Ike doggedly jogged up to Ima who had, once again, finished their cross-country workout ahead of him.  “OK, OK – don’t be so smug; I’ll beat you yet before the season’s over,” he said catching his breath.

         “I can’t believe this is our final year.  Graduation’s only eight months off,” Ima remarked, “and I’m way behind on saving money for college.”  “Join the club,” Ike sighed. “Wait a minute; there’s a way we could win some easy cash.  Did you see the ‘Solar Poetry Slam’ contest poster at school?  First prize is $75!  All you have to do is write a poem about the benefits of adding solar on our school.  Should be easy because there are so many good reasons to do so.”

         Ike’s English teacher had explained that the contest is open to all 6th – 12th graders.* Any kind or poem can be submitted; teachers have all the info.  The Dodgeville Chronicle is going to publish the winners’ pictures and maybe even some of the best poems!  Ike went on to explain why adding solar is such a great idea:

• Scores of Wisconsin schools are already saving $100,000s in energy costs with solar.
• Schools are eligible for federal, state and foundation funding covering up to 50% of the total cost.
• A low-cost ‘green loan’ would pay for the balance.  The loan payments are covered by the energy cost-saving from the solar installation.  I.E. A school’s budget doesn’t increase then gradually drops as the loan is paid off.
• Because of these generous funding options, schools can install solar with little or possibly NO out of pocket costs!
• There are numerous curricula tie-ins for schools that have an operating solar array.  It’s a great way to introduce energy efficiency and solar technologies - some of the fastest growing industries in the country. 
• Schools with solar model earth-friendly stewardship.

 
         “Super! I’m pretty good at making up song lyrics,” Ima Rhymer cheered.  “Betcha I can win that $75 first prize.”  “Oh no you don’t!  This is one time I’m gonna beat you!” Ike N. Pennapoem crowed.

         “No matter who wins, I hope our school looks into adding solar.  It’s a money saver!  Beyond that, we’ve just gotta take care of our planet.  After all, it’s the only home we’ll ever know.  It’s where we’re all forever… Earthbound.”
           
*Mineral Point and Dodgeville students

        Marty McFly cracked out of his shell just minutes after his brother, George, had hatched.  The two crows were best buddies - like peas in a pod - until one day Marty tumbled from the nest.  Young Biff Tannen happened by, found the little chick and raised him as a pet.  Not long after, Biff’s family with Marty, moved miles away to Bellingham, Washington.

        However, each summer the Tannens returned to Wisconsin for a visit.  One year, Marty came along, and wouldn’t you know, he escaped from his cage.  Off he went in search of his long-lost brother, George.  Sure enough, there he was, perched in the old oak tree.  Marty was overjoyed!

        “Hey, it’s Labor Day weekend.  Ya know what I’d really like to do?” Marty cawed.   “Let’s hit up the Iowa County Fair.” So off they flew.  From high up on the grand stand, George soon spotted an open trash bag.  “Lunch is on me!” he grinned.  (Crows can grin??)

        Searching through the debris, Marty picked up a shiny red packet. “What’s this?”  he asked. “That’s ketchup, silly,” George replied. “Huh! Never saw one,” Marty said as his beak pierced a different soft, white container. “Yuck! What’s this stuff?” he asked. “Don’t you know styrofoam?” George questioned.  “It’s packaging for all kinds of fast food and drinks.”  Marty also couldn’t help noticing all the plastic - bags, utensils and beverage containers – stuff they didn’t use at home.

        That night as they watched the moon rise over the driftless countryside, Marty remarked about all he’d seen that day.  “Yeah back home, almost all of our single-use food containers are made of bio-degradable materials; like bamboo utensils for example.  And our garbage doesn’t go in with other trash.  Instead, we put food scraps and bio-degradable paper into ‘food plus’ bins for composting.  There’s even a service that will pick up hard to recycle items like light bulbs and batteries.”  

        As they continued chatting about differences, George learned that in Washington, kids can ride free on the ferries, the in-state Amtrak trains, and on many of the various cities’ buses to encourage less private vehicle use.

        “Golly,” George realized, “Wisconsin has a proud environmental heritage, but there are still a few new tricks we can learn while moving forward to the future.  And we really must because we’re all forever… Earthbound.”

