The Earth as a Being with Its Own Life

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday April 22, 2025 · 7:50 PM PDT

2025/04/22 · 19:50

The earth was plainly a garden, a park, a being having its own life. There were minor lumps and blisters here and there about the surface, outcroppings of artificial rock and garbage that men are pleased to call cities, nations, empires. But even these weren’t really alien to or different from the rest of what there was, what appeared to the eye. The men and tin cans were a phase of a larger expression, a bigger composition that was working itself out regardless of the notions or wishes or theories of the men who thought of themselves as being in complete control of the entire show. Here it all was in the sun, or, as Ken was fond of thinking, temporarily bright, actually it all existed in endless darkness and silence, a being that was acting out its own curious desires.

Source: You Didn't Even Try by Philip Whalen

SF, CA: Coyote Books, 1967

Philip Whalen was a San Francisco Beat generation poet who later became a Buddhist monk. He has an original USAmerican voice. You Didn't Even Try and Imaginary Speeches for a Brazen Head, his two novels, are too little known but well worth reading as are Whalen's poems. He had his hand on the throttle and his foot upon the treadle of the clutch.

Poll

14 votes Show Results

More of its own life to the Earth?

14 votes Vote Now!

More of its own life to the Earth?

yes

9 votes

0 votes

not yes

0 votes

not no

1 vote

neither yes nor no

0 votes

both yes and no

1 vote

don't understand the question?

3 votes

none of the above

0 votes

No More Equality Under the Law, the End of Isonomy

gmoke

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Saturday April 19, 2025 · 10:46 AM PDT

2025/04/19 · 10:46

Reading Hannah Arendt's On Revolution I learned a new word: isonomy - the principle that all citizens or subjects of a state are equal before the law, or that they have equal civil or political rights.

She wrote:
"The polis was supposed to be an isonomy, not a democracy… The equality of the Greek polis, its isonomy, was an attribute of the polis and not of men, who received their equality by virtue of citizenship, not by virtue of birth...." and that
"Freedom in a positive sense is possible only among equals, and equality itself is by no means a universally valid principle but, again, applicable only with limitations and even within spatial limits...."

Arendt believed that one of the most serious problems of all modern politics is "not how to reconcile freedom and equality but how to reconcile equality and authority." It looks like we are living through the end-game of that particular problem now.

"The singular good fortune of the American Revolution is undeniable. It occurred in a country which knew nothing of the predicament of mass poverty and among a people who had a widespread experience with self-government; to be sure, not the least of these blessings was that the Revolution grew out of a conflict with a 'limited monarchy.' In the government of king and Parliament from which the colonies broke away, there was no potestas legibus soluta, no absolute power absolved from laws."

However, since the Supreme Court granted immunity to the [Republican] Presidency, that power is "absolved from laws." In addition, since the Judicial Council refused its responsibilities to investigate Clarence Thomas' congenital inability to fill out financial disclosure forms correctly, they have made the Supreme Court itself at least de facto "absolved from laws" as well.

So no longer live in an isonomy, aspiring rather than actual as it always may have been. I'm not entirely sure we live in a democracy or even a republic any longer as well.

My full notes from On Revolution are available at https://hubeventsnotes.blogspot.com/2025/04/notes-on-hannah-arendts-on-revolution.html

There is a lot more there including Arendt’s examination of ad hoc councils such as sprang up during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, or Jefferson’s “ward system” and the original Soviets, as an alternative to party politics, an extremely useful concept it seems to me especially as times become more perilous due to the confluence of all the different present crises and the need for mutual aid multiplies.

Thinking about her work, I wish that she had expanded beyond the USAmerican and French Revolutions to include the Haitian Revolution as well which was roughly contemporaneous and had a completely different outcome from either of those two events but then she would have had to wrestle with racism and slavery which might have stretched her much too thin.

Poll

42 votes Show Results

More equality under the law?

42 votes Vote Now!

More equality under the law?

yes

31 votes

3 votes

not yes

0 votes

not no

0 votes

neither yes nor no

0 votes

both yes and no

1 vote

don't understand the question?

5 votes

none of the above

2 votes

ChatGPT on Most Useful, Quickest, Most Profitable Methods of Geotherapy

gmoke

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Monday March 31, 2025 · 9:03 PM PDT

2025/03/31 · 21:03

Prompt: Examine the techniques found here:

https://soil4climate.org/science-compendium

and

https://bio4climate.org/compendium/

Identify the most useful, the quickest, and the most profitable methods

ChatGPT said:
I have accessed the two compendiums. Now, to identify the most useful, quickest, and most profitable methods for climate action based on the information, I'll need to dive deeper into their specific techniques. Would you like me to focus on particular methods or key topics from either compendium?

You said: no

ChatGPT said:
Got it! I'll give you an overview of the most useful, quickest, and most profitable methods based on the information provided in both compendiums.
From the Soil4Climate Science Compendium:

• Regenerative Agriculture and Soil Carbon Sequestration:

• Useful: Highly effective for enhancing soil health and increasing carbon storage.

• Quickest: Benefits like improved soil fertility and water retention can be observed relatively quickly after adopting regenerative practices.

• Most Profitable: Increases yields and reduces the need for expensive chemical inputs, making it profitable in the long run.

• Agroforestry:

• Useful: Combines tree planting with agriculture to improve biodiversity and carbon sequestration.

• Quickest: While trees take time to mature, the increase in biodiversity and soil health can be seen more quickly.

• Most Profitable: The sale of timber, fruits, and other byproducts can create additional revenue streams for farmers.

• Managed Grazing:

• Useful: Helps improve soil health and water retention by rotating grazing animals across different parts of the land.

• Quickest: The benefits to soil structure and pasture quality can be seen fairly quickly.

• Most Profitable: By improving pasture health and reducing feed costs, managed grazing can increase livestock productivity.

From the Bio4Climate Compendium:

• Rewilding and Habitat Restoration:

• Useful: Enhances biodiversity, reduces extinction risk, and improves ecosystem services like carbon storage.

• Quickest: Some ecological benefits may take years to be fully realized, but immediate gains in biodiversity are possible.

• Most Profitable: Often more about ecosystem service benefits than direct profit, but can provide long-term economic value through tourism, carbon credits, and more.

• Carbon Farming (Agroecology):

• Useful: Integrates carbon sequestration into farming practices, helping mitigate climate change while boosting agricultural productivity.

• Quickest: Carbon sequestration can begin relatively quickly in soils using regenerative methods.

