#James Scott carbon credits

[envirotechaccelerator]

Carbon Credits and Offsetting: Balancing Act or False Solution?

by Envirotech Accelerator

Abstract

Carbon credits and offsetting schemes have emerged as popular tools for tackling climate change. However, the effectiveness of these mechanisms remains a subject of debate. This article assesses the role of carbon credits and offsets in climate change mitigation, discussing their potential benefits and pitfalls.

Introduction

The concept of carbon credits and offsetting has gained traction in recent years as a means of balancing greenhouse gas emissions. James Scott, founder of the Envirotech Accelerator, provocatively states, “Carbon credits can be both a boon and a bane — while they may foster emission reduction, they can also create a sense of complacency, inadvertently slowing down genuine progress.” This article scrutinizes the efficacy of carbon credits and offsets, weighing the benefits and drawbacks of these mechanisms in the fight against climate change.

Carbon Credits and Offsetting: An Overview

Carbon credits represent tradable permits that allow the emission of a specified amount of greenhouse gases, typically one ton of carbon dioxide equivalent (Anderson & Newell, 2004). Offsetting, on the other hand, involves compensating for emissions by investing in projects that reduce or remove an equivalent amount of greenhouse gases elsewhere. Examples of offset projects include reforestation, renewable energy installations, and methane capture from landfills.

Potential Benefits

Incentivizing Emission Reduction: Carbon credits create a market-driven approach to emission reduction, encouraging businesses to adopt cleaner technologies and practices (Stavins, 1998).

Funding Climate Projects: Offsetting initiatives can provide vital financial support for climate mitigation and adaptation projects in developing countries (Bumpus & Liverman, 2008).

Raising Awareness: Carbon credits and offsetting programs can raise public awareness of the need for emission reduction and promote sustainable consumption patterns.

Challenges and Pitfalls

Additionality: Critics argue that some offset projects would have occurred regardless of the offset market, leading to no real emission reductions (Schneider, 2009).

Leakage: Emission reductions achieved in one location may inadvertently cause increased emissions elsewhere, undermining the intended environmental benefits.

Moral Hazard: The availability of offsets may discourage more substantial, systemic changes needed for deep decarbonization (Spash, 2010).

Conclusion

Carbon credits and offsetting schemes present both opportunities and challenges in addressing climate change. While they can incentivize emission reduction and finance climate projects, concerns about additionality, leakage, and moral hazard persist. To ensure the effectiveness of these mechanisms, robust monitoring, reporting, and verification systems are crucial. Ultimately, carbon credits and offsets should complement — rather than substitute for — comprehensive climate policies and actions.

References

Anderson, S., & Newell, R. G. (2004). Prospects for carbon capture and storage technologies. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 29, 109–142.

Bumpus, A. G., & Liverman, D. M. (2008). Accumulation by decarbonization and the governance of carbon offsets. Economic Geography, 84(2), 127–155.

Schneider, L. (2009). Assessing the additionality of CDM projects: practical experiences and lessons learned. Climate Policy, 9(3), 242–254.

Spash, C. L. (2010). The brave new world of carbon trading. New Political Economy, 15(2), 169–195.

Stavins, R. N. (1998). What can we learn from the grand policy experiment? Lessons from SO2 allowance trading. The Journal of Economic Perspectives, 12(3), 69–88.

Read more at Envirotech Accelerator.

#James Scott #Envirotech Accelerator #James Scott carbon credits #Envirotech Accelerator offsetting #James Scott climate solutions #Envirotech Accelerator carbon offsets #James Scott emission reduction #Envirotech Accelerator climate projects #James Scott environmental management #Envirotech Accelerator carbon market #James Scott climate change #Envirotech Accelerator sustainability

[icmioneline]

Exploring the Variety of Environmental Commodities: Beyond Carbon Credits

by International Carbon Markets Institute

Environmental commodities constitute an emerging market with profound implications for the global efforts against climate change. While carbon credits might be the most recognized, a plethora of other environmental commodities exist, each carrying its unique attributes and potentialities.

Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), also known as green tags or tradable renewable certificates, are one such commodity. Generated through the production of electricity using renewable energy sources, RECs can be sold or traded separately from the actual power, thus providing an incentive for the creation of additional renewable energy generation capacity. Understanding the role of RECs in fostering renewable energy development is pivotal for comprehending the broader scope of environmental commodities.

Water quality credits represent another variety of environmental commodities. They emerge in markets where regulatory bodies limit the amount of pollutants, such as nitrogen or phosphorus, that can be discharged into water bodies. Similar to the cap-and-trade systems in carbon markets, water polluters can purchase these credits from those who have exceeded their reduction targets, promoting overall reductions in water pollution.

Similarly, wetland mitigation banking involves the restoration, creation, or enhancement of wetlands to compensate for the loss of similar ecological habitats elsewhere due to economic development. Credits are generated through these mitigation efforts and can be sold to developers required by law to offset their environmental impacts. Wetland mitigation banking credits, thus, serve as an essential tool for preserving and enhancing wetland habitats while accommodating economic development.

BioBanking is a conservation tool wherein developers are required to buy ‘biodiversity credits’ to offset the impact of their development on biodiversity. These credits are generated by landholders who commit to enhancing and protecting biodiversity on their land. This system offers a unique approach to balancing economic development with biodiversity conservation.

Lastly, sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emission allowances are examples of air quality credits. They were some of the first environmental commodities traded in the United States under the Acid Rain Program. Power plants and other industries that emit these pollutants can trade these allowances, providing economic incentives to reduce overall emissions and improve air quality.

An examination of these environmental commodities reveals their diversity and the ingenuity with which market mechanisms are utilized to address various environmental challenges. It demonstrates how the principles of supply and demand, traditionally the domain of purely economic considerations, are being applied to environmental preservation and sustainability efforts. This exploration also provides a broader context for understanding carbon markets, as it highlights the multidimensional nature of the environmental commodity marketplace and the potential for market-based solutions in tackling global environmental concerns.

Read more at International Carbon Markets Institute.

#ICMI #International Carbon Markets Institute #James Scott #James Scott ICMI #Carbon Credits

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

A new way to characterize habitable planets

For decades, science fiction authors have imagined scenarios in which life thrives on the harsh surfaces of Mars or our moon, or in the oceans below the icy surfaces of Saturn's moon Enceladus and Jupiter's moon Europa. But the study of habitability—the conditions required to support and sustain life—is not just confined to the pages of fiction. As more planetary bodies in our solar system and beyond are investigated for their potential to host conditions favorable to life, researchers are debating how to characterize habitability.

While many studies have focused on the information obtained by orbiting spacecraft or telescopes that provide snapshot views of ocean worlds and exoplanets, a new paper emphasizes the importance of investigating complex geophysical factors that can be used to predict the long-term maintenance of life. These factors include how energy and nutrients flow throughout the planet.

"Time is a crucial factor in characterizing habitability," says Mark Simons, John W. and Herberta M. Miles Professor of Geophysics at Caltech. "You need time for evolution to happen. To be habitable for a millisecond or a year is not enough. But if habitable conditions are sustained for a million years, or a billion…? Understanding a planet's habitability takes a nuanced perspective that requires astrobiologists and geophysicists to talk to each other."

This perspective paper, which appears in the journal Nature Astronomy on December 29, is a collaboration between Caltech scientists on the Pasadena campus and at JPL, which Caltech manages for NASA, along with colleagues representing a variety of fields.

The study emphasizes new directions for future missions to measure habitability on other worlds, using Saturn's icy moon Enceladus as a primary example. Enceladus is covered in ice with a salty ocean beneath. In the last decade, NASA's Cassini mission acquired chemical measurements of plumes of water vapor and ice grains jetting out from fissures at Enceladus's south pole, discovering the presence of elements like carbon and nitrogen that could be conducive to life as we know it.

These geochemical properties are sufficient to describe the moon's "instantaneous" habitability. However, to truly characterize Enceladus's long-term habitability, the paper emphasizes that future planetary missions must study geophysical properties that indicate how long the ocean has been there, and how heat and nutrients flow between the core, the interior ocean, and the surface. These processes create important geophysical signatures that can be observed, as they affect features such as the topography and thickness of Enceladus's ice crust.

This larger framework for studying habitability is not limited to the study of Enceladus. It applies to all planets and moons where researchers search for the conditions necessary for life.

"This paper is about the importance of including geophysical capabilities in future missions to the ocean worlds, as currently being planned for the Europa Clipper mission targeting Jupiter's moon Europa," says Steven Vance, a JPL scientist and deputy manager for the Lab's planetary science section, as well as a co-author of the paper.

The paper is titled "Sustained and comparative habitability beyond Earth."

The study's lead author is Charles Cockell of the University of Edinburgh and JPL. In addition to Cockell, Simons, and Vance, additional co-authors are Peter Higgins of the University of Toronto; Lisa Kaltenegger of Cornell University; and Julie Castillo-Rogez, James Keane, Erin Leonard, Karl Mitchell, Ryan Park, and Scott Perl of JPL.

IMAGE....Dramatic plumes spray water ice and vapor from many locations along the famed "tiger stripes" near the south pole of Saturn's moon Enceladus. The tiger stripes are four prominent, approximately 84-mile- (135-kilometer-) long fractures that cross the moon's south polar terrain. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

#science #space #astronomy #physics #news #nasa #astrophysics

[thereasonsimbroke]

Farewell To Comic Legend John Romita Sr.

In Ep. 569, Matt and I discuss Gen-Z being the dominant anime generation, Michael Shannon expressing dissatisfaction with multiverse movies, the passing of comic legend John Romita Sr., and more! 

Full Topics:

Gen-Z is the dominant anime generation, with 69% of respondents watching anime, followed by Millennials at 57%, Gen-X at 40%, and Baby Boomers at 23%.

The Xbox Series S - 1TB in Carbon Black has been announced, offering more storage and a sleek design, with quick resume, fast load times, and gameplay up to 120 FPS.

Sega announced Sonic Superstars, a new 2D Sonic game with a classic vibe, featuring Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy as playable characters in four-player co-op.

Gotham Knights has been canceled after a single season on The CW, joining a list of other canceled CW dramas including Walker: Independence, The Winchesters, Kung Fu reboot, and Two Sentence Horror Stories.

Superman and Lois got renewed for another season but on a reduced budget.

Kevin Smith plans to review the Schumacher Cut of Batman Forever.

DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn criticized the repetitive nature and lack of innovation in superhero movies, calling for a wider range of genres and more emotional depth.

