The town I live in, Chico, CA is sometimes known as “Berkeley North” due to the liberal influence of Chico State University (CSUC). In this case, CSUC’s sustainability cabal, led by Professor Mark Stemen and Mayor Ann Schwab, has snookered our town into passing a “Climate Action Plan”.
Last Tuesday, our city council (who’s been deep in the red financially) approved by a 6 to 1 vote, the “Climate Action Plan” (CAP) from the “Sustainability Task Force”. It’s quite the hoot, because as I point out, they could buy “carbon indulgences”, for less than the cost of the “studies” money, and be done with it rather than continue to waste everybody’s time and effort. But in my opinion, the CAP really isn’t about results, it is about a continued agenda and public funds being used to support that agenda.
Here’s the story on it:
Full story here
Here’s what went down in discussion:
But Councilor Larry Wahl contested whether a Climate Action Plan, or its subsequent directives, would produce any “tangible benefit” to Chico.
“I do not literally see what this will accomplish … Will the sky be bluer? Will anything be prettier?” Wahl asked.
Holcombe said he didn’t want the city to take the chance that it wouldn’t.
“Nature is not waiting and certainly I don’t want the city of Chico to wait,” Holcombe said.
The rest of the council supported Holcombe.
By a 6-1 vote with Wahl dissenting, the council directed the creation of a Climate Action Plan, simultaneously approving a number of actions to be implemented in the first phase of the plan.
Here’s the Climate Action Plan (PDF) as it was approved that night. You’ll find it starting on page 80 of the meeting agenda. The Enterprise Record wrote a scathing editorial on it:
Full editorial here.
I had identified the same issues, but took it a step further with my letter to the editor I sent, citing what I recently discovered about the Chicago Climate Exchange:
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Dear Editor:
Regarding the recently passed city “Climate Action Plan,” one good idea is the installation of LED street lighting. While it won’t do much to offset carbon dioxide (since power plants program for lower idle loads at night) it will save money due to increased power efficiency. Anything minimizing expense and waste is a good thing for our spend-happy city government.
Besides this misguided but fiscally sensible idea, I note this in the Climate Action Plan: “Carbon Offsets Goal 1: Purchase Carbon Offsets Where Cost Effective.”
Since Team Schwab seems determined to waste money on this, I’ll point out three things:
1. Carbon offset trading in the USA is essentially dead. Even Sen. Harry Reid admits this. The Senate failed to pass cap and trade.
2. If they must waste money, don’t wait, do it now, because carbon offsets at the Chicago Climate Exchange are going for the bargain price of 5 cents per ton, down from the heyday highs of $7.50 per ton. See www.chicagoclimatex.com.
A bag of charcoal briquettes is worth more right now.
3. The plan said Chico emits 516,000 tons of carbon. At that price, we can offset the whole town for $25,800, far less than the cost of the actual city “Climate Plan.”
Maybe the council should buy boatloads of carbon credits at 5 cents per ton then resell it to the clueless Europeans trading carbon at nearly $20 per ton (see www.ecx.eu).
Yeah, that’s the ticket out of our city financial crisis.
Anthony Watts,
Chico CA
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Here’s the price today:
Waste money now, or later? That is the question.
For the record, I like LED lighting, and I put my money where my mouth is.
My view of carbon offsets? The City of Chico could buy them here, save our public funds, and they’d be just as effective. In fact, if they print them on this paper, the 69 cents a sheet paper would actually be worth more than the 5 cents per ton of carbon they “offset”.
Such a deal, sounds just like a job for our city government.
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UPDATE: I’ve added the PowerPoint presentation given at the City Council Meeting which you can download here: CityCouncil9-7
Mark Stemen says:
“…I live in a community where people know each other, and they know when people are telling them the truth because they can see it in their eyes and hear it in their voice.”
Really? I mean, and please correct me if I am wrong, isn’t the, “see it in their eyes and hear it in their voice.” meme the refuge of ‘snake-oil-salesmen’ and shady used car salesmen? Did I leave out politicians? This is the worst of all measures possible when it comes to science and/or the spending of taxpayers monies (if this was tongue-in-cheek please disregard). Do you watch any TV?