        “Well I’m not doing that again!” Anita declared. “Doing what?” Harry asked.  “Vacation in Las Vegas in July.  What was I thinking??  It was 120 degrees some days!” she exclaimed.

        “Whoa!  Bad plan!” Harry agreed as their bikes rounded a corner. “But Las Vegas wasn’t the only place suffering.  This past June was the 13th month in a row that we’ve set a global-wide monthly high temperature record according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service.  The whole world’s in a pickle!”

        “Yeah, and our family hasn’t done much about actually lowering our carbon footprint,” Anita admitted as they sweated up the next hill. “Funny thing is, before long we’ll be worrying about staying warm this winter and paying those heating bills,” she puffed. “Ours are way too high; I’m sure there must be ways to lower them.  But with work, the kids and all, who’s got time to figure all that out?” she groaned.  

        “Actually, you might have the time,” Harry smiled. “Wisconsin’s Focus on Energy program has a free home energy assessment deal.*  Go on line and answer a few questions; it only takes about 10 minutes.  Then they send you a customized home energy report.  It includes tables and graphs to show you how much energy your heating system is using and what you could potentially save.  Even better, the report makes specific recommendations for your home and tells which Focus on Energy rebate programs will help pay for them and make your home more comfortable.  It’s a sweet deal!”

        “Wow! Sounds perfect,” Anita Gettgoin’ cheered. “It’s time to do it!”

        “But wait; that’s not all,” Harry smiled. “Hey, I sound like a TV pitchman, but there really is more free stuff from Focus.**  They’re giving away three different energy-saving packs: a Shower Pack, a Comfort Pack and a Bath Pack.  These packages are loaded with cool stuff like dusk-to-dawn LED nightlights, high-efficiency showerheads, weather stripping, LED bulbs, window and pipe insulation and more.”

        The two bikers glided down the long hill toward home. “Yeah, we’re in a pickle.  Luckily, it’s not some magical hocus-pocus that will get us out of it.  It’s working together, being smart and taking advantage of this kind of help.  But there’s no time to lose,” Harry Upp-Now urged, “because this is our only home.  It’s where we’re all forever… Earthbound.”

* https://focusonenergy.com/home-assessment
** https://focusonenergy.com/residential/energy-saving-packs

Me?... An Ancestor?
 
Wynn Ima-Goner couldn’t suppress a feeling of satisfaction as he stepped out of his attorney’s office and bumped into his friend Lee Gacey.  “You’re looking chipper,” Lee commented.  “Well thanks.  I feel great.” Wynn replied. “I’m ready to die!”
Wynn explained that he just updated his will.  “Yup!  I’ve laid out just exactly where all my possessions will go, so I’m all set for…whenever.  There’s nothing more for me to do,” he said smugly.
They walked on in silence for a few minutes then Lee asked, “Glad to hear you’ve got your possessions figured out, but have you decided what kind of ancestor you want to be?”  “Huh? What are you talking about?” Wynn asked.
“Wynn, you and I could die tomorrow, or who knows?  We might be around for another 20 years or more.  But someday, we’ll be someone’s ancestor; so what kind of ancestor do you want to be?* Will your descendants say, ‘I’m so proud of my ancestors. Back in the 2020s they dedicated themselves to preserving a healthy planet for me and my children.’  Or will they shake their heads and wonder why our generation didn’t act while we had the chance?  
“You know Wynn, what we do in the next decade will be critical in shaping the environment for hundreds of years to come.  Are we okay with letting global temperatures continue to rise and as a result alter the climate our civilizations were built on?  Each year, 200 - 2000 species are driven to extinction.  Are we going to let that continue?  Will plastic pollution become so pervasive as to be inescapable anywhere on the planet?  I could go on, but you get the picture,” Lee concluded.
         “Golly!  I hadn’t thought about it that way.” Wynn reflected. “I DO want to be remembered for more than just the stuff I leave behind.  Did I just say there was nothing left for me to do?  Oops, I missed the mark on that one!  My work has just begun.  There are tons of things** I can do to live more gently on this Earth.
         “Our descendants deserve a planet at least as beautiful and healthy as the one we were born onto.  After all, this is the only home any of us will ever know.  It’s where we’re all forever… Earthbound.”
*Concept courtesy of Robin Wall Kimmerer
**https://www.rituals.com/en-us/mag-kindness-for-the-world-50-ways-to-be-kind-to-the-planet.html

        Donna stomped toward her friends at the back-corner table and slammed a copy of the latest Smithsonian magazine down. “Some folks are just whacko,” she groused.  A guy gave me this and said, ‘Here, read this; that’s ironing for you!’  So I read it.  But it’s got nothing to do with clothing, laundry or ironing – weird!” Donna Gettit grumped.