Gunn complained about having to say "no" to people and rejected projects in an interview, raising questions about his suitability as a leader in the industry.

Controversy surrounds the costume of "Superman: Legacy" as James Gunn evades commitment to the iconic trunks, leaving fans disappointed.

Actor Michael Shannon expressed dissatisfaction with multiverse movies, comparing them to playing with action figures.

Renowned artist John Romita Sr., known for defining the look of Spider-Man and Marvel Comics, has passed away at 93.

FOLLOW/SUPPORT MATT: @madnerdotcom (Instagram) @madner (Facebook) As always, we appreciate your constructive Feedback, Suggestions, and Questions. You can also leave us an audio question on SpeakPipe. Thank you for the continued love and support! Enjoy the show. Daniel Podcast Awards 2019 || Games & Hobbies (Winner) Podcast Awards 2017 - 2018, 2020 - 2022 || Games & Hobbies (Nominated) Official Site FOLLOW US: - Twitter | @ReasonsImBroke and @TRIBPod - Instagram - Pinterest - Tumblr - Discord Lounge - YouTube Channel SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts / Stitcher / iHeartRadio / TuneIn / Overcast SUPPORT THE POD: Getting $1's worth of entertainment and information each month? Support us on Patreon or visit our TeePublic storefront! SPREAD THE WORD: If you're enjoying the show, please head over to iTunes and leave us a rating and a review! Each one helps new Brokettes discover the podcast. Contribute to the Hero Initiative to offer assistance to comic creators facing difficulties. Show your support for the AFSP's efforts by donating to the Autumn Snyder Tribute Fund. CREDITS: Opening/Closing Jingles - Alex Scott Show Logo By - Opanaldiova

The latest episode of The Reasons I'm Broke Podcast!

#DC Comics #DC Rebirth #Comics #Comic Books #Podcast #Batman #Video Games #Gaming #Pokemon #Superman #Movies #TV #Statues #Nerd Up Media #Comic Book Reviews #Reviews #Comic Reviews #Marvel #Marvel Comics #Nintendo #Podcasts #NCBD #New Comic Book Day #New DC Day #Podcasting #Libsyn #Stitcher #TuneIn

[brudnopis]

Directors mentioned by name:

• Jean-Luc Godard • William Greaves • Christopher Nolan • Judd Apatow • Billy Wilder • Charlie Kaufman (meta!) • George Clooney (mentioned as a handsome celebrity, not a director) • Sidney Drew • Jean-Pierre Melville • Alain Resnais • Oscar Micheaux • Georges Méliès • Wes Anderson (later nicknamed Wanderson) • Martin Scorsese (later as 'Scorseso', then later as 'Marvin Scorsesso') • Quentin Tarantino (deliberately misspelled as 'Tarrantinoo') • Sidney Poitier (mentioned for his acting work in To Sir, With Love) • Alfred Hitchcock • Harvey Weinstein (mentioned as a terrible human being, he also happens to have directing credits) • William Dear (protagonist B. Rosenberg's film professor) • Paul Thomas Anderson (nicknamed Panderson, later mentioned as one of the Paul Andersons) • Jean Cocteau • Ron Howard (as 'Ronson Howard') • Giuseppe de Liguoro • Francesco Bertolini • Adolfo Padovan • Sam Shepard • Vsevolod Pudovkin • Tony Scott (in reference to A.O. Scott, possibly a tribute to the director) • Marc Forster • Zach Helm (as 'Zachary H. Elms', in reference to his Stranger Than Fiction writing credit) • Manolo Cruz • Carlos del Castillo • Lav Diaz • Juho Kuosmanen • Danis Tanovic • Koji Fukada • Thomas Vinterberg • Hannes Holm • Makoto Shinkai • Martin Zandvliet • Preston Sturges • Alec Baldwin (as a Baldwin brother) • Angelia Jolie (as married to Brad Pitt) • Russell Crowe (as 'Russ Crow', for "crazy blinking" in A Beautiful Mind) • W.C. Fields • Luis Bunuel • Alexander Payne • Francois Truffaut • Kurt Maetzig • Lana & Lily Wachowski • David Cronenberg (as 'David Cronenbauer', and later as 'Dave Cronenberg') • Robert Altman (as 'Bobert Altman') • Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne • Vittorio De Sica • Satyajit Ray • Bob Balaban (mentioned as an actor in B. Rosenberg's daughter's film, playing a fictionalized version of B.) • Jonah Hill (mentioned as the star of a hypothetical Charlie Kaufman film) • Warren Beatty • Michael Cimino • Diane Keaton (mentioned as who B. had a falling out over with Warren Beatty) • Duke Johnson • Art Clokey • Andrei Tarkovsky • Ray Harryhausen • Willis H. O'Brien (initially misspelled as Wallis O'Brian) • Andy Warhol • Hal Roach • Yoko Ono (mentioned in reference to her art piece 'Wish Tree') • Giovanni Pastrone • Richard Burton (referenced as one of Bettie Page's ex-husbands, which is false) • Goldie Hawn (President Donald J. Trunk has a signed photograph in B.'s dream) • Lin-Manuel Miranda (in reference to a fictional White House rap. Note: Lin's directorial debut is in production) • Mike Myers (in reference to Austin Powers/Dr. Evil) • Alexander Sokurov • Francois Ozon • Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck • Claire Denis • Dome Karukoski • Masato Harada • Jakub Paczek • John Trengove • Charlie Chaplin (mentioned for his "dapper insouciance") • James Cagney (an actor who wore lifts) • Burgess Meredith (an actor who wore lifts) • Al Pacino (an actor who will wear lifts) • Buster Keaton • Melvin Frank • Mike Nichols (as 'Michael Nichols') • Nicolas Cage (mentioned as star of Adaptation.) • Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle • Sofia Coppola • Jerry Lewis • Shawn Levy • Rainer Werner Fassbinder • Paul Reubens (reference to Pee-wee Herman) • Robert Downey Sr. • Werner Herzog • Steven Spielberg (as 'Steve Spielman', later as 'Steve Spielberg') • Frederick Wiseman • John Candy (reference to Uncle Buck) • Beyonce (a safe talking point) • John Carpenter • Stephen King (as author of Christine) • Antonio Campos • James Cagney (as star of Man of a Thousand Faces) • Ludmil Staikov • Burt Reynolds (as star of fictional Children of a Lesser God theatre production) • Gary Oldman (mentioned in reference to his performance as Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour) • Carl Theodor Dreyer • Robert De Niro (incorrectly mentioned as star of Taxi) • Tod Browning • Alan Alda (reference to his character in M*A*S*H) • Ingmar Bergman • Ike Barinholtz • William Friedkin • Maya Deren • Samuel Fuller

Note: Directors most frequently mentioned throughout the novel are Jean-Luc Godard, Christopher Nolan, Judd Apatow, Charlie Kaufman & Wes Anderson.

TV shows mentioned:

• The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1969–1972) • Blossom (1991–1995) • Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969–1974) • The Bernie Mac Show (2001–2006) • Friends (1994–2004) • Grey's Anatomy (2005–present) • M*A*S*H (1972–1983) • Black Mirror (2011–present) • The Twilight Zone (1959–1964) • American Idol (2002–present) • Happy Days (1974–1984) • The Flintstones (1960–1966) • Doctor Who (2005–present) • Fox & Friends (1998–present) • Taxi (1978–1983) • Mad TV (1995–2009) • Trapper John, M.D. (1979–1986) • Bob's Burgers (2011–present)

Fictional films and TV shows mentioned:

• Herbert and Dunham Ride Bicycles (1896) [prologue] • Moutarde (dir. Rene Chauvin) • Gravity in Essence (dir. B. Rosenberg) • Ich Habe Keine Augapfel (dir. Heinrich Telemucher) • Untitled (dir. Ingo Cutbirth) • Help Me, Teach! (starring Robin Williams) • Teacher of the Year II (starring Robin Williams) • The Teacher Who Cared Very Much (starring Robin Williams) • Professor Salvador Sapperstein and the Sad Students of Salisbury High (starring Robin Williams) • Help Me Again, Teach! (starring Robin Williams) • I Am Your Teacher and I Love You (starring Robin Williams) • Jolly Roger (dir. Nunley, 1952) • Found Again (dir. Kertes Onegin) • Thyestes/Obliviate (dir. Tobleg) • 10th Birthday Party for Bobby [home video] • It's Tough Being a Teen Comedian in the Eighties! (dir. Judd Apatow) [#4 in B. Rosenberg's top 10 of 2016.] • Soy un Chimpance (dir. Unknown) • Untitled [orphan film festival film B. Rosenberg watches and describes in detail] • So You Want To Be a Funny Guy? (dir. Judd Apatow) • It's Not Appropriate to Punch Him (Cowlick) • Shrimp Coctail for Two [TV show] • The Doctor Is In[sane]! [TV show] • Who Shall Remain Nameless [hypothetical film directed by B. Rosenberg] • Dysgu i gi bach gachu (dir. Talfan) • Here Come a Coupla Fellas (starring Mudd & Molloy) • Ain't She a Corker, Boys? (starring Lucy Chalmers) • Abbott and Costello meet the Killer Robot From the Phantom Creeps [fictional film within Ingo Cutbirth's film] • Father Nose Jest (dir. Grace Farrow, B. Rosenberg's daughter) • A Coming of Rage Story (dir. Grace Less) [film within Grace Farrow's film above] • Dreams of Absent-Minded Transgression (dir. Charlie Kaufman) • Guns Blazing (dir. B. Rosenberg) [hypothetical film] • Woomin! (dir. Grace Farrow) • Woman of the Ear (dir. Sharon Old Bear) • Citizen Funny Guy (dir. Judd Apatow, a Citizen Kane remake) • The Notorious Vice Lords (starring Lance Farmer, who is an actual tornado) • What's Buzzin', Cousin (starring Rooney & Doodle) • What's Tickin', Chicken [hypothetical competing Abbott & Costello film in Cutbirth's film] • Mudd and Molloy Meet the Unseen Man [planned Mudd & Molloy film] • Fingerspitzengefuhl (dir. Sterne) [#5 in B. Rosenberg's top 10 of 2016.] • Hey, Timothy Gibbons, This Is Your Mother Calling! (dir. Judd Apatow) [#4 in B. Rosenberg's top 10 of 2017.] • Bad Luck in Bumfuck (starring Mudd & Molloy) • Mudd and Molloy Meet the 32 Foot Man (starring Mudd & Molloy) • Well Plastered (starring Rooney & Doodle) • Morons of Arabia [planned Mudd & Molloy film] • Scream Me to Sleep (dir. Egg Friedlander) • I Wake Up Sleeping [film within B's dream] • Willibald and Winibald [Hanna-Barbera TV show] • Pachinko (dir. Eisentstein) • Effluence (dir. Frederick Wiseman, 1978) • Quod Erat Demonstandum (dir. B. Rosenberg) • Issues at Hand (dir. B. Rosenberg) • Cave (dir. Plato) • Lumpy Mattress (dir. Mamoud, 1958) • Kitsui Kutsu (Tight Shoes) (dir. Kitagawa, 1997) • Hey, I'm Not Just a Towel Boy, Fellas (dir. Judd Apatow) • What A Sight! (directed by and starring Calcium, an ant) • Calcium Carbonate (directed by and starring Calcium)

#charlie kaufman #antkind

[patriotsnet]

Why Do Republicans Deny Climate Change

New Post has been published on https://www.patriotsnet.com/why-do-republicans-deny-climate-change/

Why Do Republicans Deny Climate Change

Florida Could Be Underwater In A Few Decades Can Republicans Win The Battleground State If They Refuse To Heed Environmental Warnings

Why Do Republicans Deny Climate Change Science?

