Email Jim for information about the class.
Coming to Terms with What is Enough…
This month our changing Earth is in the news and on our minds. In a class on this subject in Contemporary Issues, Suzanne and David Harbster are examining what earth scientists are saying is critical to achieving a sustainable earth heating of only two degrees by 2030. Drastic changes in how we use energy and where we get it from, as well as sustainable farming, ranching and water use, are needed to meet this goal. The data is clear that affluent countries need to greatly reduce their excessive use of these resources while ensuring that nations that do not have enough for all their people get their basic needs met.
A challenging series of articles appeared in the Fall 2021 issue of YES! Magazine. Current issues of this magazine are available online for free, and previous issues are available for a modest price of $15/year.
The Harbsters, co-presenters for the class, have researched the articles and added other videos and Arizona-based data to give ideas for what it really means to meet the goal. On the subject of Global Energy Justice, an awesome video used before the 2020 election gave a comprehensive view of “How America can leave Fossil Fuels Behind in One Chart”. (No politics intended!). Saul Griffith, engineer and inventor, summarizes his ideas in this video based on his book, “The Rewiring America Handbook”
The Resources for the Future and Environ-mental Defense Fund published a detailed report on how to help workers transition from jobs in the fossil fuel industry to clean energy in a report titled “Enabling Fairness for Energy Workers and Communities in Transition”.
For more information, contact the Harbsters at harbstersm@gmail.com.