The house is burning

cnn-monsoon

India’s monsoon season, 2019 – starting hot and dry.

I’m seeking to educate myself more about the climate change impacts, forecasts and so on. Ever since Al Gore’s ‘Inconvenient Truth‘, I’ve had this discomfort way down deep inside. A discomfort that accompanied me on business trips, was resident in me at events, and was a companion during vacation times.

The discomfort resides in the fact that we have known for so long about this issue, yet have done little to slow ourselves down long enough to have a rational discussion and sobering moments-of-truth.

When I was a young kid, around 10 years old or so, there was an ecological push in the US. This was no-doubt spawned in part by the oil crisis of the 1970’s. Bumper stickers were printed and given away, the term ‘recycle’ came briefly into vogue, and even ‘noise pollution’ was raised as an enemy of the people and planet.  That was over forty years ago. *

I carry this discomfort, today, as I look back on my role in leadership development, and the opportunities I probably had to raise this issue further, to be a bit ‘inconvenient’ in my dealings with managers and leaders of various organizations – domestic and abroad.  Truth be told, some of those organizations were well aware and were acting in positive directions – reclaiming water, implementing renewable energy sources, seeking carbon neutrality.  But the vast majority, in my experience, continued to live in bubbles of their own creation – markets that operate (seemingly) outside of the larger sphere of ecological context and consequence.

So I’ve turned to a few sources to educate myself about where we are today.   I should warn any reader that a) I am NOT an expert in this field, and b) I believe in the scientific method (and therefore, I believe in scientists that are not under obligation to any corporate interests).  I am on a continuing journey here, and want to track a few things.

How bad is it?

David Wallace-Wells was interviewed by Joe Rogan.**  This is a long interview, so I suggest getting a cup of tea to settle in.  His book, The Uninhabitable Earth, is on the shelves now, and paints a stark picture of a 1.5 – 2.0 degree Celsius change in temperatures, and, even worse, the current destination of a 4.0 degree Celsius change.  Ultimately, it comes down to those of us in this generation (my kids’ generation) to take bold steps to shift things in order to ensure a healthy existence for all.

In a response to Wallace-Wells’ book, scientists at The Ecologist wrote an open letter praising his work, but also counseling that we may have even less control than we think, and that the future will be one of ‘deep adaptation’.  This is terribly interesting, and terrifying as we think about our systems in play today – business, economic, political, social, etc. – that all revolve around existing models of what is valued.

It is this systemic responsibility that, in part, created this discomfort I have carried for so long.  Year after year witnessing managers and leaders fine-tune their approaches to marketing, sales, innovation, customer relationships, product development, change management, strategic thinking – all while in a bubble of true or self-imposed ignorance of the irrefutable facts of climate change and what it means for all of us.

How do I know this?

It was eight years ago that two retired oil company executives asked me to review a letter they were intending to share with the board of that company.   It was, in effect, their call-to-action to effect policy changes immediately in order to (hopefully) stem the impact of their industry on the health and safety of the world.  In that conversation, and in other research that was done, it is clear that the company in question had known, not for eight years, but for twenty years that their industry was the chief contributor to an irreversible and disastrous series of climate impacts.

So, forty years ago we had our first wave of awareness-raising around air pollution, water pollution and even noise pollution.  For at least thirty years, key contributors have known of their own responsibility in the destruction of the environment.  So where are we now?

Who could possibly oppose efforts to save the planet?

Well the Union of Concerned Scientists in the US has their list of those that, today, are opposing efforts such as the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan.  This plan was tabled immediately after Donald Trump took office, in February of 2016.  Perhaps not surprisingly, three large energy companies (coal, oil), the American Legislative Exchange Commission (ALEC), and the US Chamber of Commerce are the top five on their list.  Please follow the link above if you want some insight into how these organizations have obstructed change and mislead the American public.

Well if it’s a global issue, which nations are the top offenders?

The World Atlas published a review in 2017 with this chart, with percent share of global CO2 emissions on the Y axis:

world-atlas

It is interesting to note that, from a population standpoint, both China and India have over 1 billion people, while the US has about a third of that (330 million).  So the U.S. is cranking out way more than our fair share of pollution.

Let’s get more specific:  Which companies are the largest offenders?

The CDP and the Climate Accountability Institute published a report (The Carbon Majors Report) in 2017 that lists the 100 companies that produced the highest greenhouse gasses from 1988 to 2015.  The top 10 are oil and coal companies.  In fact, the top 20 are oil and coal companies.

Each of these companies has leaders.  Those leaders are humans (for now).  They likely have children, and grand-children.

I know that many companies have now come public with targets for moving to renewable energy sources, carbon-neutral footprints, investments in carbon capture technologies, and so on.

But this fire did not just start.  The house – our house – has been burning for decades, from a slow smolder to what is now feeling like an uncontrollable blaze.  As David Wallace-Wells said, it is my generation that has created the majority of the greenhouse gasses that are now in the atmosphere.  For other tail-end baby-boomers and Gen-x’ers out there, this has happened in our lifetime.

What can we do?

  • Divest from any company that is fighting regulations that would help slow consumption of fossil fuels.
  • Consume less stuff.  It takes energy to create products and transport them.
  • Buy local.  Less transportation – less energy expended.
  • Invest in renewables.
  • Vote for politicians who believe in science.
  • Stay informed – through evidence-based research.