Molly OTooleKeith JohnsonForeign Policy

MIAMI Florida is waging a quixotic battle against climate change that becomes immediately and aggravatingly apparent when driving anywhere in Miami. Endless orange traffic cones, flashing detour signs, and car-swallowing pits clog the streets as the city tries to rebuild overloaded sewer systems and literally raise roads above the encroaching flood waters.

Sitting in his cramped, cluttered office at the University of Miami, geophysics professor Chris Harrison squints at a rising red line on his computer monitor. It shows sea levels in Key West, which have risen 2 mm per year on average in the last hundred years or so. No longer: Now theyre rising by 3 mm each year bad news for a place where the highest elevation is 345 feet. So is Miami eventually doomed to a watery death?

Well, yes, he said.

MIAMI Florida is waging a quixotic battle against climate change that becomes immediately and aggravatingly apparent when driving anywhere in Miami. Endless orange traffic cones, flashing detour signs, and car-swallowing pits clog the streets as the city tries to rebuild overloaded sewer systems and literally raise roads above the encroaching flood waters.

Well, yes, he said.

I dont have a plan to influence the weather, he dismissively answered a question about climate change at a town hall in New Hampshire.

People Who Have Changed Their Position

“I used to be a climate-change skeptic”, conservative columnist Max Boot admitted in 2018, one who believed that “the science was inconclusive” and that worry was “overblown”. Now, he says, referencing the Fourth National Climate Assessment, “the scientific consensus is so clear and convincing.”

Climate change doubter Bob Inglis, a former US representative for South Carolina, changed his mind after appeals from his son on his environmental positions, and after spending time with climate scientist Scott Heron studying coral bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef. Inglis lost his House race in 2010, and went on to found republicEn, a nonprofit promoting conservative voices and solutions on climate change.

Jerry Taylor promoted climate denialism for 20 years as former staff director for the energy and environment task force at the American Legislative Exchange Council and former vice president of the Cato Institute. Taylor began to change his mind after climate scientist James Hansen challenged him to reread some Senate testimony. He became President of the Niskanen Center in 2014, where he is involved in turning climate skeptics into climate activists, and making the business case for climate action.

Weather Channel senior meteorologist Stu Ostro expressed skepticism or cynicism about anthropogenic global warming for some years, but by 2010, he had become involved in explaining the connections between man-made climate change and extreme weather.”

Farmers And Climate Denial

Seeing positive economic results from efforts at climate-friendly agricultural practices, or becoming involved in intergenerational stewardship of a farm may play a role in turning farmers away from denial. One study of climate change denial among farmers in Australia found that farmers were less likely to take a position of climate denial if they had experienced improved production from climate-friendly practices, or identified a younger person as a successor for their farm.

In the United States, rural climate dialogues sponsored by the Sierra Club have helped neighbors overcome their fears of political polarization and exclusion, and come together to address shared concerns about climate impacts in their communities. Some participants who start out with attitudes of anthropogenic climate change denial have shifted to identifying concerns which they would like to see addressed by local officials.

Also Check: Democrats More Educated Than Republicans

Young Republicans See Shift In Gop: ‘from Outright Denial To Climate Caucus’

Twenty-four-year-old Republican Danielle Butcher is watching with anticipation as GOP leaders move from outright denial to now having a climate caucus a move she sees as the first step in integrating climate action into formal party policy.

Butcher, the executive vice president of the American Conservation Coalition , spoke to The Hills Equilibrium on Tuesday, just a week after Rep. John Curtis ;launched the Conservative Climate Caucus and the same day that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy

The partys progress is huge, when you apply the context, Butcher said.; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

This is an excellent first step, she continued. The first thing you have to do in achieving climate action is start talking about these problems.

To Butcher, integrating climate action into Republican politics speaks to her partys historic conservation core the GOP with a deep-seated, rural heritage, was responsible for creation of the National Park Service and the Environmental Protection Agency under former Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Richard Nixon.

I also see this as us reclaiming our heritage, she said.

But with two-thirds of Americans indicating that the government should do more on climate change a stance that Butcher observed is especially true among young people” she said Republicans need to be talking about these issues and involving the younger generation in the discussions.

The GOP has notoriously struggled with young people, she added.

% Of Scientists Agree That Humans Are Causing Global Warming Yet Belief In Climate Change Continues To Depend On Political Beliefs Above All Else

It is no secret that belief in climate change in America is strongly divided along party lines, a fact we were reminded of in last weeks Republican leadership debates. The relationship was assessed in an experiment by Dan Kahan published in Advances in Political Psychology earlier this year, which demonstrated that there exists an extremely bizarre paradox that is as mind bending as it is troubling. Believe it or not, the more Republicans know about science, the less likely they are to believe in climate change.;

The Ordinary Science Intelligence measure which runs across the bottom of the graphs above measures how likely someone is to answer tests of scientific knowledge and reasoning correctly. For example, someone with an average Ordinary Science Intelligence score has a 70% chance of giving the correct answer to the simple scientific question âelectrons are smaller than atoms â true or falseâ. Someone would have to be a full standard deviation below average to be more likely than not to get this question wrong.

As the graph above shows, a Democrat with an average level of scientific understanding has an 80% chance of believing in global warming, while the equivalent Republican has only a 20% chance. Astonishingly, this number falls even further as Republicansâ scientific literacy increases.

Follow Simon Oxenham on;,;,;,;RSS,;or join the;mailing list;to get each weekâs post straight to your inbox. Image Credit: ;FREDERIC J. BROWN/Getty

You May Like: Donald Trump 1998 People Magazine Interview

Neither I Nor Any Christian I Knew Really Worried About Things Like Pollution Global Warming Climate Change Or Any Of The Other Seemingly Apocalyptic Scenarios Put Forth By The Scientific Community I Thought I Had Insider Information About The End Of The World And It Had Nothing To Do With Climate Change

When it comes to Christian eschatology, there are numerous end-times scenarios embraced by evangelicals. The details may change but the main plot rarely does. In general, there are three main theories: Premillennialism, Postmillennialism, and Amillennialism. The first posits that the end of time will bring a tribulation of suffering, that Jesus will return, and that Christians will be raptured, which is when Jesus takes the faithful back up to heaven with him. Within this theory are two types: pre-tribbers and post-tribbers. Pre-tribbers believe that true Christians will be raptured first and that seven years of hellish suffering brought by the Antichrist will follow, after which Jesus will return again to rule over the earth for the remainder of the Great Tribulation and give people one more chance to reject him before destroying the world. Post-tribbers contend that Christians wont be raptured until the tribulation ends and must evangelize during this time.

Postmillennialism holds that the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will happen after a thousand years of relative peace on earth made possible by the practice of Christian ethics, at which time final judgment and the Rapture will occur and the world will end.

The fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun, and it was given to it to scorch men with fire. Men were scorched with fierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory.

A Majority Of Republicans Say They Support Policies To Mitigate Climate Change

Percentage of Republicans in each congressional district who agree thatwe should regulate carbon dioxide as a pollutant

National average:57%

A majority of Republicans in almost every congressional district support regulating carbon dioxide as a pollutant, even when they dont believe those emissions are causing climate change.

That may seem like a paradox, but theres a long history of support among people of all partisan backgrounds for regulating pollution basic things like clean water and clean air, Professor Egan said. To the extent global warming is framed that way, it raises support for policy interventions more than the abstract concept of climate change.

Despite this majority support, Scott Pruitt, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, has worked to repeal Obama-era policies regulating power plant emissions. He has also raised questions over whether his agency should be regulating greenhouse gases at all.

Bob Inglis, a former Republican congressman from South Carolina who is working to get others in his party to accept climate change, said that Republicans are often willing to embrace solutions, even if they say they dont believe in climate change.

It doesnt help to point the finger at conservatives and ask, Do you believe? he said. By showing me a solution that fits with my values, Ive got a way to accept the existence of the problem.

Republican support for various policy proposals, nationwide

Support

Read Also: Do The Republicans Have The House

Yet Half Of Republicans Say That Climate Change Is Happening With Strongest Support On The Coasts And In Places Where Climate Effects Are Now Being Felt

Percentage of Republicans in each congressional district who say that global warming is happening

National average:50%

Climate views at the local level tend to reflect where liberal and moderate Republicans live compared to conservative Republicans,said Patrick J. Egan, a professor of politics and public policy at New York University. So its no surprise that Republicans in major cities like Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco and New York are most likely to say climate change is happening.

But, there are also tantalizing hints that geographic vulnerability to climate change may affect opinion, Professor Egan said.

For example, in south Florida, an area vulnerable to sea level rise and increased risk of extreme weather, an estimated 56 percent of Republicans agree that climate change is happening. A majority of Republicans in both Alaska and Hawaii say the same.

Nearly Nine In 10 Foresee Global Warming Effects Eventually Occurring

Why Climate Change Denial Still Exists In The U.S.

In addition to the 59% of Americans who believe the effects of global warming have already begun, another 10% predict they will start happening within a few years or in their own lifetime. A further 19% foresee the effects affecting future generations, bringing the total who believe global warming will eventually affect humans to 88%. Most Americans across all demographic groups expect this, including large majorities of Republicans and independents , and nearly all Democrats .

