environmentalist

The second week of January has blown in quite fiercely, with a High Wind Warning to last through 1 p.m. Tuesday. Activities around the capital city include the 2020 Winter Reading Challenge at the library, a brown bag luncheon featuring famed environmental writer Michael Branch at the Nevada State Library and Archives, the weekly gathering of the Carson City Toastmasters at Max Casino, a meeting of the Carson City School Board, live cool jazz at Living the Good Life and more.

Writer, humorist and environmentalist Michael Branch will discuss his works this Tuesday, Jan. 14 at the Nevada State Library and Archives in Carson City as part of its Brown Bag luncheon series. Branch is the author of several published books, one of which is the Pulitzer-Prize nominated John Muir’s Last Journey: South to the Amazon and East to Africa.

Doug Mishler will portray former President of the United States “Theodore Roosevelt”, at the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park on Wednesday, July 26, at 6:30 pm.

Have a great day, Carson City. You can choose from a jazz jam at Living the Good Life or an open mic at the Firkin and Fox. Pick up some yummy stuff for dinner at the McFadden Plaza Farmers Market. Learn about environmentalist John Muir at the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park in Minden. Enjoy country line dancing with DJ Bobby G at the Eleventh Frame Lounge in Carson Lanes.

WEDNESDAY:

• Free Swim Day for all Military and Veterans at the Carson Hot Springs (7am-10pm; outdoor pools only)

In the early 1970s, as assistant city engineer in Urbana, where I attended the University of Illinois, I worked on bikeways, sewer systems to minimize pollution, promoting underground power and telephone lines, and other “green” projects. Later, as a university research engineer, I worked on many other environmental, energy and policy issues.

Climate change is the cause of everything, even crime, prostitution and terrorism.
Those are among claims studies have made in recent years. With world leaders meeting in Paris this week to discuss a new global climate treaty, we'll hear more of these stories.

The terrorism connection, which blames the rise of ISIS (or the Islamic State) on climate change in Syria, is particularly noteworthy because President Obama said earlier this year that climate change is a greater threat than terrorism. We're guessing that will encounter some skepticism in Paris right now.

We often hear that electricity can be generated cheaply and with no environmental impact from the wind and sun.

Sounds good. But long ago, folks were also assured that nuclear power would be “too cheap to meter” and the only safe environmental choice.
The catches then were the same as now: First, the cost claim was based on biased estimates by the advocates for these sources, not on competitive market data.

What is Common Core (CC) and why should you care?

Its proponents say CC is merely a set of standards for kindergarten through twelfth-grade education developed by disinterested and public-spirited experts at the request of the nation’s governors and state school superintendents.

Former Nevada Assemblywoman and hospital trustee Vivian Freeman died Thursday at her home in Reno. She was 86 years old.

She successfully underwent kidney transplant surgery in 2011 and passed away due to complications from a stroke she suffered on Nov. 26. In accordance with her wishes, she asked that all treatment be stopped so that she could return home where she died at 11:00 a.m. PST on Thursday, Dec. 5.