As Steve Allen points out above:
“Gee, I thought climate science was, well, science. When is it that belief enters the world of climate science? Mark, when does belief exit climate science?”
It is exactly the people who “believe” because of a well rehersed script and the projection of sincerity that this controversy exhibits such tenacity amongst the public. You won’t find many of that ilk here, you see, we want facts, we want sound science, we want the truth to the best it can be understood. It’s not that we don’t believe Mark it’s that the claims lack proof: factual data extrapolated through the proper use of the scientific method.
In your position you have a unique opportunity to return your students to critical thinking. I also understand that if you were to engage scepticism objectively it would put you between a ‘rock-&-hard-place’ given your past views and apparent enthusiasm (I read your link: and congratulations) for the “cause” you are championing. That, not to mention the fact, as you point out, it is law in CA. Good luck with all that.
This, howerver, does not preclude, in any way, your responsibility as an educator; do so with objectivity, upholding the scientific method and a dogged committment to the truth.
A good start would be to hang out here more. Take Anthony up on his offer to post your views. And please, by all means, clear up the ‘lies’ and ‘BS’ accusations as a first step.
You can, and should (along with all educators) be a motivational source for answering the question that Steve Allen asks above,” …when does belief exit climate science?”. It can start with you.
When I was a lad I opted to go to a college to learn engineering, it was long and hard, longer and harder than being a medical doctor, infinitely harder than becoming a tenured professor of unicorn mate-ship rituals. This man Mark in this Californian village seems to have gained a degree in rudeness and a tenure in dumb. In Australia he would rightly be referred to as a wanker. We have the same problem that our higher education facilities have been usurped by clones that have no capacity for original thought or the cajones to disagree with the prevailing wisdom. Thus our children are brainwashed, it will take a generation of un PC action to thwart the insidious infiltration that has occurred over the last five decades. I am too old to fight, but have armed my children with the knowledge to fight this stupidity. Mark sorry to say, you are a dipstick.
As I recall, the greatest wear on an IC engine is starting up, when the oil is in the sump. And cold engines create the most pollution. So shutting down for relatively short waits can actually be counter-productive.
The cabs in NY City used to get 3-400K miles on their engines, largely because they kept them running all day.
/Mr Lynn
Just to play a little on the other side, if the city actually got 1200 hours of effort from the interns for $30,000, that’s only $25/hour. Assuming a conservative multiplier of 2.5 for overhead, thats only about $10/hour for the interns. Don’t get me wrong; I think the basis of the study was silly, but there are very consulting projects that are going this cheaply.
If I understand correctly a Mark Stemen and a Anthony Watts
live in Chico, CA? And the majority of you other posters do not?
So, is this really your business?
A minimum of decorum would prevent you from throwing
patronizing crap at MS, but I guess you all need your daily
portion of ….?
Professor Mark said:
To establish the baseline, the CSU, Chico Research Foundation contracted with the City of Chico to complete the study in three months for $30,000. The money went to a laptop and software (both City property now), and a staff of four researchers to gather data (1200 hours).
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One laptop, and software.
Four researchers, to look at the obvious…
and you have the nerve…………………
Do you live in Chico, Mikael, and if so why are you, too, posting on this thread?
To borrow a phrase from my fellow antipodean, Wayne Job, you, Sir are not merely a [snip . . too much rudeness here today already . . mod]
>>Mikael
>>A minimum of decorum would prevent you from throwing
>>patronizing crap at MS, but I guess you all need your daily
>>portion of ….?
Hey, Mikael, butt out of what you don’t understand.
This is one small example of something that is happening all over the Western world. Left-leaning (normally) councils are jumping over themselves to waste our money of half-baked Green projects, just so they can glow in their own reflected ego – while we get ever less of the council services that we require.
Plus, the left-leaning (almost exclusively) education establishment has all but destroyed our education system. In the UK, you now have to murder a teacher before you can get expelled, while the syllabus and exam system has been reduced to Green propaganda.