        Ray and Effie flipped through the magazine as Donna pointed out the piece entitled “The Next Big Wave”.  They skimmed the article while Donna placed her order.

        The story highlighted the violent storms that have ravaged the greater Houston, Texas area.  In 1900, the Great Galveston Storm with 16-foot storm surges killed 8,000 people.  In 2008, Hurricane Ike - 20 ft. storm surges.  2017 - Some damages from Hurricane Harvey still remain.  This summer - Hurricane Beryl left 2.2 million folks without power.

        It went on to explain that environmentalists, ship pilots, law makers and petroleum executives are worried that another Category 4 or 5 hurricane in that area would destroy the oil refinery infrastructure that lines Galveston Bay.  That would unleash 100 million gallons of oil – a monumental disaster ten times worse than the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska.  So they’re devising a $34 billion plan in the hopes of preventing such a thing.

        “Ha!” Effie exclaimed. “He didn’t say ‘ironing’; he said ‘irony’!  It’s ironic because the petroleum industry’s greenhouse gas emissions that warm the atmosphere are a huge cause of the sea level rise and hurricanes that are directly threatening the sources of those greenhouse gasses.  So now we’re spending billions of dollars to protect the very thing that’s creating this vicious cycle of destruction. THAT’S irony!”

        “I get it,” Donna nodded. “It’s kind of like trying to drain the bathtub while keeping the tap wide open. There’s gotta be a better way.”

        “Oh, there is!” Effie Shency and Ray Newables said, practically in unison.  “We should be reducing fossil fuel subsides that, according to the International Monetary Fund, have risen globally from $2 trillion to $7 trillion since 2021. Then, of course, we need to support decision-makers who advocate for policies that enhance energy efficiencies and expand clean
energy production.”

        Donna smiled. “Then it’s coincidence and not irony that the insulation crew’s coming to my house in an hour.  Because I’m just doing my part, here where we’re all forever… Earthbound.”

        “Hello America!  You’re tuned to ‘Straight Talk’ our weekly look at what real Americans across the land are doing to keep our country strong.  I’m your host, Pat Ree-Ahtick here with reporter, Cher Da’Newws, covering recent innovations.  What have you learned this week in your travels across our great country, Cher?”

        “Pat, you won’t be surprised that farmers are some of our greatest innovators.  A group of these forward-looking folks are ramping up their conservation and regenerative farming practices.  In doing so, they’ve kept more than a million metric tons of carbon in the ground where it enriches the soil instead of polluting the atmosphere.  The Truterra company works with businesses that are racing to meet their climate pledges, so they’ve supported these conservation-minded farmers with average payouts of $20,000 apiece.  

        “Meanwhile in Texas, the Base Power company has a plan to help stabilize the volatile Texas grid.  It sells rooftop solar customers oversized home batteries at minimal costs.  Then it utilizes the excess storage capacity to back-up renewable energy sources.  Base Power trades any excess energy on the market.  Home-grown energy from hometown heroes!

       “Speaking of batteries, some folks worry about what we’ll do with used electric vehicle (EV) batteries.  Ascend Elements has an answer.  It recycles 30,000 metric tons, about 70,000 EV batteries, every year.  Their process recovers approximately 98% of the essential metals in each battery.  It’s a great example of the ‘circular economy,’ a system where materials never become waste and nature is regenerated.

        “Wisconsinites are also contributing to innovations in clean energy by employing more than 71,000 people with good-paying renewable energy jobs.  Over 11% are veterans and 69% of Wisconsin’s clean energy sector is made up of small businesses.  These career opportunities continue to expand thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding and extra incentives for American-made products.
       
        “But you know Pat, the most gratifying thing is meeting the every-day heroes across this great land.  They’re the Americans who don’t let partisan politics distract them from the fact that ALL Americans strive for the same goals of freedom, good health, prosperity and a safe and secure future for our children.”

        “By God you’re right Cher.  True patriots work together to achieve those goals. After all, we’re all neighbors on this small speck in the universe.  This is the only home we’ll ever know because we’re all forever… Earthbound.”

