Why I am unable to fulfill my pledge to Stanford

Exchange of letters with Stanford, in chronological order from top to bottom Sept. 7, 2023 Jon Denney, Vice President for DevelopmentStanford University, Office of Development Dear Mr. Denney, Thank you for your letter reminding me of the current balance on my pledge to Stanford. I write to explain why I am unable to fulfill my obligation. I face an ethical dilemma. Do I fulfill my financial promise to Stanford and allow my funds to be … more

Climate Change, Anxiety, Hypocrisy

Fighting Despair We need the right kind of climate optimism (Vox)Climate pessimism dooms us to a terrible future. Complacent optimism is no better. How to fight climate despair (Vox) Worried About the Climate? Join the Club—Literally. (The New Republic) Climate change anxiety is real. Here’s how you can manage those feelings (NPR) Feeling climate despair? There’s a word for that (LA Times) Yes, you can talk to kids about climate without being bleak (LA Times) … more

Sea Studios’ Portfolio

Videos The Worlds Below (1988) Wild California (1989) A World Alive (1990) Aunt Merriwether’s Adventures in the Backyard – Part 1 & Part 2 (1992) Jellies and other Drifters (excerpts) (1993) Television Programs and Series Desperately Seeking Sanctuary (1994) Sea Nasties (1996) The Shape of Life (2002) Strange Days on Planet Earth (2005) Otter 501 (2013) Articles To Capture The Imagination: Sea Studios and the Visual Art of Biology Chasing Nature: The Making of A … more

Wood versus fossil fuels

What piqued my interest: “Climate change is caused by bringing up stored carbon from underground. That’s what a fossil fuel is. Burning trees, which we also do in campfires and our fireplaces, is not as bad as burning coal.” [emphasis added] @leahstokes My replies Not sure that’s right — no time to research, but see here  “When burned, trees generate more CO2 emissions per unit of energy generated than fossil fuels.” + loss of carbon sequestration.” I’m … more

Science Denial: Covid-19 and Climate Science

Why don’t we treat climate change like an infectious disease? (Grist) ‘Misinformation kills’: The link between coronavirus conspiracies and climate denial (Grist) The COVID-19 Pandemic Exposes The Harm Of Denying Scientific Facts (Forbes) 6 Ways Trump’s Denial of Science Has Delayed the Response to COVID-19 (and Climate Change) (Inside Climate Change) If The Virus Can Decimate Global Economies So Can Climate Change (Forbes) Coronavirus and climate change: The pandemic is a fire drill for our … more

Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic Data Sources

Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic (Worldometer) Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) – Statistics and Research (Our World in Data) Total confirmed cases of COVID-19 (US) (Our World in Data) Infection Trajectory: See Which Countries are Flattening Their COVID-19 Curve (Visual Capitalist) Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center Impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to reduce COVID-19 mortality and healthcare demand (Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team) The Covid-19 risks for different age groups, explained (Vox) State-by-state COVID-19 projections assuming full social distancing … more

How to Fight the Coronavirus

How to fight the coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 and its disease, COVID-19 Michael Lin, PhD-MDAssociate Professor of Neurobiology, of Bioengineering and, by courtesy, of Chemical and Systems BiologyStanford UniversityLin Lab Briefing 2020-03-13Revised 2020-03-20 Regularly updated here by Michael Lin Warning: Contains factsBonus: Hand sanitizer recipe This is not a pretty powerpoint This is an informational document. This is not a TED talk. It is not meant to entertain or dazzle or push an idea with beautiful graphics. … more

Scientists’ Call to Action: Make Your Voice Heard to Protect Science and Public Health

From Sudip S. Parik, Chief Executive Officer, American Association For The Advancement Of Science (AAAS), and Executive Publisher, Science Journals Dear Members, I’m writing to alert you about an important matter and to ask for your help in addressing it. As many of you many know, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been considering a proposal informally known as the “Transparency Rule.” {Though the rule’s true aim is anything but transparent.} If implemented, this policy would fundamentally change … more

Environmental NGOs in La Paz, BCS | An American Perspective

La Paz, BCS, Mexico is the hub of environmental activity on the Baja Peninsula. Several of the major international and U.S.-based environmental non-government organizations (NGOs) have offices here, in addition to several Baja- and La Paz-focused NGOs. From local to international, here’s a quick overview: Sociedad de Historia Natural Niparajá – Led by our friend executive director Meredith de la Garza, Niparaja is a La Paz-based, NGO whose mission is “to perpetuate the natural assets that distinguish Baja California … more