Take a look at this travesty of a physics exam:
http://store.aqa.org.uk/qual/gcse/qp-ms/AQA-PHY1AP-W-QP-MAR08.PDF
How can you do physics without a single formula? It is time that the likes of this Prof Mark were driven from their cozy jobs-for-life, where it does not matter how useless you are, and made to compete in the real world.
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So, is this really your business?
I think it is .
Because the rather horrifying example of Chico today might be our reality tomorrow .
We have also our opportunistic Marks, our confused Holcombs and our crazy environmentalists who would like us spending money to count tons of carbon and worse .
But we have succeeded to hold them in check sofar .
So yes , I think we are all concerned .
The city I live in (Midwestern US) has been replacing “normal” street lights with LED’s as they need replacing, but they ran into a bit of a problem last winter.
Normal lights are inefficient -they create heat. When it snows, that heat melts the snow that would otherwise accumulate over the lights. With LED’s you get no heat and the snow/ice builds up making the lights invisible. Now the city council is trying to figure out how to clean the snow off the lights…
mikael pihlström says:
September 14, 2010 at 5:52 am
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Just out of curiosity mikael. Are you the same person ( see the website), who is a coordinator of a-lup project of university of Helsinki, which main goal is meddling in other peoples life ? Just asking.
http://www.helsinki.fi/bioscience/elup/
mikael pihlström says:
September 14, 2010 at 5:52 am
“If I understand correctly a Mark Stemen and a Anthony Watts
live in Chico, CA? And the majority of you other posters do not?
So, is this really your business?
A minimum of decorum would prevent you from throwing
patronizing crap at MS, but I guess you all need your daily
portion of ….?”
Sorry, but if it’s on a thread it’s open for comment.
By your logic, nobody should be permitted to comment on anything unless they live in the town that is the subject of the news. Let me ask you this. Suppose the thread was devoted to critizing that skeptical councillor Wahl, for daring to oppose Green measures. Suppose Wahl, attempting to support his actions, posted here, but was blasted by waves of outraged warmists. Would you be so quick to jump to his defence? Or is your indignation only reserved for one side of the argument?
>>John:
>>With LED’s you get no heat and the snow/ice builds up making
>>the lights invisible. Now the city council is trying to figure out how
>>to clean the snow off the lights…
Hey, John, that’s simple .. dude.
You just put a small heating element behind each LED bulb, to produce a little heat, and then you get an LED that consumes more energy.
Simple … 😉
.
P.S. Since going to low energy light bulbs, I have had to turn the heating up two notches. Did I help the environment, or not?
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In the days when I was an undergraduate,Professors would never tolerate open statements or poor citation. Standards, Mark, standards!
Mods, A comment of mine got snipped for calling someone a ‘Dipstick’. I don’t know about you, but in NZ and Oz, a Dipstick is a relatively mild and kindly term for someone who is intellectually challenged.
Mark says- “They are normal faculty. Lest you think me a complete loon or spoof, however, . . . http://news.csuchico.edu/2008/09/10/‘dr-mark’-honored-for-sustainability-contributions/”
QED!
For those who may be wondering, here is a short list of courses Mark has recently been teaching.
http://www.csuchico.edu/geop/syllabi/Archived%20Syllabi/index.shtml
I’m sure a balanced view of AGW is being presented…
GEOG 304 Section 2- Environmental Issues
GEOG 440 Section 1- Environmental Thought and Action
GEOG 603 Section 1- Seminar in Human Geography
GEOG 405s Section 1- Nature & Restoration
‘Environmental thought and action’ is a senior undergraduate course in Geography?!? Who knew…
Mark receives very good student reviews at ratemyprofessors, 4.5 or better on quality, helpfulness, clarity, and easiness (out of 5). Here are some sample glowing comments-
http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?tid=379580
“If you want to, as he says, “seize control of your education”– then get on the Dr. Mark train. Feel the love, for cryin out loud.”