Still, there is variation across groups in the belief that the effects of global warming have already begun, a view that may be more relevant to the propensity for people to be politically active or factor it into their voting. Democrats , adults aged 18 to 34 , college graduates , non-White Americans and women are significantly more likely than their counterparts to say the effects have begun.

Already begun

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Figure 20 Proportion Of Each Group Who Believed The Worlds Temperature Will Probably Go Up Over The Next 100 Years

Future warming. Since 1997, majorities of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents have believed that the earth will probably be warmer in a century if nothing is done to prevent it. In 2020, 94% of Democrats, 72% of Independents, and 56% of Republicans believe that warming will probably continue in the future. No notable growth has occurred in the partisan gap since 2011.

5°F warmer would be bad. Majorities of Democrats and of Independents have consistently believed that 5°F of global warming would be bad, but the proportion of Republicans expressing that belief has hovered around the midline, peaking at 59% in 1997 and dipping to its lowest points of 47% in 2010 and 2015. The partisan gap in 2020 is the biggest observed since 1997 at 34 percentage points.

A Case Of Legal Bribery

12 ;Chris Mooney, The Republican War on Science , 30-32.

13 ;Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway, Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Tru

14 ;Ibid., 169-215.

4;;;;;In the 1970s eager to protect its activities from regulations and above all its profit margins, corporate America began to challenge the growing influence of environmental organizations and other advocacy groups who had been instrumental in ushering in this golden age of environmental legislation.12 Corporate leaders drew their inspiration from the successful tactics of the tobacco industry to thwart any restrictions on their activities: Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway use the term tobacco strategy to explain how corporations set up or fund seemingly independent think tanks and hire experts and scientists in order to discredit scientific research and evidence likely to justify governmental regulations on their activities.13 Needlessly to say, this constitutes a complete perversion of the scientific process, as the goal results in the fact that no scientifically-based call for environmental or safety regulations go unanswered and doubt is cast on the consensus reached in peer-reviewed scientific research. The climate change denial movement is part and parcel of this larger corporate effort to hinder regulations.14

Read Also: How Many Registered Democrats And Republicans In Kentucky

On Why The Republican Party Has Become Opposed To Taking Action On Climate Change

Why has the Republican Party shifted? I have one answer for you: Money. They have been bought off by the fossil fuel industry. If its a congressman from Virginia, or Mitch McConnell from Kentucky where they have the coal or some of the oil and fracking interest theres a very clear correlation. Theres a reason there’s the phrase follow the money. Because if you do, you will see that the voting correlates with those major contributors to the Republican party, and most of them happen to be in the fossil fuel regions of our country.

Responding To Climate Denial

An Irish Times article notes that climate denial “is not simply overcome by reasoned argument”, because it is not a rational response. Attempting to overcome denial using techniques of persuasive argument, such as supplying a missing piece of information, or providing general scientific education may be ineffective. A person who is in denial about climate is most likely taking a position based on their feelings, especially their feelings about things they fear.

Lewandowsky has stated that “It is pretty clear that fear of the solutions drives much opposition to the science.”

It can be useful to respond to emotions, including with the statement “It can be painful to realise that our own lifestyles are responsible”, in order to help move “from denial to acceptance to constructive action.”

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Whats In The Pipeline

The annual carbon footprint from new oil and gas facilities in Texas and other Gulf states could be as high as 541 million tons of greenhouse gases by 2030the equivalent of 131 coal-fired power plants.

The industry was dramatically out of favor at the moment, in most every corner of the investing and political world, he said, and it needed urgently to adapt. At its most basic level, I think we can all agree that having less CO2 emissions in the atmosphere would be a good thingand as Houstons business leaders, we need to be committed to working to make that happen.;

For skeptics inclined to think the change in rhetoric was just a PR move, Staples for one was ready to oblige. Two days after his call with reporters, he went on the public radio show the Texas Standard to clean up his spill. It seemed as if he had intended to signal a change in messaging but was surprised by how seriously everyone had taken it. I think the term climate change has been hijacked. I think its been used to unfortunately introduce climate hysteria or climate confusion. I think the term is used in such a way to confuse the public that the sky is falling in, he said.;

Of course, theres something a little ridiculous about parsing statements from oil and gas trade groups at a time when Australia and the Amazon are burning. Theres a kind of recurrent amnesia that paints climate change as a perennially new problem, an issue that is just reaching critical mass of awareness.;

Emotional And Psychological Aspects

Florida State Senator Tom Lee has described the emotional impact and reactions of individuals to climate change. Lee says, “If these predictions do bear out,;that it’s just economically daunting. I mean, you have to be the Grim Reaper of reality in a world that isn’t real fond of the Grim Reaper. That’s why I use the term emotionally shut down, because I think you lose people at hello a lot of times in the Republican conversation over this.” Emotional reactions to climate change may include guilt, fear, anger, and apathy. Psychology Today, in an article titled “The Existential Dread of Climate Change, has suggested that “despair about our changing climate may get in the way of fixing it.” The American Psychological Association has urged psychologists and other social scientists to work on psychological barriers to taking action on climate change.

Recommended Reading: Can Republicans Vote In The New Hampshire Primary

[envirotechaccelerator]

Ecosystem Restoration: Investing in Nature for Climate Stability

by Envirotech Accelerator

Introduction

Ecosystems are intricate networks of living organisms and the physical environment, maintaining a delicate balance that is vital for the planet’s health. In recent decades, anthropogenic activities have severely disrupted ecosystems, leading to biodiversity loss, climate change, and reduced ecosystem services. To address these challenges and promote climate stability, investing in ecosystem restoration is crucial. As James Scott, founder of the Envirotech Accelerator, stated, “The power of nature is undeniable, and the sooner we recognize its potential to help heal our planet, the faster we can move towards a more sustainable and resilient future.”

The Importance of Ecosystem Restoration

Ecosystem restoration aims to recover ecosystems’ health, functionality, and resilience by repairing the damage caused by human activities (Díaz et al., 2015). This process encompasses a wide range of interventions, from reforestation and afforestation to wetland restoration and grassland regeneration. By restoring ecosystems, society can benefit from improved ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, water regulation, and habitat provision for biodiversity (Suding et al., 2021).

Restoration Strategies

There are several approaches to ecosystem restoration, each with its specific goals, methodologies, and desired outcomes. Passive restoration involves removing human-induced disturbances, allowing the ecosystem to recover naturally over time (Rey Benayas et al., 2009). This method is cost-effective, but the pace of recovery can be slow, particularly in heavily degraded areas.

Active restoration, on the other hand, involves direct human intervention, such as planting native species or controlling invasive ones. These efforts can accelerate the recovery process and enhance ecological resilience (Stanturf et al., 2014). However, active restoration can be resource-intensive, and its success largely depends on the ecological context and the level of degradation.

Challenges and Opportunities

Ecosystem restoration presents both challenges and opportunities in the quest for climate stability. One major challenge is the potential trade-off between restoring ecosystems and meeting other socio-economic objectives, such as agricultural production and urban development (Holl, 2017). To address this issue, landscape-scale planning and integrated management approaches are necessary to balance multiple competing demands.

Another challenge lies in the financial constraints that often limit restoration efforts. Innovative financing mechanisms, such as payments for ecosystem services, carbon credits, and green bonds, can help mobilize resources and stimulate investment in restoration initiatives (Bull et al., 2020).

Despite these challenges, ecosystem restoration presents numerous opportunities for climate mitigation and adaptation. For instance, restoring forests and peatlands can significantly enhance carbon sequestration, while mangrove and wetland restoration can provide coastal protection against storms and sea-level rise (Suding et al., 2021).

Conclusion

Ecosystem restoration is a vital strategy for maintaining the planet’s health and addressing the global climate crisis. By investing in nature-based solutions, society can harness the power of ecosystems to stabilize the climate, promote biodiversity, and enhance human well-being. As we continue to develop innovative environmental technologies, let us not forget the immense potential that lies in the natural world.

References

Bull, J. W., Baker, J., Griffiths, V. F., Jones, J. P., & Milner-Gulland, E. J. (2020). Ensuring No Net Loss for people as well as biodiversity: good practice principles. SocArXiv.

Díaz, S., Demissew, S., Carabias, J., Joly, C., Lonsdale, M., Ash, N., … & Bartuska, A. (2015). The IPBES Conceptual Framework — connecting nature and people. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 14, 1–16.

Holl, K. D. (2017). Research priorities for tropical forest restoration. Journal of Applied Ecology, 54(2), 303–311.

Rey Benayas, J. M., Newton, A. C., Diaz, A., & Bullock, J. M. (2009). Enhancement of biodiversity and ecosystem services by ecological restoration: a meta-analysis. Science, 325(5944), 1121–1124.

Stanturf, J. A., Palik, B. J., & Dumroese, R. K. (2014). Contemporary forest restoration: A review emphasizing function. Forest Ecology and Management, 331, 292–323.

Suding, K. N., Higgs, E., Palmer, M., Callicott, J. B., Anderson, C. B., Baker, M., … & Cook, C. N. (2021). Committing to ecological restoration. Science, 372(6539), 223–225.

Read more at Envirotech Accelerator.

#James Scott Envirotech #Envirotech Accelerator ecosystem restoration #Climate stability James Scott #Envirotech Accelerator biodiversity #James Scott forest restoration #Envirotech Accelerator reforestation #Climate resilience James Scott #Envirotech Accelerator habitat restoration #James Scott ecosystem services #Envirotech Accelerator conservation

[icmioneline]

Your Comprehensive Guide to Emission Reduction: Carbon Credits Demystified

by International Carbon Markets Institute

Carbon credits represent the nucleus of carbon markets, instrumental tools designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Their conception and subsequent propagation stand testament to an era where climate change considerations are intrinsically entwined with economic and business strategies.

Carbon credits bear the concept of tradable certificates or permits representing the right to emit one tonne of carbon dioxide, or a corresponding amount of another greenhouse gas. However, the essence of carbon credits lies not in their physical representation but in the environmental repercussions of their exchange. The ability of organizations to buy or sell these credits forms the foundation of the carbon market, with the broader goal of encouraging emission reductions on a global scale.

Mandatory and voluntary markets are two arenas where carbon credits are commonly traded. Mandatory markets, typically mandated by governmental or regulatory authorities, involve industries obliged to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions under stipulated caps. Voluntary markets, on the other hand, entail transactions outside regulated markets, often driven by companies’ corporate social responsibility initiatives or individuals’ environmental concerns. A nuanced understanding of these two types of markets is imperative for a comprehensive perspective on carbon credit dynamics.