*Neil Young – After the Gold Rush.  1970  – Lyrics later changed from “Look at Mother Nature on the run in the 1970’s” to “… in the 20th century”.  Sadly, another change to the lyrics is needed.

** Updated June 2022: I do not subscribe to any of Joe Rogan’s feeds or posts.  I simply found the interview with the climatologist compelling.

Leave a comment

Banjo, resurrected

Yesterday my cat of 17 years had a stroke, and we had to have her euthanized.scooter2scooter1

Scooter was a quiet kitty for most of her life.  Having been orphaned as a kitten and bottle-fed by human attendants, she was quite content to lay back in your arms and let you rub her belly.  She would reach out and, with great deftness, pull your hand to her head without using her claws.  She would hide from strangers, and isolate herself when we were out of town for a few days.  Sometimes I would have to go find her, and extricate her from her hideaway – she seemed despondent when people weren’t around.

So we were.  We were around, and I even considered taking her to London with me

scooter3

Getting in the suitcase.

when I had that assignment for work.  In the end, I left her here with friends for a year or so.  She adapted, albeit through seclusion, to her changed life, and we were glad to be reunited with her upon our return.

Scooter, in her last weeks, became demanding – meowing loudly every morning for attention and treats, and had taken to climbing up into our bed at night and sleeping by my face, despite the presence of the poodle at our feet.  She even, willingly, ventured outdoors for the first time in her life last week – 17 years of contentedness indoors with never an attempted escape.  She seemed, in retrospect, to have her own bucket list.

In the end, our beautiful rescued kitty expired after suffering a stroke yesterday.  She

scooter4

Classic – reading, interrupted.

was reduced to limping with one leg completely compromised, and unable to eat, and, I think, having significant pain.  The doctor made sure it was swift.  We cried.

I’m adding some photos here from the last couple of years.  And, reflecting on this quite natural and devastating event, I was reminded of a poem I wrote years ago for a different kitten we had rescued.  One we named ‘Banjo’.

I hope you enjoy, even if it brings a tear or two.

The bottom of the ninth

For Banjo

Paused with paws outstretched
The nape pulled back in a nursing grip
Teeth and gums in unwilling expression
Of the end of it all

I look into Banjo’s one-year-old eyes
Deep orange, dark iris and staring forward
And pray for the light to come to him
His now strained body tensing

For what, who knows but a cat
Soon will, cashing in his cache
Of lives, I, the sudden minister of lives
Signing the deed

And Banjo, our poor Banjo,
Whose heart and swollen throat
Strummed still in his last moments
Wasted swiftly by disease

More swiftly still he soared
As new fluids rushed to quell
The pain, the fear, the life
Right out of him.

His once tense slender feline
Frame relaxing to an ever distant
Beat slowing quickly to the
Rhythm of dreams and

Heaven knows how high he
Jumps now, from what stylish
Crouch he bounds to what
Arching tree he climbs

He was a fine cat.

Steve Mahaley, 1999

Posted in Ramblings | Leave a comment

Give me the beat.

It’s been a very emotional few weeks as I’ve wrapped up 18 years at Duke Corporate Education.  I’ve realized, again, that leaving involves people on both sides of the equation:  I needed to say goodbye and process what this next chapter of my work life is going to (could) look like, and all the great people I’ve had the privilege of working with needed to share their sentiments with me, as well.

Today, I just ‘wanna get lost in the rock n’ roll, and drift away’.

Years ago I introduced this idea of Friday songs at work.  Just to have some fun, and most everyone loves music.  We would put on some popular tune on some speakers and sing along, or even get up and dance.  This led to all sorts of laughter and great memories.

Well, today, some colleagues conspired to put together a song list, and we gathered in one of the rooms downstairs, and songs by bands such as Meat Loaf, the Gap Band, George Jones, Springsteen, Billy Joel and others were shared.

We laughed, danced, hugged and may have had a tear or two.  The last song was “Drift Away” by the Doobie Brothers.  One of my favorites, and lyrics, below, capture so many of the sentiments we all have shared.

Goodbye, Duke CE.

Day after day I’m more confused
Yet I look for the light in the pouring rain
You know that’s a game that I hate to lose
I’m feelin’ the strain, ain’t it a shame
Oh, give me the beat boys, and free my soul
I want to get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
Oh, give me the beat boys, and free my soul
I want to get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
Beginning to think that I’m wastin’ time
I don’t understand the things I do
The world outside looks so unkind
So I’m countin’ on you to carry me through
Oh, give me the beat boys, and free my soul
I want to get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
Give me the beat boys, and free my soul
I want to get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
And when my mind is free
You know a melody can move me
And when I’m feelin’ blue
The guitar’s comin’ through to soothe me
Thanks for the joy that you’ve given me
I want you to know I believe in your song
Rhythm and rhyme and harmony
You help me along makin’ me strong
Oh, give me the beat boys, and free my soul
I want to get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
Give me the beat boys, and free my soul
I want to get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
Oh, give me the beat boys, and free my soul
I want to get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
Hey, hey, give me the beat boys, and free my soul
I want to get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
Na na na, won’t ya, won’t ya take me
Oh oh, take me
Posted in Ramblings | Leave a comment