• Most Profitable: Can lead to higher yields and additional revenue through carbon credits.

• Biochar:

• Useful: An ancient method of carbon sequestration that enhances soil fertility and reduces emissions.

• Quickest: Carbon storage happens quickly upon application, and improvements in soil fertility can lead to faster crop growth.

• Most Profitable: Can generate profits from both carbon credits and improved crop yields. Selling biochar itself is also a potential revenue stream.

Summary:

• Most Useful: Both regenerative agriculture and carbon farming stand out for their long-term effectiveness in mitigating climate change and improving soil health.

• Quickest: Practices like managed grazing, biochar application, and agroforestry offer relatively faster returns in terms of soil improvement and carbon sequestration.

• Most Profitable: Regenerative agriculture, agroforestry, and carbon farming can be financially lucrative through improved yields, reduced costs, and the potential for additional income from carbon credits and byproducts.

Each method has its benefits depending on the goals and specific context, such as scale, location, and the type of land use.

AI on Enhancing Ecological Systems for Atmospheric Carbon Removal

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/3/23/2312145/-AI-on-Enhancing-Ecological-Systems-for-Atmospheric-Carbon-Removal

Poll

9 votes Show Results

More most useful, quickest, most profitable methods of geotherapy?

9 votes Vote Now!

More most useful, quickest, most profitable methods of geotherapy?

yes

8 votes

1 vote

not yes

0 votes

not no

0 votes

neither yes nor no

0 votes

both yes and no

0 votes

don't understand the problem?

0 votes

none of the above

0 votes

Energy (and Other) Events Monthly - April 2025

gmoke

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Sunday March 30, 2025 · 11:23 AM PDT

2025/03/30 · 11:23

A more comprehensive global listing service could be developed if there were enough people interested in doing it, if it hasn’t already been done.
If anyone knows of such a global listing of open energy, climate, and other events is available, please put me in contact.
Thanks for reading,
Solar IS Civil Defense,
George Mokray
gmoke@world.std.com
http://hubeventsnotes.blogspot.com - notes on lectures and books
http://solarray.blogspot.com - renewable energy and efficiency
http://zeronetenrg.blogspot.com - zero net energy links list
http://cityag.blogspot.com - city agriculture links list
http://geometrylinks.blogspot.com - geometry links list
http://hubevents.blogspot.com - Energy (and Other) Events
http://www.dailykos.com/user/gmoke/history - articles, ideas, and screeds
———
Index
———
Renewable Resilience: Solar Energy as a Climate Solution
Monday, March 31
12:15 pm – 1:15 pm
Princeton, 300 Wallace Hall, Princeton, NJ
And online
Livestream at https://mediacentrallive.princeton.edu/
—————
Stanford Energy Seminar: Tim Dixon | CCS in the Global Climate Scene
Monday, March 31
1:30pm EDT [4:30pm to 5:20pm PT]
Stanford, Jen-Hsun Huang Building (School of Engineering), NVIDIA, 475 Via Ortega, Stanford, CA 94305
And online
RSVP at https://events.stanford.edu/event/stanford-energy-seminar-march-31
—————
Organized Labor in Today's Economy
Monday, March 31
6 – 7 p.m.
Harvard, JFK Jr. Forum, Institute of Politics, 79 JFK Street, Cambridge, MA
RSVP at https://iop.harvard.edu/events/organized-labor-todays-economy
—————
Bad Law: Ten Popular Laws That Are Ruining America
Monday, March 31
7:00pm
Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138
—————
Planting for Impact: San Francisco’s Street Tree Planting Strategy
Tuesday, April 1
10:30 - 11:30 am U.S. ET
Online
RSVP at https://hixon.yale.edu/event/planting-impact-san-franciscos-street-tree-planting-strategy
——————
The War in Ukraine and the Future of European Security
Tuesday, April 1
12:30 pm to 1:45 pm
BU, Pardee School of Global Studies, 121 Bay State Road, Bay State Room, Boston, MA
RSVP at https://www.bu.edu/european/2025/02/26/the-war-in-ukraine-and-the-future-of-european-security-04-01-25/
—————
Beyond Climate Silence: Transforming Eco-Anxiety Workshop
Tuesday, April 1
2 - 3pm EDT
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beyond-climate-silence-transforming-eco-anxiety-workshop-tickets-1291780723919
—————
A Perfect Turmoil
Tuesday, April 1
7pm
Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02140
RSVP at https://www.portersquarebooks.com/event/alex-green-author-perfect-turmoil
—————
Hot on Stage: Climate Justice and the Future of Theater
Tuesday, April 1
7:30 pm
Museum of Science, 1 Science Park Boston, MA 02114
RSVP at https://artsemerson.org/events/the-point-climate-justice-the-future/
—————
Annalee Newitz, Journalist, editor, and author, presents "Avoiding Dystopia, in Theory and Practice"
Wednesday, April 2
12 PM – 1 PM EDT (GMT-4)
Yale, Burke Auditorium, Kroon Hall, 195 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511, United States
And online
RSVP at https://yaleconnect.yale.edu/biomes/rsvp_boot?id=2288443
—————
The Coming Strategic Revolution of Artificial Intelligence: The U.S.-China Contest and the Sources of Competitive Advantage
Wednesday, April 2
12pm to 1:30pm
MIT, Building E40, E40-496, 1 AMHERST ST, Cambridge, MA 02142
And online
Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG5ooD8Ydk4vd83Ac8VNEoQ
—————
Global Commons and New Ecologies: The Inaugural Convening of the MIT-LUMA Lab
Wednesday, April 2
4:15pm to 7:30pm
MIT, Building E14: Media Lab, 648, 75 Amherst Street, Cambridge, MA 02142
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-inaugural-convening-of-the-mit-luma-lab-tickets-1281179615719
—————
The Early Ethics of Planetary Health
Wednesday, April 2
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM EDT
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rescheduled-the-early-ethics-of-planetary-health-registration-1236639675559
—————
Stupid Little Fish: Extraction, Conservation, and the Politics of Environmental Decline
Wednesday, April 2
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm ET
Tufts, The Fung House, 48 Professors Row, Medford, MA
More at https://humanities.tufts.edu/events/stupid-little-fish-extraction-conservation-and-politics-environmental-decline-caleb-scoville
—————
“The Industrial Revolution as Global Environmental History”
Wednesday, April 2
7 - 8pm EDT. Doors at 6pm
Boston College, Gasson Hall, 140 Commonwealth Avenue Newton, MA 02467
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/john-mcneill-the-industrial-revolution-as-global-environmental-history-tickets-1119827386859
—————
AI for Climate Science seminar series: AI applications for Climate Science
Thursday, April 3
9am EDT (02:00-03:00 PM CEST)
Online and in Gvishiani room at IIASA (Laxenburg, Austria)
RSVP at https://iiasa.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_eih6-qQHT8uVBaQgAX2B3Q#/registration
—————
Food as Conversation with Nature: Indigenous Insights Into Ecological Stewardship and Sustainability
Thursday, April 3
12 – 1PM
Tufts, Curtis Hall Multipurpose Room, 474 Boston Avenue, Medford, MA
And online
RSVP at https://tufts.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ZW_a8YqbRAmzRtVDSD7P2A#/registration
—————
American Oversight: the Nonprofit Watchdog suing DOGE
Thursday, April 3
12:15pm to 1:15pm
Boston College, East Wing, 115A, Boston College Law School, 885 Centre Street, Newton, MA 02459
—————
Change and climate change
Thursday, April 3
1:30 - 2:30pm EDT
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/new-flagship-lecture-change-and-climate-change-tickets-1227926012759
—————
Powering a Just Transition: The Impacts of Place-Based Solar Expansion in Rural China
Thursday, April 3
3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Harvard, Pierce Hall, Room 301, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA
—————
Questions of Fascism and Democracy Lecture Series — Resisting Authoritarian Populism: What is to be Done?
Thursday, April 3
4 – 6 p.m.
Harvard, Adolphus Busch Hall at Cabot Way, 27 Kirkland Street, Cambridge
RSVP at https://ces.fas.harvard.edu/events/2025/04/resisting-authoritarian-populism-what-is-to-be-done
—————
Righting Wrongs: Three Decades on the Front Lines Battling Abusive Governments
Thursday, April 3
6:00pm (Doors at 5:30)
Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02138
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/kenneth-roth-at-the-cambridge-public-library-tickets-1133471466669
—————
Reimagining Social Housing
Thursday, April 3
6:30 – 8 p.m.
Harvard Graduate School of Design, Piper Auditorium, Gund Hall, 48 Quincy Street, Cambridge
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/peter-barber-reimagining-social-housing-tickets-1206068365949
—————
Translational Science Day 2025: "Beyond Thoughts and Prayers: Translating Gun Policy Science into Action to Reduce Firearm Violence”
Friday, April 4
10AM – 5PM
Online
RSVP at https://www.tuftsctsi.org/events/tsd2025/
—————
Why and how to use carbon dioxide to make products
Friday, April 4
11am to 12pm
BU, PHO 203, 8 St Mary's Street, Boston, MA
RSVP at https://butodayevents.bu.edu/event/meche-seminar-series-month-of-energy-and-sustainability-volker-sick-seminar
—————
Towards Next Generation Greenhouse Gas Information Services - A Case for 4-Dimensional Atmospheric State Optimization
Friday, April 4
12pm to 1pm
Harvard, Pierce Hall, 100F, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
And online
RSVP at https://events.seas.harvard.edu/event/towards-next-generation-greenhouse-gas-information-services-a-case-for-4-dimensional-atmospheric-state-optimization
—————
There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America
Friday, April 4
7:00pm
Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138
—————
How Implementation Makes Environmental Policy Cheaper and Easier Than Expected
Monday, April 7
12:00 PM - 1:15 PM ET
Harvard, Rubenstein 414ab, 79 JFK Street, Cambridge, 02138
And online
RSVP at https://hksexeced.tfaforms.net/f/registration?e=a4oPp000001PrADIA0&_gl=1*17067yx*_gcl_au*MTA1NTQyMjkwNS4xNzM5MzM2NTY5*_ga*OTgwODMzMzc0LjE3MTU4Mjg2NjI.*_ga_72NC9RC7VN*MTc0MDE5Nzg1Ni4xMy4xLjE3NDAxOTk2MjQuMzAuMC41MTAzNDc0MDY.
—————
Accelerating AI Sustainability and Innovation at the Department of Energy
Monday, April 7
12:15 pm – 1:15 pm
Princeton, 300 Wallace Hall, Princeton, NJ
And online
Livestream at https://mediacentrallive.princeton.edu/
—————
Animals as Healers: A Conversation with Dr. Joanne Cacciatore on How Humans and Animals Can Heal Their Traumas Together
Monday, April 7
12:15 pm - 1:15 pm
Harvard Law, WCC; 1019 Classroom, 1585 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138
—————
Kyiv Connection: The Strategic Use of Violence Against Civilians
Monday, April 7
12 – 1:30 p.m.
Online
RSVP at https://harvard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_J5XuO88AR5amh1uVXljodA#/registration
—————
Breaking the Matrix: The U.S. Economy
Monday, April 7
6:45 PM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Online
RSVP at https://harvard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_GXr118GESGW17V6on40lbA#/registration
—————
Player Europe: Regional Crises, Strategic Stability, and Prospects for Arms Control
Tuesday, April 8
5:30pm to 6:45pm
Boston College, Higgins Hall, 310, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