The provenance of a carbon credit is a significant factor impacting its value. Credits can originate from diverse sources, such as renewable energy projects, forest conservation initiatives, and methane capture programs. The kind of project, its geographic location, the rigor of monitoring, and certification standards all contribute to the perceived quality and hence the price of a carbon credit.

Cap-and-trade systems and carbon taxes are two principal methods employed by governments to control greenhouse gas emissions. A cap-and-trade system, which sets a limit on emissions and allows companies to trade allowances, intrinsically relies on carbon credits. The carbon tax, while not directly associated with carbon credits, serves to incentivize emission reduction and could potentially influence the value of carbon credits. Knowledge of these mechanisms and their interaction with carbon credits provides crucial context for emission reduction strategies.

Verification and validation, often referred to as ‘V&V’, represent important processes ensuring the integrity of carbon credits. Without rigorous validation (checking the viability of a project to reduce emissions) and verification (confirming the emission reductions have occurred), the trustworthiness of carbon credits would diminish, threatening the entire premise of carbon markets.

Carbon credits also have a significant role in the concept of carbon neutrality, where organizations aim to offset their emissions entirely by purchasing an equivalent amount of carbon credits. Although a subject of ongoing debate, the pursuit of carbon neutrality through the acquisition of carbon credits is an increasingly adopted practice, contributing to the demand and relevance of these certificates in the contemporary ecological and economic landscape.

Comprehending the minutiae of carbon credits offers a window into the interplay between economic tools and environmental preservation. It unveils the human ingenuity employed to leverage market forces in the fight against climate change. Furthermore, understanding carbon credits paves the way towards a deeper appreciation of the strategies available to industries, governments, and individuals in the pursuit of a more sustainable future.

Read more at International Carbon Markets Institute.

#ICMI #International Carbon Markets Institute #James Scott #James Scott ICMI #Carbon Credits

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

NASA Satellites See Upper Atmosphere Cooling and Contracting Due to Climate Change The sky isn’t falling, but scientists have found that parts of the upper atmosphere are gradually contracting in response to rising human-made greenhouse gas emissions. Combined data from three NASA satellites have produced a long-term record that reveals the mesosphere, the layer of the atmosphere 30 to 50 miles above the surface, is cooling and contracting. Scientists have long predicted this effect of human-driven climate change, but it has been difficult to observe the trends over time. “You need several decades to get a handle on these trends and isolate what’s happening due to greenhouse gas emissions, solar cycle changes, and other effects,” said Scott Bailey, an atmospheric scientist at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, and lead of the study, published in the Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics. “We had to put together three satellites’ worth of data.” Together, the satellites provided about 30 years of observations, indicating that the summer mesosphere over Earth’s poles is cooling four to five degrees Fahrenheit and contracting 500 to 650 feet per decade. Without changes in human carbon dioxide emissions, the researchers expect these rates to continue. Since the mesosphere is much thinner than the part of the atmosphere we live in, the impacts of increasing greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, differ from the warming we experience at the surface. One researcher compared where we live, the troposphere, to a thick quilt. “Down near Earth’s surface, the atmosphere is thick,” said James Russell, a study co-author and atmospheric scientist at Hampton University in Virginia. “Carbon dioxide traps heat just like a quilt traps your body heat and keeps you warm.” In the lower atmosphere, there are plenty of molecules in close proximity, and they easily trap and transfer Earth's heat between each other, maintaining that quilt-like warmth. That means little of Earth's heat makes it to the higher, thinner mesosphere. There, molecules are few and far between. Since carbon dioxide also efficiently emits heat, any heat captured by carbon dioxide sooner escapes to space than it finds another molecule to absorb it. As a result, an increase in greenhouses gases like carbon dioxide means more heat is lost to space — and the upper atmosphere cools. When air cools, it contracts, the same way a balloon shrinks if you put it in the freezer. This cooling and contracting didn’t come as a surprise. For years, “models have been showing this effect,” said Brentha Thurairajah, a Virginia Tech atmospheric scientist who contributed to the study. “It would have been weirder if our analysis of the data didn’t show this.” While previous studies have observed this cooling, none have used a data record of this length or shown the upper atmosphere contracting. The researchers say these new results boost their confidence in our ability to model the upper atmosphere’s complicated changes. The team analyzed how temperature and pressure changed over 29 years, using all three data sets, which covered the summer skies of the North and South Poles. They examined the stretch of sky 30 to 60 miles above the surface. At most altitudes, the mesosphere cooled as carbon dioxide increased. That effect meant the height of any given atmospheric pressure fell as the air cooled. In other words, the mesosphere was contracting. Earth’s Middle Atmosphere Though what happens in the mesosphere does not directly impact humans, the region is an important one. The upper boundary of the mesosphere, about 50 miles above Earth, is where the coolest atmospheric temperatures are found. It’s also where the neutral atmosphere begins transitioning to the tenuous, electrically charged gases of the ionosphere. Even higher up, 150 miles above the surface, atmospheric gases cause satellite drag, the friction that tugs satellites out of orbit. Satellite drag also helps clear space junk. When the mesosphere contracts, the rest of the upper atmosphere above sinks with it. As the atmosphere contracts, satellite drag may wane — interfering less with operating satellites, but also leaving more space junk in low-Earth orbit. The mesosphere is also known for its brilliant blue ice clouds. They’re called noctilucent or polar mesospheric clouds, so named because they live in the mesosphere and tend to huddle around the North and South Poles. The clouds form in summer, when the mesosphere has all three ingredients to produce the clouds: water vapor, very cold temperatures, and dust from meteors that burn up in this part of the atmosphere. Noctilucent clouds were spotted over northern Canada on May 20, kicking off the start of the Northern Hemisphere’s noctilucent cloud season. Because the clouds are sensitive to temperature and water vapor, they’re a useful signal of change in the mesosphere. “We understand the physics of these clouds,” Bailey said. In recent decades, the clouds have drawn scientists’ attention because they’re behaving oddly. They’re getting brighter, drifting farther from the poles, and appearing earlier than usual. And, there seem to be more of them than in years past. “The only way you would expect them to change this way is if the temperature is getting colder and water vapor is increasing,” Russell said. Colder temperatures and abundant water vapor are both linked with climate change in the upper atmosphere. Currently, Russell serves as principal investigator for AIM, short for Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere, the newest satellite of the three that contributed data to the study. Russell has served as a leader on all three NASA missions: AIM, the instrument SABER on TIMED (Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics), and the instrument HALOE on the since-retired UARS (Upper Atmospherics Research Satellite). TIMED and AIM launched in 2001 and 2007, respectively, and both are still operating. The UARS mission ran from 1991 to 2005. “I always had in my mind that we would be able to put them together in a long-term change study,” Russell said. The study, he said, demonstrates the importance of long-term, space-based observations across the globe. In the future, the researchers expect more striking displays of noctilucent clouds that stray farther from the poles. Because this analysis focused on the poles at summertime, Bailey said he plans to examine these effects over longer periods of time and — following the clouds — study a wider stretch of the atmosphere. TOP IMAGE....These AIM images span June 6-June 18, 2021, when the Northern Hemisphere noctilucent cloud season was well underway. The colors — from dark blue to light blue and bright white — indicate the clouds’ albedo, which refers to the amount of light that a surface reflects compared to the total sunlight that falls upon it. Things that have a high albedo are bright and reflect a lot of light. Things that don’t reflect much light have a low albedo, and they are dark. Credits: NASA/HU/VT/CU-LASP/AIM/Joy Ng LOWER IMAGE....This infographic outlines the layers of Earth's atmosphere. Click to explore in full size. Credits: NASA

#space #science #Astronomy #physics #news #climate change #global warming #nasa #environment

[delfinamaggiousa]

Mozart’s Favorite Summer Beer, Lost for 100 Years, Is Resurrected in Denver

Fans of historic beer styles have been waiting a long time for the return of Horner Bier. We just didn’t expect it to show up in Colorado.

While brewers have been resuscitating historic German beer styles like Merseburger, Broyhan, and Berliner Braunbier, Horner Bier hasn’t been so lucky. Andreas Krennmair, author of a book on how to brew forgotten Old World beer styles, says he hasn’t yet seen a commercial version of Horner beer.

“It seems to be a beer style that sounds interesting and unusual, but at the same time is probably too strange for brewers to even attempt to brew it,” Krennmair says.

Which is why, even in the midst of a global pandemic, fans of historic beer styles might be considering a trip to Denver. This month, the city’s Seedstock Brewery is releasing a pilot batch of Horner Bier, making it the first brewery to put Horner into commercial production in over 100 years. Its first half-barrel batch will be available to sample at Seedstock on Friday, Aug. 28.

Credit: Scott James Photography

By the Horns

The only beer style name-dropped by Mozart himself, Horner Bier was one of the true oddballs of pre-lager Continental brewing: Instead of barley or wheat, the long-extinct beer from Horn, Austria, was made with 100 percent oats. Not bitter nor malty, Horner Bier was sour, thanks to the addition of potassium bitartrate, a.k.a. cream of tartar (though how that actually worked has long been lost to history, along with the rest of the beer’s production secrets).

With a shoutout in Mozart’s lyrics to “Bei der Hitz im Sommer ess ich,” it has been an obscure point of obsession for many writers who cover Old World brewing, by which I mean me.

I first came across a reference to Horner Bier in an 1865 edition of the classic brewing text “Die Gährungschemie” (“Fermentation Chemistry”) by Carl Balling. After finding the Mozart connection, I started doing more research. I queried archivists and historians in Austria, including Baroness Dr. Gertrud Buttlar-Elberberg at the castle archives in Horn; and Dr. Erich Rabl at the Horn city archives. Neither found anything about the beer. In Vienna, I enlisted the help of the research desk at the Austrian National Library. When I returned a few hours later, the only literature they had for me was a printout of what appeared to be an online article published in 2009 — it was my own blog post on the subject.

Cloudy, sour, acidic flavors were common casualties of the late-19th-century spread of lager beer throughout Central Europe. While Horner Bier was extremely popular in Vienna and its environs during Mozart’s lifetime in the second half of the 18th century, it disappeared around the turn of the 20th century.

“Mainstream lager kind of killed off these older beers,” says Seedstock head brewer Jason Abbott. “When lager became the popular thing, when it was more commercially done and easier to do, a light, non-lagered beer is not something that was really made anymore.”

