention, but Burke says the organization is planning to expand that base throughout Eugene and Springfield. Last year Eugene Tree Foundation, which had been around for 14 years, became a Friends of Trees branch. The Portland-based organization has been planting trees in that city since the early ’90s. This Saturday’s event will be the first use of bicycles for bringing the trees and tools for planting by the Eugene chapter. The technique has been used in Portland for some time, but it will be a new way of operating down here. “We’re just going to try it with a couple teams to learn how to do it and then next year try and have our first all-bike planting,” says Burke. After all the trees are planted, Northwest Natural will be providing barbeque and refreshments for all those involved at Jefferson Park. — Ted Shorack GO PLANT A TREE BY BIKE Eugene City Council and mayoral candidates, both opposed and unopposed, will appear at City Club of Eugene at 11:50 am Friday, April 6, at the Hilton Vistas Ballroom, 12th floor. Invited are Mayor Kitty Piercy and her two opponents in the May 15 primary, Kevin Prociw and Jon Walrod. Ward 1 Councilor George Brown is unchallenged. Ward 2 Councilor Betty Taylor is invited, along with her opponents Jim Ray and Juan Carlos Valle. Ward 3 Councilor Andrea Ortiz and Ward 8 Councilor Chris Pryor are both unopposed. Community members are encouraged to bring questions and concerns for candidates to address. North county commissioner candidates Rob Handy and Pat Farr will be speaking in a special City Club candidates forum at 7 pm Thursday, April 12, at Trinity United Methodist Church, 440 Maxwell Road. City Club will resume its regular Friday meetings with Rep. Peter DeFazio talking about “Congress, Timber and Transportation” Friday, April 13. See www.cityclubofeugene.org Fallen trees and branches are splattered all over Lane County thanks to the March snowstorm and rains, but more trees are on the way, via bicycle. Friends of Trees is planning on putting nearly 100 trees in the ground this Arbor Day, April 7. The Friends of Trees event is a collaboration with the city of Eugene and Jefferson Westside neighbors as well as EWEB and Northwest Natural. After meeting at Jefferson Park, teams will be sent out to plant at the park and around the nearby neighborhood. There will also be some going into the ground near the Lane County Fairgrounds. Mayor Kitty Piercy will be giving a speech before the planting commences and the city of Eugene will be yet again awarded a “Tree City USA” award, which is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation and allows for greater national IT’S ABOUT TIME BY DAVID WAGNER W CANDIDATES AT CITY CLUB LIGHTEN UP Those who deny that human activity is the cause of climate change are right. The real culprits are the dinosaurs who squatted in Texas ages ago. hen the snowstorm blew in on March 21, it was deja vu all over again. I wanted to gather specimens for my annual moss class and I was stuck inside. On March 11 last year I got stuck in snow on the road up to Roman Nose while hunting class material. It’s an object lesson that global warming means climate change, not just warmer and drier. Drowning worms in gutters give witness to near record rainfall. So, when can we safely plant out tomatoes and peppers? The old calendars are not going be reliable; we have to feel the air and plant when it feels right. Although the daffodils were momentarily flattened, and plum trees all over town came down or lost branches, the woodland plants are slogging on. Spring beauty and osoberry are passing peak bloom while wild cucumber is reaching out to snag overhead branches with grasping tendrils. Bleeding heart should be blooming in the next NORTHERN SHOVELER three weeks. Sunny days being so rare, I love hearing the chickadees singing their breeding territory song, “chick a dee dee – please come to me.” Down by the ponds the ducks seem to be getting more restless. The grebes and cormorants dive if they think I am looking at them. The shovelers are as shy as ever. Unlike the mallards that come close to beg for food, shovelers paddle away when I show up. The shovelers seem to say, “Stay away, I will be leaving soon.” I am going to miss them. Near Creswell, Gabrielson Logging, (541) 514- 8353, has been hired by Rolland Richards, (541) 895-4470, to spray Garlon 4, Triclopyr Ester on 20 acres in Section 19 of Township 19 South, Range 03 West, in a site prep operation. See ODF notice 2012-781-00219. David Wagner is a botanist who has lived in Eugene for more than 30 years. He teaches moss classes and leads nature walks. He may be reached at fernzen- mosses@me.com Compiled by Jan Wroncy, Forestland Dwellers: 342-8332, www.for- estlanddwellers.org 8 APRIL 5, 2012 EUGENE WEEKLY BY R A FA E L A L DAV E LANE AREA SPRAY SCHEDULE WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM
