Part of what the Ojai Chautauqua tries to do every couple of months is bring out information regarding complex topics, which is what I tried to do in part as a moderator this past Sunday for a panel on fracking. What did we learn? Well, here's one item, from Kimberly Rivers story in the OjaiContinue reading “Ojai Chatauqua on fracking: know your CA geology”
Category Archives: activism
Ojai fracking panel agrees: more transparency please!
Over the last four or so months I put together a panel on fracking for the Ojai Chautauqua, a centrist group that holds public forums/discussions on controversial issues at the Ojai Valley Inn. (Think I'm beginning to learn how to do it: This is the third such panel I put together this year, and theContinue reading “Ojai fracking panel agrees: more transparency please!”
New climate rhetoric: “the least worst of all possible worlds”
What makes a t-shirt about the grim future cool? An even-greater-than usual recent episode of Radiolab focused on this question. It found a route into the question through a bizarre fact: an ultra-obscure philosophical book from Zero Press called In the Dust of this Planet has overnight (well, this past year) become a fashion/cultural icon ofContinue reading “New climate rhetoric: “the least worst of all possible worlds””
“I got trapped on a path”: Charles Bowden
About ten years ago I wrote an essay, perhaps my best to date, about John Muir, that was published in the spectacular nature magazine Wild Earth. (Which sadly no longer publishes, nor can it be found on-line.) I found myself in good company, with the likes of E.O. Wilson, but the best piece in theContinue reading ““I got trapped on a path”: Charles Bowden”
The American pine-nut vs. climate change: NPR
A week or so ago had the privilege of living in the western fringe of the pine-nut forest of the Southwest and became fascinated with these super-hardy and super-productive trees, upon which so much life in this region depends. (Not so much human life these days, true, but once upon a time.) So today IContinue reading “The American pine-nut vs. climate change: NPR”
Students vs. obesity in Santa Paula CA
Let me belatedly post the main story I have been at work on for the last six months or so, as part of a Reporting on Health fellowship, about obesity — and those battling it — in Santa Paula. Turns out, appropriately, it's students and young adults who have taken up the fight. Not toContinue reading “Students vs. obesity in Santa Paula CA”
Eliza Gilkyson: I’m so worried about everything
Eliza Gilkyson is a folk singer, an unexpectedly good guitar player, and a wit. For years she's been writing about nuclear war, environmental and economic collapse, and has had the nerve to issue whole records on these themes (notably the excellent song "The Party's Over"). But she also writes songs about herself, of course, andContinue reading “Eliza Gilkyson: I’m so worried about everything”
Huge climate march in NYC: “There is no Planet B.”
From the NYTimes: A Clarion Call for Action USAToday calls it the largest climate march ever. MSNBC said hundreds of thousands in NYC. To be followed by a mass demonstration at Wall Street tomorrow — now that should be interesting. Flood Wall Street. Bringing the experience so many people around the globe have lived throughContinue reading “Huge climate march in NYC: “There is no Planet B.””
Shakshuka: a new and exciting veg dish from Ottolenghi
In this week's food column in the L.A. Times, Russ Parsons catches up with the flamboyant Middle Eastern cook Yotam Ottolenghi and his great recipe for Shakshuka. Unfortunately the newspaper writer does not actually give the brilliant cook's recipe, but does offer numerous variations on his theme. To me this is peculiar, no matter how fineContinue reading “Shakshuka: a new and exciting veg dish from Ottolenghi”
Missing in India: Vultures
Of all the stories I have heard of in this year's environmental journalism convention (held in New Orleans) none dropped my jaw quite like Meera Subramanian's long-form piece in VQR India's Vanishing Vultures. I hope to quote just enough to convince you folks to read the whole thing — it's just great. And it's worthContinue reading “Missing in India: Vultures”
Kit Stolz 