“This class was very easy, although there is a lot of writing. Mark knows his stuff and is such a great person! TAKE CLASSES FROM HIM! HE’LL CHANGE YOUR LIFE!”
And here is an unhappy customer’s comment-
“Don’t take his classes if you have a working knowledge of the enviroment. He is a creepy guy who teaches as if we are living in the 60’s. If you want to get a job locally that involves the environment do not mention that you studied under Mark. He is a JOKE in the professional environmental community. He would be a great grade school teacher.”
Tom Vonk:
“We have also our opportunistic Marks, our confused Holcombs and our crazy environmentalists who would like us spending money to count tons of carbon and worse .”
Tom hits the bullseye here. For me it is the spending money, specifically when it’s the public’s money, on dubious and needless activities such as this that I find most repugnant. Some may say that it’s not my money but the people of Chico, CA … true … until California goes broke and has to get a bailout, which then (like all of our bailouts here in the US) makes it my money…
Alexander K says:
September 14, 2010 at 6:24 am
Ralph says:
September 14, 2010 at 6:36 am
TomVonk says:
September 14, 2010 at 6:45 am
IMO, local self government should be respected. Whether the council is
right, left or buddhist, it is still locally elected. Of course, anyone can
comment, I was refering to the tone used. Do you have inquisitor
mandates to go directly for the book keeping, using demeaning
language all the way?
ML says:
September 14, 2010 at 7:18 am
It’s about policy analysis. Should be legal.
Beyond the CCX, another “unprecedented” decline due Climategate:
http://www.skyfall.fr/wp-content/tcp_month1.png
From:
http://www.skyfall.fr/?p=608
Al Gore, a victim of climate change (translated from the french by google)
The program The Climate Project (TCP) of Al Gore’s goal is to widely distribute the film An Inconvenient Truth and to raise awareness about the climate emergency by series of conferences throughout the world. He has suffered in recent months against the shock of Copenhagen and various ClimateGates. According to the list of events planned at the site of TCP (link above), the monthly number of conferences reached a peak of 193 just before Copenhagen in October 2009 before continuing decline “unprecedented” and “irreversible” to s ‘collapse in recent months. For now, no conference is scheduled for 2011, which bodes ill for the continuation of the project. This is unquestionably one more sign of “climate fatigue” that affects the movement warming. Celebrating still performance of TCP fans who managed to mobilize 19,613 conferences so far! If they were angry at the idea that so much effort may also produce some results, it would be understandable.
Prof Mark is a cool guy!
http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?tid=379580&page=2
“He is outstanding! Love him! Take as many classes of his as you can and your GPA will thank you! Also, at the end of the semester, he asks you to give yourself a grade. Give your self a good grade because that is the one you will get. Really!”
“one of the best teachers ever. take his class!!! he is a really cool environmentalist, and his classes are sooooo easy. NO tests!!!”
—
Cut him some slack, he does…
>>Mikael:
>> Local self government should be respected. Whether the
>>council is right, left or buddhist, it is still locally elected.
Respected if they keep to their remit. They are elected to look after the sewers, roads, schools and rubbish collection – not to change our climate, ban nuclear weapons or make peace agreements with the USSR.
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Djozar says:
September 14, 2010 at 5:48 am
“Just to play a little on the other side, if the city actually got 1200 hours of effort from the interns for $30,000, that’s only $25/hour. Assuming a conservative multiplier of 2.5 for overhead, thats only about $10/hour for the interns. Don’t get me wrong; I think the basis of the study was silly, but there are very consulting projects that are going this cheaply.”
If the “researchers” were Mark’s students, would they be considered consultants?
And what overhead do you refer? Riding bikes and cruising the Internet? And why would $10 an hour be considered cheap for a student that is involved by a teacher to do research?
Everywhere has a GHG reduction plan
Marin County’s plan claims that average temperatures may rise by up to 10% by the end of the century !
http://www.co.marin.ca.us/depts/CD/main/pdf/final_ghg_red_plan.pdf
http://www.co.marin.ca.us/depts/CD/main/pdf/final_ghg_red_plan.pdf
sorry, i meant 10degrees in California