Recent Texas Tech Grad on Years of Living Dangerously

I've been working my way through Season 2 of Years of Living Dangerously on Hulu. Episode 6 held a very nice surprise for me - there was Jordan Vogel right there on my TV! "Jordan who?" you may ask.

Meet Jordan!

 

Jordan was the leader of the Lubbock Chapter of the Citizens Climate Lobby until he graduated last spring. My wife and I worked with Jordan and a hand full of others to spread the word locally about our approach to tackling climate change (and a collection of related societal and economic issues.)

Jordan has worked with the CCL locally and in Washington, DC

(Actress) Nikki Reed, Jordan Vogel, and activist friends

You know it's a big deal when a Hollywood star calls you a badass!

 

Years of Living Dangerously Season 2 Preview - Arnold style!

 

So Lubbock folks, if you've not yet seen an episode of Years of Living Dangerously, Season 2 Episode 6 is right up your alley. And if that's not enough, you can see footage shot in Lubbock and Plainview in Season 1, Episode 1 (Free on youtube) with TTU's own Dr. Hayhoe. Either way, you can't go wrong!

 

Episode available in many formats

 

May we tackle international challenges locally, nationally, and everywhere we can make our voices be heard!

Crowdfunding a Katharine Hayhoe Project? I am in!

Global Weirding. I like it already.

To start, let's talk about Dr. H. There's a good chance you have not heard of her unless you're an eco-geek or an undergrad. She is a climate scientist at (Lubbock's very own) Texas Tech University, and she has gained international fame and respect for her contributions to her field and for her ability to communicate complex issues in very relatable terms. (If you want a better understanding of this ability, hop on youtube or Netflix and watch episode 1 of Years of Living Dangerously. As an added bonus, you can see that army dude from Iron Man as well as Han Solo/Indiana Jones in the same episode.)

Say goodbye to second-rate family reunion speakers! (Project Link)

 

Needless to say, this blogger is a big fan of Dr. Hayhoe's work (and we have to support our hometown heroes), so...

 

...please watch the video, check out the campaign page, and consider funding this project to foster common-ground communication in our deeply divided society.

 

Text from the campaign page:

 

In this series, we're going to tackle all the climate change issues you’ve heard, head-on. How do we know this thing is even real? Why do scientists say it's humans, and not natural cycles like it¹s been every other time? Is climate change causing the crazy weather we see today? Does fixing climate mean we have to shut down the economy? Why are the Pope and the National Association of Evangelicals piling on? And why do we climate scientists get so much hate mail? Money and politics, God and global warming, every topic we avoid in polite conversation—we're going there.

 

May better communication lead to action and hope. 



I met a climate hero!

Saturday was a great day to be a Tech professor fan! Apparently, the Tech football fans can't say the same.

Okay. I am excited.

I generally don't have a lot of heroes. I don't get excited about athletes or movie stars. But there are a few people...

Yesterday I met Dr. Katharine Hayhoe. If there is such thing as an eco hero, she's high up on the list. She is an atmospheric scientist based out of Texas Tech, but her reach is worldwide. You may have read about her in Time, or seen her on Showtime, or read her book. You may even be one of those five people who have have read about her on Mesquite Hugger. Yes, I am a big fan, and, after hearing her speak, I am an even bigger fan.

You may be asking what makes her such a rock star among climate celebs. It's fairly simple - she has a powerful grasp of a large number of complicated concepts, and she is able to explain them in very simple terms. (It doesn't hurt that she's an entertaining speaker.)

But does that make her a hero? Almost. I mean, yes, it does. People listen to her. People listen to her and learn. They listen to her and have a better understanding of the climate-based challenges we face. They listen to her and they are inspired to  make positive change. That is what makes her a hero.

It's not the first time it's happened, but I listened to her (again) and am inspired to make another positive change (again). This time, I am joining the Citizen's Climate Lobby (So is my wife!) - be sure to check them out if you want to save the planet AND receive a check in the mail for doing so.

I will tell you more about that adventure as it happens.

May your heroes inspire you to create a better place for us all!

PS. I have now met Robert Hass, Bill McKibben, and Dr. Hayhoe. Now, if I can figure out how to bump into Annie Leonard and Dr. James Hansen in the grocery store, my hero checklist will be complete!

As always, thank you for reading!