         “I still say this clean energy thing is mostly a bunch of hooey,” groused Ima Douter.
 
      “As they say, ‘You’re entitled to your own opinions, but facts are facts,’” Wanda Know replied. “The lady at Mythconceptions Busters sure cleared up a lot of questions for me.  You should go see her.”  “OK, OK, I’ll go see for myself!” Ima huffed. 

        Later at the store – As Ima stepped inside she felt strangely lighter, as if her unconscious biases had floated away.  “Er…my friend said you might have some answers,”  Ima said to the counter attendant. “For example, is it true that solar farms can only survive with the help of subsidies?”

         The woman smiled and typed in the question.  Behind her, the huge console blinked, whirred and then spit out a document. “Myth,” Ann Serrs read. “That’s because photovoltaic solar power is the cheapest source of new electricity generation in most parts of the world.  On average, gas-generated power costs about 20% more and coal-generated electricity is twice as expensive.”

         “What about wind turbines?  Doesn’t energy to manufacture, install and maintain them release tons of emissions?” Ima wondered.  A few seconds later – “Myth,” Ann announced. “The average lifecycle emissions of wind energy production is roughly 1/77th that of coal.  Actually, most of those emissions (90%) come from transporting the turbine components.”

         “Even so, we’d need turbines all over the place to get the same amount of energy as a few good-old coal plants, right?” asked Ima. “Another myth.  To reach net-zero emissions by 2050 turbines would need a direct footprint of between .6 million and 2.4 million acres. Not much compared to the 4.4 million acres currently used for natural gas extraction and the 3.5 million acres for oil extraction,” Ann read.

         “Yeah, but what about all the fossil fuel jobs we’ll lose.  Isn’t that a problem?” Ima asked. “Yet another myth,” Ann replied after checking the printout. “Estimates are that a net-zero emissions economy by 2050 would create 6 million jobs and cut just 1 million fossil fuel jobs.”

         “Wow!  A bunch of us have kinda ‘myth-ed out’ on the truth about this stuff,” Ima quipped. “But it’s no joke.  We’ve got to dump the myths and get the facts about caring for our only home because we’re all forever… Earthbound.”

         *Resource - 2024 Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, Columbia Law School

        “Is not!”  “Is so!”  “No way!”  “Oh yeah?” Wanda Know and Jess Wonderin’s heated argument dragged on until Wanda stopped short in front of a small shop.  “What this?” she asked. “The sign says ‘Myth Research & Analysis’*.”

        They stepped into the tidy shop. Behind the counter a kindly, wizened woman stood in front of what appeared to be a huge mainframe computer.  “What is this place?” Jess asked.  The woman handed him her card.  It read:  Mythconceptions Busters – Accurate Info.– No BULLarney   Ann Serrs, Proprietor. “Now, how can I help?” she asked.

        Wanda and Jess looked at each other a moment then Jess blurted out, “Wanda says discarded solar panels will cause a huge trash problem in the future.  Is that true?”  Ann tapped on the keyboard.  The massive machine whirled, lit up, and spit out a document.

         “Myth,” announced Ann.  “Actually, without a transition to renewable energy sources, future coal ash and oily sludge generated by fossil fuel energy would be 300-800 times greater than solar panel waste.”
        
        Then Wanda said, ”Some say we’re using too much cropland for solar farms.”  “Myth,” replied Ann.  “If all the solar development needed to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 were on farm land, it would only use about 1% of that acreage.  But it won’t all be on crop ground.  Besides, a lot of farms grow corn for ethanol.  Just one acre of solar panels produces as much energy as 80 – 140A. of corn for ethanol.

         “Are wind turbines one of the top causes of bird deaths?” wondered Jess.  “That’s another myth.”  Ann recited. “Heat waves, fires and other climate change effects are the largest threat to bird populations.  Beyond that, for every bird killed by a turbine, cats kill about 12,000 and building glass kills about 3,000.”

         Wanda jumped in again. “I heard that electric vehicles (EVs) aren’t really much more environmentally friendly than fossil fuel vehicles.  Really?”  “Just a myth,” Ann confirmed.  “When you add up all the greenhouse gases in the production, use and disposal of vehicles, average gas guzzlers produce 3-4 times more emissions than EVs.”

