About Me

 

Originally published January 2022

Relaxing at Sopris Park in Carbondale, Colorado

One of the most frequent questions I see regularly in climate change groups from people goes something like this, "Who is so-and-so and why should we trust this person?" This question is usually posed when I post an article, study, or video from a particular scientist or professor.

So, I figure that I should answer this question about myself so as to inspire confidence that I am not just some hack writing up blog posts simply for the fun of it. First of all, I am not a PhD science expert, but I spend a large portion of my spare time studying science and researching the nuts and bolts of why things are the way they are. I have a great curiosity as to why today's problems seem to have become a way of life. This is what led me to write the first entry in this blog - Problems, Predicaments, and Technology. The article was actually a simplified adaptation to a much larger article regarding non-renewable "renewable" energy devices such as wind turbines, solar panels, and other technological devices. Realizing the facts contained in the new article, I wanted to point out that technological devices of ALL stripes were unsustainable; not just devices labeled "renewable energy" or other similar monikers (which is what the prior article delved into). 

Many new articles, studies, and videos have since come out against technology being an answer to our troubles, especially when it comes to predicaments which are symptoms of ecological overshoot, the master predicament. As such, I routinely post these links in many different groups to point out the reality and many of these links are contained within the files and/or articles here in this blog. 

I have been studying climate change for the better part of the last 40 years. Back when I began studying it, the more common term was "global warming" and most of the worst effects were predicted far into the future beyond 2050. Like many young folks in their 20's during the latter part of the 1980's, I hoped that the efforts being made at the time by James Hansen and other climate scientists would lead to mitigation efforts and a more sustainable society. Yes, I was rather idealistic back then, as many younger people tend to be.

I had regularly read articles about climate change in magazines, books, and newspapers and was frustrated that more wasn't being done. Meanwhile, extreme weather events began catching my attention in the 1990's; especially flooding. I noticed that as time went on that river crests kept setting new record highs routinely throughout the last 3 decades. Some of this was due to weather, some of it due to urbanization of previously rural areas, and some of it due to clearing of woodlands, lowlands, or swampy areas which had been drained for agricultural use. 

Fast forward to the last 12 years and using what I have learned over the past along with countless peer-reviewed scientific studies, articles, videos, and other media, I began realizing that part of the reasons that very little if anything had been accomplished on the part of climate change mitigation was due to cultural issues involving society. One documentary leads to another which then leads to yet another documentary and I spent countless hours soaking in the information and then researching further on details that I found interesting. 

Needless to say, the result is the information contained here within this blog. Each article I write is usually information I have known for quite some time although new tidbits appear here and there. I include links to relevant information, scientific studies, articles, and other general information supporting the claims I lay out. I also edit these articles routinely if I come across new information or find something to add - occasionally a member in one of the groups I am in will provide relevant or corroborating evidence for me to add to a post.

I, like many others who come into contact with the stark knowledge and implications that the science of ecological overshoot provides, also had to deal with the repercussions of grief. Realizing that the way of life I had previously taken for granted was going to come to an end seems like a rather normal occurrence for older adults when one considers that he or she will eventually die. But this is a different set of circumstances, the unraveling of life on this planet; not just our own individual death, but those of countless other individuals (both plants and animals) and comprising millions of other species as well. Realizing our lack of agency in certain regards also was a bitter pill to swallow. The mental gymnastics required to comprehend the denial of reality and the optimism bias routinely represented in today's society was equally challenging. 

Nothing in my job as a journeyman electrician nor as a professional MC/Officiant had truly prepared me for the knowledge I now have. Part of my job as a business owner in my community has been to provide services within said community as a teacher which I had volunteered to do for many years. After learning about the science I now post about routinely, I came to the conclusion that the best and most responsible thing to do is to help others understand and comprehend the consequences and implications of this science. This is why I eventually decided to post these articles, studies, videos, and stories here (with a little help from Facebook making it more difficult to do there). 

As I explained in one of these articles, I have always been asking the question of WHY throughout so much of my life, and I continue to do so now. I do hope that this blog provides the opportunity for people not only to learn about the science regarding ecological overshoot, but also to learn about the psychological and sociological responses and ways of healing as well. 

Speaking of healing, a friend of mine, Michael Dowd has put together an equally amazing amount of information and videos which can be accessed here. Like me, he is equally passionate and concerned about ecological overshoot and the results of the predicament and demonstrates what a pro-future life looks like. He has countless conversations with many people just like me who share our interest in the science and the answers to why we find ourselves in these predicaments.

One way to navigate this site or to find a particular article is to use the "Blog Archive" or the "Labels" dropdown menus in the upper far left-hand sidebar next to my picture. There, you can find articles by month of publication and title (by clicking on a particular month) or by topic (under the "Labels" dropdown menu). Another way to navigate the site is to use the Suggested Reading and Site List of Files and Important Articles. ALL 30 entries in 2020 except for the title article (Welcome to Problems, Predicaments, and Technology) and Denial of Reality are files. The rest of the entries are articles I have written. Many people disagree with this material because the information is unsettling and tends to go against many common myths and the implications of that information is considered unthinkable by many. These arguments can generally be explained in three articles in particular: Denial of Reality, The Grand Illusion, and False Beliefs and Denial. 

Last, but not least, I run two different groups on Facebook for those who would like to indulge in conversations with others who understand and comprehend these predicaments. The Methane News Group deals with all aspects of climate change and energy and resource decline but is specifically focused on methane hydrates and methane and carbon emissions caused by warming conditions at both poles (which are experiencing at least 3-4 times the warming the rest of the planet is seeing). The Prepping for NTHE Group focuses on everything that the Methane News Group focuses on, but adds a more personal touch to the topics and adds ways to prepare mentally, physically, infrastructurally, and spiritually for the upcoming challenges. To join either group, simply answer the 3 questions asked (required) and an admin will approve your request.

Thank you,

Erik Michaels