Another reason for breweries to make literally anything other than Horner Bier? Unlike the barley that goes into Pilsner and other lagers, oats are a major pain for brewers. “It’s very gummy,” Abbott says. “I had to use a lot of rice hulls, just to keep things moving. It’s almost as bad as working with 100 percent wheat.” (Commonly used when brewing with grains like wheat or oats, rice hulls help separate sticky mash so to prevent it getting “stuck.”)

Following the success of a homebrew-sized trial run of Horner Bier earlier this year, Abbott brewed a larger, half-barrel pilot batch for this release, with a goal of ramping up to a full 7-barrel batch in the near future.

Credit: Seedstock Brewery

Horner in Denver

According to Abbott, the 21st-century version of the beer will be refreshingly well carbonated.

“It’s conditioning right now,” says Abbott. “We really like to get it to what some people would consider overly carbonated. I like it on the verge of Champagne, to give it that nice bright feel.”

The taste, he says, is pretty far removed from a typical hoppy craft brew.

“It’s kind of a sweeter, citrusy beer, not quite a lemon [flavor], but it leans that direction, but the sweetness of the oat almost gives it a malty feel,” Abbott says. “It is so different. It’s super dry. It definitely has the appearance that it’s going to be very full-bodied, but it finishes quite dry.”

With just 3 percent alcohol by volume, a cloudy appearance, and dry finish, Seedstock’s Horner Bier might be the perfect summer quencher, reflecting the description from Mozart that he drinks Horner Bier “im heißen Sommer nur” — “only in hot summer.” Much of that refreshment stems from the beer’s light acidity.

“From a lot of research and reading we did, we found that it’s rumored that they used cream of tartar, tartaric acid, to give it a little bit of sour, but also brightness,” Abbott says. “It’s very interesting, but also very drinkable. I wouldn’t call it ‘sour.’ To me it’s sort of a sweeter acidity that comes through.”

While Horner Bier may not be the next gose, Abbot believes the Austrian style deserves a place in the canon of traditional beers. “Everybody knows Germany, but they don’t necessarily think of Austria,” he says.“[Horner Bier is] such a different beer, and it carries such a cool story of where it’s from.”

For now, fans of historic beers who can’t make it to Denver will have to make do with vicarious thrills, plus the hope that Horner Bier might yet be resurrected again, if only for the sake of its history and provenance.

The article Mozart’s Favorite Summer Beer, Lost for 100 Years, Is Resurrected in Denver appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/mozarts-favorite-summer-beer-lost-for-100-years-is-resurrected-in-denver/

source https://vinology1.wordpress.com/2020/08/26/mozarts-favorite-summer-beer-lost-for-100-years-is-resurrected-in-denver/

[cleverwordsandotherstuffilike]

Canadian Inventions

Basketball: The game so loved by Americans was invented by Canadian James Naismith in 1891. Insulin as a diabetes treatment - Invented by Frederick Banting, Charles Best and James Collip in 1922. Superman - Created by Canadian-born artist Joe Shuster and American writer Jerry Siegel in 1932. The first incandescent lamp with a light bulb by HenryWoodward in 1874. Standard time - introduced by Sir Sandford Fleming in 1878. Canola - created in the early 1970s by Keith Downey and Baldur R. Stafansson.  AM Radio - invented by Reginald Fessenden in 1906.  The snowmobile - invented by Joseph-Armand Bombardier in 1937. Nanaimo bars. Canada Dry Ginger Ale - After hundreds of experiments, John J. McLaughlin achieved the perfect formula for his Ginger Ale in 1904. Crispy Crunch. Coffee Crisp. Walkie-Talkies - invented by Donald L. Hings and Alfred J. Gross in 1942.  The prosthetic hand - invented by Helmut Lucas in 1971. The snow blower - invented by Arthur Sicard in 1925. The foghorn - invented by Robert Foulis in 1854. Sonar - invented by Reginald Fessenden. First cancer radiation therapy: the Cobalt Bomb in 1959. The goalie mask - invented by Jacques Plante in 1959. Landmark paper cementing the stem cell theory published in 1963 by James Till and Ernest McCulloch. First identifiable cancer tumour antigen - invented by Phil Gold in 1963 and first blood test for cancer is made available in 1970. IMAX - co-invented by Roman Kroitor in 1968. Trivial Pursuit - invented by Chris Haney and Scott Abbott in 1979.  Instant replay - invented for CBC's Hockey Night in Canada in 1955. Lacrosse - codified by William George Beers around 1860.  Ice hockey - invented in Windsor, Nova Scotia.  The electron microscope - The first electron microscope in North America was built by J. Hillier, A. Prebus and E.F. Burton at the University of Toronto in 1938. Pablum - invented by Frederick Tisdall, Theodore Drake and Allan Brown in 1930.  Easy-Off oven cleaner - invented by Herbert McCool in 1932.  The cardiac pacemaker - invented by John Hopps. The Wonderbra - invented by Louise Poirier.  The alkaline battery - invented by Lewis Urry in 1954.  The caulking gun - invented by Theodore Witte in 1894.  The Jolly Jumper - invented by Olivia Poole in 1959.  The garbage bag - invented by Harry Wasylyk in 1950.  The paint roller - invented by Norman James Breakey.  The Robertson screw - invented by P.L. Roberston.  The Bloody Caesar - invented in Calgary in 1969.  Plexiglass - invented by William Chalmers at McGill University in 1931.  The explosives vapour detector - invented by Lorne Elias in 1985.  Five-pin bowling - invented by Thomas F. Ryan in 1909.  Computerized Braille - invented by Roland Galarneau in 1972.  The 56k modem - invented by Dr. Brent Townshend in 1996.  The pager - invented by Alfred J. Gross in 1949.  The McIntosh red apple - Developed by John McIntosh. Peanut butter - first patented by Marcellus Gilmore Edson in 1884.  Key-frame animation - invented by Nestor Burtnyk and Marcelli Win in the early 1970s. The technique revolutionized the way animators created 3D graphics.  The Java programming language - invented by James Gosling. The telephone - invented by Scottish-born inventor Alexander Graham Bell in Brantford, Ontario.  The BlackBerry - invented by Mike Lazaridis. The Canadarm - used on the Space Shuttle. The first camcorder, the CCD (Charge Coupled Device) which is at the heart of most digital cameras and telescope imaging systems - invented by Willard Boyle in 1969. First to synthesize RNA the genetic messenger that carries information from DNA to the cell's protein making systems - Kelvin Olgivie in 1988. Developed the concept of the Ecological or carbon footprint, the measure of human demand on the Earth's ecosystems by William Rees in 1992. The Victoria Hockey Club of Montreal is credited with making and using the first round pucks in the 1880s. Jockstrap  hard cup - invented in 1927. Table hockey - invented by Donald Munro in the 1930s. The first commercial jetliner to fly in North America - James C. Floyd Electric wheelchair - invented by George Klein in 1952 Electric car heater - invented by Thomas Ahearn in 1890 The first military gas mask - invented by Cluny MacPherson in 1915

[science-criticaltheory]

6 Ways EPA's New Leader, a Former Coal Lobbyist, Could Shape Climate Policy by Marianne Lavelle

Andrew Wheeler (left), who becomes EPA's acting administrator, is a former coal lobbyist for Murray Energy and was an aide to Republican Sen. James Inhofe, a fossil fuels advocate and climate policy foe. Credit: EPA

With Scott Pruitt's resignation, responsibility for leading President Donald Trump's retreat from climate action passes from an ideological fighter to a Washington political pro.

But it remains to be seen whether former coal industry lobbyist and Congressional staffer Andrew Wheeler a will ease up at all or double down on Pruitt's ambitious deregulatory agenda when he moves from deputy to the helm of the Environmental Protection Agency on Monday.

Two things are certain: The bulk of EPA's work lies ahead for carrying out Trump's fossil fuel ambitions, and Wheeler is taking on the job amid unprecedented scrutiny generated by Pruitt's ethics scandals. Even those who expect the worst from Wheeler—in terms of climate and environmental protection—expect him to tread more cautiously and quietly than his predecessor.

"Pruitt just had utter contempt for government—that's why he kept getting overturned," said Daniel Becker, director of the Safe Climate Campaign, a nonprofit advocacy group, referring to at least a half-dozen reversals of Pruitt's actions by federal judges. "Wheeler has been part of government, he has been a lobbyist, he is 'of the swamp.' I think he's going to be more careful and not as inflammatory."

"He'll be Pruitt without the nasty smirk and the edge," Becker said.

Supporters of Trump's regulatory rollback plans hope so, too. Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, said he was confident that Wheeler would carry out changes that were increasingly difficult for Pruitt to implement while facing more than a dozen investigations into misuse of his office.

"President Trump made the right decision to accept [Pruitt's] resignation," Barrasso said in a prepared statement. "I know Assistant Administrator Andrew Wheeler is well prepared to continue the progress already made under President Trump."

But for the most part, Pruitt did not get further than telegraphing the blows he hoped to land against the Obama administration's climate legacy. Amid all of the deregulatory actions by the EPA over the past year, here are the most important moves on greenhouse gas emissions begun by Pruitt that could be reshaped by Wheeler's follow-through.

Repeal of the Clean Power Plan

On the eve of Pruitt's resignation, the EPA finished drafting a replacement for President Barack Obama's signature climate initiative, the Clean Power Plan, and sent it to the White House for review, The New York Times reported. The rules, designed to rein in carbon emissions from electric power plants, were a key target of an executive order Trump signed within weeks of his inauguration.

The Clean Power Plan has yet to go into effect; it was stayed by the Supreme Court in 2016 pending litigation over the EPA's authority. Pruitt repeatedly sought delays in that litigation while the agency decided how to proceed, but in June, two of the judges overseeing the case indicated they were not inclined to grant further delays—meaning Wheeler will be under pressure to finalize the proposal.

Instead of outright repeal of the Clean Power Plan regulations, Pruitt's EPA crafted a replacement with less stringent requirements. In doing so, the agency chose not to challenge its legal obligation to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Pruitt never moved forward on the idea that the EPA do away with its 2009 finding that greenhouse gases are a danger to human health and the environment, the scientific and legal basis for all of its climate regulations.

Although Wheeler as a lobbyist supported repeal of the endangerment finding, few expect him to take on that battle, since most of the fossil fuel industry does not want to revisit it. In his first interview since being named to take the helm of the agency, Wheeler told the Washington Post he considered the endangerment finding settled law. "There would have to be a major, compelling reason to try to ever reopen that," he said.