         “Thanks!” Wanda smiled. “What do we owe you?”  “No charge,” Ann winked. “Just help me bust myths about creating a cleaner future on our only home.  It’s where we’re all forever… Earthbound.”

         *2024 Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, Columbia Law School

       The final notes of the anthem, “CEEP it Clean,” dissolved into the breeze as the speaker stepped up to the podium.  “Welcome, welcome to the 2024 Clean Energy & Efficiency Providers (CEEP) Technical College Commencement,” the school president proclaimed.  The usual round of recognitions and Thank Yous followed.  Then his demeanor turned solemn as he continued.  

       “Graduates, as you embark on your new careers, there’s no hiding from the effects of a warming planet.  Last winter was the warmest one our country has ever experienced - more than 5 degrees above average.  Weather and climate disaster costs continue to grow.  From 1980–2023 the annual average number of weather or climate disasters has been 8.5 events per year.  During the most recent 5 years (2019–2023) there have been over 20 events every year.  In 2023 alone the U.S. experienced 28 separate $1 billion or more such events costing $92.9 billion in all.  Clearly, we can’t afford to continue on this trajectory.  Each of you will play a critical role in helping turn that trajectory toward a less costly, cleaner future.

       “You’ll help lead the change that’s already begun.  High-tech efficiency upgrades are reducing energy usage.  Generous federal, state and foundation grants worth hundreds of millions of dollars support these upgrades.  Solar is growing dramatically.  Last year, solar was the fastest-growing power source in the U.S.  A record 31 gigawatts of solar energy was installed – a 55% increase from 2022.  Solar represented half of all new utility-scale generating capacity.  Battery storage also grew substantially in 2023 and is expected to double in 2024.  Wind energy grew more modestly but nevertheless represents about 11% of electrical generation.  Taken together, clean renewable energy powers about 25% of our country, a good start but certainly not enough.

         “The choice is clear.  We can either pay for increasingly expensive storm damage control, or we can invest in a clean energy future.  Here at CEEP we’ve chosen to invest in this fine group of graduates and the future they’ll help us build.

         “Today’s commencement ceremony marks a conclusion.  But the word ‘commence’ signals a new beginning.  So let each of us commence with a renewed commitment to help create a clean future.  There’s really no choice but to do so.  Because this is the only home we’ll ever know.  It’s where we’re all forever… Earthbound.”

       “Psst! Moe… you up?”  Moe DeGrasse shook a wheel and roused himself from his noontime nap. “Do you know if your guy plans to make you mow the back section of this yard?”  Polly Nator asked. “That’s my home!  And dozens of my relatives live there too.  Where will we go if it’s all cut down?”.
Moe was sympathetic to Polly’s situation but frankly, he was a slave to his owner’s whims. He had often chased Polly around this yard and several of the neighbor’s plots.  “Gosh, I don’t know what he plans to do,” Moe replied. “Ever since he got me last year he rides around mowing down anything in sight.  Seems like riding on me makes him feel like he’s doing yard ‘work’ while sitting on his behind and never breaking a sweat.  I’m not so proud about all of that or of the fumes his excessive mowing blasts into the air.  It’s literally making the planet hotter.”

       Polly settled on to Moe’s deck. “Yeah, I get it.  Humans like seeing tidy, green expanses, but they forget that those ‘immaculate’ expanses make poor homes for me and my relatives.  We need places to raise our families too!” Polly sighed. “They forget that one out of every three bites of their food is grown with the help of us pollinators.  Yet pollinator populations are dropping by 1 - 2% every year.  Instead of constantly chasing us out, they could be helping us like Bess Practices does. She’s over on Livewell St. and has a very homey yard.”

       Bess’s yard has a beautiful display of native plants with over-lapping bloom times so there’s always a variety of nectar and pollen sources.  At the back, a small patch of well-drained bare soil is left open for ground-nesting bees.  That’s next to a little brush pile where cavity-nester bees, beetles and flies can make their homes. 

       And Bess is smart.  She waters only when it’s needed and keeps pesticide use to a minimum.  Instead, she practices integrated pest management – a system that matches pest biology with her yard’s environment.  That way, she reduces pests while minimizing risks to people, property, and the ecosystem.

       “Honestly,” Moe concluded, “I’d be just as happy napping here in the sun instead of mowing down stuff unnecessarily because this is our only home.  It’s where we’re all forever… Earthbound.”