—————
A Changing Planet Seminar: Climate Change, Gender, Power & Overlapping Systemic Crises
Wednesday, April 9
11am EDT [15.00 - 16.00 BST]
Imperial Grantham Institue, 140, Huxley Building, South Kensington Campus
And online
RSVP at https://www.imperial.ac.uk/events/192075/a-changing-planet-seminar-climate-gender-power-crises/
—————
Sustainably Powering AI: The latest Stanford research
Wednesday, April 9
11am EDT [2pm to 3pm PT]
Online
RSVP at https://events.stanford.edu/event/sustaining-AI-kickoff
—————
Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning
Wednesday, April 9
7:00pm
United Parish in Brookline, 210 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA 02446
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/peter-beinart-being-jewish-after-the-destruction-of-gaza-tickets-1218225107089
—————
Can we design AI to support human flourishing?
Thursday, April 10
8:30am — 5:30pm ET
Online
RSVP at https://www.media.mit.edu/events/aha-symposium/
—————
Climate Storytellers’ Summit
Thursday, April 10
4–6PM Eastern
Online
RSVP at https://princeton.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_V2sJHJwbShO2sLMAOLGMpg#/registration
—————
Dr. Noah Wilson-Rich on Bees, Sustainability, and Environmental Impact
Thursday, April 10
5:30 - 6:30pm EDT
Tufts, Chase Center, Carmichael Hall, 200 Packard Avenue Medford, MA 02155
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dr-noah-wilson-rich-on-bees-sustainability-and-environmental-impact-tickets-1225584067939
—————
Global Climate Adaptation: Overcoming Political and Policy Challenges
Friday, April 11
8:30am to 5pm
Building 45 (MIT Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing), 801, 51 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307
—————
2025 Autonomous Vehicles & the City Symposium
Friday, April 11
10am EDT [1:00 PM PDT]
The Commonwealth Club of California, 110 The Embarcadero, Taube Family Auditorium, San Francisco, CA 94105
And online
RSVP at https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2025-04-11/2025-autonomous-vehicles-city-symposium
Cost: $10
—————
Harvard Climate Connect: Community-Driven Solutions to Heat-Based Climate Inequity
Saturday, April 12
12:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Harvard Law School (specific location to be announced)
RSVP at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScEvu2Pz35QemsucnqpxUpFoHrHE8HdNpVmCuY6DVAS2D_I8g/viewform
—————
Managing Forced Migration: 18th Annual STAR-TIDES Capabilities Demonstration
Sunday, April 13 - Thursday, April 17
George Mason University's Arlington campus (Mason Square) 3351 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia 22201
https://secure.touchnet.com/C20788_ustores/web/store_main.jsp?STOREID=68&SINGLESTORE=true
——————
Trump, the Transatlantic Rift, and the Future of European Security
Monday, April 14
12 - 1:15pm EDT
Northeastern, 909 Renaissance Park, 1135 Tremont Street room 909 Boston, MA 02120
—————
Green Industrial Policy: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Monday, April 14
12:15 pm – 1:15 pm
Princeton, 300 Wallace Hall, Princeton, NJ
And online
RSVP at https://cpree.princeton.edu/events/2025/green-industrial-policy-good-bad-and-ugly
—————
Financial Strategies: Climate Change, Decarbonization & Cost of Inaction
Monday, April 14
1 - 2pm EDT
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/financial-strategies-climate-change-decarbonization-cost-of-inaction-
—————
Heat pumps as pillars of resilient energy future
Tuesday, April 15
11am EDT (16:00 – 17:30 Berlin Time)
Online
RSVP at https://agora-thinktanks-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_hYdE0xQ7Rp6-ROxIlQ3SIw#/registration
—————
Post-Disaster Ecological Restoration Strategies for Samandağ Coastline in Hatay, Türkiye
Wednesday, April 16
12:30 – 2 p.m.
Harvard, CMES, Room 102, 38 Kirkland Street, Cambridge
RSVP at https://cmes.fas.harvard.edu/event/post-disaster-ecological-restoration-strategies-samandag-coastline-hatay-t%C3%BCrkiye
—————
Starr Forum: The US and the World Under Trump: The First 100 Days
Wednesday, April 16
5:30pm to 7pm
Building 45 (MIT Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing), 230, 51 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307
RSVP at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfzD4UoQEwJG3lvk-eNyn1W27zPxlTjj4xK66VWUxlhOvoIAA/viewform
—————
TEDx MIT: Cultivating Innovation at MIT
Thursday, April 17
6pm-9pm
RSVP at https://tedx.mit.edu/register-tedxmit
—————
The Evolving Landscape of Social Housing in New England
Friday, April 18
1 – 5 p.m.
Harvard, Piper Auditorium, Gund Hall, 48 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-evolving-landscape-of-social-housing-in-new-england-tickets-1206107051659
—————
The 2030 vision for clean energy technologies in India and beyond
Monday, April 21
12:15 pm – 1:15 pm
Princeton, 300 Wallace Hall, Princeton, NJ
And online
RSVP at https://cpree.princeton.edu/events/2025/2030-vision-clean-energy-technologies-india-and-beyond
—————
Webinar – Reforming Energy Efficiency Incentive Programs to Increase Heat Pump Adoption
Tuesday, April 22
2:00-3:00 p.m. ET
Online
RSVP at https://rmi.org/event/reforming-energy-efficiency-incentive-programs-to-increase-heat-pump-adoption/
—————
Carbon Border Adjustments and Pathways to International Cooperation: Insights from Steel Decarbonization in India
Wednesday, April 23
4 PM – 5 PM EDT (GMT-4)
Yale, Burke Auditorium (Kroon Hall) & Zoom New Haven, CT 06520, United States
And online
RSVP at https://yaleconnect.yale.edu/ycelp/rsvp_boot?id=2295802
—————
The 2nd U.S.-Asia Sustainable Development Summit
Thursday, April 24
9am - 7pm EDT
Harvard, Cambridge, MA
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-2nd-us-asia-sustainable-development-summit-tickets-1026003362677
Cost: $0 - $95.21
—————
Nature-Based Infrastructure in Post-Industrial Coastlines and Neighborhoods
Thursday, April 24
12 – 1PM
Tufts, Curtis Hall Multipurpose Room (474 Boston Avenue, Medford, MA
And online
RSVP only needed for virtual attendants at https://tufts.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rqxgr1glRUudRegzk1sVrw
—————
Book Release: “Thinking Through Soil”
Thursday, April 24
12:30 - 2pm EDT. Doors at 6:15pm
Harvard University Graduate School Of Design, 48 Quincy Street, Frances Loeb Library Lobby, Cambridge, MA 02138
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/book-release-thinking-through-soil-tickets-1206112367559
—————
Advances in Global Disease Surveillance: An Introduction to BEACON
Thursday, April 24
2:00 pm to 6:30 pm
BU, 665 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/advances-in-global-disease-surveillance-an-introduction-to-beacon-tickets-1237688021189
—————
Sustaining the Urban Future: Climate and Community Resiliency in Cities
Friday, April 25
1 - 2pm EDT
BU, 730 Commonwealth Avenue Boston, MA 02215
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sustaining-the-urban-future-climate-and-community-resiliency-in-cities-tickets-1247546698759
—————
Human Ingenuity vs Climate Change
Friday, April 25
6 - 8pm EDT. Doors at 5:30pm
WBUR CitySpace, 890 Commonwealth Avenue Boston, MA 02215
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/human-ingenuity-vs-climate-change-tickets-1270737984519
—————
The Problem of Climate Change and the Analogy of Development: Insights from the Auto Sector in Brazil and South Africa
Monday, April 28
12:15 pm – 1:15 pm
Princeton, 300 Wallace Hall, Princeton, NJ
And online
RSVP at https://cpree.princeton.edu/events/2025/problem-climate-change-and-analogy-development
—————
More Everything Forever: AI Overlords, Space Empires, and Silicon Valley's Crusade to Control the Fate of Humanity
Monday, April 28
6pm EDT
Harvard, Science Center, 1 Oxford Street Cambridge, MA 02138
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/adam-becker-at-the-harvard-science-center-tickets-1258689156149
—————
A Bay State Without Beaches: Stories of the Shoreline
Tuesday, April 29
6 - 8pm EDT
105 South Huntington Avenue Boston, MA 02130
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-bay-state-without-beaches-stories-of-the-shoreline-tickets-1291243135979
—————
Sustainability Symposium 2025
Wednesday, April 30 - Thursday, May 1
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sustainability-symposium-2025-tickets-1251652539439
—————
Climate Tech in the City
Wednesday, April 30
10am - 7pm EDT
City Hall Plaza, 1 City Hall Square Boston, MA 02203
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climate-tech-in-the-city-tickets-1286665133049
—————
Dollar Dominance, Deterrence, and Denial
Wednesday, April 30
12pm to 1:30pm
MIT, Building E40, E40-496, 1 AMHERST ST, Cambridge, MA 02142
And online
RSVP at https://ssp.mit.edu/events/2025/dollar-dominance-deterrence-and-denial
——————
Microbial Food as a Sustainable, Healthy, and Resilient Source of Nutrients for the UK
Thursday, 1 May 2025
16.15 - 20.00 BST
Imperial College, City and Guilds Building, Lecture Theatre 200, Main Entrance, South Kensington Campus, London
And online
RSVP at https://www.imperial.ac.uk/events/192029/briefing-paper-launch-microbial-food-as-a-sustainable-healthy-and-resilient-source-of-nutrients-for-the-uk/
—————
My Home, Our Planet: Venezuelan Migrant Children in Brazil and the Role of Education of Climate Change
Monday, May 5
12 – 1 p.m.
Online
RSVP at https://www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/event/2025-gabrielle-oliveira-fellow-presentation-virtual

Poll

4 votes Show Results

More Energy (and Other) Events?

4 votes Vote Now!

More Energy (and Other) Events?

yes

4 votes

0 votes

not yes

0 votes

not no

0 votes

neither yes nor no

0 votes

both yes and no

0 votes

don't understand the question?

0 votes

none of the above

0 votes

AI on Enhancing Ecological Systems for Atmospheric Carbon Removal

gmoke

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Sunday March 23, 2025 · 8:54 PM PDT

2025/03/23 · 20:54

Prompt: Describe how enhancing existing ecological systems can quickly and affordably remove carbon (and methane and particulates) from the atmosphere

Here’s how the AI https://claude.ai/new responded:

Enhancing Ecological Systems for Atmospheric Carbon Removal

Natural ecosystems already remove significant amounts of carbon dioxide and other pollutants from the atmosphere. Enhancing these existing systems offers cost-effective and relatively quick approaches to carbon removal. Here are key strategies:

Forest Enhancement

Reforestation and afforestation: Restoring degraded forests and planting new ones in suitable areas can sequester large amounts of carbon at $5-50 per ton of CO₂.
Improved forest management: Extending harvest cycles, reducing impact logging, and preventing forest fires can increase carbon storage by 30-50% in managed forests.
Agroforestry: Incorporating trees into agricultural landscapes combines food production with carbon sequestration.

Soil Carbon Enhancement

Regenerative agriculture: No-till farming, cover crops, and crop rotation can increase soil organic carbon while improving soil health at negative or minimal cost.
Biochar application: Adding biochar to soils can sequester carbon for centuries while improving soil fertility and water retention.
Grassland restoration: Converting degraded cropland to permanent grasslands can sequester 0.5-1 ton of CO₂ per acre annually.

Blue Carbon Solutions

Mangrove restoration: Mangroves sequester carbon at rates 2-4 times higher than mature tropical forests and protect coastlines.
Seagrass meadow protection: These underwater ecosystems store carbon efficiently and improve water quality.
Wetland preservation and restoration: Wetlands are powerful carbon sinks that also filter pollutants and reduce flood risks.

Methane and Particulate Reduction

Rewetting peatlands: Drained peatlands emit massive amounts of methane; rewetting them stops these emissions.
Enhanced urban vegetation: Trees and green spaces in cities filter particulate matter while sequestering carbon.
Riparian buffer zones: Vegetated areas along waterways capture agricultural runoff and sequester carbon.

These approaches offer multiple co-benefits beyond carbon sequestration, including biodiversity protection, improved water quality, reduced erosion, and enhanced climate resilience. Many can be implemented immediately with existing technology and knowledge, making them practical solutions for rapid deployment.

Not bad for a first pass. I like to say “Geotherapy not geoengineering, please” and still believe that working with existing ecological systems is one of the best ways to deal with climate, biodiversity, pollution, as well as grow jobs and build the economy. Here are some resources for more geotherapeutic examples:
https://soil4climate.org/science-compendium

https://bio4climate.org/compendium/

Poll

26 votes Show Results

More enhancing ecological systems for atmospheric carbon removal?

26 votes Vote Now!

More enhancing ecological systems for atmospheric carbon removal?

yes

25 votes

0 votes

not yes

0 votes

not no

0 votes

neither yes nor no

0 votes

both yes and no

0 votes

don't understand the question?

1 vote

none of the above

0 votes

ChatGBT on How to Provide Solar Power to Poorest People

gmoke

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Thursday March 20, 2025 · 7:08 PM PDT

2025/03/20 · 19:08

I've been imagining "how to provide solar power to poorest people" (some of my ideas on the topic: http://solarray.blogspot.com/2024/11/basic-electricity-for-bottom-billon.html) for all of my adult life and decided to ask ChatGPT about it.

ChatGPT said:

Creating a renewable energy system that integrates solar power, bicycles, e-bikes, and batteries can provide an innovative and sustainable solution to improve the lives of the poorest people. By combining these elements, you can create a holistic system that not only addresses energy needs but also supports mobility and enhances local economies. Here's how such a system could be designed:

1. Solar Power for Clean Energy

Solar-Powered Microgrids: Solar panels can be installed in communities to create a reliable and affordable energy source. Microgrids powered by solar energy could provide electricity to households, schools, clinics, and local businesses, particularly in remote or off-grid areas.
Solar Charging Stations: Solar panels can power community charging stations where people can charge batteries for their e-bikes or personal electronic devices, such as phones or radios. These stations could be subsidized or operated as part of a pay-as-you-go system, so the upfront cost of installation is shared.