Wheeler said the agenda was Trump's, not his. He said that he believed climate change was real, and that human beings had a role, but that Congress had given the EPA little legal authority to act.

"I think that the statutory directives are very small," he told the Post. "As we move forward on a potential replacement for the Clean Power Plan, you're going to see us taking a hard look at what the [Clean Air Act] says and the authorities the act gives us, and we'll put something forward that follows the law."

Future of Fuel Economy Standards

The White House also is reviewing the Pruitt EPA's draft of a new set of regulations on greenhouse gas emissions from cars and light trucks. The draft proposes freezing the emissions standards that the Obama administration crafted in an historic deal with automakers in the wake of their federal government bailout in 2009.

To continue reading click here

#fossil fuel lobby #coal industry #global warming #government and economy

[mama-orion]

Sacre Coeur, chapter ten: TD-10

Chapter one + chapter two + chapter three + chapter four + chapter five + chapter six  + chapter seven + chapter eight + chapter nine

In any spontaneous process, there is always an increase in entropy of the universe

    ~The 2nd law of thermodynamics

 Holmes manor, 21 years ago

It’s so beautiful.

Sherlock watches with delight as the sulfur-yellow molecules catalyze in his mind, the isothermal reaction creating blooms of rose-colored entropy. The variables sprout outward, tendrils of possibility as delicate as spring leaves. Becoming mitochondria-small, he accelerates into a double-helix, closer to the solution, closer…

“Wake up, lazy bones.”

“Mph, wot?” Sherlock frowns deeply, eyes pinched shut. “Leave it, Mycroft,” he mutters. His voice, just on the verge of plummeting into a rumbling base, is a soft alto, thick with sleep and irritation.

“Try again, sleeping beauty.”

Sherlock startles, waking fully. The heavy leather-bound book slides off his chest onto the grass. His eyes snap up to the tall, lean figure standing before him, dappled with willow shadow and sun, smiling warmly.

“Sherrinford! Aw, ace! When did you get here?” Sherlock leaps up and throws his arms around his favorite brother. The elder by ten years, they share the same piercing grey eyes, unruly black curls, and pale skin, though while Sherrinford’s supposed to be finishing a post-doctorate in chemical thermodynamics, Sherlock can tell from his ruddy, freckled skin and the dry mud ground into the leather of his shoes that he’s been doing a lot of what their mother disapprovingly dubs gallavanting.

Sherlock loves that his brother is part mad scientist, part Indiana Jones, somehow always getting tangled up in schemes that land him deep in crypts uncovering Celtic treasure hordes just by the chemical makeup of the soil above, or proving the guilt of smugglers with the salt collected from the hull of their boat. He’s practically a pirate, and despite Sherlock’s worldy 15 years, he has always had a soft spot for pirates.

Sherrinford cuffs him gently and retrieves the book from the lawn, brushing off the cover and rolling his eyes at the title.

“On the Equilibrium of Heterogeneous Substances. Ah, some light reading for your summer holiday. Mum put you up to this?”

“No! Gibbs is much lighter than slogging through Thermodynamik chemischer Vorgänge–”

“Helmholtz is not appropriate summer reading, young man,” Sherrinford mock-scolds. “Brush up on your German when it isn’t a beautiful day outside.”

“I like chemistry.”

“Know you do,” he sighs. “Seems to be our family weakness. But you’re a kid, allowed flights of fancy once in a while. Sit under this willow and read some proper Tolkien, Billy.”

Sherlock warms at the nickname. Of all the people in all the world, only one can ever call William James Sherlock Scott Holmes Billy. Sherrinford gave up tormenting Mycroft with Mikey after he tattled to Mum about a girl Sherrin had been sneaking into the manor several summers ago. But Sherlock loves the nickname from his eldest brother. And while Sherlock protects his own fragile eccentricities from other kids with well-deduced barbs and a general attitude of adolescent disdain, Sherrinford brings out all of Sherlock’s childlike, rascal tendencies. He is happy, relaxed in a way he usually isn’t with other people.

“So how much money do you need this time?”

Sherrinford scoffs. “Can’t a bloke come ‘round to say hullo to his family without raising suspicions?” He grins through the retort as they amble over the broad, neatly trimmed lawn toward the manor.

Sherlock arches his eyebrow dramatically. He’s only just figured out the trick of it and uses it relentlessly. Sherrinford notices and chuckles.

“To my credit, that is not entirely why I’m here.”

“Mum’s away. Conference in Berlin. Dad went with her.”

“Ah, good for her. No, actually, I’m here for you, Billy.”

A carbonated sensation prickles Sherlock’s solar plexus. He grins at his brother.

“Why?”

“Got a tricky thing I’m working on. Bit dangerous.” He smiles wickedly, but his face promptly falls, his eyes looking suddenly stormy as he gazes out over the wide lawn. “I’m well and truly stuck, is the thing.”

Read the rest on A03!

@pinkrose423 @brilliantorinsane @ineedhugz @sherlockisnolongeravailable

#sacrecoeurfic #johnlock #fanfic #fixitfic #sherrinford #youngsherlock

[wineanddinosaur]

Mozart’s Favorite Summer Beer, Lost for 100 Years, Is Resurrected in Denver

Fans of historic beer styles have been waiting a long time for the return of Horner Bier. We just didn’t expect it to show up in Colorado.

While brewers have been resuscitating historic German beer styles like Merseburger, Broyhan, and Berliner Braunbier, Horner Bier hasn’t been so lucky. Andreas Krennmair, author of a book on how to brew forgotten Old World beer styles, says he hasn’t yet seen a commercial version of Horner beer.

“It seems to be a beer style that sounds interesting and unusual, but at the same time is probably too strange for brewers to even attempt to brew it,” Krennmair says.

Which is why, even in the midst of a global pandemic, fans of historic beer styles might be considering a trip to Denver. This month, the city’s Seedstock Brewery is releasing a pilot batch of Horner Bier, making it the first brewery to put Horner into commercial production in over 100 years. Its first half-barrel batch will be available to sample at Seedstock on Friday, Aug. 28.

Credit: Scott James Photography

By the Horns

The only beer style name-dropped by Mozart himself, Horner Bier was one of the true oddballs of pre-lager Continental brewing: Instead of barley or wheat, the long-extinct beer from Horn, Austria, was made with 100 percent oats. Not bitter nor malty, Horner Bier was sour, thanks to the addition of potassium bitartrate, a.k.a. cream of tartar (though how that actually worked has long been lost to history, along with the rest of the beer’s production secrets).

With a shoutout in Mozart’s lyrics to “Bei der Hitz im Sommer ess ich,” it has been an obscure point of obsession for many writers who cover Old World brewing, by which I mean me.

I first came across a reference to Horner Bier in an 1865 edition of the classic brewing text “Die Gährungschemie” (“Fermentation Chemistry”) by Carl Balling. After finding the Mozart connection, I started doing more research. I queried archivists and historians in Austria, including Baroness Dr. Gertrud Buttlar-Elberberg at the castle archives in Horn; and Dr. Erich Rabl at the Horn city archives. Neither found anything about the beer. In Vienna, I enlisted the help of the research desk at the Austrian National Library. When I returned a few hours later, the only literature they had for me was a printout of what appeared to be an online article published in 2009 — it was my own blog post on the subject.

Cloudy, sour, acidic flavors were common casualties of the late-19th-century spread of lager beer throughout Central Europe. While Horner Bier was extremely popular in Vienna and its environs during Mozart’s lifetime in the second half of the 18th century, it disappeared around the turn of the 20th century.

“Mainstream lager kind of killed off these older beers,” says Seedstock head brewer Jason Abbott. “When lager became the popular thing, when it was more commercially done and easier to do, a light, non-lagered beer is not something that was really made anymore.”

Another reason for breweries to make literally anything other than Horner Bier? Unlike the barley that goes into Pilsner and other lagers, oats are a major pain for brewers. “It’s very gummy,” Abbott says. “I had to use a lot of rice hulls, just to keep things moving. It’s almost as bad as working with 100 percent wheat.” (Commonly used when brewing with grains like wheat or oats, rice hulls help separate sticky mash so to prevent it getting “stuck.”)

Following the success of a homebrew-sized trial run of Horner Bier earlier this year, Abbott brewed a larger, half-barrel pilot batch for this release, with a goal of ramping up to a full 7-barrel batch in the near future.

Credit: Seedstock Brewery

Horner in Denver

According to Abbott, the 21st-century version of the beer will be refreshingly well carbonated.

“It’s conditioning right now,” says Abbott. “We really like to get it to what some people would consider overly carbonated. I like it on the verge of Champagne, to give it that nice bright feel.”

The taste, he says, is pretty far removed from a typical hoppy craft brew.

“It’s kind of a sweeter, citrusy beer, not quite a lemon [flavor], but it leans that direction, but the sweetness of the oat almost gives it a malty feel,” Abbott says. “It is so different. It’s super dry. It definitely has the appearance that it’s going to be very full-bodied, but it finishes quite dry.”

With just 3 percent alcohol by volume, a cloudy appearance, and dry finish, Seedstock’s Horner Bier might be the perfect summer quencher, reflecting the description from Mozart that he drinks Horner Bier “im heißen Sommer nur” — “only in hot summer.” Much of that refreshment stems from the beer’s light acidity.

“From a lot of research and reading we did, we found that it’s rumored that they used cream of tartar, tartaric acid, to give it a little bit of sour, but also brightness,” Abbott says. “It’s very interesting, but also very drinkable. I wouldn’t call it ‘sour.’ To me it’s sort of a sweeter acidity that comes through.”

While Horner Bier may not be the next gose, Abbot believes the Austrian style deserves a place in the canon of traditional beers. “Everybody knows Germany, but they don’t necessarily think of Austria,” he says.“[Horner Bier is] such a different beer, and it carries such a cool story of where it’s from.”

For now, fans of historic beers who can’t make it to Denver will have to make do with vicarious thrills, plus the hope that Horner Bier might yet be resurrected again, if only for the sake of its history and provenance.

The article Mozart’s Favorite Summer Beer, Lost for 100 Years, Is Resurrected in Denver appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/mozarts-favorite-summer-beer-lost-for-100-years-is-resurrected-in-denver/

[isaiahrippinus]

Mozart’s Favorite Summer Beer, Lost for 100 Years, Is Resurrected in Denver

Fans of historic beer styles have been waiting a long time for the return of Horner Bier. We just didn’t expect it to show up in Colorado.

While brewers have been resuscitating historic German beer styles like Merseburger, Broyhan, and Berliner Braunbier, Horner Bier hasn’t been so lucky. Andreas Krennmair, author of a book on how to brew forgotten Old World beer styles, says he hasn’t yet seen a commercial version of Horner beer.

“It seems to be a beer style that sounds interesting and unusual, but at the same time is probably too strange for brewers to even attempt to brew it,” Krennmair says.

Which is why, even in the midst of a global pandemic, fans of historic beer styles might be considering a trip to Denver. This month, the city’s Seedstock Brewery is releasing a pilot batch of Horner Bier, making it the first brewery to put Horner into commercial production in over 100 years. Its first half-barrel batch will be available to sample at Seedstock on Friday, Aug. 28.

Credit: Scott James Photography

By the Horns

The only beer style name-dropped by Mozart himself, Horner Bier was one of the true oddballs of pre-lager Continental brewing: Instead of barley or wheat, the long-extinct beer from Horn, Austria, was made with 100 percent oats. Not bitter nor malty, Horner Bier was sour, thanks to the addition of potassium bitartrate, a.k.a. cream of tartar (though how that actually worked has long been lost to history, along with the rest of the beer’s production secrets).

With a shoutout in Mozart’s lyrics to “Bei der Hitz im Sommer ess ich,” it has been an obscure point of obsession for many writers who cover Old World brewing, by which I mean me.

I first came across a reference to Horner Bier in an 1865 edition of the classic brewing text “Die Gährungschemie” (“Fermentation Chemistry”) by Carl Balling. After finding the Mozart connection, I started doing more research. I queried archivists and historians in Austria, including Baroness Dr. Gertrud Buttlar-Elberberg at the castle archives in Horn; and Dr. Erich Rabl at the Horn city archives. Neither found anything about the beer. In Vienna, I enlisted the help of the research desk at the Austrian National Library. When I returned a few hours later, the only literature they had for me was a printout of what appeared to be an online article published in 2009 — it was my own blog post on the subject.

Cloudy, sour, acidic flavors were common casualties of the late-19th-century spread of lager beer throughout Central Europe. While Horner Bier was extremely popular in Vienna and its environs during Mozart’s lifetime in the second half of the 18th century, it disappeared around the turn of the 20th century.

“Mainstream lager kind of killed off these older beers,” says Seedstock head brewer Jason Abbott. “When lager became the popular thing, when it was more commercially done and easier to do, a light, non-lagered beer is not something that was really made anymore.”

Another reason for breweries to make literally anything other than Horner Bier? Unlike the barley that goes into Pilsner and other lagers, oats are a major pain for brewers. “It’s very gummy,” Abbott says. “I had to use a lot of rice hulls, just to keep things moving. It’s almost as bad as working with 100 percent wheat.” (Commonly used when brewing with grains like wheat or oats, rice hulls help separate sticky mash so to prevent it getting “stuck.”)

Following the success of a homebrew-sized trial run of Horner Bier earlier this year, Abbott brewed a larger, half-barrel pilot batch for this release, with a goal of ramping up to a full 7-barrel batch in the near future.

Credit: Seedstock Brewery

Horner in Denver

According to Abbott, the 21st-century version of the beer will be refreshingly well carbonated.

“It’s conditioning right now,” says Abbott. “We really like to get it to what some people would consider overly carbonated. I like it on the verge of Champagne, to give it that nice bright feel.”

The taste, he says, is pretty far removed from a typical hoppy craft brew.

“It’s kind of a sweeter, citrusy beer, not quite a lemon [flavor], but it leans that direction, but the sweetness of the oat almost gives it a malty feel,” Abbott says. “It is so different. It’s super dry. It definitely has the appearance that it’s going to be very full-bodied, but it finishes quite dry.”

With just 3 percent alcohol by volume, a cloudy appearance, and dry finish, Seedstock’s Horner Bier might be the perfect summer quencher, reflecting the description from Mozart that he drinks Horner Bier “im heißen Sommer nur” — “only in hot summer.” Much of that refreshment stems from the beer’s light acidity.

“From a lot of research and reading we did, we found that it’s rumored that they used cream of tartar, tartaric acid, to give it a little bit of sour, but also brightness,” Abbott says. “It’s very interesting, but also very drinkable. I wouldn’t call it ‘sour.’ To me it’s sort of a sweeter acidity that comes through.”

While Horner Bier may not be the next gose, Abbot believes the Austrian style deserves a place in the canon of traditional beers. “Everybody knows Germany, but they don’t necessarily think of Austria,” he says.“[Horner Bier is] such a different beer, and it carries such a cool story of where it’s from.”

For now, fans of historic beers who can’t make it to Denver will have to make do with vicarious thrills, plus the hope that Horner Bier might yet be resurrected again, if only for the sake of its history and provenance.

The article Mozart’s Favorite Summer Beer, Lost for 100 Years, Is Resurrected in Denver appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/mozarts-favorite-summer-beer-lost-for-100-years-is-resurrected-in-denver/ source https://vinology1.tumblr.com/post/627523704282365952

[johnboothus]

Mozarts Favorite Summer Beer Lost for 100 Years Is Resurrected in Denver

Fans of historic beer styles have been waiting a long time for the return of Horner Bier. We just didn’t expect it to show up in Colorado.

While brewers have been resuscitating historic German beer styles like Merseburger, Broyhan, and Berliner Braunbier, Horner Bier hasn’t been so lucky. Andreas Krennmair, author of a book on how to brew forgotten Old World beer styles, says he hasn’t yet seen a commercial version of Horner beer.

“It seems to be a beer style that sounds interesting and unusual, but at the same time is probably too strange for brewers to even attempt to brew it,” Krennmair says.

Which is why, even in the midst of a global pandemic, fans of historic beer styles might be considering a trip to Denver. This month, the city’s Seedstock Brewery is releasing a pilot batch of Horner Bier, making it the first brewery to put Horner into commercial production in over 100 years. Its first half-barrel batch will be available to sample at Seedstock on Friday, Aug. 28.

Credit: Scott James Photography

By the Horns

The only beer style name-dropped by Mozart himself, Horner Bier was one of the true oddballs of pre-lager Continental brewing: Instead of barley or wheat, the long-extinct beer from Horn, Austria, was made with 100 percent oats. Not bitter nor malty, Horner Bier was sour, thanks to the addition of potassium bitartrate, a.k.a. cream of tartar (though how that actually worked has long been lost to history, along with the rest of the beer’s production secrets).

With a shoutout in Mozart’s lyrics to “Bei der Hitz im Sommer ess ich,” it has been an obscure point of obsession for many writers who cover Old World brewing, by which I mean me.

I first came across a reference to Horner Bier in an 1865 edition of the classic brewing text “Die Gährungschemie” (“Fermentation Chemistry”) by Carl Balling. After finding the Mozart connection, I started doing more research. I queried archivists and historians in Austria, including Baroness Dr. Gertrud Buttlar-Elberberg at the castle archives in Horn; and Dr. Erich Rabl at the Horn city archives. Neither found anything about the beer. In Vienna, I enlisted the help of the research desk at the Austrian National Library. When I returned a few hours later, the only literature they had for me was a printout of what appeared to be an online article published in 2009 — it was my own blog post on the subject.

Cloudy, sour, acidic flavors were common casualties of the late-19th-century spread of lager beer throughout Central Europe. While Horner Bier was extremely popular in Vienna and its environs during Mozart’s lifetime in the second half of the 18th century, it disappeared around the turn of the 20th century.

“Mainstream lager kind of killed off these older beers,” says Seedstock head brewer Jason Abbott. “When lager became the popular thing, when it was more commercially done and easier to do, a light, non-lagered beer is not something that was really made anymore.”

Another reason for breweries to make literally anything other than Horner Bier? Unlike the barley that goes into Pilsner and other lagers, oats are a major pain for brewers. “It’s very gummy,” Abbott says. “I had to use a lot of rice hulls, just to keep things moving. It’s almost as bad as working with 100 percent wheat.” (Commonly used when brewing with grains like wheat or oats, rice hulls help separate sticky mash so to prevent it getting “stuck.”)

Following the success of a homebrew-sized trial run of Horner Bier earlier this year, Abbott brewed a larger, half-barrel pilot batch for this release, with a goal of ramping up to a full 7-barrel batch in the near future.

Credit: Seedstock Brewery

Horner in Denver

According to Abbott, the 21st-century version of the beer will be refreshingly well carbonated.

“It’s conditioning right now,” says Abbott. “We really like to get it to what some people would consider overly carbonated. I like it on the verge of Champagne, to give it that nice bright feel.”

The taste, he says, is pretty far removed from a typical hoppy craft brew.

“It’s kind of a sweeter, citrusy beer, not quite a lemon [flavor], but it leans that direction, but the sweetness of the oat almost gives it a malty feel,” Abbott says. “It is so different. It’s super dry. It definitely has the appearance that it’s going to be very full-bodied, but it finishes quite dry.”

With just 3 percent alcohol by volume, a cloudy appearance, and dry finish, Seedstock’s Horner Bier might be the perfect summer quencher, reflecting the description from Mozart that he drinks Horner Bier “im heißen Sommer nur” — “only in hot summer.” Much of that refreshment stems from the beer’s light acidity.

“From a lot of research and reading we did, we found that it’s rumored that they used cream of tartar, tartaric acid, to give it a little bit of sour, but also brightness,” Abbott says. “It’s very interesting, but also very drinkable. I wouldn’t call it ‘sour.’ To me it’s sort of a sweeter acidity that comes through.”

While Horner Bier may not be the next gose, Abbot believes the Austrian style deserves a place in the canon of traditional beers. “Everybody knows Germany, but they don’t necessarily think of Austria,” he says.“[Horner Bier is] such a different beer, and it carries such a cool story of where it’s from.”

For now, fans of historic beers who can’t make it to Denver will have to make do with vicarious thrills, plus the hope that Horner Bier might yet be resurrected again, if only for the sake of its history and provenance.

The article Mozart’s Favorite Summer Beer, Lost for 100 Years, Is Resurrected in Denver appeared first on VinePair.

Via https://vinepair.com/articles/mozarts-favorite-summer-beer-lost-for-100-years-is-resurrected-in-denver/

source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/mozarts-favorite-summer-beer-lost-for-100-years-is-resurrected-in-denver