2. Bicycles as a Sustainable Transport Solution

Human-Powered Bicycles: Bicycles provide a low-cost, sustainable transportation option for communities. They can be used to carry goods, transport people, or even as part of local delivery services. In areas where transportation is limited, bicycles are an affordable and effective way to improve mobility.
Bicycle-Powered Generators: In some situations, bicycles can be used as pedal-powered generators, where individuals can generate electricity by pedaling. This electricity could be used to charge batteries or power small devices. These generators could be useful in remote areas for powering lights, radios, or small appliances.

3. E-Bikes for Increased Mobility and Efficiency

Affordable E-Bikes: E-bikes (electric bicycles) are powered by rechargeable batteries and provide a more efficient form of transportation compared to regular bicycles. They are especially beneficial for people who need to travel long distances, carry heavy loads, or face difficult terrain.
Battery Charging via Solar: E-bikes can be charged using solar-powered charging stations. This makes them even more affordable for people in rural or off-grid areas. The integration of solar charging helps lower the reliance on fossil fuels and can reduce the overall costs of running an e-bike.

4. Battery Storage for Reliable Energy Supply

Affordable Solar Battery Storage: Solar energy systems can be paired with battery storage solutions. By storing energy generated during the day, batteries can supply power at night or on cloudy days. This ensures a steady and reliable supply of electricity to households and community services.
Battery Banks for E-Bikes: Battery storage can also be integrated into the e-bike system. For example, e-bikes could use local solar-powered battery banks to charge when they're not in use. People could also swap batteries in a community-based battery swap system, which ensures that they always have a charged battery without having to wait for it to recharge.

5. Integrated Systems for Local Economic Development

Solar-Powered Battery Charging Hubs: These hubs could serve as community centers where people come to charge their e-bike batteries, mobile phones, or other devices. They could be set up as small businesses or co-ops run by the community. In addition, these hubs could offer other services like bicycle repairs and rentals.
E-Bike and Solar-Based Transport Services: In some areas, a local enterprise could set up a transportation service where e-bikes are used to provide delivery services for goods, or even passenger transport, between villages or towns. Solar power can be used to charge the e-bikes at community hubs.
Creating Jobs: Integrating e-bikes, solar power, and battery storage systems can create local jobs for technicians to maintain solar panels, e-bikes, and battery systems, as well as provide training on the use of these technologies. This fosters local economic development while improving access to renewable energy.

6. Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) Models for Affordability

Affordable Financing Models: To ensure that the poorest people can access this integrated energy system, a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) model could be employed. This would allow users to make small payments over time to purchase or rent solar systems, e-bikes, and batteries, making it more affordable.
Community-Based Solar Credit Systems: Community savings or credit systems could be established, allowing people to contribute small amounts of money to fund solar installations and e-bikes. Once the system is in place, the savings or credits could be used to offset energy costs or transportation needs.

7. Environmental and Health Benefits

Reducing Carbon Emissions: By using solar energy, bicycles, and e-bikes, communities can reduce their dependence on fossil fuels, contributing to cleaner air and a healthier environment. This also helps reduce the economic burden of purchasing kerosene, gasoline, or diesel.
Improved Health Outcomes: Replacing traditional fuel-powered transport with bicycles and e-bikes can lead to a reduction in air pollution, which has significant health benefits. Also, bicycles provide a healthy mode of exercise for the people who use them.

8. Educational and Awareness Campaigns

Training and Education: Educating local communities about the benefits of solar power, e-bikes, and battery storage systems can ensure that these technologies are used properly and maintained effectively. This can be done through workshops or local training programs.
Local Leadership: Community leaders and local influencers can be engaged to promote the use of renewable energy systems and explain the long-term cost savings and environmental benefits. Building trust within the community is key to the adoption of new technologies.

9. Building Partnerships with NGOs and Governments

Collaborating with NGOs: NGOs focused on renewable energy, poverty alleviation, and sustainable development can be vital partners in providing technical assistance, funding, and logistical support. Organizations like d.light, M-KOPA, or SolarAid have implemented successful programs for affordable solar solutions in low-income regions.
Government Support and Policy: Governments can incentivize the adoption of these technologies by providing subsidies, tax breaks, or grants. They can also create policies that encourage the integration of solar energy, bicycles, e-bikes, and battery storage systems in underserved communities.

Conclusion

A solar-powered, bicycle, e-bike, and battery energy system for the poorest people could transform their lives by providing affordable, sustainable, and reliable energy and transportation solutions. The integration of these technologies not only addresses energy needs but also improves mobility, creates jobs, and promotes environmental sustainability. When designed with affordability and accessibility in mind, these systems can create lasting change in communities, empowering people to improve their quality of life and contribute to a greener future.

Confirms me in my thinking that Solar IS Civil Defense

Poll

14 votes Show Results

More ChatGBT on How to Provide Solar Power to Poorest People?

14 votes Vote Now!

More ChatGBT on How to Provide Solar Power to Poorest People?

yes

8 votes

3 votes

not yes

0 votes

not no

1 vote

neither yes nor no

1 vote

both yes and no

0 votes

don't understand the question?

1 vote

none of the above

0 votes

Zero Net Energy - March 6, 2025

gmoke

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Thursday March 06, 2025 · 8:57 AM PST

2025/03/06 · 08:57

3D printed tiny houses for the homeless in Austin, TX

https://www.core77.com/posts/135050/Icon-to-3D-Print-Houses-for-the-Homeless

Passive house buildings as a response to wildfires - on CBS Evening News!
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/how-a-design-concept-may-help-save-homes-from-wildfires/

“Homeless” squatter cabin community with solar
https://x.com/kevinvdahlgren/status/1882539641955663876

LONGi Kubuqi Desert Solar Power Project
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vntwjqMgCaE

The rise of the Net-Zero Dad
https://www.economist.com/britain/2025/01/29/the-rise-of-the-net-zero-dad
Non- walled: https://archive.ph/ZDDDw
Editorial Comment: Global heat pump efficiency races
https://solarray.blogspot.com/2024/07/what-i-imagine-environmental-community.html

Net zero 3D printed house from Italy and 2022
https://3dwasp.com/en/itaca-the-self-sufficient-and-eco-sustainable-3d-printed-house/
hat tip Michael Bauwens

World’s first solar-powered camper van
https://www.bbc.com/reel/video/p0kn75cz/the-world-s-first-solar-powered-campervan

Allbirds makes a net zero shoe and publishes their recipe for others to copy
https://trellis.net/article/allbirds-wants-footwear-companies-to-copy-net-zero-shoe-design/
hat tip trellis.net
The international carpet company, Interface, has been moving to net zero environmental harm since the mid-1990s and now produces at least one product which removes carbon from the atmosphere and waste stream. Their story is at
https://hubeventsnotes.blogspot.com/2024/04/notes-on-business-lessons-from-radical.html
https://solarray.blogspot.com/2022/03/interface-from-living-zero-to-climate.html

Factory-built tiny house kit with solar, battery, heat pumps, and water storage
https://cleantechnica.com/2025/02/09/tiny-house-from-mesocore-comes-complete-with-solar-a-battery-a-heat-pump/

Easy(er) solar battery install from DIY Solar Fun
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAJByNRCw0k
DIY Solar Power Forum
https://diysolarforum.com/

re:arc - "We work at the intersection of climate action and architecture to support community-led solutions that address the root causes and effects of climate change and nurture the creative reimaging of our social and ecological systems."
https://www.rearc.institute/

“Edenizing” LA after the fires
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5Nc64UBems
from Edenicity (https://www.edenicity.com/) "Sustainably Abundant Cities for All"

Poll

6 votes Show Results

More Zero Net Energy?

6 votes Vote Now!

More Zero Net Energy?

yes

6 votes

0 votes

not yes

0 votes

not no

0 votes

neither yes nor no

0 votes

both yes and no

0 votes

don't understand the question?

0 votes

none of the above

0 votes

Trmp and Never Seen

gmoke

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday March 05, 2025 · 9:06 AM PST

2025/03/05 · 09:06

I was struck by Trmp’s repetition of the “never seen” trope throughout his long, long speech to the Joint Session of Congress. So I did a search for “seen” on the transcript and this is the result:

The presidential election of November 5th was a mandate like has not been seen in many decades….

It was a shot like she’s never seen before. She’s never seen anything like it...

We are opening up many of those power plants right now. And frankly, we have never seen anything like it...

Oh, and by the way, we’re going to have growth in the auto industry like nobody’s ever seen. Plants are opening up all over the place. Deals are being made like never seen….

Entire towns like Aurora, Colorado and Springfield, Ohio, buckled under the weight of the migrant occupation and corruption like nobody’s ever seen before...

We will take in trillions and trillions of dollars and create jobs like we have never seen before...

But even more importantly, they’ve allowed fentanyl to come into our country at levels never seen before, killing hundreds of thousands of our citizens and many very young, beautiful people destroying families. Nobody’s ever seen anything like it...

My fellow Americans, get ready for an incredible future, because the golden Age of America has only just begun. It will be like nothing that has ever been seen before.

It’s nothing like I’ve ever seen before and, like these “never seen before” promises above, will never, ever be seen again.

Poll

38 votes Show Results

Trmp should never be seen?

38 votes Vote Now!

Trmp should never be seen?

yes

35 votes

0 votes

not yes

0 votes

not no

0 votes

neither yes nor no

0 votes

both yes and no

0 votes

don't understand the question?

2 votes

none of the above

1 vote

City Agriculture - March 4, 2025

gmoke

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday March 04, 2025 · 2:53 PM PST

2025/03/04 · 14:53

The Poor Prole's Almanac: Restoration Agroecology

https://poorprolesalmanac.substack.com/
hat tip MT Spriggs

Port Huron, MI is planting trees to provide free fruit for residents under new pilot “Edible Parks” program
https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2024/12/20/michigan-city-planting-trees-to-provide-free-fruit-for-residents-under-new-pilot-program/

Food Forests in Permaculture: And In-Depth Guide/
https://www.permalogica.com/post/food-forests-in-permaculture-an-in-depth-guide

Urban farming in Baltimore isn’t just about growing food
https://popularresistance.org/in-baltimore-urban-farming-isnt-just-about-growing-food/
Editorial Comment: Baltimore has done a lot around local agriculture and grassroots leaders like Mel King in Boston and Grace Lee Boggs in Detroit have used urban gardening to build a foundation for much larger social movements
More on Grace Lee Boggs at https://hubeventsnotes.blogspot.com/2016/04/the-next-american-revolution.html
More on Mel King at https://solarray.blogspot.com/2023/04/how-many-ways-did-he-change-world-mel.html

USDA supporting urban agriculture and sustainable food production with $14.4 million in funding
https://www.agritecture.com/blog/usda.gov-urban-agriculture-grants

Growing microalgae for food and fodder indoors in Iceland
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gjry6dv4yo

LONGi Kubuqi Desert Solar Power Project
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vntwjqMgCaE

Growing food in empty office spaces
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250127-why-veg-is-growing-in-empty-office-spaces

Food, water and energy self-sufficiency in a 33 meters diameter with a 3D printed house
https://3dwasp.com/en/itaca-the-self-sufficient-and-eco-sustainable-3d-printed-house/
hat tip Michael Bauwens

The green belt cooling a city
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/06/we-water-rest-water-the-green-belt-of-vegetable-plots-cooling-a-city

LA urban farmers will regrow and expand after the fires
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2025/feb/24/california-wildfires-altadena-farmers

Green roofs increase biodiversity for Basel, Switzerland. They use native plants and seeds.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/28/green-roofs-deliver-for-biodiversity-how-basel-put-nature-on-top
from https://cityag.blogspot.com/2022/07/city-agriculture-july-31-2022.html
Rotterdam’s roofscape - greening 10 million square feet of rooftops
https://www.c40.org/case-studies/cities100-rotterdam-mitigation-meets-adaptation-on-rotterdam-s-rooftops/
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f082078d610926644d22e00/t/621e3b2a1ee23c373149cac0/1646148404157/URBANISTEN_Rotterdam_Rooftop_Potential_EN.pdf
https://www.fastcompany.com/90755913/inside-rotterdams-quest-to-green-10-million-square-feet-of-rooftops

Poll

11 votes Show Results

More City Agriculture?

11 votes Vote Now!

More City Agriculture?

yes

10 votes

0 votes

not yes

0 votes

not no

0 votes

neither yes nor no

0 votes

both yes and no

1 vote

don't understand the question?

0 votes

none of the above

0 votes

A Measure of the Depth of the Hole We're In

gmoke

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Friday February 28, 2025 · 11:55 AM PST

2025/02/28 · 11:55

Impeach Trmp and get rid of Musk and we get JD Vance and Peter Thiel behind him. Impeach Vance and we get Mike Johnson with the Southern Baptist Dominionists behind him. After that, the line of succession goes to Grassley then Rubio as it’s toxic Republicans all the way down.

That is our political reality now under our Constitution.

However, since the Supreme Court abandoned the basic principle of democracy, the idea that everyone is equal under the law or isonomy, with its recent decision to give the (Republican) Presidency immunity for “official” acts and the Judicial Council refused to do their duty under the 1978 Ethics in Government Act to investigate Clarence Thomas’ congenital inability to fill out financial forms correctly thus making the Supreme Court itself de facto above and beyond the law as well, we now have two institutions which are not bound by the law.

That is the reality and we should look it full in the face.

We need something else beside electoral politics. I like the idea of mutual aid and a mass popular movement to make the present government irrelevant.

Poll

45 votes Show Results

More accurate than not?

45 votes Vote Now!

More accurate than not?

yes

33 votes

2 votes

not yes

0 votes

not no

1 vote

neither yes nor no

0 votes

both yes and no

2 votes

don't understand the question?

3 votes

none of the above

4 votes

Energy (and Other) Events Monthly - March 2025

gmoke

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday February 25, 2025 · 12:37 PM PST

2025/02/25 · 12:37

Poll

1 votes Show Results

More Energy (and Other) Events?

1 votes Vote Now!

More Energy (and Other) Events?

yes

1 vote

0 votes

not yes

0 votes

not no

0 votes

neither yes nor no

0 votes

both yes and no

0 votes

don't understand the question?

0 votes

none of the above

0 votes

Thomas Paine's Age of Reason

gmoke

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Monday February 24, 2025 · 5:21 PM PST

2025/02/24 · 17:21

Finally got around to reading a falling apart hardback copy of Paine's Age of Reason (published as three pamphlets in 1794, 1795, 1807) found at a Little Free Library long ago. It's a very modern book and Paine is very clear as a writer.

Paine deconstructs and demolishes the Bible but believes instead that

"The creation is the Bible of the Deist. He there reads, in the handwriting of the Creator himself, the certainty of his existence and the immutability of his power, and all other Bibles and Testaments are to him forgeries."

Sounds like an ecological world view to me.

Reading Age of Reason led me to his pamphlet "Agrarian Justice" (1797) where he argued that the Earth itself belongs to all of us and that we are entitled to a just portion of that. The sums would be "fifteen pounds sterling, as a compensation in part, for the loss of his or her natural inheritance, by the introduction of the system of landed property: £1,599.00 ($1955.98)

"And also, the sum of ten pounds per annum: £1,066.00 ($1303.98)"

I like Tom Paine and grew up with people who liked him too. After I read the book, I found my grandmother's paperback copy among my books. I gave both copies to the various Little Free Libraries around town after I finished my notes.

Now Paine's Rights of Man goes on the reading list.

Age of Reason by Thomas Paine

(2) I believe in one God, and no more; and I hope for happiness beyond this life.

I believe in the equality of man; and I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and endeavoring to make our fellow-creatures happy.

(30) If I owe a person money, and cannot pay him, and he threatens to put me in prison, another person can take the debt upon himself, and pay it for me; but if I have committed a crime, every circumstance of the case is changed; moral justice cannot take the innocent for the guilty, even if the innocent would offer itself. To suppose justice to do this, is to destroy the principle of its existence, which is the thing itself; it is then no longer justice, it is indiscriminate revenge.

Editorial Comment: The plot of A Tale of Two Cities

(32) The word of God is the creation we behold and it is in _this world_, which no human can counterfeit or alter, that God speaketh universally to man.

(36) Almost the only parts in the book called the Bible that convey to us any idea of God, are some chapters in Job and the 19th Psalm; I recollect no other. Those parts are true deistical compositions, for they treat the Deity through his works. They take the book of Creation as the word of God, they refer to no other book, and all the inferences they make are drawn from that volume.

(40) That which is now called natural philosophy, embracing the whole circle of science, of which astronomy occupies the chief place, is the study of the works of God, and of the power and wisdom of God in his works, and is the true theology.

(58) … and I moreover believe, that any system of religion that has anything in it that shocks the mind of a child, cannot be a true system.

(73) Religion, therefore, being the belief of a God and the practice of moral truth, cannot have connection with mystery. The belief of a God, so far from having anything of mystery in it, is of all beliefs the most easy, because it arises to us, as is before observed, out of necessity. And the practice of moral truth, or, in other words, a practical imitation of the moral goodness of God, is no other than our acting toward each other as he acts benignly toward all. We cannot _serve_ God in the manner we serve those who cannot do without such service; and, therefore, the only idea we can have of serving God, is that of contributing to the happiness of the living creation that God had made. This cannot be done by retiring ourselves from the society of the world and spending a recluse life in selfish devotion.

(101) It is a duty incumbent on every true Deist, that he vindicate the moral justice of God against the calumnies of the Bible.

(133) … to priests and commentators, who are very learned in little things,…

(204) I am not one of those who are fond of believing there is much of that which is called willful lying, or lying originally, except in the case of men setting up to be prophets, as in the the Old Testament, for prophesying is lying professionally.

(219) A very numerous part of the animal creation preaches to us, far better than Paul, the belief of a life hereafter.

(229) The maxim of doing as we would be done unto does not include this strange doctrine of loving enemies; for no man expects to be loved himself for his crime or for his enmity.

NB: The Catalans by Patrick O’Brian

Love your neighbor as yourself is not enough, nothing like enough, if you have a deep, well-founded dislike of yourself.

and

I will tell you what I mean by the death of the soul. When you no longer have the power to love, when there is no stir of affection anywhere in your being, then your soul is dead. That is the death of your soul. Your soul is dead, and you are damned: you are dead walking, and you are in hell in your own body.

These two quotes explain much of the state of humanity, such as it is, these days.

(231) The creation is the Bible of the Deist. He there reads, in the handwriting of the Creator himself, the certainty of his existence and the immutability of his power, and all other Bibles and Testaments are to him forgeries.

Poll

25 votes Show Results

More Tom Paine?

25 votes Vote Now!

More Tom Paine?

yes

24 votes

0 votes

not yes

0 votes

not no

0 votes

neither yes nor no

0 votes

both yes and no

1 vote

don't understand the question?

0 votes

none of the above

0 votes

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